I have been incognito here the past few weeks. It seems this cowgirl is going through a bout of empty nest syndrome. I never realized how much my little ones daily schedules of napping, eating and playtime had affected my own schedule. Now I am not complaining just saying its very weird not to have them under wing during the day. Its hard to explain, I feel a bit discombobulated. I have been keeping a to do list and adding to it when a project would come up, and lo and behold the day came and I found myself absolutely not wanting to do any of it. Sure I have knocked a few things out, however I really thought I would hit it at fever pitch. Transition dear, its all transition......is what my ya ya's are telling me, the ya ya's that have experienced true empty nest, like all of their kids are out of high school!!! So I suppose the lesson here is true self direction. Hang with me folks I will be up and running again very soon with posting and pictures. Please send "light a fire under me ass" vibes!!
XOXO
Val
Showing posts with label personal responsibility. Show all posts
Showing posts with label personal responsibility. Show all posts
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Guarding the Groceries.....link
An elderly gentleman that works at the book store was telling me of this today so when I had time I did a little search of my own. Sure enough...I am not surprised, my hubby was in Detroit about a month ago for business, the reported 16% unemployment is not what he heard while there. The locals were reporting it much higher around 30%. So much that freeway traffic has seen a marked decline and driving to work is not much of a hassle.
It reminded me of Zimbabwe in a way.....its not total out and out devastation like Zim but I am also reminded of an online conversation with Mz. Spider back in December ish...."we are not far behind them". Ya know what Lisa, yer right!!!
I did like the included bit about urban homesteading and folks bucking the tide and growing more of their own food....is this what is going to take to get people to take initiative to that...dire circumstances? I guess so, cus the calvery just aint comin!
Back to reading my new garden book....How to Grow More Vegetables. Its a plethora of info on biointensive gardening, really maximizing what you have available, by enriching the soil to the point of saturation of luscious nutrients just waiting to be soaked up by plants bursting forth with edibles. Why did I buy it? the remineralization section....now I replenish my soil with lots of good stuff but this is like a tried and true science of absolute incredible fruiting porportions, Mr. Donohue my Junior high science teacher would be so proud of me.....he was and still is I am sure a total granola, lord board wearing science geek, him and his beutiful bride had kick ass garden way back them, I am sure they still do!!. I routinely challenged him in class and occasionally got kicked out as well. and the section with the varieties of edible landscape trees, bushes etc. so detailed and perfect for what I want to accomplish here at home and in the landscape world I step in and out of in the summer.....thats a hint for you Scotty, its edible landscaping I am betting on it. Manicured grass is soooo last season.
WATCH WAITIN FOR....THE CALVARY? GET THEE TO THE GARDEN AND GET'R DONE!!!
It reminded me of Zimbabwe in a way.....its not total out and out devastation like Zim but I am also reminded of an online conversation with Mz. Spider back in December ish...."we are not far behind them". Ya know what Lisa, yer right!!!
I did like the included bit about urban homesteading and folks bucking the tide and growing more of their own food....is this what is going to take to get people to take initiative to that...dire circumstances? I guess so, cus the calvery just aint comin!
Back to reading my new garden book....How to Grow More Vegetables. Its a plethora of info on biointensive gardening, really maximizing what you have available, by enriching the soil to the point of saturation of luscious nutrients just waiting to be soaked up by plants bursting forth with edibles. Why did I buy it? the remineralization section....now I replenish my soil with lots of good stuff but this is like a tried and true science of absolute incredible fruiting porportions, Mr. Donohue my Junior high science teacher would be so proud of me.....he was and still is I am sure a total granola, lord board wearing science geek, him and his beutiful bride had kick ass garden way back them, I am sure they still do!!. I routinely challenged him in class and occasionally got kicked out as well. and the section with the varieties of edible landscape trees, bushes etc. so detailed and perfect for what I want to accomplish here at home and in the landscape world I step in and out of in the summer.....thats a hint for you Scotty, its edible landscaping I am betting on it. Manicured grass is soooo last season.
WATCH WAITIN FOR....THE CALVARY? GET THEE TO THE GARDEN AND GET'R DONE!!!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
testing 1 2 3
hmmmm, hmmmmmmmm,hmmmmmmmm how do I get music video posted where you do not have to click a link? This is what I am wondering. How do I get a music playlist on my blog? This is what I am wondering. HMMMMMMMMMMM.
OMG I figured it out!!!! well the first part, now the playlist.
In the garden....I just recieved a call back from a gal that has an organic farm/garden here in our county. I saw a picture in our monthly Food Co-op of her gardens, I called her to see if they do "tours". From what I could see the place is like my shangri-lah. No tours, they are busy busy with all the work they that do to keep it running at close to peak harvesting right now, just the 2 of them. To be quite honest I am seeking support for us garden gnomes, kind of like a 12 step program for gals with dirty fingernails. So we chatted a bit about organic gardening and this slow weather pattern, CSA and the like. It was good.
OMG I figured it out!!!! well the first part, now the playlist.
In the garden....I just recieved a call back from a gal that has an organic farm/garden here in our county. I saw a picture in our monthly Food Co-op of her gardens, I called her to see if they do "tours". From what I could see the place is like my shangri-lah. No tours, they are busy busy with all the work they that do to keep it running at close to peak harvesting right now, just the 2 of them. To be quite honest I am seeking support for us garden gnomes, kind of like a 12 step program for gals with dirty fingernails. So we chatted a bit about organic gardening and this slow weather pattern, CSA and the like. It was good.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Boot in the Ass, cowgirl style
Dear Trina Thompson,
Wow? REally? what I find most interesting about your lawsuit....and for those of you that do not know what I am talking about....Trina Thompson is suing the bronx college she obtained her degree from, because she has not obtained employment in her field 3 months post graduation.
Puh LEASE!! We are in a recession, thousands are losing their jobs everyday, along with facing some serious financial woes. Did it ever occur to you to look elsewhere in the interim until you find the job you want? In fact we have experienced this very thing some 16 years ago, my husband did not land the "a foot in the door job" for what? almost 3 years!! What he did not do however is lay down and play victim and blame everyone else for the circumstance!
Disgraceful! Nothing unusual in this day and age when everyone wants a bailout for their situation!!
