GETTING THERE

PRAISE THE LORD...the week-end is here.  After a busy week, I am ready for the week-end.  Tomorrow afternoon, I'll be taking a load of CHRISTMAS decorations to the thrift drop off.  It will be a relief to turn loose of this stuff that I no longer desire to store in our HOME.  There will be more to clear out later, but for now, this is a great big relief.  A breath of fresh air and a weight off my shoulders.  

Two YOUNG neighbor boys were walking by our house so we asked them if they'd like a Santa to take Home and both boys took home a Santa.  Spreading some joy around the neighborhood.  It was a gentle gesture and it felt good.   

Last SUNDAY, we had a beautiful day to go through big storage tubs of CHRISTMAS items while sitting outside.  Made progress. 

MONDAY, we continued sorting through Christmas items and packed for an overnight trip to Kansas City.

TUESDAY, we visited the AUSCHWITZ Exhibit at Union Station in KC.   To think that some do not believe that the Holocaust took place is one thing, but to see actual artifacts left behind is another.   Not even documentaries with actual footage of HITLER speaks as loud to me as a child's single shoe in a display case.  It was a sobering exhibit that has left a mark on my soul.  Pictures later.  We stayed at a very nice Hotel and ate at PF Chang's.  Visited a Tuesday Morning store.  Our local stores here have closed down for good.  I miss shopping them so I got my fix for the time being.    

WEDNESDAY, we traveled Home, but first made a grocery store stop at Natural Grocers.  Home was a welcomed sight.  SO glad to be Home again.  Worked at turning loose of more decorations.  Downsizing.  Before all of this downsizing is completed, I will be a Downsizing Princess.  grins.

THURSDAY, Cross Country Meet.  Gathered up more Christmas stuff to turn loose of.

FRIDAY, downsizing.

SATURDAY, downsizing.  Trip to Charity for drop off.  It will be a huge relief to have done this. 

SUNDAY, PRAYING FOR A DAY OF REST.  

NEXT WEEK...I hope to take cuttings of our outdoor Coleus plants for wintering.  Simply cut stems off and place the stem in a jar of water until they fully root out then plant the cutting into a pot of soil.  Whallah.  A lovely plant to share with others and display in larger pots for room to grow.

I stared at our 6 Geranium plants and thought about wintering them as well.  I'll have to house them at the COTTAGE this Winter and then next Spring they will return to the out of doors at the Cottage.

This Winter, I will be busy with more downsizing.  It is something else to take years to collect things and then get to the place where it takes so much time to turn loose of the very things that were collected over the years.  A process for sure.  Tis doable.

Giving thought to what is really important in LIFE as a Christian Homemaker, Wife, Mother, Mother.n.law, Grandma, Sister, Daughter, Aunt, Niece, Neighbor, etc.  What is important?  What truly matters?  

Getting there.
Blessings to you,

~d 👵

  

EXCITING RACE

GRANDDAUGHTER RAN IN A CROSS COUNTRY MEET and placed first place.  I love seeing her run and experience prairie countryside races.  So happy for her and her team.  Pray.  Suit up, show up and apply yourself.  You are a victorious WINNER.   

WHEN SHE WAS A BABY, I babysat her.  She was running before she was walking.  She'd hold onto the edge of the sofas and ottomans and run.  Full of energy, she wore me out then.  Look what has happened.  She's a runner. 

Was expecting rain.  A no show.  Thankful about that.  After the race, Hubby and I went to a local restaurant and ate their special.  Meatloaf, green beans, mashed potatoes with gravy and a dinner roll.

IT WAS DELICIOUS and I enjoyed every bite.  Tomorrow, I need to cut back on the calories and continue dieting.  I must get back on the wagon to lose weight.

Okay okay.  I will.

After this week-end, I will paint the dining room and watch Jack LaLanne.  

With October flying right on by.

~d👵

Isaiah 40:28-31

28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 

29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 

30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 

31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

THURSDAY

HAVE MERCY.  I'm having some issues with getting started this morning.  Gotta get going as I have much to do today.  

Already a busy week so far and when this happens, I do run into a wall of fatigue.  Pacing myself.    

That saying that age is just a number is bogus.  That saying that it's never too late, is bogus. I know differently.  

