WHAT SHALL I DO TO MAKE A BETTER CLOSET?

THURSDAY IS JUST ABOUT OVER AS FRIDAY AWAITS ME.  Busy day at HOME.  I stayed HOME all day long with no plans to leave my comfort zone.  Worked on the Master Closet organizing it, thinning out more clothing, I made progress.  We'll put another shelf in the closet so we can place more baskets in the space that's been created.

As of today, we now have some space for sweaters, sweats and shoes when last week we didn't. This temporary fix for the closet will have to do.  Reaching this goal of making as much room as we can to accommodate our clothing has taken a while to get to.  I have had to downsize our clothing when moving from the big house into our COTTAGE.  It's been challenging to do so. 

Later the closet will be made over, but for now I have to make it as functioning as possible. Downsizing our clothing and placing items as best I can has been a phase that couldn't be ignored.  

The t-shirts have been thinned, folded and placed in vinyl baskets.  I need one more basket for them.  Between the two of us, we have many t-shirts.  The sweaters and sweat shirts are going in tomorrow on a shelf.  I'm still switching out hangers and need to get some more gray velvet ones from TARGET.  Next time I go, I'll be looking for more hangers along with plastic covers for dress clothing.  The sooner the closet is spruced up, the better.

As I place clothing on new hangers, I am color grouping the clothing.  The updating of the structure of the closet will come later.  Not sure when, but at least the clothing will be organized and easier to get to.

👚👚👚👚👚🧥🧥🧥🧥🧥🧥🧥🧥🧥👞👟👠🥿🩰🩰🩰🥿👠👟👞👗👗👗👗👗👗👗👖👖👖👖👖👖👖👖👖🧦🧦🧦🧦🧦🧦🧦🧦 

We watched a couple of very old black and white movies from the 1930s where their homes were so neat and organized that I swooned over the beautiful arrangements with order.  I know it was just movies, but they are an example of how neat a place could be.

I was day dreaming about how to decorate our COTTAGE.  I need to get the closet organized before organizing the food pantry.  The next big project will be the front Bedroom.  Making it into an actual Bedroom again instead of a storage room will take some doing.  Seeing a finished Bedroom in my head entertains me and keeps me going.  I want so badly to be excited about making this happen that I need a miracle of sorts to get me going.  Stop dragging my feet.

Lord, making our place into a comfortable HOME is necessary.  Please help me make this come to fruition. 

FLUTTERING ABOUT THE HOUSE working.  The miniature trees that sat on the kitchen window ledge have been placed in a storage box to go down into the cellar.  Laundry.  Sanitizing the kitchen counter tops reminds me that I need to polish the front of the fridge.  Organizing some drawers in the buffet to make a place for CHRISTMAS ornaments I recently purchased. Switching clothing hangers and putting away clean clothing.  Researching health issues on the computer.  Reading.  Writing out menus for future meals.  Counting calories.  All in a days work.

My Doctor's Nurse called to tell me that my Doctor wants me to come into clinic to visit about my LABS.  So off I will go to hear what he suggests that I do about vitamin deficiencies.  After the appointment, I'll go shopping and enjoy getting out before the weather turns off bad again.  More snow and ice expected next week.  Brrrr.  Here it comes.

⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄

God bless,
~d

 

IT'S TAKING TIME AND MUSCLE also THE TEA LEAF CHINA HELPS LIFT MY SPIRITS!

THANKFUL HUMAN I AM.  
THANKSGIVING DAY HAS COME AND GONE.  I am so THANKFUL for sooooo much that my heart is overflowing with appreciation and love.  Grateful.

I woke early on THANKSGIVING and did some chores as I was switching out two freezers making a better plan for my homemaking.  It took me awhile, but I got this done.  I'd work awhile then rest.  Repeat.  She's completed on THANKSGIVINGS DAY.  Praise the LORD.

We had a turkey meal prepared by the community churches offered to the anyone.  FREE WILL DONATION.  This helped with our grocery spending as well.  Took them up on it this year and oh so thankful to have a full Thanksgiving Dinner.  It was delicious.  I did not have to slave away in the KITCHEN this year.  This was a blessing as I am worn out after a very long and eventful year.

White and dark turkey meat, mashed potatoes with gravy, dressing, green beans, dinner roll and pumpkin with pecan dessert.  I did not have to slave in the KITCHEN this year.  Easy clean-up and enough for supper tonight. 

We ate while watching the MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE in New York City.  It's been years since I watched this parade.

Thinking about the ones who actually created the balloons and floats boggled my mind this year. It cost about $28,000.oo to fill one balloon with helium.  I can only imagine what a balloon or float cost to make.  Where do they make these creations?  In a airplane hanger?  Not sure.