Your life will not change by much if you do not learn to take responsibility for your SELF!!
are you by chance related to Octo Mom?
S.C.
Wow? REally? what I find most interesting about your lawsuit....and for those of you that do not know what I am talking about....Trina Thompson is suing the bronx college she obtained her degree from, because she has not obtained employment in her field 3 months post graduation.
Puh LEASE!! We are in a recession, thousands are losing their jobs everyday, along with facing some serious financial woes. Did it ever occur to you to look elsewhere in the interim until you find the job you want? In fact we have experienced this very thing some 16 years ago, my husband did not land the "a foot in the door job" for what? almost 3 years!! What he did not do however is lay down and play victim and blame everyone else for the circumstance!
Disgraceful! Nothing unusual in this day and age when everyone wants a bailout for their situation!!
Your life will not change by much if you do not learn to take responsibility for your SELF!!
are you by chance related to Octo Mom?
S.C.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Think about it!
“You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it." Adrian Rogers, 1931
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Attention in the Terminal!
That phrase was used alot when I worked at the local Airport oh some 7 years ago...incredible its been that long ago. It was seasonal city job taking care of all the flowers and landscaping. The job did not pay much but I tell ya I loved it. I always wanted to grab the mike and roll off with something witty and funny. No one would hand it over and with all the new law after 9/11 I am sure it would have been construed as an act of terrorism if I just grabbed it and rolled with it.
On another note......anyone sending me PM's from Soggy G.....I cannot retrieve them at this time, I have chosen to take a hiatus this summer to focus on my family and the projects that are lined up for Mwah to tackle. I can be reached at unkshei3atyahoodotcom if you need to get ahold of me.
This pretty much sums up the state of the union, think about it, no matter what political affiliation you have I find it fascinating that the new party/president never repeals any of the garbage law or Acts of congress the previous party/president passed while in Congress or on The Hill in the Whitehouse. Especially when the newly elected President may have railed about it as their "platform". For example Nafta, Patriot Act, No Child Left Behind and so on and so forth. The only one I can think of is Prohibition and even with the commerce of whiskey and booze and prostitutes they could not get it right......Maybe instead of washing the sheets they were just buying new ones....who knows.....but this same idology is what is driving this country into the wrecker....spending and spending till the coffers are dry....then what? Do we really want socialized medicine? I for one do not. Do we need change in this healthcare system? Oh you betcha!!! What I would like to see is an overhaul on the insurance companies and the lawyers that pursue frivolous lawsuits. Mr. BAucass does not have our best interests at heart, he sold out and his former staff now work for major pharmecueaticals as lobbyists. While we are on that subject......why do we even allow the Pharm companies to be traded on the stock market? Isn't that a weee bit of a conflict of interest? Do you remember the time when prescription drugs were not advertised on TV? Last I checked the stock market was for making money. Sooooo are they in it for the money?, of course they are, I wonder what thier advertising budget it? These are weird times, my friends, the answers and solutions are not simple ones either.
Ya know what else is funny, way back in the early 90's I used to go to this hairdresser, some of his best clients back in his formative hair skillz years were workin girls at the Mustang Ranch, its where he learned to perfect hair extensions. I asked for a perm, I should have gone with the extensions or some highlights. V-8 moment! I wonder where Dave is now.
GEt your boots on gals its gonna be getting deep I reckon.
S.C.
On another note......anyone sending me PM's from Soggy G.....I cannot retrieve them at this time, I have chosen to take a hiatus this summer to focus on my family and the projects that are lined up for Mwah to tackle. I can be reached at unkshei3atyahoodotcom if you need to get ahold of me.
This pretty much sums up the state of the union, think about it, no matter what political affiliation you have I find it fascinating that the new party/president never repeals any of the garbage law or Acts of congress the previous party/president passed while in Congress or on The Hill in the Whitehouse. Especially when the newly elected President may have railed about it as their "platform". For example Nafta, Patriot Act, No Child Left Behind and so on and so forth. The only one I can think of is Prohibition and even with the commerce of whiskey and booze and prostitutes they could not get it right......Maybe instead of washing the sheets they were just buying new ones....who knows.....but this same idology is what is driving this country into the wrecker....spending and spending till the coffers are dry....then what? Do we really want socialized medicine? I for one do not. Do we need change in this healthcare system? Oh you betcha!!! What I would like to see is an overhaul on the insurance companies and the lawyers that pursue frivolous lawsuits. Mr. BAucass does not have our best interests at heart, he sold out and his former staff now work for major pharmecueaticals as lobbyists. While we are on that subject......why do we even allow the Pharm companies to be traded on the stock market? Isn't that a weee bit of a conflict of interest? Do you remember the time when prescription drugs were not advertised on TV? Last I checked the stock market was for making money. Sooooo are they in it for the money?, of course they are, I wonder what thier advertising budget it? These are weird times, my friends, the answers and solutions are not simple ones either.
Ya know what else is funny, way back in the early 90's I used to go to this hairdresser, some of his best clients back in his formative hair skillz years were workin girls at the Mustang Ranch, its where he learned to perfect hair extensions. I asked for a perm, I should have gone with the extensions or some highlights. V-8 moment! I wonder where Dave is now.
GEt your boots on gals its gonna be getting deep I reckon.
S.C.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Long term food storage
I am curious about these things.
*how much food do you have socked away?
*how it is stored?
*how do you rotate your inventory
I just read on a major website to use up what you have in your pantries when times get tough....that I can agree with, that is what food storage is for.......and in the same article stating from a "business perspective" that keeping an inventory of food is essentially a drain on your cash flow, comparing it to business's that keep inventory. I completely disagree with this line of thought. Could it be that the "business perspective" is a bit biased? When times get tough, I am sure if we had food stores, their business would REALLY feel it, if not go out of business! It is not a drain on your cash flow but an investment to feed your family if something should happen like a job layoff, major emergency or natural disaster. During those rough times our first line of offense is us....you and me, not the grocery store or food bank. If you are of the latter how many others are of that ideology? What will happen if 60 percent or more of your community relies on another source for food and did not prepare properly. I find it fascinating that most of our population could go probably a year without purchasing new clothing or shoes but not 1 month in regards to groceries. Proof: In new or homes built after the 50's the closets got bigger and the pantries got smaller if non existent.
