By Mike Johnson
After decades of conscription to work schedules, it’s rapture to climb the stairs as a free man here at the home office.
I usually get right to work reading and writing.
But today, events jumbled and the animal chores leapfrogged to top of the list.
There’s feeding the dog, greeting the cat and checking the woodpile for critter activity.
Squirrels, chipmunks, prairie dogs, rabbits and birds all live in or near the woodpile eco-system.
Once they’re moving, we douse a smattering of logs in birdseed and peanuts.
And fill the birdbath with water.
Then there’s the mice.
Living along the forest, it’s impossible to keep mice out of buildings.
They get in openings the width of a pencil.
So we check the live traps every morning.
We caught one little guy in the barn today.
I release him a quarter mile away in an area with water and cover.
I admonish him not to return, but have no way to verify.
I’ve considered marking mice with paint to identify repeat offenders, but they’re already scared enough, stuck in a box carried by a giant.
So we just release them in the free range mouse resort and hope for the best.
The dog enjoys the walk and a few Frisbee tosses upon our return.
I leave her outside to oversee her herd of woodpile creatures.
Then it’s back to the house to make the bed, scoop the litter box and empty the dishwasher.
Start a load of laundry if needed.
I never mingle my clothes with Margie’s so nothing gets lost in the collective.
No leaving clothes in the dryer for days for me.
I’m a neatnik so can’t stand dishevelment, uncompleted tasks or clutter.
My self-discipline forces me to complete all chores before I get to the reward.
Everything has to be in its place before I can relax into the freedom of a completed to-do list.
Which is where I finally am right now.
Back in the office.
Back at the keyboard.
Back in bliss.
How did I ever tolerate a work schedule for all those years?
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More:
Wealth is Time & Freedom, NOT Money
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