I had a NAP afterwards.  I am thankful that I can do this.

ON THE HOME FRONT.  Started a gift box to fill for my Mom's Christmas treats from us.  I'd like to get this done and placed in the mail next week.  All the GIFT ornaments for family are in our grandchildren's hands.  Our children were given a treat as well.

My friendship circle meets in two weeks.  I cellophane wrapped and tied with a blue ribbon their Christmas ornaments and have them ready to go.  My Alaskan friend's ornament with a long letter was mailed last week.  A relief to have this taken care of.  Get well cards and Sympathy cards have been mailed.  I completed filling the China Cabinet with the Blue Willow China, I move to the next project.  The FRIDGE and FREEZERS.  

I'm organizing the fridge and freezers.  The fruits and veggies have returned to the main fridge in the KITCHEN as they were in their own fridge in the utility room.  The two upper shelves across the fridge hold fruits and veggies.  

A bottom shelf holds more veggies on the left and milk on the right.  There are two pull drawers and a glider.  The left one is for cheeses and the right one is for meats.  The bottom pull out glide drawer has more veggies on the left side and eggs on the right.  Condiments are in the doors shelves.  

The freezer has been divided up.  Top pull shelf is for ice cubes, ice cream treats and concentrated fruit juices.  The bottom area is divided.  Left side holds nuts in the back and up front are frozen fruits.  The complete right side holds frozen vegetables.  I did it!!!  It is a fully functioning fridge and freezer that is orderly.  I can smile and say well done.  Looking clean and orderly.  Which I like and need for now.  

Hubs is shuffling items from the SHE SHED to the cellar and garage.  Nearly completely cleared this out making it ready to hold a bedroom suite.  This all has been a hard work-out.  He gives these projects muscle and sweat.  I have to exercise PATIENCE and do other things while waiting for completion.  

Trying to keep my chin up as it is taking longer than I'm comfortable with.  I know this is a new assignment, but at 69, I figure we should have our HOME in order all along.  This moving and downsizing thing is a difficult assignment especially when things are hard to get rid of and we have frailer bodies handling heavy items.  

I have watched the program HOARDERS for years to encourage me to not live like a hoarder.  I fast forward through the programs starting the program then zooming through it to the finish so I can see how clean the house is.  I think I understand how one loses interest in life and lets everything go, which in no time the house is a complete mess.  The not caring or the not being able to clean comes to mind.  I do not want to be one that gives up.  I'd rather be in order and a neat freak.  Not judging, but then again I think I am.

We cannot take any of this stuff with us when we die, so I should be able to turn loose of so much more and not be bothered that we turned loose.  On to a better life that is less complicated.  More care free.

Hubby so surprised me as he found a tub of my antique TEA LEAF China that I will place with the other Tea Leaf I have in the Library Case in the Dining room!  I smiled so big when he showed me what he found.  You made my CHRISTMAS!!!   Actually you made MY YEAR!!!  I am sooooo hApPy to have these dishes in my HOME again instead of in storage.  

 He is uncovering some treasures that I want to have inside the COTTAGE.  Praise the LORD that he is being successful in this endeavor.

Also a Angel was placed in the corner cabinet with the crystal.  This lifted my spirits as I felt like we made progress this THANKSGIVINGS and I don't have to be sad it is taking so long to get settled.  Praise the LORD.

   

By Sunday, the Nativity Scene will be located and put out, a garland wrapped around a spring rod hanging between the rooms, outdoor greenery located along with twinkle lights for outdoors decorating, and the things in the pink room boxed up so the furniture can be relocated to the SHE SHED.  

Christmas decorating on the outside of the house should take place next week.  Wished I had it done already.  Next year, if I am so blessed to still be here for a CHRISTMAS...I suggest we get the outside decorating done in November when the weather is more people friendly.  Christmas cards to follow.

🎄🎅🤶IF WE GET A TREE UP...I will decorate it in a very simplistic fashion.  Twinkle lights and velvet ribbons.  After CHRISTMAS, I think I will leave the tree up and decorate for Valentine's Day.  Hum.  I just might do this.  💗

Peace.  I'm not looking for perfection.  I'm working toward a cleaner HOUSE.  A MORE ORGANIZED AND STREAMLINED HOME.  It is taking time to make this happen.  There needs to be a happy medium.  

I can pitch things faster if I try.  I can speed this process up, if I work at it and I must work at it.  Amen.  CHRISTMAS IS COMING.  I pray we are further along than we are at the present.  That's our goal.

HOME LIFE IS FOR ME and I'd like it to be clean.  grins.

~d

🏠A collection of tips for organizing by space/ A collection of storage t...