Maybe it can be chalked up to the culture I grew up in. I kid you not the winters I remember....snowed in for weeks. One best have their ducks in a row well ahead of snow fall and be ready for it.
Yours Truly
Mrs. Squirrel
*how much food do you have socked away?
*how it is stored?
*how do you rotate your inventory
I just read on a major website to use up what you have in your pantries when times get tough....that I can agree with, that is what food storage is for.......and in the same article stating from a "business perspective" that keeping an inventory of food is essentially a drain on your cash flow, comparing it to business's that keep inventory. I completely disagree with this line of thought. Could it be that the "business perspective" is a bit biased? When times get tough, I am sure if we had food stores, their business would REALLY feel it, if not go out of business! It is not a drain on your cash flow but an investment to feed your family if something should happen like a job layoff, major emergency or natural disaster. During those rough times our first line of offense is us....you and me, not the grocery store or food bank. If you are of the latter how many others are of that ideology? What will happen if 60 percent or more of your community relies on another source for food and did not prepare properly. I find it fascinating that most of our population could go probably a year without purchasing new clothing or shoes but not 1 month in regards to groceries. Proof: In new or homes built after the 50's the closets got bigger and the pantries got smaller if non existent.
Maybe it can be chalked up to the culture I grew up in. I kid you not the winters I remember....snowed in for weeks. One best have their ducks in a row well ahead of snow fall and be ready for it.
Yours Truly
Mrs. Squirrel
Friday, July 10, 2009
Line up!
A while back I was reading where this lady had told her friend to turn off her "heat dry cycle" on her dishwasher to save on her energy bills. My curiosity was piqued, would that make that much of a difference? I thought. I tried it. $35 it knocked off my bill. Rough estimate of a smidge over a dollar a day. In fact it was close to 25% of my bill. A dollar per day does not sound like much but when I figured it in percentages I thought it was quite a bit. Seriously? that is only one appliance!!! No more heat dry, I can think of better/funner things to spend my money on than drying dishes.
I recently purchased a clothes line and got it erected yesterday. Cement socket and all, by myself. This was after I cut down the dead lilac with a chainsaw......yes a chainsaw, electric so it was not so heavy....I could not handle a big ole gas saw for the life of me. It felt good not to have to rely on a man to do these things. Digging the root ball out is another story, I mean really why hog all the fun, Mr. Ebes is going to be in on that one, as well as I am sure Mr. Bobcat! I am most curious to see what line drying does to my energy bill. No more line drying on the fence.....stuff getting blown off. Today I will create a pin bag from some old jeans. There is nothing like having crisp clean line dried sheets.....they smell terrific.
This year has been an appliance trade out year. The old fridge and freezer in the basement went bye bye,replaced with a new energy star chest freezer, the washer and dryer replaced with energy star front loaders.....cut my bill in half!! Had I replaced them 5 years ago when we added on this house, it would have amounted to $6,000!! I could kick myself for not doing it sooner, but no we just used what we had and they were really not that old. The total cost of the new appliances was $1,365, which we had been saving for and paid cash, plus a door buster sale the day after Thanksgiving. Lesson learned energy efficient appliances really do make a difference!!
Have a great day Ya'll
Val
I recently purchased a clothes line and got it erected yesterday. Cement socket and all, by myself. This was after I cut down the dead lilac with a chainsaw......yes a chainsaw, electric so it was not so heavy....I could not handle a big ole gas saw for the life of me. It felt good not to have to rely on a man to do these things. Digging the root ball out is another story, I mean really why hog all the fun, Mr. Ebes is going to be in on that one, as well as I am sure Mr. Bobcat! I am most curious to see what line drying does to my energy bill. No more line drying on the fence.....stuff getting blown off. Today I will create a pin bag from some old jeans. There is nothing like having crisp clean line dried sheets.....they smell terrific.
This year has been an appliance trade out year. The old fridge and freezer in the basement went bye bye,replaced with a new energy star chest freezer, the washer and dryer replaced with energy star front loaders.....cut my bill in half!! Had I replaced them 5 years ago when we added on this house, it would have amounted to $6,000!! I could kick myself for not doing it sooner, but no we just used what we had and they were really not that old. The total cost of the new appliances was $1,365, which we had been saving for and paid cash, plus a door buster sale the day after Thanksgiving. Lesson learned energy efficient appliances really do make a difference!!
Have a great day Ya'll
Val
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Denny is coming....WhooHoot!! (click for further info)
Public Service Announcement
Okay all you Southwestern and Northeastern Montanans, its time to get to class. Denny will be here June 29,30 July 1,2 for his High Trust Psychology classes Billings West High. I have only been jawing about it for a year now. More info is on his site for times and address.
If you are human this class is worth ever cent. He teaches us skills to navigate this sometimes nutty world, increase the joy with those that we love, our spouses and children. Inspire not only ourselves to get the most out of life while inspiring others to reach and achieve their goals!! Especially our children.
GET'r done, click the title header....and for readers not in Montana he does travel around as well, he just maybe in your area, check it out!!
Have a wonderful day,
S.C.
Okay all you Southwestern and Northeastern Montanans, its time to get to class. Denny will be here June 29,30 July 1,2 for his High Trust Psychology classes Billings West High. I have only been jawing about it for a year now. More info is on his site for times and address.
If you are human this class is worth ever cent. He teaches us skills to navigate this sometimes nutty world, increase the joy with those that we love, our spouses and children. Inspire not only ourselves to get the most out of life while inspiring others to reach and achieve their goals!! Especially our children.
GET'r done, click the title header....and for readers not in Montana he does travel around as well, he just maybe in your area, check it out!!
Have a wonderful day,
S.C.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Rethinking the American Dream.....click me
Do take a moment to take a peek, I thought it was well written.
I like simplicity, I have simplified a few aspects of my life and lemme tell ya, waaaaaaaay less stress, and that includes the company I keep. I like stuff with history, like my camper for example. Its OLD, but its well made, it serves our purpose well. I can make it my "own". Its not Humongous. I have been in new campers and fifth wheels, I do not like them. For starters most of them have carpet and not near as much storage as older models, oh and a big pricetag's to match their monstrous size. No thanks. My hubby is eyeballing them, I say good luck with that, have fun vaccuming that in the desert or at the lake, I am going fishin.
I like to grow my own food, beat to my own my drum.
