So far, summer has been everything I have asked for, but I have yet to tackle the most pressing things on my agenda. Yesterday, I upgraded the web in my home. It went flawlessly, because I read the directions and followed them to a ‘T’ and the outcome was what I wanted – expanded wireless service at home and being able to be on the net on the deck.
In the past when I have upgraded technology or even messed with it, it has whacked my schedule and punched a giant gaping hole in the day. Not so for yesterday’s adventure. I started after dropping W off at wrestling camp and was largely finished by the time I needed to drop O at basketball camp a couple of hours later. I was impressed, not with myself, but with the directions – they were clear and to the point, and best of all, easy to follow. I still have a couple of minor issues to clear up, mostly due to the Windows XP operating system of the desktop and the placement of the router, but I am done.
I am excited, I can now devote myself to other distractions and priorities, but it made me think; what if everything had clear, easy to follow directions and I actually read them?
Then, I realized that would take a lot of the fun out everything. The spontaneity of life would be gone and some of the most important lessons would be lost to just taking them for granted.
It has been a glorious week, the weather has been fabulous and in time for the weekend, it is going to heat up and roast the region. We need rain, but I set the sprinkler out and watered parts of the yard and beds. The plants love it, so do the birds, which have played in the water, much to Ivy’s pleasure or displeasure. She is lying under my feet and enjoying the shade as I write. It is pleasant to be outside enjoying the late morning breeze. I tried to coax O to come outside to work on her math review and read as I wrote, but she disappeared and hasn’t come back.
W is off to scout camp Sunday – a stretch of four straight weeks and O has another week of basketball camp and vacation bible school. I have a week before I head off to scout camp and I have a lot to do on the troop site before then.
In the meantime, the mail arrived and Olivia finally joined me on the deck with today’s mail, her review book, and Harry Potter. There is something about getting a package or daresay a real letter in the mail and Olivia excitedly opened all the packages and she is now happily working on her new LA review. I am glad the web upgrade went flawlessly because I am more distracted than ever.
Today is gonna be a great day, I am sure of it. Making the Days Count, one day at a time, even when and especially if I follow the directions!
I find following directions the most difficult part!
I normally find it the most difficult part, becasue I am a) impatient b) in a hurry c) the directions are hard to read d) all of the above. But it worked out.
Hello Mr. Watkins,
I do enjoy your writing and it is nice to keep up to date with the adventures in your life. I am glad to hear that your technology upgrade went smashingly well! It is amazing the results you get when you take the time to be patient and read the directions.
I too am making my Friday count. I am surprising Mr. Groves with a clean and shiny car (both inside & out) when he gets home in hopes that it will easy the pain of the lovely dent our oldest daughter put into it the other day when she backed into another vehicle. An, the joys of teenage drivers.
Thanks for sharing another day of “Making It Count” with your fans.
Have a spectacular weekend.
Mrs. Groves,
I am glad you stopped by! Thanks. Sounds like you made your day count, indeed. Mr. Groves will notice and be glad, I love it when my wife cleans my car, though I don’t like the scolding I get for trashing it like I do. But, it is deserved.
As with the tech upgrade, I was even patient and waited a day before opening the package. I originally planned to do the upgrade at night, but decided I needed to sleep more than I needed to upgrade.
I haven’t sent any postcards this summer, yet. I tried to find postcards last weekend in Ohio, but time was short and I couldn’t find any – but there is a lot more summer left! Take care and keep making the days count!
Clay
I select D – all of the above!