flylady

Not Today, Fly Lady
Flylady.net is a website that is loaded with tips, advice, and support for people like me: unorganized and not a wit of talent for keeping a neat, organized home.
When my kids were growing up I solved my lack of skills with a sign I kept in my kitchen: "My home is clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be happy." It worked when they were little. I blamed them for everything that was messed up and out of place.
Funny, though, they are all grown up now and I still could use that sign. My mom used to say-"A place for everything and everything in its place." My problem is there is a different place every time.
My family has said at times, many times, you are never too old to change. So as I looked at my two and a half pair of shoes in the living room, and searched for my purse, I decided to try flylady again.
There is such a wealth of information on that website, I get palpitations. The subject for the day was-"Are you in chaos? Take an hour and bless your house." Her advice is that you can do any one task for fifteen minutes. Make a list and stick to it. Don’t deviate or lose your focus.
I was ready. I put the dishes away in order, fitting into each other instead of the bowls wobbling on top of a smaller one. The small frying pan was on top-the lids all in one place. This wasn’t going bad at all.
I would just go down my list, not taking on more than I could handle. Bless my house!
Then I heard a car pull up. It was my granddaughter with her new puppy.. She was missing her life-long buddy, Brando. I was glad to see she had a new dog to love.
She brought Pearl over to get acquainted with Sundance, the lab, and Nookers, the cat. She was going to take a walk down to the lake.
It was a perfect day, lake smooth, sun shining on it. The lilac bushes gave the whole yard the fragrance of spring..A great day to be outside. But I had a list.
She didn’t ask me, but I told her I was sorry, I just did not have time to walk with her. I said I was trying to stay on a schedule and get organized. .
She and Pearl started down to the lake. I took my list and marked off the next thing-clean out the middle desk drawer. I dumped everything into a box and started sorting.
I glanced out the window and saw the two of them coming up from the lake. I had an epiphany right then. I thought, in less than six months Jade will be of age, the pup will be a dog. This moment will not come again.
By the time I got outside, they were on the deck. We sat there enjoying the sun, looking at the lake and laughing at the antics of the puppy.
My schedule bit the dust. That desk drawer will still be there in six months, in six years.
I really don’t care.
Times when I sit in my rocking chair, remembering good times, my fondest memories will not be of my clean desk drawer.
Maybe someday, Fly Lady. But not today.
There is not a whole lot of system in the kitchen, either. But people seem to get fed and on time. I watch the food channel, maybe too much. Paula and Rachel sometimes get on my last nerve, but they have such good recipes, I have to forgive.
Rachel had a kind of do it yourself spread, Ritz has baked cracker chips out that are good to go with the spread of your choice. Her program that week was stressing healthy eating.
Rachel’s Cream Cheese Spread (Healthy and low fat)
you will need:
one 8 ounce low fat cream cheese, softened
4 ounces light sour cream
any kind of veggies, diced small
I used chives, one small clove garlic
zucchini, orange pepper
( 2-3 T of each. The idea being more veggies than cream cheese.)
mix with the cream cheese. Put on cracker of your choice
Enjoy