Satisfied Saturday

[scattered]

Are you all in all satisfied with your life?

When you are discontent, you always want more, more, more. Your desire can never be satisfied. But when you practice contentment, you can say to yourself, 'Oh yes - I already have everything that I really need.'
Dalai Lama

I was having some trouble with this yesterday, but thankfully I awoke this morning satisfied and happy with my life. I may not have everything I want, but I have everything I need. I am truly blessed.

[scattered]

Yesterday was rough one for me emotionally, I was filled with financial insecurity although I'm not sure why. Yes money is tight but I am working towards a resolution of it, and I have everything I need to file my taxes which should lead toward a nice tax return. DS20 is actively looking for another job, he may not find a full-time position but he is looking to find a 2nd part-time job to help out with the bills.

Part of me thinks that a big part of why I was filled with anxiety and depression yesterday is that I had recently decreased my Vit D supplement because I had added a combination Calcium & Vit D. The decreased Vit D with incoming weather yesterday lead to a serious case of the blues. Today I will add back the Vit D that I had taken away and hopefully that will help, I think I need to take the increased Vit D until spring has sprung at least.

Today is a packed day; I am going into the office for most of the day to make up hours from Tuesday, and then tonight I am going to a party. I have a ton of things I need to accomplish this weekend, but I need to remember to take it one thing at a time.

I woke up before my alarm almost an hour ago, but her I sit still in my robe, I have to fight snowy cold roads to get to work so I guess I need to get my rear in gear.

ToDo/TaDa
SDR & GRWR

• s2s w/ make-up
  coffee
  Vitamins & meds
  Pack Lunch, fill H2O bottle, fill coffee cups
  Swish & Swipe
  Warm-up car
  Out the door NLT 10 (preferably earlier)

Work

• Calculate Time-sheet & mileage
  Create PT appreciation card
  Print cards
  sign cards
  Cut Cards
  Look at next weeks visits
  Sign Time slips
  File Respite Time Slips (if time allows)

Leave work ~5:30pm for party
enjoy the party & meet new people

I am planning on checking in at work since I will be there all by myself.

Have a Great Satisfied Day Villagers

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Scattered I'm also unsettled about money too. This moving to semi-retirement has not been done properly. Dh continues to expect us to spend as we always have (extremely frugally for most things - like keeping the thermostat low, but a fortune on travel and more than necessary for food.)

Dh is happily working away, 40 - 60 hours a week but that's almost all on unpaid international standards work. So he last sent out an invoice in September. That's been paid and the money spent.

We are now at the end of the month and while there is money with which to do payroll (thankfully, just dh and I), that money is part of a retainer for which dh hasn't yet billed the hours. Therefore, I don't want to spend it, in case I have to pay it back.

So there will be no paycheques this month. Or until April or May and only then if dh gets the New Zealand contract.

In the meantime, aside from monthly household expenses (which aren't onerous since we own our own home free and clear), I will also owe the balance on the trip in June (which is worth 3 months of pay.)

So I'll be dipping into savings over this winter. I know that's what I'm supposed to do, being semi-retired and all, but it still is a hard adjustment to make. Add in thinking about moving (thus we'll have all those extra expenses plus monthly rent to make) and I'm really nervous.

It will help to bring our household accounts up to date so I know just how much money we have. That's part of the paperwork I've been putting off since I was sick.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Re: teacups. Yes, I have a lot! But I came by them in an acceptable way. I have 11 to go with my 12 sets of china (the 12th is missing because a china shop gave me a great deal on an incomplete placesetting and even at age 19, I knew I didn't need 12 matching teacups!) I had several that were given to me over the years - of those only 2 or 3 are special so the remainder were traded for special ones of my mother's when she died and we sold mine off as part of her estate. So really, I only had about 20 on my own. Then the inheriting started!

I got 12 more when I bought the extra set of fine china (that was my fault, I'll admit it!), and 18 when I inherited my grandmother's bone china. My grandmother was a fine hostess and had a house full of china. My grandfather was on town council, a barrister, a board member of a bank and a church organist so I am well kitted out to do "society" entertaining. It would have been nice to inherit the staff my grandmother had for running the house! I have pieces of silver that I have no idea what they are for. Occasionally, I see a piece like it on the ship and ask the waiter what it is for and how it is to be used!

So the matching tea cups make up 41 of the total.

Then I have my grandmother and my mother's special tea cups. Most are royalty themed, Queen Victoria's Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth's coronation, one for Charles and Diana (that won't make the move with me!) Finally, there's a darling tea set with 4 cups and saucers that my aunt moved into the nursing home with her and I inherited from her (she died before my mom did.) That's actually my good tea set, the one I pull out about monthly.