Gathering IDEAS...

~d

JUST THE WAY IT IS

THANKSGIVING WILL BE IN THE BOOKS AFTER THE DECOR and dishes are put away.  Christmas begins before December 1st.  Started viewing lights on Saturday night.  Will return when the weather is better to look at the glitter and sparkles.  HOPEFULLY, the makings of new Christmas wreaths will be put together this week.  Hanging these on the doors as soon as possible.  Needing to be better focused on the simplicity of decorating is the name of the game.

As I looked at HOBBY LOBBY's cap tables, items for sell are theme grouped and it sure is attractively displayed, I marvel at their arrangements.

TODAY, I needed to go shop for storage boxes for my AUTUMN decor.  Had Mom with me. Tried TARGET, JOANN, and MENARDS.  From TARGET, I purchased an oversized tub for garland and will switch out the tub I was using for CHRISTMAS GARLAND for the AUTUMN GARLAND since it is smaller and I know after CHRISTMAS I will need one to hold the new garland I had purchased about three weeks ago.  The AUTUMN garland can go in the smaller one.  

JOANN had wreath containers half off.  Two were purchased.  MENARDS is where I bought two medium tubs for my PUMPKINS.  Better get some more bubble wrap to cushion them.

HUBBY finished the COTTAGE's STORAGE SHED where the treadmill will go and muscle racks for decor will be stored.  I'm giddy.  He disassembled two muscle racks and hauled them to the shed and sat them up.  Plans to sit the treadmill up Tuesday and Wednesday.  He'll need help getting the 400 pound mill out of the COTTAGE, down the porch stairs and walked across the yard to the shed.  I'll assist him with this.  We have 5 of these racks altogether.  Two other racks still in the basement will be taken apart and relocated to the shed.  The third one left will go in the cellar.

For now, the decor will be in the shed.  When the cellar can have racks placed in it after a serious cleaning then the racks may go in the cellar.  It's all up in the air.  Much has gone into getting to this place in time.  We started clearing out stuff in the shed 6 months ago.  6 months.  So much of what was in there was ignored due to emotional ties and not having the gumption to go through it until last Spring.  That's the reality of it.

The shed looks so much better now.  I will begin migrating storage tubs to the shed this week. Red storage tubs will be carried to the shed after I review what is in them.  Keeping the items or donating.    

I have hopes of returning to a healthy diet counting calories and working my way up to three miles a day of walking.  That's my hope.  This is the formula I will use to lose weight and get healthier.  Vitamins and supplements as well.

After Thanksgiving company has returned HOME, I will need to rest a few days before gearing up for CHRISTMAS.  I am ready to rest.  It has taken a great deal out of me having company for a week.  Love them, but have to pace myself to host them and the older I get, the harder it is. Just the way it is.  

Keeping LIFE simple sometimes requires change and planning.  

I took the fireplace decorations down and it looks so bare.  Flat out PLAIN.  Thankful that we can get our hands on storage containers to help organize the wares.  When I was a child, there was no such things as vinyl storage tubs with lids.  Mom stored decorations in old suitcases.  She had far less than I do.  

With downsizing, I have to be particular of what I keep and store.  What a deal.  I believe I will go for the gold focusing on garland and greenery with sprigs and picks placed about picture frames on the walls, decking the wood furniture with greenery, nutcrackers on the bookshelves, a Christmas tree for sure, Nativity Scene maybe under the tree, wreaths for the doors...calling this GOOD.  

There is so much to turn loose of.  Can I do this?  
It's just the way it is.

Blessings,

~d

FEELS LIKE SATURDAY TO ME!

GLAD IT'S ONLY THURSDAY.  I have stayed in my housecoat ALL DAY working on sorting through financial papers.  Making headway and needed a break.  

I took all the papers that were in one rather large cardboard box and made individual piles for each account such as Banking, checking, savings, retirement, credit cards, etc.  

This morning I began taking a pile at a time and sorting through the pile dating each paper on the upper righthand corner for quick identification of dates then putting the papers in monthly order.  When I finish a pile, I go to the next one.  I am so contented to be making progress.  ahhh.  

I like having my paperwork in order.  This downsizing phase is helping me move forward in LIFE as an older woman.  Once again I will have order.  After our 2016 fire, all the order I physically had was gone.  Total mess.  After 5 and a half years, I have finally been able to dive into the boxes that we had stored in the garage shed.

It's like having a heavy load lifted off my chest.  

My plans are to stay in my housecoat and work all day focused on paperwork getting organized. After these financial piles are done, the medical box full of info about health issues and individual accounts will be dealt with.  I know I have medical papers from as far back as 1987.  It use to be when you visited your doctor, that as you were checking out you were handed a piece of paper showing what you were there for, the diagnosis, tests ran, etc.  Here's your receipt. 