With a mind set that age is just a number goes against the Biblical scripture of  King James Version Psalm 90: 12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.  

We need to keep in mind that our days are limited and not live as if we have all the time in the world to do whatever.

When Sunday comes, I will be relieved.  Today is a planned busy day.  Friday and Saturday the same.  Come Sunday, I'm praying for some relief. 

We have gathered all the Christmas decorations from 4 different locations.  Grouping it together.  I'm in disbelief that we have so much.  Shake it off and get real.  So that is what I am doing.  Shaking it off.

After this go round, there will be some more as thinning down/downsizing is like peeling an onion.  Another layer to peel.  

We are downsizing.  Round one...get rid of what isn't needed.  Round two...re-evaluate what is left behind and turn loose of more.  Getting back to a skeleton surplus of things.  I have a habit of getting too much.  Working at not doing this anymore.

THIS IS THE SEASON OF DOWNSIZING.

By the time I turn 67 next July, I am in hopes that we will have downsized considerably.  With cooler temps coming, I will go through our sweaters, jackets and coats and downsize these as well.  Phasing out clothing is on the agenda.  

Getting my household in order is necessary.  I am slow, but in motion.

~d

🍁AUTUMN MORNING AMBIENCE: Leaves Falling, Nature Sounds, Pages Turning, ...

TIME TO SLOW DOWN A BIT and enjoy crisp mornings and some slow paced AUTUMN days.  October is flying right on by and I'D LIKE TO UNWIND before THANKSGIVING gets here. 

I'm not quite ready for COLD, cold days.  A Indian Summer would be embraced.  

GOD Bless,

~d👵

MEAL PREP | 9 ingredients for flexible, healthy recipes + PDF guide

Shop for ingredients on one day then prep the next.  This video shows an easy way to make quick healthy meals that are delicious.  

I am learning to prepare foods and eat differently then how I did growing up as a child and early adult.  Now, I want to fix healthier foods that are prepped together for saving time.  Believing I would be a healthier me if I had eaten organic foods all along.  So at 66, I'm learning that I MUST CHANGE and be thankful for this information that is coming to me.  

I grew up eating one way and though I did not starve, I wasn't getting all the nutrients people really need.  I ate way too many starchy vegetables without emphasis on eating a large variety. White bread was the norm at our household and I carried this tradition over into marriage, raising a family, and staying steady until being in my mid sixties.  

When did all the added chemicals and colorings come about...not sure.  There would become such a huge push to put high fructose corn syrup, sodium, food coloring, added chemicals in so much of the canned foods and eating highly processed foods.  Now, in general, people freely eat foods in abundance that have been sprayed with chemicals, pesticides, herbicides taking no thought of eating GMO foods as well.   It is unhealthy and destructive to our health.  

Our government legally allows certain chemical additives that fools the brain into believing what we eat and drink are so delicious we want more and more.  Does this boost the economy when people repeat purchase certain products because they taste super delicious to them?  Do those participating within the FDA also our politicians plus stock owners, companies and individuals make more money off of certain foods being marketed?   ME thinks so.

Is there an underlying agenda to wreck havoc on human's health making us sickly struggling to regain our health?  Promoting foods that make us ill turning us into unhealthy individuals that want to be well so we allow expensive tests and treatments becoming cash cows to the medical facilities draining people of their money before they die?  Conspiracy theorist or actual truth-bearer? 

Not only are our foods a target to make us unhealthy, but mind sets are made each day on living unhealthy lifestyles.  My observation is that many strive to be healthier in body, but fail to notice their souls are in danger of eternal damnation.  Promoting lifestyles that are ungodly is high on the list of those who own the medias.  Immorality makers.  Sexual immorality is promoted in so many television programs, movies, literature, artwork, etc.  AND when did schools become the breeding grounds for behavior modification instead of facilities that educate the students in strictly academics not immorality?  Many Churches have bought into new age, christian mysticism, and occult practices turning their backs on God's healthy instructions.  We are living in such a time.     

What wickedness is there in the world?  Once we trusted the doctors to help us become physically well again?  Now, I sometimes think the agenda is to get us all on medications that line the pharmaceutical companies pockets with cash and those who own stock in this well oiled machine. One medicine hides the symptoms inflicting other hurtful means to other parts of the body.  Is this by design or just something that happens? 