I still feel bad that I let my mom's silver service be sold after she died because it was a wedding gift from her boss, who she admired greatly. But at this point, I'm glad I made that decision because it means I don't have to make the decision now. And not one time have I thought "If only I had a silver tea service." I do have a silver tea pot my mom gave me when I was a teenager. It is unbelievably unusual (it uses a piston action to pour exactly one cup of tea with each plunge of the plunger) so that will come with me to my nursing home.

As to value of all this - I was on eBay last night and figure the total value of all the china and silver (all plate) is no more than $2-3,000. So I need to keep that in mind when making the decision to save for the future or dispose of now. I'll keep a lot (I entered my first marriage at 19 with tons, that's just part of my personality, also inherited from my Grandmother) so it isn't as if my kids and grandkids won't inherit anything from me but I want their inheritance to be a joy and comfort, not a burden.

[Emptynester]

It's raining! It's pouring! (and my old man is snoring )

He is really grumpy this morning so I am in the MH while he is in the house. I dropped something in the kitchen and got one of those sleepy/irritated "What was that?" statements so I came out in the rain to the MH.

I was able to get 2 loads of laundry folded last night and all the pots and pans and utensils washed. Also one drawer of silverware. Most of it is still sitting on the counters air drying. I was able to get the one drawer and one shelf in the cabinet vacuumed and washed down. One shelf and 3 drawers to go. Most of my cooking utensils are housed in a plastic 3-drawer container that sits in the cabinet. I had to take it all apart as there was dust in everything.

I need to check the weather up the mountain with all this rain. If it is freezing, our trip to Prescott for paint will have to be postponed.

I still have plenty to do with the cleaning and restocking cabinets. The spice cabinets turned out wonderful. The other cabinet for my cookie sheets, etc. has to be redone. He put the shelf right in the middle and I lack about 1/2 inch of getting some of the cookie sheets in. It will be an easy fix to raise the shelf and use the bottom for the bigger sheets and the top for the narrower ones.

Think I will find some breakfast and then get moving - even if Mr. Crabby isn't up. I have things to do.

[Harmony]

It's interesting that the topic of conversation is china. I redid my china closet, and got the top glass shelves dishes part done last evening. I have a row of glass shelves glass front cabinets in my kitchen, and since my china cabinet was pretty bare with little stuff (junky looking) I decided to move stuff from the kitchen into there. I moved all the Christmas china into the cabinet. It isn't a good set, but pretty and 12 place settings. It is full and pretty now. I still have the kitchen to rearrange and stuff is sitting out, and that is today's job.

I have about 12 everyday mugs. I had a bunch more one time and DD2 & DH were coming back and forth more often, and I always sent them home with coffee in mugs. One time they came and discovered we were down to just a few mugs, all of ours were 3 hours away in their kitchen. Next time they came they had a big plastic bag full of my mugs! I've pared that down to 12. DH only uses one mug, his plastic double walled tumbler. I try to use the same one all day. I have enough everyday for any group that we have here.

Oh, I have several that have the DGKs pictures on them that I don't use, and we have the usual grandpa and grandma ones. I will find a shelf to display those.

I didn't have much stuff to donate but I did have a bunch of junque for the trash! I still want to finish out my DMom's china set Sunny let me have, for my good dishes, I have about 7 place settings; but have yet to find them online inexpensive. Replacements are pricey!

Thank you everyone for the kind thoughts yesterday. Our mental sharpness is one of the things that is bothersome to both of us. We have a lot going on and life gets difficult. I have to constantly help DH remember stuff, he is worse than I am at this point. I went looking for the supply in H-D, looking for a 10 on the bag, and when I borrowed a phone and called him he said he told me to look for a 20. There was my paper in my hand with a 20 on it. I actually did write it down, but had something different in my head. Yesterday was just a very bad day.

It did not stop after I posted. I tried to get something done over the phone at the county office and that didn't happen because their computer program is so messed up one has to have a person down there do what should be automatic. We had the same problems recently, so this time I went down there to complain and see what I could do about this...and that wasn't accomplished very well. The inspectors on the job last week were all laughing about how their system is so broken...but it isn't a laughing matter to us when it makes everything so difficult.

So, I'm sorry I've been writing volumes, but it does help me.

Today I must run to the store (was too distressed to stop yesterday on the way home) because I have to make a meal to take someone today...I thought there was a chicken in my freezer but we must have eaten it and I don't remember, it's very puzzling... and I want to finish the kitchen, so that is today's plan.

IVY, BLINK! DD2 had dry eye when she had bells palsy on one side of her face which paralyzed the eyelid. She was told to put lubricating gel into eye and wear an eyepatch at night to cover. (MT)!

[helia]

Good morning! Late start here. Dh and I chatted a bit earlier this morning. This is the first weekend in a long time he hasn't felt he needed to work all weekend, so he's happy about that.

