Abundance of gratitude...

for Monday

To keep me grounded, is to remind myself. of what is truly important; gratitude for the simple things.

Today I am grateful for
...15 upcoming vacation days, off from work
...four days of rain
...time to nourish my spirit and embrace my home

My sad, neglected patio garden

I work nights, long nights, to where my inner time clock is messed up. Even on my days off, there are nights, when my sleep is distracted. I woke tonight at 3 a.m. I have to work tomorrow and have yet to wash my clothes, for work. My daughter usually washes them. She is away at my sisters for the holidays. I have put off washing them, until I no longer can. I do not have a washer in my apt. The laundry room is only four doors over.

On my way out the front door, as I step out on the patio; I see my poor neglected plants. One a huge ivy, whose leaves have attached to the wall, has fallen over. I pick it up and decide now is as good a time, to water them, I look around. There are those with dead leaves, from not being watered, as often as they should. There are also those that amaze me with their resilience. Some in cracked pots. One in a pot that has cracked and the pieces have fallen off; but there is still a few scattered pieces holding it together. These are thriving.

My garden amazes me at times. There are many empty pots, dirt only; that are no longer empty. It seems that the different plants have pollinated, the empty ones. My one asparagus fern, has migrated to three other pots and all are thriving. The ivy that sits on the fence, has replanted itself in a empty pot, sitting below it. Parts of some plants, have started to grow offshoots, in other plants.

I can only imagine what a little attention and plant food could do.

I find myself going on a very dark journey, of depression. I have had down days, but nothing that clings to me like this. The journey to menopause began, soon after chemotherapy ended. Scattered periods were accompanied with a week of depression every so often. Nothing that has held on like this.

I am hoping my upcoming two week vacation from work, will be just what I need to nourish my spirit.

The results

The electric bill came last week. It went from $86 last month to $53 this month. She did a great job in turning the lights off, when not in use. To keep her motivated, I have told her that each month the electric bill, stays, at where it is she will get $5. For every dollar it goes down from the previous month, I will give her a additional dollar.

The road to simple living is paved with a gravel or two of capitalism

Its hard to get a 18 year old, to start turning the lights off (etc, etc, etc), when she is not used to it. I decided what better of a way, to start her down the path; than something that peaks her interest, the dollar bill. I told her that for every dollar the electric bill is less next month, it will be hers to keep. The fine print is, she must work with me to lower the bill. She has caught on so fast. I can be sitting in a room and all of a sudden it goes dark.

Leaving gentler footprints on this earth

Immediately I will transition to dishcloths instead of sponges, dish towels for drying my hands. I will wait until I have enough saved, to purchase, some of these lovely kitchen towels to replace my old ones. Then I will cut my old ones to napkin size, make a seam and I will start to use cloth napkins. Soon flour sack towels will replace paper towels for cleaning. There is available to me, a endless supply of 5 gallon pickle containers, from work. I have one on my patio, that is going to house, my first tomato plant. Until I start to garden, I will use it on shower days. I will conserve, by reusing shower water. When rinsing my hair, I will fill the bucket; then use the water on my outdoor plants.

How does my garden grow

I have a new found fondness, for frog jars. I have a larger version of the one in this picture. It will now be a permanent fixture on my kitchen table, filled with fresh flowers. This one does not have to be pushed aside at meal time, as it does not hide the faces of those, who come together.

The blessings, that a frog jar holds...

is a place for fresh flowers, to call home.

The snowball affect...

of flowing ideas and things, I never would have considered possibilities.

Now...
I will turn off lights when not in the room.
I will only use the dishwasher when it is full.
I will leave a sink of soapy water, to wash the dishes during the day.

Soon...
I will make a schedule, for the upkeep of my home.
I will compile a list of all that I have in my pantry and freezer, to make meals of.

Eventually...
I want to cut down the use of paper products.
I want to cut down the amount of food that is wasted.
I want to cook.

My dream is...
to start my container garden.
to take time each day to sit on my patio and enjoy the moment.
to dust off the sewing machine and put it to good use.

I am a work in progress and the possibilities are endless.

