Life: It Goes On - January 19

Happy Sunday! It's sunny here...at least for now...but only a whopping 3 degrees so we're hunkering down. Sitting here next to the windows on the north side of the house, it's considerably cooler than where I've been sitting, enjoying my morning coffee and watching CBS Sunday Morning. May have to grab a cardigan and some slippers if I'm going to sit here long enough to finish this and write up a couple of reviews. How many more days until summer? 

Last Week I: 

Listened To: Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker. I don't have any audiobooks that have become available just now, and I'm way behind on podcasts, so I'll probably listen to some of those until a book becomes available. 

Watched: Football, college basketball, women's professional volleyball. Did I tell you that Omaha is home to two professional women's teams? Last week we watched one team and this week we watched the other. Pretty excited that ESPN feels like there's a decent enough audience that they will be showing at least some of the matches for that team. It also has Nebraska alum on it, included two that are Olympians. 

Read: Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson for book club this week. 

Made: What did we eat this week? I'd like to tell you but I honestly can't remember anything other than homemade mac and cheese. I cannot get myself in the mood to cook lately. 

Enjoyed: Wednesday was hair night and you know I always love that. Friday we had dinner with friends and I always enjoy that. But what I most enjoyed was texts and FaceTime calls I was getting from Miss H, who is on a trip to Phoenix this week. Life was really hard for her for a really long time and it makes this mama's heart so happy to see her loving life and having great adventures. 

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This Week I’m:  

Planning: This past week, as part of the Cozy Minimalist Community's House Hushing Challenge, I started "hushing" my house. In hushing you clear the surfaces in a room (at least) and live with it emptied for at least 24 hours then make the decision on what to bring back. Tuesday the next room will be announced and I'm eager to start that, after seeing this past week's results. 

Thinking About: Less than two months until Daylight Savings Time begins and I can't wait for sun in the evenings. I mean, it's dark in the morning here until about the time I'm half way to work everyday - I don't care if it's light then since I can't see outside during the day anyway. 

Feeling: Lighter. This week I "hushed" my kitchen. Which is to say that I took everything off of the counters and refrigerator and lived with it like that for 24 hours before deciding what needed to come back in. I found new homes for several things (my big mixer will now live in the basement since I only use it a few times a year and I am loving the the result. Now to work on the tops of the cupboards!

Looking forward to: Book club this week. 

Question of the week: January tends to be the time that people either decide to start living healthier or to declutter and reorganize (or both). Are you one of those people, if so, which do you do? I have given up on using January as the time to start a regime for lifestyle (the gym is too full, there's often too much decadent food left over from the holidays, it's too cold to walk outside). But you know I'm all about any kickstart I can get to declutter and organize! 

Life: It Goes On - August 11

Happy Sunday! What a beautiful weekend we've had here - sunny with unseasonably cool temperatures. We spent the weekend evenings on decks/patios and blankets and jackets were required. Don't get me wrong - that doesn't mean I'm looking forward to autumn! In fact, I'm heading out today to buy more plants for my pots out back because I'm planning on being out there for another couple of months. 

Last Week I: 

Listened To: I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy and I'm about half way through The Villa by Rachel Hawkins.

Watched: Not much besides the Olympics and some news coverage. 

Read: I finished Liane Moriarty's Here One Moment and started Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff by Dana K. White. I've also started Kate Atkinson's Death At The Sign Of The Rook and Lisa Wingate's Shelterwood. It's a good thing the Olympics are done today - I need to get back to spending more time reading and less time in front of the television! 

Made: Lots of quick and easy pasta meals this week - spaghetti with meat sauce and something I'm calling Italian goulash. I roasted a lot of tomatoes for future use, as well. 

Enjoyed: My brother and sister-in-law came back through on their way home Wednesday so we got to spend time with them again, we had a lovely evening with friends on their deck Friday evening, and we got to spend some time yesterday with Mini-him and Miss C. Best part of that last one? They hauled out two more loads of their stuff. I may soon be able to move in my basement again! 

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This Week I’m:  

Planning: You know me - whenever I'm reading something about decluttering, I'm planning my next decluttering project in my house. The book I'm reading now (and Go Simplified) really stresses thinking of your bookcases as containers and you can't have more books that there is realistically enough room for in your container - our shelves are bulging at the seams and it's time to make some tough decisions. 

