Sunday, December 25, 2011

I'm Not Fussin'

We were rather ill and my
clean up project got slowed
down.  I was determined
to add some "pretty" among
the stuff, anyway.

So, even though I wanted to have it
look nicer, in here, I'm satisfied, on
most levels.  We had a nice day.
Some things looked nice.
We had a simple meal and
some nice treats -
not as many as I sometimes have made.
I think we all were relaxed
and had a nice time.

Good enough!

Happy Christmas!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Trying to Focus

on the good parts.
The tree.

The table.


And not the stacks...

... and stacks...

... of things that are not
getting done.
I'm less miserable, anyway.
I will get them done.
Rome wasn't built in a day.
Slow and steady wins the race.

ok,
then...

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Progress is not Fast Enough! Perfection, Now!! (pant, pant)

This is how my living room looks, now.
Well, right now my sister is sitting in that chair, as we both do some catching up online, so it actually looks much better than this.  My sisters (I have three) brighten up any room.
Anyway, I want it all done!  Right now!  I'm laughing at myself.  I have been having a period of physical discomfort, family has been around (yippee) at my Dad's, next door and Oneson and my DH have been passing a nasty little cold around.  These are not good enough excuses for my impatient self.  I still want more on the tree and less on the floor!

This is Thanksgiving Day.  I think progress has been made.  I have to see the glass as half full -- and the living room as half empty!  Now, I am really amusing myself.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Christmas Decorating - Day One

My new motto:
Not perfection; progress!
or
Progress, not perfection!

So, not only did I affix a pair of skates
and some greenery to the
front door
(which needs sprucing up) 
Ouch!  Pun not intended!
I also put a couple of cloths on the table
 (although the dishes are not all done)
 and hung the seasonal curtains in the bathroom.



Close up shows the "compote" hiding
the hole and part of the stain
on my mother's tablecloth.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Thankful for Encouragement!

OK, project has taken priority.

How are we going to celebrate Thanksgiving
in this mess?!

With help from Si and Son.

Not perfect,
but
progress.

There was room to sit and talk.

There was a pretty uncluttered table.

There was food to eat.

There was giving of thanks!

How blessed I am!

Saturday, October 8, 2011

A Little Progress

It may not seem like much to some
people, but the fact that I could set a
pretty table for my guys without
hours of work clearing the room
and the table was a big
encouragement, to me.
The occasion was a birthday dinner
for my son.  Fortunately,one
of his favorite meals
could be made to fit into
my Dad's stringent diet.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Claiming the Blame -- and a Little Encouragement

Today, I lay weakly upon my bed and cried.

I knew I should get at the mess, but I was discouraged.

Even the sink and counter that I had kept up with for a few days, was a mess again.

The hall has not got clogged, much.

There is only one extraneous bag on the old table, if you don't look at the "to be filed" tub.


The chair remains open, but the floor space is shrinking, again.


Begun, but not done, still describes the further wall cleanup and beautifying project.

The top of the piano looks fine to me, but oh, how am I to ever just sit down and play away?

At least the bathroom is not bad.

My poor bedroom!

Oh, dear!

Well, some progress has been made.
I haven't done much, lately.
Wouldn't it be lovely to get it all
done quickly?!

Looking back, I can see some small improvements.
What had begun as a confession of guilt, ended up encouraging me just a little bit, after all.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Temptation Averted

Such a tiny triumph!  I picked up a Homer Laughlin platter in Goodwill, yesterday, but instead of buying it, I mentioned to the cashier that perhaps it should be researched.  I have no room.  Fortunately, I remembered that before I spent $3 to bring it home and add to my clutter.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Oddly Lethargic


Is it the blue Monday thing?
Is it the result of anxiety?
I don't know, but today I didn't
want to do a thing.
I did a small load of laundry
and
hung it out.
(Gotta bring that in!)
I've barely begun to clear out our
storm stuff.

The extra water is still out.

It seems wasteful to just dump it.

One task I did not anticipate
was sorting the good grapes and 

berries from the ones that had got
moldy.  I just bought them, two
days ago! 

Maybe I'll give myself a little credit.
I am cooking a simple supper.
Besides, getting down on myself
does not motivate me much, usually.

Where do you find motivation
when you are feeling lethargic?

Saturday, August 27, 2011

It Helps

So much for my plans!
I had an idea that I could get some
visible work done this week, to post.
I took the "before" and "this is
the problem" photos and called
Dad for our daily check in.
He was not OK.
He's doing quite well, now.
I spent the night at his house,
Wednesday, got very
little done on Thursday and
Friday was errand day.
I got home, exhausted, and
the cable guy showed up at the door,
unexpectedly.
He installed a couple of boxes.
My son came home from
taking my father
to the doctor.
My friend came to clean.
So much for sorting and hauling!
While I rested she cleaned my bathroom.
I got enough stuff moved so that
she could do my kitchen floor.
I got the dishes done.
At least part of my house looks 
like I care!   

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

How Much Perfectionism is OK?






I took a lot of pictures
this morning preparing
for my project and post.
Then, I called my Dad
and learned that he had
fallen in the night.

I have not accomplished
much else, today.

I got the idea when I opened this
drawer and was happy with
the way it looks.
Maybe I'll develop this theme
another day.



Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Cupboard Re do



I couldn't seem to find my ambition anywhere
this morning
after I returned from the train station at
about eight thirty.


Finally I decided to finish
fixing up my cupboard.
That had the added
benefit of being fun!




I like the way it looks, now.




Truth to tell, I was going to clear
off my table until I realised
that I wanted some of
those things in the cupboard.

I don't feel overly productive,
but my dishes are done,
my sink is shiny
and
I managed to keep my shirt
clean until supper!

(snort!)

Friday, August 19, 2011

Well...

Another shiny sink day.
Today that means I got all the dishes
done, except tha poor stainless bowl
that I melted beeswax in.
Then I dried the sink and  put
the drainer away.

So, I did something fun.  I emptied
the bottom shelf of this cupboard
my amazing father made for me
from an old window sash.
Then I got some of my table cloths
that had been languishing in a
basket.  They looked pretty but
rather wallflowerish, there.
I'm sorry about the reflection.
There is also a cloth doll
in there. 

But when I stopped moving things
around ( my DH came home early) -
OH, my poor table!