Five Black Socks

Fifteen minutes before we have to go, the car is packed with food for the party, hair still wet from my shower a half hour ago, I quickly dry it and throw on the sweater I plan to wear, get my jeans out of the dryer, go to the second bathroom to borrow a little hair product from my daughters supply, get my powder out of my purse, go back to our bathroom finish my makeup. A few more primping details, lip stick, perfume, and just the right jewelry from the overcrowded jewelry box, I think- wouldn't it be nice if I had laid out all my stuff the night before, like I taught my children. I decide boots would be best since its cold out and its an outside party and grab a pair of socks. Well, I wish it were that easy. The socks I want are a simple thin pair of black socks, what I find is an abundant supply of unmatched socks including five black socks of different lengths and patterns. I opt for borrowing my daughters little black slippers once again. It is at this very moment I realize I'm a bit disorganized.

Problem is, this has been going on for 25 years- is there any hope? There are times when I get sick of the chaos and clean out the closet, actually fold the laundry as soon as it comes from the dryer, and go to the grocery store mid week instead of waiting till our kids are home on the weekend right before I plan to put on a nice meal. But for the most part, I life by the seat of my pants, and I like it that way, its a bit of a rush. I always seem to pull it off, but at what cost. My poor husband has been subjected to this roller coaster of events for ever, that causes us to leave the house 15 minutes late, to where he has deliberately adjusted the time we are to leave by a half hour just to cover the bases. Im better about being ready on time, which actually allows us to get to our destination surprising a half hour early.

I realize the three to four hours prior to a party or event in some cases a nap would be a better use of time than washing a last minute load of laundry, because im still not sure what im going to wear. And, it is possible I could have done my little pedicure the night before instead of fooling around on the computer. Perhaps even pick up a few items at the store earlier in the week to prepare quick little appetizer to share at party – instead I run to store two hours before grab a party tray with crackers cheese before I gas up car. What is sad, is I feel this is “planning ahead”, where upon I brag to my husband, I have every thing ready while sucking down an ice tea for the caffeine rush, before I throw on my clothes.

There are people who show up to a party, well rested and immaculately dressed, with a beautiful tray of hot appetizers on grandmothers silver, and effortlessly say- they are just out of the oven as they present the hostess with a beautiful bottle of wine. While I escape to the restroom to scrub a patch of paint I missed in my second shower of the day because I decided to clean house that morning and finish a painting instead of just matching my socks.