Catching Up

 The longer I stay away the harder I find it is to compose a post. I am going to try and get my brain juiced up and share what I have been doing with my days. 

I am still on my yearly January refresh of organization and cleaning. I did get one closet painted. Painting can only be done on the weekend, because I just can’t pull that out and keep a baby. I started with my smallest project. I learned a few things that will help me going forward and I am not doing every closet in the house. Just those that have a lot of use and consequently just have a good bit of scuffing.

I started with my short closet (it is over an air intake) that is a multipurpose closet in our kitchen to garage hallway. It holds the medicine cabinet supplies, the paper goods, lightbulbs, batteries and my very large cookbook collection.

Here it all freshly painted. If you are wondering what that white box is, it is a recipe holder. It has index cards and the letter filers. It was there from my mother-in- law. I have chosen to leave it there because it is a sweet reminder of her.

Now, here it is all filled back up with lots of cookbooks. I do use a lot of them. I still have some I could get rid of and I suppose I could write he recipes down from many of them but I have a great fondness for cookbooks although I haven’t bought a new one in quite a while.

I have one more in that hallway that holds small appliances, a portion of my bedroom closet and them a storage room that I am planning to do. 

I have also been organizing and sending off home movies to Legacy Box. I had sent my small ones on reels and the first of our VHS tapes last year. I watch for good deals. For instance last year, during the Super Bowl game they offered a 60% off. 

I chose the flash drive for them to be put on because, I knew I could make multiple copies for the kids and other family members from a flash drive to a new flash drive. I have done that with my first two batches. 

I am storing them for myself and family members like I do my floss. I take an index card and write what is  on the flashdrive and them store it in a snack size Ziplock baggie. 

I have enjoyed watching these again and sharing them with family members. We have all had some good laughs and some cries too, but all good to have them useable.

I have a box currently sent away, it takes about 6 weeks for them to return, I have one more set of 7 to be sent off. Down to the last of them. I will of course look for a good deal during the Super Bowl this year and get them all done. Either way, that is task I want checked off in ‘22.

I have been steadily but slowly like the tortoise not the hare checking things off my list. January has been a good month for that. The painting tasks are really all I have left to do. Of course, each task you do often adds new ones to the list but that is just the way of life. When I get those done, my mind will shift to outdoors. I have a good many things outside that need to be done. 

Currently, I am listening to the sounds of workers outside. This time of year he water in the bayou recedes so that you can often see dock problems. Three of our neighbors have been getting work done. One a whole new seawall, another a whole new dock, and a third a new retaining wall higher up from the seawall. We are getting some new likings on our dock. Over time they do just deteriorate. We all jumped on the guy while he had his barge over here. I feel for the boys because it has been some of the coldest weather around here. Real wintery. They have suits on but it is still just so cold.

I do have one question. The other day I saw an Instagram post with a question for viewers. She was talking about organizing books (of which I own a LOT) and placing them on shelving, she asked if you took your book covers off. I was in shock at the answer percentage. Why? I love books! 

****Libraries, bookstores, and fabric stores all have the same effect on me. I can walk in and  just know I am going to be there for a while browsing and soaking up such sights. I love looking at all the covers and wondering what is in that book. I love all the color and patterns in fabrics just wondering what possibilities they hold. Never would I take all the covers off. I wouldn’t know what the book is at a glance. Now, I have taken a cover off to decorate a space with the books working with the color of the spine but I am one who can’t even throw a cover away. The answer turned out to be 75% yes that they remove the covers before placing them on their shelves with 25% no. Well that sent me into deep thoughts on whether I was missing out on something. I haven’t tried it yet. Probably won’t but I am curious. Pipe in with your thoughts:)

I have been stitching and hopefully before the weekend is over I will share my progress on two stitches. I have also been sharing my stitching time with some books. I will share one of those with you later too.

As Jeff and I suspected his brother has started the downward slope with his cancer. My posting will be sporadic as I predicted this year. It’s life. 

And poor Jeff had a whopper of a place cut off his nose. They had to do plastic surgery afterwards. I have to play nurse with bandages of which I am, not good. I am a squeamish nurse. 

On a positive note, a prayer was answered. An older lady has moved into Mom’s neighborhood. They are walking together and she went with her to her church who has a game night for seniors twice. Dominoes! Mother loves them. Back at home she was in 2 groups and she has missed that. This has been so good for her.

Other than that my days are spent loving on Palmer. I did have Tucker a few days as their daycare got closed for sickness a few days. Those days wear me out. All is well. 

Be back soon with some stitches,

Sandy