The Art of Letting Go

Interesting and totally unrelated to the title of this post or the point of it, WordPress has just informed me that 3 years ago today I signed up with them.  Interesting also that it took them a Month before I was actually able to access my site, which is why my first post did not come until December.  There were a few things that got in the way back then.  A Lot of things which I suppose in a way has everything to do with this post.

You’ve heard me talking a great deal about all of the cleaning out that must be done in order for us to move to New Mexico.  It is Not a tall tale.  There is a huge load of stuff.  Maybe I’ve been a pack rat all these years and never realized it.  I suppose I hid it well…an orderly pack rat.  When Ralph and I got together, it was magnified because, well he had a lot of stuff.  When his stuff and my stuff got together we hit a situation of critical mass.  There’s a mass of stuff and it’s getting Critical!

But I feel I’ve developed a new talent I never knew I had…The Art of Letting Go.  I have moved a number of times in my life.  None of the moves were ever very far. Most of them in and around the same ten-mile area.  My Dad used to joke that when the house got dirty…I’d move.  Not quite the case, there always seemed to be a good reason.  I do remember thinking on the occasion of these various moves that each time, I got rid of things, weeding out what was not necessary.  As I type this, I can only imagine the horror if I had Not done that along the way.  I would Never get out of here.

However, over the years I suppose it has been cooking in my head all this time…The urge to have less, to get rid of things I don’t need, that I haven’t used for years.  I am feeling very strong in all of this right now.  Hoping to hang on to that strength.

In the past few days, I have collected 10 bags of clothes/shoes/handbags that have gone or will go today to the local thrift store.  When I dropped off bags yesterday, I had to walk into the store to deposit them.  I was Hugely tempted to take a stroll around the shop to see what was there.  I Did Not (I was also parked in a Fire Lane so that helped!)  When I was running other errands, I drove right by the Goodwill store.  I Drove Right By.  Yes, I am feeling strong.

Part of yesterday’s purge was going through boxes of packed books in my bedroom.  I produced 5 bags of books to contribute to the town library.  I ended up with one empty box which doesn’t sound like much of an accomplishment but it is.  Moving those boxes out allowed me access to one of my dressers that I hadn’t looked in for a while. Almost Everything in that dresser went into the bags for the thrift store.  Some things were extremely hard to part with, but I did it. Both of my dressers are now empty and ready to be sold.  Now I just have to purge the tops of them.

I’m getting there.  I have some things planned for Mr. Garbage Man tomorrow.   I’ve been giving him a workout lately.  I don’t think he minds or at least he hasn’t left any nasty notes on my door.

I still have lots to do around here but a another big job still remains. I am resigned to the fact that I am going to my sister’s house where Most of my books are stored.  I know there are books in there that I do not need to keep.  I have been through them at least twice before weeding them out.  When I started typing this I was going to say that I wanted to reduce it by half.  I’m not sure if I will be able to do that.  I’m thinking I may be able to reduce by one-third.  We’ll see how it goes and since I’m so bad at fractions, I may never really know.  I’ll just be able to judge by how many bags I carry down the steps and out to the car. But I will reduce them.

No pictures because who wants to look at a bunch of bags.  I hope you’ll trust me to be honest about this.

Am I serious about this?  I Am.  Will I accomplish it?  I Will.  I have to in order to get what I want.  I want to be in New Mexico.  If I have to get in my car with just my purse, my computer, my travel coffee mug and whatever book I happen to be reading at the time…I will.

I’ve never thought of myself an artist, but I have learned the Art of Letting Go.

Happy Thursday!

 

 

WIAW~November 6~So It’s Fall

I love the Fall.  Ralph is all enthused about the colors.  I need to get outside with my camera to get some photos before it all goes away. But in the meantime…let’s do Fall foods.  My foods don’t really seem Fall-ish to me.  Haven’t started soups yet.  I need to get on that. But we always have What I Ate Wednesday, the crazy good link up started by Jenn at Peas & Crayons.  Don’t forget to check it out when you finish here!

My food is a little all over the place this week, so try to stick with me.

