Day Twelve: Lola Mae's Blue Curtains

Day Twelve

Rumor is out that icy weather will come in by tomorrow night.  This week-end it is suppose to be dangerous out due to bad weather.  We are ready for this wintery forecast and will stay HOME.  Perhaps we will continue tidying RETIREMENT COTTAGE.  

I need to put in a full day in the master bedroom to see the floor again.  There's a desk in there that will be moved to the utility room after the electrician finishes up working in there for proper wiring to the clothes dryer.  Hopefully I will be able to run the clothes dryer this week-end and get caught up.

I can't imagine how people use to hand wash their clothing or use a manual  ringer and let clothing air dry.  When I toured a mansion in Hillsboro, Kansas many years ago I remembered the tour guide sharing that the maids were allowed to wear one dress for the entire week then wash it for the next week.

I'd think that many did not have many articles of clothing and this cut back on the laundry.  I wished I had asked my Grandmothers how they did their laundry back in the day.  Perhaps my Mom would tell me how laundry was done when she was a child.  I haven't given it much thought to ask her.  I had better do this.

May try my hand at sewing on a treadle sewing machine.  This could be a lesson in using no electricity.  Playing with the metal pedal while visiting Lola Mae that lived in Wichita, Kansas was a fond memory I have when thinking about sewing on the treadle machine.  It was fun to play with it and Lola Mae allowed it as she had no daughters to pamper.

Mom met Lola Mae at swimming lessons she took at the YMCA when both Ladies were young Mommas.  Mom had four children and Lola Mae had three.  Through the years the two of them remained friends.  It was a treat to go to her HOME when we were in the neighborhood after we had relocated to Liberal, Kansas.  Mom and Lola Mae were long time friends.

She showed us the bedding and curtains she had sewed for her bedroom.  All I can remember was that the bedding and curtain were dark blue.

Lola Mae had such a infectious laugh it is what I remember about her.  Her dark hair was kept curly and she was neat in appearance.  Her Husband Wade was a extremely quiet man that smoked a pipe while watching television.  I don't believe I heard him say more than three words.  

My sister had a crush on Terry the middle son who was very funny to be around.  

After Lola Mae passed away, Mom said that Lola Mae was baptized before she died.  She had given her heart to the LORD.   I'm not sure what happened to her boys as I lost track of them after I entered adulthood.  Wade later would be admitted to a nursing home unable to take care of himself.

Today, I recalled so many people I have known that have died.  They live on in my head.  Time passes.

Today was a very full day.  Husband and I continued tidying this small place and now have the stereo hooked up, television was moved to another room where I am watching Perry Mason late at night.  I have two more tables to be moved into our bedroom with lamps on them for bedside use.  I plan on placing my victorian lamp in the front parlor and let it sit on an antique dresser that is in the parlor.  Think I will really like it there.

Drove to Manhattan for a Business meeting.  When we finished we had a early supper to celebrate my Husband's Birthday, then went to a thrift shop, Tuesday Morning for a return, ALDIs, another grocery store and then HOME.  Was just too tired to go to Menards to check out their pull down shades.  Will have to work this in soon.  Next week after the weather clears up.  

Better get myself to bed.  I'll need to get up early in the morning before the electrician arrives.  I hope he fixes what needs fixed.  

Thank you for dropping by.

God bless and all the best,

d  

Day Eleven: Music In The Air and Scripture On The Wall

Day Eleven

Just about didn't make Day 11 to post.  Cutting it close.  An emotional day for me.  Not sure if it's old lady hormones or lack of them.  Still...it took some time to center myself and feel better.  I took a nap and when I woke I was better.  Thankful for naps and having peace.

Took a morning trip to Manhattan.  Husband had a medical appointment.  Came home and rested.  I think the most spiritual thing I can do right now is to get my HOME in order to where it doesn't take so much energy to look about and wonder where the heck everything is going.

Made a plan and Hubby agreed to it.  This evening we are tweaking this cottage to make it a better fit for us.  

I cannot work for long periods of time and I have to sit a bit to catch my breathe, but Hubby I danced in our tiny living room to old music.  It was refreshing.  It's playing now as I type.  I wondered why I haven't had music playing everyday to lighten heavy moods.  Then as we tidied and rearranged our RETIREMENT COTTAGE the place started to look like a HOME ought to.  There should be scripture on the wall.  Framed scripture on the walls.  Now when I uncover the framed scripture I will hang it.

