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Wednesday, August 31, 2011

The Priorities

My Goodness. How do you arrange your life so you get all the fragmented parts to come together? I can't. I have to prioritize and the left-overs fall by the wayside.

My number one priority is my 5 mile walk every day. I walk with Cody in the doggie park in the rolling hills of the lower part of the mountains. There is a bonus. Cody and I can drink the pure natural well water from a pump. It's so wonderfully cold after a hot walk.

The air is free of carbon residue and breathing is a pleasure.

Marilyn is back in San Diego after an eventful summer's tour with the Gypsy Wagon. Her bed here, is stripped and sheets in the laundry. I miss the pleasant days we had together but we have our own lives tugging at our hemlines. And there is next summer to look forward to.
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The 2nd priority is Cody's dog food.
She was out of the stew and I had to cook a huge batch for the freezer.

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My 3rd priority is getting choreography and dance lessons together for a Country Two-Step class.

Not my favorite dance (by far) but this is Montana and that is what people want, so ....... far be it for me to push "ballroom" on them. (And a quick, quick ..... slow, slow) I'll take videos at the 1st lesson and at the 6th and show you the improvement.

This takes up all my time. Not much left for anything else. How are you doing with your priorities?



















42 comments:

  1. AAARRRGGGHHH!! Don't get me started! Priorites all up s**t creek when we came home to find grass up to the sky, garden full of massive nettles and feral cat poo, sheep running amok and house full of dust/millipedes/spiders. Pantry empty, 5 loads of washing and counting ...

    I guess this is my punishment for a wonderful holiday travelling around OZ!!!

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  2. The only one I am religious with is caring for my animals. Everything else kind of shuffles each day. I do what is in my face at the moment.
    It may not be classic but I do love to watch the Texas two step. That and cajun dancing (another two step) just seem like such joyful dances. Good idea with the video.
    So glad you and Marilyn had such a great visti.

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  3. Too bad your friend had to leave so soon...I hope you sent her back with a song and some power bars.

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  4. Priorities of mine shift daily so I'm right there with you.

    And I might add, though I enjoy the 2-step, give me a waltz any day. :)
    Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

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  5. My dear Manza,

    Five miles! Wow, I am really impressed. I used to be a regular runner and I know how much ground that is to cover, and to do it every day-- well, that is just excellent. :)

    I am so sorry Marylin has gone. The lovely anticipation of her visit, the joy of the actual time spent together, now balled up and tumbling in the wash. I hope she will be coming back, soon.

    As for my own priorities, I just met with a friend for lunch yesterday and we wrote down our writing goals for the autumn. Things are looking up!

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  6. Dear Red : If there wasn't all that space between us, I'd drop in with my weed whacker, some sacks of groceries and a bottle of laundry detergent. What the heck are friends for? Welcome home. :)
    Manzanita@Wannabuyaduck

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  7. Patti : Me too with the pet. I had to drop everything and make her food and give her exercise. I hope you are well and running around again. Perhaps I missed a post while Marilyn was here. I'll have to check. Happy to hear from you.

    Delores : You hit that one right. I did just that. Packed food for her trip back and plenty of the energy bars. It was sad to watch her drive away but another day and year for us.

    Jules : I don't know how you do all you do. Working and kids and writing and house. You young gals amaze me. I guess I did it too, when I was young but no more. Enjoy your life, Jules. I'll have the country waltz and then cha cha classes after the 2-step. Come join. :)

    TexWisGirl : You are one busy gal, too.... even moving turtles around. :) I love that photo of you. Very glam.

    Suze : You still have the tone of a runner in your pictures. I love that look of a firm body and I thought perhaps I could get a little of it back. No such luck. When it sags at my age, no elasticity left. Bye Bye. But I saw a picture on the news of a 95 year old woman who does something athletic (forgot, what, exactly) and she had the body of a 40 year old.
    It's good to write your goals and it's like carving them in stone. You've tossed them out there for all to see. That's what I did with the walking and had wanted to increase the distance but the snowballs will be hitting me in the butt before that happens. I'll be looking forward to your forth coming writing. Good luck.

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  8. Your walk sounds amazing. If we go out walking here we breath in exhaust fumes and the only water you can get while you're walking is bought from the corner shop in a plastic bottle.

    Not sure that I have any specific priorities at the moment. I like to get some writing done each day and that's about it.

    I tried to visit your blog the other day and I couldn't get onto it. There was a warning sign up telling me you had a virus. I tried to find you on Twitter but couldn't so wasn't able to let you know. So glad to see you're contactable once more.

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  9. thank you for your kind comments!
    and thank you for visiting my blog
    love the dogs!!!

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  10. Oh Manzy,
    It is so nice for you to have your priorities straight. I really try to keep mine straight.

