Reality Check by Susan L.

  Yesterday's foray into plumbing was successful. The new pump is installed which took a bit of fiddling around; finding some stone to set it on because the other pump interfered with the float switch so it needed to be a bit higher. It ran the pit dry a couple of times before this issue was corrected. It meant the back up pump had to be primed by pouring water down the pipe back into the machine. It's a bit tricky because that means finding something long and skinny to lift the back flow prevention valve up. Although it didn't take that long, it was just an added item to yesterday's unplanned list of to-do's.
  I am concerned that the new pump has a shallow draw which means it's kicking in every twenty seconds or so. It has a five year warranty so all that can be done is to wait and see if it survives such demands. I've kept the box and receipt just in case. Lord, I lift this up to You. Help me not become obsessively worried about it.
  The larger pipe is buried and covered. It ended up being eighty feet long but thankfully isn't buried too deep. Still, it took a while to dig out the old hose, set in the new one and replace the sod as best as possible. It made me happy to see the local robins having a good feed of grubs and worms that had been disturbed by the digging.
  In saying all this, I am growing rather frazzled. The everyday responsibilities of home ownership have been neglected simply because by the time I finish working on things like yesterday's project, there is no energy or strength left. Days when the weather hasn't been nice have been spent resting because, in all honesty, I've pushed my body far beyond its limits trying to get the deck done. It sure doesn't bounce back as quickly as it used to!
  Yet, it's another lovely day out there. Two days of sunshine after the weekend's mix of rain and snow means the deck is dry enough for its second coat of stain. Which is good. Then it will be finished and I can concentrate on more mundane chores.
  Sigh. Sometimes it's hard living on my own.
  One step at a time. One chore at a time. It will get done when it gets done. A dump run to dispose of the scrap wood, the lawn mowing, the housework, the landscaping, getting the snow tires off the car, putting the generator away after doing an oil change...that's enough to think about for now.
  Thank You, Lord, for helping me keep it real and keeping it simple. "One step at a time."
  And thank You as well that I am never truly alone.
  "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Mat 6:34