I have a 'God Bless This Home' hanging above my pencil desk.  Where my comfortable sea foam green colored stuffed chair is sitting I look at it when I lift my head.  It reminds me of a blessed HOME.  This place is tiny, but mighty.

Tomorrow we hope to move the television into a different room.  I now have an eye candy room and a more casual living room in this tiny place.  

Hallelujah.

A refuge from the world,
d

Day Ten: Furniture Shopping and Colored Lights

Day Ten

With a sore foot I am able to sit, do paperwork, take time to think and pray.  Thumbing through a couple of NEW magazines makes this easier to do.  Staying busy even if it's sitting.  I am sitting.  Putting weight on my foot is painful.  I can walk, but it must be slow.  Again... I bumped my foot and went ouch.  Ouch.  Ouch.  

WITH EXCITEMENT I furniture shopped this morning with the help of a magazine and the internet.  I take it slow.  grins.  Noticed that velvet is coming back into vogue.  hum.  Soft grey velvet.  Might take my fancy.  Our old kitchen table needs refinished and thought perhaps this SPRING I would be up to refinishing it when the weather is pleasant.  We have two antique chairs that we purchased about a year ago that we use.  When I shop Tuesday Morning, I have noticed their upholstered chairs that might look eclectic with the two wood chairs I already have.  Have to give this some thought.  This could make a nice seating arrangement for us.  Finding two more old wood chairs with leather seats might take some doing.  We bought the chairs at RESTORE and felt very blessed that we got them for the price we did.  Mixing them with two different chairs would be fun.  I need fun.

Fitting into our cottage is VERY challenging.  I had a beautiful thought today as to how to de-clutter our RETIREMENT COTTAGE.  If I can pull this off I will share pics and LIVE with it for awhile.  As I know I live for a while with furniture arrangements and then tweak it some.

That seems to be the name of the game I play every where I live.  Tweak and shuffle.  Shuffle and tweak.  Working at getting the right feel takes some time for me.  I am very talented at getting side tracked.  It's my SUPER POWER. 

What little Christmas decorations I had out have migrated toward storage boxes and will be dealt with as we go.  With my Dad's passing in December, I had to be alright with no Christmas tree in our tiny cottage.  No lights outside and sadly no Christmas wreath on the front door.  Barely got cards sent out.  I'll work on a Christmas letter later to add to the ones I have kept over the years. 

I focused on the lights of others.  This made clean-up really easy for me.  hah.  We spent Christmas Holiday with our oldest Son, Daughter.in.law and four active Grandchildren in good 'ole Oklahoma.  I lacked energy.  Sorry.  Still they took us to see the lights at Rhema.  We walked about and it was wonderful.  Loved it.  So many different colors of lights and so many LIGHTS.  

Twas a treat.

OUR COTTAGE is small and I am working at fitting into it.  In a lot of ways I feel a lot like a newly wed.  Sweet.  I wish I had more energy to get things done quicker around here, but then I'm not sure I would sit and pray as much as I do now.  Looking back, I wish I had spent more time sitting and praying when I was younger.  I cannot redo the past.  It is what it was.  I must forge ahead and live now.

All the best to you this fine day in January,

d

Day Nine: Chirping Birds and A New Assignment

Day Nine

Birds Chirping.

When I hear outside birds chirping on an icy cold day, 

I'm encouraged to remember that SPRING will once again come to be.  The last few years when I hear birds chirping in the dead of WINTER it causes sweet thoughts of a lovely SPRING inching her way this way.

Truly having seasonal holidays gives me a boost to enjoy LIFE more.  VALENTINES DAY boxes of candy caught my eye as we shopped.  

THANKING GOD that I am a HOMEMAKER even when the home is a tiny one.  Dust still gathers in small spaces.  There's still wear and tear on the place.  Messes still take place that need attention.  BUT there is something about taking ownership of my HOME that gives me a sense of peace and leadership.  

