We've Got a Problem, Houston!

I didn't think of this! But...

During the school year, our two younger kids each have their own school computers. (Every student is issued a laptop when they go to that school) They have the same laptop year after year until they graduate. HOWEVER, when each school year ends, they have to turn their computer back in. It stays at the academy, waiting for them to return in the fall.

That doesn't seem like a big deal, except that means that they both want to use my laptop now. Their home computers are old and slow. So I share, they share, we share ONE computer.

HA!!! Needless to say, I see very little of it. And that makes it kinda hard to get my blotting done. Oh well!

Anyone got a couple extra MacBooks around that need "exercised" during the summer months? ;-)

My DROID phone works okay, but I'm powerful slow at typing with my thumbs. :-D LOL!!!

All is well! I'll really try to get some blog time tomorrow! I want to tell you about "The Plan".

Sunday Gratitudes and Linkies!

WHAT A FUN DAY!!! Today I had my second Glacier Star quilting class. AWESOME!!! 10am - 5 pm of pure bliss! The teacher is a kick! My classmates are doing such fun, beautiful projects! It's amazing how many variations on the same pattern you can get. Gillions, I'm guessing.

This is my wee traveling machine, Sewphy. She's a beaut. Tiny and easy to pack around and yet a real work horse. she may be vintage, but she just keeps on humming along. LOVElove!!

And here's a pic of the most frustrating block of the day. HA! Wonky flying geese. You'd think this was random and  loose? Not even close. I've got 7 more to finish. Yikes! At least I'm not freaked out over it this time. I get how it works and it'll go fast.

I'm loving how this quilt it coming together and I'm enjoying the extremely "tight" methods that I'm learning. Very precise, very exact. How can THAT be fun? I don't know but for me it simply IS!

So, today I'm grateful for this new learning curve. This new way of doing designs that I think up. I'm grateful to be learning something new. To be stretching and growing.

I'm grateful that my family is all back home again, safe and sound. Sid came back this morning, the kids and Ben came later this afternoon. When I got back from class at 5:30pm, they were all home. Sweet.

And I'm grateful for the quiet days that I had this last weekend. While I didn't get everything done on my list (HA!), I'm delighted with what did get done. I feel rested, centered and a bit more clear about where to go from here.

~~~~~~

Cool links?
-- If you haven't checked out Audible, do so! Make haste! ;-) So great! My three sisters and I gave our Dad a year worth of Audible books, one a month, for Father's Day. Happy Daddy's Day!!!
--Ellinee! Very creative people here...The main website is being upgraded, but it's the blog that makes me swoon! New freebies every Friday. Fun stuff. LoVe the tulips. (okay, I'll admit that I know Lia, the creative director... she's one of my amazing sisters. ;-D )
-- Nearly every day I find myself going back to one blog. I've tried to figure out why this one pulls me back time and time again. I dunno! I just love it! Amanda Soule is "SouleMama" that I follow on Fridays with the [this moment} idea. Her blog is filled with pictures of her growing family, their farm and their projects. Take a look!
-- Sister Dea sent me this link. HA!!! You'll really GET this, if you're a knitter. I don't want to admit how many of these I've said. ;-)
-- I'm not sure why this caught my eye, but it did... later this week, I'll show you what happened to my Oscar the Grouch T-shirt. ;-)
-- I'm not loving the decorations here, but painting and repurposing is a FAB idea! Take something ugly but useful and turn it into something cool? How COOL!
-- And this recipe? YUMmmmm!!!! I used green onions, parsley and mint from the garden...SO good! And uber-healthy! If you haven't tried Quinoa, do! (make SURE you rinse the grain!) I'll be using it often.

~~~~~~

Tomorrow, I've gotta come up with a written-down plan for health and well being. Stay tuned! ;-)

 

Solitude

After visiting with my new doctor on Wed. morning, I realized what I really wanted was to "be still and know". I longed for quiet and solitude, time to be apart, to rest, sort my thoughts, pray and read... HA!!! YEAHRIGHT!!! Dream ON, Baby, like THAT'S gonna happen! When!? How?! I mean REALLY???!!