I want to keep these older papers as a LIFE HEALTH JOURNAL.    

No more is this done.  It's now, you owe us this much, no paper, no print out, no nothing. I SUPPOSE I COULD PRINT OUT MY OWN AT HOME to keep on file for future references such as why and when I went to see the doctor, their diagnosis, medicine prescribed, follow up. Might come in very handy.  I know there have been times that my recall of when I had such and such doesn't come to remembrance.  The health portals are very helpful these days for recall if the portal is up and going.  I started printing out my pages.  I know more paper, but it sure is handy having these print outs on hand for quick recall.  

After going through THYROID CANCER, I began to do loads of reading and printing off articles that I wanted to keep on hand.  Each health issue will have a file on it.  

THYROID
DIABETES
OBESITY
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
CHOLESTEROL
NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA
VITAMINS AND MINERALS
DIETS/FOOD PROGRAMS
BLOOD WORK/LABS
ETC.

I may have a medical library after I get done.

YESTERDAY I MADE ANOTHER TRIP TO TOPEKA.  Had a great time getting out.  I returned to OFFICE MAX for a wider binder for my greeting cards.  This morning I transferred my 25th Wedding Anniversary cards into a 1 1/2" thick binder.  This size holds the cards nicely.  I wanted to get a sparkling silver colored binder representing our 25th Wedding Anniversary, but they didn't have this color.  I may have to try the internet for my Wells Fargo Wagon order.  

OFFICE MAX did have a gold sparkly one that would be great for one's 50th Anni. cards.  I bought a ruby colored one for when I come across our 40th Wedding Anniversary cards.  I have them somewhere around here. 

When I glance at the book shelves, I will know in an instant that those are our cards.  Silver binder for 25th anniversary cards, Ruby colored for 40th and gold for 50th.  Instead of having these cards boxed up, they will be in binders sitting on a shelf.  

Each Grandchild will have a binder in either light pink for the girls and light blue for the boys or I will chose a special color per child.  Don't want to make this complicated.  I've already done that and it kept me from being productive.  

Welp, I had better get after more sorting.  I've finished retirement papers, credit union, savings account piles...now for checking accounts and credit cards.  I'm forging ahead and will have another paper shredding day very soon which is actually FUN.  

Did I ever think  P A P E R  would have such importance in my book keeping?   

N E V E R! Here I be going through papers GALORE again.  

Fine tuning is a must.

ALSO went to SAMS as I saw the day before some wonderful interior paint with primer  called Tribute CONTEMPORARY WHITE made by KILZ in eggshell.  It has a blue undertone making it look slightly gray.  

I checked this paint and color out on the internet and liked it thinking it would be a good fit for our COTTAGE and our BUDGET.  The price was exceptional.  We bought enough for the COTTAGE's two bedrooms, living room and dining.  It's a soft white that I believe will be relaxing to be around.  

 

With a gift card from my Oklahoma Family, I ordered a book I had on my WISH LIST.  It arrived yesterday and I am so please with its content.  BEAUTIFULLY ORGANIZED A GUIDE TO FUNCTION AND STYLE IN YOUR HOME BY NIKKI BOYD.  

I came across Nikki Boyd's youtube channel a few years back and fell in love with her style and ability to organize then when she wrote this book... I wanted it.  I waited.  I FORGOT.  I remembered.  I ordered.  I received!  

The book is chalked full of helpful ideas.  One can watch for FREE her videos which are all informative.  www.athomewithnikki.com 

She has recently relocated so I know there will more than likely be newer videos coming out about her new HOME.  

I like the bright WHITE cabinets and the airiness of this KITCHEN.

Back to it.  I had a nice BREAK now to get after another pile of those  w o n d e r f u l  PAPERS that aren't going anywhere unless I help them along.

AND AWAY I GO,

~d~

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:12
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

DEAR LORD, WILL IT EVER END?

THE ANSWER IS YES.  Will going through old papers, receipts, statements, etc. come to an end? I have been dealing with old receipts and statements while shaking my head with fatigue.  My eyes are bugging out.  I have been a stickler for having my receipts and statements in order.  I don't know how it has come to being such a huge mess.  Papers running out my ears.

Perhaps with my husband being retired and having to get into a different routine with the bookkeeping, I have allowed too much to slide when dealing with the paperwork.  It is coming together, but I cannot BELIEVE how much needs dealt with.  I'll get over it...I have to.  I feel like I am drowning in a sea of paper.  Mustn't give up.  Just keep plowing ahead.  A day closer to having the order back on track.

