2022 Happy To Be Here

They play music at work and sometimes they take requests. Out of the blue someone requested they play sea shanties, and they did! It only took about four songs before there was mutiny and the music switched back to rock and other more popular music. Other happy things from today: A small step was made to go through one of my many boxes. Last year I got better at getting rid of things, there is still so much more that I need to say goodbye to. When I realized that today wasn't the day to do so, I stopped. A small amount has been added to the burn pile though, so some minor progress was made. More geraniums have bloomed and there are a bunch of new buds. There are also seed pods growing so I may get to try again next year. Orange daylilies are also starting to bloom. I feel like I have much better luck with flowers than I have with fruits and vegetables. ☮ Currently reading: Pocketful of Miracles: Prayer, Meditations, and Affirmations to Nurture Your Spirit Every Day of t...

According to DuoLingo I reached a 1200 day streak today. Although I get into the app and practice I don't always learn new words. I wish learning a second language came easier for me. Slow and steady I'm learning more. Other happy things for today: I was going to write about how I am behind on getting rid of things for Lent.  The goal was seven things a week.  Instead, I shuffled through a couple boxes and found five things to go with two books I found this morning and made the goal.  Phew! We brought more things to the studio and spent some time there.  It is still a bit of a mess, but it is coming together.  Keziah found a sign that we hung up on the wall to make the place seem more like ours.  Gideon did some crafting today too! For Christmas I bought new locks for the doors.  I installed one a few months ago.   The other two I installed today and I made sure all the keys are labeled.  Today marks two years since they signed pa...

 There are still nights below freezing but it is still spring, so freezing nights are expected.  The flowers I planted in the triangle last fall seem to be doing okay.  Many of the crocus came up, there are tulips that have pushed through the soil and either the lilies or the iris are coming through as well.  Last year I thought I planted so many things, the area still seems a little barren to me.  I know things will come in as time goes by. Other happy things from today: It was up to me to give Aesop, our dog, a shower today.  He was such a good dog.  All day, when people have pet him, I have received comments about how soft, white, or nice smelling he is. Zed and I took Aesop for a walk.  Good conversation with my son-in-law. Gideon, Zed, and I had a video call with Bel to play D&D.  Folke couldn't make it so we mostly talked about things rather than play.  It was a nice virtual visit. I had a goal during Lent to get rid of at leas...

Today was all about the studio. We packed more things into the van and brought them there. We sorted through a bunch of the boxes and threw away things that were trash or no longer serve a purpose for us. I found some cool things that I should have taken pictures of like tiny hand sewing machines and old wooden spools of thread.  I only photographed the things I'm getting rid of since I'm keeping track of those things for Lent. We ended up with four empty boxes of things put away. Things I got rid of. I'm counting these as five of the seven things for the week.   If a few hours sorting craft supplies wasn't enough to count towards my 15 minutes of A&S for the challenge, I watched a few videos on how to make jewelry with polymer clay. So day 85 is done and I only have 15 more days to complete the challenge. This challenge has been wonderful for getting my brain working on a more creative level. When I was home I remembered to check on the plants in the greenhouse....

 Most of today was spent at the Peabody Essex Museum .  Keziah and a friend planned to go and the group kept getting bigger.  Four people in Keziah's car and two others joined us there.  At the museum we ran into another couple and one other, all that we know from the SCA.  It was a great time and that visit is counting as my day 76 of the A&S challenge.  Here are some happy highlights from the day: The first thing that I fell in love with was a dress- black and gold and striking.  Nothing I would wear, even in my younger years, but something about it drew me to it.  The back was not displayed and I wish there had been a way to see it.  Even if it was plain, then at least I would know. Another item that I saw was a woven piece.  After looking at it as closely as I could without touching, I found that the piece was woven sideways.  The warp threads were horizontal instead of vertical and the weft were vertical instead of horizont...

Last week I wrote of my intention to remove things from my life during Lent.  The goal is seven items a week.  I'm trying to be flexible and forgiving with myself this year since I have less available time.  It was my hope to get my desk cleaned off and I figured I could easily find seven things.  This is where the flexible and forgiving part comes in. Before As I filled up a shopping bag with trash and another with recycling I realized that I am just not comfortable counting individual pieces of trash.  But, some trash does count.  My seven things for this week: A bag of recycling A bag of trash An old pen that I am throwing away.  Why am I counting this as separate?  I have been holding onto this pen because it is cute and I want it to work.  I couldn't make it work and it is silly to hold onto it so it is in the trash. One pair of shoulder pads that I was holding onto in case I ever needed shoulder pads??  I'm donating them. I'm also ...

 Yesterday was the first day of Lent and thus the first day of my personal get-rid-of-stuff challenge.  I picked a shirt that I don't like how it fits me to get rid of.  Ideally I will be flexible with myself, but if I didn't find at least one thing on the first day it would be hard to keep going.  Since I will be busy for the next few days I decided to find six more things today so I can not stress over the weekend.  At some point last year I turned a bunch of my closet hangers backwards.  I read somewhere that if you do that and check on what is backwards after some time the hangers that are still backwards are the clothes to get rid of.   I didn't get rid of everything.  I did find five more shirts though.  I also pulled out a few metal hangers and a mask I haven't worn to get rid of.   I now have a box to take to a donation bin.  Other happy things from today: In the afternoon I took Aesop, our dog, out for a walk....