On Wed. afternoon, Sid and I were going to join our two younger kids at UCA (Upper Columbia Academy) for a long weekend at the UCCSDA (Upper Columbia Conference of Seventh-day Adventists) annual campmeeting. That was the plan. (click on the links to see pics!)

But then...I realized that THIS was the perfect opportunity.

So, it happened. Ben went, as planned, to spend time with my sister, Lora and her family, Sid went up to UCA for campmeeting and I haven't gone out that front gate. Not once.

I've eaten good, healthy foods, drinking lots of water. Yesterday, I spent most of the morning getting fresh air and sunshine mingled with enough "exercise" in the yard and garden that my muscles were groaning last night.

Today has been quiet. Other than a brief visit from Daddy and a little later,"Your Daddy sent me over to have you do my hair"- a visit from my mom, I've been alone. I watched several church services on Blue Mt. TV and the campmeeting service that was live streamed over the internet. Other than that, it's been quiet. I've chosen to let the birds outside be the music. Quiet. Peaceful.

My sister, Deanna sent me a text asking, "Are you peaced out yet?" The answer is nope. I'm wallowing in it, like a happy piglet in a mud puddle. LOL!

Over the last week or so, I've stumbled over a two-part interview with Neal Nedley. Do you believe in Providence? ;-)  Stumbled? Really? I wasn't even looking! And then today, I found more!

Here's the links...
The first part of the interview was "Depression and Its Causes"
The second part was "Depression and Its Cures"
And then today, I found part of the interview that didn't make it into the above to programs. Found here.

HUgELY, MaJORly helpful to me. Amazing!!!! Watch them! Tell me what you think! I'd love to hear your opinion!

That spiky-haired guy with the funny accent doing the interview is a friend of ours. John was our pastor before It Is Written whisked him away. Thankfully, I can still hear him speak. (as a side note, he was one of the speakers at campmeeting that I just skipped... THANKFULLY, there was live streaming!!! I was able to hear his talks. HAPPY me!)

I think the other reason these interview are so extremely helpful to me is that this stuff that Nedley is talking about? ... I GET IT!!! I so get it! This stuff, the life style stuff, I started learning about in my mid-twenties. I know it, I understand it, I agree with it! While I would prefer (are you kidding!? Of course!) to go to Nedley's 10-day live-in program, the reality is that it's not gonna happen. But I can get started. I can listen to these interviews again. I can buy his books.

 In my mid-twenties, I started learning about this life style stuff. NEWSTART Homestyle, it was called. And over and over since then, I've taken classes and even helped with classes relating to this. I believe it, I understand it, I could teach it, write a book about it! And yet, LOOK AT ME!!!?! Look at me.

















 5'6"and 255lbs


Is this a happy face? By the BMI calculator, I am morbidly obese. Stressed, depressed, and with various (minor, thankfully!) other maladies. HELLO!!! Me thinks this smacks of "physician, heal thyself"! What good does knowledge and belief do without it WORKING and being WORKED in my life? There's a question!

In the 12-step programs, they talk about hitting the bottom and then finding recovery.  Oh LORD! Please don't let there be a bottomer-bottom than this one.

"Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]." Hebrews 12:2 Amplified Bible (AMP)

ONWARD!!!! Yes! And upward! 

I think I'll go for a walk now. 

{this moment}

Following the lead of SouleMama... {this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Walkabout

Whoa! It's Thursday already! Wait! Thursday is nearly spent!

The last couple days were excruciating. After my Monday quilty posting, feathers hit the fan.

I pretty much came unhinged over something or other (not getting into specific here) that was happening within my domain and I lost it.

