“Honey, you have to really concentrate on what you are doing, and think about it while you do it so you don’t get distracted,” I implored my 12 yr old.

She looked at me absentmindedly, “I think I could handle waiting on leather working tools until Christmas “ she replied.

I feel a sigh start in my toes and push its way up. My voice rises “Sumyr, what are you doing right now?”

She looks down into her hands at the towel in one hand and the dripping cup in the other. “Oh right” she gasped as she headed towards the bathroom where we are washing dishes while our kitchen is being renovated.

“But Mom” she stops at the door.

“So close…” I laugh to myself. “Yes?”

“If you guys buy me a leather tool set, will I have to supply my own leather?”

I reach for the cup and the dish towel. “Listen to me” I say urgently, “you must get done now, it’s not fair to Lolly for you to get so distracted then she has to do everything”.

In amazement I watch as she bites her lower lip and nods…….completely absent minded.

She didn’t steal it, you know. I have it on good authority her own mother is like this. In fact, this last week I did absolutely everything except the thing I was supposed to do.

The thing I was supposed to do was pack my closet, all the books in our house, our bedroom, and sewing room. I comforted myself with the knowledge that my B would be home to help. For days and days I didn’t do the tasks, piously doing everything except that.

And then B’s uncle died and he headed to the funeral on Tuesday. I still had Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to do it. So when the mailman brought me my patterns that I had ordered from the print shop, I sat down and cut out every single pattern.

I still have Wednesday and Thursday… piously.

Except that when the mailman went on Wednesday he brought me my packet of crisp brown envelopes and right then and there I sat down and put all my new patterns in the envelopes, neatly marking them by maker and name and printing out the picture of the line drawing that correlated with each pattern.

It took most of the day and made me feel very happy.

Except that now it was Thursday and it was down to the wire. Most of the jobs had been started, but were nowhere close to finished.

I felt ashamed of myself, and overwhelmed so I sat down for a big cup of coffee. “Mom, how can I help in the best way for you” my son asked.

I shuddered, “I have no idea, let me drink this coffee and gather my thoughts”.

“Ok Mom” he said kindly, almost concealing his exasperation. I hid my nervous giggle by sipping more coffee at the very very bottom of my ocean behind a bit of seaweed that was fluttering gently back and forth.

“Why am I so overwhelmed?” I asked God. He just looked amused. He really didn’t have to say anything. “The patterns look amazing though” I feel pleased in spite of myself.

As I sip, my children prepare and eat their breakfast and just like that I get it. I raised these children to be hardworking and helpful. At my disposal I have the equivalent of three adults that are prepared to roll up their sleeves and make dust fly! And I realize I’m in the habit of being overwhelmed. I’m not actually overwhelmed.

“Ok, I’m ready to work” I shout. “Let’s do this and get done.”

I send Lolly to give Ana a bath so I can love her better, (rule #1 in mothering 101) My man sized son carries a chair to the dumpster. My distracted daughter is brought with me, so she can dream about leather works while being effective for the cause.

A few hours later we are done. Rooms packed up and put in storage in the bedrooms, RV packed and ready, and all the magic marker tattoos washed off of Anas face. #thuglife

B came home from the funeral and we sat down together and ate popcorn and talked for two hours. Which is what happens when you’ve been together for 17 years.

I already dread the next time I will avoid a task.

How do you overcome procrastination and when does it somehow correct itself? I’m 40 now, I expected to have had some modicum of successful adulting down pat by now, but to my disappointment so far it doesn’t seem to just happen.

Perhaps I will think about it later and go back to reading my book I’ve been waiting for months to read.