Basics

So, I’m back. Six days ago I was sent a very large translation file, and I’ve been doing only the very basics, as we call them, since then until now. When my husband has a deadline, he works, eats and sleeps. These are his ‘basics’. My ‘basics’ look a little different.

I wake up, I serve the kids breakfast, make myself tea, get the boys set up with their school work, get dressed, and sit down to work. So far, so good. Then I have to go to the bathroom. To get to my bathroom, I have to walk through the laundry room. As I’m on my way, I realize I need to empty the dryer and fold the clothes that were in there, so that I can fit the clothes that are in the washer, in the dryer. I might be busy working, but everybody is still going to need clothes, right, so this has to be done! I empty the dryer and refill it with the wet clothes, and then bring the dry, folded clothes into the bedroom. Once there, I make the bed and clean up so that I can dump the clean clothes on the bed and sort them. I start sorting clothes, but soon get a feeling that something is wrong. Wait. I still have to pee. So I start walking towards the bathroom, when a boy holds me up. Abraham needs a drink, and the older boys need help with their work. I help them for a while, math, grammar, whatever, and then the electricity goes off so I have to go turn the dryer back on. While in the laundry room, I get that one feeling, like I forgot something. Oh, right! Work! So I go sit down to work. I start translating, trying to ignore the chats and the ‘urgent’ e-mail about other translations, and especially the boys’ claims that they are ready for lunch. And then I start feeling really uncomfortable. A couple of sentences later, I realize I still have to pee! So I get up to go to the bathroom, and… well. you know. The whole thing repeats itself. At some point I make lunch and clean up after that, change Abe or try to encourage potty usage. Then I have to help the boys with their work again, and/or take Abraham outside. Don’t think that I am neglecting work though. Oh, no! I am continuously trying to sit down to work.

This goes throughout the day, until I suddenly realize that it’s really getting to the point where I have to have made some progress, or I’m screwed; usually around dinner time. So I make dinner, clean up, put the boys to bed, take care of preparations for the morning and sit down to work. I mean really, really work. Would you believe it if I said that by now I feel kind of tired? So I get up to get a snack and a refreshing drink, and while I’m in the kitchen I realize I still have to take care of the laundry in the dryer, so I do that, and while I’m at it, collect all the laundry for another load to run first thing in the morning. Because no matter how much work I have, everyone has to wear clothes, right? Back in my chair, ready to start working - I mean, this is it; I HAVE to do this now, or I won’t be able to at all – I get that feeling again, like I forgot something. And guess what?

No time! Because a boy is sleep walking, and I have to get him back to bed.

Aaargh. So there you have it: my basics. But "When do I finish this work I do?" you ask. My answer: it’s amazing how little sleep a person actually can function on for a limited amount of time. At least during the night, you don’t really have to go pee.