After being a wife and mother for nearly 35 and 30 years, respectively... you'd think I'd pretty much experienced it all, right? Somehow, I guess I believed that. I mean... a husband, four kids, pets, home and all that goes with that picture... I even have the picket fence!!! (which, incidentally, I love!) But alas, it is not so. This week I hit a WALL. I crash hard and was reduced to a puddle of tears and... well, it wasn't pretty. Feathers everywhere,

I guess it started Monday morning. Yes. Something happened (again, no specifics) and I blew a gasket. I know my memory is getting rusty, but I don't remember ever going off this... dynamically? LOL! No one was hurt (physically), no one even witnessed the...temper tantrum (thankfully) Some heard it and they all  saw the resulting fire wood. Aurgh.

I'm not NOT  N O T writing this because I'm proud of myself. Not even. Hardly. I've rarely been more mortified, more humiliated. And more terrified of the rage that could come out of me, to feel that level of "heat" inside my body. Yowsers!

Monday evening, another something occurred. This time, instead of breaking something (or someone) I went for a walk. A rather LONG walk.  A walkabout would be closer. As near as I can figure, it was about 7 miles? And that for a fat, old Momma? Ouch!

Around midnight I fell into bed exhausted. Still teary, discouraged, depressed. Hopeless. But I slept. I was TIRED.

Woke up on Tues. morning, stayed in bed. Slept off and on for most of the morning. Still teary, discouraged, depressed. I wanted to be alone, be left alone. I didn't want to talk to anyone. I  needed time to sort. To process the happenings before saying talking to anyone. But...

My beloved family was home, actively "outside the door" and I knew that if I tried to go on a wee walkabout, they'd wanna stop me and talk and... I just couldn't do it. I just couldn't. So... (I am SO not proud of this) I climbed out my bedroom window and went on another walk!

See what I mean? I came unglued! I was unhinged. My family was WORRIED!!!

This second walk was shorter, less that 3 miles. I was still tired and sore from the day before. I discovered later that I had big ol' blisters on the pads of both of my feet. I was a mess.

HOWEVER!!! There were few good perks to a walkabout. Even for a fat old lady. ;-) Those perks are that I got hefty doses of half of the "eight natural remedies". Sunshine, fresh air, exercise and water. (if you have a water bottle and I did, both times)

The walking left me exhausted of body, but clearer of mind and lighter of spirit. Nothing was solved...in fact, the way I handled the situation made things worse, I'm sure. But, it is what it is. We can go from here.

Wednesday morning, I had a previously scheduled doctors appointment. Perfect timing. Sid gave me a list of concerns to talk over with the doc and off I went.

The bottom line?

"There is nothing wrong with me!"

HA! Okay, I'm not off my rocker. But, I'm totally menopausal. (admit it and figure it out) 

I am juggling a few too many FULL "plates" (some by choice, other not), inevitably a plates going to slip through my fingers,  breaking into a gillion pieces. What can be done about those plates?

Back I go on my "Happy Pills" with a commitment to stay on them and reevaluate around the new year. (Seriously? The holidays?! LOL! Okay, whatever.)

AND I'm working on a sanity plan. What now? AND I have another doctors appointment next Tuesday.

That all sound good. But we'll see, right?

This afternoon I was browsing on Pinterest and I came across this quote.

"Never be afraid to fall apart because it is an opportunity to rebuild yourself the way you wish you had been all along." - Rae Smith

I read that and a truth started to sink in. This last couple days was a PAINFILLED experience. Run from pain. Make it stop! Take it away! NO PAIN!!! But, the sensation of pain can be a good thing. Falling apart can be a good thing. Pain tells you that something is WRONG! Falling apart is a reaction the the pain. Something IS wrong. Actually, lots of things are wrong. This week got my attention. POWERFULLY!! I'm awake. I can SEE what's wrong. (at least partially) That's a GOOD thing. I fell apart. I survived. And now...?

