end of another week... 9-24-2010

Elizabeth birthday girl 

cj birthday boy

on the road...again...

another week slipped past... oldest son hurt at work... blew up his knee... will have to see an orthopedic surg... his birthday was Monday and grand baby Elizabeth's was Thursday... got to spend quality time with them both... am trying to pack to prepare for our winter south... so now down to decision time... it is beginning to chill up here but still in the 90s there so have to pack warm and cool for down there... sweetie wants to pack some tools and such to take also... and also must make sure all is on target here 'cause youngest son is staying here... life is full of decisions... i just have to remember that "every decision I make is a choice between an grievance and a miracle!" (that statement is on my fridge)... so here I go into the decision making world... wish me luck and send prayers after me...

end of this week... 9/17/2010

ending a week... pulled my knee again... slows all my plans down... but must keep on progressing...
packed clowns away this morning... am going to try to pack other things that are not needed right now and decide if I need them or not... if I do not dig in the box for the next 6 months then I must not need it very bad... the only exception is emotionally important items... I need to remember I cannot be emotionally attached to EVERYTHING  that comes my way...
I must limit myself... this is easier said than done... I have been trying to limit myself to reference books lately... the kind that could be helpful if for some reason I could not look something up on the puter!!!
I must also develop a preferred clothing style and begin to limit myself there... BIG problem is there what I want to wear is neither "in style" nor "attractive"... it is just comfortable... so it is also embarrassing to my children and grandchildren... hahaha!!

one more time...

his life is simple....

his is simple too...

How to simplify... hahaha this should be simple!
Figure out what I need and release the rest...
What about what the other people in my house deem as worthwhile...
Do I ignore their wishes? Try to convince them they really don't need this or that...
Being on both ends of this simple issue makes it complex...
So... start with one part of a room at a time... and then move on around the room one piece at a time...
Now let's see... do I need_____???

birthday #53

ok... I have lived through another Birthday... now to be middle aged I will have to live to be 106! This is doable...right?
To take inventory...
1. still weigh too much, 2. grey is increasing, 3. wrinkles are increasing, 4. seeking simplicity and seem to be gaining on it...hence the grey increasing (no more dye), 5. children are grown up men now, 6. grandbabies growing...3yr old informed me she is NOT a baby! another one starting school in fall...
Goals?
1. Andy's independence increase
2. Increase my health earmarks
    a. blood pressure continue to be normal
    b. stamina continue to increase with Victoza
    c. cholestrol continue to decrease
3. continue simplification of homestead
4. develop stream of income
5. not dwell on weight loss but on health increasing...

a new joy filled year?

A new year and what will it hold... lots of hugs and grandbaby kisses... laughter and prayer... looking for joy where it can be found... I know sometimes we have to search for these simple things... some days they are harder to find than others... the world here is covered in snow and much is hidden just like the joy is sometimes hidden in our life... it takes determination sometimes to find it... a choice to seek the joy in our little lives... the taste of a strawberry, the breeze on a hot day, the snore of the one you love beside you, giggle of a child on the phone, "I love you" long distance from someone who means it... tiny things in this HUGE world but all can bring joy into my little life... I will search for these things and FIND them this year...

homestead at last!!

papa's shed on property
signed papers with mom n dad

deer in front yard

same deer

tiny flowers in back yard

mystery tree fruit mystery tree?

flowerbed?

front yard

lucky ladybugs...in bedroom window

So excited to be on our way to establishing a homestead for our family...ya know one of those places for family to come "home" to... Signed papers to take over Mom n Dad's acre and have inherited 5 more adjoining it from Papa... so it is really old family land and we have a chance to make it our own...Have been doing some cleaning and organizing but will talk more about that later...here are a few pics just to give you a glimpse... grand baby Chad in Ohio wanted to know what Texas looked like...so here it is buddy...

this is gonna be a great adventure for us...

