More Challenge begins! - Week 1 - Household Paper Products - Saving Money

This week's tip is to help save some money so we can get some MORE sleep and MORE dreaming.

One of my pet peeves, as I go down the grocery aisle, is seeing every kind of household paper product you can buy to make your life better.  Really?  
Years ago I stopped buying paper napkins and paper towels.  Instead, I use cloth napkins and kitchen towels.   

Guests sometimes feel out of sorts when they receive a cloth napkin at dinner.  It is easy.  There is no waste, nothing to throw out, and it is less expensive in the long run!  Long ago I was staying with a family in France.  At the dining table each person had a cloth pouch and in that pouch was your napkin.  For each meal you removed your napkin and returned it to the pouch after the meal.  No fuss, no muss.  

As to paper towels.... I found this quote a while ago and it stuck with me. "13 billion pounds of paper towels are used each year. That's over 45 pounds of paper towels per person, per year. Talk about wasteful! If every American reduced the number of paper towels they use by just one per day, we would divert 571,230,000 pounds of paper waste each year."  https://www.theenergy.coop/community/blog/banish-paper-towel .

Time to do the math.  One roll of paper towels weighs about 8 oz and therefore about 2 rolls equals a pound.  45 pounds would equal 90 rolls of paper towels per person per year. That is kinda scary.  A roll of paper towels is approximately $1.00.  A family of four, if they're an average paper towel user, would spend $360 just on paper towels.  I could be losing sleep over this one.

Since I'm not using paper towels any longer, some family is taking up my slack!  Oh, the roll in the picture, that roll belongs to my late cat.  She would have those 'cat events' and a paper towel worked best in cleaning up the mess.

as we called it back then, was the only choice.  My gram and mom would wear one over their shoulder  or tucked into the waistband of their apron.  Those were the days.  I still find myself, when at my mom's house, taking the dish cloth and throwing it over my shoulder while helping in the kitchen.  

My solution to the paper towels are cotton, lint free, kitchen towels. My favorite ones come from IKEA  - called Elly, four per pack costing $3.99 per pack.  Yes I have a whole stack of them, about 24 in use at any one time.  I generally put out one-two each day or so and I'm set.  The soiled towels are put in the laundry area and when a white wash is going in, they are put in and voila.

For this week's MORE Challenge -- If you are already doing this bravo, you are enjoying the savings today and helping keep our earth!  Not yet ?  Consider trying it, then you'll be saving some money, sleeping  better and dreaming about what you can do with your savings.  

More Challenge! Are You Ready?

Happy New Year to everyone!  Welcome to the MORE Challenge.

What's the More Challenge you ask?  See the list on the left.   There is one 'more' on the list for each week of the first quarter of 2017! 

Just imagine how you would feel and the change in your life, if, by the end of March, you did each one of those 'mores'?

First - there are the excuses why you can not do all these 'mores'.  I looked to those excuses to find the underlying reasons (not all of them as I'm not a psychic) why we don't get to do MORE.

There are two excuses that seem to resonate on a regular basis -  'don't have the time' and 'don't have the money'.  Really?  If all these items were to be eliminated from life forever in the next 13 weeks, would you change what you are living life right now?  

Here is the MORE Challenge.  Join with me to explore as I share with you some hints and techniques that you can do to eliminate these two excuses. You'll be changed and possibly be richer in the end.  Let's enjoy the 'mores' that will enhance your life, your family and friends around you.

Cleaning Day - Dread it or Joy?

Cleaning Day, it is such a joyous day for me.

Cleaning Day happens once a month with the help of a friend of mine who has a cleaning business.

My house is clean generally all the time.  I'm a drop it and leave the cluttered and littered mess kind of gal.  Since this day is once a month, the littering and clutter doesn't get too bad.  So the night or two before, I run around and put items back into their places.  Since I started a minimalism campaign about 18 months ago, most items have a place.  Of course one could wonder why I don't put it in its place when I have it in my hand?   Guess I got distracted!

Cleaning Day is a chance to get the big stuff completed and caught up without losing a step in my work schedule.

On the dawn of the Cleaning Day, I begin the wash, make a great cup of coffee and pick up the last few items.  Then Sabina arrives!  We go over any extra items that need to be done and then she wizzes away.  I get back to working on the day's tasks and responsibilities.

We stop for some lunch and catch up on each other lives, and then it's back to work for both of us. 