Thinking About: School started for our school district last week - a full week earlier than my kids started when they were growing up. With so many kids involved in organized activities for the first six weeks of summer, it doesn't leave much time for kids to just relax and be kids. Also, it seriously impinges on the number of weeks I get a significantly easier commute! 

Feeling: Lazy. To be fair, I got thrown off my game yesterday when Mini-him decided they'd be coming to get their stuff and I had to help with that (and to encourage them to shop my basement to get even more things out of it!

Looking forward to: An upcoming visit to Miss C's parents' home. We really enjoy them. 

Question of the week: We did a back-to-school supply drive at work and I was astonished by the things the kids need these days. So many things I wish the schools were able to supply but clearly can't afford to provide. Do you still have kids in school? If so, what's the thing that those of us who don't would find the most surprising? 

**This weeks review have this in common - they are both books I was offered through Netgalley.**

Keep The Memories, Lose the Stuff: Declutter, Downsize, and Move Forward with Your Life by Matt Paxton

Keep The Memories, Lose the Stuff: Declutter, Downsize, and Move Forward with Your Life by Matt Paxton

320 page

Published February 2022 by Penguin Publishing Group

Publisher's Summary: 

Your boxes of photos, family’s china, and even the kids' height charts aren’t just stuff; they’re attached to a lifetime of memories—and letting them go can be scary. With empathy, expertise, and humor, Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff, written in collaboration with AARP, helps you sift through years of clutter, let go of what no longer serves you, and identify the items worth keeping so that you can focus on living in the present.

 
For over 20 years, Matt Paxton has helped people from all walks of life who want to live more simply declutter and downsize. As a featured cleaner on Hoarders and host of the Emmy-nominated Legacy List with Matt Paxton on PBS, he has identified the psychological roadblocks that most organizational experts routinely miss but that prevent so many of us from lightening our material load. Using poignant stories from the thousands of individuals and families he has worked with, Paxton brings his signature insight to a necessary task. 
 
Whether you’re tired of living with clutter, making space for a loved one, or moving to a smaller home or retirement community, this book is for you. Paxton’s unique, step-by-step process gives you the tools you need to get the job done.

My Thoughts: 

You all know how I'm all about trying to find ways to declutter and organize my home so you'll also know that I'm always on the look out for books that will help me in that process. When Myquillyn Smith (The Nester) recommended this book, I immediately requested it from the library. 

Can I just tell you how much I wish I had read this book when it first came out? It would have made such a difference when it came time, in the summer of 2022, to begin clearing out my parents' home of 50+ years in preparation for my dad's move. In fact the big take away from this book is in the title - the things you have are not what's important, it's the memories those things stir that are what matters. 

I wish we would have spent more time asking my dad about the memories different things brought up and I wish I would have known about the Legacy List at that time. There's a lot of great information in this book for people who are looking to downsize or people who, like me, have to move their parent(s) out of a home they've lived in for a long time. In fact, there's a lot of great information for anyone who is getting ready to downsize and move for any reason, a lot of information on how to decide what to keep, how to find professionals to help with the processes, a lot of information on what steps to take and what order to take them in and all of it would make a great resource to have on hand. 

For me, for now at least, I'm not in the point in my life where this book is as helpful as it might be in another ten years (or, as I said, a couple of years ago). I'm not ready to become a minimalist nor to get rid of 90% of my photos. I have great respect for professionals who can offer valuable assistance in helping others (myself included) reduce the amount of stuff they have. But I sometimes feel like many of them push for a minimalist lifestyle that doesn't suit everyone. Still, there's a lot here that anyone can learn from, particularly those who are making a change in their lives. 

Life: It Goes On - February 25

Happy Sunday! Even as it's hard to believe that February is almost over, it's also hard to believe that it's still February with weather that has been so unwinterlike (yep, just made up a word) almost all month. I have plants peeking their spears up out of ground that should still be far too cold for them to start growing; they are almost as big as they were in this photo I took a couple of years ago...well into March. 

Last Week I: 

Listened To: Finished Mansfield Park and then back to Saving Time by Jenny Odell. 

Watched: The penultimate episode of Ted Lasso. We have been spreading the final episodes out for weeks; we'll be so sad to be done with the series. We've both agreed that it's a series we would watch again...although there are always so many things that we've never watched that we'd like to get watched. Sort of like keeping a book that I think I'll reread and never do because there are so many other books that I haven't read yet. 

Read: Pete and Alice In Maine by Caitlyn Shetterly. This was recommend to me but I can't remember who it was that recommended it. 