I purchase with a purpose, I don't care what other people think. I try to look and dress decent, but I do not know what the latest and greatest labels are. I do not want my house to look like everyone else's house on the block, Mine is unique and no matter where I live it will always be different. I am anti cookie cutter all the way. I will never spend $300 on a purse, or $2K on a set of wheels.....just the wheels, not the whole car. I like a simpler way of life. My vacation destination is not Disney World, its a National Park. I will never understand paying 2 benjamins for a bottle of wine. Not gonna happen. I do however understand the value of a good work ethic and know when to stop to enjoy those that are important to us.
I love the company of great friends, family, shared with fabulous food....maybe that is what the Amercian Dream is all about....share each others company and eat each others food and say it was good.
Sounds pretty simple to me,
Val
I like simplicity, I have simplified a few aspects of my life and lemme tell ya, waaaaaaaay less stress, and that includes the company I keep. I like stuff with history, like my camper for example. Its OLD, but its well made, it serves our purpose well. I can make it my "own". Its not Humongous. I have been in new campers and fifth wheels, I do not like them. For starters most of them have carpet and not near as much storage as older models, oh and a big pricetag's to match their monstrous size. No thanks. My hubby is eyeballing them, I say good luck with that, have fun vaccuming that in the desert or at the lake, I am going fishin.
I like to grow my own food, beat to my own my drum.
I purchase with a purpose, I don't care what other people think. I try to look and dress decent, but I do not know what the latest and greatest labels are. I do not want my house to look like everyone else's house on the block, Mine is unique and no matter where I live it will always be different. I am anti cookie cutter all the way. I will never spend $300 on a purse, or $2K on a set of wheels.....just the wheels, not the whole car. I like a simpler way of life. My vacation destination is not Disney World, its a National Park. I will never understand paying 2 benjamins for a bottle of wine. Not gonna happen. I do however understand the value of a good work ethic and know when to stop to enjoy those that are important to us.
I love the company of great friends, family, shared with fabulous food....maybe that is what the Amercian Dream is all about....share each others company and eat each others food and say it was good.
Sounds pretty simple to me,
Val
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Urban Homesteading...
While down at my mom and pop grocer picking up some ginger ale for my gingerly ailing husband whom is home sick with the flu today, I pick up a magazine of interest. The one and only Mother Earth News February March edition. It is one magazine that is worth 10 times the paper its printed on. Inside there is an inspiring article about Jules Dervaes and his "one trowel revolution". Who is Jules you ask? That pioneer over in Pasadena that gardens his 1/10th of an acre to an astounding harvest that sustains his family. He does have the advantage of year round climate that is condusive to such harvest, I have the advantage that I live on 1 acre with a well.
Stay tuned, in my hubbies semi lucid state I am going to approach him in turning the entire side yard into a garden paradise. This could go a couple of ways....scrunched up brow, bantering about not having any lawn to do.......what?mow? I have reduced our mowing by quite a bit since we have lived here. Maybe a few "are you crazy questions", or he will just nod off to sleep, and Lord help me out here pretty please, he will start dreaming of my vision.
I wonder if Jules would autograph my trowel? I would love to see his operation hands on, I am just that kind of person. A modern day, living in town, Urban Homesteader!
Go to www.pathtofreedom.com and get your Victory Garden on! I did slip them onto my blog roll for my everyday convenience.
Back to regularly scheduled daydreaming.
Val
Stay tuned, in my hubbies semi lucid state I am going to approach him in turning the entire side yard into a garden paradise. This could go a couple of ways....scrunched up brow, bantering about not having any lawn to do.......what?mow? I have reduced our mowing by quite a bit since we have lived here. Maybe a few "are you crazy questions", or he will just nod off to sleep, and Lord help me out here pretty please, he will start dreaming of my vision.
I wonder if Jules would autograph my trowel? I would love to see his operation hands on, I am just that kind of person. A modern day, living in town, Urban Homesteader!
Go to www.pathtofreedom.com and get your Victory Garden on! I did slip them onto my blog roll for my everyday convenience.
Back to regularly scheduled daydreaming.
Val
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
A different point of view...
Chameleon we found at the Skukuza rest camp~Kruger Park
Can be the best thing when you get stuck. I recently enjoyed a great conversation with my brother. When he gets into declutter mode he uses this formula Need It, Nice to Have It, Dont Need It. I guess the coin of phrase can be 2 Needs and a Nice.
For example we need soap, but do we really need 5 different kinds of body wash in the shower at the same time? We need towels, but do we need 42 of them cluttering up the linen closet. That formula can be applied to EVERYTHING in our lives. This is especially helpful for those digging out their living spaces consumed with stuff and for those shooting for the debt free way of living.
Almost 2 years ago I was invited to an astrology reading for the year. This lady is one of those that does birth charts, and can tell you everything about planets and constellations, alignment, retrograde and so forth. The information that stuck with me was coming that fall Virgo was doing the "hokey pokey" with whatever, but the underlying message was "Downsizing". We would be seeing more folks selling their big houses for smaller ones, getting rid of "stuff" they didn't need. We would see Corporations and business doing the same thing. Simplifying. I see a new career popping up all over the place...professional organizer. There is a drive to get it together, and do it effeciently. Why? In our current economy it only makes sense. Do we work to live or live to work?
While I was in S. Africa a lady asked me this question "Why is it that Americans do not travel just to travel, I see they travel for work, weddings,reunions, funerals, graduations and stuff like that (this would be us) but why not just go for the sake of experiencing a new place?" This was starting to sound like back in the day but do you remember "The Family Vacation". I had to think about that for a bit, okay it forced me to think about it alot. It must become a priority, it must become something we diligantly save and plan for not one of those line items that gets shoved to the bottom of the list when there "might" be money left over. Think of the vacations one could have when they are not paying off credit cards! I know alot of Americans are in a pinch right now and vacations are not top priority, survival is. Some are facing layoffs, foreclosure, repo's and the list goes on. Why and how did we, meaning Amerca in general, get ourselves into this mess? It makes perfect sense to downsize, live well below your means, pay off debt, free ourselves completely from debt, take stock of your true needs, live a good simple life, save money for where it really counts, take your kids to at least 3 National Parks before they leave the nest, relish in faith, family and friends. Is it really that simple, or did someone switch my regular prescription lenses for rose colored ones?
