To-do's

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I finally unwrapped my chair cushions, wiped a thick layer of pollen off the tabletop, and was able to enjoy a few peaceful moments on my deck. It felt like a long time coming.

The table is the perfect size for gaming nights or outdoor dinners...if that's your thing, and the chairs are comfortable enough to sit in all day... if anyone actually has that kind of free time. Now I'm just hoping Mother Nature and my schedule can coordinate long enough for me to enjoy it for more than a few stolen moments.

The deck is positioned in the perfect spot, soaking up the morning sunshine while offering welcome shade during the hottest part of the afternoon. And since I purchased what may very well be the largest outdoor storage trunk on the planet, the cushions now have a safe, dry place to live when they're not in use.

Of course, the deck is only one item on a never-ending list of outdoor projects. Between the patio, and the countless flower pots waiting to be filled, I'm not entirely sure I'll be able to keep up. Every time I cross one thing off the list, three more seem to appear. Such is the life of a homeowner.

My daughter gave me my favorite bottle of champagne for Mother's Day, and I've been saving it for just the right occasion. I think that occasion might be the day I lay the very last brick on the patio. That will certainly be something worth celebrating. Heck, Tim and I might just plop ourselves right down on those bricks and drink the entire bottle while admiring our handiwork.

If you own a home, you know they come with a constantly evolving to-do list and an unspoken guarantee that the work will never truly be finished. There will always be another project, another repair, another idea waiting around the corner. The trick, I think, is to chip away at the list, do what you can when you can, and give yourself permission to leave the rest for another day. Otherwise, you'd drive yourself crazy chasing completion that never comes.

For today, I'm perfectly content. I'm loving my new deck setup, enjoying my comfortable chairs, and appreciating the progress that's been made. Now all I need to do is carve out a little time to sit back, relax, and enjoy it all. 

"The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as though it had nothing else in the universe to do." ~ Galileo Galilei