Organizing the house

 Organization has never been my strong suit.  I always have the best of intentions, but my follow through stinks.  I get easily overwhelmed and decide to put things off until later.  And, as I look around my house, I realize that I keep creating more piles of stuff here and there. Now, the piles are organized into categories so I suppose that's something.  But, no.  That's just an excuse.  In my head, I know that I do better when things are organized.  I'm more relaxed and I spend less time looking for things because I know exactly where they are.  

One thing that I have come to realize about this entire process is that I can't do it all right now.  I do not need to expect organizing things to be immediate.  I take on too much and, like I said before, get overwhelmed and walk away.  What I need to do is focus on one thing to get organized.  I believe that if I work on it that way, I will actually get it done.  

So, with that in mind, it's time to choose what I need to get organized first.  There are so many choices!!  Scary, isn't it?  And being a sentimental person does not help either.  I like to keep things that bring back wonderful memories.  There is NOTHING wrong with that either.  We live in a world that always seems to be about down sizing and "Less is More".  That works for some people but not for me.  I like my stuff.  I just let it get in my way sometimes.  I recently went through a box of papers from my adolescence and loved looking at all of it.  I don't want to throw it out.  I will leave that job to someone else after I'm gone.  And I apologize ahead of time for that LOL.  

As I look around at everything that needs organizing, I also need to take into account the costs of organizing.  Somethings are going to require storage bins of some kind, such as for the papers I just mentioned.  Somethings are going to need some kind of shelving such as my record collection.  I will be on the hunt for good bargains to obtain these items and will work on organizing based on that.  Maybe that's where I should start.  Who knows LOL

But I'm going to enjoy this process because I know that the outcome will be so beneficial to my mental health.  And the house will look better.  

That is all.

Keeping Up With Things

 

I'm learning in my journey through life that keeping up with things is an important aspect of being an adult.  Now, when I talk about keeping up with things, I am referring to my life.  I am not talking about news and current events.  I will admit that I don't really keep up with those because it's just too damn depressing.  I know that I should, but I don't.  Anyway, that's fodder for another blog.  I'm talking about keeping up with myself right now and things like bills and car maintenance and such.  Sometimes I find myself even being ahead of things and that's an awesome feeling as well.

I was thinking about this morning as I sat at the mechanic's, waiting on my car to get inspected.  I had added a possible tune up to my appointment just to make sure that everything is running properly.  As it turns out, I did not need any kind of tune up.  I have been keeping up, with guidance from my garage, with everything my car needs.  I was prepared to put any repairs needed onto my car credit card but it ends up I only had to pay for the inspection because everything else was up to date.  I have to admit that was an awesome feeling.  And it took a load off my shoulders.  It was a lot of money that I did not have to spend because I've been keeping up with the car like I should.

And with my bills, I have started paying them...usually...well in advance of their due date.  I do this because I have to budget right now and that is fine.  I don't find myself scraping like I used to because I am paying attention and staying on top of things.  Sometimes I do get forgetful about things and pay the bills on their due date, but I have not had to pay a bill late in a very long time. It's nice to have the feeling of accomplishment simply because I am able to manage my money better by paying attention and keeping up with the due dates.  The little things here, people!

Now, I want to work on keeping up with my house better.  I do ok and circumstances right now with Squirt keep some things at bay rather than on a regular basis.  But I work hard during the week and I want my weekends to be about me.  In order to do that, I need to keep up with my household duties more during the week.  Growing up, Saturday mornings were always for chores....after cartoons and cereal.  I think I can manage doing some of that, but I'd like to have my Saturdays freer than they are now, so I gotta get it in gear during the week.  We shall see.

There is a definite feeling of relief that comes with staying on top of things.  I am enjoying this side of myself and proud that I am able to do it.  It has greatly reduced my stress levels and gives me a realistic outlook of the possibilities.  Yay!

That is all. 

Showtunes Friends

 I had a chat last night with a friend about showtunes.  He asked me to share some with him as he missed having that in his life on a regular basis.  We went to college together (my first time around) and I told him how much I missed that too.  I miss having someone to share that kind of music with.  It helped keep me up to date on current shows.  I am so far behind on anything that's come along in the past 20 years as far as theatre goes.  And one of the main reasons for that is I don't have anything in my immediate circle to share it with.  Now, I will say that Lois and I will sometimes listen to showtunes when we have our Sunday porch times, but that's as background music.  I'm talking about sitting and listening intensely to this music.  Sharing specific songs with each other.  And, nowadays, that would also include videos as well since they are so readily available.

