1. What’s on Your To-Do List (challenge)

    How Long is Your To Do List Today?

    My day begins by going to Browns Auto Repair to open up shop for Saturday morning customers. I can’t leave the house without my coffee and Saturday is my only workday that I can wear jeans or shorts. I pet my dogs goodbye for a while and send them out the backdoor to play in the yard.

                    When I arrive, about 30-60 minutes early I check how many U-Haul rentals we have scheduled going out. I inspect the vehicles for cleanliness and readiness. By this time it is 8 AM and I switch the Open sign on in the window.

                    Our first customer is not scheduled until 9 AM today so I get to work on payroll so it is ready for Monday morning. One of my employees has left me changes to apply for his withholding so I need to make that change before completing payroll. I check any bills due while I am writing checks so I can do it all at once.

                    When done in Quickbooks I jump on our email accounts to reply to messages and delete junk mail. Our first customer comes in and our part-time service writer works weekends with me. He takes care of the customer and has two hang-ups with the computer system that I assist him with. I finish checking email and turn off the computer.

                    I walk through the shop to find areas that need cleaning; my typical Saturday routine is to clean both bathrooms (one for customers and one in the shop). I try to pick a common area of the shop to clean as well. Today I cleaned the hand wash station where the technicians wash their hands (and some car parts) before leaving to other areas of the shop (namely customer areas and common areas). They had hand cleaner and grease gooped up on the walls beside the tub-sink and the floor was sticky. I grabbed my heavy duty gloves, sponge, and Clorox Clean-Up and got to work.

                    When done cleaning that area I finished the two restrooms and went outside. My service-writer was dusting the front counter area at this time. Since we live in Idaho, we get dust piled on everything and it is noticeable within a week. I watered my shrub that is potted by the front door and walked the parking lot to inspect for any damage. I picked up trash on my routine through the parking lot, I moved the dumpster so it is not in part of the driveway that leads to the parking lot behind the shop. Some of the trash guys that empty the bin don’t put it back in the same spot and it sticks out into the driveway.

                    About this time it was 11:00 and time to close up shop. I did a walkthrough of the shop and switched the window sign to say Closed. I turned off the lights, thermostat, locked the desk and files with personnel information and checked the cash box. Next stop is the bank to deposit the weekly collection of cash and checks.

                    Later today I have a laundry list of personal items to do (and yes, I am going to use this list to check off items as I go):

    • Drop of prescription to pharmacy from doctor apt earlier in the week
    • Stop at the store to get milk, vegetables, and chicken.
    • Dishes
    • Laundry
    • Vacuuming (3 rooms + hallway)
    • Sweeping (kitchen/dining room)
    • Wipe down kitchen counter/cabinets/stove/fridge/dishwasher/coffeepot
    • Clean bathrooms (2)
    • Find last years’ tax returns to send to accountant for business files
    • Finish college class for this week – Payroll Tax Accounting (need to read 2 chapters, do assignment, and take assessment/test)
    • Give dogs (2) a bath – I have German shorthaired pointers so it is no small task!
    • Cut dead flowers off of iris plants, chives, and peony bushes
    • Water flower beds
    • Water trees (front and back yard (9))
    • Water grape vines
    • Water vegetable garden
    • Water front yard (and I do not have a sprinkler system as I am on a well. I have to move hose and 1 sprinkler at a time – it gets very tedious)
    • Weed in flower beds in front yard
    • Sew some holes in socks, pants, and shirts for my son/husband. I have one belt loop in a shirt that needs to be fixed for me.
    • Sunday – weed in vegetable garden (it is 20x60 so takes a lot longer – I try to devote ½ day to this project)
    • Then…this evening my husband and some of my friends want to go to a free rock concert and want me to come. Somehow I’ll get everything done in time so I can go. I do try to make time to be social!

    Now if someone asks me what I want to do (instead of what I have to do) I will tell them that I want to take a long bath, primp in the bathroom for at least an hour doing hair and makeup before going to the concert. And I want to do artistic things, such as read, write in my journal or start a writing a book,  make jewelry, sew clothes and costumes from scratch, scrapbook, take pictures, cook a gourmet meal, watch a movie, dance to music, talk to my friends (see my friends), plant more plants, etc.

                    What do you have to do today? This is a challenge to share what you are doing today. Whether it is lounging around all day or cleaning your house like a maniac for Father’s Day like me! Do you accept the challenge?

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    9 years ago