Busy, busy, but going nowhere

I used to have a job.  I had a title and a defined role.  I had deadlines, client file folders, meetings, expectations, responsibilities.  I was up at six and usually ended the work day at nine or later.  I also got a monthly paycheck and a benefit package.  During that time, I managed to complete housework, some yardwork and all the other stuff in between.  So the big time question is what am I doing with all my time now and why am I just as busy as when I worked full time?  Well I guess that is really two big time questions.  So I decided to write the tasks of one day last week as a determination of possible changes in future behavior.  I mean, don't the psychologists always recommend journals, and diaries?   Saturday, February 1st, 8:00- awaken begrudingly from a dream that involves a beach, me in a size 2 bikini and lots of french fries!  Dress in the much larger, probably out of style pants, plaster on the eye-concealer creme that is supposed to erase lines, but obviously not crevices, and some blush to help with my coma color and then dress "S".  Prepare breakfast according to the ever changing desires of one fussy six year old and pour my wake up fuel in order to face the day ahead.  Bags, boxes, ribbons, balloons and toys adorn the floor.  My memory cells (now charged) remember the birthday party the day before.  My counters are cluttered with icky food trays,  half bags of chips, the remains of dips and gue, paper plates, mermaid napkins and juice boxes.  9:00-Engines reved with the second cup of coffee and the clean up, pick up, dismantle and refresh process begins.  10:00- "S" wants her presents removed from the boxes.  Has anyone seen how they adhere dolls to boxes these days?  You are more apt to break into a bank vault than remove toys from the original containers.  Tape, string, tabs and wire must be removed with my arthritic fingers.  Tools are now needed so I go fetch the necessary instruments.  Several toys require batteries and no one seems to remember where we placed those.  Some toys remain immobile until I can run to the store to purchase more batteries.  New toys are introduced to the old in her bedroom, but space is limited.  Shoving, pushing, squeezing and piling are required to fit the shiny with the tattered.  11:30- "S" wants a drink and my husband wants help holding a ladder for a project that I begged him not to start this week.  12:00-"S" is wailing about being starved and makes a request of foods that have more sugar than vitamins.  She gets her standard peanut butter and honey sandwich, fruit, drink and sugarless cookie.  I have skipped breakfast so decide on a quick and easy lunch and join my cannot-believe-she-is-six granddaughter.  1:00-dishes now washed, counters once again wiped, crumbs removed, so I run to the store to return some extras from the party, get gas, and pick up the usual I-forgot-earlier-in-the-week groceries.  2:30-I return, unpack and scan the house for any bruises from my short departure.  Skylah wants some attention and a partner for her new games.  I call up my inner child and play for two and a half hours, interrupted by a couple of phone calls requesting details of the birthday bash.  5:00-Unfortunately the tribe must be fed once again and take out is not an option.  7:00-How quickly two hours can fly when I am having so much fun cooking, serving and cleaning once again.  "S" needs a bath, and I remember that the clothes have not been placed in the dryer.  8:00-bath is finished, book is read and she is planked in front of a princess video.  I am tempted to watch, but decide to engage in a little exercise program consisting of 15 minutes of aerobics, a few sit ups and some weight resistance all in a futile effort to reduce the stomach I earned with my pregnancy of 38 years past and the skin that dangles from my arms that grew overnight sometime between the age of fifty and sixty.  9:00-"S" is put in bed, church clothes are placed on chairs to diminish the chaos of Sunday morning and clothes are folded from dryer.  9:30-Crawl into the bathtub, turn on some detective, take me away with some blood and guts show and unwind.  10:30-Begrudingly go to bed early because I know that I will be awakened early and it will begin again  Now I need some time to figure out how to make more of my day and actually accomplish something.