I am on a NEW ASSIGNMENT at 61 in this cottage.  There are many loose ends attached to the rock house named HOME HAVEN.  Our rock palace isn't where we live these days.  Turning a corner in LIFE and determining how to enjoy LIFE is a process.  We were allowed to LIVE there almost ten years.

LIFE marches on and I must as well.

Gently marching. 

The top of my foot is half bruised from smacking it into the step stool.  Tis tender.  I can't be jumping about exercising until this heals up.  I know I can do slow stretches on the floor and also do stretches while I sit upright in my chair.  Hand curls could be practiced as I sit.  I must stay in motion as I believe the Good LORD would have me be busy and not just sitting completely still all day long.   

Today, I hope to make the bed, shuffle some boxes, move a desk as slow as I can, sort some papers, file some papers, wash some clothing, warm the veggie soup up for supper, dream a little, soak my feet in the tub, wash my hair at the sink and let it air dry, thumb through a new magazine, make some phone calls and sip coffee while visiting with the LORD.  

Pretty good day planned out.  

Pretty good plan.  Pretty good.  Good.  

Praying for you,

d    

Day Eight: Make Some Noise and Breathe Deep

LOVE THIS LITTLE PORCH

Day Eight

Sometimes you've just gotta let out a hoot and clear the cobwebs out of your lungs.  Ha.  As Husband and I sat in our tiny cottage this morning I decided to let out a little hoot.  My husband looked at me then let out a holler back at me.  After four or five of these we giggled.  Imagine two old people giggling at each other.   
Cheap entertainment.  

Thankful some things are still cheap. 

Not too many carbon prints in this one.  Please don't tell the US Government that two old people are hooting and hollering in the great state of Kansas.  We might get taxed for it.

The hollering helped get some extra blood pumping which causes the circulation to continue pumping which really wakes a person up.  Yesterday, I did go outside onto our tiny porch and tidy a tad while breathing in the crisp air.  It is better than a slap in the face.  Feels better and not quite so shocking.  It was what I needed.  
Like a strong cup of coffee. 

Before I retired for the night, I bumped my sore foot as I was going to bed.  This was not a good holler that cleared my lungs.  I hobbled to the bed and asked my sweet Husband for some IBUPROFEN.  He obliged.  I slept through the night.  Today when I woke, I wiggled my sore foot and it was better.  Relieved that I could walk on it today.   
I could take it slow.  

Had some items we needed to pick up.  Off we went for a mini-date.  Rode the motor cart at SAMs today.   
Felt no guilt and shopped with ease.

I picked up cottage cheese, and spring mix salad along with romaine lettuce, a little iceberg lettuce (even if it doesn't have much nutrition), cashews, pecans, almonds, and chicken breast.  There was a cute polka dot denim blouse that I thought I needed.  Raw honey for a healthy drink I will be making.  We're off to a super start for 2017.

Returned HOME in the cold night.  Rested.

I talked to my dear Mother.  She misses my Dad.  Ella their dog keeps her somewhat company.  Mom told me that she showed Ella a picture of my Dad who Ella was very fond of.  She always took her afternoon naps on my Dad's lap.  Dad would put the foot rest up and stretch his legs out to where Ella crawled up onto his lap.  Ella looked at the picture and then started looking about the room for Dad.  Mom said it was odd.  When Mom left the room, 
Ella remained sitting on the bed waiting for Dad I'm sure.  Sad.  

Poor lil Ella.  She misses Dad also.  Seems so different that Dad isn't with us.  

I will hug my Husband a little tighter tonight,

d

Day Seven: Time To Putz AND Cry

Day Seven

Frozen temps outside with plans today to take it slow since my right foot is sore.  TOES got smacked by a step stool that stood her ground not moving when I walked into it.  Imagine that not moving.  hum.  Four toes took the hit and they are really very sore.  Four toes.  Makes my stomach hurt.  Making progress walking.  Foot is swollen with toes sore, but think I'm on the mend.

So I'll putz.

So I'll putz about the house doing what all good old women should do getting their place in order.  Slowly it's happening.  Slow but steady.  I'll stay indoors today even though breathing crisp air makes me feel youthful when a barrage of memories come to mind.  I remember playing in the snow making snow angels.  YOUTH.  I could do this again and will not mind how I look to others.  I might have issues getting back upright, but hey it's worth a try.

