A quiet afternoon

Today is Friday, flex Friday, which means that Rocket Boy (and everyone else who works at China Lake) has the day off. The best thing about flex Fridays is that the twins, who I love with all my heart and soul, go to daycare. On a normal flex Friday, RB and I play with the twins during the morning, take them to daycare together at 11:30, go out for a leisurely lunch, and then spend the afternoon working at our computers or doing other things that the boo bears do not like us to do in their presence, such as read or nap.

Sadly, today is not a normal flex Friday. Baby A is sick, so he stayed home from daycare, and Rocket Boy is sick too. Baby A wouldn't eat any lunch and he's been asleep for about 3 hours. Rocket Boy ate a little lunch and now he's been asleep for at least 2 hours. Baby B is alone at daycare and I am alone at my computer.

I have so many things to do. I have a to-do list a mile long. Have I done anything off it? No. Have I even looked at it? No.

I have always loved to-do lists. I enjoy writing down all the tasks I think I need to accomplish -- in a day, a week, a year -- and then crossing them off as I finish them. I remember in grad school some of my friends gave me a notepad that said at the top: "Another day, another damn list." That was me.

These days I make weekly to-do lists. My daily lists are too dull: change diapers, make snack, change diapers, make lunch, change diapers, make dinner... The weekly lists are fantasies about what I might get done if the twins would give me a minute and if I could come up with the necessary drive and enthusiasm.

One thing I know is on my current list is this: Bring out my summer clothes. Can you believe I have not done this yet? It isn't summer here yet! Today is May 28th and it is not hot. Summer is supposed to begin on Sunday (it's going to be 93). Maybe I'll get my summer clothes out tomorrow.

Another thing I know is on the list is this: Dig another tortoise burrow. I have been really remiss about that. The two tortoises are sharing our one burrow and seem perfectly content, but this can't be allowed to go on. Maybe tomorrow I'll work on that.

(Tomorrow is starting to look like a very busy day. Never fear, it'll all get put off to some other day.)

Rocket Boy has his own to-do list for me, and it involves things like scanning my old college transcripts and applying for jobs. Fortunately he's asleep.

Here's a fun one that I know is on MY list: revise my novel. I can get a printed copy of my NaNoWriMo novel if I request it before the end of June, but that means I have to revise it first. (OK, I don't HAVE to, but I want to.) Watch, I'll probably be working on that on June 29th.

A whole afternoon to myself and I didn't get one thing done. Well, I wrote this blog entry. I balanced the checkbooks. I sent a few emails. Now it's 4 pm and I need to start dinner.

Sometimes it's so lovely to do nothing at all.