Then low and behold, she is done and viola it's like a magnificent hotel suite!  There is a fresh smell about, all the laundry is completed, bed changed and made, vacuuming done, trash out just to say a few.  There is an amazing relaxing feeling about my home.    I tiptoe about for several days to keep the feeling going.   

Over these last 18 months, I must say that my home stays picked up better because of Cleaning Day.  A recent article I read affirmed my thoughts that clearing the clutter is healthy to the mind and spirit.  While each of us is different, I do think that a "place for everything and everything in its place" keeps my life in order, saves so much time looking for those bits 'n pieces and keeping the sanity of day somewhat in line.

Hoping you find the joy in Cleaning Day, however you find it.

Minimalism - What a difference a day makes.

What a difference a day makes as the song says.  

The minimalism challenge has come full circle.  A year ago November I began a 30 day challenge to pick up, organize, clean out, recycle, and/or reuse. Then I turned it into a monthly update.

My behavior learned during the challenge really helped me look at the stuff that accumulates in my life.  

It was a successful year......

Cabinets with just what I really need.  Easier to cook and create.  Also stopped the duplicates at the store!

The cubby space is actually usable and I can find what I am looking for!  Success is getting all like items in one place.  It keeps evolving as I determine, all those cookbooks I don't use much any longer.  Now I search my favorite sites for new ideas.

  
Dresser drawers are another place that helps everyday living.  I can find it all with no muss or fuss.

What a difference a year can make.

Last winters storm damage to the 3rd floor carpeting pushed me to clean up my bedroom, closet, dresser, bookcases and such once again.  Bags of clothing were donated during the year to those that could use them.    Boxes of books were sent to the library for the Friends sale where the proceeds help the Lucy Robbins Welles Library in Newington.   Now it is a very peaceful room to rest and relax.

What a difference a year can make.


There was time for the garden and growing lots of veggies that I am enjoying today.  Started canning some of the tomatoes and with the winter squashes have been relishing the new recipes I'm trying out.


There's a sense of peace at the garden.  Enjoying the camaraderie of my fellow neighbors, trading secrets on how to do a better garden.  What works and doesn't work in the Newington soil and weather along with a dose of politics of course.

All this is happening due to my gardening space in the garage being cleaned up and organized!  


What a difference a year can make.

1st Place Big E 2015

1st Place Big E 2015

I finally got back to my lace.   I worked on coming up with entries to the Big E this past September.  Three presentations in tatting.  I received two firsts and a second!   

The firsts are shown here.  A collar and a series of hearts.

There was my crochet snowflake project going on since last Christmas at the same time.  

2nd Place Big E 2015

I have been making needle tatted flowers to practice.  I can carry it with me and in a few minutes I have made another flower.  Then I started giving them away.  By the time I realized it, I had given away around 200!  Now I'm keeping track of who they have been given to and the story that goes with them.  Everyone should have a piece of handmade tatting lace!

Once again -  clearing out nooks and crannies and organizing the would like to do patterns vs. notes on techniques and in various forms of handwritten notes, pdfs/jpgs, photocopies and books.  It's definitely better now.


What a difference a year can make.  If you start today.......  before you know it, you'll have made a difference just for you!  Enjoy

Here's to a year of catching the dreams you chase,

doing what makes you smile,

and loving the life you live.

--------------------------------------------------

Minimalism - June - Progress!

As my kick off month - I am making tremendous progress.  Are You?

Going minimalist living takes courage to find ways to dispose, eliminate, and change your head of what is important.  Stuff for the safe of stuff takes away your energy, time, and money.  I started this challenge last November.  Looking ahead, I've got five more months to my big celebration.

Here's the round up of some of the progress that happened for the Month of June.

Cubbies in the kitchen - there are four left to do out of sixteen!

Garage - began to clear out some stuff, a little at a time.  Since I've moved so much of the stuff into this space, it is creating a little bit of an overwhelming feeling.  Best thing is to pull back a little, and break tasks down into smaller chunks so something can be done.  

That's the Key to Success - break down tasks and get something done!

There was a little setback as the tables I borrowed from a neighbor to use in the garage had to be returned.  Si la vie ---- I've cleaned off another table I have and will embark on the garage once again!

Storm damage - the ceiling got done in the studio, the carpet was looked at, and supposedly the floor is okay and the Assoc will be sending someone soon?

Craft items - I started to get a little carried away.  I cleaned out the closet where I keep stuff, rearranged items so they can be used, threw out items, and found the missing in action beads I purchased last November.  What  I really found is that I have more space than I thought!

