Unsinkable via Linda Orrell
Filed under Attitude, Health Alert, quality of life, taking care of yourself
Wild and Wonderful
Well, yesterday I called and told my friend Kay that my husband and I had decided that we would stop going to Lunch Bunch on Fridays until the coronavirus pandemic calmed down. We are in the high risk group for the virus, so we’re trying to limit contact as much as possible. This was a really hard decision because Linda, Kay, and I (plus various others) have met for lunch every Friday for almost 19 years now.
This morning I discovered that the governor of Arkansas has ordered all restaurants, bars, and gyms in Arkansas closed until further notice. (Restaurants can offer take out.) Schools will remain closed through April 17th. I also learned that we have to make an appointment if we want to enter the lobby of our bank, though the drive-thrus and ATMs will be functional. City Hall and the Police Department buildings are closed to the public, too.
I have to tell you that – as worried as I am about the virus – I’m MORE worried about the economic effects of all this, and the changes that are being made in the power of the government as we try to get through this. I hope that we are able to get a handle on testing, possible medicines and equipment that help people suffering with the illness, and protect those trying to help the ill as soon as possible.
This being said, here are things that are NOT being cancelled –
Lisa Parkhurst Blaisdell via Ginger Charles
Clive Staples Lewis from RaiseYourMind.com
Filed under aging, Attitude, Changes, Good Thoughts
Jeff Jett – LinkedIn
My to-do list is longer than usual today, partly because after we did errands yesterday, I curled up under my throw in my recliner and took a nap. It was glorious, and I loved it, but I need to get my tail busy today. Luckily, my crew (see the sweet pic of meercats above) is standing ready to help me out.
It’s a beautiful day today – sun-shiny and about 55 degrees F. here. I wish I could play outside, but we’ll see how the list goes first.
I hope you can get out and embrace the day – wringing out every bit of joy that you can.
Filed under Attitude, character-building exercises
2 STAR art
This really resonates with me. I am my own worst enemy.
Even though I KNOW, it, it’s hard to change. I’m full of reasons why I cannot do something. They bubble up like a geyser. That is my ‘natural’ reaction – but I’m working to change that.
I’m trying to “START FROM TODAY” now, rather than letting my past experience dominate my attitude.
If TODAY is the start, I have a clean slate on which to write. My list of things I would like to accomplish is long, and TODAY I will get started…
Filed under Attitude
Scary Mommy Tweens and Teens via Linda Orell
Cindy Pasqualini
I am bestowing the “Champion Procrastinator” star upon myself today.
Pro
And what did I do to win this “honor” you ask?
I’ve been planning to input our data for January onto my spreadsheets for taxes for three days now. SOMEHOW I have found things that were more ‘important’ to do…. so the pile of receipts sits.
Please don’t send me kudos for the star. I bestow it upon myself over and over, usually when I’m feeling guilty – finally.
Soon it will be time to input information for FEBRUARY and I haven’t even begun the year yet!
If YOU also have this ‘honor,’ maybe we should start a club so that we can commiserate – or cheer each other on in our efforts to put it off just one more day.
Let me know and we’ll start the club – one of these days VERY soon… :0)
Filed under Attitude
First Grade Fun Times via Yolanda Vanveen
Filed under Attitude, Funny Signs - Humor, wisdom
etsy.com*
*Even though a comma and an apostrophe are missing. I felt this was too good not to share…
SayingImages.com
We had a nice morning, joining our good friends for Lunch Bunch – good friends, good food, fun conversation, and laughs. This is a quality of life thing, getting to share some time each Friday with long time friends who mean the world to me.
Our friend Kay asked if I had an Instant Pot. I DO, but it’s been sitting on the shelf because I’m intimidated by it. (My mom had a pressure cooker years ago. I still remember when it ‘blew up’ sending bits of STUFF all over the walls, ceiling, floor, etc. No one was hurt, but it’s like it was yesterday in my mind.) I’m trying to get over my trepidation. I found out Kay has one and uses hers all the time! I’m going to get out my paperwork, the book that came with it, and a recipe book I got very soon. I’ll choose a recipe, and Kay has encouraged me to call her with dumb questions about it, plus she’ll give me tips on things to DO – and things NOT to do – while using it!
After Lunch Bunch we ran errands and I put things away, I cut up strawberries for my husband, divided up some pulled pork into servings to go into the freezer for his future lunches, etc.
I’m on DAY TWO of the great ‘pantry-and-kitchen-clean-out-and-reorganization project.’ I did the heavy stuff yesterday. I’m creating a pile of donations in our foyer to to the Veterans Thrift Store. I filled a big leaf bag with ‘stuff’ that needed to be thrown out yesterday.
Today I’m trying to finish the project – working on our medicine storage area and some other little things, and then I’ll share a pic or two.
My husband could already tell I had been working in there. He looked around and said, “Where did you put all the STUFF?” :0)
I hope you’re having a great Friday, too.
