The House Doesn't Have To Be Perfect ...The Writing Does

If you are a working freelance writer, you will inevitably get a messy house. Unless you don't really write for the money and can afford a housekeeper....

My dishwasher broke down in the midst of a very hectic week with multiple deadlines and a few snafus due to staffing issues. What a nightmare! I love that the Flylady tells me to shine my sink before I go to bed at night. She's absolutely right that waking up in the morning with a shiny sink will help me start my day off right but I'm staying up until 1:30 am writing and am back up at 7:30 writing. The dishes have to suffer as the writing cannot.

The writing pays the bills... to bring the food to the home... so the family can eat... and the dishes can get used... so the dishes can need washing (and so I can buy the replacement part to fix the dishwasher.) Therefore, writing supersedes dishes on the priority list.

And the green grass grows all around all around, and the green grass grows all around.


Besides, writing is more fun...

Here's how I'm getting through it:

-Teaching The Boy how to wash dishes. He's 12 and on spring break from school and at his age I was doing dishes by hand and a heckuva lot more housework! He doesn't love it but it's a necessary skill.

-A coffee spoon is ok to use for your yogurt even if it's for the Wee Boy who's just turned 4. Mommy can lick the drop of coffee off and move on. No need to get a fresh spoon (especially if the cutlery drawer is empty.) Wee Boy looks at Mommy oddly but accepts that this is ok.

-Sandwiches. Sandwiches don't need pots. Boy and Wee Boy can make a game out of making sandwiches for lunch on paper plates so Mommy can keep writing. I think pizza sounds good tomorrow (as well as sending darling husband to the appliance repair shop)

-Lessened standards for the week. Why stress if I can't do much about it? I find that the more stressed I am, the less productive I am.

So,
I might have a bit of a messy house but my work needs to get done. I'll ask for help from the husband and the boys and even if things aren't clean to my normal standards, I'll just get through it as best as I can.

Gosh I love that dishwasher....