Awesome topic for today, scattered!! Contentment is really powerful. I hope you feel better today!

I don't have time to properly cuops.

China: We have dh's grandmother's china. It is a German brand, I believe; she was Dutch. We only bring it out for holiday dinners. We do not have a china cabinet, though. I'm not sure dh would even want one. . . .Well, there is a small built in one in the computer room (supposed to be the formal dining room) but it has been used for displaying the kids' 3D art projects from elem. school over the years. We could clear out those projects and put our china in there. Hmmm..... that is an intriguing idea! However, the china currently fits nicely on the upper shelves of our kitchen cupboards. Our cupboards are not bursting with stuff; this house has a lot of storage space - and dh is a thrower (opposite of a saver/packrat). He doesn't tolerate packed cupboards, drawers, etc.

Today:
x final edits to ds' support letter; he is going on a missions trip to Guyana over spring break with his Christian Univ. group.
more cards in the mail
get caught up on laundry
dd14 to and from synchro 11:30 - 1:30
make chili for small group tonight
exercise
tidying
vacuum chore
small group 5 - 8-ish
coffee w/ dh

that should make for a full day! And we're off to a late start. . . Dd17 has a friend coming over at 11 as well. The house is kind of a mess; I never got far in tidying yesterday.

Dd14 did extremely well on her first set of final exams! We're proud of her! And dd17 too, even though she is taking the easy route a bit.

[Nancy]

re: Teacups today I just noticed that I have a coffee cup from dd's I brought over with me. I am sipping coffee.

Got up at six when the alarm went off the I made coffee and we loaded up and came over to turn on the light for the hens. H. went back to bed. Dgd was fussy b/c I wanted to catch the weather and she wanted to watch a "kids show" then I tried to get the Nemo video going and that was not what she wanted she was fussing woke up h. and he was not happy. ~sigh~

Rain drippy wet weather some are not happy about that but for me I know we need the rain! It's not as much fun to rake leaves in I must admit! LOL!

39-44* today's temps. and for most of the week and
quite a bit of rain.

I'm good today have slept well and have a letter for
mom going I want to get in the mail today.

[scattered]

Kathryn - It is tough when you try to look ahead at finances, and yes that is what we are supposed to do in part, but the thing that I have found is that as long as I am doing the best I can do and turning the results over, we are always taken care of... maybe not as comfortable as I would wish, but we have what we need.

Harmony - Write volumes if you need to that is what we are here for.

MT - Good Luck with "Mr. Crabby"

Helia - Good Morning, enjoy your weekend with DH

Nancy - Good Morning, enjoy the rain!

I am at my desk and about to get down to the grindstone. DS14 is very glad that I am not home this morning although he did get a chewing out over the phone. He has seemed to have gotten into a lazy streak lately with both his schoolwork and his chores... and I lost it this morning. DS20 told me that he has been trying to help keep him on track but all he gets is grief about how he is just the Brother. Yes, he is just the brother but he is also an Adult who has learned from his mistakes and is acting like an adult... I have called for a Family Meeting tomorrow. When I left DS20 was trying to reorganize the Kitchen closet that mainly DS14 has managed to disorganize... I was grumbling about it, and he was planning on getting DS14 up to get him busy cleaning the disater AKA my Kitchen.

Okay enough ranting... I need to get busy.


ToDo/TaDa
SDR & GRWR

• s2s w/ make-up
  coffee
  Vitamins & meds
  Pack Lunch, fill H2O bottle, fill coffee cups
  Swish & Swipe
  Warm-up car (DS20 did this for me)
  Out the door NLT 10 (preferably earlier) out at 9:45

Work

• Calculate Time-sheet & mileage
  Create PT appreciation card
  Print cards
  sign cards
  Cut Cards
  Look at next weeks visits
  Dream Board
  Sign Time slips
  File Respite Time Slips (if time allows)

Leave work ~5:30pm for party
enjoy the party & meet new people

BBS

[blessedw2]

I laughed out loud this morning when I saw Mt's post that the old man was snoring! lol

scattered so sorry you felt so much anxiety and depression yesterday; hoping today is filled with sunshine to help you feel better. (ds20 reorganizing your kitchen.. I think it's a man thing especially when they know that momma/wife are not happy... dh is always going towards my stuff to organize as he thinks it is helping me..now I can't find my cutting scissors and my 4 cup measuring cup. not helping.. ). Hope the family meeting goes well! wishing you a great day.

kathryn your tea cups sound beautiful, I would love to see the Victoria china!

Twins so happy shabbat went beautifully

nancy: enjoy the cold rain, I agree we all need, glad you slept well last night

helia so happy for your dd14! and dd17!

harmony great job on getting rid of Junque!!! I love your posts!!!

wishing you all here and those that come a wonderful day.