Is it as bad as it seems?  Yes.  THIS SEASON I am on overload.  I could cry.  Whaaaah.

I know there's an easier way, but I also know that there are times that certain areas of running a HOME ESTATE may be more challenging than others due to ....you name it....things get in the way of being completely in order.  Enjoy the ride.  

Gotta get back to it.

~d👵

  

SPRING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER

FRIDAY HERE I COME!  Tis the week-end.  PTL.  I love Fridays. Movie night and time to unwind.  No popcorn for me this Friday night as I am on a restricted diet for the next 8 days. The diet is going very well. Praise the LORD.  Here I am on day 3.

I have noticed that when I have eaten quite a bit of sugary foods that I wake with very dry eyes in the mornings.  A symptom of diabetes.  It's like an experiment to me to see how the eye dryness improves upon not having sugars, grains, dairy and meats.   

Dry eye syndrome is a common complication of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It happens because of high blood sugars. When your blood sugar is high, it can cause nerve damage in your eyes which, in turn, can lead to decreased tear production. Additionally, high blood sugar can cause inflammation throughout your body.

Okay...how does the day look?  Blue skies lift my spirits.  One day closer to SPRING.  A little pun on words would be SPRinG into action.  grins.

PLANS for this day include placing print outs in sheet protectors.  This is taking some time as the sheet doesn't open easily taking more time and making it a little more challenging than a quick fix.  

Dirty towels need laundered meaning a trip to the clothes dryer over at the Cottage.  While there I will shred papers.  Call it a day and return HOME to eat supper and watch a movie.  When I'm alone at the Cottage, it is a unique time to pray out loud having fellowship with the one that holds my future.

Somewhere in this week-end, I have to put time into organizing and shuffling through boxes that need attention up in the junk room. Playing some music will help with this task.  Dedicating a day to this task will surely make me feel better.  

It seems like a never ending operation going through the boxes knowing I have this junk room to whip into shape and then a garage over at the cottage awaits plus the carriage house and the basement.  I need a crew to give orders to.  Instead, I am the crew.  I may be slow, but I'll eventually get there.  

Buckling down to make a dent 
in this never ending story,

~d

WEDNESDAY

SUPPOSEDLY IT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE IN THE 50s TODAY, but temps dropped to freezing temps where heavy coats came out.  When going to the doctor's I saw bits of teeny tiny spit balls of snow.  It never did anything else, but come Saturday it is suppose to snow and I think I'm now ready for it.  This seems to happen to me each year as I mourn the passing of Summer into Autumn into Winter.

If the sun is shining it helps ease me into chilly Winter weather.  Today the skies were grey and the sunshine stayed away.  It was Hot Chocolate weather and I should have worn bright red clothing to add some coloring to the landscape.  There's just something about red in cold weather that warms up my soul.

This morning I had a eye appointment checking to see how my eye is doing since hemorrhaging a week ago.  Yep, it is a Subconjunctival Hemorrhage and I was told they look worse than they are. The eye should continue to lose the bloody red coloring and return to normal in 7 to 10 days. I'm hopeful it will and I hope I never have this happen again.  Dr. said he believed the eye hemorrhaged in two places.  Was I taking blood thinners?

No, I don't but I have used Ibuprofen before.  When I have a back ache, I have taken it.  Okay...I will switch to Tylenol or not use anything at all when my back hurts.  Making my yearly eye appointment in April, I'll be back.  

Hubby went with me so he could hear everything that was said.  Sometimes, I get nervous at Doctor's appointments and I do not recall very well what was discussed or asked.  I felt that between the two of us, that we'd have better recall.  A bonus for having a loving Husband that is willing to go along.

Lunch time.  We went by the Friendship House which was closed for the HOLIDAYS which meant if having LUNCH out we'd have to go someplace else.  Off to Saint Mary's where we'd eat at FROGGY's to have a salad with grilled chicken.  Water to drink.  It was pretty good.  I was glad that they were playing Christmas Music to dine by.

Off to their Lumber Yard and the local grocery store looking for cream cheese.  

While we were in the neighborhood, I finally made it to ZAPPS Health Food Store, the new book store they have and went to M.J.'s Coffee Shop where I got a steamer with Macadamia Nut flavoring.  It was awesome.  Hubby said his Latte was better than Starbuck's.  Again Christmas Music was playing.  Enjoyed this.

https://www.mjscoffeehouse.com/menus

Next to Family Dollar and stopped by 37 Pine.  Another Grocery Store in a different community for Pepper Jelly and went to a Dollar General for Bugles where I found their Christmas Storage boxes half off.  Picked up some.  Santa and Moose with the HoHoHo sign will go in a new box.

