I suppose it's because my days are unstructured---unhinged, even.
Here's a list of what I'm thinking about (and doing) in any given hour:
*car repairs and drop-offs
*yardwork and gardening (bare maintenance, like we just mulched our garden this year, no garden---but we did pick all the wild berries! no brewing or winemaking, though)
*urgent home repair (leaking roof, electrical blow-outs)
*kiddy pool maintenance
*bike maintenance
*OYB/ULA/LazyGal projects---print, product, producing, online, sales, shipping---typically at least SIX (usually far more) items in these 4 categories under way at any moment
*photographing or jotting down anything of artistic merit that comes up
*ebay items to list and photograph or watch
*dealing with someone interested in renting an apartment in our fourplex (or maintenance of same)
*some other hobby or recreation or weekend travel/family/work packing/planning issue
*my current exercise and injury/health situation
*the bleakness of minimall-world where we live and attempting to see the silver lining (going for a walk in town, sitting at a patio bar, checking out a local trail or river)
*do I have what I need with me for current series of several unrelated errands, including all accessories---hat, sunglasses, water, leash for dog, snacks
*getting in daily literary, news, hobby and philosophic readings
*teaching kids biking and swimming
*timing of family, food, kids, pets daily schedule
*fashion statement and apparel suitability for current and likely weather
*social issues
So that if I go on an outing, an errand, there's typically a several different kind of work projects involved, the kids, a pet, fashion, the weather, several different aspects of timing/schedule, plus an attempt to include some fresh air in all of it.
So that I tend to forget at least one major item each time. Like a watch, or my wallet, or the dog leash (substitute plastic strap from a nearby dumpster and press on...)
Do lots of people live like this?
I suppose it's just being busy. But with so much, so different, flying in the brain at once? Whew. Yet they're just parts of a basic, all-round day, really. ...Amped-up some.
Also, I suppose this list is a blend of doing and thinking. Not all the doing involves a lot of thinking. There is awareness and coordination of the doing/events required, though.
Note that there isn't any "attend town council meeting" or "lead Scout troop" or "bring kids to teams and classes" or "do daily commute" or "go to church." Well, the kids did have Dance and Robot Camps this summer, just down the road. And Henry wants to do Scouting this fall---I wonder if there's a Pack in the subdivision behind us---hope so, more driving is more bad.
Is it because both Martha and I both are our own bosses and work at home and we have little kids and pets and an old house and lots of old, beat-up stuff, and we're living on the minimum (so that, for instance, at least one car repair figures into any outing)?
...And I don't even have a cellphone. And usually no air-conditioning in the vehicle I'm in. Whew!
Photo of a typical attempt of mine to go up north for a couple days---a bunch of work/repair tools for the woodsy trailer lot and to get the car there and back, plus recreational devices, plus camping gear and pet maintenance accessories...
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