I reclaimed projects - which is to say I'm not going to finish them any longer.  So I unraveled the thread / yarn that I can use for another project.  Cut off the samples and put in my sample box.  This was the first big go around probably since I moved in.  Now the bed is covered with those projects / items that need attention but not right now.  They can sit for awhile and let them stir around in my subconscious.  Occasionally, I go and look at the closet and smile!

My lace pillows  and supplies received a first big overhaul.   I found a batch of snowflakes that I made and tucked away.  That makes a dent in my challenge to make 50 snowflakes this year!  Yippie! The star project got a big boost as I starched the little guys - so easy with a little water and all purpose white glue and pin them to the board.  The stars look amazing.

Farm - the plots are some what done or as done as it is going to be.  The squash is looking really great, the tom's are growing and have some fruit on them.  We've been weeding and weeding.  Least favorite item to do -  but it is happening.  We have picked some squash.  It's now time to go in maintain mode and let mother nature do her thing.

Books , Books, and more Books.  I was able to go through more bookshelves and get rid of more books - some went to the library for their book sale, others were tossed.

Revisit - part of this minimalism is that it is very difficult to change the way you have lived.  So I went back to the front hall closet and cleaned it out again.  This time it took only about 30 minutes and I found a winter coat that can be given away!

Organized more "paper work", undo piles - you know what those are.  Most of us have them.  So I took a small handful and sorted them out.  It was surprising (not really) that more than half were tossed out and the other half were filed in places that had been set aside for exactly that.  Then gradually, I took another handful and then another.  Before I knew it, all of the pile was sorted, scanned, filed, and tossed.  Note to self -- remember to put it away while you have it in your hands!

Minimalist living doesn't mean you are a hermit.  I arranged several get-togethers with friends I hadn't seen for  a while.  What a nice time and that allowed me to celebrate these accomplishments.

Thank you to the month of June!  I feel so much better!  Now on to July.....

Living My 60th Year --- KC is on the mend

This week had me taking KC to the vet.  It isn't generally a fun event for her nor me.  Though she seemed to do pretty well.   She spent the day at the vet to test her BG curve and several other tests for kidney, sugar, etc.

News finally came and she's been feeling badly due to an UTI infection.  Back to the vet the next day to get the antibiotic that will need to be administered for the next ten days.  Her sugar is double what it should be  - some of it due to the infection.  She will have to go back for another BG curve test some time in early July.  

I Found The Beads!    Yippie - I'm not losing my mind - just putting the stuff away in a safe place!?!  

This past week, it was one month since the resignation.  I'm loving sitting in the back of the room during the meeting this past week.  I didn't lose the day preparing for the meeting nor lose a couple of  days after taking care of all the work that would have been assigned to me.  I did do one thing, posted the Meet the Candidate notice for this coming Thursday evening all over Facebook.  

Master Bedroom Suite --- Still no information about getting the room fixed from the leaks. Though it was approved to have the engineer look at it.  In the mean time, back to minimization.  

Completed!

There is a bookcase - with lots of assorted books. Also a stack of them next to it as there isn't any room for more.  Occasionally, I'm looking for a title, stuffing more books in it, yet I'm no longer using most of them. 

Ready to Donate!

Then the week before,  it came to me --- I've not touched it since moving in.  I decided that without looking - I gave myself the okay to keep ten of the books.  

So proud to say - it is cleaned out and I've got a box of books ready to donate at the library!

Okay, if you are counting ---- yes, it is a little more than ten.  

Not going to happen.

Next to tackle - Lace pillows, not the kind you put your head on, the kind that you make bobbin lace on. Many of them had WIPs and were moved into the suite area some months ago.  

It was time to look at them and find out what there is.  Some of the pillows had demo projects on them, some with projects I'm still half done, some not started.  

Question I asked myself - how much time do I have to complete any / all of these.  Several were cut off, couple left for demo purposes.  The one pictured here had some severe structural problems that I would not tolerate when I took it off the pillow.  I cut off the dozen bobbins,  unwound them, and put them back; two pillows have projects on that I want to finish and my demo stand pillow is ready for the next demonstration - possibly late summer and the fall.  The snake pillow is ready for a beginner!

In process.....

Yes, the star project is happening.  I starched two more boards of stars during the week, put a loop of fishing line through them and hung them up.  Connected with this project was making a few more snowman scarfs for a project later this year.  Those are done and put away for now.  I'll make up more stars with the remaining yarn and this project will also be completed.  

KC is feeling better - it is amazing what 48 hrs can do for her.  This coming week will have lots to do with the farm plots.  Stay tuned.........  and enjoy your week.