Where the above quote falls apart, in my opinion, is that I already know that I don't have what it takes to "rebuild" myself. I know what I want my life to be like. I think I know, at least in part, what God wants my life to be like... but I already know I can't get there from here. That'd be like... that'd be like me going outside right now, aiming myself toward the moon and then flapping my arms wildly to get there. Ain't happenin'! All the wishful thinking in the world ain't gonna make it happen.

So, this is gonna be about God stuff. Pure and simple. I can't. He can. I choose to let Him. AND! I know, from past experience, that He'll DO IT in me and for me, PROVIDING I choose.

That's all. A choice. Can it really be that simple. I guess we'll see, huh?

ONWARD!!!

Quickly, rather in passing, the belated Money Matters. I'm only $135 in the RED now. That may be altered before next week in a negative way... But the progress is steady and sure. ONWARD indeed!

More tales of the fat, hopeful MommaNut tomorrow, huh? HA!!!

Hasta la vista! ;-)

Monday Madness

For the last couple day, I've been rather manic about one of my projects.

This project is part of a monthly class that I signed up for at our local quilt guild. The pattern is SOOoooo BEAUTIFUL! It's Judy Niemeyer's Glacier Star

 I decided to make this quilt in honor of our 35th wedding anniversary that is coming up in August. It will NOT be done by then but... it'll be well started. OH! And I'll not just do this wee little 60"X60" model. Nope. I'm doing the extended version that will make it big enough for our queen-size bed. Oy.

When I signed up I was given the first set of instructions telling what I'd need to buy and assemble before the first class. Okay, let's do it. There were a whole bunch of things on the list. Most of which I had already. Good! And then the fabric. You need this much of this fabric and this much of that one and... well, that's part of the reason my budget went so far into the RED. Aurgh. But that part is SO fun! 

 Now, I consider myself a relatively advanced seamstress and quilter. I can do most everything with a sewing machine and fabric, no prob. The pattern is done using foundation paper piecing, a technique I've only dabbled in & that was years ago, so I was really excited!

Our first class was on Mother's day. (the next is on Father's day. At least it's equitable, huh? LOL!)

But OHMYWORD!!! That first class was a BEAR!!! I thought I was gonna DIE. I'm pretty sure I was the class idiot. To be sure, I kept making more and more stupid mistakes. Frustrating! (what's that verse about pride going before a fall? :-p )

The teacher is very kind, patient and helpful. She bailed me out of all my scrapes and showed me how to bail out myself later. (Good tricks!) And like most teachers, she sent us home with homework. Rough cut all your fabrics as per the instructions and finish the rest of the 8 Unit E blocks (I only finished 2 in class) and the rest of of the 8 Unit S blocks (I did ONE in class! This is what it looks like from the side you stitch on. AURGH!!!)

Over the course of the last few weeks, I messed up even more. While I was doing the rough cutting I butchered one piece of fabric...oh well, I have enough... and then butchered it again. NOOO!!! Out to Joann Fabrics again. Didn't have THAT print. And wouldn't you know it, that was the print that I'd used in the two Unit E blocks that I'd finished in class. SWITCH-O-CHANGE-O

Those two blocks are a waste. I had to start over. Pooh! But the good thing? And there IS a good thing. I really like the new fabric that I bought to replace the butchered one better! Lots better! Other then those two lost blocks. FABULOUS!

I found out from the teacher how much more fabric I'd need of a few of my prints to make the extended size. Well, I had all that I needed of all but two of the pieces. And of those, I would need to get more. The dark espresso brown is here at a local quilt store. (No, I haven't gone to get it yet. Praying that it will work out, ya know!?) The other I bought at a Joann Fabrics in Spokane. Fabric can MOVE out of those stores! I was nervous. And rightly so... Long story short... I went to 5 different Joann's and NONE of them had that particular print. Okay, Switch-o-chang-o again. And, thankfully, again I like this new fabric MUCH better! In fact, I LOVE this one. It goes with the other prints so much better!