Made: I'm making rice pudding as I type this. My dad has been having stomach problems for several weeks and has now grown a little afraid to eat. I'm hoping that something that he loves (but that is also easy to digest) will appeal to him. I know I'm looking forward to eating some! 

Enjoyed: Book club on Tuesday. We played a Jane Austen matching game (akin to Memory) but didn't bother to read the rules and then discovered that even the biggest Austen fans in the group couldn't remember who matched up with who in all of the books. Which turned out to be a lot of laughs, so it all worked out. 

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This Week I’m:  

Planning: Another run to the Goodwill. The decluttering and 40 Bags in 40 Days continue full force. 

Thinking About: I'll also be dropping off a big bag of clothes to the high school for them to use for plays - clothes that my mom had saved for more than 60 years, things other people wore at my parents wedding, my mom's going away outfit, etc. These things meant so much to her but my siblings and I have agreed that the clothes were her memories, not ours. I've been thinking a lot about that idea and what "things" I need to say goodbye to now so that they don't become a burden for my children some day. 

Feeling: Worn down. I don't think I've been sleeping well, but I refuse to sleep with my Apple watch on because I'm a little afraid to find out just how bad it's been. 

Looking forward to: Another quiet week. We have both Miss H's and Ms. S's bdays on Friday but, sadly, won't get to be with either of them to celebrate. Trying to figure out a way to celebrate from afar. 

Question of the week: If someone had something delivered to you, what would you rather have: balloons, flowers, or a meal? 

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter by Margareta Magnusson

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter by Margareta Magnusson

Published January 2018 by Scribner

128 pages

Publisher's Summary: 

In Sweden there is a kind of decluttering called döstädning, dö meaning “death” and städning meaning “cleaning.” This surprising and invigorating process of clearing out unnecessary belongings can be undertaken at any age or life stage but should be done sooner than later, before others have to do it for you. In The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, artist Margareta Magnusson, with Scandinavian humor and wisdom, instructs readers to embrace minimalism. Her radical and joyous method for putting things in order helps families broach sensitive conversations, and makes the process uplifting rather than overwhelming. 

Margareta suggests which possessions you can easily get rid of (unworn clothes, unwanted presents, more plates than you’d ever use) and which you might want to keep (photographs, love letters, a few of your children’s art projects). Digging into her late husband’s tool shed, and her own secret drawer of vices, Margareta introduces an element of fun to a potentially daunting task. Along the way readers get a glimpse into her life in Sweden, and also become more comfortable with the idea of letting go.

My Thoughts:

You know how much I love to organize and how I'm always working to declutter my house (and still we're overwhelmed!). Any time I hear about a new idea to help with that process, I'm interested. But it wasn't until I heard someone talking about Swedish death cleaning on a podcast recently that I decided it was time to learn more. 

The concept it this: one day you will die and your loved ones will have to go through all of the things you have saved over the years and you can make their lives so much easier if you will take the time, particularly as you get older, to get rid of things that will have no real value to anyone else once you're gone. 

Not everything. Magnusson doesn't suggest that you get rid of everything you love or even live a minimalist life. She admits to being "somewhere between eighty and one hundred" and still keeps on a shelf a large stuffed animal of which she's quite fond. But, similarly to Marie Kondo, she recommends you go through things you don't use any more, take a moment to recall the memories they carry, and then get rid of them. Unlike some other methods, Magnusson's ideas about Swedish death cleaning recommend taking your time, advising that it may take years before you can go through everything. Even more reason to start now and not what until you're too old and it's even harder to part with things. 

Magnusson is big on shredding and tossing (some of the things she said she tossed seemed to me to be things she might have donated to a charity). She has also sold many of the things she got rid of, often without even asking her family if anyone might want the item. I'm sure that's meant to avoid any fighting amongst her family; but, having just cleaned out my parents' home, I know it can be done without fighting (I can't swear there were never any hard feelings or things people might have wanted that they didn't get). I also know that there were items that I was the only person who really wanted. Imagine if I had been looking forward to one day having the stewardship of that item, only to discover that my mom had sold it.

Magnusson has a sweet way about her and the book has a very personal feel. I can't say that there was a lot here that was new for me; but it was good reminder that we all have well more than we need and well more than I would ever want our children to have to deal with. I finished the book about a week ago and have already found that it has provided the encouragement I needed to let go of some things I might otherwise have held on to for emotional reasons, which is where I always struggle. For that I am grateful for this book.

