Get off the couch you lazy cow!**

I am in early retirement.  Well, just for a month while I wait for my new visa to come through so I can start working again.  I keep having dreams of shiny chain links (as opposed to the old rusty ones that used to tie me to my desk at my old job).  So yeah, I'm enjoying retirement #1.

You probably think that I've been spending my time catching up on my finances, or finally organizing my apartment, or even walking the dogs.  But you would be wrong.  The fact is, I don't do anything.  I don't mean that in the sense that I don't go to work and bash around an office for 8 hours.  I mean, that I get up, walk to the couch, and pretty much don't leave it except maybe to go to the toilet (and yes, I am working on holding it and getting pretty good, thank you very much) or until a half an hour before JL is expected home from work.  Then I just might rush around brushing my teeth and putting the dirty dishes (from breakfast, yikes!) in the sink.  Yeah, that is it folks.

I have to admit, its pretty great.  Embarrassing, but great nonetheless.  But today (which you can measure as (1) the 12th day of unemployment or (2) 8th TV movie day or (3) 10th episode of Murder She Wrote day or (4) 53 cm knitted on my Jo Sharp sweater day - take your pick), well, today, I think even I am reaching my Lazy Limit.  And trust me, its high.

So in addition to reciting my personal mantra 12 times (one for each day of couch inhabitation) in a hand mirror (picked up on my one trip to the toilet this morning and carried to the couch for use), I've gone ahead and made a list of things I would like to accomplish in the next two weeks.  Since I know you're interested, here are the highlights:

1) Recite personal mantra 12 times (Done!  Woo hoo! I'm so going to be able to do this.)

2) Get off the couch.  (Still working on this one.  In case you're wondering, the laptop is all set up for couch use.  I don't even have to move to plug it in when the battery gets low.  Now that is convenient.)

3) Housetrain new puppy (just yelling from the couch does not count).

4) Clean up dog pee from non-housetrained puppy.

5) Finish fabulous Jo Sharp sweater (sitting on the couch during this one is OK, but in actual clothes and not just PJs from last night).

6) Forget about dropped stitch 11 rows down on fabulous Jo Sharp sweater (you're not going to fix it so stop obsessing about it).

7) Organize office in house including filing for last, ummm, three years.

8) Do laundry and then actually fold it and put it away when it's done.

Whew!  I AM exhausted (from making the list).  So I think I'll take a little nap here on the couch before tackling anything else today.

** New personal mantra.