By Heather O.
It’s true. I’m here. Alive, breathing, and functional.
Okay, maybe not that last part, but the breathing thing, well, definitely doing that.
This summer has been, to say the least, intense. Intense in a good way: Segullah writing retreat, a trip to see family in Seattle, a trip to see family in Utah, a trip to see family in Idaho (are you seeing a theme? Yes, my family is intense) and, of course, two weeks in Haiti, of which I’ve already talked too much about. I landed in my bed at 12:30am last night after traveling for almost 15 hours straight, and I didn’t actually exit the bed today until close to 11:00am.
Bottom line: I’m beat.
And I don’t know where to begin. Do I clean my house, do I go through my bills, do I go through weeks of email, do I tend to my grossly neglected and overgrown garden, do I do the laundry, do I clean out the fridge that I didn’t have time to clean out because there was just a fraction of a second between the time that I got home from Haiti and the time I left for Utah and I was too busy rebuilding electrolytes to throw out moldy leftovers?
Or, should I just waste time on facebook and blog about how overwhelmed I am?
Maybe I should whine a little, too. I’m really good at that, in case you were wondering. Whine whine, moan and whine. I’m also really good at whining at a tone that is super high pitched and annoying. I can’t cry on command very well, though, which is too bad, because nothing makes a whine more authentic than some big fat waterworks.
Other bottom line: I need some help easing back into normal life.
Any suggestions?
Whine whine, moan and whine….




Put on some really loud broadway tunes and dig in!
Comment #1 by Melissa McAugust 22nd, 2010 at 11:23 amWelcome back — missed you!
Clean out the fridge. That’s as normal and routine as it gets!
Comment #2 by LisaCAugust 22nd, 2010 at 12:55 pmLaundry first. At least a couple of loads. Then, attack anything that smells bad (fridge?) Then, SLEEP. Lots of lots of sleep. Nothing else will get you feeling as good.
Comment #3 by The WizAugust 22nd, 2010 at 1:05 pmWhen I came back from Asia, it took me two weeks to finish writing my journal entries. But that was my absolute top priority. If I forget what happened (and at my age, that is so likely) it would be like a waste of money from the voyage:)
So labeling your photographs, writing all the stories down–that’s first. Then laundry, of course.
Comment #4 by NaismithAugust 22nd, 2010 at 1:59 pmPut a load of underwear in the washer, turn on some good music, and clean out the fridge. Cleaning out the fridge is a good choice, because it is a finite job (it has an end) and you will be able to see the results at the end. Also, it only takes 20 minutes or less, so you will quickly have a feeling of accomplishment. When you are done with the fridge, switch the laundry (putting in another load). Be sure to place a priority on catching up on your sleep, otherwise nothing will go well. Once everyone’s got some clean underwear and a few other clean things to wear, the urgency will wear off of all there is to do, and you can find a gentle pace at which to start crossing off those other items over the next week or so.
Comment #5 by StrollerbladerAugust 22nd, 2010 at 3:30 pmStrollerblader has some great suggestions. And Naismith, too, but I’ve been back from a recent trip for a month and haven’t written notes about the trip, developed photographs, sent thank you notes to the people we stayed with, etc. That’s a tough one when you desperately need the time to rest and recuperate!
Comment #6 by ResearcherAugust 22nd, 2010 at 3:54 pmfridge smridge…ignore it. You seem attached to the garden, which it’s desmise would bring you more heartache that some kitchen experiments.
Comment #7 by Rachel R.August 22nd, 2010 at 10:20 pmHousework always is there. Besides just enough laudry to keep you from smelling, what you did for housework after all this time will be forever forgotten in less than a year. Bills that could result in credit changes will be remembered for more than a year.
But your health, having more daily moments of quiet to recover from the mental damage that visits to far away family can bring,(not to mention creepy gas station bathrooms) and the intense trip to Haiti (hugn on to every word and update, by the way). Taking time to recover yourself will be remembered. Quiet time includes blogs and ice cream for me.
Good luck picking from your list (or dealing with having it picked for you)
Oh just wait for school to start and then do the fridge when everyone is gone.
Comment #8 by mormonhermitmomAugust 23rd, 2010 at 9:23 pmJust DOING some of it will take away the feeling of overwhelm and make you feel more in control!
Comment #9 by Jenni L.August 23rd, 2010 at 9:33 pmI vote for SLEEP first…nothing is worse than doing ucky chores like laundry and cleaning the fridge when you are bone tired….Sleep…then hit the priorities….or, if you’re like me…you can whine moan whine whine with the refrain…”Why o Why do I have to be the one to do laundry?” “What would you people DO if I wasn’t here to be your maid? MOM is NOT an acronym for M.y O.wn M.aid!” Did you people WEAR clean underwear while I was in Haiti? And what’s with all these leftovers?” and so on and so forth
all this to be moaned while lying on your bed, eyes closed and your arm flung dramatically over your forehead, of course.
I feel your pain! Good luck!
Comment #10 by SeashellsAugust 24th, 2010 at 2:55 pm