Life: It Goes On - October 25

Happy Sunday! It is cold here (30 degrees) and grey and yesterday we had to pull out all of the annual plants so the the yard looks bleak. What's worse is that we have snow in the forecast for later today/tonight. Y'all, this is why I don't get too excited about autumn - it so often lasts such a short time and the prospect of an extra long winter is daunting. Especially this year. So I'm trying to think of projects I can do that will keep me busy and make our home more cozy and less cluttered. How you may ask, can my home still be cluttered when I am forever decluttering? I wish I knew the answer to that question!

Last Week I: 

 Listened To: I finished James Baldwin's The Fire Next Time and now I'm listening to Motherless Brooklyn. We saw the movie adaptation and really enjoyed it and, so far, I'm enjoying the book as well.

Watched: My brother-in-law arrived Friday afternoon and is using our house as a home base through Monday. He and The Big Guy have watched baseball, football, and hours and hours of Alaska: The Last Frontier and Gold Rush. Not what I would ever pick but I must admit that I did get a little caught up in those people's lives. 

Read: I'm highlighting the heck out of White Rage so it's taking me quite a while to get through. I've also started Finola Austin's Bronte's Mistress, which is a good break for me from all of the heavy stuff. 

Made: I threw together a Mexican soup the other night; I really need to at least write down what I used because we both really enjoyed it. One night I made spaghetti sauce to freeze and today I made enchiladas. At least this cold has me cooking again.

Enjoyed: Book club even if we had to do it by Zoom. We had actually moved it back two days because it was supposed to be 76 degrees on Thursday. Supposed to be. It's going to take some getting used to again but at least we got to see each other and catch up.

This Week I’m:  

Planning: I finished painting those chairs I was working on last week and will get the seats recovered this week. My office reorganization got sped up when my BIL arrived because the guest room was full of office stuff that needed to get moved. That meant that I didn't get as much of a chance to sort and toss as I went so after I finish up getting everything in place this week, I'll start going through stuff to try to create some breathing space in there.

Thinking About: Christmas. I know, I know - it's too soon. But I'm hearing that shipping is going to be really slow come December so I'm going to try to get Mini-me's and Ms. S's gifts ready and sent in the next couple of weeks. 

Feeling: Like taking a nap. These grey skies make me so tired!

Looking forward to: my 38th anniversary and my mom's birthday this week. 

Question of the week: Are you making any changes around your homes to make them pandemic winter ready?

The Real Simple Method of Organizing Every Room and How To Keep It That Way

The Real Simple Method of Organizing Every Room and How To Keep It That Way
Published August 2018 by Time Inc. Books
Source: checked out from my local library

Publisher's Summary:
The Real Simple Method to Organizing Every Room offers smart solutions and detailed guidance to help you rein in the chaos, no matter how little time you have. This book helps you take control room by room with handy checklists, hundreds of practical tips, and inspiring photographs. Whether you live in a small space or a large one, the experts from Real Simple have the best why-didn’t-I-think-of-that advice for creating and keeping an easy, stylish, organized home.

My Thoughts:
I've been a fan of Real Simple magazine since it was first published in 2000 and for years had a subscription. It's pretty much a given that I'll pick up anything that has the name on it at this point.

Like the magazine, this book is full of practical suggestions, expert advice, great resources and terrific photography. I would definitely recommend it for any one who is new to the game of organizing. It's certainly less terrifying than Marie Kondo's The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up! There are quite a lot of things included that don't necessarily have to do with organizing but are certainly pieces of practical knowledge worth having, including "The Ultimate Stain-Removal Chart" and a "How Long It Lasts" guide. And the editors give a fair amount of space to giving readers tips on getting the rest of the family on board.

For someone, like me, who's looked a lot of different methods to get and stay organized, who has read a lot of books on the subject, there's not a lot here that is new. There were some resources listed that I was not previously aware of, for example an app where you can store all of your store reward card data so that you don't have to clutter up your billfold with all of those cards. I've made note of several apps I'll be using that will help reduce paper clutter around here which is my absolute biggest problem. And I did like chapter on outdoor spaces which many books largely ignore. But at this point, I'm looking for a book, like Kondo's (although, let's be honest, a lot of her suggestions were a little wacky), that gives me specific tools on making decisions on how to decide what to keep and what to let go of.

Like so many organizing books, this one gave a lot of great ideas about how to find space to store things like wrapping paper. But so many of those ideas involve setting up stations for specific tasks. Let's be honest, if I had enough extra closets that I could devote one to a gift wrapping station, I probably wouldn't have reached the point where I felt like I needed to pick up a book like this!