    My Hubs can knock my priorities right out of wack. We travel way to much for me to keep my priorities straight.

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  11. Your priorities sound like so much fun -- yes, even having to cook another batch of dog food! Love how active you are.

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  12. Okay, this is nicely weird. I posted on gypsy wagons before reading this. We are on the same "page." But, don't ask me about my priorities....

    Yours sound just right. I guess that's why they call them priorities. :)

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  13. Boy, I wish I had your #1 priority on my list. Getting proper exercise always seems to be high on the oughta do list but usually ends up falling by the wayside.

    On my blog last Friday, I mentioned a gal in her nineties who's still competing in track events and still breaking records and winning a bunch of gold medals. Maybe that's the gal you were thinking about. She's something else.

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  14. At the moment my no.1 priority is getting my garden of potted pots and my one hanging basket all spruced up!! They've survived the summer beautifully but are now telling me autumn is in the air! So that's what I'll hopefully be focusing on. That and baking!

    Oh I can't wait to see the videos of you in action two stepping away!!

    Hello Cody! Take care
    x

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  15. I really have no set priorities. I just hope I get up the next day and make it through.

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  16. This is soooo timely. I needed this post. August, with its retrograde, knocked my socks off. Time to get my priorities back in gear. Thanks for the reminder. Ooh and I'm so glad you and your friend had such a wonderful visit. I'm sorry she's gone. Can't wait to hear about your dancing...

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  17. Love your outlook and priorities. My BW loves dance, choreographed a program last december, even had me in it. We will be anxious to see the progress your students make.

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  18. I envy your priorities.
    I feel like my life is filled with OTHER PEOPLE'S priorities--making dinner, grocery shopping, laundry, hauling kids around.
    I know this is a phase of life. And one day, I'll miss the mom years. But right now I'll envy yours!

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  19. Karen : I can see your priorities are on writing rather than singing. But having a singing voice is a pretty neat talent, too.

    Rosalind : I didn't know I was blocked because of a virus. No one else mentioned it. Hummmm.... wonder what that was. Thanks for telling me. I don't think I have a virus. Everything works OK and I have a Mac.

    John : Hey, it's nice to meet you. Thanks for stopping.

    Terry : I can see where traveling might put priorities out of whack. But perhaps your priority is the husband. I'm the one who has to choose other things. LOL We love your aprons soooo much. We wanted to do another video with them but had no more time.

    gigi : Wish I could sit and do nothing and be happy. I always have to be doing "something."

    Teresa : I think I answered you on your post. You and Marilyn are on the same wave length.

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  20. Susan : You are right. It was on your post and I thank you for solving that mystery for me. I completely forgot where I saw it. I answered this on your blog.

    Kitty : I love your baking. You are so good at wearing the baker's cap.
    Our plants seem to tell us when it's autumn. I thought some of my garden plants were dying but I guess they are just getting ready for winter. Boo Hoo.... they may be ready but I'm not.

    Turquoisemoon : I kinda commented on this on your blog. Maybe your Mercury is afflicted in Vedic astrology. Mine is and that is why I have such a hard time with the retrogrades. I like it that you know astrology and I can talk to you.

    Anthony : Hey, you're a star. Does your wife teach or just perform? Dance has been my life but I mostly teach these days. I don't even have a partner anymore for ballroom but my first love has always been Flamenco. Been doing that for 60 years.

    Big D : Yes, I'm glad you understand what's going on. All tooooo soon you'll have all the time to do the things you "thought" you wanted to do and when it's here, you'll look back at the Mom days with longing. It's just called "old age" and it comes on fast and sneaks up on you. I guess the trick is to be adaptable and accept and be happy in whatever phase you are in. I really love my life now..... You will welcome all phases too. Love to you....

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  21. Hi, Manzi. I need to just make exercise one of my top priorities. I would get more energy to be better at doing what needs to be done and getting it done, done, done. But, then something happens like losing a couple of hours trapping durn ants. LOL! Gotta laugh. what else is there.

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  22. Hi Manzi .. the priorities - always seem to be the things we have to do .. not necessarily the things we should be doing .. but your 3 seem pretty right to me ..

    I bet you miss your time with Marilyn .. must be fun to share times with her .. Cody - now v NB (person!!) .. and your dancing and choreography - lots of people waiting for you ..

    Enjoy - it all gets done eventually .. cheers Hilary

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  23. I think everyone would be way more productive if they did exactly what you did -- list the priorities and work on them first.
    Good work.

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  24. Left on my own, I do pretty good except for not having enough time for everything. But throw the priorities of others into the mix and I'm toast. I'm a Texan...I love to Two-Step!

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  25. My priorities tend to vary. At the moment it's setting a few changes towards the future in motion (which includes final revisions to my novel).