Gentle re-use

My way of thinking, has changed, to one of recycling what I already have; whenever possible. Not for monetary reasons, but to make a gentler impact on the environment.

Awhile ago, when I was at the Doctors office and I saw these plastic cord covers; that organize the vast number of their computer cords. My son told me they sell them at IKEA. Then last night I was pondering the cord issue. A simple solution, take the cardboard part of the paper towel roll (No I have not lessened the use of paper products, yet). Though who knows what tomorrow may bring. I will buy some inexpensive brown fabric and cover the roll. The fabric will also make the cardboard more sturdy and have a longer life.

Gentle spending

I have decided that every two weeks, on payday; I will put aside $20. I have a tea canister that sits on top of the kitchen cabinets, that is not in use. I will no longer make purchases on a whim. If I want to buy something, only when I have enough saved money including shipping costs; will I then decide if I still want it.

When life throws you..

I knew when our lease expired next month, there would be a increase in rent. I was not prepared for a increase of $155. Life continues and I must find ways to live more simply. I already knew that this is where I wanted my life to go. This has brought clarity, of what I wanted; is now a must do.

Less is more

I gaze my eyes, to every corner. My house is finally a home. Every where I look, I see contentment.

Simple re-use

I have three baskets, slightly similar to this one, that I did not get rid of. They housed my daughters childhood books and such. They have been given new purposes. One is a hamper for my bedroom. One is strorage for extra blankets. The other is turned upside down and is being used for a nightstand. My bed is not on a frame, but sits on the floor; so this is a perfect height.

One of life's lessons

To release ones self from outer clutter, is to no longer have inner turmoil. Instead of dreading, on all that has to get done and feeling overwhelmed, by the vastness of the mess; I am exhilarated at the thought, of what more I can do.

Abundance of gratitude...

for Friday

To keep me grounded, is to remind myself, of what is truly important; gratitude for the simple things.

The journey of releasing myself from the clutter and beginning the journey to a more simple way of living; I am reminded, how blessed and grateful I am
...to have a roof over my head
...t0 have heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer
...to have a stove to cook my food and a refrigerator to keep it fresh
...to have a abundance of running water
...to have access to health care

The road less traveled

The journey of culling has finally come to a end. Not at all sad to see it done. Tomorrow the final trip, to drop off, the unwanted to the thrift shop. Accomplished a lot today. It seems the further along I am, the more I want to get done. In the next week, I plan a light cleaning in the dining room, and in the kitchen a good cleaning. I am giving myself through my next days off, to get this done. After that the mini blinds, windows, screens and lastly the carpet.

Many many moons ago...

I acquired one of these, minus the lid. I used it to store umbrellas. I don't know what became of it, but I would like to acquire another.

Did I say I adore enamelware

I am always looking for ways to utilize, space, in my very tiny, only bathroom. I just came across this, in one of the many catalogs, that has been arriving in the mail.

The novice baker in me

Around a year ago, I bought this. I thought that I could add a personal touch, to the cakes, I do occasionally bake. Though I have yet to dabble in cake decorating, this set has led to bigger inspirations.
A cake decorating class, so that maybe one day, I can create, exquisite cakes, like these.

The yet to come

The thought of finally, reclaiming my home, is exhilarating. The possibilities endless.

Learn how to use the digital camera.
Dust off the sewing machine.
Prepare meals with my daughter.
Plan my container garden.

Ah, a light at the end of the tunnel

I decided yesterday, since I had a long night at work, awaiting me; that sleep should be my priority. So the tub didn't get done. That was a wise decision, as sometimes, taking care of ones self, is more important.

Plans have slightly changed. I have tomorrow off so it will get done then. It looks like my other day off might be Monday instead of Wednesday. So that looks like the day to drop off, the remaining car load to the thrift shop.

The list of what needs to be done is now smaller. I will be quite content if all is done before the holidays.

cull and clean the patio
windows
mini blinds
carpet cleaning

Culling the path to simple living

When you work 50 hours a week, the journey to culling clutter; moves like a turtle. We emptied the bathroom cabinets and cleaned everything except the tub and medicine cabinet, which I hope to get done today. Wednesday will be the long awaited second and last trip, to the thrift shop.