Joshua Becker via becomingminimalist
Two years ago now, I made a donation to the Veterans Thrift Store in Fort Smith at least once a month, every month, in an effort to declutter our home. I made a lot of progress, but I’m trying to get started again.
This month so far we have made one donation – a whole bunch of glasses – glass and plastic – that were cluttering up our kitchen cabinets and pantry. I was truly amazed when my husband brought a 5 foot long box in from the shop to use. I was amazed when we filled it almost to overflowing! We added a trash bag with an old crock pot and an old juicer, and that it was the first donation.
I’m going to continue in the kitchen/pantry/dining area for now. Since we are eating keto now, I’ve changed the way I’m cooking. I’m going to reorganize, so that the things I use the most often are in the prime storage spaces – or, at least, that’s the PLAN. :0)
It feels good to gather things others can use and donate them.
This year I’m not going to try for any particular number of donations. I just want to make steady progress in my effort to only have things around that I use and enjoy.
Filed under Attitude, giving, Organizing/DeCluttering
The Enchanted Portal
I love this.
Last year at some point I decided to QUIT feeling buried in things I SHOULD be doing and to consciously incorporate some fun into every possible day, whether it be working outside in my flowers or veggies, playing in my art room, sitting in my recliner with coffee and a book, sitting on my porch or the deck just doing nothing….
I have to tell you it’s been a really good thing for me. I feel MUCH less stressed, and HAPPIER.
I’m still a slob and will never get awards for my house being clean all at the same time, but I realized that if I killed myself and things were ready for House Beautiful to come photograph, it really didn’t matter. My husband didn’t notice. The people who came didn’t say anything. I had the satisfaction of a job well done for a minute, but only a minute – for it seemed as if everyone – humans and animals alike – conspired to mess things up again as soon as possible. I figured I could 1) get angry that they were messing things up and yell at them, or 2) go for a reasonably clean most of the time and not stress over it. Since I adopted the latter I’ve been much happier, too.
Now I do something on my SHOULD or NEED TO list, and then I do something fun. It may be only for a short time before I do something else on the list, but then I consciously relax and do something for me.
It’s a happier life ‘dancing to the beat in my soul.’
Filed under Attitude, Changes, doing what you love, Encouragement, taking care of yourself
All Things Halloween via Desiree Angelique Hackett
Filed under Attitude, Funny Signs - Humor
2 STAR art
I love my life.
Not EVERYTHING about it, but close.
I’m retired, so I can pretty much design my day – except when the water pressure booster dies, like yesterday.
I have given myself permission NOT to be productive. I used to make a to-do list and not allow myself to do other things until I had at least shown a bunch of progress on it. I FINALLY realized that my to-do list just grows. Most of the things I accomplish on it don’t STAY done, so they get added onto the bottom in a never-ending depressing length. I don’t get any POINTS or anything for getting these off the list, so I have changed my ways.
I now do the things that will result in bad things if I don’t on time. Those take priority for the day. I try to do the MOST important things first – the ones where I will be thrown into the slammer if I ignore them today.
I then intersperse FUN stuff – like playing in my flowers in the spring, or harvesting my veggies at the proper time, or playing in my art room. THEN I go back and do another ‘important-to-others’ thing from the list.
I’m MUCH happier since I started doing this.
Nanea Hoffman – My Positive Outlooks via Bethany Kerr
Filed under aging, Attitude, Encouragement, quality of life
Timeline Photos via Martha Kirkendall-Ghearing
Today is the first day of December. I’m ‘back in the saddle” again – or TRYING to be – on my diet and exercise.
I’m a weak person, basically, allowing any excuse to knock me off the horse.
FunPicsandStuff
There are two of us here, so the ‘get-rid-of-everything-you-shouldn’t-eat’ is difficult. Plus, my husband has essentially met his weight goal and is only avoiding sugar, so HE is having strawberries, dessert cakes, and no added sugar ice cream before bed.
The exercise thing was going well until ‘something happened.’ I really can’t pin it down – I just started making excuses. Is there an award for that? If so, no one else need apply to win….
ANYHOW – I am determined to get my good habits going again and today will be DAY 1 of the new effort. I will do 35 minutes on my elliptical trainer later this morning. I’ll do half an hour or so of good, gentle yoga this afternoon, stretching my body in all directions, hopefully getting rid of the kinks I’m feeling this morning. I made keto chili by Suzanne Ryan of Simply Keto yesterday. We enjoyed some last night and will have it again this evening. I would like to lose another 35 pounds. (I’ve lost almost 45 thus far and about the same in inches). I’ve been holding here for far too long now, and will be happy to start seeing new results on the scales and with my tape measure. I’ll let you know at the end of the month.
123RF.com
Fingers crossed that I can stay motivated. I have my gold stars ready to go on my calendar for my exercises. I lost a pound yesterday. ..
Filed under Attitude, DIET!, exercise, quality of life, taking care of yourself
Coffee for All via Michael Remillard and Martha Kirkendall-Ghearing
Filed under Attitude, Funny Signs - Humor
creativeartworksblog 