Tuesday, January 18, 2011

I Finally Did It! (A happy/sad/embarrassing story of procrastination)


Dearest Snow,
How can I ever thank you? I'm forever in your debt!

If you hadn't kept us home bound for four delicious days, we would have missed the hot chocolate.
We would have missed the finger numbing fun of readjusting the plastic bags over our sneakers as we plodded around the yard.
And we would have missed seeing this face.

Thanks!

You provided us a ton of fun, but there's something else, something more amazing that particularly compelled me to write. It's a little humiliating, so don't tell anyone. Ready?

Snow, if you hadn't come to visit, the couch in my bedroom would still look like this.


And often like this.

See, after two days of hot chocolate and oatmeal cookies warm from the oven, of tromps through our neighborhood and gazing at the moon on the breast of you, I began to get bored.
A nice kind of bored. The kind that comes with mysterious urges to do useful things.
Things like organizing the linen closet and cleaning out the junk drawer in the kitchen.
And when I finished all that stuff, the couch called to me.

[Readers, remember the couch? I'm embarrassed to remind you that back in August, I wrote a post titled Unfinished Business in which I shared how I'd found the flowery couch for $25 at a garage sale back in the spring of 2008. I planned to slipcover it in red denim for my bedroom and got as far as finishing the pillows. Then I took a long look at the frame, took a second long look at the 17 yards of red denim, and decided I should really start a blog. That was three years ago! In my August post, I preached on how good it feels to finish unfinished projects, and challenged my readers to whip me with a wet noodle if I didn't finish the couch project by August 18.
Nobody whipped me. Y'all are way too nice.]

Snow, if it weren't for you, this would have never happened!

Yey!
You helped me remember how good it feels to face something I've been avoiding.
It feels GREAT!
It makes me wonder what other things I could cross of my list.
I think I'm going to make this a late resolution for 2011: When I pick up a To Do list, find the item I want to do least, and take care of it first.
So thank you, Snow!
Love, Becky

Readers, I wonder if I can do it. I don't usually suffer from a tendency to procrastinate when it comes to my work, but in other parts of my life? Oh yeah. (You should see the attic. Maybe on another snowy day...no, it would take a snowy week!)

Do you fight the urge to procrastinate? What helps you face what you want to avoid?

Have a great Tuesday, y'all!
Love, Becky

Thanks to Phototrope for the first photo, licensed through creative commons.

20 comments:

Kari said...

Yay! It looks great!

Anonymous said...

Your couch is beautiful! I know what you mean about being trapped and finally getting things done.

Yolanda said...

I think snow days are wonderful because they force us to be together and quiet with the world. I hope you have a wonderful week.

Jenny said...

Yaaayyyy! Cheers to you, it looks so great. What a beautiful red...what does the family think, I wonder?

Natalie, the Chickenblogger said...

Nicely done. And certainly better late than never.
I am taking this as inspiration, which I sorely, desperately need.
If only it would snow here...

Jennifer R. Hubbard said...

This is one of the reasons I'm glad bad weather still has the ability to make us slow down.

And congrats on finishing that couch! It looks great!

PeachyCheek said...

That's wonderful!! It looks great!!! You have motivated me to do some of things I wanted to do. We got some more snow here in CT, so I am going to go cross some things from my list too! Take care, Kim

Terri said...

Beautiful....I love it when I get inspired and finish projects that have been hanging over me. Of course then I wonder why I put it off so long...

Unknown said...

It's snowed in stories like this that make me feel i'm missing out, since I live in a milder climate. I sure could use a day or 2 of being snowed in!

That couch sure looks beautiful. What a deal, it must have had good bones. Your sewing talent sure makes it look Pottery Barn perfect!

LW said...

Good for you, it really looks great……

I wish I could celebrate the snow however at this point I am just so weary of it, 27” last week and more fell yesterday all I can think of is spring.

Louise

Kat said...

Wow!!!! What a difference! I love the couch! You did such an amazing job. And I love the pillows with it too. :)

Adrienne said...

Congratulations on tackling the red couch! It's gorgeous!

revhipchick said...

your couch is gorgeous! congratulations! i thoroughly enjoyed your pictures that accompanied you wonderful prose.

procrastination is a frenemy of mine. i'm looking forward to a snow day tomorrow so i can get my living room cleaned! ;)

beautiful work--your words and the couch!

Susan said...

Congrats! I'm so glad that the fabric still matched. I'm don't want to admit to being much of a procrastinator, I'm a jump in feet first, and then maybe just don't finish. This week, I've been finishing up old needlework projects, so I can relate. In any event, YaY for YOU!

By the way that sledding picture is awesome!

Rebecca Ramsey said...

Thanks, y'all!
I didn't write this post to get y'all to gush on and on about my couch, but to sing the praises of the joy that comes with finally tackling the meanest thing on the To Do list. But your gushing sure was nice. Thanks!

Now to answer your questions...
How does my family like it? Todd is glad it's finally done (though he was always too scared to but me about it :)) The boys don't care. They just want some place to watch Pawn Stars or anything else on the history channel when somebody else is on the other TV.

Silicon Valley Diva, my sewing skills aren't that great. Lucky for you, the photo isn't that clear. The sides are sort of embarrassing. But it's done!

Louise, 27" of snow?!!! I can't imagine that! We get half an inch and everything closes down!

Susan, I was worried about the fabric still matching too. After nearly 3 years of boys and dogs drooling on the pillows, I was sure they would have faded. But they didn't. Maybe it's something in the slobber. :)

Rebecca Ramsey said...

Ha ha ha. That should read that Todd was always too scared to BUG me about finishing the couch, not BUT me about it.

Kelly H-Y said...

Nicely done! Isn't that a great feeling ... to mark something so big and annoying off your list! What a wonderful sense of accomplishment!

Laura@OutnumberedMom said...

I am SO impressed. I don't care how long it took, I could NOT have done that. The couch looks awesome. What propels me? I just try to remember what it feels like NOT to have the monkey on your back. I hate that "hanging over your head" feeling.

Happy weekend, Becky.

Unknown said...

That looks wonderful! I want one--red being my favorite color and all! I have a bazillion unfinished projects--my worst confession? A crewel pictures of teddy bears that my MIL bought for me to work on for my nephew when he was born. He is 23. Maybe for his kids.....

David Ebright said...

Geez - you were a bloggin' newbie when you started that couch project. Have I really known you THAT long? Hope you, Todd & the kids are well.