Keep It Simple
Val
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Words of Wisdom
I find some great wisdom from some great folks. This is what a stumbled upon in my forever search for tips, tricks and design. Think about this, and let it absorb through your skull and skin.
"So, what is household management? It is the act of focusing not just on the mechanics of home organization and cleaning, but taking a bigger picture view of how these actions effect and influence all aspects of your family life." ~Taylor, Household Management 101
Really does it not get any simpler than that? I think it just may become one of those quotes that I print out or paint onto a board and hang it up somewhere. Its that good!!! It could just be my new mission statement describing what it is that I think is important as a Family Manager. I like effeciency, simplicity, beauty, comfort meanwhile being mindful of waste, repurposing and teaching life long habits.
How does it affect those in your household when its piled, crammed, cluttery etc? I know first hand what happened with my 18 month old daughter on a visit to a home that was packed to the gills, We were invited to play cards and no sooner than I sit down she became engulfed in "stuff" and started turning in circles and began to cry because she saw no obvious way out of this mess.....it did not help that 2 huge friendly dogs came to investigate what was the matter. All out wailing!! (The other larger kids, would hop or stretch to step over stuff) I scooped her up, consoled her, set her back down. She would have none of that. I politely told my host I would be leaving and thanked them for the invite and I have never been back to that house since. Not because I dont like them, ITS JUST TOO MUCH! ITS OVERWHELMING!! I still see them and do like these folks they are really neat people, I just don't think they realize the impact their clutter has on them in a larger scope sense. It was then and there I realized why my OCD friend(who is so clean you could lick her toilet and it would be minty fresh) can not, will not step foot in that lady's house. I am not even close the neat nick she is and I was uncomfortable, not that I need anyone to pamper me, but dang where do I sit when all the chairs and sofa and dining table chairs have crap piled on the them....and they knew they would have a housefull! They that live there are just used to it, thats all. Its an everyday act to just move something over to sit down. Do you swing the other way....so overly obsessed with cleaning and neatness that your guests are afraid to even come in, in fear of messing something up? I have actually experienced slipping off my shoes and before my toe was out of the second loafer, the host grabbed them and set them next to the wall lined up with the other guests shoes. The two examples happened in the same weekend. Guess what? I have not been back to that house either. I was wiggin.....the whole time I thought Holy Crap, nothing not a speck of anything was out of place. It was absolute perfection.....Or was it? I would be afraid to bring my kids to that house, heck lets be honest, I was afraid to be in that house!!! It felt so cold and clinical even though she had plush fluffy beautiful furnishings, all brand spanking new with out a scratch on anything! (psssst, she has kids too) What an experience for me, a lesson in balance. Balance is Key!!
We really do make an impact on our households daily lives. I strive to teach my kids balance with responsibility, accountability, cleanliness, orderliness, and general flow of life inside these walls and outside of them as well. For example: Brush your teeth and put the toothbrush away and just try not squirt or spit toothpaste on the mirror, aim for the sink! Even if they do, its not a freak out until there is blood involved. I am still learning each and every day! Balance Balance Balance!!!
stick that in your hat! (meant in the most loving humored way, really really)
Val
"So, what is household management? It is the act of focusing not just on the mechanics of home organization and cleaning, but taking a bigger picture view of how these actions effect and influence all aspects of your family life." ~Taylor, Household Management 101
Really does it not get any simpler than that? I think it just may become one of those quotes that I print out or paint onto a board and hang it up somewhere. Its that good!!! It could just be my new mission statement describing what it is that I think is important as a Family Manager. I like effeciency, simplicity, beauty, comfort meanwhile being mindful of waste, repurposing and teaching life long habits.
How does it affect those in your household when its piled, crammed, cluttery etc? I know first hand what happened with my 18 month old daughter on a visit to a home that was packed to the gills, We were invited to play cards and no sooner than I sit down she became engulfed in "stuff" and started turning in circles and began to cry because she saw no obvious way out of this mess.....it did not help that 2 huge friendly dogs came to investigate what was the matter. All out wailing!! (The other larger kids, would hop or stretch to step over stuff) I scooped her up, consoled her, set her back down. She would have none of that. I politely told my host I would be leaving and thanked them for the invite and I have never been back to that house since. Not because I dont like them, ITS JUST TOO MUCH! ITS OVERWHELMING!! I still see them and do like these folks they are really neat people, I just don't think they realize the impact their clutter has on them in a larger scope sense. It was then and there I realized why my OCD friend(who is so clean you could lick her toilet and it would be minty fresh) can not, will not step foot in that lady's house. I am not even close the neat nick she is and I was uncomfortable, not that I need anyone to pamper me, but dang where do I sit when all the chairs and sofa and dining table chairs have crap piled on the them....and they knew they would have a housefull! They that live there are just used to it, thats all. Its an everyday act to just move something over to sit down. Do you swing the other way....so overly obsessed with cleaning and neatness that your guests are afraid to even come in, in fear of messing something up? I have actually experienced slipping off my shoes and before my toe was out of the second loafer, the host grabbed them and set them next to the wall lined up with the other guests shoes. The two examples happened in the same weekend. Guess what? I have not been back to that house either. I was wiggin.....the whole time I thought Holy Crap, nothing not a speck of anything was out of place. It was absolute perfection.....Or was it? I would be afraid to bring my kids to that house, heck lets be honest, I was afraid to be in that house!!! It felt so cold and clinical even though she had plush fluffy beautiful furnishings, all brand spanking new with out a scratch on anything! (psssst, she has kids too) What an experience for me, a lesson in balance. Balance is Key!!
We really do make an impact on our households daily lives. I strive to teach my kids balance with responsibility, accountability, cleanliness, orderliness, and general flow of life inside these walls and outside of them as well. For example: Brush your teeth and put the toothbrush away and just try not squirt or spit toothpaste on the mirror, aim for the sink! Even if they do, its not a freak out until there is blood involved. I am still learning each and every day! Balance Balance Balance!!!
stick that in your hat! (meant in the most loving humored way, really really)
Val
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Green Grass
Do you know what it takes to have green grass? The type of grass the is lush, thick and feels oh so good under your feet. It takes these 3 things water, fertilizer and regular mowing. I did not come up with this on my own, it is an age old practice and its pretty simple. A few weeks back I ran across an article that struck me on the head like a 2x4. Not because it was new found advice, but because it was well written. I meant to bookmark it and share here but I did not and now I cannot find it! In essence it is about looking over someones fence and wanting what they have, yet not willing to put in the work to get it. They want it instantaneously, right now!! Her words to that young woman "honey it don't work that way." Over on the right side of this blog is a list of subjects that I refer to as "Tending to your Gardens" and it ties into what this lady was saying. We all must tend our gardens, if not they become overrun, weedy, dry, and unable to grow what we desire them to grow. Are you with me on this?
