The children’s book, “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie,” came to mind recently. After the mouse received a cookie, one thing led to another…
My intention when visiting my son and his family was to simply enjoy their company. The grandsons are both sweet and challenging, at 2 and 4 1/2. With a new puppy in the mix, their lives are busy.
This morning the family had errands, and I had computer tasks to finish. So off they went with an admonishment to me not to be sidetracked by the attention-demanding puppy.
The dog wasn’t the distraction.
After setting up the computer and a quick breakfast, I went to put some items into the recycling bin. Seeing the bin was full, I went to find an empty box to contain the overflow.
Finding a moderately empty box of “Pull-Ups,” I remembered the partial box in the one grandson’s room. So, I moved all the Pull-Ups into one box, leaving the other empty.
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Then I noticed one discarded on the floor and when I went to put it in the diaper pail, I saw the container could use an emptying. So, I pulled out the trash bag and tied it.
Remembering another diaper pail in the little one’s room, I went to pull out that bag, too.
When I went to the kitchen to get new trash bags, I noticed the storage area under the sink was a bit congested. There being new cleaning products on the counter, I decided to organize so I could store them there, too. When my knees complained, I gave up, but I did find the trash bags.
The trash bags reminded me to take out the kitchen trash.
When I went outside, I saw the trash and recycle cans down by the street. Convincing myself the long haul up the steep driveway would save steps for my son, after three gravity-challenging trips I was done, but sweating.
Making a mental note to get a shower later, I remembered I had emptied that box to use for recycling. Going back for the box, I realized I had not replaced the diaper pail bags. Back to the kitchen, then the bedrooms. I should have started the step counter on my phone.
Then, box in hand, I went to put it by the recycling bin. Moving items to the empty box, I chose instead to take them out to the recycling trash can. Then I moved the rest of the recycle items to the empty box so there’d be room for more recyclables.
Back to the kitchen. Noticing the dog, I realized she’d not been outside lately. So, out we went. Thankfully, she was obedient to “go potty, Genevieve!”.
Finally, I went for my shower, and with the computer still waiting, I now had a topic for this column.
It would have been easier if I’d just had a cookie.
Susan Anderson lives in Opelika with her husband. Contact her at susan12anderson@gmail.com.