Here's to a year of catching the dreams you chase,

doing what makes you smile,

and loving the life you live.

Living My 60th Year - I still can't find the beads

Those are now empty boxes no longer needed!

Haven't you swore that you had something, remember buying it as if it was yesterday and then you can't find it?

Lately I've been looking for several items - crochet stars, beads from the Fiber Fest this past November, additional handmade snowflakes, and 
 crystal chandelier to name a few.  

What is it with our memory sometime?  Are we not exercising the grey matter enough?  Is there just too much on our plate, that the thoughts just pass through at lightning speed?   

With picking up and rearranging that I started last November, some items seem to have gotten put in the mystery place.  My minimalist strategy has been working quite well except now I am getting to critical mass.   There are spaces now at that stage.  The studio/bedroom and the garage are those places.  

Besides lots client work, office admin work, planting at the farm, neighbor cookout/party at Jim's driveway,  it has been a good week.  Plenty productive!  Best of all, it was housekeeper week and it looks so nice about my space on earth.  

I decided to get to the studio, do a little bit each evening.  I want to find those beads.  Not in the two places where the beads should be - I looked several times.  In the mean time, I am getting distracted with the 'stuff' in boxes, bags, books, etc.  Yesterday, I decided I would dig in a bit further into the various work-in-process projects, maybe, just maybe I'll find those beads.

Reclaiming is great - it's when you undo the work that was done and have yarn/thread for another project.  I reclaimed three projects - nice work though no I'm longer interested in the project.  Two others I cut off the work and placed the work in my samples box.  It's a little box with bit 'n pieces of trying out a yarn/thread or a pattern that I've collected over the years.  


Another project is the stars project.  That kicked off my energy on Sunday.  I needed to starch them, so I made the potion (equal part's Elmer's glue and water), soaked them and repinned them to the drying board.  Later I found that I have another  19 to starch and probably enough yarn to make another dozen.   Yippie. 

It's is snowing in the studio - another one for me!   I found another fifteen flakes already

completed.  From the notations in my various pattern books, I knew I did more, though their abouts were not easily found.  While emptying more mystery bags, I found them.  This find will keep me on my track of making 50 (plus) snowflakes for this year.  


 When you are on a roll, it's amazing what you can find.  Yes I found the chandelier!  The chandelier was packed away in January in the garage so that it would not be bumped into.  Problem was I changed the  box it was packed in.  My mind was telling me one thing and my eyes were not listening.  Another mystery solved.

As for the beads - still can not find them...............  stay tuned, I know they are in that space!  I need to "see" instead of "look".   Have a great week!

Here's to a year of catching the dreams you chase,

doing what makes you smile,

and loving the life you live.

Minimalism - May - Donate and Recycle

What a great month!  

My Minimalist Challenge  from Day 21  - keeping only necessities in the kitchen is completed!  My goodness, what a difference.  I have space I didn't know I had.    What I found were dishes I haven't used since I moved in here some seven years ago.  Just because I had the space, well it is now time to determine what I need to keep because I use it.  Owning it is not a reason to keep it!  I found several vases- one of which I haven't a clue where they came from?  


At the beginning of May, I made a list room by room, closet by closet  - not too detailed,  yet enough to get it down on paper.  I find doing that type of exercise liberating.  The ideas are not running around in my head and when in front of me I can see the small tasks vs the large tasks which means something can get done.

On to the cubbies!  I've one of those 4 x 4 cubbies from Ikea in the kitchen.   I'm down to 10 of the 16 completed.  Here's the success in many ways:

- disposed of a complete cubbie of cook books and donated them to the Friends of the Library for their book sale. Really when I am looking for inspiration - I look online.

- used that open space to put my little crochet project in so that it is not stacked on the counter in the kitchen.  You can see the striped bag in the picture.

- organized/ sorted other papers and found enough space to keep my laptop bag and purse in the cubbie.  

There are four more cubbies and those will be done this month!

The Living space was another set of small tasks.  I found old magazines and old books.  Low and behold the mags were recycled and the old books were donated.  Then audio rack where I  found a box of cassette tapes - 30 tapes!  There were some great albums I listened to back then - not so much today.  So to remember those good titles, I made a list of them, and then took the box and donated them to the Friends Sale.

While donating those items for the Friends book sale - I found that the Senior Center in town has a gift/consignment shop.  When I visited, I found more lace - yeah!  I also found that they are always looking for greeting cards.  Wait, this was a bonus.  I have two boxes full of note cards - not any longer!  A full box of them has been donated and I received so many thanks.  I was grateful not to have to throw them out.