Great emphasis is placed on physical fitness and wellness, but fail to emphasize that humans are not only made up of flesh and bones, but have emotional/mental health and ones spirit to take into consideration.   To be a completely healthy person all areas need attention.  To God be the glory.  Great things He has done!  

Welp, that's my two cents worth,

~d👵

   

GETTING SOME IDEAS FOR THE COTTAGE ON THE PRAIRIE and downsizing

I KNOW IT'S AUTUMN, BUT WE ARE DOWNSIZING with a thorough cleaning out of old CHRISTMAS decorations.  It doesn't matter that it's Autumn. When downsizing, Autumn isn't just about the season.  It becomes another opportunity to see what one has.  We started downsizing in September with getting rid of extra furniture.  Next has come CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS.  Oh heavens...I have so many it is overwhelming.  I'd like to change my decorating style and focus on a more natural look instead of what I have stashed in the basement, the carriage house, the little cottage and a garage.  Way too much stuff.    

AS WE WERE SORTING THROUGH CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS, I came across a miniature Christmas wreath and decided that these colors in the wreath will be what I use when decorating the COTTAGE for future Christmases.  I love the deep reds. Burgundy, cranberry and greens.  This color theme is what I will copy for our lil COTTAGE ON THE PRAIRIE next year. We are hoping to be living there come Christmas 2022. 

After going through boxes in the basement, I now know where all my HALLMARK ORNAMENTS are where our main house CHRISTMAS TREE will be trimmed with these ornaments plus some from my children's youth that I have kept.  So the tree will be multi-colored with these ornaments and multi-colored twinkle lights that we came across this afternoon.  

Last night I was going through boxes of personal belongings that were returned to us from Service Master after our house fire that got lost in the shuffle when we moved.  There were some Hallmark ornaments in with other things.  A mixture of stuff.  Tonight the ornaments are altogether waiting for Christmas season.  I will like having a colorful tree again this year.

Christmas sparkle lifts my spirits.  I really LOVE decorating the trees each year.  It brightens the season for me and lifts my spirits.  One of my favorite things about Christmas is decorating a tree for our HOME. 

Waking to cooler temps this morning was a gift from God after yesterday's SUMMER like weather in the 90s.  Didn't know it was as hot as it was at a Cross Country Meet watching our Granddaughter run the course.  She placed and received a medal!  It is wonderful to watch her run a hilly course in the Prairie.

It's amazing to see so many run and strive to beat their times and other competitors. Just before they reach the area with flags toward the finish line, some begin to speed up their pace to pass other runners.  Their burst of last minute energy is impressive.  I don't know how they do it, but they do.  

I had sandals on and by the time I returned to our parked car, they were filthy.  Wiped them down with wet wipes.  That will have to do until I got HOME.  

Some windows are open letting fresh cool air inside as I continue working at downsizing.  We will continue pulling things out of the Carriage House and see what we need to get rid of.  We'll work outside on the patio as the weather is wonderful.  Hubby carried out box after box after box to me as I wiped down the exterior of the containers and started looking at the surprises inside.

It was easy to let go of this, and that and more of this.  Hubby located all the twinkle lights and bagged them grouping all together in tubs that we will keep.  We have the garland, that's for sure. These are now nicely tubbed together.  If we twist 4 garland strands together, we will have a very lush strand that will look beautiful on the outside of our COTTAGE next year.  

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Over the week-end we finished going through a multitude of tubs and boxes stored in the basement exhausted and dirty from sorting.  During a three day span we did it.  This lifted my spirits to where I was ready to continue sorting through more tubs and boxes in the Carriage House.  This Sunday, we forged ahead and got 'er done.  The weather was perfect to work all afternoon and into the evening on this beautiful AUTUMN day.  We did it.    

By next week-end, the CHRISTMAS odds 'n ins will be turned loose from our estate.  Years and years worth of collecting CHRISTMAS decorations and interior items will be in the hands of someone else and this will end a second phase of downsizing.  That will be an accomplishment for lil ole me.  A sigh of relief.  Refreshing my soul.  

