Well, what do you know... it's the last day of January!

[CathyS]

I was going to say it's finally the last day of the month, but we need some "f" words for February.

[CathyS]

Yay! January has less than 24 hours left!! My goodness, it seemed to be a very long month. Very little sunlight here in the past 31 days.

I have been reading a LOT of books in the past month when I should have been working on paperwork. Our accountant wanted the 2023 taxes all done by the end of January. I just didn't feel like working on them when I have a warm, cozy bed and a pile of books I want to read this year. If I made an actual pile, it would be too high and I don't need another mess to tidy up.

We are having Shepherd's Pie for supper tonight. I thawed the meat yesterday.

I saw a post on FBook about a church group looking for jeans for men yesterday. I talked to dh and he said all his jeans could go other than the 2 pairs hanging on the "coat" tree in the bedroom. I thought that was a good compromise. I also have a bag of books and another box of stuff to donate in my car, so it was nice to fill my back seat. I will be dropping the jeans off on Friday and the other stuff tomorrow. The church only has 2 days available for donations.

Later...

I pulled out the bed, side tables and coat tree and vacuumed the entire bedroom. There may or may not have been dust bunnies breeding under the bed. I need to do vacuuming when all 3 cats are outside because they are petrified of the noise. The sun has come out, and it looks so nice out there. It's 2 above freezing, with no wind.

[MysteryWoman]

Good morning!

Hi, Cathy! We, too, have a coat tree in our bedroom for non-coats. Actually, we have two, since DH took the one from his parents' house after his dad died. They don't match, but neither does anything else in our bedroom! I also am getting stuff together to give away; the Easter Seals truck comes around tomorrow.

I am "back in the box" (which, in my case, is a convention badge holder that has a large cloth pocket besides the usual little plastic pocket; I don't know how many years old this thing is, but I will be very sad when it finally gives up the ghost). Anyhow, it enables me to wear my cards around on a lanyard, and it also has pencil pockets. The lanyard often gets in the way when I am working, and I take it off, but it is an easy way to carry the cards from room to room. Anyhow, my attempts with Trello and Amazing Marvin were not successful, and I am going back to what works. I spent most of the day yesterday re-establishing my cards.

I cannot believe it is the last day of January already! That was one of the things which provoked me to get back in the box; I just felt like I was wasting time.

I need to drive DC to school soon, and I have a noontime appointment with the therapist. Have a good day, everyone! (I hope somebody else shows up soon to keep you company, Cathy!)

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Hmmm, just realized this would have been Dad's 107th birthday. Sigh...

It is another grey day and yesterday turned bad (if I had posted at 12:30 there would only have been one disappointment and the rest would be great but then the day decidedly went bad.) That's covered in Joys & Concerns.

I didn't sleep well (because of yesterday plus dh had a rough night) and so here it is just after 10 and I'm trying to get my day started.

I'm a vortex of emotions, positive and negative, motivated and discouraged, happy (my back is behaving for several days in a row) and sad (see J&C), strong and weak, full of conviction and full of indecision.

I'm off to get dressed now.

Mystery, I am turning to what works now, hoping to get a few 'easy wins' to help my mood.

I skipped all zone chores last week to let my back heal so am picking up with last week's zone and working on the living room and dining room. At least half the chores will not risk straining my back. So I will do those.

Two weeks ago, the change vacuum cleaner bag came up and I had dh do that when he put away the vacuum after doing the office. Last week, I didn't vacuum at all because of my back. This week, I went to vacuum and it sounded wrong, not enough suction. Sure enough, I opened it up and adjusted stuff and then it was right. I didn't see anything obviously wrong but I'm guessing the bag wasn't lined up right. I was frustrated because we are constantly told to delegate and yet, when I do, things need redoing a lot of the time. I'm just relieved I was the one vacuuming, dh wouldn't have noted the different sound and investigated.

[Nancy]

I am well pleased with my Jan. progress yea.
I have found some thing I thought I dealt with last year or even before that so got a text sent about that.
Spent some time on my homework assignments for the next few months.
Made a decision on my homework stuff, wrote down a couple of questions too.