It seems like the journey, to culling the clutter is coming to a end. One of life's journeys, that I never want to revisit.

Creative simplicity

I have this chair, only in solid pine color, no white. Awhile ago the back broke. I have been using the chair to put my feet up on, while on the computer.

I was going to trash it, as it is not visually appealing; as you can see the holes where the spindles went. I just had a light bulb moment, on how I could recycle and reuse it; in a way that will make it visually appealing. I have four chair pads, that although rather nice, I never used. They were in one of the closets; so when we culled, they got placed in a bag for the thrift shop. I did keep one for my daughters desk chairs.

I have to go back in the car and take something back into the house, meant to be given away. I am okay with that, as it is being given a useful second life. Useful is the key word. What I plan to do is get thick Velcro and glue it to the chair itself, and to the back of the chair pad. That way when the chair pad gets dirty, I simply wash it. The chair pad, covers the spindle holes, so that takes care of the ugliness factor. The chair pad also has a skirt, which will add a cuteness factor. All for the price of just Velcro, I have a lovely foot rest.

Abundance of gratitude...

for Monday

To keep me grounded, is to remind myself, of what is truly important; gratitude for the simple things.

Today I am grateful for extraordinary blessings and the everyday ones
...a biopsy does not show any cancer
...waking up and having a home that was not affected by the devastating fire
...the smell and feel of freshly washed sheets and towels
...that my journey to simple living, is turning my home into, the sanctuary I always envisioned

My journey to simple living

I am so pleased with, the progress my daughter and I made these past couple of days. The culling is almost finished. We finished the linen closet, most of her room, my room and a vast collection, of neglected laundry was washed and dried. Life without clutter, most definitely brings contentment.

A legacy for her...a blessing for me

When I decided to write this blog, the sole purpose was; to journal, my thoughts. I wanted something, to leave my daughter in case I ever got sick again. It has served that purpose; but even more, turned out to be one of life's biggest blessings, for me.

I discovered when I took a few college classes, that I had a gift for written expression. I never had anything to nurture that, until this. I have reaffirmed that all lost brain cells, are just that; only lost... not permanently gone.

It only takes some gentle creative stimulation to bring them back.

My journey to simple living

Its day three of my six days off. I decided to start cleaning, in a different direction; the bedrooms first. Totally overwhelming at first. We took everything out of the closet and cleaned the walls, in there. You would think, that when they paint closets and shelves they would use gloss paint instead of flat. Then everything would just wipe off.

Two bags of trash and two more bags, to send to the thrift shop. As much as I would love for my daughter have a garage sale; it just isn't going to happen. Too much stuff, that I don't want, to sit around anymore than it needs to. I am thinking tomorrow, a quick run to drop off all that is ready.

I did find two books, that I will not be giving away. One is a prayer book, which my father received, as a gift on his Bar Mitzvah day. Its a mere 65 years old. The other is The Five Books Of Moses, which from its condition, must be that old or even older. Bindings on both are sorely in need of repair. I had forgotten that I had them.

Teeny tiny treasures

These treasures, were in a Smithsonian Catalog, I received. Tiny vintage dollhouse furniture, that would make even a non collector, want to start collecting.

I was like...huh

I was searching online for vintage, like I always do. Vintage looking memo boards to be exact; and there listed was my blog. I have a vintage mind, so modern technology, sometimes stops me dead in my tracks.

And then there were two

When my parents gave these to me, there were three of the four original plates left. These are the two that have survived the years. They were issued in 1975. Are they my most treasured pieces, no. I keep them as they will be passed on to the next generation.

What grows out of the ground

I have this large patio, with a 6 foot fence. On the top of the fence I have plants. Some time ago, one of my ivy plants, migrated and started growing out of the ground. Instead of cutting it away, I shall place this trellis, and intertwine the ivy to grow around it.

