121 Days Late ... Better Than Never

I just realized I was not blogging in January 2012 because I had purged my home of all computers.  Due to this fact - I did not "proclaim" my ONE WORD for the year.  It took very little thought to select the five letter word that would dictate my actions in 2012.  PURGE

My posts from April 27th (clearing out "Stuff") and April 26th (eliminating weeds and my flowerbed) April 19th (returning my NOOK) April 8th (Spring Cleaning and giving away my sons' furniture) should have been a clue.  But it is not just stuff that clogs up your life and needs to be expended.  There is more, much more.


Guilt:  Everyone has guilt about something in their life, more realistically, MANY things in their life.  As mothers - the load seems to be a bit heavier as we assess the many ways we may have 'screwed up our kids.'  The older I get, the more it becomes apparent that you just have to let it go.  Easier said than done, but you can't change it so ... purge it.

Worry:  It has taken a long time to reach the realization that worry is frequently about the future, and many/most of the worrisome events never happen/occur.  Hence, time and energy have been wasted and stress has been carried over the speculative, not the definitive.  So I have vowed to worry less and concentrate more on what I know to be factual/actual.
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I am not 'religious' ~ but this seems to capture my thoughts exactly.

T.M.I:  Too Much Information.  Never a fan of making wireless providers and cable companies rich; I have continued my pledge to stay disconnected.  Newspapers use sensationalism to sell ... and it is that very feature that tends to overwhelm the senses, so I have purged newspapers from my home.  This too helps on Sundays - no longer faced with the inch thick slab of colorful ads that entice me to purchase the latest and greatest stuff that I did not even know I needed.  Television is another source of sensationalism, advertising, and reality (I use that word loosely) which overstimulate the mind and entices me to purchase the latest and greatest stuff that I did not know I needed. (Do you see a pattern developing here?)  Computers are great .... but before 'ya know it, many hours (wasted) have been spent at the keyboard mindlessly clicking on one link after another.  Too much news and too many facts and the blah-blah-blah of folks chronicling their every action on Facebook. TMI  Smartphones 'keep people connected.'  True, but at a cost.  People, especially the younger generations, have lost the ability to effectively interact one-on-one, person to person, in the real world.  The cyber/electronic world even has it's own language with no rules of grammar.  LOL, hv, U R, thx,  yada-yada-yada.  Purging media and social media has forced me to have a closer relationship with my local library. The intake of information is at a much slower pace; albeit, a more comfortable pace.

Stuff:  This topic has already been covered in several of my April posts.  I am still staring at stacks of clothes that need some sorting; and change of season purging. I wonder if Stacy London and Clinton Kelly will come help me out when it comes to clearing my closets ? But could I live through their critiques ? 

If all else fails, as the year progresses, a penny may help me with my purging decisions .... heads/tails = keep/toss.

STUFF !

Imagine the photo rotated 90 degrees to the right .  There ya go ~

Last weekend, Parade Magazine, in the Sunday newspaper, had an article "Full House" - Is your stuff weighing you down ?

I have been carrying this issue of Parade with me all week with the intention of reading the article - which by the way has not happened yet.  Today, after lunch, I took the time to actually open the pages and flip to the article .... and the photo above is what greeted me. 

I promptly realized I fall into several of the catagories:

Chairs (in my case - dining chairs)

Dishes (aka cookware & tableware in general)

Pots & Pans

Handbags

Jeans

Knick-Knacks (only a few - but still in need of new homes)

Mugs

Office Supplies (my "biggest offense" -  from my PTA days)

Personal Care Products

Quilts ( which includes comforters, blankets and linens in general)

Shoes

Technology (outdated and lots and lots and lots of AC adapters/cords)

Wine Glasses (again - glasses in general, but definitely wine glasses)

Without reading the article - I can already see the benefit of this piece as it has catagorized the STUFF I need to purge and hence I will use this picture as my starting point.  On Monday I will report on my productivity and success with 'the purge.'  Until tomorow ... I will to add to the list.  Books, Fabric, Craft Supplies, Winter Scarves/Mittens/Hats and .....

