Paring Down

I heart this post...I hope the link works.  But if not, Google this excerpt below.

https://zenhabits.net/paring/

This excerpt I esp relate to:  "...We use full lives to distract ourselves from being fully present...It’s understandable that we overfill our lives — we are usually acting on desires, and not giving full contemplation to what we want in our lives and what we don’t want..."

But I am much better than I used to be.  Big step is realizing this and being open to learning and improvement.  I cannot improve what I do not acknowledge.   Ok, I might have heard that on Dr. Phil, but I agree.  And knowing this is a pattern, I understand some decisions I have made and actions taken that I would do differently know, if I had the chance.

I also believe in tge importance not of just identifying and receiving what we want in life, but giving it voice.  Telling our lived ones, partners, friends...writing it down.  I have seen friends and family so focused on what they didn't want, that that is what they gave energy to...and that is essentially what they got. 

Am I saying all we need in life is The Secret?  No, but I want to know, plan for, get and enjoy what I truly want in life.  And right now, part of what I want is to be truthful to myself and strip away my detractors and excess.  Then I hope to understand more about myself in solitude.  Solitude I either never had, or never handled well in my younger years.

No covering up, shopping away, over eating, exercising away, substance distractions...just me.

I hope you have a stripped down, slow Friday.  IF you want that.  Otherwise,  get busy...time's awasting!

I Survived...

I survived A to Z challenge.   
I didn't do all the links/photos.  I mainly just wanted to see if I could find content to post everyday and I did.  So, I will keep going. 
Soon I will be saying we survived selling our house and moving!  This is a momentous year and even if I stop after this year, it will be a time capsule for a big year of change.  Downsizing and uncluttering, selling a house, rightsizing our stuff/activity/lifestyle, moving from city to country in diff state, retiring...
So I got my continuing ed finished for my prof license Thursday thru Saturday.   We took our dogs and went to RH after my DH had minor surgery wed.  I only worked 20 paid hours this past week.  Then wed night I framed some art and hung it, and I and spent the rest of Wed evening unpacking my truck.  Mostly clothes and racks for storage in the garage.  I also hung some glass crystals to jazz up an old light fixture. 
Thursday I visited with my in laws after my seminar and completed the chandelier for our entry way.  Friday I lunched with my sister after my seminar and then worked on my attic storage and painted 2 lamps.  I also hung 2 towel racks...so master bath is finished for RH.  I was so tired I went to bed at 7.30!  My seminar is an hour and a half drive from RH.  So, last half day was Sat, then I ran home and got the dogs and drove another 4 hours back to CH and put 2nd coat of stain on CH deck.  Whew.  I did not get to the leaves---was too wet.  I will do that late May. 
My husband and I - I think we are still just in shock that our house is under contract and we have a more definite timeline to make everything feel real.  The big stuff we are keeping/moving is almost all at RH, we just have a tool box and motorcycle jack/stand and misc pers effects (kitchen/bath/clothes) to move.  We figure 3 or 4 more trips with our SUV and one trip with our trailer for the bikes.  Can't believe it!

Keep

Keep on Keeping on
http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/?m=1
I am in awe of people who blog for more than a few months.  This is hard!  I am trying to do the A to Z challenge for April, and it sounded like a good idea at the time.  But I am a little stymied.  So, I will talk about something positive.  My theme is Righsizing (I prefer the term for my  own purposes than downsizing).  Rightsizing is moving  toward the type of home and lifestyle that allows me to pursue some peace and quiet and let's me get to know myself and my needs on a basic level.  I also want to experience some down time.  I have never been one to sit still.  I have never been good at being alone either.  I have been lucky enough to be happily married for several years now and love spending most of my time with my husband.  Although I am with him most of the time and want to be with him most of the time, i crave some solitude.  I also feel comfortable working on projects and being busy, but I am also tired.  I  crave some time where I do not have projects looming.  I guess I am looking for what most people seek - balance.    I had coffee with some friends after work (after I bought doggy pee pads and had flyers made for the house).  Then I went home, heated up some leftovers for DH, had some left over salmon that I baked the other day and I put my favorite soothing music on and washed my face and brushed my teeth and promptly went to bed at 8:30.  I only woke up briefly to take my ear buds out and then fell back asleep until time to get up to get ready for work.  I feel great today.  So, while I talk a lot of all the stuff I am doing to get ready to sell and move, purging, selling, giving, throwing away...one of the things I will keep are friends with coffee and thanks to texting, email, social media, blogging and podcasts...I can feel plugged in to real and virtual friends. 
How do you keep plugged in? 

G for Give

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/?m=1

To rightsize, to give.  I have given so much to charity, to friends.  In the past 4 or 5 years, I have given away and sold nearly half of my stuff and quite a bit of DH.  What he will part with!

The rest, he will have to face reality when we get it all down there and try to fit it!

But by getting rid of so much has freed up so much.  Giving to others to help them or just to make them happy has made me happy and I enjoy the lightening up.  I get all the rest of CH photographed for the online listing.  I just have one more room...after coffee I will tackle laundry room.

But I really like the way we have cleared surfaces.  It looks clean and neat and easy to keep clean.  Maybe we can improve our space like this all the time.   I don't mind stuff displayed to enjoy...but working surfaces (kitchen and bath), I am liking the clean look.

Hope you are having a good Sunday.   Its 35 degrees here and might snow,  so good day to clean.

Whew Weee, I am Tired

We just got back from RH.  I drove, DH napped.  I listened to my library book to help pass time.  Made the drive quick.  We are in full on "moving mode" now.  Moving couple pieces furniture each trip (4 hrs one way).  RH getting full, so I did about an hour work in attic and 15 min each couple closets.  My sis and neice came and hung out.  I gave them christmas stuff, rubbermade totes, bedding, pottery, blanket rack, cedar chest.  Took load of stuff I cant fit to SIL store.  She bought a dress form from me, we bought clock motor from her (almost same amount, that is convenient).  FIL had been sick head cold, their pup in ornery bitting stage.  BIL concerned about his job driving for a large company.  They are winding down his moms estate.  Told SIL and MIL of my heavy and worry for mu DGM, my Cousin and my great aunt.  I know faith is my answer.  It is all in Gods hands.

Got back to city, took 6 bags to thrift store, sold a travel golf bag.  My back is tired.  Time to grocery shop after lightening my load and car.  Then dinner and lunches fixed.  4 suits of DH mailed.  Then to bed!  Ready fir last Monday of my last January of my last winter in this city/state!

HNY!

This is a special year for me.  This year my DGM made it through an illness and hospital stay just after her 98th bday.  I turned 50 this year and my DH is retiring next year, making 2017 our last full year (& last winter) in this city/state.  We celebrated our 10 year amniversary and 10 years in this house.  It has been awesome, we love our house.  However, we are ready to downsize.

In 2018, i am going to try to stop saying downsize and say rightsize.  I am not into making resolutions to feel bad about not keeping, but I am into sharpening and focusing my intentions.  There is a lot of power into writing down our goals. 

My word next year is "abide".  As we move toward a huge life transition, I want to abide in the present.  I also want to abide in whatever I experience, not tune out with distractions.  But most of all, I have been learning in church to "abide" with Christ in my daily life.

I hope you feel joy and hope as you abide in 2018!  Thank you for stopping by.