If you want a well organized home then you are going to have to put in the effort, sure it can be emotionally draining and tears are involved to "let go" of things and move on, but I assure you its worth it. If you want a reasonably clean home, same thing.....effort and devoloping a routine. That may even entail combining that with your family/relationship garden in communicating your plan and expectations. In my own personal life I must say I have a gorgeous vegetable garden that can produce some serious amounts of food. Someone asked me if I was part Hutterite, I laughed, underneath I was rubbed a bit because of the underlying notion that one must have garden background to be a good vegetable producer.Wrong-O!! My parents did not garden, I learned this on my own, because it was of interest to me. I bought some garden books and started from there. When I was in my teens I would buy packs of flowers from my neighbors greenhouse to enjoy and that is indeed what sparked my interest. With the support of my husband, whose parents did not garden but they did grow wheat, barley and other various things dryland farmers produce, and buckets of sweat with the digging and sometimes reworking areas on occasion, I can say I am a master gardener, and I am still learning. I have heard rumor that one cannot be called a master gardener unless they take some course from a garden club. Total Rubbish! I dont agree with that at all, because one can be book smart and answer all the questions correctly but can they garden? Are they willing to apply the knowledge?
All aspects of our lives are like little mini gardens within our larger garden, our work places, our individual friendships, our lovers, our children,our finances, our homes, our garages, our hobbies, now expand to schools, communities, counties etc. If you want these areas of your life to flourish then you must be willing to put in the work. Now pause for a moment and think about the times you have busted tail and have done alot of work and still that part of the garden is failing.......time to weed! Are you willing to put so much effort into one area, meanwhile your other gardens are getting parched, devoid of your attention. This is where balance comes in. Sure you will experience times when one section indeed demands your time and attention, yet it is not weeds. Like children and husbands and wives, for example, they will take up a considerable amount of your time and attention, and they should!!! They need the correct balance of nutrients(food,discipline,love)in their lives to maintain and grow. I am not condoning martyr type behavior by any means, giving all and not taking care of oneself! Even gardeners know when to stop watering and get a drink for themselves. My galfriend TPG, sent me this last summer and I would like to share with ya'll...."There's a point in your life when you get tired of trying to fix everything and trying to make everyone happy. When you finally decide to quit, it's not giving up. It's realizing you don't need certain people and the bullshit they bring to your life." Very fitting in certain scenarios. We were both having some issues in our lives and having a hard time letting go. This was perfect, no one wants to be a quitter, but there are times when throwing in the towel and walking away is the healthiest thing to do.
One must not be envious of the grass on the other side of the fence. You don't know what it took to get there, are you willing to put in that effort? I will leave you with a fabulous quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson:"The force of character is cumulative. Character is born out of a dedication that eventually becomes habit".
Its Tuesday!!Tend to your gardens. Mine happens to be the basement today, a few redheaded raccoons have been down there messing around, and I do have areas that need some sprucing and cleaning.
S.C.
If you want a well organized home then you are going to have to put in the effort, sure it can be emotionally draining and tears are involved to "let go" of things and move on, but I assure you its worth it. If you want a reasonably clean home, same thing.....effort and devoloping a routine. That may even entail combining that with your family/relationship garden in communicating your plan and expectations. In my own personal life I must say I have a gorgeous vegetable garden that can produce some serious amounts of food. Someone asked me if I was part Hutterite, I laughed, underneath I was rubbed a bit because of the underlying notion that one must have garden background to be a good vegetable producer.Wrong-O!! My parents did not garden, I learned this on my own, because it was of interest to me. I bought some garden books and started from there. When I was in my teens I would buy packs of flowers from my neighbors greenhouse to enjoy and that is indeed what sparked my interest. With the support of my husband, whose parents did not garden but they did grow wheat, barley and other various things dryland farmers produce, and buckets of sweat with the digging and sometimes reworking areas on occasion, I can say I am a master gardener, and I am still learning. I have heard rumor that one cannot be called a master gardener unless they take some course from a garden club. Total Rubbish! I dont agree with that at all, because one can be book smart and answer all the questions correctly but can they garden? Are they willing to apply the knowledge?
All aspects of our lives are like little mini gardens within our larger garden, our work places, our individual friendships, our lovers, our children,our finances, our homes, our garages, our hobbies, now expand to schools, communities, counties etc. If you want these areas of your life to flourish then you must be willing to put in the work. Now pause for a moment and think about the times you have busted tail and have done alot of work and still that part of the garden is failing.......time to weed! Are you willing to put so much effort into one area, meanwhile your other gardens are getting parched, devoid of your attention. This is where balance comes in. Sure you will experience times when one section indeed demands your time and attention, yet it is not weeds. Like children and husbands and wives, for example, they will take up a considerable amount of your time and attention, and they should!!! They need the correct balance of nutrients(food,discipline,love)in their lives to maintain and grow. I am not condoning martyr type behavior by any means, giving all and not taking care of oneself! Even gardeners know when to stop watering and get a drink for themselves. My galfriend TPG, sent me this last summer and I would like to share with ya'll...."There's a point in your life when you get tired of trying to fix everything and trying to make everyone happy. When you finally decide to quit, it's not giving up. It's realizing you don't need certain people and the bullshit they bring to your life." Very fitting in certain scenarios. We were both having some issues in our lives and having a hard time letting go. This was perfect, no one wants to be a quitter, but there are times when throwing in the towel and walking away is the healthiest thing to do.
One must not be envious of the grass on the other side of the fence. You don't know what it took to get there, are you willing to put in that effort? I will leave you with a fabulous quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson:"The force of character is cumulative. Character is born out of a dedication that eventually becomes habit".