Also, like so many other organizing books, this one suggests you pick up new furniture pieces that will fit your space better, say a smaller desk, and then they give you ideas on how to make that work. But not everyone has the funds to just go out and buy different pieces of furniture, new filing systems, and storage bins. Again, back to Kondo who recommends using old boxes to create spaces in drawers for specific things rather than going out and buying a drawer organization system. Would a new organization system make me happy? Heck, yes; I would love to open the drawer and see it not only looking organized but also attractive. But do I want to spend money on something no one except me is going to see? Not particularly.

So, the verdict is, if you're fairly new to the idea of trying to organize your home and put systems into place, this is a great starting place. Just don't buy into the idea that you have to spend money to achieve all of the suggestions. Good luck to you on your adventure!

Life: It Goes On - March 3

Life: it goes on. And so does winter. And so does the snow. I'm starting to feel like a broken record. While I appreciate that the snow has not fallen during morning rush hour (for the most part), we've had three Saturdays in a row with snow and a fourth forecast which makes getting out and doing things on the weekend tricky. Not to mention dangerous. On the plus side, the sun is shining today and my family will be together (albeit some of them by FaceTime, for a family birthday dinner); both Miss H and Ms. S celebrated birthdays on Friday. Hope you've all found things to celebrate this week as well!

Last Week I:

Listened To: I finished Lilly Singh's How To Be A Bawse (loved it!) then started Edith Nesbit's The Railway Children which I immediately gave up on when I found out it was abridged. Instead I started Jesmyn Ward's Sing, Unburied, Sing. Wow.

Watched: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, the new season of The Voice (at the end of every recent season I say I won't watch the next one but I'm like a moth to the flame), and today I've "watched" Disney's Tarzan and 10 Things I Hate About You while I get some things done around the house.

Read: Not much this week but I did start Jim Harrison's The River Swimmer and I'm enjoying Harrison's writing.

Made: Chicken chili (a definite repeat); cranberry, white chocolate scones (which is a try again recipe); and today I'm making fettuccine al Fredo and cheesecake for the birthday dinner (Miss H's choices but I think we'll all be in a rich food coma when we finish!).

Enjoyed: Book club Tuesday, lunch with friends yesterday (and I got to meet one of my friend's 6-week-old little girl!), and dinner with friends here last night.

This Week I’m: 

Planning: More painting projects and I'm pulling out some spring decor, despite the weather.

Thinking About: My sister and hoping every day finds her feeling better.

Feeling: Tired. I really have to start getting more sleep during the week. It's starting to have an effect on my weekend energy level and that's not acceptable.

Looking forward to: 40 Bags In 40 Days, which starts on Wednesday. I've actually already conquered a couple of areas and gotten rid of three bags.

Question of the week: I've been seeing a lot of deconstructed furniture on Instagram. Have any of you ever done that? I'm intrigued but a little terrified of buying something and then ruining it.

Life: It Goes On - January 20

Early this past week, we started hearing about a snow storm coming. We might have gotten anywhere from 2 to 7 inches of snow. Instead we got ice while we worked Friday. My office closed early for only the third time ever. The president of the company was out salting the sidewalks as we left; the third in command was escorting women through the parking lot to their cars (great company, right?!). Kudos to the city crews - they had so well prepped the roads and kept them up that, until I reached my neighborhood, the streets were only wet. The best part of all of that? For a change, I didn't panic, I didn't worry. I accepted that I was not in control of what the weather would do and that I would just have to go with whatever Mother Nature gave us. 2019 me might turn out to be great!

Last Week I:

Listened To: I finished Ta-Nehisi Coates' Between The World and Me. Still working on Elaine Weiss' The Woman's Hour; hope to finish it by Thursday.

Watched: Westworld, Point Break with Keanu Reeves, The Post with Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, and, of course,  football.

Read: The Water Cure by Sophie MacIntosh. Today I'll start In This Ground for a TLC Book Tour.

Made: The Big Guy grilled steaks one night and pork chops another, we baked yams and made smashed potatoes, I turned the leftover potatoes into baked potato soup, and Friday I made two of Miss H's favorites, goulash and rice pudding. Today I'll bake bread and, maybe, finally actually cook something in the Instant Pot I got for Christmas. I finally worked up the courage to test it today so I understand how it works.

