Making a list, checking it twice

Santa Claus is Coming to Town - J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie

Nothing better than a pending operation or known period when you will be out of commission to drive you to get things done.      I typically make a lot of lists, only due to the fact that my increasing age is making it harder to retain such items.     My blackberry has now become my second brain and a more efficient one at that.   I have lists or notes about everything neatly stored on that little device.   It's much more efficient that scraps of paper that I used to carry and repeatedly lose.

So the lists now are the things I need to get done before I am not feeling well, low energy etc. due to treatment but also those things that will allow me to free my mind and hand off to others without worry; - de-stress.   I've been working consciously and subconsciously on these for the past 3 months, ever since the lump was identified as 'highly suspicious' with the ultrasound.   In no particular order:

1. household purging.   I am in a continually state of purging at home.   It's like therapy to go through closets and cupboards and pull out all those things that I no longer need or use or best of all the things I was saving 'just in case'.    It takes a lot of energy both to due the sorting and then to redistribute the items.   Many trips with my 'house slaves' (aka fondly known as my children) to the thrift shop later I feel the house and my life that much lighter.   
2. finishing up the renos in progress.   I've had to draw on some of tyrant in me to move things along in areas where I don't have the expertise.  I have to keep reminding myself that I'm not hiring these people to make them my friends.   I've even had to have a few harsh mental discussions with myself to get the finishing done on the painting.  Happily, we're 99.9% done.
3. income tax.  I'm pretty much complete based on the receipts and T forms received to date.  The most efficient year I've had yet.  Next up getting the kids to complete theirs which is a breeze but also a life lesson. 
4. work projects.   Complete what I can and establish the base work for those projects that will continue when I'm not working.   Learn to let go of the work - surprisingly, that's becoming easier to do than I thought.   
5. revised fitness routine.   Through surgery and recovery I've had to drop much of my fitness routine.  No soccer games or practices, limited running - honestly - only twice.   Walking and hiking continues but not as much or as regular.   I need to establish a new routine to sustain me for the next - oh, let's say, year.  One that will give me energy rather than tax me or put my health at risk.  No gyms - too much potential exposure so that means walking -air is good and exercising at home.  Maybe I'll pull out the wii again and get back on the virtual skateboard.
6. clean up e-mail.   It's amazing how much e-mail I accumulate daily from mailing lists I have been focusing on unsubscribing to everything that comes my way to cut down both home and work in box volume.   It's kind of like purging my closets.   
7. garden clean up.   This is a leftover from the Fall, when I lost interest in cutting back plants and as they completed their blooms for the year.  There are always a few plants left to wilt and turn to black mush with the cold and wet winter.    
8. passport renewal.   No I don't imagine I'll be travelling anywhere soon but the passports will expire in a month.   No hurry really to get them updated.  The need to act now is to get my photo taken.  Taken before I show the effects of chemo and thus have a full head of hair.     
9. driving lessons.  Not for me but the kids.   Getting them on track for licenses and getting in some driving time.  The snow didn't help this weekend although it would have been a good experience but they aren't ready for that yet.    Should have two new N's in the house by the beginning of summer complete with classroom hours.

It's very much like getting ready for a vacation - well, in my case a different journey.  Although I complained about the wait to get into a treatment schedule, I am thankful that I have had time to get through the list.  It enables me to free my mind and energy and redirect to healing and health - the most important stuff.