Today goal... prep for move... pack 5, recycle 5, trash 5... or such is the plan... am looking for the best way to move my son's 10 years of comics...*:)
Monday morning... sometimes it feels good to have a clean slate like the beginning of a new week. Of course I know the week actually arrived on Sunday... but... that was the weekend right...
I am going to try to make some more progress in my paring down project. I know there are more things that need to be shared and will be truly used and enjoyed by others... so that is the plan for this week.
I am running out of steam in this area though...have been doing it slowly but surely for over a year and am down to what I really want to keep in many areas. I know it is time for me to use a fine tooth comb and work inside some of these cabinets to purge and pass along some of the bits and pieces of my stuff... so here goes...
be blessed today...

oatmeal, walnuts, honey

chad and his turkey leg

chad & zoe happy meals

chad and raisin bread

Just wondering how would I go about simplifying my diet? There is so much written about what we eat. What would a simple diet consist of. Some say it would be maybe vegetarian. Some only what you make from scratch. Does it mean simple to prepare or simple to eat. Simple to eat might be drop by the window and place my order...not the best for my health. So what do you think a simple diet would be?

• fruit
• veggies
• grain
• protein
• water

how simple do you make it and not get bored... does it matter if it bores us... are we eating for entertainment? "eat to live or live to eat?" is a comment heard in a diet group or two over the years... just wondering... be blessed today...

simple life?

pics show simple contentment at it's best...imho

where is my simple life? Hidden behind all the stuff my life holds... things, projects, plans, people... simplicity disappears behind life... so it is time to dig it out...

• set priorities
• purge unnecessary projects
• plan for simplicity
• ease away from the draining people (embrace the uplifting ones)

priorities... family, health(physical, mental, spirituial), food, clothing, shelter...that looks like a good place to begin... focus on these priorities...if it does not contribute to these things then ease it or throw it out of my life...

be blessed today

naming property???

grand baby #6 chad took this pic of grandma laughing...he is 5...

this is mom & dad a few years back...

Years ago I was looking for a name for my property. I knew it came from GOD... just too many coincidences fell in place for it not to be a true blessing. I remembered a verse that says "GOD inhabits the praise of his people". I wanted him to be welcome and live at my place so it became "praise place". This has been the name of many physical places since then, and the name of my ministry, but truly I think it is the name of my heart. We will be moving once again and I know I will carry the name with me. It is interesting how a place will get a name. My dad lived in an area that the kids all called "rainbow" because of the HUGE rainbow bread sign on the tiny local store in that community. Where my parents live now...mom named "rainbow's end". I need to get busy today...taking a few more steps to get ready to move... be blessed today

july 09 grandma's job

the water was chasing her...

she will pose for this one...

sharing the great lake with grandpa

going for a trip with grandma...

moving is by nature complicated... so how do you simplify it?

plan, plan, plan... I am tired of planning...

I just want to be taking action!

I am ready to take action even if it is the wrong one...

just quit planning and move!

I guess that is why I am blessed to have my sweetheart here... he is the calm, slow, and steady type that keeps my impulsiveness in check... he is a good choice...

Today we start the taxi for taking the #1 grandson to band practice M, T & W night. Has to be there by 6. It is good that his dad is on days and can pick him up this week. Last week it was over there by 6 and pick him up at 9... of course if we picked up a baby grandchild for 3 hours it made the time fun...exhausting but fun...

Here I go to do more planning... you all be blessed today.

still mowing

grandbaby #6 chad and grandma resting in outdoor swing (bed mode)

Today my sweetie put a running board on our old van "bertha" (name provided by my son). Now I can get in from both sides!! While he was doing that I took on the mowing chore... (he made this suggestion...he is trying to keep me moving) I did it all without taking a break... (mind you we live in a trailer park...not much lawn) I am 43lbs lighter than my last mowing blog was written... I did work up a sweat (or glistened) but I did not have to go sit for a while to rest before I finished... I am getting stronger... I still have MILES to go before I reach optimum health but I am making progress... in a book I wrote years ago it said over and over...Progress not perfection... I need to practice what I preached... this pic is from our most recent visit with Chad... we were resting after he took grandma for a walk... he grabs my hand and pulls me all the way...to see every animal, leaf, and especially any worms that my cross our path... *:)

mowing grass...

my sweet seat to rest from mowing

(this is an old postfrom my space, just thought I would share it.)