FREEDOM.  To be five again.  Cannot even imagine what that would be like.  5.  Kindergarten...play dough, coloring, naps, milk breaks, listening to the teacher sing while playing the piano, dress up, play kitchen.  What a great time I had in Kindergarten.  Our playground area was outside the door with a covering overhead on concrete patio.  There was a thing in this area that moved in a circle that you made move and could ride standing up.  Slips my mind what that thing was called.  Swing Gate?

Oh my.....something just happened to sentimental me...I actually got homesick for my youth.  Made me a tad bit weepy.  I suppose this can happen from time to time.  My childhood memories are being worn on my sleeve.  Raw emotions are sometimes the hardest thing to wear.  Keeping things in check.  Who wants to see an old Lady weep?  Not a pretty sight.  Should it comfort us to know that JESUS wept?  

JOHN 11:35

Jesus wept.

God has made us emotional beings.  Not all bad to weep from time to time.  The first time I heard that GOD collects all our tears in a bottle surprised me.

Psalm 56:8King James Version (KJV)

8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?

Dry up those tears and carry on reminding myself that I had a very sweet childhood way back when the dinosaurs roamed the earth.

Weather is suppose to warm in the next few days.  I'd like the snow to stay put for awhile.  The sun's shining. 

Thank you for stopping by my humble abode,

d on ze prairie

Day Six: Crawling Out From Under The Paper Pile

This snow day has blue skies to admire and gaze at.  Train in the distance passing by.  When the air is cold, the sound carries further.  We are a tad bit further away from the train tracks here in RETIREMENT COTTAGE.  I don't mind this.  Makes sleeping more comfortable.

My little american town has little activity which makes it right nice for a slower paced LIFE.  A sleeping community.  Still the sound of a train whistle cannot be ignored.  Gets my attention.  Once upon a time this community thrived with businesses and homes.  She was a community where people lived and lived some more raising their families, shopping, caring, attending church, played in the park, rode horses, work really hard to accomplish all that needed done.  Today much of that still takes place.  It took me years to get use to there not being so many HOMEMAKERS, Keeper of the HOME, Care Takers, Stay At HOME Mommas.

Still have to look for us out there.  

Today, I will be HAPPY as a HomeBody.

Today I will make a deliberate decision to be HAPPY

as myself.  I don't have to be anyone else.

Just me.

PAPER DAY.  I have yet to try out the paper shredder I splurged on.  Have to find it first.  She's around here somewhere.  Still boxes needing attention.  Where am I going to go with all these things?  

My old one was undersized, underweight and on her last leg.  Today when I went through the pile of mail that was waiting for me much was torn up and thrown away.  Credit card offers, health tests that are available, magazine offers, etc.  Bye bye.

Sometimes I save the envelopes that come with the mail and use them as scratch pads to write out grocery lists and things to do.  Recycling at it's best.

With the internet I know that it has hurt the sales of magazine subscriptions and newspapers as well.  I still enjoy thumbing through a good magazine to see the gorgeous pictures.  Browsing by internet has it's advantages.  Welcome to the 21st Century old timer.     

Our new skillet just arrived.  DING DONG...Delivered to my door!  No venturing out to the city and driving amongst the English.  Husband will get the honors of opening the cardboard box to see what's inside.  An evenings entertainment.  He'll hopefully be happy to see what he ordered for us here on the Prairie.  Not sure what state it came from, but that's alright.

My bruised foot is healing.  Toes shall not be bumped.  I can walk on my foot again.  That hurt. 

Saw this tiny Kitchen in a TINY HOUSE.  Beautiful.  I'd add a huge food pantry.  Sherwin Williams Repose Grey Paint.  I sure like this.  Tiny seems to be getting very popular with a not so tiny price tag.  

 

Is that clean or what?

Happy Day Six to you,

d

Day Five: Limping To Beat The Band and Home-made Soup

BELLA DIAMOND

Day Five

Boy, did I ever do it this time.

As I wanted to tidy on RETIREMENT COTTAGE today, I couldn't.

Before retiring for the night, my foot smacked a step stool 

that didn't budge and I let out a whelp that made me cry.

Sleeping was difficult plus my gut hurt.  

Think it's irritable bowel syndrome.  frown.

