It's not often that I unplug completely, but that's exactly what I did this last weekend. No cell phone, no computer, no blackberry.
For that reason I felt pressure to wrap up several projects before I shut down for the weekend. Plus, my foster cat was going to her first adoption event, and I had to drop her off there. Not sure which of us was more upset about that. (I hate leaving them behind in the cage.)
My point is, I was stressed out. There were 30 more things I wanted to get done, AND I wanted to be on the road well before dark in order to get out of the canyon in the light.
But, with daylight dwindling, and 23 projects still to go (slight exaggeration), the phone ringing nonstop, I just felt more and more frazzled. I hadn't even had a shower for the day!!
And then my dryer broke. Completely stopped working.
That was my sign. "Jeannette, you're toast." Go relax. You're not doing anyone any good now. Slow down, take it easy, and find your feel good.
I called my ex, who was watching my dogs for the weekend. Asked if he'd mind drying my clothes at his house. He knows what my broken dryer meant: that I had short-circuited.
"For God's sake," he said, "take a shower and get some sleep. Leave in the morning. RELAX!"
That's what a getaway weekend is all about anyway, right? Relaxing, unwinding ... it was ridiculous what I was putting myself through to get there.
So I took my shower and then decided I would enjoy the drive in the dark. I knew my dryer would be working again as soon as I was. (Even though my boyfriend said that a 15 year old dryer just needs to be replaced.) I knew it would return to optimal functioning as soon as I did.
Which it did.
I love how my dryer talks to me. If ever I ignore my own warning signals, there's my household appliances ready to pass the message along. : )
May 7, 2007
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Hi Jeannette
ReplyDeleteI soooo get the dryer thing! For me, it is the computer and printer. They always spit the dummy (Aussie expression for having a hissy fit) when I am most in a rush or most want to get something done and feel under pressure.
One spectacular day of woeful vibrations even had me break a glass jug when I put hot water in it (doh!), then the water spilled in to the dishwasher and set the electrics on fire!
Yup - it was time to chill out at that point!
Zoe
All right, Zoe, I'm glad I'm not the only one getting messages from inanimate objects in the house. lol
ReplyDeleteThe good news is we're getting them, right? : )
PS - your phrase "spit the dummy" is making me laugh!!
Hi Jeannette
ReplyDeleteYeah - I love 'spit the dummy' too! It took me 5 years to work out that the 'dummy' was a soother or pacifier - so when a baby spits it out to have a real good cry - hence spitting the dummy.
Love Aussie expressions! They have a nickname for everything - a dunny is a toilet, a billy is a pot or kettle, sunnies are sunglasses, swimmers/bather/cossie are all words for bathing suits.
Plenty more where these come from!
Zoe
Oh!! Is that why my central air system has been shutting on and off over the last few days (she just got a tune up last week)!!
ReplyDeleteIf AC's can talk, then perhaps she is trying to tell me to take some needed time off, or at least to "Take a break!!"
I love this stuff!!