AFTER A SHORT BREAK, I will catch my breath and go to the next project.  I hope to paint the Dining room.  Here I go again saying I will paint it and haven't.  The color is selected and primer on hand.  Two coats of primer first.  An expert said to go ahead and prime the walls since they are dark navy blue.  Even with the paints that have primer in the paint, he said they would still need a primer.  I believe him, so primer it is.  

In between coats of paint while it's drying I will continue gathering items to let go.  Hubby will continue gutting the COTTAGE bathroom and I will be washing the walls and trim in one of the COTTAGE's bedroom.  

A season of downsizing, working on the COTTAGE and doing things around our main house in preparation to sell her when the time comes.  

Praise the LORD.

I will hush my thoughts and calm my emotions 
as I continue on this journey of downsizing.

GOD BLESS,

~d 👵   

A BROKEN RECORD

I SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD......this downsizing journey is a work-out.  

I   a m  in  d i s b e l i e f 

how much CHRISTMAS STUFF I have collected for decades.  

For mercy sakes, I am bugging my eyes out and sweating some as I work sorting through cardboard boxes and plastic ones in the basement.  There is some order on the shelves where the storage boxes are full.  Just too much STUFF.  

I'll definitely not have enough storage room at the next location.  It is the right thing to do to downsize and not have as much.

I came across a couple of boxes that are full of old papers and receipts from our 2016 fire recovery efforts.  As I looked through these boxes, I was almost like a robot pitching no longer needed papers, but then I came across a picture of my Dad and my Father.in.law's Funeral program and I teared up.  I miss these men so very much.  On October 25th it will be the 5th Anniversary of our house fire and here I am still coming across things that were not dealt with within the first year after the fire.  I have compassion for my old, tired self.

A couple of boxes emptied with the contents sorted through.  Some papers trashed and some will need filed.  One cardboard box I know for sure was one that SERVICE MASTER returned to us with a mixture of HALLMARK ORNAMENTS with no boxes and mismatched things not pertaining to CHRISTMAS.  Still wrapped in bubble wrap.  Hello SERVICE MASTER.   

Making some headway as I went through some red plastic storage boxes on top muscle racks, I discovered our other HALLMARK ORNAMENTS still within their individual boxes.  I think I will carry these to the upper floor leaving them in the Victorian Room for now.  They'll be grouped together and I will not have to hunt for them come December when the Christmas tree comes out of hiding.

Stay calm and carry on.  I am not the first person to have to go through years of possessions to decide what to keep, throw away, donate or sell.  It's just unbelievable how much there is. Making me go into a type of shock.  Unbelievable.  Shake it off and proceed.

It would be so much easier to just throw most of it away, but the homemaker business woman in me says no...know what you have first and then move the stuff out.  

Some would say don't collect so much stuff in the first place.  I think this is practical and I commend those who practice this.  You deserve a medal and a handshake.  If there were such a thing as a HALL OF FAME for having your act together, your name and picture would be on display.  Congratulations.  

The Lord Jesus has redeemed me and the Holy Spirit is helping me be better person that doesn't need so much to where I am happy.  Another layer of emotional onion has been peeled away.  I can be contented to turn loose.  SO much is no longer needed.  

My congratulations will come much later after a long time is put into this task of downsizing. Will I be saying, "Remember when we downsized our belongings back in 2020, 2021 and 2022 and 2023?"  

I started reading and watching videos about the proper way to downsize. When they say start 3 months before a move, I had to laugh.  This isn't enough time for us as I move extremely slow with my health issues and I cannot hire someone to sort through the things as I have to think about each item and decide what to do.  No one else can do that part of this downsizing adventure while I am coherent and still alive.

You are to think about how you will be living at the new location.  Will you take up new hobbies, do what you have always wanted to do?  Curb the spending after the move and don't get in the habit of bringing HOME as much as you did before.  They say it's a new opportunity to change how you have been living and it could be wonderful.  We shall see.

When we have gotten rid of much, I hope that it will feel like I imagine it will.  A much lighter load on my back.  I am forging ahead and calling it a huge challenge and a LIFE LESSON.  We'll be better people for having accomplished this TASK.  

