I needed to get my column done for the week but first I had to decide on a subject. Sometimes it's easy to find one and sometimes it's a real struggle. I sat down in my recliner and started searching for ideas. I waved at David through the window as I watched him working in the yard. No help there so I opened up my laptop and got busy.
Before I knew it a couple of hours had passed and I realized I needed to start a load of laundry. There was just enough detergent to do one load so I sauntered into the kitchen to find a piece of scrap paper and pen to make a shopping list. Before I could do that, I needed to clear out the tangled mess of old newspaper rubber bands, ketchup packets, and fast food coupons in the junk drawer that I can never remember to take with me or use. I found several pens that, much to my surprise (NOT), were dried up. Tossing them into the trash, I resumed my mostly unsuccessful search for a writing utensil. I couldn't find anything to write on so I headed to my office to grab a piece of printer paper and noticed that the printer was out of ink. While searching for the $50 box of replacement ink I bought a month ago I noticed we were almost out of printer paper.
While I was in my office I gathered up all the games the grandkids had left scattered about last time they spent the night. I sat the games on the hallway floor, returned to my office to gather up the rest, and started taking out the remaining games to rearrange. I noticed some photos and small stuffed animals in the back (Now how did those things get in there?) and gathered them up to return to the guest bedroom, aka our receptacle (besides my office) of all things we don't use but don't want to throw away. I opened the two cedar chests stuffed full of pictures, papers, partial baby books, etc., and made room for my new finds. I pulled the baby books from one chest and sat on the floor to reminisce about the days when the kids were babies. Struggling to get up off the floor (I'm getting too old for that) I finally returned to the hallway, decided I didn't have the patience or energy to finish the job, and ended up tossing the games into the closet for another day.
Before I knew it, it was afternoon and I needed a snack so I headed to the kitchen. While eating, I opened my laptop and renewed my search for column ideas. While doing this, I remembered I needed a few gifts and opened up my go-to online shopping site and searched "gifts for teenage girls." Several items popped up, none of which I thought she'd like. I got up to throw away my paper plate and noticed the trash compactor was full. I struggled to lift the bag out and somehow ripped a hole in it. I held my hand over the hole while I carried it to the garage and still managed to leave a trail of litter behind me. I swept up the debris and decided to gather trash from the car. I found a pencil stub and started a list before I completely forgot what I needed.
While doing that I spotted the sweater I had spilled pop on and needed to wash. I threw the trash into the garbage can, and carried the sweater to the laundry room. I didn't want to wash just one sweater so I searched my closet, the living room, office, and bedrooms for anything else I could wash with it. I ended up with five piles of laundry so now I had to go shopping. I dropped my sweater pile into the washer, added the last of the detergent and fabric softener, and returned to the living room. As soon as I got comfortable in my chair, I realized I had forgotten to get a drink out of the fridge that I wanted. That's also when I remembered that I didn't even need paper and a pen. I can make a shopping list on my refrigerator and sync it to my phone.
I made my shopping list on the refrigerator and got an idea for this column so I settled into my chair and started typing. David came in from working in the yard, grabbed a cold tea from the fridge, saw me in my recliner, sitting exactly where I had been when he went outside, and asked, "What the heck have you been doing all day?"
And that's how the fight started.