Highly Contagious

Awareness 22 via Jerri St John

Thoughts on a Thursday 3-26-2020

http://www.JimHunt.us

Since it finally quit raining for a bit here, we are scrambling to get our yard under what passes for control around here.

My husband used the riding mower a couple of days ago to cut the grass (mostly weeds) for the first time this season. We had spread weed killer earlier, but this spring has been a perfect one for all the weeds that have ever been in our yard, encouraging them to burst forth as never before. Some of the weeds were over a foot high! It took my husband twice as long as usual to mow, but he got it done, leaving huge amounts of cut grass everywhere. The next day he used the push-around weed whacker to get big places he couldn’t reach with the mower.

That left it to me to wield the hand-held weed whacker to get what is left, trim and edge the sidewalks, around the planters, under the deck, etc.. This spring has also encouraged the weeds to come up in the rocks we have around the house. Usually we can simply spray weed killer on them, but this year they are so prolific we actually have to pull what is there first. I did the front yard yesterday. My body is complaining pretty loudly today, but I’m going to try to get the back yard done today.

laughtard

When I finish, I’ll schedule a half hour to 45 minutes of gentle yoga stretching to get these old muscles stretched out again. I’ll schedule the elliptical trainer for days when I’m not doing so much in the yard.

I’m finding it difficult during this time to stick with my keto eating plan. I love the basics of it, but find I’m craving comfort type food during this stay-at-home time. I realize it’s probably just another excuse, but I ate some Blue Bunny New Freedom No-Sugar-Added Ice Cream with my husband last night.  It’s better for my husband, but it’s bad for me, as far as carbs go. It also has maltitol, which we should both be avoiding. “Being good” is difficult. Being good when my husband keeps bringing things I need to avoid into the house makes it more challenging. Being good during a pandemic is an even larger challenge.

Today I found a Low Carb Yellow Squash Casserole that sounds yummy. I’ll make that to serve with our leftover hamburger patties for our dinner tonight.  I will also make a loaf of bread from a favorite keto recipe so I can have some tonight.

It’s funny what each of us considers something that is ‘necessary’ to do in times when you are encouraged to stay home and avoid unnecessary contact with other humans. Apparently washing his car at the local car wash is a necessary thing for my husband, since he has just left to do it. I’m not even sure it’s open, though it is designed to be a place where no humans are needed. We will see if he comes back with a clean car or not.  Mostly, he has complied with staying home, so I’m trying not to fuss at him TOO much…

I am grateful that we are still healthy; have a warm, dry home; have food and water; and have Internet, books, TV, music, DVDs, art, pets, AND to-do lists to get us through this crisis. May we come out the other side as soon as possible and get people back to work.

Stay safe.

 

 

 

Hope Springs

T.L. – LinkedIn

 

Unknown

 

Lilac – Paul Militaru Photography

 

White Magnolia – Paul Militaru Photography

 

Yellow Tulips – Paul Militaru Photography

 

Twice Blooming Purple Iris from one of our planters yesterday.

Grateful

Unsinkable via Linda Orrell

Thoughts on a Friday 3-20-2020

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

At First Sight

Robert Kaplan

Funny

Clive Staples Lewis from RaiseYourMind.com

Daunting To-Do List

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.

Stop

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…

My Wish for Us

sayingimages.com

Make the Days Count

lessonslearnedinlife.com via Peace Love and Smiles

Imperfect

Marc Jacobs via 2 STAR art

Live

Scary Mommy Tweens and Teens via Linda Orell

I Win

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)

Precocious

First Grade Fun Times via Yolanda Vanveen

Sass

etsy.com*

*Even though a comma and an apostrophe are missing. I felt this was too good not to share…

All You Need

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.

 

Always

sayingimages.com

Finding Happiness

Penny Yaffe Krakow

New Mantra

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.

 

Today – and EVERY Day…

Slice of Life

Just Dance

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.’

 

I’m Not Mean…

teespring.com

Starting 2020 with Sass and Attitude

All Things Halloween via Desiree Angelique Hackett

New Year’s Resolutions – NOT

Peace Love and Smiles

Attitude vs To-Do Lists

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

 

“Back in the Saddle”

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. ..

Secret to a Happy Life

Coffee for All via Michael Remillard and Martha Kirkendall-Ghearing

Enough

Myleik Teeler via Cindy Basnett Thurman

Hahahahahahahaahah!

Purple Clover

Coffee

Coffee for All via Michael Remillard