Instead of Puttering

All I want to do right now is putter in the garden. I have many other things I need to be doing, esp. as I’m sitting on a search committee for English (for the first time), so this week has a whole bunch of first-round Zoom interviews in addition to the normal work.

Goals for the week (and yes, I’m posting them on Wednesday, that’s how much the week has gotten away from me already…)

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GARDEN:

– plant two roses and three iris ensata — they came! They need to get in the ground! I have to prioritize them, or they will die!

– water everything that needs watering, or it will die!

– start some seeds, finally. Am SO behind, trying not to beat myself up over it.

COMPUTER:

– deal with urgent e-mail (sigh; I’m so behind)

– finish up the Pakistan posting (almost done)

– do work training due by Mar 31

ACADEMIC:

– get department list of possible recommenders as I go up for full clinical professor, eep. It’s not so easy, figuring out who is a full professor who would also write me an enthusiastic recommendation letter, esp. given how cross-disciplinary I am… (cross-discplinary: is that a nice way of saying ‘jack of all trades, master of none…?)

HOUSEHOLD:

– deal with urgent paperwork

– finish unpacking and putting away laundry (I got through about half of it yesterday — suspect I won’t get back to it ’til tomorrow)

– clean up library

– clean up office

– clean up computer drawer

– change out Christmas bedding to spring

– change out Christmas dishes to spring

– finish putting outdoor Christmas stuff away

– clean up basement

– clean up garage

– clean car

COOKBOOKS:

– make curry powder, passionfruit marshmallows, and cashew milk toffee, to fulfill an order and get set up for more orders (also, I’m out of Sri Lankan roasted curry powder for myself, which is just wrong)

– stop by Carnivore with more copies of Feast and Vegan, as they’re running low

– start posting recipes again, now that I’m home and cooking (am going to attempt dandelion marshmallows next, I think)

WRITING (why is it at the bottom of the list? sigh — urgent is not the same as important…):

– post new story to Patreon, probably on April 1 — I’m not sure what’s best — posting first of the month, or first Sunday or Monday of the month? Preferences?

– continue drafting requested story for magazine

– update Patreon with the new tiers before April 1

– write new Patreon story for May

– stop stalling and send novel to agents, gah.

*****

OR, I could just go putter some more in the garden instead…

I’m trying not to work in the evenings or on the weekends and be a more sane person generally, but between the travel and the illness, I think I may just have to put my head down and dig out from under for a bit. We’ll see. It makes me a bit crazy walking into rooms that are chaotic, so as I’ve been cleaning this week, I can feel myself getting calmer and less stressed. Might be worth the time investment now, for sanity soon.

Jed is visiting this week — it was his birthday yesterday, so the tentative plan is to pick up a chocolate cake on the way home from work. Maybe I’ll make myself stop working and play a game with him. That’ll be nice. Happy birthday, Jedediah!

EDITED TO MOVE FINISHED THINGS DOWN:

– plant three pansies and three muscari, or they will die! — DONE

– post garden log re: shrub trimming — DONE

– set up teaching observations (due April 14) — DONE

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