I will have to take inventory of my Santas and Nutcrackers.  Downsize these again.  As I go through the storage, I'll be able to see just what I have and need to turn loose of.  Christmas Wreaths and garland as well.  Later the trees that are out in the screened-in porch will be donated to charity except the trees we will keep for next years outdoor displays.  I will be making new Christmas grapevine wreaths with some pinecones and greenery with cranberry colored bows also known as garnet.  I can visualize the new wreaths so I hope they turn out as nice as I imagine.  

I'll see about making them during this new year and have them ready for Christmas 2022 at the Cottage.  I'll need to fix two of them for the front doors.  Once again we will be living in a place with two front doors.  I'd like to go with this old fashioned look and color scheme.  I can envision posh garland hanging from the porch tied with cranberry colored ribbon.

Making plans for New Year's Eve.  I will have to be sure to snack on vegetables as best I can.  Some treats will be allowed.  Some.  Not lots.  Available for all.  

SNACKS are as follow...Organic celery, carrots, peppers, cherry tomatoes, etc.
Ritz's crackers with Cream Cheese and Spicy Pepper Jelly.
Sartori Bella Vitano Merlot Cheese, Wisconsin Hickory Smoked Cheddar Cheese and crackers
EATZ Chocolate coated Cashews and Almonds
Peanut Brittle
Bugles
Gardetto's Special Request Snack Mix with Roasted Garlic Rye Toast
Bean Dip and Chips to dip with
Ferrara Pan Red Hots and Peanuts

A nibble of this and that.  Have to put my foot down and choose wisely.  I can do this and eat slowly as well.  Veggies for me.  A few Bugles, Snack Mix, Pepper Jelly, Bean Dip with a few chips, some chocolate nuts, a nibble of Peanut Brittle.  Water to drink.

We'll ring in the New Year!  

My day ended with thoughts about tomorrow with what I need to do.  A load of laundry.  Shower to shampoo my hair.  Comb it out and let it air dry.  Think I will try to curl it differently.  Clean the bathroom toilets.  Put fresh sheets on two of the beds.  Write out some Thank you.  Call my Mom.  Vac the living room floor.  No need to put Christmas decorations away just yet.  I'll wait until after the New Year and then each day I will focus on one area to put away.  

First off the Nut Crackers and Music Box that are sitting in the Kitchen Garden Window.  With this cleared out, I think I'll paint a new coat of white paint in there so it is freshened up.  
Santa, a Moose and HoHoHo sign on the Fisher Fireplace Insert will go away.  I'll leave the garland hanging up for now.
Santas on the stairs will be put away.
Ornaments will be taken off from the smaller Christmas Tree, but will leave the tree up still lit until Epiphany, January 6th.
The bigger tree that is holding the children's childhood ornaments will be next... still leaving up the lit tree until Epiphany.
Christmas wreaths will remain until January 6th.
The Nativity Plate will remain for now.  
White Candles on the fireplace Mantle will stay for now.

Good thing to have this figured out.

Blessings,
~d

FRIDAY FANTASY

MORNIN' WORLD.  I seem to look forward to FRIDAYS.  Usually popcorn and a movie NIGHT.  Also the gateway to the week-end.  I spent so many years thinking that Friday was the day before FREEDOM TO NOT GO TO SCHOOL for two days.  It has stuck in my head even at 66.  Shake that one off.

Read the mail, newspaper, put a load of undies in to wash, watered some plants in the screened-in porch, opened the French doors to let some fresh air inside (I can hear locust buzzing), tidied the fridge, took morning meds and now waiting to drink a cold V8 for breakfast.

Watching videos about how to tidy the fridge and pantry have snagged my interest.  Last year in October I began a serious overhaul of how my Kitchen cabinets were arranged.  Did some massive rearranging.  Made a huge mess knowing that it gets worse before it gets better.

I took all the BOOPIE GLASSES out of the cabinet and wrapped them up and relocated them to boxes.   I need to sell these.  I no longer use them and with them being vintage, I can say good-bye.  Another way to lighten the load around here.  I will get to them later as they have disappeared in the basement.  

The basement is another topic all together.  Other things must be done before we start on the basement.

Last October, I worked on my small food pantry.  Still tweaked it through the year.  Overhauled the interior of the fridge with acrylic bins.  I lined my fridge shelves with grey and white place mats.  Still looking  somewhat  a l r i g h t.   For now my fridge does not look like a scientist lab growing penicillin.

BUT late last night I watched a You Tube video about refrigerator arrangements.  I liked the way the lady had her fruits in acrylic bins stacked.  Storing some of her veggies in water using oversized mason jars.  I really liked this idea.  She had cut up her carrots and had them standing upright in a large Mason Jar with water in it.  Celery as well.  I know that some wrap their celery in aluminum foil to preserve their freshness so I had already done this.