The replacement prints are pictured above with the others. The sand looking tan on the top row right end and the gold leafy print (LOVE) next to the floral focus fabric. I just love all these fabrics. I swoon every time I see them. SWOON!!!

Yesterday, I got in a panic. Father's day is coming up! I want to do this quilt, I really do! And, while I have finished the cutting part of the homework, the piecing part?... NOT!!! And remember! I now have 16 blocks to figure out and finish! Woe is ME!!!!

I set to it. Focus. Sticking to it. Paying attention to what I was doing, and paying attention to the written instructions (but only when needed! LOL!)  Before noon today...

I GOT IT DONE!!!! All my rough cutting is finished, stacked by the week the pieces will be needed and bagged!

All the Unit E (the big ones) and Unit S (the little ones) blocks are finished.

HAPPYDANCING!!!! And you know what? It really wasn't that hard. I think I might have been freaked out for nothing. Could that be? ;-)

Now, I need to start planning and packing for the rest of the week. On Tuesday, the younger kids head up to to Spokane to work at their school for a week. On Wednesday, Sid and I will join them there because it's CAMPMEETING time! Two of my favorite speakers will be speaking and I can hardly wait! Our 2nd son will be "vacationing" in Pendleton with my sister and her family.

Planning and packing! I'd better get off here and get busy! ONWARD!!!!!

GRATITUDES and cool linkies!

OHMY!!! Gratitudes! I was thinking of a list of things I am grateful for. But I went to bed and woke up with... well, there's a gratitude story that needs to be told.

On Friday, I posted on Facebook this picture. This handsome man is my knight-in-shining-armor, Sid. And he's doing his knightly best...Oh! Wait! The story that goes with the picture? Sorry! I got caught in a swoon! ;-)

On Friday afternoon my washing machine started JUMPING across the laundry room floor, kathunk-KAthunk-KATHUNK-KATHUNKKATHUNKKATHUNKKATHUNKKATHUNKKATHUNK. Water was pouring out from under the washer somewhere and I hollered for Sid. He came running.

Well, my Sidney IS the best fixer I know. If something's broken, he can fix it. Except once in a while... and this time, with this 15 year old, rode-hard-and-put-away-wet washer that has been fixed and fixed and FIXED and is basically held together with bungee cords and bailin' wire... he couldn't fix it. He ordered a part and we relaxed into the Sabbath hours. Frustrated, but oh well, it'll work out. Again.

Off and on through the day yesterday I caught myself worrying on it. That pile of laundry! The upcoming week with no clean clothes? A trip to the laundromat? Ugh!!! Oh me!

About 3pm, my phone ticked the quiet little sound that let's me know that I've got a new email. It was from "angeldust", a Freecycle message. Subject line - "Offer: Washing Machine". I popped UP out of my afternoon daze and read the entire message.  OHMYWORD!!! I zipped off an email to angeldust.

After sundown, Sid called angeldust's husband and then went to get the washer. 

Want to SEE what happened? It's a 2005 Kenmore Washer! FREE!!!! (Everything on Freecycle is free!)

Everything on it is lovely and "new". Everything came with it, the hoses, all the paperwork that comes with a new machine... And it works, sorta... the shocks are toasted, needs repair.

This morning I woke up and found that at 1:30am, while I was dead asleep, Sid sent me this email.
~~~

Broken shock repaired

New set ordered

Washer leveled

I ran an empty load with soap and bleach

Everything seems to work perfect, and quiet

God is good
~~~

Indeed! YES INDEED!!!

And THAT is my tippy-top HAPPYHAPPY gratitude this morning. :-D

AND!!!! I'm also grateful to have our youngest two kids home for a few days.

Last night, the three of us had our first business meeting (more on that later) at the island in the kitchen. I was sitting in the middle with Jess on my left and Matt on my right.  Each working on their part, the part that they are most gifted in... I just sat there and melted. I'm so grateful for these to wonderful beings and that they are here, blessing my days. I love you, Matthew and Jessica!

