Not so much Comings, as Goings.

Hasta la vista, Miguel.

Thursday evening, as I paced and fumed waited patiently for someone who never showed up, I took the time to look over the "grounds" and took a good look at Miguel.  You may have noticed that I haven't mentioned Miguel much.  After going through the winter with a nice 6-foot coat of snow, he fired right up this spring.  Then the tires kept going flat, then the battery connections got covered with acid stuff, then the mice invaded, then he wouldn't start.  I had thought about selling it to someone with car knowledge but, upon closer inspection of the incredibly rusted frame, I decided that if I was too afraid to drive him, I sure shouldn't sell him to someone else to drive.  I had loaded his bed in the spring with the last of the junk that had been bequeathed to me by the previous owners when the tire thing happened.  Then he wouldn't start.  So, there he sat, listing to port, rear view mirrors wrapped in feedbags to ward off the evil red bird, old bits of cages, broken glass, old mailboxes, broken hive frames poking out of his bed, parked in the driveway. "Cripe," I thought.  "This is a scene from the Beverly Hillbillies, without the Beverly".

Not ten minutes later, the dog alarm went off and a car pulled into the driveway.  Thinking it was the ingrate who was supposed to come look at my ducks, I approached the guy in a less-than-friendly manner.  Turns out, he was a neighbor who buys scrap metal and had spotted Miguel.  After about a half hour (mostly filled with detailed recounts of his entire life including ex-wives), we had a deal and Miguel (and most of the junk) will be leaving Sunday.  Sunday may also be the day the lambs leave.  And, if the idiot who wanted the ducks actually comes through and shows up, two of the ducks will be heading out as well. 

I am looking at this as an opportunity to spruce the place up a bit.  If time and weather allows, I will wash down the front of the house and rid it of it's mold coating.  I might even weed around the currants and mulch them.  I might even vacuum out my car.  Whoa, there!  I do find it difficult to balance all the animal needs/work with other things that need to be dealt with - home repairs, car cleaning, weeding, planting, etc.  But I do feel I need to work on gaining more of a balance.  I need someone to organize me -- Erin!!!  Sylvie!!!  Putting on my big girl panties, I have decided to take myself in hand and make three lists.  One will be animal-related (coop - still not finished; etc.), the second being house-related (mold, remove Christmas lights left by last owners), and car (vacuum, clean upholstery).  Then I will, each week, try to knock one thing off each list.  I will have to try and further balance the workload by breaking the major jobs into steps, and knocking off a step each week.  Am I over-thinking this?  Am I doomed to fail?