Should I Pack, or Wash the Driveway?

Do you ever start out to do some planting in the garden, and end up washing the driveway? Well, if you're like me, it happens more often than not.

Having just returned last weekend from our Whistler conference / vacation, with the suitcases still not fully unpacked, I need to focus on getting some things finished up so I can pack for a 7 night Alaska cruise which starts Saturday.

It has been a crazy week at work. Not that any week is not crazy anymore, but there were three sets of visitors to our office and a Board meeting, so my husband had not only long days, but also long evenings entertaining. I don't think he's been home before midnight yet this week. Myself, I am within a couple of weeks of a product release, trying to pull documentation together for it, and deep in planning stages for the next release.

I was blessed two weekend ago, to attend 3 plant sales, so I have been trying to get all those planted in, whenever I have the opportunity, which has so far been the occasional evening. Tonight was one of those opportunities, with good weather, and a bit of time after my daughter's piano and voice lessons, and dinner, before chasing them to bed.

Remember the gaps in the front yard, which I was looking to fill? I decided to plant the sunflowers, which my mom graciously allowed me to start on her windowsill, and which were already about 10" high. But before I did that, I needed to water that area, since it is under the porch overhang, so is completely dry.  But before that, I needed to pull some weeds, so I wouldn't be watering those.  And next thing I knew it, I had almost filled our gigantic yard waste bin (equivalent to about 2 1/2 regular garbage cans) with weeds and cuttings from the front yard.  Then I dug & watered the holes for about half an hour, and finally planted them in.

By that time, it was getting dark, and the mosquitos were biting.  But since I had the hose out (it is a beast to handle, even  though we have it on a nice hose reel), and I was a bit wet anyhow, I decided to wash down the driveway.  I do it every Spring, to clean out the lines in the concrete.  I learned from our builder that the lines are actually functional, allowing for some movement in the concrete, as well as drainage.  So every Spring, while there is still lots of water, more than the city can handle in its reservoirs, I wash down the driveway with a hose.  It seemed funny, though, thinking of how many things I have left on my list for work and around the home, which I am trying to get done in the remaining day before we leave.

I guess with work, I finally came to a place today of resignation (no, not that kind of resignation, but the one where I realize that my efforts are futile, and I instead need to lower my expectations to match reality).  That, and my email letting people know I would be gone after Friday, which has given me some sort of peace, that at least I've let people know not too expect too much in the one remaining day.

Then there's the blogging.  Filling an entire post with my musings about how I should be thinking of packing, or doing the laundry so I have something to pack, or adding to my list of what I should pack....  Anyone ever start out overwhelmed with how much is left to do, and end up blogging?  If you're like me, it happens more often than not.