One more gratitude. I'm sooooooo grateful for SUNSHINE!!! After days of rain, soggy and wet, the sun is out! No rain in the forecast! YIPPEEEE!!!!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Those Cool LINKIES!!!

--At the top of my list today! FREECYCLE!!!
--For saving websites, pictures and ideas that you find online...Pinterest is hard to beat. You can find my boards here. I add more goodies to my boards every day.
--CLUCK!!! Too funny! Ready to visit Cluckingham Palace, to be sure!
--This mom rocked my world this week. Amazing! I'm inspired.
--Great idea! We need to DO this (and then DO that! LOL!)
--I love color! Lots of colors. And this site keeps me coming back, again and again. Pure, simple and very colorful! Inspiring!
--A spin-off of an old sign... but it works for me! ;-)
--Reading Daniel's book "Drive"... this video is an visual tid-bit.
--LOVE! Such beauty and magic! Amazing.
--Aren't these cute! And so practical! Must make some!
--Making this recipe today. YUM!
--Made this recipe yesterday. If I hadn't over-baked it beyond recognition... it was great!
--And last but not least...Happy. I've only begun to collect pictures of happy faces. ;-D

Here's to a new week, loaded to the brim with possibilities and promise.

ONWARD!!!!

Sabbath

I know, I know! I'm a day late! LOL! I DID write it yesterday and that counts, right? Today I'll edit and get it posted. Better hurry, too, because my Sunday post is on the tip of my fingers. HA!
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Saturday posts are on the spiritual side of my life. Where to start? There's a question.

I'll start with what I'm solid on. Many things are wobbly but these are rooted DEEP.

I believe in God, the Trinity (Father, Son Jesus and Holy Spirit).

I believe that God is personal and that He LOVES me and cares about every little thing in my world (and yours). Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so...

I believe that I can talk to Him any place, any time because He's omnipresent. Everywhere at once.

I can talk to Him like I talked to a friend, only it's MUCHO better. I don't have to speak out loud, I can just think it and He can hear me. Pretty sci-fi? ;-) And the best part about talking to God? Unlike a human friend, He totally gets where I'm coming from! He knows my motives, my history, everything. He's a sure thing!

I'm not much into judgement. I'm really uncomfortable judging my fellow humans on their choices and behaviors. HOWEVER, I do catch myself doing the deed. And when I do? Aurgh. ErRrrch! Back off that fast. How do I know what's going on, what the history is, etc? I need to back up and pay attention to keeping my own boat afloat. Live and let live.

I'm not militant about (much of) anything. I'm pretty much a peace&love loving hippy child.

I'm not much interested in proselytizing. So, rest easy if that was worrying you.

I have a deep desire to learn and grow in this area of my life.

I want to be ever keenly aware of the constant companionship with the God of my understanding. Every breath I breathe.

And I cling to the belief that He can save me from myself and work out the changes needed with my defects of character.

Here, in this place, this place with the possibility of being EXTREMEMLY, I'll share my weekly spiritual travels. It's good.

ONWARD!!!!

{this moment}

I'm joining SouleMama in {this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Stitch Markers

I love to knit! While there are moments when it's not much fun, generally speaking, I find knitting to be a pleasant relaxing, moderately absorbing way to occupy my "down" time. AND it's productive. At some point, there IS a product to show for my efforts.

Here's a picture of my current knitting project.

It's a fancier-type of dish cloth than I usually would knit... It's one of a series of patterns from a class I joined in our local lace makers guild. I already know how to do the stitches, etc. ... nothing new (at least yet), it's good practice, an easy & fun knit and...well, you can never have too many dish clothes, right?

See those little turquoise balls? Those are stitch markers. (Real turquoise. LOVE them.)

And, here's the chart/pattern that I'm following. "Repeat between lines 2 times." I put a stitch marker at the beginning of each repeat. On the chart, each square is represents a stitch. The different symbols inside the square indicate different types of stitches and where they need to happen. 

