I'm great at lists.  Lists are the saving grace in my life.  I make them in my head while I drive, while I lay in bed waiting for sleep to come, while I take a shower, while I sit typing, while I clean -

*At this moment, my sweet daughter is showing me the fourth skateboard (all different types) that she has bought, with her own money of course, but still, she doesn't really know how to ride.  She's learning how because she thinks they will all come  in handy when she starts college.  I say they will all end up in my living room.  I'll have to explain them as art deco just like I did the glass screen door that sat in my living room for three years before Beerhound finally put it up.  Susan's life, enough said. *

I don't actually clean that much, injuries damn it.  I'm not lazy.  Well, maybe a little but I deserve it.  I just turned 50.

I present to you my latest list.  It came to me while I was getting out of the shower and realized that the girls had taken my towel and left me with nothing more than a washcloth.  Have you ever tried to dry an entire pudgy body with one little washcloth?  It can be done but it's not pretty.

 I wrote this list in the chiller font, in red, as in blood and posted one in every room.

Things I want done or blood will be spilled –

All cardboard put in recycling bin

If it belongs to you, put it in your room

Clothes taken upstairs (Their clothes I might add)

Books put away (Their books I might add)

Dining room put back together (They moved everything in order to skate on the wood floor)

Once again, if it belongs to you or you put it there, put it back where it belongs or put it in your room.

Clean up any mess you have made, including dishes

Once again, if it belongs to you or you put it there, put it back where it belongs or put it in your room.

All trash picked up and put in trash cans (Their trash I might add)

Front Porch Cleaned (The size of a love seat.  Their muddy shoes strewn all over)

Again, if it belongs to you or you put it there, put it back where it belongs or put it in your room.

Chores done

All stuff put where it belongs in the family room

Blankets washed

Now if you are patting yourself on your back because your 7 year old through, oh I don't know, 15 year old, already does all of these things.  Trust me, mine did too.  So the last laugh is on you because my daughters are 17 and 20.  Don't ever assume you have this parenting thing down pat.

Frankly, the Peace Corp is starting to look really appealing to me at this moment.