1. I'm reading a bunch of books, and finding it amazing how such varied ideas and stories rolling around in my head and in print seem to come together to make sense of so many things. I'm reading one book that I've purchased both in print and in hard copy just so I can immerse myself in it wherever I happen to be. I'm also perusing a "reader" book on someone who's thoughts I find interesting, but are way beyond the limits of my education and ability to understand. Yet I'm ever so slowly making wee bits of progress with it. Then there is Katherine Anne Porter's book "Ship of Fools" which is teaching me many things, as it seems we are all on our very own ship of fools these days. What amazes me is that I bought this book a year or two ago at a thrift store because it was a golden yellow color and I wanted it to adorn my fall themed mantel. You know, a golden yellow book to hold up a few pumpkins and such. It helped that the author was Katherine Anne Porter, someone I had at least heard of before. Anyway, this book is long and in places rather dull. But the theme of it is incredibly timely. And if you don't have time to read it, the 1965 black and white movie "Ship of Fools" is pretty good too. I rented it at Amazon.
2. We have finished one complete week of THGGM not working. It's been interesting. This is what he has accomplished so far:
a. ripped up carpet in the front entryway and hallway
b. painted the plywood floors (three coats of copper penny), just to see if that will work while we decide about more permanent flooring - or if it will even be necessary
c. unrolled, inspected, and cleaned a large section of carpet we moved with us 10 years ago, to find that yes, it is still in very good condition and will very soon go into our living room after he rips out that carpeting
d. brought home a section of white vinyl picket fencing to put as a visual barrier between the road and our side door
e. purchased a three piece set of white wicker furniture to put in the side yard up against the new fencing so people can sit and talk to him while he is on his porch swing.
f. restained most of our old pine furniture, dough bowls, wooden boxes, etc...
g. painted the outside roof over our bay window
h. trimmed bushes and shrubs
i. cleaned the garage
j. made plans to sell a lot of our acquisitions in a garage sale he hopes to have soon
k. just returned from grocery shopping, also put groceries away as I don't feel well
l. watched YouTube videos on how to paint floors, fix toilets, repair a clock, and replace the switch on our washing machine (which now only agitates if we place his bowling ball on the lid)
3. There is still a long list of things he PLANS to do, I know this because he showed it to me. I'll spare you. But it did look rather daunting to me
4. I feel like I've really accomplished something if I manage to load and unload the dishwasher each day and keep up on laundry. But, I HAVE also done a few things:
a. organized my jewelry, putting much of it in the "new" jewelry box I purchased about a year ago, sorted out all the bracelets I've been making, hung all my necklaces on an old tie wrack in the back of my closet
b. cleaned out my make-up drawer, which was oddly FULL, odd because I only ever use three of the things in that full drawer
c. cleaned half of one draw in my dresser, found many interesting things that distracted me from the task at hand
d. cleaned out the puzzle dresser, which is now my night stand. have about six puzzles to add to THGGM's garage sale, couldn't yet part with the dozens of other puzzles, although no child has touched one in the past six months
e. realized (AGAIN!) that I have a HUGE problem with getting rid of things that have even a shadow of sentimental value to me, and decided that I'll think about it tomorrow... (maybe)
5. Besides this, we've had the four oldest grand kids three days a week and have taken them twice to Meijer Gardens to roam around which has turned out to be fun for all of us.
6. Oh, and that pool I didn't ever want? It gets A LOT of use. I might have to change my mind about it after all.
7. Not much crafting has gone on here this summer. On the plus side, swimming in a pool, riding bikes, playing outside, makes considerably much less mess than crafting does. I keep thinking there will be a rainy day, or a day too hot to be outside, but so far this summer has been incredible weather-wise.
8. The OTHER list of accomplishments we are working on this month is getting all of our dental/medical appointments in so everything we need done can be done while we still have coverage, or, at least the coverage we are used to. Friday I went to the dentist, and on Monday I saw a specialist I've been waiting months to finally see. Nothing new on that front, just more appointments! It's good to cross things off lists though, isn't it?
9. Recently I have had to replace nearly all of my clothes. I'm making a point to get rid of what no longer fits (i do NOT have trouble getting rid of clothes) as I cannot allow myself to gain back any weight. No. Not going to do that. What I've learned through all of this is that there is no such thing as standards when it comes to sizes. Why IS that? I've been shopping sales, clearance, Ebay, and thrift stores and have found that the most accurate sizes come from Ebay, where the seller measures the actual item. There also needs to be truth in advertising. I would happily buy from a shop that sold clothes for only women who no matter how much weight they lose retain a fat matronly stomach. Give me time, and I'll think of the perfect name for such a store. Somehow "Fat-Matronly-Stomachs-R-Us doesn't have the right ring to it.
10. A week ago I determined that we could benefit from new curtains for our bedroom. The ones we had were very heavy, green, and went with nothing in that room. Just after that I found what I was looking for at a price of $20 per panel (i need four panels) but there was also a coupon! I DO like coupons. While I was still thinking about it, we happened into our favorite thrift store (imagine that!) and while I was looking at everything else in the store, THGGM looked at curtains. Well surprise, surprise! He found four panels of room-darkening curtains in the EXACT color I was looking for, and at the low low price of $12.00 for ALL FOUR OF THEM, plus, he had a full 20% off card to use on them. I really DO get excited about deals like that. And now the bedroom looks very nice again. Someday I might take a picture of them. It's what I do. Just not today, unless I can take the picture from my perch on the couch.
