I’m one of those annoying people who tries to stay on top of everything. From work to my personal life, gifts, holidays, packing, planning ahead, household needs, and impending disasters. I’m always conscious of when I should throw in a quick laundry, especially if it’s a week when I’ll be traveling. I know exactly how many on deck rolls of paper towel I have in the house and I’m already adding Bounty to the Target list half a dozen prior to being completely out. I have a stash of birthday cards for friends with December celebrations and I have already started my Paris 2024 to do list. (Well that last one was a no brainer!) In fact, I used to think that I was prepared for any and all upcoming financial obligations, even unwelcome surprises. Oh how wrong I was.

The big issue I’m having now is that too many hefty line items have entered the must do list at the same time. My car needs a bit of work. To the tune up of over $1000, so I put it off for now. My oven literally just had a meltdown and the fan is now broken on convection mode. So I’m using the toaster oven. Ugh. The air conditioner in the living room is still making that asthmatic sound and by experience I know that rattle means it’s bound for the shop before Labor Day. I can’t even. I’m having trouble keeping my head above water. And frankly I’m tired! I need a break from my responsibilities. Where is my fairy godmother when I need her to wave her wand and make all these life annoyances and expenses disappear??

I now understand the meaning of a mid-life crisis even though technically I’d be beyond the mid-life mark. I don’t want to deal with any of these things! I’d rather be the reigning laundry queen or the Target honoree for most prepared for a pandemic before the shopping frenzy ensued than have to deal with fixits for every corner of my castle and vehicle. It really is always something.

And although I don’t usually mean to complain, this time I do. How are we holding it all together? There is climate stress, election stress, war stress, hold your breath hostage talks that never seem to go anywhere, higher taxes, increased prices on absolutely everything in the entire grocery store and the world is completely out of control. I walked into Bread’s Bakery the other day to treat myself and Michael to a Chocolate Babka, one of my fave desserts. That loaf of twisted sweet goodness that used to be $13.95 is now $17.50! I put it back and walked out empty handed. I can bake brownies for under five bucks at home. No thanks to that insanity.

I try to limit my rants to only Mondays and I felt compelled to share this one with all of you so thanks for listening. You’re so good like that. Maybe it’s the recent humidity that is adding to my perturbed disposition? But I feel like right now, I can’t afford to be an adult. I’d much rather regress, run around outside screaming like it’s recess or jump into a pool, and forget about life for a while.

So this morning I will walk around Central Park and give myself a free tour of the beauty and splendor of NYC in the summer and try to regain my perspective that life is what you make of it each and every day. And I refuse to sink, so the choice is obviously to swim… even if I have to tread water for a little while while I enjoy toaster friendly brownies that actually came out pretty darn good!