Too Much Salt

No, this is not about a recipe gone wrong.

In my quest for organic/environmentally friendly gardening, I read that salt is a very effective weed killer.  Makes sense.  It dehydrates the weeds and kills them.  Warning:  Just don't become overzealous with the amount applied.

My backyard has become quite the "weed jungle" due to our unseasonably warm weather and I am also trying to kill off the weeds and remaining vegetation in my "soon to be history" flower bed.  Salt seemed like a cost-effective method of weed-killing.

Last weekend I purchased 10 - one pound cardboard canisters of salt from WalMart; but no doubt needed more to complete the job.  Tractor Supply listed online, 50 pound bags of salt for $5.49 ... Now That's A Deal !  So I purchased three bags - a total of 150 pounds.  YEP - 150 lbs.

Yesterday after work, the weather was nice and there was plenty of daylight left, so I headed outside to start applying salt.  I put one of the 50 pound bags in my trunk - opened it - and transferred about 5 pounds to a more manageable container.  The 5 pounds was enough to 'salt' my former flower bed.  I refilled the 5 pound container two more times and completed salting the backyard.  The task went much quicker than anticipated so there was time to salt the weeds growing up through my stones.  Mission accomplished.

I went back to my car and surveyed what was left.  Two unopened 50 pound bags of salt and one partial with approximately 25 pounds still in the bag.  Guess I over-estimated how much I would need. 

Anyone have any weeds to kill ??

Dad Said, "Keep Soap In Your Toolbox ..."

Last weekend, I headed to the garage to work on the long overdue restoration of an old wooden rocking chair.  This first stage involved gluing separated wood pieces and screwing supports to the bottom of the seat.  Before heading out to the garage, I grabbed a bar of soap knowing the job would be easier.... 'cuz "that's what Joe taught me."  Let's face it ... the initial plunge into an on-going task sets the tone for the entire project.  It can even determine if the project ever reaches completion.

Work Smarter, Not Harder, was ringing in my ears along with other words (mostly expletives) that had filled the air as I played gopher to Dad in my youth. Now back to the bar of soap .....

Dad showed me that rubbing screws on a bar of soap before screwing them into wood made the task a bit easier.  A lot easier.  And being that the tool of choice was a 'manual' screwdriver (versus a drill), "ease" was the word of the day. 

(Another great use for "Soap for Goodness Sake")

For gluing the split wood - I opted for Liquid Nails because I had previous experience with the product and knew it would hold well.  Dad taught me that rubbing the threads of the tube with a bar of soap kept the cap from sticking in the future, which would render the remainder of the glue un-usable.

And yes, liquid soap will work for both of these tasks, but all my lessons were with a bar of soap.

You may be gone Dad ... but I have not forgotten.  I'll share a photo of YOUR rocking chair when it is completed. 

Cats DO Rule

Spike's car seat .... but notice who has the most room and is most relaxed.  Poor Spike.

Ding Dong the NOOK Is Gone

On March 31st, My "Unplugged to Sorta Plugged" post announced my purchase of a NOOK Tablet so I could re-connect with the world.

UPDATE: It was a short-lived marriage. After about 12 days I realized this was not a true-love relationship. The NOOK had too many short-comings despite its many wonderful characteristics.

Last Thursday, I packed its bags and made the trek to Barnes & Noble with only a slight tear in the corner of my eye.

But alas, I have fully recovered from the separation and am now again feeling the freedom that comes along with not being dependent on .... well, in this case, an inaniment object to connect to my friends.

Is That a Camera or Something to Eat ?

NORLAND
If only we knew what they were REALLY thinking.

What Is It Called When .....?

The past week had presented me with two "curious" occurrences that I am unable to classify. These events do not fit the "deja vu" or "ESP" categories - but they definitely had a psychic or higher power quality. Or just 'happenstance.'