Now off to the transfer station I go - like the old toaster that really didn't work, or those power strips that don't protect any longer along with the UPS boxes that were replaced in the office.  Yeah - proper disposal is key today.  More on my bid to increase recycling here in town later on.

Another part of minimalism is to use up what you already own.  I've got a sizable stash of yarn and WIP projects (work in progress).  I purchased some yarn eons ago because I liked it. I hadn't found the right project, the yarn is a bit cranky to use, whatever!  Then - Viola, in doing some Pinterest, I found the pattern.  Thanks to Stuckathomemom.com , I have my inspiration.   It's the beginning of a baby blanket for a basket I will be making up for a fundraiser in September. 

I even looked at some of those WIP's and said that I'm not interested in that project and reclaimed the thread and yarn to use as another project.  

It was a good month.  By being present, opportunities abound about you.  I found new place to give away items and have made a few folks happier that they are enjoying.   Thank You!

June will be even better.  I've the balance of the cubbies to complete; the 2nd bedroom/studio was taken apart to fix the damage from the ice damming this winter so it will be re-assembled with a minimalist mindset; the garage is looming, now that the light is fixed, I'll be taking on small bits at a time.  My goal is to have the garage complete by July.  Of course there is the balance of the damage from the ice damming needs to be completed.  

Are you beginning to look around?  Have you found some precious minutes to be present with you?  Go ahead I invite you to take a few.... your soul will appreciate the opportunity to speak to you.




Day 21 - kitchen cabinets - only the necessities  - Take one cabinet/drawer a day
0.  Cabinet to the right of microwave -----  December
1.  cabinet left of microwave - May 9th
2.  drawer below #1 January
3.  Drawer below #2 January
4.  Drawer below #3 January
5.  drawer to right of stove January
6. cabinet below #5 - March
7.  drawer on left side of island  February
8.  cabinet below #7 February
9.  drawer on right side of island- March
10.  cabinet below #9 February
11.  cabinet above to the left of sink May 9th
12.  cabinet above sink - May 9th
13.  cabinet above to right of sink May 9th
14.  Pantry closet /February

15.  storage in garage.
16.  storage cube in dining kitchen room
17.  Cabinet in dinning room January
18.  Cabinet Below sink!!  - March

Living My 60th Year - It rains.... and it pours

Weather changes and so does life.  Not very poetic, yet enough to make my point of this week.

Yes - that is a flood in front of the garage - about 4" deep.  The drain, that runs across the front of the garage, can not handle the water.

So this is life - It is a good life, some days are better than others.  I've got some items to cross over in my path right now.  All take courage and patience and focus.  My focus has been scattered for quite some time.  My boat has been too full.  So eliminating one of the items (resigned for position) has helped.  Yet the boat is still too full.  It has allowed for the items in the boat to take a deep breath and each of them are clamoring to be next in line.

With my "I got it done" journal, I've been able to get more accomplished, true, yet it has allowed me to appreciate what I have completed.  What ever the tools we have, use them.  Don't have tools, go visit your local library, staff will show you where they are.  Search for them online - lots of blogs out there that you can gleam some hints and techniques that may turn your head!  

The resignation - it is working well for me.  I see spots of time, items to-do that are not  my responsibility any longer and I've cleared off a physical space of stuff!  More of that in my minimalist post for the month.  The repairs from all the ice damming are beginning. 

  Nothing more, nothing less.   Some weeks are just quiet.

Here's to a year of catching the dreams you chase,

doing what makes you smile,

and loving the life you live.

Minimalism - April

April was not my month to minimize!  That's okay.  Sometimes life get's in the way.  More items were moved to the garage and out of  nooks and crannies.   

I did so some mental exercises as what to do.  What I did arrange to help the load was to have the housekeeper come the day after tax season!  Yippie!!  While I couldn't appreciate the cleaning in the same way (too tired) I made some headway in clearing way more 'junk/stuff' that has somehow accumulated in my place.   

With house guest arriving for the 2nd half of April, the studio needed to get back to being a guest room.  

I've been ruthless in the office, i.e.cleaning out old books, donated or trashed.  Opening old files and scanning and/or trashing the contents.  While not too exciting, there is space being created!

Didn't do much more in the kitchen for the month of April - I did maintain and that is good.

So see ya next month!  It will be a surprising month for me - energy is rising, spring in the air and moving on.



