SATURDAY

SIPPING HOT MATCHA TEA on this chilly morning with my feet up resting is a relaxing way for this old woman to start her day at HOME after a previous busy day that I truly enjoyed living.  Suppose to warm up into the 50s today and also tomorrow before next week's cold snap harshly arrives.  This warmer weather will be welcomed.  Thinking about what can be done with the warmer weather.

The front door greenery and lights will more than likely come down and go away for the year. Hubby was talking about journeying over to Manhattan to purchase more plumbing items for the COTTAGE's Bathroom and supplies for leveling the front of the house.  She has a slight tilt that isn't too bad, but it bothers me and I don't want future house issues to arise from the slant. 

This precious week-end, I will work in the COTTAGE shuffling items to make room to move the two large curios out of the Living room into the Dining room.  The COTTAGE will eventually be leveled a tad this WINTER/SPRING so getting the weight off the small Parlor's floor has to take place so we can move Living room furniture into place this SPRING.     

At the main house, I have been boxing up books from the Living room shelves.  Even with small boxes, the books are weighty inside the boxes.  When taping up the bottoms of the boxes, I double tape for extra enforcement.  Not sure how many books I have, but I LOVE my books and plan on keeping them.  The COTTAGE will have a floor to ceiling built-in book shelf in the front bedroom and there will also be a built-in book shelf in the Utility room to house COOK BOOKS and sewing supplies.  My portable sewing machines will rest there when not in use.  I have a method to my madness.....

I was going to leave my small photos out until we actually close the door on this MAIN HOUSE, but the wind changes and I'm going to box them up this week-end so it is done.  Shouldn't take very long to do this.  After the BOOK SHELVES are completely boxed, I'll move into the Kitchen and start boxing glassware and dishes we seldom use, but don't want to turn loose of.

The Dining room walnut chest items are boxed and inventoried.  Also Grandma's Hutch is full of antique dishes to deal with.  If I have to inventory everything, it will take dome time to accomplish.   I have the Entryway Buffet to do the same with.  This week on this as it's full of porcelain and glassware. The boxes will stay along the walls until they are moved out to the Carriage House and then moved to the COTTAGE. For the next few months this will be a place with a multitude of boxes sitting around.  All a part of what takes place when MOVING.  

I've done both thinning out items this past years before packing up and will probably thin out more as I pack.  After we relocated to the COTTAGE, there will another round of thinning out.  I have been blessed with THINGS.  Praying for how to do all this.  I should already know as I have relocated umpteen times during my LIFE.  

From Wichita at 4 years of age to Liberal Childhood Home to College dorm when 18 to Marion to wed at 19, Wichita apartment as newly weds, Guymon, Liberal rental, small Hugoton rental having first and second babies, Hugoton's first mortgage and third baby, fixer upper Liberal house on Coolidge Street, fixer upper Omaha house, Liberal on Roosevelt, Kingwood rental, new House in Spring, job lay off to fixer upper Marion rental, employment takes us to Tulsa apartment, JUNKY Jenks single home rental, back into fixer upper house with mortgage in Manhattan, beautiful country rental, fixer upper rock house in small town America, Cottage, present house and working on COTTAGE. 

By now, I am a well seasoned PACKER AND MOVER.  It would appear that I have moved about a great deal and I feel like I have, but each place comes with memories that were made.  I have collected so many things along the way and turned loose of much just to collect more once again.    

As I go through our belongings when unpacking, I will be in a better mind set to turn loose of more things that we really don't need or want.  So why pack them in the first place?  In the Spring and Summer, I will be better equipped to say GOOD-BYE to more of the treasures I have collected and continue to collect.  DOWNSIZING is very challenging to me.  I will get there eventually, but it is very challenging to me. 

I will downsize and surround myself with things that are sentimental to me plus functional.  I know that I can streamline our belongings placing things in categories that are needed. Sentimental items are some furniture, childhood memorabilia, dolls, dishes, books, artwork, pictures, and don't forget the holiday decor.  Functional and necessary items are office paperwork, cooking and baking things, Kitchen, Dining, Bathroom, Bedrooms and Living room items like dishes, furniture, appliances, bedding, towels, clothing.  Then there's the Garage, patio and lawn things.   I believe I can streamline all even more.

FOOD PROGRAM today will be different than what I have been eating.  Allowing starches today with noodles.  I skipped breakfast this Saturday morning and ate chicken and Amish noodles for lunch.  Will have watermelon and huge salad for supper.  The calorie count will be spot on for what I should be eating with getting protein and vegetables in my diet.  Water and tea for beverages.  It has gotten easier for me to have water as my main beverage without any questions asked.  I don't miss the milk and when I do want it I substitute cow's milk with nut milks which has fewer calories and fats.  I rather like it.  That's good. 

Eating less bread has morphed into a doable thing.  Rice isn't missed and pasta...well I miss pasta because spaghetti and meat balls is a favorite of mine.  Gotta remember to cut way back when eating it though.  Boxed Cereal isn't controlling me as I take turns eating oatmeal, eggs and avocado toast for different Breakfast or I skip it and eat an early lunch that's either left overs or salad.  Upping the vegetables has become a PRIORITY.  Eat 'yo veggies!  Fruit can be added as a dessert or eaten in the evening when I have a sweet tooth. Drinking water with berry flavored fiber should be added as it is fantastic with helping to lower cholesterol and filling the belly so I won't snack on high calorie munchies.  After lunch and supper, I really need to take apple cider vinegar pills to help prevent a sugar spike.  Ceylon cinnamon and Co-Q 10 are necessary as well. Back to it so nutrition is a PRIORITY when eating nutritionally dense foods.  Gotta stay focused with health issues so I can be a better me in a human body.  

From 19 years of age to 67, I have been married making Family and HOME a priority.  My relationship with Almighty God has grown right along the way.  GOD gives me reason and purpose for LIVING.  Walking uprightly before the LORD means something with character and value.  Seeing the reality of LIFE and death, I must go on and live the best way I can.

~d