Overwhelmed but Not Whiny (sort of)

If I really sit back and think about all the stuff I have to deal with, it sure can be overwhelming, so the best thing is to do is to not think about it, right? Fat chance.

Bear in mind, I don't mean to sound whiny (too late?), but the list is really weighing on me, and of course, I'd love to share it with you.

First off, the big thing is finishing the kid's curricula. I need to outline their course requirements for the year and get them to the state. Lucky for me they are incredibly nice and helpful, so they aren't sending the vice squad out to get me. On a bright note, their end of the year assessments are completed and accepted, which is a huge relief, but we're not quite ready to celebrate.

The lawn is done, sort of. The main sections are completed and ready for the Winter, but I still need to mow the bottom section and the hill. At some point I'd like to seed them, but that's a low priority. I also need to run the mower dry for storage.

The firewood is an ongoing drama, I did manage to move all the cut blocks (5 cords) to higher ground where I can split and stack them. My goal is to get that done and then start cutting the logs before Winter comes so I can relocate those in the Spring, but I'm not sure if that is going to happen. It is snowing in October! I did manage to get some pallets at Woodstock Hardware, though, which was a score.

I need to order the siding for the barn, which will maybe then have to be moved into the barn to protect it from the weather, unless of course I can just cover it with plastic until Spring. Needless to say, this is the preferred option. Then it needs to be painted and nailed in. Speaking of the barn, I still need to put up the soffit, and then put in the blocking. The septic is in motion, but I need to deal with those darn trees out back. The septic on our house needs to be pumped, but before that happens, I need to dig up the opening to access the goodies. This will require search and discover shoveling.

The front door is close to being done, but I want to put some insulation in that small gap and then cover it with a soffit. I also want to put up some rigid foam insulation on the inside and caulk it because I'm not sure when I'll get that drywall on, and it's going to be a cold Winter, like it always is. The seal on the front door is also compromised, as PR pointed out, and that will be a significant source of drafts. He seemed to indicate that fixing it would be simple and straightforward, which only spells disaster for the likes of me. Also, I need to stain and install the front step, but the staining will depend on the final color that we choose for the house. This, in turn, will only happen after some big decisions are made, but not by me, of course. I just work here.

Now the garbage disposal is acting up. Boy, home ownership can sure break your back at times.

On top of all that stuff, I have a constant flurry of kids activities, not to mention getting the school stuff done while cooking three meals a day and keeping the house marginally clean. Even in lieu of all that, I still can't seem to keep the house clean enough. Throw in the fact that I'm trying to get my glorious writing career going, and it begs the question, who am I trying to kid?

Okay, now that I've moaned a little, I feel much better. Blogging can be like therapy. Bear in mind, as much as I cry about it, I don't want to farm out projects that I could do myself, or rather, watch JH do with his magic bag of tools. Part of being a real man is getting your hands dirty and doing it yourself, so I wouldn't change a thing.

I just need to whine about it now and then. Thanks for listening and sorry for subjecting you to it. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get the fire in the stove going, it's cold out here.

BTW, thanks also to Zsuzsanna Kilian for the pic.