Too much stress over the last few months and I get hit with a very sore gut.  
Life is what it is and I must not worry.

Limping about with a bruised foot the rest of the day, 

I can now walk on my foot.

Change of plans.

BELLA DIAMOND SLOW COOKER 

came out of the box 

and I read the instructions.

Doing what the manufacturers say to do before using a new slow cooker.  
Wash the crockpot with hot sudsy water, rinse, dry.  

Fill crock with 4 cups of water, heat for 30 minutes and notice an odd smell that will go away.

  

I did all of this the day before so today I fixed HOME-MADE Vegetable Beef Soup.

Supper has been cooking all day and it smells fantastic.

Last week I had Vegetable Beef Soup at Cracker Barrel 

and thought I could imitate this dish.  So I tried.  

In a few minutes we shall see if I was successful.

Just how hard can it be?

I hope to stop limping and get back to the task of tidying up RETIREMENT COTTAGE.

Life is an adventure.  Enjoy.

Soups on,

d

Day Four: No New Year's Resolutions and Skillet Shopping

No need to make New Year's resolutions when I know in the depth of my heart what I MUST DO.  This takes the labor and anticipation out of the must do's.  It fits my personality with direction, character and ambition.  All comes to a head when I reach this point concerning a project.

Is LIFE a PROJECT or is it a whole lot more that description, definition, titles, books and notions seem to over simplify what LIFE is or isn't?  Tis a vapor.  A vapor.  Puff.  Gone.  

BUT making godly and wise choices while you have been given the opportunity to live, makes wise choices a plus.  They manifest BLESSINGS in the LIFE you are living.  I'd rather have blessings than curses weighted down with burdens.  By making prayerful decisions and selecting godly choices, our lives will be so much better off.

All the procrastinating goes to the wayside and full steam ahead takes over.  A welcomed sensation.  Though it is WINTER and those outside projects are put on hold until SPRING, I still have things to accomplish inside.  The slump of disappointment wages war with the flesh.  SLOW-MO kicks in and I have to rest and PRAY.

Then it happens...all systems are go and I wake from a sleep that has dreams and ideas.  My LIFE at the moment is one that has to take into account health issues, finances, retirement and getting a household shaped into being a HOME again.

Do you design your environment to include what you collected over the years?  Do you stream-line your HOME interior and possessions for ease?  What should one do in this journey called LIFE?  Trust God.  Pray.  Think about it.  

Do we downsize to the point of being uncomfortable not knowing who lives here in our home?  This doesn't look like me.  Just because you retire does not mean you have to completely check out of the business of life.  Aren't we suppose to surround ourselves with items we enjoy having in our HOME?  Cleaning might be easier if there isn't so much clutter about.  Less mental stimulation when there's less clutter and have order.

True, some people cannot stand "CLUTTER" or nic nacky things everywhere there is space to occupy STUFF.  I am in the middle of the road I think when it comes to having STUFF.  I'VE SAID BEFORE YOU REALLY NEED SIN IN YOUR HOME WHEN ESTABLISHING AN ESTATE.

These things being represented:
S = Sentimental things.
I = Investment options.
N = Necessary items.

Day Four
Paper cuts hurt.  When opening envelopes, I sliced my thumb.  Sting sting sting.  The bills are going to take some time to deal with and laundry needs attention.  

BUT FIRST yesterday I studied up on electric skillets and ran my new vacuum sweeper.  It's been over 12 years since I was in the market for an electric skillet.

Farberware isn't what it use to be as their skillets are made in China these days with glass lids.  Our old skillet had a healthy stainless steel body with metal lid.  It wasn't lined with non-stick coating.  This go round of shopping has been like hunting on a safari in the outback.  Maybe it would be an exaggeration to say this or surviving a concrete jungle, but my feet and back hurt.  The skillets are out there in the multitudes, but not the kind I want.

It's been tiresome to go looking.  I am older which requires more physical energy than I have to give.  The hunt has been daunting in a world that has so much out there in materialism items for sale.

Last time I went looking for photo albums like I have...I went bonkers.  No leather bound photo albums with photo sheets in them to fill with actual prints.  The CLOUD in the SKY that stores our photos isn't 3D Friendly to old women like myself that like to physically hold and look at pictures from a album.