When I started knitting, I scoffed at the idea of using stitch markers. I have a brain! A good brain! I don't need stitch markers! Well, after I'd had a few easy project under my belt, I ventured into charted territory, more complicated work and I learned that stitch markers are essential and FANTABULOUS!!! Now I adore my stitch markers. They help me follow the pattern and not get lost. I can be part of a conversation on knit night and (usually) knit along mistake free.

A few years ago, I was working on a huge round doily-like afghan...big, lacey and complicated. I used DOZENS of markers. Without them, I got lost, made horrible mistakes and spent an inordinate amount of time TINKING (tink=knit spelled backwards, means un-knitting. Hate tinking!). Endless frustration is avoided by using my markers. Hurray for stitch markers!!!

This is a little box of markers that I keep in my knitting bag. Most are favorites that I've made.  That white marble one was a gift from a friend. A mix of colors and sizes. Useful, fun and pretty. 

This morning, it occurred to me that stitch markers are a lot like blogging. If I trade my knitting needles for my dear, old MacBook Pro (which was a gift from my dad, who got it from my niece, who got it from my sister, who used it for her graphic design business until she upgraded... I LOVE upgrading! The trickle-down is so sweet!) and set to work on... well...

Like the stitch markers, blogging helps me to stay focused on a plan, or any number of plans. Plans, patterns... same thing. Blogging moves along with you just like the stitch markers. Each day, like each knitted row... you move along. On with the next part of the pattern, repeat or plan. On I go toward a finished project or a goal that I'm working toward. Blogging marks the changes, the progress, the journey.

And by marking my journey, I'm less likely to go along nilly-willy, unmindful. The very act of blogging, with it's pictures, thoughts and words makes me to sit up and take notice! Just like with those knitting markers, "Hey Arline! Did ya see THIS!? Did you think about this?" A flag, a marker, a blog post... Keeping track. Paying attention to the joy, beauty, happiness, and pure bliss. Noting the pricks and pain, of course, they're nearly impossible to ignored. But focus. Pay attention. Live life and savor it all.

So, this is the purpose for my blog. I choose to be here often. Daily. With a loose schedule of topics. All subject to change and/or modification, of course! ;-D

Here's how it'll look.


Sunday - Gratitudes & fun links that I found throughout the last week.
Monday, Tuesday & Thursday - Family, friends, the farm and FUN.
Wednesday - Money matters and other goal-type accountability (more on that later)
Friday - I'm joining Amanda Soule with her blogs {this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
Saturday -  I want to focus on the spiritual. That should be interesting! ;-)
 

So, ONWARD! Let the knitting blogging begin! Gotta love those "stitch markers"!!!

De Plan! De Plan!!!

Okay, that subject line shows my age. HA! Unless you are OLD enough to have seen "Fantasy Island", you won't get it.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy_Island  ;-)

The plan is working! It's bloody hard to go from a whopping $200/week down to $100, but... I've-done-it-before-I-can-do-it-again! And... (no, that should be AND) I am never going to bury myself in the red again. Not willfully. Ever. I'm done with low living. The joy of the spend is not nearly as sweet as the glory of BLACK at the end of the week. (more on that "end of the week" thing in a minute)

Pulling-up-my-big-girl-panties... (there's a picture...BLEeech!)

I've got a whopping $16.44 to spend for the rest of this week. Most of my money is gone already! WAHHH!!!! First there was fabric that I needed (you can question that, I can justify it but... whatever) to buy for our 35th anniversary quilt and then... I ordered a book from a gal in my lace group months ago. Last night she showed up with it and... POOF!!! There went another chunk. It's okay. It's going to be okay. (My mantra for this week. LOL!)

BUT, the RED, if I can tow the line until next Wed. is better at $250.00. $100 a week... one week at a time... I can make this work. I've-done-it-before-I-can-do-it-again! But never again. Never again.

