New seasons

I've always loved Fall. The smells, the sights, the glorious harvest moon. Even that it gets darker earlier. There is something reassuring and refreshing about coming in from the cold to a warm kitchen filled with tempting smells of cooking. Coffee is not as appealing for some reason, it has to be hot cocoa.

I love Fall. All of it. Even the rain. I hate when it rains in the summer, but there is something about the cleansing rain of the Fall. Washing away the leaves, bugs, and summer rot making way for the cold purity of snow. The pure snow melting in Spring to refresh the Earth.

It's such a nice cycle of events.

Still no luck on the de=clutter process. Time is speeding by. My 10-yr old states the other day; "gee, doesn't it feel like time is flying by". I think if the 10-yr old notices; it must really be going fast.

New Year

As everyone starts to make new years resolutions and sing the new years song; I can't spell it, but you know the one I mean. I wondered how it all came about; I mean how did the new year's tradition get started? Where did the song come from.


I haven't found the answers yet, well, I haven't even searched for them; but I thought about them. Sometime I'll look them up.

It doesn't seem like I'm having any thought than those related to getting through the work day.

Which is overwhelming ...... again.

So, since I'm an admitted failure at de-cluttering, cooking, and blogging I decided that my new years resolutions had to be spread out over the year. Say these are the resolutions for the next three months, the second quarter (or third), etc.

So, on the fly:

General new year's resolutions:
 - get fit
- get healthy
 - become vegan, (not thinking that ones gonna work out since I live on cheese and eggs) but here's considering trying it semi seriously
- declutter. I know, I know. But now I have a slightly better plan
- set and get a budget
 - get my hair cut every six weeks and remember to dye it
 - get rid of all my excess stuff (in a different way than decluttering)
 - encourage my 25 yr old to move out
 - figure out how to get my mom to Italy before she's too old to travel and before she turns 80

FITNESS: breaking those resolutions down one section at a time.
 - I'm going to train for a triathlon. Sounds adventurous. I've done this once. About 10 years ago; ...and I actually loved it.

BUT... that was before I discovered my inner laziness. My sisters discovered their inner athlete last year, yep  not me I discovered an inner laziness I never realized I had. It's kind of scary actually that I could be so lazy. My neighbor said to me last summer; you're a hard worker. I replied, not really, it just seems like that, really I'm incredibly lazy, but thanks for that compliment.

My 9 yr old wants to do a kid triathlon; so we dragged my bike into the house and put it up on the Mag Trainer (which I've had since my last triathlon training and never used last time). Only to have him prefer the treadmill. On which he walked; facing front, facing sideways, and backwards at a 12 % incline for 2 1/2 hours while watching "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban". Yeah, he's all about Harry Potter. BTW: we found a kids sprint triathlon in New York, Orchard Park to be exact. Since I'm originally from New York, I guess we'll go back.

 So I have a 22 week triathlon training program. I've done three days so far and as soon as I get a triathlon wetsuit; I'll start swimming.

 - Lose some weight: should happen with the triathlon. But I've also decided to become more conscious about what I eat. Cause you know heading onto toward 50 (which I'll be this summer) I certainly do not have the same metabolism. Just saying that's all.

Fortunately, my kids are into black bean burritos (black beans (not re fried, home made), an egg, some fried cherry tomatoes, and cheddar cheese) for breakfast. That's pretty healthy. Although the 9 yr old is currently really into Trader Joe's chocolate-filled croissants. He was telling the lady at Busch's all about them tonight. She kindly listened.

Okay, so while I fell asleep putting my kids to bed. I do have to go to work tomorrow. So I have to fill the iPod with some books on tape for the 9 yr old to leave at school.

And am so proud of myself; I haven't played Rock Band, Angry Birds, or Solitaire all evening. Yeah, cuz that would be because I slept..

I have decided that when your Angry Birds scores are in the top 5% of all people playing; you probably play too much. Yep that's us; top 5 %; cuz we have angry birds on all iPods, the iPad, and my phone. My mom is freaking addicted to Angry Birds. She had to bring her i Pod touch up North so we could load it on her ipod. (She can't figure out WiFi); she is 79 yrs. Angry Birds is a whole different topic.