Its Tuesday!!Tend to your gardens. Mine happens to be the basement today, a few redheaded raccoons have been down there messing around, and I do have areas that need some sprucing and cleaning.
S.C.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Laptop Lunches....click me....Its time for a lunch throw down!!
I was intro'd to these a few months back and said "eh whatever, neat but I am not sure I could pull that off, it would take some effort" and have been fumbling along with my lunch preparation with less enthusiam as the year wore along. Until........................my 6 year old told me she would rather have "school lunch". WHAT? truth is she has every right to want school lunch when the lunch I have provided consisted no more than a sandwich, a pudding and some crunchy snack type food, which equals boring. Time to step up to the plate in the area of personal responsibility and take some pride in the pack lunches I prepare for her and her dad, add on my son by August, That is 50-60 lunches per month. It would pay to pay attention to the resources available via the internet.
What I like about the LL box is this....if you notice when the top of the case closes it becomes the top of the containers, so carrots and grapes are not going to be just flung all over. It does come with a sealing lid for one of the larger containers to detour seepage of lets say a macaroni salad of sorts. A smaller container is included for dressings etc.
Another item I cruised across, and stopped dead in my tracks was the Bento box. A bit hard to explain but basically its of Japanese origin and the original bentos were laquered wood with compartments and a lid. There are lots of bento resources via the web just google for them and allow the journey to begin. I happen to find a bento box for 2 dollars new in package and a few other items that can be used as bento at the local thrift store. Review...the sterilite container to the far right: My daughter did not like it that well, I think she got caught up in visiting with her friends and did not snap the top on properly and the bits of leftover turkey salad was everywhere in her lunch bag. Not the first time.That is just it, I hope to have better luck with the Clickety Clik in the bottom of the picture. The Tovolo molds work awesome, and for 2.50 cents I think they were worth it.
The purple one is my favorite however it does not lock and needs a rubber band as original bentos do, it was a scrunchie box and is now my lunch box. I asked my husband if he would like to use it, he says "why not I am already getting flak" The pink one is what I would call a true bento box. I could sew up a bag in which the container would fit, throw in a cold pack and she is good to go. Those funny shaped things are ice cream sandwich molds, which you will not find me making anytime soon. Maybe for a birthday party, but not every day. You can put in a fresh hardboiled egg shelled and rubberband it throw it in some cold water for a bit and voila, here is looking at you piggy.
I also have 2 lock n lock boxes that work very well along with various sqaure containers to fit within said boxes. Those are perfect sized for my big beefy man of a husband. There are lots of neat items on the market and always have been, but its the ladies and gentleman that have shown me Lunch can be creative, it just takes a new way to look at it. Its time to take back lunch and look at it as a blessing and not a pain in the you know what. I doubt you will see me use Nori punches and the like, it seems alot of messing around. I am going to strive for creative yet simple lunches. An occasional molded pig hard boiled egg and vegtable flowers yes, give em some flair but not take up hours of my time. Its like "the art of lunch". I did make this salad for my hubby and boy did he take a razzing at work...one of the other guys said "is she bored or something?", "wow, my wife never makes me lunch, I have to make my own"
"Happy Salad"..............and before the feminist banners go up, I make his lunch because its my job to keep headquarters running smoothly and keeping the money maker in the field. if ya get my drift! If I were working outside the home then yes lunch duty would be both of our jobs. I told him the next time they give you crap just tell em your on the sugar diet and when they say huh? just say "it's sweeet". and let em think it over.
I still need some silicone baking cups, mini bottles , sew a few bento bags and the larger cold packs, I have the small ones but I think the bigger ones the size of a post card stay colder longer.
Saddle up ladies, its time to round up lunch making gear, frippery and ingenuity.
http://stores.ebay.com/Bento-Obento-Shop.....
http://www.sugarcharms.com/store/index.php?main_page=index.....supplies
http://community.livejournal.com/bentolunch.... they post every day and its great inspiration.
I look to add them on to my favorite blogs, when I get around to listing those. (looks like you will have to google them)
and of course the link by clicking the title.
Its time for a lunch "throw down"
LOL
have a great day ladies.
SC
What I like about the LL box is this....if you notice when the top of the case closes it becomes the top of the containers, so carrots and grapes are not going to be just flung all over. It does come with a sealing lid for one of the larger containers to detour seepage of lets say a macaroni salad of sorts. A smaller container is included for dressings etc.
Another item I cruised across, and stopped dead in my tracks was the Bento box. A bit hard to explain but basically its of Japanese origin and the original bentos were laquered wood with compartments and a lid. There are lots of bento resources via the web just google for them and allow the journey to begin. I happen to find a bento box for 2 dollars new in package and a few other items that can be used as bento at the local thrift store. Review...the sterilite container to the far right: My daughter did not like it that well, I think she got caught up in visiting with her friends and did not snap the top on properly and the bits of leftover turkey salad was everywhere in her lunch bag. Not the first time.That is just it, I hope to have better luck with the Clickety Clik in the bottom of the picture. The Tovolo molds work awesome, and for 2.50 cents I think they were worth it.
The purple one is my favorite however it does not lock and needs a rubber band as original bentos do, it was a scrunchie box and is now my lunch box. I asked my husband if he would like to use it, he says "why not I am already getting flak" The pink one is what I would call a true bento box. I could sew up a bag in which the container would fit, throw in a cold pack and she is good to go. Those funny shaped things are ice cream sandwich molds, which you will not find me making anytime soon. Maybe for a birthday party, but not every day. You can put in a fresh hardboiled egg shelled and rubberband it throw it in some cold water for a bit and voila, here is looking at you piggy.
I also have 2 lock n lock boxes that work very well along with various sqaure containers to fit within said boxes. Those are perfect sized for my big beefy man of a husband. There are lots of neat items on the market and always have been, but its the ladies and gentleman that have shown me Lunch can be creative, it just takes a new way to look at it. Its time to take back lunch and look at it as a blessing and not a pain in the you know what. I doubt you will see me use Nori punches and the like, it seems alot of messing around. I am going to strive for creative yet simple lunches. An occasional molded pig hard boiled egg and vegtable flowers yes, give em some flair but not take up hours of my time. Its like "the art of lunch". I did make this salad for my hubby and boy did he take a razzing at work...one of the other guys said "is she bored or something?", "wow, my wife never makes me lunch, I have to make my own"
"Happy Salad"..............and before the feminist banners go up, I make his lunch because its my job to keep headquarters running smoothly and keeping the money maker in the field. if ya get my drift! If I were working outside the home then yes lunch duty would be both of our jobs. I told him the next time they give you crap just tell em your on the sugar diet and when they say huh? just say "it's sweeet". and let em think it over.