Enjoyed: Finally finishing up my CD project. I'm pretty stoked to have gotten more than 300 CDs into two binders! Today I'll be able to move record albums, which have been living in my office for several years, back into the entertainment center. Two empty shelves in my house from that project. And another in my closet after I Marie Kondo'd my clothes! You know I go through my clothes regularly so you can imagine my surprise to find that, by sorting using her tips, I got rid of four kitchen garbage bags of stuff.

This Week I’m: 

Planning: On getting some furniture painting done this week. Miss H found a desk she wanted to redo for a dressing table. We bought it for her for a birthday present and I will get it reworked for her, along with a mirror. While I'm at it, I've got an end table and a stool I want to paint. 

Thinking About: Tackling the books. There's no way I'm dropping down to Kondo's suggestion of only keeping 30 books (and, again, I go through them regularly), but I do feel like I at least need to get them reorganized.

Feeling: So happy with my new prints from See-Nile Photography. I've got a frame in my kitchen that I've decided will have a revolving series of prints in it and these will work for winter, with just enough color to remind me that spring is coming.

Looking forward to: Seeing the Keira Knightly version of Pride and Prejudice in the theater tonight, a rescheduled book club meeting, and BG's birthday celebration next weekend. 

Question of the week: I'm still wrestling with my "One Word" for 2019. Do you pick a word for the new year? If so, how have you done with staying with it through the year?

Life: It Goes On - January 13

One of the things I dislike about winter is how brown it can be. Dirt were gardens belong, bare branches, sand and gravel all over streets and sidewalks, the remains of efforts to make sure things are passable. For the past couple of weeks, it's been warm and often sunny. Light jackets, no hats or scarves. And it's been brown. Friday night into Saturday it snowed. It was beautiful. It is beautiful. But, as it turns out, this year, I'm ready to get back to the brown already. It's hard to look out into your yard and imagine the lawn green, leaves on the trees, and flowers and vegetables flourishing in the gardens when there is snow every where.


I should probably stop whining about the snow. In Missouri, where my brother lives they got just under 17" of snow. Even here, where we are much better prepared for snow fall, that's a lot of snow, the kind that actually does mean you needed to stock up on bread and milk. The kind that gives even this recluse cabin fever. My brother misses big snows; he's pretty damn excited to have the snow. Which makes me even happier that he got it and we didn't!

Last Week I:

Listened To: I finished Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magic and I'm back to Elaine Weiss' The Woman Hour. I'm bound and determined to get through that one this checkout period! Next up, I'm back to Ta-Nehisi Coates' Between The World and Me.

Watched: More Marie Kondo (see below for what this show has inspired me to do), Queer Eye For The Straight Guy, football, and we are finally getting started on season 2 of Westworld.

Read: Today I'll finish my first Jodi Picoult, A Spark of Light, and then I'll start Sophie Mackintosh's The Water Cure.

Made: I finally worked up the courage to try my bread machine again, after several failures consigned it to the pantry for several months now. I made a recipe I found on the King Arthur website but substituted some whole wheat graham flour for some of the all-purpose flour and it made a lovely dense loaf that toasts beautifully.

Enjoyed: Working on that project inspired by Marie Kondo - I moved all of our CD's out of their jewel cases and into a binder. Well, I moved A-R of the rock CD's into a binder. I had to order a second binder and pages for the rest of the rock, the jazz, folk and classical CD's. Those will come tomorrow. When it's all done, I'll have freed up half a cupboard in the entertainment center and an entire shelf on my bookshelves. Organizing gurus will tell you to get rid of the CDs entirely, but there's no way that's getting past my hubby so this will have to do!

This Week I’m: 

Planning: Finishing up that project and moving on to going through all of my clothes. Hoping I can convince The Big Guy or Miss H to do the same. Then I'm moving on to books. Marie Kondo says you need to move all of the like things into one place before you sort them. That means I'll have to bring books up from the basement, and down from all the rooms they are in upstairs. We don't have nearly as many books as some of you; but we've got quite a lot and I anticipate this taking quite a while.

Thinking About: 40 Bags In 40 Days, which will start March 6. Because I'll have done quite a lot heading into that, I'm really hoping to have the time to dig into some areas that I've managed to put off in previously years.

Feeling: Anxious. No particular reason why. This is just how I roll sometimes. The decluttering actually does help with this which is one of the reasons I'm doing it.

Looking forward to: Book club this week.

Question of the week: Are you also someone who starts off the new year in a purge and organize mood?