“Remoted – Hybrid” – Day 703 (Monday) - trash and control

Frozen to the driveway.

The trash bins didn’t make it to the curb this morning and it wasn’t just because the shoveled path was narrow. I was willing to go rugged and scale the snow bank or take it on one wheel if needed, but there wasn’t the chance for such feats of skill. Both bins were solidly stuck in ice at the end of the driveway and wouldn’t budge. 

The trash bins can probably ride it out until spring without much trouble. There is barely a half bag of trash each week, and rolling it to the curb in a bin is a more of a formality. The recycling can hold out for about six weeks before that bin is full. 

The walk from the garage wasn’t bad this morning, but at 5:00, the walk back required focus. Twice, I slid on the slick bricks. It could have been worse, but I know from experience which sections of the sidewalk near the bank are some sort of stone that is slippery when wet.

The office was quiet, and the day was as productive as it could be, which isn’t really saying a lot. Most of my projects are held up waiting for critical information, design work, or some level of approval before they can move on to the next step. If history is any indication, the info for all of them will arrive at the same time and I’ll be tap dancing trying to juggle it all at once. Until then, there is a to-do list filled with items noted with “F/U” which is technically for “follow up,” but might also be something else depending upon how long it’s been lingering on the list with no response to emails. I'm not saying I have control issues, but life and work feel a lot easier when I have it. 

Chicken, rice, and stuff.

Supper, as so often happens, was the most satisfying part of the day. Some of the roasted chicken and rice from Sunday was tossed in a skillet with sauteed green pepper, onion, mushroom, garlic, half a jar of salsa, a glob of queso, some corn chips, and in just a few minutes, dinner was served. 

Buying that whole roasted chicken and then deliberately cooking too much rice on Sunday paid off on Monday, and Tuesday’s food should also be a breeze. Definitely easier than dealing with the bins frozen to the ground. It's all about focusing on what I can control.