Hubby has been a huge help down in the dungeon called a basement.  So many boxes to go through, I seriously think I could have filled a warehouse or a small store...maybe both.  The sorting through is taking some time.  Sigh.  It's hot in the basement and I can't stay longer than a hour at a time working down there before taking a break.  At least my back isn't killing me.  This is awesome to not hurt!  

I have to cool off, sit a spell, wipe the sweat and drink water.  Perhaps this project will help me lose some more weight.  That would be sweet.   

A broken record about downsizing.  This is a time in my life that I wish this phase were already completed.  When it's over I'll know more than when I started.  

Play it again, Sam.  You can do this thing called downsizing.  Instead of beating myself up I will pat myself on the back and be able to say, "Well done!"  

I'm almost there,

~d👵

THURSDAY THOUGHTS

TODAY I WILL RETURN TO THE BASEMENT WITH HUBBY THIS TIME to go through our stash of HOLIDAY DECOR.  Yesterday, I was down there and made a mental note of what I need to thin out.  I will continue going through more with my Husband this afternoon.  Tubs a plenty.  I managed to empty a few boxes.  Hubs will help me go through these things faster carrying them upstairs to group as I AM NO LONGER A PART OF THIS ESTATE.

Saying bye to these inanimate objects is doable.  If I tell myself that these things served their purpose serving us well and now it's time to let go...it's easier for me to do so.  I believe that I can purge and try different decorating ideas.       

Yesterday when I went to the COTTAGE to check on my hunny as he was unloading 1248 bricks each weighing 6.5 pounds from a moving van, I went inside the COTTAGE and looked around.  I had the easier job by far.  A load of towels were still in the dryer.  Will fold and put away.  He dealt with about 16,224 pounds over a three day period.  Loading, traveling with the bricks, then unloading.  Can somebody say HE MAN?  HE MAN!!!  Not bad for a 66 year old gentleman. 

I had forgotten that some CHRISTMAS tubs were in the utility room.  Oops. How'd that happen?  I went through these and emptied 4 oversized tubs.  More goodies to turn loose of.  Surprise, surprise, surprise.

Several tubs contained SANTAS.  I set aside just a couple that I will keep while grouping the others to let go.  I am attached to them, so I said my good-byes to these SANTAS that I have had for decades.  Hopefully someone else will get some joy from them in their HOMES or places of work.  See ya.    

This afternoon after we eat LUNCH, we will venture downstairs and bring the CHRISTMAS stash upstairs for turning loose.  I have SANTAS, ANGELS, and general HO-HO-HO stuff galore. Some ornaments and what nots.  I believe I can let go and take a deep breath of relief.  No more needing to store off season trinkets.  Downsize, downsize, downsize.

Are Christmas decor and exercise equipment two of the least desired things in households that people get rid of?    

The theme I had thought I would have this CHRISTMAS was a white flocked tree adorned with white, acrylic and silver.  Weeeellllllll...a few weeks ago I turned loose of our flocked tree.  So we will not have this theme this year.  *insert chuckle.  

Willing to forgive for turning loose of this mammoth of a tree.  Better now then later.  Since I love CHRISTMAS TREEs, it's alright.  I'll survive.  Changing my mind is one thing I'm very talented at!  

Probably go with our HALLMARK ORNAMENTS this year.  It's been awhile since I had my HALLMARK TREE.  Nice switch.  

PLANS for today are:  
✔Rest up from long drive to Iowa and back again.  
✔Thumb through the local newspaper and go through the mail.  
✔Closet time for clearing out some clothing items to donate to charity.  
☝Laundry caught up.  
☝Bills looked over.  
✔Downsizing CHRISTMAS DECOR.  
☝Shampooing my hair and letting it air dry.  
✔Skipping the THRIFT STORE as I do not need any more thrift items for now.  
☝Eat soup for Lunch and a nice meal for Supper.  
✔Computer time to watch decorating videos.  
☝Prayer time.  

The decorating videos are unlimited.  So many have their own channels.  So the decorating ideas are a plenty.  This is one area I have to discipline my time on as there are so many vids I could watch.  I'm sure this is a reason that magazine sales have plummeted.  