2. We have finished one complete week of THGGM not working. It's been interesting. This is what he has accomplished so far:a. ripped up carpet in the front entryway and hallway
b. painted the plywood floors (three coats of copper penny), just to see if that will work while we decide about more permanent flooring - or if it will even be necessary
c. unrolled, inspected, and cleaned a large section of carpet we moved with us 10 years ago, to find that yes, it is still in very good condition and will very soon go into our living room after he rips out that carpeting
d. brought home a section of white vinyl picket fencing to put as a visual barrier between the road and our side door
e. purchased a three piece set of white wicker furniture to put in the side yard up against the new fencing so people can sit and talk to him while he is on his porch swing.
f. restained most of our old pine furniture, dough bowls, wooden boxes, etc...
g. painted the outside roof over our bay window
h. trimmed bushes and shrubs
i. cleaned the garage
j. made plans to sell a lot of our acquisitions in a garage sale he hopes to have soon
k. just returned from grocery shopping, also put groceries away as I don't feel well
l. watched YouTube videos on how to paint floors, fix toilets, repair a clock, and replace the switch on our washing machine (which now only agitates if we place his bowling ball on the lid)
3. There is still a long list of things he PLANS to do, I know this because he showed it to me. I'll spare you. But it did look rather daunting to me
4. I feel like I've really accomplished something if I manage to load and unload the dishwasher each day and keep up on laundry. But, I HAVE also done a few things:
a. organized my jewelry, putting much of it in the "new" jewelry box I purchased about a year ago, sorted out all the bracelets I've been making, hung all my necklaces on an old tie wrack in the back of my closet
b. cleaned out my make-up drawer, which was oddly FULL, odd because I only ever use three of the things in that full drawer
c. cleaned half of one draw in my dresser, found many interesting things that distracted me from the task at hand
d. cleaned out the puzzle dresser, which is now my night stand. have about six puzzles to add to THGGM's garage sale, couldn't yet part with the dozens of other puzzles, although no child has touched one in the past six months
e. realized (AGAIN!) that I have a HUGE problem with getting rid of things that have even a shadow of sentimental value to me, and decided that I'll think about it tomorrow... (maybe)
5. Besides this, we've had the four oldest grand kids three days a week and have taken them twice to Meijer Gardens to roam around which has turned out to be fun for all of us.
6. Oh, and that pool I didn't ever want? It gets A LOT of use. I might have to change my mind about it after all.
7. Not much crafting has gone on here this summer. On the plus side, swimming in a pool, riding bikes, playing outside, makes considerably much less mess than crafting does. I keep thinking there will be a rainy day, or a day too hot to be outside, but so far this summer has been incredible weather-wise.
8. The OTHER list of accomplishments we are working on this month is getting all of our dental/medical appointments in so everything we need done can be done while we still have coverage, or, at least the coverage we are used to. Friday I went to the dentist, and on Monday I saw a specialist I've been waiting months to finally see. Nothing new on that front, just more appointments! It's good to cross things off lists though, isn't it?
9. Recently I have had to replace nearly all of my clothes. I'm making a point to get rid of what no longer fits (i do NOT have trouble getting rid of clothes) as I cannot allow myself to gain back any weight. No. Not going to do that. What I've learned through all of this is that there is no such thing as standards when it comes to sizes. Why IS that? I've been shopping sales, clearance, Ebay, and thrift stores and have found that the most accurate sizes come from Ebay, where the seller measures the actual item. There also needs to be truth in advertising. I would happily buy from a shop that sold clothes for only women who no matter how much weight they lose retain a fat matronly stomach. Give me time, and I'll think of the perfect name for such a store. Somehow "Fat-Matronly-Stomachs-R-Us doesn't have the right ring to it.
10. A week ago I determined that we could benefit from new curtains for our bedroom. The ones we had were very heavy, green, and went with nothing in that room. Just after that I found what I was looking for at a price of $20 per panel (i need four panels) but there was also a coupon! I DO like coupons. While I was still thinking about it, we happened into our favorite thrift store (imagine that!) and while I was looking at everything else in the store, THGGM looked at curtains. Well surprise, surprise! He found four panels of room-darkening curtains in the EXACT color I was looking for, and at the low low price of $12.00 for ALL FOUR OF THEM, plus, he had a full 20% off card to use on them. I really DO get excited about deals like that. And now the bedroom looks very nice again. Someday I might take a picture of them. It's what I do. Just not today, unless I can take the picture from my perch on the couch.
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3 comments:
wow Slow down. Save some of those projects for the dreary days of winter.
My husband retired in January. We have been in Wa condo for two years now. There is not much that needs to be done in a new condo. Thank goodness we both like to read. We are working our way through our togetherness. Just today I thought, I'd like to go shopping by myself for a change. Mostly it is all good.
Good for you on your weight loss. That is another of our together projects. We walk 3 miles every morning. While we are at decent weights now, I have to tell you that it is really hard keeping it off. I lose 2 lbs and the next day I find it! Never feel like we can eat normal meals anymore.
Let us know when THGGM has his garage sale. Maybe your discards can be my treasures. Marlyn
There is a clothing line that caters to older women with fat matronly stomachs. It's called SAG HARBOR. Get it? SAG???? I always thought that was a dumb name for a clothing line. Or what about the clothing store for women called Dress Barn. Hee Haw. What kind of clothes do they sell? Ones for fat pigs and cows?
I have a feeling that if you did the KonMari method of decluttering EVERYTHING would spark joy in your house!
Greetings from the UK. I enjoy reading novels.
Thank you. Love love, Andrew. Bye.
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