I'll have to get some more oversized Mason Jars if I can find them.  I've been looking.  I bought some at MENARDS about a year ago, but have used them all to store nuts in.  So I need more. I'm moving away from using so much plastic and am using glass instead.  Remember the glass refrigerator containers with lids from the 50s?  I have some of those that I need to use again for left overs.  

Silly me.  At 1:30 this morning, I was digging around in my fridge rearranging the interior items and continued again this morning.  It doesn't stay long looking like a store inside.  Better Homes and Gardens has not made her way to my abode yet as if nobody lives here.  Everything is on display only to look attractive to sell something.  Eye Candy seems to do that.

This one is rather nice:

So is this Pantry:

Some of these young gals that have videos have something going on that I don't have.  I guess I'm still learning as I go and I hope to be going for awhile longer.  They have their youth and a different mind set.  Can I learn from them?  Yes and I do.  Still.

Remember Marie Kondo?  I have learned to fold and store clothing a different way.  I had to incorporate a different way of storing folded clothing and towels which I like it very much. Sparking JOY.  So I am wanting to declutter and order.  Can I do this?  Yes.  I'm learning as I go. I just don't want to get stuck spending forever and a day at decluttering and getting ORGANIZED.  Like never before.  I must spark JOY in LIFE in general.  

HUBBY has taken off to work on the COTTAGE flowerbeds in the cool of the day before it hits 100.  He has hopes of finishing up the one bed beside the sidewalk that will wrap around into another area.  This new bed will be where our purple Heirloom Irises will live.  This is a good month to plant Irises in Kansas.  As the temps begin to cool in September, we will still be planting Irises as the flowerbeds will take Hubby a few weeks to make.  Our little yard will be beautiful in time.  We will have some raised beds for a small vegetable and herb garden.  Lush green grass and a patio.

Across the yard will be another bed 82' long to house a variety of Irises with all kinds of color. Making plans to have a fence behind around the yard later, but have to take into account the flowerbeds.  Our little Cottage property has so much work that needs to be done to her that this is something we will be working on for a year or more.

Today, I hope to return and go through a multitude of boxes making progress. When I am resting between rounds of get up and go, I think about what to move about next in the house.  I hope to scoot two pieces of mid-century French Provincial furniture into another room so they are closer to the front door as to get rid of them.  Staging as I go.

Yesterday, I was able to move a miniature buffet into the Living room to use as a television stand in front of the bay window.  A small television is sitting on it now.  I like the looks of it there.  So for now the Living room has ta small tv on an old buffet and two old chairs to sit in and sit in them I do.  So much clutter is present throughout the tiny COTTAGE as it has been used as a storehouse.  Emptying it out is taking time, muscle and willpower.  LORD, Be with us on this endeavor.  

My FRIDAY FANTASY is a work in progress.  This tiny COTTAGE Master Bedroom will soon be empty of her boxes.  I know I will be taking a break next week as I have other obligations.  After that, I will return to the COTTAGE and hopefully make progress.  This month is a busy one and I think I like it.

I can envision the outcome and have to keep on going to make a vision become a reality.  Baby steps toward the bigger picture.

Little by little I will see results and this is a dream come true.

2021 is a year to work on better health, decluttering and remodeling a tiny COTTAGE across the river.

BLESSINGS this FRIDAY,

d

FRIDAY

I slept so good last night that I am refreshed this morning.  So good.  Slept throughout the night.  No tossing and turning.  Snug as a bug in a rug.  Corny saying, but it fits.  When you have restless nights, sleeping soundly means a great deal.  I know.  I am sleeping well.  Thank you, Dear God.  

Blessings to you out there in blogland   This morning I am sipping on a protein drink for breakfast.  I'm still working on Easter Treats for my GRANDS and other family members.  The first batch of treats will hopefully be in the mail this afternoon.  I have yet to brown wrap the ones traveling to Missouri and Oklahoma.  I can only work a little at a time before my back starts acting up.  So I sit and do paperwork.  Staying busy.

I'm jumping for joy...my snapshot pictures are all boxed up and stacked in the closet ready for round two after I get some other projects completed and can come back for more dealings with the pics.  I have put some childhood pics in yellow envelopes to give to my children so they have a few pics in their possession.  Then when I return to deal with another round, I will work on making up picture books for shelf life, making more copies and framing some.  

This morning, I cleared out the upstairs linen cabinet again.  It just wasn't working.  I'll get back to that after the Easter Treats are wrapped up and in the mail.  At the pace I go, it'll take several days to neatly place supplies back in this cabinet. 