I still need some silicone baking cups, mini bottles , sew a few bento bags and the larger cold packs, I have the small ones but I think the bigger ones the size of a post card stay colder longer.
Saddle up ladies, its time to round up lunch making gear, frippery and ingenuity.
http://stores.ebay.com/Bento-Obento-Shop.....
http://www.sugarcharms.com/store/index.php?main_page=index.....supplies
http://community.livejournal.com/bentolunch.... they post every day and its great inspiration.
I look to add them on to my favorite blogs, when I get around to listing those. (looks like you will have to google them)
and of course the link by clicking the title.
Its time for a lunch "throw down"
LOL
have a great day ladies.
SC
Monday, December 29, 2008
Personal Responsibility....
Its not very often I will ever link to Dr. Laura (click the title header) but I find myself aligning with her ideals more and more these days. Like it or not if someone asks her a question she does not sugar coat anything. Some food for thought regarding personal responsibility and finances and basically the whole shpeel of why we are in such a pickle as a Nation.
The other point I want to bring up is that PR to ourselves and our loved ones. When I say loved ones I mean husband or wife and kids. The ones we are making a life with now.
I was not so sure about this staying at home gig. I was sure I would get bored with not enough to do, not enough outside stimulation of adult human contact. Wrong! I have found this to be one of the best experiences of my life. I went from a disorganized mommy with a chore list that never ended to an organized mom and captain of my life. I thank God everyday that my husband has a good job that he actually loves, and that it allows us to be the family we want to be. I also view this now not only as a partnership in marriage but as a business partnership in life. 4 years ago I was always down on myself about not bringing in any income. Not anymore. You see once I started to look at it as a business partnership there was that paradigm shift in thinking. He is out their in the field drumming up the money and I am at headquarters in the position of Manager. Neither one could thrive without the committed support of the other partner. It is my job to make sure headquarters is running smoothly, accounts payable is taken care of, the facility is clean and safe, and the children are learning with some "on the job training" in regards to life. I chose this position. Sure there are days that go haywire, no different out in the field. So if you find yourself complaining on a routine basis about the job(s) you have chosen, then its time for a wake up call in your thinking. Clean it up! It is your creation. You may not blame having kids or a husband for the chaos in your home. You can however get up and get going to get the clutter out of your homes, if you need to hire a professional to get some advice and vision then do it! My funds did not allow me to hire anyone so it was jump in both feet and learn as you go. I also love the Home section at Barnes and Noble and when I got stumped I went there to cruise the books and magazines for ideas. It helps I have a great handyman husband that can build anything and I Love his mad skillz!!!.
I will present them the way I came about them. It will be a layered learning process, they all work together. You start with one and once you got a handle on it, you add on another one and do them simultaneously, so on and so forth. It is a bit of work and it is well worth the effort.
I started with my surroundings first...all the stuff in my house was just too much. Environmental clutter.
Second, emotional/mental clutter....that seemed to take the longest.
Spiritual clutter.....yes that is possible!
Financial/paper clutter I am in the process of really getting a handle on it thanks to the recent Dave Ramsey Classes.
and am ready to move on to physical clutter, as in the few extra pounds I am carrying around. That is the last piece to the puzzle.
Stay tuned and get some supplies ready such as lots of extra boxes, totes, bins, etc. labels and a pen. YOU CAN DO THIS! It is time to take personal responsibility for these areas in your life, it is an honor to share what I have learned with you.
Much Love
Simple Cowgirl
The other point I want to bring up is that PR to ourselves and our loved ones. When I say loved ones I mean husband or wife and kids. The ones we are making a life with now.
I was not so sure about this staying at home gig. I was sure I would get bored with not enough to do, not enough outside stimulation of adult human contact. Wrong! I have found this to be one of the best experiences of my life. I went from a disorganized mommy with a chore list that never ended to an organized mom and captain of my life. I thank God everyday that my husband has a good job that he actually loves, and that it allows us to be the family we want to be. I also view this now not only as a partnership in marriage but as a business partnership in life. 4 years ago I was always down on myself about not bringing in any income. Not anymore. You see once I started to look at it as a business partnership there was that paradigm shift in thinking. He is out their in the field drumming up the money and I am at headquarters in the position of Manager. Neither one could thrive without the committed support of the other partner. It is my job to make sure headquarters is running smoothly, accounts payable is taken care of, the facility is clean and safe, and the children are learning with some "on the job training" in regards to life. I chose this position. Sure there are days that go haywire, no different out in the field. So if you find yourself complaining on a routine basis about the job(s) you have chosen, then its time for a wake up call in your thinking. Clean it up! It is your creation. You may not blame having kids or a husband for the chaos in your home. You can however get up and get going to get the clutter out of your homes, if you need to hire a professional to get some advice and vision then do it! My funds did not allow me to hire anyone so it was jump in both feet and learn as you go. I also love the Home section at Barnes and Noble and when I got stumped I went there to cruise the books and magazines for ideas. It helps I have a great handyman husband that can build anything and I Love his mad skillz!!!.
I will present them the way I came about them. It will be a layered learning process, they all work together. You start with one and once you got a handle on it, you add on another one and do them simultaneously, so on and so forth. It is a bit of work and it is well worth the effort.
I started with my surroundings first...all the stuff in my house was just too much. Environmental clutter.
Second, emotional/mental clutter....that seemed to take the longest.
Spiritual clutter.....yes that is possible!
Financial/paper clutter I am in the process of really getting a handle on it thanks to the recent Dave Ramsey Classes.
and am ready to move on to physical clutter, as in the few extra pounds I am carrying around. That is the last piece to the puzzle.
Stay tuned and get some supplies ready such as lots of extra boxes, totes, bins, etc. labels and a pen. YOU CAN DO THIS! It is time to take personal responsibility for these areas in your life, it is an honor to share what I have learned with you.
Much Love
Simple Cowgirl
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