Oh, the things you find when you start to clean out cabinets…

This wonderful Fall mug.

 

And this great bowl…

 

Filled with my go to breakfast of bran flakes, Fiber One and vanilla soy milk.  This is my first time trying vanilla soy milk.  Doesn’t taste that different from plain.  Tasty nonetheless!

 

One of my crazy one dish meals of crock pot lentils, quinoa and green beans topped with Romano cheese. Actually photographed on my lap while I sat on the bed watching TV.  Too much info?  It was delicious…that’s the info you need!

 

A tasty spinach, feta, egg and various veggie salad at a diner we don’t often go to.  I really enjoyed this.

 

Overnight oats topped with crock pot apples.  A half cup of oats, third of a cup of fat-free vanilla yogurt, half cup of vanilla soy milk and lots of cinnamon.  I like to heat mine in the microwave.  One minute, then put the apples on top and another 30 seconds. Perfect for me!  Need to make more crock pot apples.  I always finish them off too quickly!

 

Last but not least is breakfast at one of our favorite diners after Ralph’s doctor’s appointment. Tomatoes, green peppers, onions, mushrooms and asparagus omelette.  So good.  A side of cottage cheese…a flashback to last week!

That’s WIAW for me for this week.  I do hope to do some more actual cooking in the coming week.  I NEED soup.   Be sure to check out what everybody else has on their plate over at Peas & Crayons.  You’re sure to find something you like!

Happy What I Ate Wednesday!!

Week In Review~November 4~Hrumph Edition

I did promise to keep better track of my comings and goings, goings and comings last week when I wrote Week In Review.  I have to confess that I failed miserably, but that doesn’t keep me from showing up for the WIR party hostessed by the lovely Meghan at Clean Eats, Fast Feets.  I’m here and ready…well as ready as I can be today.  To the Review!

Monday started with the cold realization that Ralph has lost his car keys.  He had a dentist’s appointment.  I was still in my jammies attacking some project or other.  It’s twenty-five minutes to Dentist time and he says, “You’ll have to take me because I can’t find my keys.” Hrumph…Ok. I get dressed and take him there.  The errands he was to run BEFORE going to the dentist’s office are now mine.  Hrumph…I tell him to call me when he’s finished and I’ll come back.

I take care of the errands, go home for a few minutes and decide if I’m going to be less frustrated about this (which I wasn’t sure I could be at that time) I needed to just be peaceful for a bit.  At home I grabbed the book I was reading, headed back to the dentist’s office and read in the parking lot for about a half hour.  When his text came that he was ready to be picked up, I just said “I’m in the parking lot” and I could be in a cheerier mood.  Reading always settles me down.  We came home and he looked for his keys.

Tuesday took me to the hairdresser for a much needed cut. I hadn’t gotten it cut while we were away.  I didn’t want to chance going to a different stylist until I have to.  While she’s cutting my hair, Gina tells me she has some news…she’ll be moving to another branch of the salon which is being built.  Ok, where’s that…about 35 minutes away.  Hrumph…  I love the way she cuts my hair but I’m not sure I want to drive that far for a haircut. My two friends also go to her so maybe we’ll make a road trip out of it.  We’ll see.  Love my cut and I came home to “naturalize” my hair.  I’m quite a sight now!  Ralph looked for his keys.

Wednesday we had Ralph’s 3 month check up with the family doctor.  She told us that everything looks so good on his recent blood work that she doesn’t need to see him for 6 months now.  Great news…no Hrumph here.  We had lunch at one of our favorite diners and headed home.  I finally got Ralph to empty his suitcases from the trip and he looked for his keys.

Thursday is a mystery.  I did make the realization that there is something wrong with my car.  Sounds like the right rear tire wants to fall off when I hit a bump.  Make plans to stop to see the mechanic on Friday.  I know I was working on various small projects, cleaning out a box here, a drawer there. Ralph looked for his keys.

