Me? Stressed? Yeah...Pretty Much...Yes.

For the past few weeks I have been what is otherwise known as "stressed."  Oh, nothing is awful, there's nothing that can't be handled, and I feel a bit ungrateful to admit it...but life has just been a little like a hamster in a wheel.  You know...running furiously for no reason.  If I could have only transferred that whole "running" thing to something more like...um...actual running. 

Had this occurred, however, I'm fairly certain that I'd be seeing a physical therapist by now.  But whatever.

What is all of the stress about?  Well, let's see if I can break it down for you.  Then perhaps you'll be able to see why I'm just a ball or stress...or perhaps you'll be thinking that I really need to get over myself already.

One of my biggest stressors is this...

This has been here since September 2010.  Why, you ask?  Well, because Big Dave painted my hall for my niece's bridal shower then and we took everything off of the wall.  I have yet to muster up enough enthusiasm to rehang anything.  Oh, it has been moved a few times and I've even culled out some of the items that are totally not making the cut.  But because I've decided that I want all of the frames the same color instead of the completely random assortment that I have here, that means that either there is going to be some serious reframing...or my version of kryptonite - paint - is going to be involved.

Don't think that paint is my kryptonite?  Shall I drag out Exhibits A and B again?

.Precisely my point.  Scary, isn't it?

I wanted to take each of the items that I want to rehang (plus a pile of things that I want to frame but don't yet have frames for because - hey! - that involves locating 40% off coupons for everything because I am SO not paying full price.

To do this, I wanted to do what I saw on one of my favorite blogs http://www.younghouselove.com/.  They took the frames, cut out the size with newspaper, and then taped them lightly to the walls so that they could move the items around without gazillion holes in the wall, the wailing, the whining and threatening, or whatever goes on at your house. Here's a look at what they did...http://www.younghouselove.com/2011/03/the-hallway-full-monty/

I've been planning to do this for the past six months.  I'm obviously stuck somewhere between planning and execution.

Speaking of execution...we did take care of the opossum that was living in the garage last week. 

Now we just have to figure out how to fix this...

Yes...it is the home of the cat, Big Dave's work stuff, anything that we might need someday, and enough spiders to film a Stephen King movie.

Fortunately, it is no longer home to a really bold opossum with an affinity for cat food and the quite annoying bravado of Howard Stern.

This project will require medication, Big Dave's cooperation, and I suspect...copious amounts of chocolate.  This also must get corrected prior to the end of July when Jill moves out of her apartment and brings all of her crap lovingly chosen items from the fabulous worlds of Wal-Mart, Target and Kirkland's back home.

And then - of course - there's this lovely stack o'crap just waiting for me to move it so that I can scrapbook again.

About as organized as a train wreck, yes?  Actually, this can probably be rectified fairly quickly (by putting it on the floor while I work).  Southern Living R (Not) Us.

And then I have this to bathe.  This is Dixie.  She has been in a particularly benevolent mood this week.  In fact, she's managed to leave me two "gifts" in the living room to show her appreciation for all that I do for her.

Actually, I think she's still pretty ticked off about being shaved a few weeks ago.

And then, of course, we have THIS to contend with...

I use the term "we" pretty loosely because I'm fairly certain that "we" don't know jack squat about Calculus.  Fortunately, the one who is actually studying this little gem (that was overnighted to us via Amazon because we somehow couldn't manage to order this $11 book for less than $30) is someone I gave birth to that for reasons unknown to his father and me...is quite brilliant (when he isn't being quite lazy). 

Hey, I was doing sackcloth and ashes in Algebra II.  I don't even know what Calculus IS much less how one might actually go about passing it.

Here's stress-on-a-screen a/k/a The Sony Blue Screen of Death.  Okay, perhaps that might be a little dramatic.  But watching everyone with a smurfish cast is a little annoying.  Our new TV (that we are getting through the nice people that are employed by Sony and monitor the Facebook page "I Have a Defective Sony" because we have "optical block issues" whatever that means) is backordered until mid-May. 

Yeah, I'm thinking that the Japanese have bigger fish to fry right now (like dealing with a nuclear meltdown) than making me happy.  Oh, and why yes, that IS a tailpipe on the screen.  I've been watching some unbelievably annoying show about selling cars for a lot of money and the details of blah blah blah for the past three hours.  Why?  Because Big Dave has the remote. 

Yes, this is Big Dave in his natural habitat.  He looks like he's enjoying the program about as much as I am. Except that I've been getting the bonus of his snoring to make the soundtrack of this program even more oh-so-pleasant.

But tomorrow is another day.  Saturday.  Can I get an "Amen!"?

I have great hope that I can take care of at least a few of these issues tomorrow.  Okay, I have great hope that I can get something started on at least one of these before I get sidetracked doing something brainless.  And in doing so...I hope that I can get my stress level back down to the normal level somewhere between a trot and a canter. 

I've been at a full gallop for the past week or so.  Not literally, of course.  That would involve something that Weight Watchers refers to as "moving." 

It's funny, though...when I get into states like these...where I see all that is wrong instead of what is right...that I have to remember to be thankful.  So, here goes.

I am thankful that I have an abundance.  Even if that abundance needs to be hauled off to Goodwill, shared with someone else, put in boxes, dusted, or whined about. 

I am grateful that I have husband (and a friend) that can paint.  I'll have to pretend that I'm going to do it myself to actually get this to happen...but I'm usually stopped...much like you stop a child from running with scissors.  Obviously, those frames are going to have to get done by someone other than me...but I can certainly use a Sharpie if it comes to that.  It used to work with my black pumps...

I am pleased that I have so much scrapbooking stuff that I can make books until the year 2015 without missing a beat.  I think I'll get that table cleared off sometime soon...because a friend has delivered me two thousand photographs to put in a book.  If all else fails...it will make a heck of a bonfire.

I'm thankful that my son understands calculus, that my husband is so low maintenance, and that I have dogs that love me.  I'm fairly sure that the son, daughter, and husband love me as well.

I am grateful that I have a house that I can store things in...even if those things have been hanging around here since 2001 and seriously need to MOVE ON.  Bear in mind that the garage is NOT...I repeat NOT...my domain.  Oh, but it is about to be...

I don't know what stress that you have going on in your life today.  Maybe it is that you are unwell, are going through relationship issues, have financial problems, or you are suffering because of someone's stupidity (including quite possibly your own...um...like me).  I don't know what the source of your stress might be...or if you could shame me or freak me out by telling me what you are dealing with so that I could feel immensely better about the fact that all I have to complain about are some things out of place and some unfinished projects. 

But that isn't my point.  I suppose it is that the things that drive me absolutely insane are important to me and to what I perceive will make me happy.  Much like a woman with five pounds to lose can be as distraught as someone who needs to lose fifty. 

It's all relative. (Even if I do roll my eyes at the five-pounds-over-the-weight-they-were-in-high-school-"fatties.")

And sometimes "all relative" actually means stress caused by just "relatives"...but that's another blogpost (or three) for another time. 

So, get out there and attack something that has been just totally on your nerves and get it done.  I don't care if it is something as simple as rearranging your medicine cabinet (did it last weekend) or vacuuming your car (um..yeah...need to do that too...)  Get it done.  Lighten your load and free up some of the mental space you are utilizing to freak out.  After all...being on DEFCOM 5 over dumb stuff is stressful. 

Trust me...I should know.