Lately, I have been tuning in to a young amish/mennonite type channel.  Even though the young lady is dressed according to their standards, she sounds so worldly when she talks, but how her community functions as a whole is very inspiring.  I know that just because someone is tightly knit into a religious community that they are still human with sin natures like all mankind.  They are not completely immune to sin.  If anything, there are hidden issues that they do not share.  

In other areas of social behavior in the world, experience with LIFE tells me that cults are still alive and consuming people every day including our American Christian communities and churches.  Mind sets are promoted.  Pseudo Christian communities are flourishing in the world and especially in my country.  It is extremely easy to get sucked into a cult and not even know it.

Anything goes.  With such an emphasis of loving without judging, the balance disappears.  God's counsel is overturned.  Being a balanced Christian isn't encouraged in these Pseudo churches as well as bible studies.  Appealing to the fallen nature of mankind, the food fed to the sheep is appetizing.  Taken like expected.  Pulling at the heart strings and emotional desires. 

I'm better off reading the Bible for myself in the comfort of my own home.  I can go at the speed most comfortable for me in a very quiet environment.  I can meditate upon scripture alone and not be in competition with anyone.  Not even myself.  Praise the Lord.  I am free and free indeed. I choose God's biblical balanced guidelines for so many reasons.

If we are left to our own devices, then we will injure ourselves.  God's guidelines are to help us and to protect us from injuries.  His DO NOTS are for healthy LIVING.  If we think of ourselves as thoroughbreds then we should take better care of ourselves. 

As for cults outside of the religious arena...it seems to be prevalent in the minds of those entangled with strong political views, Hollywood celebrities on their free time, social circles, Sports, physical fitness gurus, educational, inside High Schools and inside the enlightenment of higher educations, in the work world or in communities eager to please those in inner circles. The list goes on.  We are like sheep that have gone astray and need the good shepherd.

Our greedy desires get us off the mark.

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It amazes me that I am actually thinning out our stash of everything.  I do mean everything.  

When I think about where we are headed and how little space we will have to store items, it gets my attention.  I'm getting faster at downsizing.  Thankfully, I will get even faster.  Don't need it. Don't want it.  Donate.  Give away.  Sell or trash.  Donate some more.

Suggestion.  If you find yourself hanging onto too much...you've got to get it in your head what too much is.  

Some people have no issues with thinning out.  It was easy for me to hang onto much.  Each year I'd collect more.  The downsizing is long over due. 

If we were staying put, I believe I would be downsizing anyhow as I know that death can come at anytime.  We are not promised tomorrow.  Sobering thoughts.  It is better to help others while I can as long as I can.  I have turned loose of much and will continue.   

My Thursday thoughts,

~d👵      

BACK TO THE DUNGEON

I ALWAYS ENJOY GOING THROUGH THE PILE OF MAIL after being gone for a few days.  Spending time this morning to go through the mail and rest before going back into the basement to scope out the CHRISTMAS decor that will disappear in a few days.

Am I ready to turn loose of more stuff and the answer is yes.  Yes, I am ready to go another round of turning loose of much that I collected through the years.  It's time for me to do this thing.  

I seem to downsize in phases and like items.  Focused on furniture already as well as Knick-knacks.  Clothing will come later.  Christmas decor next.  Will have another round of dishes and glassware, books, general junk.

Mentally, I am continually thinking about what needs to go.  What will go into storage and what will go into RETIREMENT COTTAGE.  How will I decorate?  What will need to be done to prepare the main house for selling?    

Still have a ways to go in this journey.  At 66 I believe it is a good time to downsize and shrink our so-called belongings.  What will help make aging easier?  What will help make living easier at a older age where we have slowed down some and need set free from so much responsibility? Will we be more carefree and able to do more of what we want to do?  Should we be?  

Time passes quickly.  I'd rather not have to keep all the things I collected stored in my head.  I remember Mom and Dad downsizing before they sold their house and moved into an apartment. I helped them some with boxing up and wrapping up items from their home to have it auctioned off before their move.  

I knew then that I didn't want to have to do this in my 70s and 80s.  Mom had things stashed behind pieces of furniture, under their beds, in closets, drawers, in the basement and garage. Stuffed and stashed full.  Dad has since died and Mom moved into a different apartment.  I helped her with that move as well.  Less material possessions but still plenty to deal with.  She's been in this apartment about 4 1/2 years.  Her next relocation will be heaven and her possessions left behind will left to her children to decide what to do with.

