I don’t know what got into me yesterday morning. I started out as I always do, just taking it easy, checking the weather, doing a puzzle, posting a blog.
Then out of nowhere, for no reason, I did a load of laundry. It’s not an onerous task by any means — it’s not as if I have to lug the stuff down to the river and beat the garments on the rocks to clean them — but my washing machine shakes and pounds during the spin cycles, and I can’t always deal with that awful noise. I could buy a new washer, of course, but that brings a whole new set of problems, mostly logistic, but still, not something I want to deal with right now.
Figuring I was inured to the noise, when that load was done, I stripped my bed and washed the linens and mattress pad. Oddly, the machine never made a sound. So when that was done, I did my last load of laundry just to get it out of the way.
Meantime, I emptied the dishwasher, rotated the mattress, cleaned house (dusted everything and dry mopped the floors), went down to the basement and changed the furnace filter. Then I packed up a book to mail, took it to the post office, ran a few more errands, and checked on a friend’s house for him while he’s out of town.
Utterly bizarre. I don’t usually do that much in a month!
The afternoon was a lazy one since I’d done everything that needed to be done, and besides, I was exhausted.
Today might be another lazy day. I don’t have to water, though I will go out and check on my newly planted petunias, and probably grab a few weeds while I’m out there. Then the rest of the day is wide open. I’m not sure what I will do with all that freedom. Just enjoy the clean house and pretty yard, I guess. Not a bad way to spend a day!
The photo below is what I see when I look out of a back window. Whenever I’m waiting for something to cook or boil or steep, I go to the window and just marvel at the beauty.
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Pat Bertram is the author of Grief: The Inside Story – A Guide to Surviving the Loss of a Loved One
Bertram's Blog 
May 12, 2026 at 9:03 am
If you had told me you usually do that much in a day, I would have asked you to come to my house next.
May 12, 2026 at 9:53 am
I wouldn’t have thought I could do that much, but apparently, I was on a mission.
May 12, 2026 at 9:15 am
I Iam sitting here thinking that pethaps I should walk the dog and hang up some of my clothes from last week . I only wish I had your energy..
May 12, 2026 at 9:52 am
That was yesterday. Today, not so much!
May 12, 2026 at 11:00 am
Thanks, that made me smile.
May 12, 2026 at 6:17 pm
Hello Pat,
Love this post. It makes me feel more normal as I try to minimize the tasks and chores I need to do. Your garden is gorgeous.
Noëlle
May 12, 2026 at 6:54 pm
Thank you!