Multi-Order Distractions on a Rainy Day

Ben Oostdam story # 288

It struck me like a ton of bricks at 11:00 sharp ("bel dobt", as the Egyptians say in Arabic):
after almost 10 years of retirement I am getting more and more disorganized,
undisciplined or whatever (as my daughter Erika says).
Of course, I call it "multi-tasking", but I will let you be the judge on the basis of
what I am going to write next about to-day's events between 09:00 and 11:00.

After doing my normal daily routine of getting up, washing, drinking coffee and clean-up,
I was ready to consider the proposed schedule for the day.
Since it was raining, I could not pick up fallen branches and trees Steve had cut down,
because it was too soggy to use the new tractor and trailer. On the other hand,
(I only have two so do not worry about long-windedness and professorial forgetfulness with two 's'-es but only one 'l')
I would not have to spray the newly sown grass around the new garage building.

I decided to update my website with scans and photographs I had made earlier this week.

=90%> But wait, I still had to go through yesterday's mail.
I came across another letter from the folks at "Picture.com" boosting my ego
with another award for the photograph of Parker watching his fire last September.

More later in an hour, must first go swimming in Pucillo Pool before it closes at 13:00 ...see you!

Reporting back again after 24 laps in half hour followed by lunch of shrimps, avocado and cheese.

Also in the same mail I was checking, I found my order of new stamps of 41 c
(recall in Holland in 1954 postage was 2 c and letters arrived a day after mailing not a week as now...)
which change in postal rate had held up mailing my letters yesterday...
so first see if there are more bills -
yes, another bunch of junkmail requests for funds
I felt obliged to respond to some WW II Veteran organizations
that appear to arise as fast as the Vets die.

Then, purely for exercise,
I walked to the mailbox
to mail a dozen letters.
On the way back, I cursed myself
for forgetting to bring my camera-
so back to my office to get it
and to take some photos of plants
in bloom - which I then had to
process and present here . . . still wondering if and when I will succeed to get back to work...

I thought I might as well
process the scans I made
of Parker's art in
Jenkins Lab School:

and scan an article
with Mao period posters
in the USCD journal,
while I am at it...voici:

By then it was 11:00 and I dutyfully rose
to make hot chocolade.
Even that simple task offered distractions:
while waiting for the water to boil,
I noticed my support stocking soaking in the sink,
so I washed and rinsed it,
which in turn made me have to go the bathroom
as always when I hear the water running....

Anyhow, that's the story, now it is 15:40 and I must run and send Western Union cash to Irene in Sofia who did not yet receive her first retirement check since last September ... I guess I can do my work when I get back and in the meantime feel grateful that my retirement checks keep coming!

BLO fecit 20070518 - stories