Streamlining and New Patio Furniture

A few years ago picking one word for the year became quite popular. Yes, I know it is June 1st and I am taking about a word for the year. HA! 

I read the book and attempted to do that because the author makes a good case for doing such. Honestly, I read more posts from other bloggers about one words each year that were far more deep and thoughtful than anything I ever come up with on my own. 

Anyway, more than once over the past 7 years the word simplify has popped into my mind. In fact, one night a few weeks ago it popped into my mind again. I decided to give it some thought as I lay in bed. I think it arose again because there is always conflict in my mind. There are two things duking it out up there. 

One is dealing with the stuff we accumulate over time knowing we don't want to be dealing with stuff for the remainder of our lives. The other is being too sentimental!!! I written about it more times than not. I have declared many times that I am a sentimental, organized packrat. 

My wonderings that night led me to pull out my phone and actually look up the word, simplify. I thought the following three definitions were appropriate to me in defining what I was looking for and what I was NOT looking to do ....

1. to reduce to the basic essentials (this one really is not what I am striving for. I am way too sentimental for that!)

2. to diminish in scope or complexity. (I liked this one...it was more what I had in mind with the word simplify.)

3. to make more intelligible: clarity. (I liked this one too.)

By now, you can see I wasn't falling asleep! I decided to click on the synonyms since the first definition led me to think that I hadn't hit on the word I was exactly looking for all these years.

STREAMLINE came up. I then looked up streamline.

---smooth flow -less resistance. 

Now, this spoke to my analytic more scientific nature. 

I thought, "Yes, this is more what I need in my life." 

Smooth flowing ---less resistance.

All that to say---that is why I got rid of all my plants downstairs and as I cleaning and moving through life this summer I have streamline on my mind.

I need things to move a little more smoothly. I have a lot of people to see about and yet, I still want to enjoy my hobbies. I want my routines to be more streamlined. 

That new focus is helping me to move some things out. Funny how just a new way of thinking can set some things in motion. 

Jeff decided we needed some new outdoor furniture. I was actually against it and voiced my opinion, but he was just so adamant that I knew it was pointless. I started rearranging things going along with my "streamline" thinking. If he was going to buy a table and chairs to put back upstairs on the deck then some more plants were just going to have to go!

Honestly, I was already thinking they needed to go because over the years the light on the deck has changed so much with the pine tree growing bigger and providing more shade. I moved out my two plant stands and again got rid of some more plants. I kept two geraniums upstairs. They are beautiful right now but by July 4th they will be struggling to shine because of heat. Geraniums love our spring and fall temperatures here in north Florida.

On Memorial Day, we went to Lowe's and bought a table and chairs and he spent the afternoon putting them together. We had one out there for many years and enjoyed it. I was resistant because we had added these two big blue chairs and I didn't think we needed to crowd the deck.

We had our first meal out there Memorial Day evening with Mother and Jeff's brother. Sounds of boats, kids playing across the bayou, and birds singing were heard while eating our meal.

I readily admitted I had been wrong. It was delightful. So delightful that this morning I had my quiet time out there. 

AT 7:20 AM this morning it was a wonderful 69 degrees with a wonderful salty breeze. Gus liked it so much that he fell into a hard sleep with his little fur ruffling in the breeze. Yep, I was wrong. I like the table a whole bunch.

I have narrowed my pots downstairs to a row I can water easily with the hose. The hostas (on the right) are amazing. I had them up front and have found their happy place. My rose is loving life too. I may add another NEXT year. 

You may have noticed that white table and chairs. It is at least 37 years old. It is getting a little worn, but I think it has a couple more summers in it. It is a little too big for the upper deck.

Oh, and to make things even sweeter, I have a great like for mallards. A whole group of them have been hanging out on the grass next door. They have kept Gus and me entertained.

Planning to do summer with a grateful heart,

Sandy