We did buy some primer a few days ago so I can forged ahead prepping the dining room to paint it.  I'll clear out the crystal out of the china cabinet, sort through all the pieces, relocate elsewhere in the house and put some into storage.  Turn loose of some pieces.  After this, I'll empty the two curio cabinets that are full of my Blue Willow dishes.  These will temporarily go under the dining room table for safe keeping while painting.  The Blue Garland dishes will come out of the bottom of the sideboard.  I think I will probably box up for now.  

I wanted to downsize the dining room furniture, so I will be turning loose of the two curio cabinets and after I get the room painted, they will not go back into the room.

This in a way is a big deal to me, because turning loose of pieces of furniture that I really enjoy and like pulls at my heart strings .  Hanging loose doesn't come natural to me.  

The dining room chairs will go on top of the table and then I will cover them with painter's clothes.  Shuffle the furniture out away from the walls and cover them.  Start painting primer along the window trim and walls.

Just getting to this place has taken much thought on color.  The paint sample has been on the wall for months and I can safely say, I will go with this one.  Benjamin Moore Baja Dunes.    

It's in the same family as what we used in the living room.  I think it is a very nice, warm neutral and will be more down to earth in the decorating scheme of things.  The trim will be Benjamin Moore Cotton Ball. 

The day meals have been thought out.  Sounds easy enough.

Breakfast is a chocolate protein drink with yogurt and organic 2% milk.

Lunch will be good ole pigs in a blanket and some veggies.

Supper will be home made pizza and salad.

Snacks will be bedtime milk.

I record my food intake on My Fitness Pal in the evening after supper.  I can see if I stayed within the calorie count under 1200 calories.  Most days I have stayed on target.  Not always, but close.  It is helping me to stay focused.  

So, here I be on a Friday planning on a productive day.  Amen.  I hope I will be.  The skies are grey today and we're expecting stormy weather this evening.  Hubby will be working in the carriage house to make room for the good car to sleep in there during the storm.  I know he will say we have got to get rid of so much stuff and I agree.

2021 will be a year to downsize and continue getting more orderly.  Seems to be my mantra.  That's our hope.  I pray we are successful.  

I have a 5 year plan.  Imagine that.  

All the best,

🏡d  

TUESDAY

RAINY YESTERDAY and cooler today.  I ventured out to have my hair done by a stylist and was pleased with what she did.  A shampoo and a blow out.  The shampoo had such a pleasant fragrance that I will return and purchase some in the near future.  Under a hour and she was finished.  Nice chatting with her.  

Went home, ate lunch and drove across the river to Retirement Cottage.  But first went to the dollar store for sweater boxes.  Praise the LORD they had some.  Also bought some paper plates decorated for EASTER that I will use to fix up EASTER TREATS for family this week.  

At the COTTAGE, Hubby and I took a lot of measurements and wrote them down for future projects.  I have lots to do so I will be working between our primary residence and the cottage.  I stayed off the tread mill that is at the cottage as my back was bothering me.

HOME for snack supper of cheese with crackers, summer sausage, nuts and celery.  Good ole iced tea.  This is one of my favorite snack meals.  Easy clean-up.  Loaded with calories.  It was easy to hit my limit with this so called SNACK MEAL.  Have mercy.  Today I will pull back on the calories to balance out the count.  V8 for breakfast.  Only vegetables for lunch and bone broth for supper.  Milk at bedtime.  That will help.  

Watched a evening movie after sorting through pictures and placing in sweater boxes.  This makes my heart sing as I am just that much closer to having this project wrapped up.

In the back of my head, I am downsizing for the future.  This is a good thing to be doing at 65. Dishes, a few pieces of furniture, then clothing will all be thinned out and turned loose of.  It's kind of freeing to turn loose.  I'm dreaming of being super organized.  Tadaah.  It's a dream.

 

MOVIE TIME:  THE TERMINAL. 

THE TERMINAL is a comedy drama, Family Friendly and was released in 2004 starring Tom Hanks and Catherine Zeta-Jones.  I remember seeing it, but forgot how good it was.  

Viktor Navorski (Tom Hanks), a traveler from the fictional nation of Krakozhia, arrives at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, only to discover that his passport is suddenly no longer valid. The United States no longer recognizes Krakozhia as an independent country after the outbreak of a civil war, and Viktor is not permitted to either enter the country or return home as he is now stateless. Because of this, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizes his passport and airline ticket.

TODAY will be an action packed day.  The pictures and negatives project will be completed. EASTER BASKETS started on.  VACCINE APPOINTMENT and rest.  Not sure how our bodies will react to the vaccine.  Shall see.

Blessings to you.

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like HOME.

🏡d