    Your post made me think, though. The past few years I've been juggling so many activities and interests, it's time to focus on the most important ones.

    Glad to hear you've had such a great time with Marilyn! :-)

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  26. I can prioritize very well, it's just remembering where I put the list that's the hard part....:-)

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  27. Sometimes I feel like I might be on the verge of drowning. I have a handfull of priorities and they all HAVE to get done. So I just keep on going, doing my best. It all seems to work out, every time :)
    Miriam@Meatless Meals For Meat Eaters

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  28. I do prioritize all the time. I love dogs and I miss Big Sky country. Love that spring water. I must visit again soon.

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  29. Priorities? What's a priority? If I still have them they are hiding somewhere. In summer I have no priorities.

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  30. You walk 5 miles a day??????
    I am impressed.
    I love walking. but the weather conditions seems to get the better of me here.
    either TOO WINDY (I loathe the wind)
    Or TOO COLD
    grrrrr
    how do YOU get past that.

    I love that you are still teaching dance classes.........ha ha, the two step, YUP Montana

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  31. Once upon a time, I was almost obsessive about having a routine and sticking to it. No more. The stress nearly killed me (literally).

    Now, I have virtually eliminated 'routine' from my life, and I prefer it that way. I deal with each issue as it arises. and use the remainder of my days to learn or try something new. My only priority is the care and feeding of 'jd', and since he is a big boy and very self-sufficient, that job is CAKE!

    Oh, yes...I know how fortunate I am.

    xoxoxo, cd

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  32. My number one priority is waking up. Everything else is a breeze!

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  33. Su-sieee : Yeah, exercise should be #1, at least in my book too. If you don't make it #1, you miss and then it's easy to miss again and again and we all know where that goes, don't we?

    Hilary : Well stated (as you usually do) There are things we really need to do for health (exercise) and those should be our priorities. Thanks for your wise words.

    Life 101 : I can't imagine life without priorities. Even brushing your teeth is a priority... Ha

    Carol : I know what you mean. Mixing others priorities with yours can be a real problem.

    K.C : Your novel...... how exciting. That certainly deserves a priority spot. Thanks for the kind words.

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  34. Bish : I know. Then when I find my list, I have to try to find my glasses before I can read it. Ha

    Miriam : You found the magic key. Just keep going and everything falls in place. It's like when I walk a steep hill. When I look up the hill, I get winded and tired but if I look down and keep moving, I don't even know I'm taking a steep climb.

    JJ : Can't beat spring water. I'll be going to the ranch soon and I love to drink that water. Bozeman puts yucky stuff in the city water.

    Giggles and Guns : Great idea. Summer should be a time to relax. Time for rules when the snowballs fly.

    Wendy : Smart lady. Wind is not good. Chinese say to protect yourself from wind. I hate it too. Never could understand why people liked convertible cars during the 50's.

    Clare : You are a fortunate gal. I think the thing we all strive for would be a balance. The middle of the tetter totter.

    Al : That's so right. Breathing. Do you know I was up for at least and hour this morning before I realized I was still breathing. No kidding. I felt fortunate.

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  35. Priorities come last on my list.

    Doggie walking, cooking, eating, gardening, blogging, reading . . . and a long away after come all the things I SHOULD be doing.

    Life's too short for SHOULDS.

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  36. Your priorities are spot on! Lved reading through your list. Mine keeps changing, Lol!

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  37. Hmm, not so great. Maybe I could redefine my priorities to be whatever it is I'm spending my time doing, and then I could say I'm going great!! I might be onto something here!

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  38. Sounds like you know what you have at the top of that list. Still trying to get myself organized.

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  39. Priorities? Surely your jest.
    Bear's only priority is to eat enough to survive the winter. How much simpler do you want it?
    On my Human side, I'll tell what my priorities for tomorrow just before I go to bed — tomorrow night.

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  40. Ah yes, priorities. How does one know what to do first? Well there's always procrastination which I'm thinking about thinking about, again, maybe tomorrow.
    I'm actually doing well with my priorities. My first priority today was to leave a comment on your awesome blog and thank you for the very nice comments you so thoughtfully leave on mine. Have a peaceful and positive day.
    Gary :)

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  41. One of my today's evening priorities is to visit my wonderful blogging friends and thus I am here;)
    Well, I always write down all my short- and long-term have-to-dos as well as ideas and inspirations:)

    You know, I've heard recently a great psychologist Jon Kabat-Zinn say that we are not human beings any more but human doings:) So funny, but it's so right too!
    As he advises, I try to always concentrate at one thing at a time being here and now. Such a wonderful practice to get more things done in less time and what is even most important, just enjoy being!8)

    I love you goals, enJOY doing them!;)
    Warmest regards to your Marilyn!

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