No progress for April --  stay tuned!
Day 21 - kitchen cabinets - only the necessities  - Take one cabinet/drawer a day
0.  Cabinet to the right of microwave -----  December
1.  cabinet left of microwave
2.  drawer below #1 January
3.  Drawer below #2 January
4.  Drawer below #3 January
5.  drawer to right of stove January
6. cabinet below #5 - March
7.  drawer on left side of island  February
8.  cabinet below #7 February
9.  drawer on right side of island- March
10.  cabinet below #9 February
11.  cabinet above to the left of sink
12.  cabinet above sink
13.  cabinet above to right of sink
14.  Pantry closet /February

15.  storage in garage.
16.  storage cube in dining room
17.  Cabinet in dinning room January
18.  Cabinet Below sink!!  - March

Minimalism - March

March is a month with lots of celebrations and an amazing big work load for me.  So that means small efforts for the Minimalism treatments needed in my life.

Just before St. Patty's day - as I was waiting for the corn beef to finish cooking - what a great time to keep moving ahead in the kitchen.  Two more cabinets were emptied and wiped down, some items were relocated and the balance was put back.

One item I found/discovered is how to make deposits using my phone.  Oh my goodness - what a great time savings.  Using an app from the bank, take a picture of the front and back of the check -- be sure to manually endorse the back -- type in the amount of the check and then hit the submit button.  It must be a clear picture and there are rules of how many checks can be deposited in one day, and how many in a ten day period and also amount limitations.

The rest of the month was  little items all over the house.  This time of year it is about work.  Next month will be much the same.  Yet I think I will find time to clear away some more items with two visits, one with my nephew and a girlfriend coming in from Georgia.

What did you get done?  Remember getting one thing done is more than you had completed the day before.  Moving ahead is great for your spirit.




Day 21 - kitchen cabinets - only the necessities  - Take one cabinet/drawer a day
0.  Cabinet to the right of microwave -----  December
1.  cabinet left of microwave
2.  drawer below #1 January
3.  Drawer below #2 January
4.  Drawer below #3 January
5.  drawer to right of stove January
6. cabinet below #5 - March
7.  drawer on left side of island  February
8.  cabinet below #7 February
9.  drawer on right side of island- March
10.  cabinet below #9 February
11.  cabinet above to the left of sink
12.  cabinet above sink
13.  cabinet above to right of sink
14.  Pantry closet /February

15.  storage in garage.
16.  storage cube in dining room
17.  Cabinet in dinning room January
18.  Cabinet Below sink!!  - March

Living My 60th Year --- What the past month meant to me

I've been away from writing for the last month, though I've been Living My 60th Year.  For this post --- I'll write about the life events that I've witnessed and enjoyed.

The last month has been hectic. The office buzzing with 12-14 hour days to meet the deadline of the "season".

One success during the 'season' is that my office has had the chance to be cleared of even more stuff!   For the first time in a very long time, my filing system worked the best and I could see my desk top many times throughout the working day.  

I enjoyed the lengthening of each day as the sun came up earlier and went down later in the day.  While we still change clocks - that is getting so old.  How about we split the difference and keep the clocks the same all year long?  Several states in the US don't ever change their clocks already!

Snow, Snow and more Snow.  My goodness, we, in New England got slammed especially near the Boston area.  Here was a mere 30"s or so - and it is almost gone.  Yes there are brown piles of ice still piled up in parking lots!

And while it snowed outside, I was creating crocheted snowflakes.  I set myself to make one a week and have kept up with that goal.  This past weekend I had some downtime while I helped out at the Connecticut Storytelling Festival.  I completed over a dozen tatted flowers - finished the spool of thread and ready to begin another one.  Then it was on to completing 22 ties that we use in the garden from some leftover yarn from the stash box.

I did some minimalizing  in my home - I'd sneak in few minutes in the morning and sometimes in the evening to eliminate  items that need to be donated or tossed!  The box is in the garage and is full - time to bring it to the donation center.

Spring, Spring and Spring -- hurry up already.  I was watching a squirrel this morning in the tree as he was eating the new buds appearing on the branches.  The bulbs of daffs and tulips are up and some open.  My lavender plant has survived the winter and is showing lots of green on it's branches.

We are set up for our farm plots - new pallets that were obtained over the winter that will help plant our herbs.  The reservations, this year three plots, have been made.  We have worked on the layout, especially with three plots!  Pam and I have made a date to work out the plans so that we are ready to go when they get the plots turned over.

