Tagged...and thinking about the bucket list

Jenn at Just Add Water, Silly has tagged me to answer a few questions. It seemed like a simple task, which is my limit these days. Even so, one item brought me up short and made me realize that my lifelong goals are not still something "out there." Read on, and you'll come to that.

4 Things in My Purse:
* Instructions for the new booster seat we’ll use when I drive my grandson to preschool starting this week

* Unused coupons and gift cards for coffee, bread, and two lunches

* Giant collection of keys (soon to diminish when I surrender my 7 work-related keys)

* An iPod Touch that I rarely use—and I’m not sure why

4 Things in My Desk (at Home):
* A silver “Peace in Guatemala” medallion from the Rigoberta Menchu Foundation

* A wonderfully tiny digital voice recorder

* Photo paper in various sizes

* An unused package of hand-held fireworks (sparklers)

4 Favorite Things in My Bedroom:
* Sleek and sturdy oak furniture I bought long ago and still love

* Counted cross-stitch wall hangings made by Peter’s sister and mother—I used to read them to Augie and discovered that he soon learned them by heart

* A dream-catcher

* A sweet taupe pitcher that was my first pottery purchase

4 Things I Enjoy Very Much at the Moment:
* Simplifying—recycling or tossing accumulated papers, clothes, and junk collectibles to reclaim space

* Playing “drum concerts” with the kids

* Hiring someone to help with the cleaning

* Blogging

4 Songs I Can't Get Out of My Head:
* “At Last”…the version by Eva Cassidy, who sang like an angel and died much too young

* A couple of Dr. John’s blues piano riffs…I hear them in my head and find myself playing air piano

* “I Want to Be Your Personal Penguin” by Sandra Boynton…just one of her many great kids’ songs

* “Little Red Rooster,” an old Willie Dixon tune recorded live by the Rolling Stones with Eric Clapton—they should have stayed a blues band!

4 Things I Always Wanted to Do (but Haven't Yet):
* Learn to paint acrylics and/or water colors (which is why I was drawn to Jenn’s site)

* Win the Powerball lottery

Seriously, I don't have much of a "bucket list." Of the things I "always wanted to do," apparently (a) I’ve done it or (b) it’s no longer important to me. I just want to live the life I've built for myself (with the help of others), and that doesn't require big travels or achievements or ... Okay, I just remembered I've always thought about a hot-air balloon ride, but I'm not sure it's in the "want to do" category. Still, I'm sure I'll be remaking that list over the next months and years (I hope!) as I move into retirement. And finally,

4 Things You Don't Know About Me:
* My sleep number is 45.

* I have no tattoos, but if I had the nerve I’d get my eyelids lined to save time and avoid smudged eye makeup. I do NOT have the nerve.

* My favorite candle scents are cinnamon, vanilla, and a wonderful cranberry-orange holiday blend.

* I am fascinated by the information we put out there about ourselves, on the chance that someone will enjoy reading it. I think it’s a new way of bonding…not better or worse than in-person, just different.

So how about you? I’m supposed to tag four people, but not everybody enjoys memes, so let’s open it up instead. Answer these questions, and if you let me know I’ll link to you.

P.S. Having mentioned Jenn, I want to show you the lovely handmade scarf and bookmark (complete with jewels) she sent me when I won her giveaway celebrating her 150th follower. As I told her, I’d been using a receipt for a bookmark; this is much classier. And the scarf will be great with my winter coat when the Minnesota winds get blowing!

By the numbers

Lisa at Grandma's Briefs talks today about how the pressures of life sometimes come to be represented by a brace of numbers. She ends each post with a question, and today's is this: What numbers are currently causing you distress -- or elation?

I realized that numbers do express both my anxieties and my joys right now.

12.5...weeks until I retire.
20...hours a week I work until then. 
40...hours a week I spend doing daycare for the grands
3...major work projects I'm trying to finish
2...beautiful kids who bring me inestimable joy
6:45...the hour they arrive each morning
0...blog posts since a week ago.

and last but not least,
25...years with Peter; our anniversary comes up soon

Wednesday's Word: Exhausted

Exhausted, spent, weary, beat, fatigued, done in...but in a good way.

Our family celebrated my Dad's 95th birthday this weekend. We planned a big brunch with my siblings and some of their offspring (and ours) and assorted cousins. Then before I knew it plans had grown to three days of get-togethers including a visit to the State Fair on its most crowded day ever! My dad clearly loved being the center of attention, and he is enjoying life much more since he and my stepmother moved into assisted living last June. But I'm an off-the-charts introvert, so even when celebrating with my own family, lots of face-time means lots of exhaustion.

Last week was the first week of Wild Rumpus Daycare for this season, so I was already tired before the socializing kicked in. And this week the kids arrive even earlier than last week...6:45 a.m., which is not really in my vocabulary! They let me sleep until 8, when they come and wake me for breakfast. Pretty sweet.

Meanwhile, I finished one big important work project early last week, but the weekend got away from me with not much progress on the next project. So I'm playing catch-up. On the other hand, this coming Friday is September 10. Exactly three months later, I'll be retired from work. Woo-hoo!

Bottom line: life is good but it wears me out, and there's not a lot of time for blogging. I expect that will be the case until, oh, let's say December 10!

I forgot the calendar!

Meet Chris, John, and Andy of Chiropractic Works in York, Maine. The bean pit crew for Harvestfest, they are the September pinups for the Men of York calendar. It's a fundraising project produced by the Greater York Region Chamber of Commerce. Having won this calendar from Eva, I have been sharing each month's photo, because I'm generous like that.