Some days here are filled with dramatic stories, like the ones about Maomai or Genevive. But even though I live on a ship in West Africa, some days are mundane, even a little boring. I'm not sure what this evening will hold, (I'm in charge down in the wards) but this morning was definitely nothing out of the ordinary.
I had to chuckle though, because it felt like one of those logic problems they used to give you in middle school. Remember the one about the farmer with the fox and the chicken and the sack of corn? And how he only had one boat, a boat that could only carry two things at a time, and he had to figure out who he was going to take on each trip across the river? Cue my life.
I had 7 things to do this morning, a limited amount of time and only two hands (which are attached to admittedly weak arms):
1. put my laundry in the washer
2. move the laundry from the washer to the dryer
3. take the laundry out of the dryer and fold it
4. cook some noodles for my lunch
5. return books to the library and get some new ones out
6. vacuum my cabin
7. clean my bathroom
Add in the fact that the laundry room is on deck 6, and the cycle takes about an hour, so no way was I going to sit in there the whole time, watching the clothes spin. The crew galley, where I could cook my noodles but not eat them, is also on deck 6. All of my cooking supplies, including my fridge with the butter and milk, plus the desk that doubles as my table, are in my cabin on deck 4. The library is on deck 5. I have no vacuum in my cabin, and have to borrow one from the laundry room (back up on deck 6) and return it as soon as I'm finished with it. Add in the fact that the laundry room is on a strict schedule, and you need to be present on the hour promptly to switch clothes into the dryer and take them out, and I had a real puzzle on my hands.
I'm pleased to announce that I got everything done without carrying more than two things at a time to and fro between the decks on each trip. And I didn't have to make any extra trips. That, my friends, is the first step in my quest towards becoming a domestic goddess. I know you're jealous.
(Bonus points to anyone who can figure out what order I did things in.)
this is me
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enyo gangi
all around the ward
elections from afar
be strong
fourteen
Tuesday, March 9 2010
all around the ward
Monday, March 8 2010
elections from afar
Sunday, March 7 2010
be strong
Friday, March 5 2010
fourteen
Thursday, March 4 2010
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This blog is a nothing more than a place for me to record my rambling thoughts and experiences. As such, any opinions expressed on these pages are uniquely mine, not those of Mercy Ships, the organization I work with. All content © Ali Chandra 2007-2010
Did you make a list? That is what I would do. In fact I have been known to make timed lists and that would have been my approach to your dilemma.
1-Laundry in washer, picked up the vacuum while you were there. Back to the room.
2-Cleaned bathroom, did your vacuuming.
3-Went to change over laundry, returning the vacuum (and checking off your name from the list..if you did what you are supposed to and signed it out)
now this is where it gets tricky...did you bring the books with you when you returned the vacuum? If so, you would have been wise to just bring the noodles too, completely avoiding the need to go back to deck 4. Depending on how many books we are talking about (and also assuming you were hungry at this point) you could have done this. If not, see alternate ending below-
4-back to room, grab noodles and books to be returned.
5-Swing by library on your way to "kitchen 6" (Sandra came up with that, pretty funny if you ask me. Ah, Texas...)
6-With noodles and books (this IS possible depending on how many books we are talking about) in hand, back to your quasi-kitchen table to eat.
7-At the end of the hour, on the hour, back to the laundry room to grab your clothes and use the extra large table to fold them.
Hows your extra long comment?
whew.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go change my laundry on 6, go to the bank on 5, back to my room on 4, do my bible study and head back to 6 in an hour.