Fitting Everything In

It's a long week ahead.

    I've got a ton of stuff to do. And to make things more interesting, Charley, our new dog, is a chewer and explorer. So far, from his grasping jaws, I've rescued Husband's toolbelt, some weird velcroed sheepskin thing (I still don't know what it is, or where he found it), a piece of 1890s calico...and a bag of fireplace ashes he split open all over the sidewalk. (Hey, the dog's an equal opportunity grabber!)

Charley views computer time as poke-Mom-repeatedly-with-a-very-cold-nose-so-she'll-pay-attention. To more important things, of course, like petting drippy-furred dogs. (It's been snowing off and on all day.)

Well, he's a pup 10 months old. He'll learn.

I need to get more stuff done more quickly in less time -- and this blogger has some great ideas. (Thanks, Moneycrashers!) I also have some tricks that work well:

     *Bunch errands. If you're going to the post office, stop by the library and bank, as well. If I have to make phone calls, I'll do them all in one swoop. (Don't answer the phone every time it rings, and save yourself even more minutes -- just return the calls in one group later.)
     *Keep your morning routines to a minimum. My skin dries out easily in the winter -- and a quick shower is better than a leisurely bath. My hair stays glossier if I don't wash it as often, either.
    *If you've got regular tasks, do as much as possible ahead of time, while you're relaxing. I'll wrap extra copies of the books we ship out for orders -- same for freebies. That way, it takes only a minute or two to pack an order.
    It isn't just for the biz, though. I'll write thank-you notes, and Husband pays bills while we watch tv.
    *Get extras. I'll pick up extra boxes of Husband's favorite protein bars, or a tube...an extra dozen eggs...an extra 40-lb bag of dogfood...and I try to keep an extra gallon of milk in the freezer, to minimize additional trips to the store. When I get these items on sale, I pat myself on the back twice!
    *Cook simple meals during times of extra busyness. White cheese dip plus pasta = Pasta Alfredo. Store-made fried chicken. Baked potatoes. Macaroni and cheese. Mix in chopped broccoli or mixed vegetables, and you've got a meal. Make a large pot of soup or chili, eat some and freeze the rest.

     Charley's banging his meal dish around, I've got to get the fried chicken in the oven, and there's dishes to wash. See you later.