It’s quite late Sunday evening as I write this. Whoever said (okay, I know it was the Big Guy) that Sunday is a day of rest obviously hadn’t considered my to-do list. It goes on for miles and doesn’t contain optional, wouldn’t-it-be-nice-to-do-someday items; It’s now or never, do or die, sink or swim-calibre stuff.
My most pressing tasks are related to the Babas & Borshch Ukrainian Festival I’m coordinating. The countdown clock I insisted our webmaster include on the home page is now terrorizing me with the fact there are only 47 days, 11 hours, 9 minutes, and 24 seconds until the Big Day.
So knowing how much work I have to do, why did I make the choices I did today? I chose to attend church because It’s been a while since I’ve gone. I needed to be refilled, renewed, and reassured by the words, the music, the calm, the two hours of letting go of earthly concerns. It gave me time to pray for the strength and wisdom I need to carry on, to ask God to keep the people I care about safe, and to help us keep things in perspective as attacks against Roy and the Council begin early in this, an election year.
After church, I hopped in the car and drove to Sherwood Park to pick up Roy so we could attend a wiener roast at a friend’s acreage. The occasion was our dentist’s celebration of 50 years of practicing dentistry. Wowzer. We didn’t know many people there and the pop-up showers soaked guests a few times, but it was fun. It was one of those occasions where you can’t really afford the time but feel an obligation to attend, and in the end are glad you did.
Next was driving home to confront the work that had not magically disappeared during my absence. I managed to get several pressing emails sent and refined and updated my ?must do? list, but didn’t get to the dishes in the sink. Nor did I bring up the suitcases we will need for a couple of days of rest and relaxation when we attend the ag service board tour that begins in Bonnyville tomorrow. Typically I’m quite anal about packing and start so far in advance that I forget what I’ve packed by the time I’m throwing the last-minute items in. That won’t be a problem tomorrow morning; it’ll all be last-minute.
I can’t decide if I should take the laptop and try to squeeze in some work. With a schedule that begins at seven in the morning and ends 12 or 14 hours later, it seems delusional to believe that anything of consequence will be accomplished. In fact, now that I think of it, I know that taking the laptop will keep me from being fully present and enjoying the mental break I need. Instead I’ll work like hell later so I can go guilt-free, from where I sit.
Hazel Anaka’s first novel is Lucky Dog. Visit her website for more information or follow her on Twitter @anakawrites.