I offered to downsize her closet as it's crammed full of clothing that she will never wear again in her lifetime.  She wasn't ready to turn loose of it.  If there are 365 days to a year then we really don't need more than 365 articles of clothing, do we?  If you combine the 4 seasons into 2 such as group together Fall and Winter together and Spring and Summer clothing together then you really don't need more than 182.5 articles of clothing per season.  I believe I can live with fewer items than 365 things.  

The closet I will be able to use at the Cottage will definitely need far fewer clothing than 365 x 2 for Hubby and myself.  730 things.  Nope.  Can't do it.  Don't want to nor will I.

My Sister downsized 6 years ago when they were getting ready to relocate to a different community.  At the time she would have been 62 years old.  She said it was emotional to turn loose of their possessions.  I know that to be true as we suffered a home fire a few months after her downsizing.  Our downsizing wasn't planned and I was not ready to say good-bye to our 42 years at that time of our estate.  We lived to tell about it and are still changing.    

It has taken 5 years to rebuild and now here I go downsizing.  Another phase in LIFE. CHRISTMAS junk here I come.  I'll take a peek at it this afternoon and make a mental record of what there is downstairs.

Hubby is unloading the patio brick from the moving van this afternoon.  I will check up on him later today as a Grandson will help him unload these 6 pounds a piece bricks that came from Iowa.  When I'm at the COTTAGE, I will go inside and see what next there is to do inside.  

If I were more enthusiastic and excited about remodeling the COTTAGE and moving there, it would be healthier.  I think I am still a bit in denial of what is going on here.  Perhaps this is a way I deal with change.  Cautious and slow paced.  Are we doing the right thing, I wonder.  I seem to want to be on the side of caution verses wild and free concept.  

Soup for lunch and undecided about supper.  Back to the Daniel Diet for me.  I may do another round of the Color Wheel Diet where each day is focused on a different color.  I've done that twice this past Summer and found it to be a fun way of eating vegetables and fruit.  

Welp, I had best close and go CHRISTMAS SHOPPING in the dungeon.   

Praying for a blessed day,

~d 👵 

GEESE JUST FLEW OVER THE HOUSE

WITH THE FRENCH DOORS OPEN TO LET FRESH AIR INSIDE, I could hear the geese flying overhead.  A very nice sound to hear on this Autumn evening.  Their honking gets my attention and a gentle feeling comes over me.  They are lovely creatures to see flying in a group where they know exactly where they are headed. 

Hearing them as I am sitting seems appropriate this time of year and day.  They are beautiful birds to see at the ponds and lakes as well as in flight.  On their way to somewhere they will call HOME.

Wish them well as we're safely HOME after being gone for a few days.  I gathered the mail from the stuffed mailbox, contacted some loved ones as we had just got HOME from seeing my Sister and my brother-in-law that live in IOWA. 

We have plans for making a patio over at the COTTAGE in the Spring.  HANK had some bricks that he was turning loose of and Hubby made arrangements to pack and stack them in a moving van.  Yesterday they loaded the bricks and today Hubby and I came HOME with them.  We were on the road about 6 hours.  We stopped on the way and ate hamburgers and fries for supper.  A free day on my diet. 

On Saturday, we had gone to a Cross Country meet to watch our Granddaughter compete.  The weather was awesome.  Got some sunshine, Vitamin D and fresh air.  Grand placed again!  It is a delight to watch the kids run the distance.  Afterwards we headed toward Iowa.  

Visited with my Sister and Brother-in-law in their new HOME then they took us over to my Nephew's HOME. He and his wife had fixed steaks for us.  

Their two children entertained us with their musical instruments and they also have a new PUPPY!  It was a fun-filled evening.

The next day, my Sister and I went shopping to see her new community.  A very quaint place with historic buildings.  Enjoyed myself and found a large antique mirror I would have loved to have, but didn't purchase it.  

Also one shop had a pair of Victorian Piano Babies that I would have loved to have, but our piano is in terrible shape from the fire and we no longer have it in our HOME.  She's in need of a complete overhaul inside and out.  I suppose I could have placed the Babies elsewhere in the house, but then I'm downsizing.  So no for now. 