It was a fun part of my life that I am ready to get back.  Maybe I need to get involved in a theatrical circle here locally and I could find some music friends there.  Either way, I would love to explore some music with people.  Discover new (to me) pieces and revisit the classics.  Back in the day I could call someone up because I'd just gotten the latest cast album on cd and they would be just as excited as I was.  Several times we had listening parties and a bunch of us just sat around and drank and listened to showtunes.  Those were good times.  I want that again.  

So, if you want to listen to some theatre music, hit me up.  I'm more than ready!!

Fears of being a student

 When I went back to school in 2014 to get my undergraduate degree, I was very excited but also very apprehensive about it.  I was worried that things had changed too much in the decades that I had been in the workforce that I would not be able to keep up with everyone else.  Luckily, I was wrong.  I did just fine.  My classes were mostly in person, with a few online and that worked out well.  But for the first semester, it was always in the back of my head that I might not be able to do it.  But, again, those fears never came to fruition.  And the further I got in my education, the better I got at being a student again.

Coming into this graduate program, I had that same fear about  not being able to keep up.  This time, though, it wasn't because of the length of time in between degrees.  It was because this degree is entirely online.  I looked at it as a challenge.  I knew I was up for the challenge but it did scare me some because I am not, and I have said this before, the most technology savvy person in the world.  I made it through and did well.  I was/am proud of all that I accomplished my first semester.

I am looking forward to my summer break.  It's been a hard year so far, in good and bad ways, and I could use some time just to not be focused.  But earlier today, I did have that fear creep up again.  Will I forget how to be a student over my summer break?  It sounds like an essay I might have written in middle school.  LOL.  I know that it's all in my mind and once the semester begins in the fall, I will be fine.  The anticipation of it is what stresses me out sometimes.  So, I just need to let that go.  I've worked hard and I'm good student.  Taking a few months off will not change that.  I will not give myself more than I can handle because life is too short for that sort of thing.  Ah, well.  Just rambling today about my educational worries.  It's good for me to get them out.  That is all.

Prayer of St. Francis

 I remember singing this in youth choir at FBC in Monroe.  Such a beautiful hymn and an even more beautiful message.  I think this prayer, more than any other, exemplifies what this world needs right now.  Its words are powerful.  Let the words sink in and guide us all.

Quote of the Week

 As I sat this afternoon going through photos and writings and letters that belonged to my Great Aunt Billie, it made me rediscover my love for family history.  Billie has no direct descendants.  Her only child, a son called QB (Quincy Belle Jr.) died unexpectedly in the early 60s.  He was only in his early 30s.  There are so many wonderful pictures of him in this collection.  Pictures that could potentially go unnoticed because most of the family doesn't know him.  They know his name, but that's about all.  I don't want my family's legacy to disappear.  There are important stories to be told and handed down.  I have no descendants.  And even though I don't have much of a legacy to leave right now, I definitely do not want to be forgotten.  That is all.

Excited About Cleaning Products

 These days, I am finding myself getting excited about cleaning products.  I think it may because the end result from using said products is very self satisfying and I will take all of that I can get!  It reminds of Christmas when I would receive a gift of a new set of cookware or something else for the house.  Put that under the tree anytime and I will be totally satisfied!  Anyway, now that I'm doing...or at least trying to do...more cleaning on my own, I am always on the look out for new products and also revisiting old ones.

One of my coworkers told me about this paste called "The Pink Stuff".  She uses it all the time and it's good for most all surfaces.  And I definitely need that, especially in places like the shower.  Admittedly, I'm not good about cleaning my shower on a regular basis and I totally have to get over that...but that's a story for another time.  Anyway, I trust Bowanna (my coworker) especially when it comes to cleaning.  She's always cleaning something, either at home or at work. So, I bought a small container of The Pink Stuff.  It sat under my sink for a few weeks and then, yesterday, I decided to give it a try.  Not in the shower, but on my stove top.  Cleaning my stove top just happened to be on my Saturday list, so there you go.  Let me tell you, this stuff is great!  It did not take much paste to get the job done and the stove top looks fantastic.  Well, it looks fantastic to me, but it will need regular cleanings to keep up.  I can do that, right?  Hmmmmm I see another list in my future LOL  So, check that one out!

I also treated myself to a new mop and absolutely love it!  Most of you know that I have an elderly dog and frankly, he pees a lot.  I try my best to clean up after him but it's a constant job.  Michael had gotten us a steamer for the floors years ago and, while it works well, it doesn't always take care of things as much as I'd like.  Sometimes, after using it, the kitchen just smells like hot piss.  Oh well.  I don't mean to sound unsanitary, but that's life with an elderly dog and I would NOT have it any other way right now.  Anyhow, a new mop was in order and Bowanna, again, gave me this recommendation.  It's so easy to use and did a great job.  The hardest part of it was emptying out the bucket when I was done.  Luckily the bath tub is big enough that I can dump it all out without having dirty water all over the floor. Another score for cleaning!