Just thought I would share this...Actually NEED to...I got a new reel mower and was so proud of myself...No gasoline...more exercise...quiet...simple...Now mind you it took me 3 rest periods to get my tiny(trailer park) yard mowed...but I DID IT!!(Being disabled and over 300lbs poses a problem sometimes)Anyway...I was coming around from the back of my house.I had emptied my grass catcher into my little compost bin...when the lady next door was beginning to mow the front of my yard!she stopped and came to me just smiling so happy!She said "I didn't know if you had a mower so I am just gonna get this front and side for ya!"and she didn't hear me over her mower that she left running say "I just did my yard..."She then said "The neighbor on the other side is gonna do the back and other side for you!"Should I mention this woman is about 20 years older than I am...I just went in the house...I am trying to be good and not fight with these people right off the bat!So I mowed my yard...and now it is being mowed "right" I guess...So I will try again next week...maybe I need to set it lower???Y'all have a wonderful week...and be grateful for all the land you have...How far away are your neighbors?

one more day to simplify

one more day...sunset at walnut beach ashtabula...

cleaned out the drop leaf table by my bed yesterday... it definitely counted as packing 5, throwing away 5, but did not give away 5... i should go through the box and pick out 5 things to give away...

took care of myself with the bone density test yesterday and gave blood... so the new doctor can know a bit more about me...*:)

spent some time at the beach and gave all my money to the various bill people that hold their hand out at the first of the month...

been taking my water pills again and lost 6 lbs in 3 days... 3 weeks without them had me swollen like a water balloon... at least my skin is not hurting from the pressure of the water now...

will be searching online for a natural substitute for these pills... any suggestions?

well onward and upward... how will you simplify today?

should be simple...

this is the storage building...can I count it as packed already?

It should be simple... just put it all in a box and drive 1100 miles to the new house... or strike a match and drive 1100 miles to the new house... how about...put up a sign "everything free" and drive to the new house...

well nothing is all that simple.

So today...I will find 5 things to pack and 5 things to throw away and 5 things to give away... that sounds like a plan...to me...

Now let's see...will 5 newspapers count or do i have to count the whole pile as 1 thing? ha ha!!

Will let you know how I do tomorrow...

peaceful morning

peaceful morning seems to equal getting up before anyone else and having quiet time...

so coffee is ready for James... Andy is still curled up in bed and probably will be till his aide arrives... e-mail all checked... and now to decide on my project for today...

I did get the bottom shelf packed in the bathroom yesterday and went to the beach a sat a bit with James... then we spent some time on our swing in the yard...

we are still hashing our our plans about moving... we think the decision to keep the van is final... now to do some final prep so it can make the 1100 miles journey to Texas from Ohio... seems it needs a new radiator... we will begin the hunt for a radiator deal today...

why simplify...

This is it the beginning...

In the beginning was the word...

That was a good start for one author if I recall...

I am trying to find simplicity...

Downsizing has been a chore... from 3 houses to one... from one with 3 bedrooms, a full basement, and a double garage to a mobile home... now possibly to a few rooms or a cabin in Elysian Fields, Texas...

So what am I hoping to accomplish?

Maybe in ridding my life of stuff, I will make more room for life...

a ride to the water, or a walk on a mountain, or even a hug from a grand baby...

in order to do these things I seek to simplify.

Life can be so busy and things rob us of our peace, of important things we need... not necessarily want... but need...

Do I need... shoes? (not in my house...but yes at the store...)

a hat? (on the Ohio beach or in the heat of the Texas sun... yes)

a big house? a chicken? a goat? a cat? a dog? land of my own?

These answers will be so different for each of us... and have even been different at different times of my life... for now I will just take one step at a time...and right now that involves fixing breakfast for James and me...