No shortage on modern hip hop items that the younger generation thinks is the way to store IMAGES.  Cyberspace, on their phone, and perky contemporary books are all the rage for storing pictures.  IF YOU STORE THEM. Photo albums are a thing of the past.  

Wait until a younger person comes across a photo album and doesn't know what the heck it is.  Oh cool...look at this thing.  What is it called?

Making copies of snap shots/pictures that you are fond of shouldn't be put off.  Tragedies do happen with natural disasters, damages occur and accidents do happen that can rob you blind.  Having copies in the cloud is one way to help restore your loss.  That's a good thing to have access to.  I advise ALL to take advantage of having copies of important documents and pictures made and in several safe places to store.  This will make life a whole lot easier and ease the hurt of having lost them forever.

BACK TO SKILLET SHOPPING.  Shopping by internet, ebay, Amazon, catalogs, etc. makes it somewhat easier to shop from home than actually venturing out into the world to see first hand the product you are going to pay good money for.  There's the loss of the middle man, Showroom Displays and dare I say: SERVICE?  How many of you have found that customer service is suffering and a thing of the past where Mom and Pop Stores actually wanted your BUSINESS and would HELP YOU???  They actually WANTED your business.  They were helpful, courteous and were willing to locate that item you were looking for FOR YOU.  You did not have to get out of the check out line and walk clear across the store to where you picked the item up and PROVE to the clerk that their price was what you said it was instead of what the checker rang it up.  AND yes, sometimes the check out price is higher than the sticker says if you are lucky to have a sticker on the item and not have to read off a price sign on the shelf.    

So many times I have paid businesses and services for their service then end up doing their job for them.  I pay another then do it myself.  Many children out there think they just have to show up for the job and get paid for that.  Weak.

Now the electric skillet lined with non-stick coating in the body of the pan is popular.  Knowing that over time the non-stick coating can come off/break off into the food being prepared in the skillet causing HEALTH ISSUES that you don't want in order to stay healthy after you swallow the toxic coating.  Research tells me you do not want the non-stick anything.  Then there's the glass lids...glass lids can actual explode.  Let's face it:  glass lids are cheaper to manufacture than steel lids.  

Excuse me...did I just say that?  You mean companies look for ways to make their merchandise  cheaper than it once was to make but sell the thing for a higher price than they can to pass the sales prices as if their product is still made out of a more durable material?  Don't I sound like an old hen clucking about the good 'ole days?  I do.  I do.  I do.    

So like any good old Lady, I put on comfortable shoes to shop in and went looking for electric skillets to see what the major stores carry first hand.  What I found out was electric skillets are lined with non-stick coatings and come with glass lids.  

AINT SHE A BEAUTY

Took an active part in the hunt.  Went to a multitude of stores in various towns.  Lots of energy and time to do this.  Changed my course of action.  Caught my breathe and shopped the internet for more options.  I checked out electric skillets on the internet, then called Sears at the Mall to see if they have PRECISE HEAT 16" rectangular surgical stainless steel electric skillets with metal lids and no non-stick coating.  

Sears has online that they have these available to the customer that can be shipped directly to your HOME or to K Mart for pick up.  They will not ship them to the Sears Store at the mall.  Then if anything is wrong with the item you will have to make your peace with the mail order business, not Sears themselves because you did not actually pick it up from Sears, but K Mart which is owned by Sears.  

Can you get anymore complicated than that?  

The sweet young thang on the phone said that shopping by phone with me was difficult since they had over 400 options on their site.  Okay.  So this is the most difficult thing she will do for the day for a paying customer.  Okay.

Visited with my Husband about our dilemma.  He already knew I was difficult.  grins.  He took the reigns and ordered a New PRECISE HEAT skillet for us that should be shipped to our HOME within the week.  Wonderful.  We shall see how this turns out.  By the way Sears lost a sale.  Okay.  I'm difficult.

Perhaps I should declare a new years resolution to stop shopping in person and just stay HOME.  HOME where the heat is on, hot coffee in my favorite mug at arms reach, music in the air and no interruptions by co-workers or people with road rage while I drive below the speed limit because I just want to.  I'm difficult that way.