I also bought some rug deodorizer for the living room rug.  Same reason, but again, I'm taking care of it as best I can.  This was also extremely easy to use.  The smell is reminiscent of baby powder, but that's fine with me.  I don't mind at all.  And it worked.  I think I may need to use it on a more regular basis because Squirt's been peeing on pads on that rug for awhile now, but yes it definitely works.

And now that Michael has his own apartment, I have been able to start using Pledge again.  I do enjoy a nice furniture polish!  It's citrus scented and I love the smell of it.  It does a fantastic job of making the furniture look better and takes away so much dust!  Michael has a hard time with artificial smells and I could never use it.  Now that he's not here, I can and I love it.  The only problem is that it can be very slick.  I was polishing a drop leaf table and some of the Pledge got on the floor.  Let me tell you, every time I walked on that section of the floor I had to be careful or I'd slip and fall!  

So, it seems like the older I get, the more I am enthralled with a new cleaning product!  Or revisiting a beloved one from years ago LOL  Now I want to search for a good toilet bowl cleaner! It's the little things that matter right now.  And I'll take that!  

That is all.

The Green Checkered Tea Set

 

For the purpose of this blog, I'm going to call this set a tea set.  When I first saw it in an antiques shop, it was labeled as a chocolate set.  Yet, the cups are the size of demitasse cups, so it could be a demitasse set.  Whatever it is, I love it and I'm glad it's back out in my life.

This is the first antique/collectible that I ever bought.  I got it in the fall of 1987 at an antiques shop in Wingate, NC.  I admired it for months before hand, but it was about $60 and way out of my price range.  We had developed a relationship with the owner, her name was Bonnie, and she finally gave me a great deal on it and I got it for $20.  Keep in mind that I was only 12 years old at the time.  I really wish that I had kept up with Bonnie and I would love to know if she's still around somewhere.

I proudly displayed the set in our home in Monroe.  It was always out somewhere in the living room.  And when the household got divided between Bill and myself, I got it back into my own possession.  For years, I displayed it in whatever house or apartment I was living in.  When we moved into the house on Brice Street, it was one of the first things I put out to decorate the living room. 

But, as time went on, it eventually got packed away in a box.  Gone but never forgotten.  I came across it again the other day and decided that it needed a home inside my home again and not in a box in the garage.  When the day comes that I have people over again, I would love for others to enjoy it as I do.

The pattern is called "Checkers", obviously.  It was produced by a Japanese company called Kikusui.  I have searched the internet for other pieces just to see what's out there and have seen this same pattern in orange, red and yellow.  I have yet to add any pieces but you never know.  I might find a great piece and a good price.  But, for the time being, having this set back out is more than enough for me!

Naps

 I cannot deny that I love a good nap these days.  I never would have thought as a child or a teenager that I would enjoy taking naps,  But, as an adult, I find naps delightful!  I always have to set an alarm when I nap, otherwise I would sleep for a few hours.  Normally, I nap between 20 and 30 minutes.  Sometimes I don't even fall asleep.  Just laying there still is enough for me.  

However, I am going to make an effort not to take naps after I get home from work.  You may ask yourself why am I denying myself this pleasure?  It is simply because I have learned that I fall asleep easier and quicker if I don't take a nap.  On the weekends, it's not a big deal because I tend to stay up later anyway.  Also, I have probably spent my day doing more phsyical things around the house and a nap is very helpful.  And even though I have days when I am worn out after work, it still keeps me up later than I want to be.

This week I have made a concerted effort to not take a nap during the work week.  And, yes, I'm only a few days into the work week, but I can tell a difference.  I am more tired by the time I go to bed.  And I sleep later.  When I wake up in the morning, I feel more rested than I do if I've napped during the daytime.  Also, I get more on my list done if I use that 30 minutes for something constructive.

That is my goal for this month.  I think that I can do it and I know that I will feel better for doing it.  Hopefully it will not only help my sleep but will help with my energy level as well.  We shall see!

Will the master's be worth it?

 

School is over for the semester and I am looking forward to the break.  I have lots of things I need to get done before things gear back up in the fall.  Actually, my semester was over mid-March as the classes are only 7.5 weeks.  But there have been many things going on in life that kept me moving and now I look forward to just relaxing a bit.  

