DOWNSIZING IS A LABOR OF LOVE!

HUBBY WENT OVER TO COTTAGE TO MEET UP WITH A CONTRACTOR TO DISCUSS what can be done to alleviate a slight slant in the front part of the COTTAGE.  I stayed home in my housecoat.  g r i n s.  I didn't get dressed until I did some chores then had a shower and dressed in clean garments for the rest of the day.   

Turns out that leveling the front part of the COTTAGE is doable and so it shall happen in the near future as we were told our tiny COTTAGE has good bones.  Praise the LORD.  Good bones here we come.

While I was still in my housecoat, my morning was spent cleaning the stack of smoked stained vintage glass cake plates I rescued.  Just about have all of them sparkling clean!!!  Watkins All Purpose Cleaner did the trick.  I can grin ear to ear because they look beautiful.  Like new.

Here they have been stained since October 2016!!!  Hidden away in a box in a shed.  Out of sight out of mind until this past week-end when they were discovered in a oversized box still SMOKE stained.  

Pleased that they cleaned up!!!  Since they are glass I have no fears of harmful chemical residue existing after I thoroughly cleaned each dish with Watkins then washed and rinsed with Mrs. Meyer's dish detergent.  They are squeaky clean.  

I'll finish up today and put these sweet plates away ready to be used or given away.

Continuing to clean the house today.  I will clean the Kitchen and if I have time, the Bedrooms.  I think I had better make the time as my week is quickly getting away from me.  I have some paperwork that needs done.  The cleaning will continue until Friday when I hope to be ready for company.

I cleaned the vintage cake plates, went through the mail, thumbed through a couple of new magazines, watched some youtube videos.  I am interested in knowing if Orthodox Jews are healthier then their counterparts.  Still out on this, but what I did learn about the Kitchen of a orthodox jewish homemaker surprised me about the not mixing the meats with milk to the point of having two sinks, one for meats and the other for milk.

I enjoy watching the organizing videos and how others manage to stretch their finances, food preparations, decorating, etc.  So many of these videos have opened my mind to a more economical way of living.  I consider the reading and watching homemaking videos as my HOMEWORK.  I am a work in progress even at 66.  

After HUBBY got HOME from the COTTAGE, I was ready for the rest of the day.  We went to MJs for an Almond Milk Steamer.  Impressed that my Husband skipped coffee and went straight for a steamer.  He drinks way too much coffee so for him to get a steamer spoke volumes.  

SAMS was next on the list.  I picked up some groceries for this 4th of July.  I will write out a menu list today and continue shopping off and on for the next few days planning for the HOLIDAY.  My fridge is tiny and doesn't hold as much as I would like, so I must take into consideration what needs freezer space as well as refrigerated.

Off to GOD's STOREHOUSE to make yet another donation drop.  I am amazed at what we are coming up with to donate.  Boxes and sacks after boxes and sacks full of THINGS.  Another large box in the basement had odds 'n ins that I encouraged myself to get rid of.  The huge box was carried to the car by my dear hubby.  This clean-up and purging is coming right along and yet it is an ongoing journey.  DOWNSIZING is a labor of LOVE.  LABOR OF LOVE!

We continue to turn loose.  Soon, very soon, we will have far less than we did.  This is taking lots of time and effort to whip our estate into order.  It hasn't been without much thought.  It isn't without emotions and feelings.  Having to change for the better is part of maturing.  It's a part of healing and becoming better off before we started all of this downsizing stuff.  

I have had time to talk myself into downsizing and what we actually need.  I have had time to think about why we are doing this.  I have had time to decide just what is really needed to survive and thrive.  God has helped me through this journey.  

When a person hangs onto so tightly to things attached to the past or onto things that are from loved ones, that's one thing, but keeping all of this needs to be put into perspective.  Lightening the load is so much needed as a person in my 60s.  We are not promised tomorrow.  Why hang onto to so much?  I cannot anymore.  

I have chosen to relax and not be so attached to every  l i t t l e  item.  I know that I don't have to keep  e  v  e  r  y  receipt I   e  v  e  r  received.  

I will keep some very important ones.....just not thousands and hundreds.  I don't need to and what's more, I DON'T WANT TO ANYMORE.  I am free to relax and go ahhhhhhhhh. Thank you, LORD for delivering me from this burdensome load.  I am free indeed.  

This is a labor of LOVE turning loose of so much when I conditioned myself to HANG ON FOR DEAR LIFE.  Downsizing is an act of love and not so much of one of sacrifice when it is a healing process for a healthier person, for a better day and future.  Amen.  It can be done.  I will continue to heal.  Downsizing is answered prayer.  

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When we finished shopping, we headed to ARBY's for iced tea.  I suggested that we go ahead and eat their 2 for $6 Arby's Classic Roast Beef Sandwiches and eat on the way HOME.  I ate slowly and sipped iced tea.  We went to the COTTAGE and placed the hot dogs in the freezer as I knew our main house freezer wouldn't have room.  I will go over and get them on Sunday after I have made room in the fridge for Monday's cook-out foods.  Planning a head.  Have to.

4th of JULY MENU:  Hamburgers and Hot Dogs with chips, potato salad and baked beans. Maybe a fresh green vegetable salad and homemade brownies.  I was hoping we could make some HOME-MADE ICE-CREAM, but store-bought might have to do with our energy levels being the way they are.  

For the rest of the time, I believe I will fix a BISON Pot Roast with potatoes, carrots and onion.  I have never tried Bison for a Pot Roast.  Always beef.  Hope it taste alright.  We will eat at a Mexican Restaurant for one meal, have Pizza and Salad at HOME for another meal, Salmon patties with Mac 'n cheese, Sandwiches and Soup, Chili Nachos.  Perhaps this will do nicely.  

After the HOLIDAY and company leaves, I will get serious about looking over the food pantry and make preparations for our AUTUMN/WINTER food supplies.   

Patriotic red, white and blue grace the table...I probably should have pressed these miniature flags before displaying them.  I know it would look better if they had been.

DECORATING:  I stopped by HOBBY LOBBY in hopes they had miniature flags so I could decorate.  40% off greeted me.  Paper Products as well.  Nice surprise.  I planted some flags in the front porch flower urns and made a table centerpiece.  This was quick and easy which is what I needed.  QUICK AND EASY I patriotically salute you.

Making another donation drop today.  Another one!  Have to go get some chandelier candle holders from the light store as we purchased a $15 hanging light fixture yesterday to replace the wrong kind we have at the top of our stairs.  Pics later.  I know we will like the different one just fine.  Meds need picked up and coffee creamer bought.  We're on the way to town so we rounded up more STUFF to donate.  Low and behold we found more to give away.  A large doll, some toy figurines, some children's toys, dishes, bunny stuff, Christmas decor.  And the beat goes on.  Labor of LOVE. 

We have so many freedoms in our country.  Thanking GOD for this.  We have freedom to assemble and freedom to worship.  Freedom to openly discuss matters of all kinds.  Freedom to PRAISE and freedom to complain.  I am so thankful that we still have these freedoms as this is what our country is famous for.  Let freedom ring.

BLESSINGS

~d