So I've briefly touched on Fitness as I lounge in bed typing, I guess I'll get around to those other resolutions someday. Falling into the New Year Resolution pitfall of most people, making and breaking them. But hey, I didn't even make my resolutions...... yet.

Congratulations Laura.

Vampires

One more thing. I love reading. But I never really read the whole book. I read the first few chapters and then the last 3 or 4 chapters. If I can't figure the book out, I read from the back forward and the front backward until I can figure out the story.

Don't ask why. I don't know. I think it's because all books, most books at least are predictable. Plot specifics might change, but really the basic tenet of the book remains the same. (kind of like " the song remains  the same").

I don't like horror and I really never thought of myself as a lover of vampire stories. Not really. My son wanted to bond over True Blood. So we watched. But then I had to read all the books. every one. I read them so fast and out of order that I really couldn't tell you what happens. Not in any specific way.

when I see kids in clinic, I ask what they are reading. Some kids will barely get their nose out of the book to talk. But it's a fascinating world of what kids read. One kid was reading Vampire Academy. And again, to bond, I decided to read it. But I didn't really read it all. I read the beginning, figured out who the characters were. Learned strange words like moroi, dhampir, storgi. etc. Got the gist of the story and skipped to the end. But about the third book, I actually read the whole thing. And realized that I had missed a lot by skipping around. So now, I 'm left with the choice or re-reading the rest, or going forward without a real clue as to what happens. The kid in clinic, was thrilled that I had actually read the series she is reading. So, it's good. And hey, I can almost bluff my way through anything..... she thought I read the whole thing. and yeah, it's a little dishonest, but I did fess up to how I read books, which cracked the mom up. It went right over the kid's head.

There are books that I wish I could read from start to finish but I'd never be able to read if I did that. We decided at work that I was a dork because for about a week I fell asleep every night with nephrology books in my bed. who the heck reads nephrology before they go to bed? I do. I have a big bed, there was room for me and the books and my daughter when she climbed in late at night and a cat. and the laundry that sits at the bottom of the bed waiting to be put in drawers. I hate that part. I'll fold, but could I pay someone to actually put in the drawers or better yet, my kids don't even have drawers they have shelves. How freaking easy is that. But I still hate doing it. I usually fold it about 3 times before it makes it on to the shelves. yes, i"m lazy. and I hate putting away the clothes and emptying the dish washer.

Still Missing: a wonderful, but disturbing book. (and unfortunately, I only read the beginning and the end, so I don't know what she went through in the middle, but I'm okay with that). I mean I don't want to know what it was like to be held captive. But the end it was a shocker. SO I'm glad I sort of read it. I have the general idea and isn't that what counts. Sort of. someday when I have time, I'll read the whole book. but for now.... i'll settle with 6 chapters.

our work book club is trying to read eat, pray love. I put it on CD for one of my office workers, who loved the cd. Unfortunately, I dropped the bag carrying them and now they are out of order. She's says it's kind of fun, skipping from country to country when she changes the CD. She can't count which "bead" (chapter) shes on, because of that. I'm still on bead 6. Cuz I can't love the book. I only wanted to read it because I've been to all three of the countries and I think they are far more interesting than the book. (at bead 6).

Oh well. off I go.

It's been a year and what a year

It's been a year. Let's see in that year I've not gotten any closer to learning how you neat people do it. In fact, I think it's gotten worse. Why is it when I'm out walking or showering I think of things to say, but when I sit down to write; it's so much harder....


It's been a busy year. The bald kid is still a bald kid, but now a 4th grade bald kid. The little pink is still a little pink (but with pierced ears) and in 2nd grade. The biggest kid is finishing off those pesky three college classes to finish his degree. The second biggest kid is away at college in Florida.