One of the things that has been on my mind and a little worrisome school is that will I be able to do anything with this degree?  I'm pretty sure I will be able to.  One of my managers at work has the same degree and she's doing great!  I worry about this because my undergraduate degree was only a piece of paper.  I achieved my goal of getting a degree after dropping out decades ago, but that was the only achievement I had with my degree.  And I went into a lot of debt for that.  That's fine, but when you can't use the degree for its intended purpose that is very disappointing.  

And so I'm working that I will not be able to do anything with this degree. In my head, I know I'm being silly and jumping the gun.  This is an impressive degree and think I will definitely benefit from it.  There is a part of my, though, that is afraid this could be a repeat performance of undergraduate school.  This degree tract is different already in that I know I am learning things that I can actually use in the field of gerontology and that's already a few steps above my BSW.  I'm not knocking the BSW program I was in, I just didn't realize until after graduation that they were simply getting you ready for graduate school and not employment.  Fine, whatever.  I still made good connections and life long friends that will, one day, come in handy.

I will work through these feelings and continue to move forward with my education.  I'm loving my classes and the professors and fellow students, so I know that I am a part of something special right now and my career will benefit from the steps that I am taking.  Every now and then, though, I do worry.

That is all.

Birthdays

 

Yesterday, we had a birthday celebration for one of my best friends and my next door neighbor, Lois.  It was a small gathering on the porch.  Thank goodness that the weather was very nice to be outdoors.  The temperature was perfect and there was a nice breeze.  There were six of us there.  We are all part of our "porch gang".  We like to gather on the porch several times a week for cocktails and socializing.  Of course, with everyone's schedules being different, it's rare that all six of us are able to get together at the same time.  Birthdays, though, we all make a special effort to be there.

It made me reminiscent of the birthdays of my early life.  Most of our birthdays were celebrated with only family and maybe a family friend or two.  And this didn't just apply to the kids, it was the same for the adults.  And it was almost always at our house, no matter whose birthday it was.  Mom would cook.  She usually let the person whose birthday it was decide the menu.  That normally meant that we had hamburgers in December for my birthday and lasagna in August for Bill's.  Grandmother would make the birthday cake.  It was one of the few occasions that she would actually decorate the cake.  Not that her cakes needed decorating.  They were always good.  If it was Grandmother's birthday, then Mom would make the cake as well.  

Those were just wonderful times, sitting around the dinner table and being with family to celebrate.  In the summer months, with both Mom's and Grandmother's birthdays, we would often grill out and have the party outside in our backyard.  And almost always, any of Grandmother's siblings that were still living would attend.  It was just a special time for us all.  And those are the kinds of birthday gatherings that I prefer.  Small, intimate occasions with family and friends.  And that's what yesterday was for us.  While we are all friends, we are all family as well.  Family by choice.  Yes, we are all odd in our own ways, but we are definitely family.  And that's important, especially to me these days. 

 

I look forward to the next birthday that will bring me in touch with the porch family or anyone else.  Being with people I love to celebrate life is a wonderful thing and I am ready for the next one!

That is all.

It Is Well With My Soul - Handbells

 Mom introduced handbells to me at a very early age and it's been a passion ever since.  I wanted to find a beautiful piece to honor her birthday.  This is one of my favorite hymns and this a beautiful and haunting arrangement.

Having to Turn Down Invitations

 

One of the things that I have to learn to do is to accept that it is ok when I cannot do something for one reason or another.  And when I say do something, I mean those rare occasions when I get invited to do something, not doing something on my own.  I'll talk about doing my own thing in another blog LOL  My invitations to do things is growing because I am opening my circle of friends back up, which is nice.  Sometimes, though, I have to turn down the invitation because of work or money or something.  And it does get depressing when I can't go because I get very hard on myself.  That's something that I have to work on.  I need to know that this stage of life is just temporary and I will one day be able to enjoy more times with my friends.

My friends that I have known for decades are very understanding about this.  They don't hold it against me because I can't go.  Or at least they put up a good front, which I appreciate LOL.  And the great thing is that my friends do not stop asking me and inviting me simply because I have to refuse.  That's very comforting.  Any new friends I make, and I am trying to make new friends, I explain up front what my situation is as far as being social beyond the four walls of my house.  Most of them are very understanding.  I just need people to know where I stand with this right now.  It has nothing to do with not wanting to spend time with someone or not wanting to do a specific thing, it's just that at this moment in time, I may not be able to.

This is simply where I am right now.  And I am learning to accept it, not because I am settling for the way my financial life is right now, but because I know that this is temporary.  I know that my friends care and are understanding.  And that means a lot.

That is all.