Countdown (how time pressure works)

Two weeks without hubby & kids - they'll spend 3 weeks at the cabin, I'll be with them the middle week, work the rest of the time. (We have to split up like this for the kids to have a full 7 week holidays.) Last year, in my "grass widow" period, my only task was to vacuum the house. I never got round to it...

This year, my tasks were: clean the house (vacuum and wash), water the plants, change the beds. Oooh... As I had two weeks, I had every thought not to repeat last year's bloomer.

Countdown starts... [- and does not include working hours - when I was actually working, or the hours every night spent sleeping.]

Three-two weeks till the others come home:
Plenty of time to do all my chores!
Action taken: washed & hung the linen. Well, it's a start?!

4 days t.t.o.c.h:
Plenty of time to do all my chores!
Action taken: eat out with a friend and stroll around town with her till nightfall

3 days t.t.o.c.h:
Plenty of time to do everything this afternoon! It will be good to get it over with.
Action taken: washed some clothes. Needed to be done! Duh. Besides, the third book of this enthralling Norwegian trilogy came out that day, so I bought it and read it.

2 days t.t.o.c.h:
Plenty of time to do my chores still...
Action taken: worked late. Went shopping for a birthday present for Rarity. When I got home I vacuumed 1st floor! And then Champions league was on. Had to watch Norwegian RBK thrash Astana (Kazakhstan), didn't I? They won 7-1, it was worth it...

1 day t.t.o.c.h:
Plenty of time to do my chores when I get home.
Action taken: went to see a friend and her gorgeous baby. Left early, because of all I knew I had to do. Then ... I never knew there were so many photos of Rufus I had never seen before. And look at all the books I can add to my facebook bookshelf!

uh-oh. 1 hour of spare time to go (counting 11-12 pm, not counting night or next working day)...

1 hour o.s.t.t.g:
Plenty of time to ...
Action taken: searched the net for Berlin hotels around Alexanderplatz, talked to my friend on the phone and messaged my dear hubby a few times (such multi-capacity!).

0 hours o.s.t.t.g:
No time!
Action taken: see above

- 1 hour o.s.t.t.g:
No time!
Action taken: vacuumed the ground floor! Changed the beds! Hit my bed at 01.55 AM.

8 hours t.t.o.c.h - including 8 hours of work:
Plenty of time to work!
Action taken: work.

6 hours t.t.o.c.h - i.6 h.o.w:
Plenty of time to take an early lunch break!
Action taken: washed both bathrooms. Went shopping for essentials (shop 1 minute away). Really wasn't that hungry anyway.

2 hours t.t.o.c.h - i.2 h.o.w:
Plenty of time to enjoy the sms saying my clan are a little delayed and will be home about an hour later than they thought...
Action taken: well, did you ever. There's snooker on television! Easily combined with work, after I had that quick shower...

And so fare I!

Oh, the plants? Let's just hope they will have plenty of water in the next world, into which they have now wandered...