We went on a long 2 1/2 week vacation this summer. Packing for three people in one suitcase for three different types of vacations . Never again. packing for diamond mining at Herkimer Diamond mines (in NY) A ton of fun. If you've never done it; give it a try. Then Great Wolf Lodge; with my ex and his wife. And my 79 yr old mom. That was also fun. Shockingly. Love the new wife, my ex, still glad he's the ex. Then to a fancy hotel on an island. The Grand Hotel. This was, also surprisingly, my kids favorite part of the adventure (although, by that time, I'd be surprised if they could remember diamond mining). They didn't want to leave. Want to move there. (that answer would be a NO). You have to ride a snowmobile across the lake in the winter. No, thank you.


But next year, it's not going to be a 3-in-1 deal.


It's been a year of fun and sadness. but still a year gone by incredibly quickly. Now as we enter the gorgeous Fall; I'm ready for time to slow down a little bit.
New goals have to be reached (walking 10,000 steps per day, tackling the clutter, putting down new flooring, losing 15 lbs so I can't pinch 6 inches).


But for now. I realized I have to finish at work and go home and fold the mountain of laundry that comes with 2 kids who change their clothes every 5 mins.


I said, gee if I stayed up for 48 hours I could probably get every thing I need to do done. Alex said, you could get it done in that amount of time. ???


Getting back to the fat: I'm not really fat; but I do weigh more than I used to. In fact, my kids were saying my fingers were fat. But they are basing that on the fact that I can't type on my cell phone. Not that my fingers are really fat. They are pretty skinny.


But I was thinking about how getting fat. How easy it is to get fat because it happens gradually. Slowly, incidiously. Like grass growing. You don't notice the grass has grown until its tall enough to cut. And you think, ' I just mowed how'd it get so tall?' I think getting fat is like that. By the time you realize you've gained all that weight; it's already on you. When i look in the mirror, I think how'd this happen? What changed? Where has my athletic sense gone?


I joke with my sisters that are they get older they have all discovered their inner athlete. I've discovered my inner laziness. Seriously. When I think that I trained for a triathleon at one point (meaning I biked about 120 miles / week, ran about 25 miles and swam 3-4 miles, plus stair master, etc ) I think What was I thinking? But I'd like to have that body back; but I'm not really interested in doing the work. So, I'll continue to lament, that somehow, like quietly growing grass, my body fat continues to grow..... and that is a shame.


My mother, at 79, is more active than me. Really??? I mean really? For one, she has the time, no kids at home, and is retired. Umm, I still don't think I'd be that active. I'll be lazy.


But new goals for now:
 - get a hair cut.
 - get a pedometer and start getting to 10,000 steps per day. I always feel tired at the end of the day, like I've done a lot, but I have come to realize that as adults we're tired because our brains work so hard each day, not actually our bodies.
 - finish putting down new floors.
 - lose 15 pounds
 - finish the de-clutter process.
 - buy christmas presents before December 25 or 26 (I HATE buying presents. it's not the present it's deciding what to buy).


Okay done for now.

Too many people

There are seriously too many people in my house right now (and sounds I do not recognize). My two oldest boys (24, 22) who SWORE they would never live with me after high school when I bought this current house, are both home. My mom is here for an extended stay for surgery. And the two little ones. In a 3 BR house. WAY too many people.

De-clutter progress. None. I like reading the book and dreaming I can decluter and have the perfectly clean house and organized kids who NEVER scream or flick their fingers at me.

It's like walking on the treadmill; you keep going but you're really not making any progress. None. At. All.

So September is pretty much a wash. Seriously, how do you clean neat people do it?

I'm no longer secretly envious or making snide remarks. I just want the secret. I do. I really do. If I could afford it, I'd pay someone to come over and declutter and make a schedule.

We're having a "spirit" day at work tomorrow (and a tailgate party minus alcohol). We're supposed to wear our favorite teams jerseys. I asked if I could wear Ricky Hatton's ; it was pointed out quite quickly that boxer's do not wear shirts (forgot that). Well going topless at work is not a sight most can see; me with my able to tuck into my pants breasts (unless I wear the bra that perks them up to my shoulders and seriously I have one of those). might be a little much. I 'll settle for wearing jeans.

Okay, I know how I did this (yellow background, purple writing) but I can't figure out how to get rid of it.