Supper at PF CHANG's

Honey Chicken

Crunchy Mango Salad

Chocolate Cake was a huge splurge one evening, but LIFE needs dessert sometimes and this was just one of those times.  Boy, was it gooooood.

We had a great time seeing the sights.  West Des Moines is a very nice community. We ate out, so no dishes to wash.  I really liked that.  The traveling catches up with me and the tireds hit.  Hello tireds.  I'll need to rest a day or so before going through Christmas decorations in the basement to turn loose of.  I wish it were already behind me.  Sigh.  Look upwards and forge ahead giving thanks for LIFE. 

Tomorrow I will return to the eating routine I have been on.  I only made 10 days on the Daniel Diet before I was needing more calories.  I believe I have nourished my body and can return to eating the way I am to on the Daniel Diet.  

Had some bread, potatoes, meat, dessert while in Iowa.  Back to vegetables and fruit as I will begin again in the morning.

Windmills?

The drive to Iowa and HOME again was beautiful.  SO many corn fields and wide open spaces. Rolling hills and lovely pastures across Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa.  The trees are definitely turning more so than here in Kansas.  Where did my Summer go?  Tis dark outside by 8.      

Tis beautiful this time of year,

~d

OH MY GOODNESS!

DINING ON THE PRAIRIE:

THE RECIPE DIDN'T SAY HOW TO WHIP THIS UP.  I suppose a handheld mixer would work.  I haven't tried the recipe, but think I will!  Let you know how this turns out when I do fix this.

DINING ON THE PRAIRIE will be all the better with healthy desserts like this one.  It wouldn't have all the chemicals in it like Instant Pudding Mix does.  hmmm.  Sounds like a winner to me.

May you have a sweet week-end!
Sweetness comes from goodness,

~d👵

WHAT'S DOWN IN THE BASEMENT?

I'VE BEEN DOWN IN THE BASEMENT going through boxes of CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS.  I'll have to do this task a little at a time as there is so much to look through, I just about can't do it.  Staring at it all isn't helping.  

I do have some order...but I need to downsize for our exodus to RETIREMENT COTTAGE in 2022.  This is a nice place to be in my LIFE where there is too much instead of not enough.  Even if we didn't have plans to relocate in the future...I'd be downsizing.  I have way too much stuff which weighs me down more than I want to be.  

Placing the CHRISTMAS JUNK that I will be getting rid of in boxes makes the task of turning loose a little easier for me which helps knowing what I will keep.  What will I keep?  This is a great time of year to thin through these treasures.  October and November is a cushion between here and Christmas time.  Mid October, I hope to be through the brunt of the Christmas decor just in time to get Halloween candy purchased and put some more Harvest decorations out.   

Another round of purging.  Two factors come to mind when downsizing the Christmas decor...in the long run if there be a long run, I don't want to be lugging all this around with me anymore.  I have gone through so many phases over the years that I am ready to turn loose of much.  So downsizing for the sake of downsizing is one factor plus focusing on what I'd like to have for future Christmases, with a different sense of decorating.  More natural?

Not so much to store and to deal with.  I remember as a child Mom had an old suitcase stored in the shed that held the Christmas decorations.  One suitcase of sparkles and ornaments.  Her Nativity Scene was in another box and if my memory serves me right...that was it.  We usually had a REAL TREE.  Precious memories of Christmas PAST.  Big colored electric light bulbs of red, green, orange and blue were placed in the bushes out front.  When it would snow, the lights glowed through the layers of white snow that settled on top.  Clusters of colored light patches shown through.

This past week-end one of our large flocked Christmas trees in a storage box went to a different HOME and so did a smaller Charlie Brown looking tree.  Two down and I'm not sure how many to go.  Not there yet.  First comes more of the Knick-Knacky stuff.  

Back to the basement I go.  I caught my breath and rested my aching back.  Another round of downsizing in progress.

It would be so easy for me to ignore it and pretend it didn't need attention, but then who am I kidding?  It's got to be done.  Instead of dragging my feet and putting this off until another year, I've got to deal with it.  

WHAT's IN THE BASEMENT?  Lots.
~d