This year our farm will be planted with seedlings that we have grown.  Thanks to Pam for sporting a new set up and we have lots of "kids" we have been taking care of.  She's been traveling lots, so I've been on watering duty.  

My guest room is back in season with a kick off of my nephew coming to stay with me two days after the 'season' was officially over.  We had a good time, learning more about him as he grows up.  He plans to come back after school lets out - we will have lots more adventures!

Later today a friend of mine is coming to stay for a week or so.  She used to live here and relocated to Georgia for lots of reasons.  So I've been picking up and moving more stuff around.  It's those pesky items that need to be taken care of and made done or gone!

One of the organizations that I volunteer with is not working for me any longer.  I do pride myself as someone that rolls up my sleeves and helps make a difference where I live.  It was a lesson my parents instilled in me at a very young age.  For me, now, it is time to move on.  There are plenty of ways to assist in their cause, I don't need to be part of a formal structure.  By the end of the week, all my i's are dotted and t's crossed so that I can turn it back.

I changed the line-up of items I do for myself at the end of the season and that made a difference.  This year - I made the housekeeper appointment for the day after the end of the season.  Between she and I, and help from her son (school vacation) we went through the whole place and it is now spic and span.  The personal appointments for doing my hair, nails, and massage were planned for a few days after.  So far I've really reaped the benefits.  So nice when the place is picked up and I can relax and appreciate it all :)

This past month has meant lots to me.  I've had time to reflect, to move away from certain items of the past, and reduce clutter and unneeded items in life.  I've spent time creating - always a good feeling.  I had the chance to visit with several individuals outside of my wonderful clients.  All in all - a good month.

Here's to a year of catching the dreams you chase,

doing what makes you smile,

and loving the life you live.

Minimalism - February - Sugar in our Food

Minimalism is tough in February here in New England.  Areas where I wish to work on - like the garage - has been tough with the number of cold days below 5° and that's not the temperature with the wind blowing - burrrrrrrrr.

So I keep looking for places to complete or expand on.  I've completed more of the Day 21 - related to the kitchen - I've expanded it to include the pantry and the area of garage that I am storing items. I have found that doing a little at a time, i.e. clearing out the non-essential, and working with it for a little time is the best method for me.

About mid-month, I was able to clean out the fridge - not just for cleaning but to organize what I keep in it.  I've been reading up and watching some documentaries on the US food industry.  If you haven't seen the documentary -- "Fed Up" get it, watch it at least twice and then go to the grocery store and watch the labels!

What is going on is very, very sad and in my opinion, the American people are unaware of how the food industry is operating.  I could go on and on about these issues about our food.  Right now ---  eat only on the perimeter of the store.  Re-read those labels for "sugar".   Sugar - other than what is naturally contained in food - there is so much sugar in food today.   Any of the following are sugars - XyLitol, Tagatose, Sucralose(yellow packet), Sorbitol, Saccharin (pink packet), Polydextrose, Neotame, Mannitol, Maltitol, Isomalt, Hydrogenated Starch Dydroysate, Glycyrrhizin, Gylcerol, Erythritol, Cyclamate (non US), Aspartame-Acesufame Salt (Europe only), Aspartame(blue packet), and Acesulfame Potassium  just to name a few.  The new one on the market  Stevia in a green packet.

Of course, sugar it is stated in grams ---  4 grams of sugar is equal to 1 teaspoon of sugar!  Here's a blog article that seems to balance what we need to be paying attention to.

February was good for cleaning up more of the kitchen cabinets.  Each time another one is done.... yep life is so much better.  Wasn't ready to do the pantry closet until I found mouse poop!  He's a healthy mouse this time and was chomping away on my bag of flax seed and drinking apple juice from a juice box.  The cat... found the mouse and was carrying it around.  Her new best friend.  Well she was distracted and I haven't been able to find the critter yet!

So the pantry is cleaned out, and that is great right now.  Note to self ---- store only items in glass containers!

Thanks for reading along.     See below......  that's what is left in the kitchen!



Day 21 - kitchen cabinets - only the necessities  - Take one cabinet/drawer a day
0.  Cabinet to the right of microwave -----  December
1.  cabinet left of microwave
2.  drawer below #1 January
3.  Drawer below #2 January
4.  Drawer below #3 January
5.  drawer to right of stove January
6. cabinet below #5
7.  drawer on left side of island  February
8.  cabinet below #7 February
9.  drawer on right side of island
10.  cabinet below #9 February
11.  cabinet above to the left of sink
12.  cabinet above sink
13.  cabinet above to right of sink
14.  Pantry closet /February

15.  storage in garage.
16.  storage cube in dining room
17.  Cabinet in dinning room January

Minimalism - January

This past November and December I did a Minimalism Challenge.  It was a thirty day challenge to look around your home and at yourself of how you lived.  Remove, re-organize, recycle and re-purpose the items in many of the places in which we live.  Now it is time to get out the list, and setup what to accomplish during the balance of the winter months.