Last week, with warm weather approaching, I was trying to think of interesting ways to wear my hair to adapt to the dreaded heat and humidity. I thought of a hair accessory (I had multiple) that I wore when my sons were in elementary school ... approximately 17 years ago .... two homes ago ... two moves ago. My mind's eye can clearly see two photos in which I am wearing this hair accessory ... one summer photo (sage green outfit) - one fall photo (red & black outfit)... both taken at Luxford Elementary School. I immediately tried looking online for a "new" one, a replacement, but I could not remember the name of "it" or how to search for "it." But search I did .. for over an hour .. by every conceivable name/description. No luck. So I started doodling to figure out how to recreate one for myself.

This past Saturday, I was working around the house, trying to locate some really nice coat hooks I had purchased. Not in the garage, so I headed to the dreaded basement. I looked through bins & boxes, and like a dog, oblivious to the world with his nose to the ground, I got distracted and ended up poking through small 'still unpacked' boxes of sewing notions from 6 1/2 years ago. As I browsed thru a zip-loc bag, I saw out of the corner of my eye 4 of the cherished hair accessories ... four - two of which were still in the original package. The discovery gave me an eery sensation that the timing of this find was a wee bit too coincidental....actually WAY too coincidental.

The second "curious" incident also happened within the past week. I thought about a friend (C.R.)I had not been out with her since 2006. We occasionally run into each other, but always at a hurried moment. We chat for 30 seconds then scurry off in opposite directions. This past Thursday, on a whim, I put together a tiny gift bag with a tiny note that said "How about a girl's night out sometime? Movies or Pizza." and left it where I knew she would find it. Yesterday (Monday) still no response.

Again, yesterday, while checking my YAHOO email, I opened an email from my sister
with the subject: "I-95" I opened the email and it said "I passed C.R. on I-95, hope she had a great vacation." My sister barely knows C.R. and what would possess her to notice, then comment on seeing her ?

Today I shared these two occurrences with a co-worker. She seemed as intrigued as me and also unable to name the phenomenon to label these events. However, she did point out that 'things' occur in 3's, so another may be forthcoming.

If so - I'll let you know.


MY WONDERFUL "OLD" HAIR ACCESSORY






UPDATE:

Shortly after this post was written, "IT" happened again.  I was reading a book recommended by a friend, "Only Time Will Tell" - by Jeffrey Archer.  I was captivated by it, but it was Saturday and I had a few errands to run.

I needed to stop by the Book Barn, a used book store to find a book that would fit a decor theme, not anything to be read.  I was rushing thru the store as I had Spike in the car and I was anxious to get home to my book.  I found what I needed and as I was leaving the register, a man entered the store and asked, "Do you have any Jeffrey Archer books?" 

Admit it.  What are the odds of that happening ?

Happy 83rd Birthday Mom !!

Just When You Thought It Was ... It Isn't

During a visit with my youngest son, Nick, we were talking about cellphones. He said he had a story that would beat all ... and he did.

Nick cleans the kitchen hoods and exhaust systems for restaurants and hotels. It is a night job that is physically demanding and has many injury risks. Thank goodness ... this incident involved a phone, not a person.

Nick was on a ladder cleaning the hood inside a restaurant ... below him were deep fryers. Boiling HOT deep fat fryers full of cooking oil. As Nick was working, he heard a "splat" in the hot grease. He looked - and to his dismay he saw his work cellphone in the fryer ... in the hot grease. "This is going to be an expensive night." were his first thoughts. His employer has a clause that any damaged company phones will be paid for by the employee. This was at least $400.

Nick got down from the ladder - found a metal cooking utensil with which to get the phone out of the fryer. He cleaned off the grease with paper towels and set it aside until it fully cooled off. DAMN !!

Nick continued working until he was interrupted by a ringing phone. He looked, and sure enough, it was his deep-fried cellphone. It worked and has continued to work for over a year now ....

Thank goodness for small miracles and AT&T and Samsung.

Spring Cleaning

Nothing feels like a more perfect way to welcome warm weather than Spring Cleaning ! I've been trying to be a bit over-zealous in my efforts this year. Once on a roll ... it is best to keep up the momentum ... and so I have.