A Gentle Reminder

I came across these inspirational rocks and I was inspired. They are for the garden, but I have more meaningful plans for them. To keep myself reminded to stop and smell the roses; I will place them, where they will be a constant reminder. Such as Harmony at the kitchen table; as that should be a place, where my daughter and I connect. Always Dream, at the base of my computer screen; as that is where I seem to be most inspired. Relax, in the shower; as that is where I unwind. Hope, on my kitchen window; as that is the window I look out, each new day. Faith, in my bedroom; as that is where I lay my head at night.

Vintage memories

When I was growing up, I had a grandmother, who loved to cook; sadly I was a child who rarely ate, what she cooked. What a loss for me, as she died in 1969. Her matzo ball soup and desserts are only distant memories, as her recipes have vanished. Hopefully someday, I will be able to find close replicas, that will evoke deja vu memories.

Matzo Ball Soup

Mandle Bread

Sponge Cake

I got to know you all over again

The impact he made on my life, words can not do justice to. We rarely talked about his life before he came to the U.S. He was a Holocaust survivor. I knew him as Grandpa Morton.

What I remember about him, was his stubbornness and his gruffness. Other than that the only trace on the outside, of his life inside the concentration camp, in Poland; was the tattooed identification numbers on the inside of his forearm. His heart died when he lost, what was so precious to him; his wife and sons. This unmeasurable pain, he carried in his heart, though it seeped out through his rough exterior.

I knew growing up, that he was a tailor. What I didn't know until his funeral, was that was what kept him alive, when million of others perished. He was kept alive to sew uniforms for the Nazis.

After he died I came across the book, Polyn. I was hoping it would give me a glimpse into the life of a man I adored, but never really got to know. One thing that I do know, is that as a little girl, I reclaimed his heart.

Wish I were there

This is my most treasured cookbook. What captivated me more than the recipes, was the stories and the photographs; behind the recipes. This book exudes heritage and family. What a blessing it must have been to sit at a "Welcome Table".

Life as you know it can change in a heartbeat

In a minuscule second, a strangers life can intertwine with yours; and both your lives can be drastically altered. There are times in ones life, that all seems surreal, today was one of them. They are finishing the biopsy. The Dr. asks me when I had the surgery for cancer, did they do a transfusion. The first thought is, they cant stop the bleeding, due to the incision. Then I hear him say, when he pulled the needle out, he cut himself. For a minute, all understanding of the english language; abruptly stopped, for me. No more lost dignity, of having my breast down a hole, while being pulled, pinched, squished and yanked in every direction; as for a moment in time, I lost any memory of even having the biopsy.

As I walked out of the ER, after having my blood drawn; the Dr. was waiting to have his drawn. We glanced at each other as I left. I knowing full well, that our lives may never be the same.

Tic toc...tic toc

Today is the second biopsy and then the waiting game. As I won't find out the results for another week. I've heard, that good things come to those who wait. I wonder if that will apply for this.

No more solid sheets

I have sheets similar to these, only on mine the flowers are smaller. My quilt is a patchwork, wedding ring quilt. It has blue, pale yellow and the same color green in it. I like mismatched items.

A simple touch

It is such a hard decision, as to which switch, this shall call home. Its hard to tell , but this beauty is made of porcelain.

Something for both of us

I am going to replace my daughters furniture soon, as she has outgrown her childhood furniture. I want to buy her pieces, that she can take with her, when she moves out. She likes the pink one.

I adore the green one. I can envision this with a pine dresser and a vintage wrought iron head and foot board.

I want it all

Along my journey, I had a epiphany. Things, no longer hold importance, living for tomorrow, is all that is important; and I want it all.

I want to walk barefoot in the rain
I want to drink wine in Tuscany, sit outside a cafe in Paris, whale watch in Alaska and eat lobster in Maine
I want to drink expensive champagne
I want to go to the mountains when it is snowing and forget to come back
I want to dance at my daughters wedding
I want to smell that sweet baby smell, as I cradle my grandchildren
I want to fall in love again, when I am 80, with the same man I fell in love with when I was 30

I want it all

Forgotten cherished memories

bettysattic.com

Ah take me back

Some I have fond memories of, some vague, two dolls were my sisters, the first two toys are my favorite memories.