OH! Wait! I forgot, I have a bit of change in my purse! LOL! $16.44 + $4.48 = $20.92!!!! YIPPIE!!! I'm FLUSH!!! LOL! Happy me! Heehee! Life is GOOD!

Since I first decided to blog my journey toward the black and beyond, I figured out that it would be better addressed on Wednesday rather than Monday. Wednesday, you see, is PAYDAY!!!! Blogging money matters on Wednesday makes a lot more sense than doing it on Monday when I'm still clueless what the outcome will be! Okay? Okay. Wednesday it is. I'm not sure why that didn't occur to me before but ohwell! Onward!

I've been giving some thought a lot this last week about what future blogging I'd like to do. I'd like to do a topic for each day of the week. If Wednesday is about money, what days shall I choose to blog about health of body, well being of soul, my current creative endeavors, family life, etc. If I get a schedule figured out, maybe there can be a happy routine that works? (Okay, that's just TOO weird! Me thinking about happy and routine in the same sentence? Check my temperature!!!! HA!!!)

More on THAT tomorrow! ;-)

Frugality Challenge

Today, I'm beginning something that is seemingly impossible. And yet... I know I can do it. It'll be tough but, I AM tough.

My spending has been way out of control. All is relative, I know but, my budget is in the red big time. My beloved husband, our families Chief Financial Officer, is seeing red, which causes my gut, shame-level and temper to flare. Ugh, all around.

At this moment, this Monday, May 28th, 2012, my tally is -$450.14 in the red, obviously!

The budget line item with my name on it is allotted to provide anything needed for running the house (light bulbs, soap, TP, etc.), all things edibles and anything left is for me to play with. It's always tight. And more often than not, it's not close to enough. (Play is more important than staying within the budget, isn't it? ;-)) So, before I go to the CFO, asking for a budget increase, I need to work hard at making it work. After giving it an honest effort, over a couple months... I'll make an appointment with the CFO. Maybe. Maybe it is enough.

So, my challenge is to absolutely minimize spending. Only spend money on what is non-negotiable.

Our pantry and freezers are pretty plumped up. Fresh stuff may become an issue but the garden is coming on so... we'll see.

There is a quilting class that I've signed up for on Father's day. It's $35 and that's happening.

As other non-negotiables come to mind (and stick), I'll post them here.

I'm keeping track of every dime that departs from my pocket. Each Monday morning, I'll post my weekly tally.

My goal is $1000 in savings. $1000 solidly black. I've got a piece to go. LOL! $1450.14, to be exact.

I saw this quote on Pinterest... "He who buys what he does not need, steals from himself." Swedish Proverb

Today, I look around me and see that my life is filled with what I do not need. Put that thief in jail! ;-)

ONWARD!!!!! 

How does one KEEP UP!?

LOL! I've been having all together too much fun. Projects, lots of projects. In the last month... let me see... a cute little beret/tam hat for my Mom for her birthday, two pairs of fingerless gloves for my son and daughter-in-law, a really sweet scarf/shawl for my sister... all birthday gifts (one seriously belated but... ohwell!) AND a pair of socks for myself. OY!!!!

Yes, indeed! How do I keep up! HA! Too much fun, indeed.

I'm up in the middle of the night... I just finished the little scarf/shawl and then got it blocking. It needs to be IN the mail Thurs. and that should give it enough time. Hope so.

Next, finish my monkey socks. I want to get those monkeys off my back! LOL! Funny, last time I worked on them, I was totally bejumbled about how to knit them (I made some fairly major modifications) I was so befuddled that I couldn't continue and they got shoved to the back burner. When I pulled them out again the other day, it seemed SO EASY. LOL! Let's see if they are or not, shall we?

Pictures. I promise, pictures will be coming.

One thing for sure, if I don't go to bed, I will be totally worthless in the morning!

Did I mention the artisan bread that I'm playing at making? OY!!! Another bunch of fun! I'll tell you about it another time.

To bed! NOW!!! (it's 2:30am! HA!)