Friday I take the car to the mechanic.  Luckily, it’s about 3 blocks from our house.  He tells me to leave it, he’ll check it and I should come back in an hour.  I come back and he hasn’t had a chance.  Hrumph…I come back in another hour and he’s checked it and I need shocks in the back and a swing bar, whatever that is.  Ok to drive it for the weekend which was good.  I did get my exercise in.  I’ll take it back on Monday.  Ralph looked for his keys.

Saturday was Weight Watchers of course.  I stayed the same.  Which was a gift because I was having a lot of trouble staying on track throughout the week.  Saturday night, my sister Ele and I went to a Day of the Dead celebration.  It was very nice. I can’t wait until I get to celebrate in New Mexico.  People go crazy out there.  Ralph looked for his keys.

Sunday was great because we got to celebrate Ralph’s sister Kathy’s 70th birthday.  She knew that some of us would be there, but most of her grandchildren were there too, which she didn’t expect.  It was great fun.

This was Kathy’s birthday cake.  I thought it was so adorable.

Now we’re ready for a new week.  I have lots of projects planned and lots of things to accomplish.  I’m off now to deposit my car at the mechanic’s shop.  Ralph will be looking for his keys!

Be sure to check out the other Reviewers over at Clean Eats, Fast Feets.  You don’t want to miss the fun!

Happy Monday!

Snapshot Saturday~November 2

I’m writing this post on Friday and I am Very proud of myself.  It is November 1 and I just turned the page on the calendar.  Usually it happens around the 15th of the month.  Sometimes later.  I would say that this is a good start!

Of course, it’s Saturday and it means Saturday Snapshot hostessed by Melinda at West Metro Mommy Reads.  Be sure to check out the other great photos there when you’re finished here at BCDC.  It’s a fun way to get to know some other great bloggers.

Since I’ve been back from New Mexico I sometimes have a hard time looking at the photos I took there.  I find myself down in the dumps because I want to be there and I’m not.  I remember the day I took this photo and how beautiful the day was.  I think it shows in the photo.

There is a coffee shop that we go to frequently (very frequently…) called Java The Hut.  It’s a tiny place within a group of shops called The Hub.  The people that we’ve met and come to know at Java are like family.  They welcome us warmly and are sorry to see us go.

One of the best part of The Hub is the beautiful landscaping.  The photo of the agave and morning-glory that I used last Saturday is from there.  This is another of the great shots I got of the beautiful local flora.

I love the colors in this photo and how the sun plays on the long grass fronds.  It reminds me of the warm days we spent there.  The warmth coming from the sun and from the people there.

I don’t quite know what’s going on with WordPress today.  My typing is getting out of line from how I’m used to so I guess we’ll just go with it.  Be sure to check out the other Saturday Snapshot participants.  You’ll be glad you did.

Happy Snapshot Saturday!

Strange But Good~November 1

Good Grief!! It can’t be November already, can it?! Well, of course it can. I just have to face the fact.  The important fact to face today is that it’s time for Strange But Good-hostessed by the lovely Laura at Sprint 2 The Table.  For all of us who eat strange things, this is the place to be. Be sure to check out what everyone else is posting today.

As I’ve said before, so many times my Strange But Good foods tend to go hand in hand with my own theme, Couldn’t Be Quicker.  They come up when I have neither the time or the ingredients to make anything else.  This seems to be the case this week.

What do you get when you combine a can of diced tomatoes with green chiles, a can of black beans and frozen, microwaved broccoli? A meal in 10 minutes or less.

 

This is not the best photo because it was dark out AND I was hungry therefore too impatient to fuss with it anymore.  I thought of sautéing up an onion first and adding some garlic, but why bother.  Just added some garlic powder and Mrs. Dash.  Topped it with some Romano cheese and called it dinner.  I was really only expecting this to fill me up, I wasn’t expecting much else from it.  However, this was delicious.  Luckily, it’s easy to have all of the ingredients on hand so I’ll probably be doing it again.

Be sure to check out the other great Strange recipes over at Sprint 2 The Table.  Why not share some of your strange foods there.  It’s fun and you’ll get some surprisingly good ideas.

Happy Friday!