VENTURED OUT EARLY ON WEDNESDAY MORNING knowing it was suppose to hit 100 degrees in the afternoon.  It hit 102 on Tuesday.  I postponed going to town yesterday and stayed inside doing laundry.  Thought if we get around earlier today than we could escape part of the impending afternoon heat.    

Post Office drop.  Headed over to Topeka.  Paid the Natural Gas bill at the Dillons Grocery store with a Starbucks Coffee Shop.  I got my GREEN ICED TEA!  Off to God's Storehouse where I only spent $1 plus tax for 2 bracelets.  Red Robin for Lunch.  Menards to look at tile and marble.  Bought half gallon Mason jars, 3 small storage boxes for Children's Christmas Ornaments, bottled spring water, some Watkins products.  Sams for coffee pods, coffee cups, grass fed beef, some chicken, ground turkey, insulated grocery bags, Cologne for Hubby's Anniversary gift, etc. etc. etc.  Natural Grocers for organic soup, crackers, juices, veggies, fruit. Aldi to milk the cow.  Time to depart and stop off at the COTTAGE to check up on the indoor temperature.  Then HOME across the river and through the woods.  Sandwiches for supper.  

By this time I was wearing down in need of putting my feet up.  Driving makes me tired.  After parking the car, I placed my camera in my handbag and wouldn't you know that as I sat in the car, the camera jumped out and hit the gravel driveway. That's going to leave a mark and it did. Not sure how that happened.  Helped carry groceries to the house.  It's a balancing act when I do this. 

It didn't get as HOT as predicted.  This was a nice surprise.          

I noticed that prices in the stores have gone up.  Makes me continue to think of ways to make the money go further.  Again.  I looked at thrift blue jeans for $7.50 a pair.  Even tried one on.  My first thought was, this is too high priced for a used jeans.  They didn't fit the best, so I didn't buy them.  I was proud of myself for only spending a dollar today at the Storehouse.  I looked about and was contented to not buy anything else.  

It was a different story when it came to buying groceries.  We bought groceries.  I don't think we were out of line with what we bought.  My thinking was we are buying two months worth of meat and a two week supply of veggies and fruits.  It is a art form buying enough groceries with the money we have to work with.  One must be creative.  I am not very creative.  sigh.        

Hubby will continue digging new flowerbeds over at the COTTAGE.  He's getting close to completing all the digging needed then add some soil and peat to the beds.  We will need to get some metal edging and plant it along the outside edge of the beds to prevent grass from invading the beds.  This week-end, we'll be popping Irises!  

I need to work on more laundry then clear out more boxes in the Cottage Master bedroom.  Hopefully, the bedroom will be completely cleared out this week-end.  Dear Lord, please.  

September is nearing and I still haven't got the main house Dining room painted.  This will be my September goal.  grins.  Cross my fingers. 

Getting ready to go through piles of magazines I have saved through the years.  I'd like to keep my VICTORIA magazines.  Also Tea Time.  I have turned loose of my old Martha Stewart mags, Country Living, Country Home, some others.  I can pat myself on ze back and carry on.  

The decluttering continues.  Pause.  Take a deep breath and have HOPE that one day soon this downsizing, decluttering and getting better organized will become a reality.  Praise the LORD.  I don't care to have so much around me catching dust.  This part of Kansas has its share of dust and dirt.  Not sure why, but it does have a lot of it.  

If dust were in demand, we'd have plenty to share.

What ever your challenges are today, may you have victory over them.

~d