This mail order business reminds me of when over a hundred years ago the Pioneers and other civilized citizens ordered items from Catalogs and then waited for these things to journey on the train or be at the local mercantile.  Ordered from Sears Catalogs I believe.  We can literally live just about anywhere in this country and still get OUR STUFF through the mail.  That should be somewhat comforting to an old Lady that lives on the Prairie in a small Town nestled in the heart of the FLINT HILLS.        

I have ranted today.  Must be because I needed to on Day Four.  
The active mind in an old body does that sometimes,
d 

Day Three: A Piece Of Cake

Today was a really chilly day to where your nose hairs stand at attention by taking notice of the icy chill in the air.  There's no denying that it's COLD.  Even though the Kansas air smells clean, the air is icy cold.  Reminded that WINTER is here and there are no balmy breezes to take the edge off of the frost.  

ONE DAY CLOSER TO SPRING 

SEEMS LIKE A VERY NICE THOUGHT.

Today was my Grand-daughter's birthday.  Time has flown.  Daughter fixed a Birthday Supper to celebrate my Husband's, her Step Son's and Lil Miss's Birthdays.  She fixed Cowboy Pizza and HOMEMADE Chocolate Cake with scratch Chocolate Icing.  All was really good.  Candles in the cake and singing in the air.  
Happy Birthday was remembered.

I found the missing wash clothes that were hiding in the bottom of a laundry basket that were covered up by extra bedding that I need to wash.  It was so easy to cover up the clean clothes when I had my hands full.  Peek a boo I see you and was so glad that the new washcloths were still hiding from me.  For awhile I thought I had left a load of towels at the laundromat.  Was thankful that I was wrong and there they be nicely folded 
and needing put away.

Happy 3rd Day to you and may Day Four be even better,

d

Day Two: A Dime A Dozen

Slow start to the day.

Awoke to the sound of thunder on a very gray day.

THUNDER with some light RAIN.  

Coffee with cream as I woke up and figured out my day.

New clothes dryer has already gone on the fritz.

Having to wait until after the HOLIDAY to get some work done 

on it or switch out for a different machine.  

This is a inconvenience that I did not need to the start 

of the new year.   whah.

Back to the Laundromat I go.

REVIEWING images of personal property for inventory

took up much of my day here on the PRAIRIE.

January will hopefully be the month that I concentrate updating
 a personal inventory album.

With digital cameras it's so much easier 
to take photos of personal belongings 
then follow through with a personal album.  

Since I'm techie challenged 

the printing of pics will take some doing.

Heavy weight sheet protectors. 

Plastic sheets are my newest BEST friend 

when it comes to filing important papers and pictures. 

Day Two was busy, but not too busy. 

Several ideas come to mind that the internet HELPED me with.
Good 'ole internet.  SAVING through-out the year for next CHRISTMAS comes to mind.

BESIDES having a CHRISTMAS SAVINGS ACCOUNT that one contributes to monthly there are ways that seem easy enough when money is so tight.

1) Fill a 2 Liter bottle with dimes.  
By the time the bottle is full you should have about $500.oo.
$500.oo would come in very handy during the month of December before Santa comes to visit.

2) Buying gift cards every payday.  
Use for CHRISTMAS SHOPPING in November or during the year if a "I CAN'T LET THIS BARGAIN GO" moment arises.

3) Empty your pocket change weekly into a container.
After 6 months take the loose change to the bank for paper money.  

4) 52 weeks of savings.
Each week SAVE a specific amount and watch it grow. 

5)  SAVE MONEY by buying THRIFT items instead of BRAND NEW.

6)  Don't buy at all.  Do without or use what you already have.

7)  BARTER.

8)  Have a clothing/toy swap HOME party where everyone brings things that are in great shape to switch with others that don't mind 2nd hand items.  

Thanks for dropping by.

WARM BLESSINGS to you,

d

Day One: Warm Cookies

The start of the year has begun.     

January 1, 2017.

Day One.  

Enjoyed this day.

Sun up.

Tidied some.

Grand-daughter came over.

We watched GOOD LUCK CHARLIE.

Sun down.

This has been a great day even with the outside temps being so cold.

Life inside this HOME has been really nice today.

HOME-MADE chocolate chip cookies 

with cold milk.

Warm blessings to you.

God Bless,

d