YouTube is Made for Widows.

Bill liked to make lists.  Big, detailed lists with all the things he wanted or needed to do.  Sometimes these lists contained outrageously unlikely bullet points (hiking the Camino deSantiago).  Other lists included the minutiae (make bed, brush teeth, etc.) that hardly deserved space on a piece of paper.  The morning he died, Bill made one of his lists.  This particular list contained the jumble of projects he wanted to complete during the spring and summer of this year.  Now, that list in hand, I'm a woman on a mission.

(I should clarify:  I consider Saturday evening the day Bill died, though in reality, he took his last breath on Monday.  The 48 hours between were artificial and of little consequence so I believe he left us on Saturday.  Understand?)

 Bill's favorite verse was 1 Thess. 4:11--"make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, mind your own business, and work with your hands...."  That's going to be my verse too.  Can't get in too much trouble when you're busy.  Can't have a pity party (at least not a very big one) when you're busy.  You sleep well at night after a busy, productive day.  Busyness often provides opportunities to serve others.  Yes, yes, I know that busyness can also be bad, an excuse to bury or smoother emotions.  Whatever.  Work with me here, okay?  God gave me capable hands and a determined spirit so work is what's, ahem, working right now.

There are some items on that list that I do not know how to do.  Butcher chickens?  Never done it.  But YouTube can show me the way.  Replace the outlet in the bathroom?  Oh yeah, YouTube can provide dozens of videos showing me how to do that.  Pouring a concrete pad?  YouTube makes it seem fun!  Revamping the pond?  I watch YouTube videos (and look at Pinterest, of course) of the process and feel like it'll get done.  So you see, YouTube is the greatest resource for widows.  Or maybe it's a dangerous resource.  I've not decided which one is more accurate yet.

With the lovely weather we're having this week, I undertook the "paint the front porch columns and foundation" entry on Bill's list.  I also removed the astro-turf from the front steps and scraped/sanded/repainted those.  I used power tools.  I used spray foam.  I crossed 2 items off that list.  

Bill would be proud.  He might question my choice of paint colors, but he would be proud of me.  And that makes me happy.