Most of us know that we could live without lots of the "wants" in our life.  I was amazed to complete the challenge and found that I needed to complete more of the days challenges.  As I went along, I made up a list of items that I needed to revisit and get them done!

In January I held a big dinner party in my home.  So it was logical to go back to Day21 - Only the necessities in the Kitchen. I completed one cabinet for the challenge - that was a pretty big effort on my part.  It's been over a month, and I'm finding that the cabinet works so much better.  If one could say the cabinet is a  joy - then it is a joy!

In preparation of the dinner party - I found that "I forgot" I had certain items around and/or I couldn't find others.  Borrowing items was better than owning those items you need infrequently.  I came across an article on 8 Things You DON'T Need in Your Kitchen .  How about those small appliances, the extra dishes, and items stored on the top of the counter?  Great article and more food for thought.

I put the Day 21's List on my Monthly challenge.  It has 15 areas of the kitchen and related areas.   What I found important in cleaning out an area is to keep it simple, break it down and then live with it for awhile to insure that the "new" is overall better for daily life.

So here's the January accomplishments for Day 21's list.  I was able to put items in the Donate Box - yes it is in it's established place. I can see what's in the drawers and cabinets so far - it is very good.  I found silverware that need to be reorganized, the office drawer with those misc items in it, and two drawers one with some linens, and the other with leftover containers.  It's pretty good so far - no struggling with where items are, and each of them are looking about the same.

Onward to February!!!


Day 21 - kitchen cabinets - only the necessities  - Take one cabinet/drawer a day
0.  Cabinet to the right of microwave -----  December
1.  cabinet left of microwave
2.  drawer below #1 January
3.  Drawer below #2 January
4.  Drawer below #3 January
5.  drawer to right of stove January
6. cabinet below #5
7.  drawer on left side of island
8.  cabinet below #7 February
9.  drawer on right side of island
10.  cabinet below #9
11.  cabinet to left of sink
12.  cabinet above sink
13.  cabinet to right of sink
14.  Pantry closet

15.  storage in garage.
16.  storage cube in dining room
17.  Cabinet in dinning room January

Living My 60th Year

A solid week into my 60th year.  It was a big week, after my birthday - I hosted the Cousins Party this past weekend.  All cousins were present and accounted for except for my brother that lives in St. Louis.  I've a smaller place - so it is a bit packed in -  it was the way we began - a simple house party.   Once thing about a house party - you need to borrow items from people you know so that it works out well - extra crock pots, extra tables for staging in the garage, etc.  Mom supplied some of them and a chance to visit with her.  Here are the turkeys she's been going on about.  I couldn't get a better picture, they were a bit skittish - when they did parade by - there was 12 of them! 

I did the cooking and that was a joy except that my feet didn't care to be on them for the day and a half prep.  We enjoyed lots of stories that only family can tell, created more memories as usual.  Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.  It wasn't a big overnight event - running off spending hundreds of dollars.  Somehow we got away from the simple get-togethers we did enjoy. It seemed that one was trying to out-do the last one.  Their was discussion of next year's event, not a gathering, ensued.  We shall see.  

The taping of stories wasn't as successful as I anticipated.  All of a sudden, they went quiet when the camera was turned on.  I'll have to rethink what I wanted to do.  They were all gone by 12:15am ouch - and I finish cleaning up and was finally horizontal by 2am!   What is left is to return borrowed items, last of the dishwasher runs, and pack the balance of extra dishes away.

The rest of my week was good.  Minimalism has paid off!  In the challenge, I needed to remove items from the kitchen that I wasn't using right now.  That really paid off with all the cooking I did for the party.  There are a couple of other cabinets I need to re-assess and complete over the next week or two.  The garage will get a look over again.  I hung up a old lace curtain over some of the shelving and it looked so much better.

Town meetings abound and will continue over the next several months.  Some are televised which means I could listen to them here. Others are not and will possibly need to attend in person - errrrr!

It's another week - 358 days to go.  All in all, a good week.

Here's to a year of catching the dreams you chase,

doing what makes you smile,

and loving the life you live.