Big Fat Lazy Bum?

There are a lot of services out there these days I thought I'd never use and yet, here I am today for a little bit of a confession--I'm taking advantage of at least three of these services.

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Let's start with online Christmas shopping.

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Most of you probably remember I have a strong aversion to crowds. I don't want to be too close to strangers who bump into me and don't bother to voice an apology or too close to those who do express an oops, sorry. I don't want to be too close to those who are out there spreading their illness to everyone and their brother whether they say excuse me or not as they sneeze right into my face. I don't want to be close to people in general and I certainly am not a fan of the way some folks drag their little kids out for a 10 hour shopping day when the kids are obviously tired and hungry and having zero fun and why in the world they do that to those poor kiddos is beyond me. So, I do 97% of my shopping online not just to avoid the crowds but also because the deals I get online far outweigh those I ever received from going inside a brick and mortar monster. Plus, I can take my time and find more unique gifts this way. How much of my Christmas shopping is done online? At least 99%.

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How about online grocery shopping?

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In related news, I've been taking advantage of ordering groceries online for the last couple months after I swore I would NEVER it. Never say never. I used to wonder why in the world people would let someone else touch their food and make choices for them. I might have even been a little judgy when I saw people pull up to the speaker with no apparent need for such service though I did quickly remind myself to stop that as we never know what's going on in other people's lives. I thought ordering groceries online and just picking them up would be more for people who are disabled or mos with young kids because seriously, who doesn't remember hauling your kids into the grocery store watching other people judge you because your kids didn't want to be there any more than you did and also seriously anybody who wants to hear what it was like never experienced it. I use to haul four little ones in there between the ages of newborn and 6 so yeah, I remember and maybe for older folks who are tired or maybe their back hurts anyway, that's why I thought the online shopping was created.

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Yes, I'm a little bit on the lazy side, however...

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Well folks, let me tell you something. Online grocery shopping is for people like me. People who do not like crowds, people who don't care for the heat and humidity of the low-country, people who like to make things easier for themselves instead of harder than they need to be. Am I lazy? Ok, we've had this conversation here before, too. Yeah, I'm a little bit on the lazy side. I prefer activities that don't make me sweat or breathe heavily. But shopping for groceries online has just become pure common sense to me at this point.

Another huge benefit and one thing that keeps me going back to shopping online for groceries is one guy at my grocery store who shops just like I do. He checks the fruit to see if there are any moldy pieces sitting in the container, he checks the dates on all perishables and he gets me deals like y'all wouldn't believe. Plus, he's just the sweetest and my whole family loves him. I think I am an online grocery shopper for life.

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Apparently, my standards have changed.

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The final service I recently started using is a cleaning service. Yes, I did. I thought I'd give it another shot but wasn't holding out much hope because I've tried them before and quickly discovered that no one cleans like I do so it was always short-lived. This time, they did a fabulous job because I didn't have to do it and because my standards have changed which happens when you get a little older and become desperate because you're so busy you need to resource one more thing out to someone else. That being said, they did do a pretty good job. They moved items to dust and their vacuum went under the furniture so I'm happy with that. Shoot, they even cleaned the ceiling fans which is something I only think about doing when I notice all the dust that has collected on the blades.

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Raise your hand if cleaning your house has become difficult.

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Cleaning the way I used to clean is becoming more and more difficult for me not just because of the time issue but also because I can't seem to get on my hands and knees and go all over the floor and under the furniture like I used to do once/month and moving the fridge and all those other big cleaning related things you have to do every so often. Am I disabled? No. Am I lazy? What? This again? Kind of but not this lazy. I simply don't enjoy pain and I am not a fan of housework though I do love the end result. What I am is a person with fibromyalgia and arthritis who is trying to run a small, creative business from home and still have plenty of time to spend with her family. Creating for CoasterDoodles is something I love to do but it is time-consuming and I'm going to say right now you people who are moms with young children and trying to run an Etsy store or work outside the home or whatever it is you do to support your family financially AND clean your house AND spend time with your family---I have no idea how you do it all so yes to relieve stress and free up time I'm using a cleaning service guilt-free and I highly recommend it. 

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Who does the heavy lifting at your house?

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Let's face it, if your household is like mine you do the heavy lifting during the holidays as well as other times during the year so why not take advantage of services designed to make life a little bit easier? Things that give us more time not just to relax but to enjoy our family and friends. If shopping for groceries online and picking them up or having them delivered, and shopping for Christmas gifts online, and hiring a cleaning service gives me more time and makes me feel less stressed then yes, I'm going to do it. Maybe I just don't have what it takes like my grandmother did. She was a master of preparing the holiday feast and cleaning her house and getting things done like grocery shopping without help from anyone all the while humming through her days without one single complaint.

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Being grateful and attending the tasks are different subjects.

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I do try to remind myself to be thankful I have dishes to wash beccause that means I have food to eat, and a bathroom to clean because that means I have indoor plumbing, running water, electricity and a bed to sleep in with clean sheets but while being grateful is easy attending the tasks at hand when I would rather be creating  or spending time with my adorable grandchildren is not so easy. Given the choice between cleaning and shopping vs sitting on the floor with my grandchildren I'm going to be found on the floor.

I guess what it boils down to is this- if there's a way to avoid the oppressive heat and humidity (you had to know this was coming...) of the low-country, I'm going to do it. If there's a way to lower my stress level even a little bit, I'm going to do it. If there's a way to make more time for creating and for spending time with my family and friends, I'm going to do it.

One more thing, and it's important. When you decide to have Thanksgiving over the weekend instead of on Thanksgiving Day, make sure you either have food in the house or have made plans to order something or know what restaurants are open because if you don't you will spend 3 hours looking all over town for someone, anyone who is open with something to eat besides pizza. And don't go by what the internet tells you because apparently, the internet fibs on Thanksgiving Day about such things.

Ok, for real last thing! Y'all, please go and visit my friend, Leslie's post about this very subject right HERE. She's AMAZING and y'all will absolutely LOVE her! Tell her I sent you when you leave her some love in the comments! Thanks! 

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