Pro-duc-tive [pruh-duhk-tiv]

When I have a day off from work (as I did Monday, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day), I always feel like I should use it for something Productive - usually in terms of an around-the-house project. However, Real Life usually intervenes, and the day slithers away with very little actually accomplished.

Cases in point:

• Thanksgiving 2008 - two days off by myself. Aim was to head up to Ikea and buy a new kitchen table, and start work on painting the master bathroom. I think I poked at the existing wallpaper border in the bathroom, in an effort to determine how easily it would come off. Answer: Not so easily. Sigh. Two days of vegging resulted.
• Christmas 2008 - a week at home with the whole family. There were toys to sort, outgrown clothes to categorize, rooms to clean, laundry to do, and again, that painting job in the bathroom. We did get the toys sorted, but ended up watching movies and playing games instead of accomplishing anything on Mom's List. Not a total waste, but more of a seven-day version of our normal weekend.

So, when I got to last Friday, and the impending three-day weekend, I didn't make a list, I didn't stop by and pick out paint samples. I just went home. We vegged most of the weekend, but still managed to get laundry and dishes done. And Monday morning, I fixed breakfast and we did more vegging. It wasn't until late in the day that I was inspired to work on a project - doll bedding. Because every doll needs sheets and blankets and a pillow.

Somehow, without the stress of a pre-planned To Do List, I managed to be a bit productive on my day off. Though Monday only resulted in two doll mattresses and a sample blanket, I also figured out how to cut fabric into bias tape! And sew short pieces together into longer strips (as for blanket edging)! Because sewing for dolls is much less intimidating than sewing for The Real Thing (aka, a couch slipcover).

But I still have to tackle painting that bathroom. ;-)