September goals:

met: many

not met: most

How can I de-clutter if I can't read the book?

Okay, so here's the thing.

 

As much as I can't get the hang of this blog stuff; I'm not certain I'll be able to de-clutter. It seems such a silly task when there are real things to worry about (the earthquake victims, school, work, ex, kids, mom, money, economy, etc) BUT I want a clean orderly space.

 

Here's why if I can't figure out how to read the book correctly how will I ever be able to do what's in the book? Seems simple. Pick book, open cover, start reading, implement suggestions. If only......

 

the book is divided into 12 months. Each month into 4 weeks (different tasks for each week). The book starts in January. I thought, I'll do January in September , (February in October etc etc etc). Umm. It actually doesn't work that way.

 

I did the January tasks for September. Then I thought, well it'd be nice if the kids have a better routine with the start of school. Thumbed through the book a little more and found September; start the school year off right. Duh. 

 

I wasted September on January and all I got out of it was a pretty clean kitchen. So it's probably worth it. But typical me, I'll probably try to do September and October together.  

 

My point being, if I can't read the book correctly, will I be able to do the tasks. 

 

It's almost 12:30 am and I hear one of my sons cooking in the kitchen. I think he's making brownies so Gabby will have some in the AM. Smells good. but why can't they do it at 10 pm? 

 

My mom is here and that could be a separate blog all in itself. She's a pretty easy houseguest.  She had cataract surgery about three weeks ago. On one eye. She created some drama at the surgery date (I think she was trying to get out of the surgery; I told her no way, I took the day off, you're getting surgery. " Only kidding, well I did say that to her, but she could have canceled it if she really wanted to.

 

She's had glasses since she was 4 years old. The ophthalmologist scolded her for waiting so long, but mentioned that she might see better than she ever had. She said no way. He also told she might not need glasses after the surgery; her reply: that will never happen.

 

Guess what ! it happened. Her fixed eye has 20/20 vision now. She can see colors for the first time in years. And she has taken great pleasure in the fact that she doesn't need the Large Print library books (but I need my readers even with the large print books) but I do.

 

She's also taken pleasure in pointing out that I have more gray hairs than she does (and she's 77). 

 

All in all, it's been a fun adventure.

 

But can I just say, I truly enjoyed that my little kids were with me most of the summer uninterrupted. Going back to the old schedule has been a very hard adjustment for me.  

3 weeks down; 49 weeks to go.

I love the thought of writing this, but I still cannot understand why it's so easy to think of things to write while I'm walking through the halls at work and why it becomes so difficult when I sit down to write it.

De-Clutter Update: 21 days to make a habit.
- that is so much harder than it sounds. My habit attempts for September were:
* take out the garbage (Thursday night and when full): 3
* enter and exit through the garage (ha ha ha ): 0
* complete the dishes after meals, empty dishwasher when clean, do pots, pans; wash counters: 10
* make a schedule for my kids: 2
* hang up clothes when I take them off: 5
* put folded laundry away immediately: 5
Okay so those are (for me) ambitious tasks. But in reality, they do get easier.

I watched my 6 yr daughter take out a CD and put the one she removed from her CD player back in the case and put the case back on her dresser. And I thought, she has it. She has that instinctive clean gene.

Here's another thing I've noticed about attempting to de-clutter. It really IS overwhelming. I can't even commit to writing in the journal every day, how can I commit to de-clutter. A mystery.

My new goals:
* establishing a bedtime routine for myself. That sounds silly, I mean after all, I'm old (48) I should KNOW how to do this, but I don't. I stay up way too late get up way too late and end up tired and crabby. So my new bedtime has to be midnight, so I can get up at 6:15 and eventually start walking on my treadmill.
* getting rid of the paper clutter.

The Journal Questions; Week 1.
Okay the journal questions. While I have not written them in a journal I have attempted to answer them for myself.

Question 1: Family/ home of origin. Were your parents on time? Never. and getting out the door was always a hssale and we were always always LATE. My dad would wait in the car quietly (sometimes honking the horn).
Enough for now. I was going to write some more, but I've had a headache all day and still feel ill.