The Finishing Fairy

Is there a Finishing Fairy that works for other people that I don't know about?? If so, I need his or her number.

You know, someone who will FINISH the dishes and not leave one coffee cup and a fork in the sink after loading "all" the dishes after dinner;

Someone who will FINISH making the bed by actually putting the pillows back on the bed after neatly smoothing out the sheets & comforter;

Someone who will FINISH taking the trash cans all the way back behind the gate after the trash men come as opposed to leaving them about 4 feet from that dreaded gate latch;

Someone who will FINISH hanging their towel back on the towel bar after their shower as opposed to leaving it on the sink which just happens to be a whopping 2 feet from said towel bar;

Someone who will FINISH that terrible chore of rinsing their toothpaste spit out of the sink before they walk away;

Someone who, after eating a bag of pretzels (or equally crumbly item) in the living room will FINISH cleaning up the huge mess of crumbs left all over the coffee table and floor;

Someone who before tossing their socks and undies in the dirty clothes will FINISH unballing them from that neat little pingpong sized ball they end up in while taking them off their body...anybody???

Anybody there to FINISH up ANY of that stuff?

Have I become the Finishing Fairy? Clearly we all know the answer to that. So, I know a few people who may read this and say "picky, picky, picky...you should be GLAD that they load ANY dishes or even go to the trouble of even pulling that sheet up since they are getting right back in that bed a little later that night. The trash can made it THAT far back? You mean the towel wasn't left on the FLOOR? They BRUSH their teeth without you telling them? Pretzels...try ice cream! They KNOW what a dirty clothes basket is?" Well folks, here's my reply to that---

How 'bout I take you HALF WAY to piano lessons or swimming? Maybe you'd like that meatloaf minus the meat? What about me washing your clothes and putting them in your drawer wet? How's about I clean that toilet with softscrub, but don't rinse the soap off? Maybe I'll just do PART of the bills this month? Plan vacation....hmmm, sorrry, only planned for ONE. Birthday CAKE on your birthday--wups! Can you stop your day and pick me up--I'm stranded cause I didn't put gas in my car.

I mean REALLY??? What on earth do people think we Finishing Fairies do all day long? As "picky" as one might think some of this is, I bet if one counted the time it took to FINISH some of those things, they would see a. why a Finishing Fairy is needed in the first place, and b. that it would be very simple and easy to FIRE the Finishing Fairy, thereby freeing up time for other things. Finishing Fairies are nothing more than fairies with manners...a little respect, a nod for a job well done. Not an earth shattering, change the world job, just a little spit cleaned out of the sink so the next person doesn't have to look at it. A simple "I care enough that you are washing, drying and folding my clothes that I'll not also have you spend 15 minutes unballing every sock, underwear and shirt too".

I say we start a new campaign--"Finishing Fairies Hired, Tired and FIRED"

Chicken Salad

Death, dying, getting old--it's all about Chicken Salad.

I've decided to "cook" at home more, instead of going out to eat so often. Leftovers are nice, but revamping them is even better. Today I decided to make Chicken Salad out of the leftover grilled chicken. While making that chicken salad I got to thinking...no one under the age of 30, and often times 40, really likes Chicken Salad. Really--they don't. I didn't. Chicken Salad is for "old people". Why is that? Why is Chicken Salad something that every old person I know likes?

While I was making Chicken Salad today, something really odd happened...I started getting calls about people dying. No kidding. One of my oldest friends emailed to say she was on her way here from Atlanta--her father-in-law had passed away yesterday; a friend here in town called--her mother-in-law passed away this morning; I got a facebook message--our neighbor from our old neighborhood died today. All the while, I'm making "old people" Chicken Salad.

I was only a somewhat removed acquaintance of one of these people, but I know some of all their families or friends. I know a little about their lives. I know they meant a lot to a lot of people. But I don't know what all of them liked, disliked--but I bet they liked Chicken Salad. Making my Chicken Salad took on a whole new meaning. It became a tribute of sorts. A tribute to families who had lost someone they love, a tribute to a life well-lived, a tribute to a person who would be the missing link now in many circles...my Chicken Salad became something special. Something more than just "something old people eat".

It became somewhat of a comfort food, while still being a sad reminder of getting old. It became a reminder that I'd better make the best Chicken Salad I could, cause tomorrow I may not be able to make it better. It became a reminder that I should share that Chicken Salad with someone...anyone, because other people are the greatest gifts we have and sharing with others is the greatest gift we can give. It became something that I should appreciate and enjoy to the fullest, as I should each and every day of life.

While I'm sure this is an odd correlation, I don't think I'll ever look at (or eat!) Chicken Salad the same way again. I think I'll order it proudly...and often. I'll eat it with vim and vigor. And I'll remember all those "old people" had wonderful lives with wonderful people, were greatly loved, loved greatly and probably liked Chicken Salad.