Last weekend, some friends welcomed my stash of sturdy wood furniture that I had been keeping for "sentimental value." But when sentimental value starts to consume space & energy (as in weekly dusting etc.) It is time to let go, which has actually proven much easier than I'd feared.

My vast collection of books is being broken down & slowly making an exit from my library onto the bookshelves of others. No need to store/collect that which can be borrowed from the public library.

The big old rocking chair that had taken up residence in my basement has been moved to the garage where it is getting a "facelift" after which it will grace my front porch and give Norland a more suitable place to nap in the sun.

Linen closet, clothes closet, garage, sewing room & kitchen ..... their loads will be lightened ... as will mine. Nothing clutters the mind & stifles the flow of energy more than STUFF .....

The Book About Me

I was online checking out a book recommended by a co-worker ... when I noticed in the margins of the web page ... the book Quiet. I was immediately drawn to the simple grey cover with red lettering.

The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

It was one of those moments that will remain in the mind's forefront for days or weeks ... like an unsettling dream. One of those moments that you know is life changing. And it has been.

NOW ~ when friends, acquaintances and family comment about my "anti-social" behavior ... or about my resistance to attend LOUD and crowded events/social gatherings ... or question a home with no TV or computer ... NOW I can point to 'something.' Point to this book and say "If you really want to know ... "

Will they ? Probably not. But hopefully - curiousity might prompt a quick visit to wikipedia.

Introverts do not require other people to stay mentally stimulated...as a matter of fact, people & noise over-stimulate the introvert - drain them of energy. Their own mind is capable of being very interesting just by virtue that it is allowed to observe and think and be creative without the noise and distractions of everyday life. Solitude. Peaceful. QUIET.

Yes, this book has been life altering. It is validation. It actually brings a smile to know I share lifestyle characteristics with great people like Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Beethoven, Richard Gere, Marilyn Monroe, Bach, .... just to name a few.

It looks like I am in good company ... but then again ... I find myself company enough. You get it, don't you Roger?

Pet 'Passages'



What a little ball of mischief ~

Glancing thru my photos reminded me of the transitions/life changes that have occurred in the feline members of my household.

July 23rd of last year, I was out enjoying a “girls day” with my friend “D” …. One commonality that brought us together was our love of cats, more specifically, black cats. The ‘cat-love-of-my-life’ Swampcat and “D”s cat, Minky, whose most notable characteristic is a severe overbite.

“D” and I both realized we needed cat food. At the time, Duri was the ‘King Cat’ of my household. “D” and I walked into Petsmart, when we became distracted by an adoption clinic. I immediately gravitated toward the black kittens. “D” said, “You cannot replace Swampcat, so forget the black ones.” She promptly pointed out a bold little tuxedo kitten who was determined someone was going to take him home. I was hesitant until “D” noted “He has your personality !” To that the “adoption lady” added that he was affectionate and had the traits of a great mouser. SOLD !

I paid my $75 and put the little guy in a box. Time to go home to introduce him to Spike and Duri.

I wanted to name him Roger after my dear friend …. but Roger made it clear that if we were to remain friends, the kitten would not be named after him. So – the next best name was Norland … after the street Roger and I lived on in Norfolk … Norland Circle.

Introductions did not go well. Duri wanted no part of Norland … Spike just looked at me with a “Did we really need another cat?” look.

As the weeks and months passed …. Duri grew to dislike Norland more and more each day. Spike grew to love Norland because Norland would gently groom Spike everyday, something that dear little dog loves.


Norland grew and grew and grew and grew. At 6 months, he was 12 pounds. Duri was holding fast at 6 pounds at 2 years of age. Norland figured this out and found great amusement in walking by Duri and knocking him over. The household was constantly filled with the sound of a “thud” followed by Duri’s hissing.

Then on January 9th of this year …. I came home from work, fed the critters, then Duri wanted to go out. Duri never came back. It was later discovered that 4 cats in the neighborhood had disappeared in a short period of weeks…. One found half eaten. A predator got Duri … probably a Fisher Cat or fox.

Regardless…. There is an emptiness in the house and the neighborhood …. Beautiful Duri is gone. Miss ya fella ~~

Duri