So much to write ...

... where to start?

First things first, I guess ... today's list:
Got up before midday: 5c
Made bed: 5c
Got dressed: 5c
Had a substantial breakfast: 5c
Made a plan for today: 5c
Put my breakfast bowl in the dishwasher: 5c
Put the washing on: 5c
De-cluttered the bathroom vanity countertop a bit: 5c
Brushed my teeth! 5c
Washed my face: 5c
Did some reading for study: 5c
Hung up the washing: 5c
Washed the dishes: 5c
Ate a proper lunch: 5c (My sister April prepared it.)
Washed lunch items: 5c
Did some writing for study: 5c
Swished the toilet: 5c
Took the rubbish and the recycling out (with April): 5c
Went for a walk: 5c
Wrote messages to friends: 5c
Made dinner, with April: 5c
Washed stuff after cooking dinner: 5c
Ate a substantial dinner: 5c
Put dishes in the dishwasher: 5c
Currently writing my blog: 5c

Total for today so far: $1.25 ... I don't know how it got that high, but hopefully I can keep it up :)

The story of today actually starts yesterday.  I was rather stressed the night before last, and ended up getting out of bed at about 4am intending to write something, but getting stuck on the computer.  Another part of the stress was the fact that Smith's brother was going to drive us to Melbourne yesterday for their grandmother's funeral - and I don't actually feel safe with Smith's brother at the wheel.  I'd also had to cancel a date with a friend, which I'd been looking forward to, only to find out afterwards that I didn't need to cancel it after all.  And I'd finally found a present that I had intended to give to Tie - Smith's brother's wife - for her baby shower, which I'd attended three days before.

I couldn't actually have articulated any of those stresses yesterday, but after I finally went back to bed (half an hour before the alarm) and sleepwalked my way through half the morning, I was feeling quite weighed down.  There are times when I can only say to Smith "I don'wanna..." and he has to ask me "Don'wanna what?" - to which I generally have no reply.  Yesterday was one of those times ... He offered me the choice of not going to Melbourne with them, but that didn't seem right to me.  What didn't I want to do?  I didn't even know.

And then I had a phone call from my psychiatrist's office, reminding me of my next appointment - tomorrow - which I would not have been able to make, if I'd gone to Melbourne.  That was that, really.  I conceded defeat and went back to sleep.  Smith looked in on me to say goodbye, before he left, but I could hardly wake up to farewell him properly. 

I slept for the rest of the morning and the afternoon, only to wake and find that Smith had forgotten to take the present for his brother as well.  My sister prompted me to have lunch, but I could only eat half of what I served myself.  I spent the evening on the computer, searching the Internet for something - I wasn't quite sure what it was.  I think April had dinner at some point, but I didn't.

Before she went to sleep, April decided that today needed to be different.  We needed a routine, to get things done and tidy up the house.  She had a large amount of work to do today, and she could see my lack of motivation in getting my own things done.  So we agreed that today we would wake up before 10am, make a routine and a plan for the day, and remember to eat three meals at appropriate times.  She also told me to have dinner - which I hadn't - but I didn't have the energy to prepare anything, even though there was plenty of food I could have reheated.  I managed a shower, then got stuck on the computer again.  Finally, at 2am, I found what I was looking for, set my alarm, and went back to bed.

So, today was different.  While I didn't manage to get up before 10am, I did find it easier to get going, especially once we had mapped out the plan for the day.  I can hardly believe that I've done 25 things so far, with a few more planned before I go to bed.  I even brushed my teeth!  We'll see if we can continue with the routine, I guess...