The sunrise is glorious today yea!
I am enjoying it and the longer days too.
I have my qt & planning done so I just need to get going on it.

Thanks for your support & input it is good to have you gals to help cheer me along.
Good luck with success of your day.

I have been making progress on anti profanation things too yea!
It helps to focus on what is important this week it is my apt. next week and not decluttering items.
I am pretty good at the decluttering now.

[LadyMaverick]

Good morning.

I'm waiting for DH and DS15 to get ready to leave for the gym. I was ready over 2 hours ago because that is when I take DD12 to school.

I have finished my cards for this hour so am reaping the reward time and using it to do whatever I want. I do enjoy this multiple dopamine hit from marking cards complete and earning an hourly reward.

The declutter mentality is not easy to form but once it is started it seems to be taking a life of its own and becoming contagious. I just noticed a bag of books that has been stuck in a corner of our bedroom for-who-know-how-long. I forgot they were there. STUFF becomes part of the background and I don't see it anymore. I am working on being intentional in making a change each day. That intentionality enables me to see the things that have become invisible to me. It is a process....

DDIL just called asking "How do I start a garden that will make me $1000 a year?" I burst out laughing because I know how much time she has available to garden. She doesn't want to garden but in order to have another tax write off she thought it would be a good side business to start. I told her to buy a cow instead. Raising cows are MUCH less time intensive than raising vegetables/flowers to sell. She has 44 horses and won't even notice adding the workload of a cow.

[blessedw2]

lol D Lady I read at first about the $1000 for the garden and I thought she wanted to spend $1000 on the garden - not make a $1000.I loved it! lots of work! So sweet!

hi d Nancy I am so happy you have had great progress in January!
I can imagine your sunrise - how wonderful!
Yay on building your decluttering muscles!

hi d Kathryn
((()))
I woke at 10 so you and I are just starting together at the same time!!!
sending you a peaceful heart as you move through your day!!!
I am glad your back is feeling better!

hi d mystery
good morning!
well done on getting things together for Easter seals
cheering you on through your day and week!

hi d cathy!
I love shepherds pie
yay on your donations too!
yay on your vacuuming
Thank you for starting us!!!

[Twins' Mom]

This has been quite the month, I'm glad to see the end of it and February will be better!

I've walked the ddog and done a.m. routine except s2s. I'm going to a funeral at 1 p.m. at the temple so I need to do that next.

I've descaled the coffee maker and cleaned the filter in the bottom of the dishwasher. Also descaled the coffee maker.


And I didn't get this posted. I've s2s and dried hair, will leave in 20 min for funeral.

[Nancy]

CI mid morning for me here it's cloudy today F 41* / 56* today's temp. range.

I was woke up with the truck starting down the st. at 5:00 worked well for me today.
QT & planning done.
Had bfast.
It is quiet I turned off the back ground sounds / music time is over now.

Got the floor mopped and some things rounded & down stairs for a load in the washer when
I do my daily walk around down stairs. I am at my step goal for this 1st quarter of my day yea.
Endorphins from mopping are a bonus!

I tell folks I hope you can be as active as I am when you get to be my age,
I live on my own and clean my own house, and mow my own yard with a non riding mower!

[blessedw2]

I am in shock - I woke at 5 and then watched the news and fell asleep until 10 I slept well and feel rested (nice after a previous night of frustrating lack of sleep)- I can't believe it - it is 11:46 -
---------------------------------
Some new adventures - new paths - or new learning opportunities coming up!

dd younger is trying to figure out her future - she said that many of her friends, many have already moved to other parts of the country, and her boss are moving out of Florida and she can no longer help my mom as her dementia is making it difficult to even leave her for a day. -

I will say she has wonderful friends who are truly good people - They are all professionals in the medical field. dd has nothing to do with medical- I am not sure how they met but they are her constant friends. My hope she finds equally special friends as she moves forward in her life.

re: Mom: it will be what it will be. She needs to come back to Chicago. A new adventure!
-------------------------
okay now to work:

goal: look for the good in the day!

my hope is to work outside without the dogs knocking me down I will put chairs around me when I have my back to them.

Timer time:
I wonder How I would look with those Hammer time pants - I am sure my neighbors would love it