Cold Sunday afternoon
There is something about a gray Sunday afternoon when the temp is cool (I won't mention HOW cool....for those of you who live NORTH of me and may SCOFF) to make you want a fireplace, or a snuggly blanket and a good book, or at the very least some fuzzy slippers and a steamy bowl of gumbo with hot french bread. I guess I could scrounge up the blanket, book and some slippers!
Oh well....here I sit at my computer!
I promised a friend that I was going to try to blog more in 2011....and I really will try. I really do stay awfully busy, but maybe I could sleep less.......! In my effort to blog more often, the following is a Blog Ramble. (Definition of a Blog Ramble: Nothing very interesting and no pictures) Here goes:
I need a new computer. This laptop is over 5 years old. I’m running Windows XP Home Edition Version 2002! I have an external wireless card that is held together by a pony tail band. (I’m remembering my friend, Traci, here and her PENCIL camera. I won’t explain, but she’ll understand. You do what you have to do, eh Traci?) My keyboard has been replaced once and my “E, N, & M Keys” have the letters half worn off! My dvd/cd burner isn’t working and if I leave any programs running too long, I get blue screens and dump messages. I don’t have an installed camera, so I can’t do Skype.
But you know what? I love this old ‘puter. It’s like a favorite pair of slippers. I’m comfy with it. I know how to use it. I know where everything is. I can navigate through my photos and to my external hard-drive without thinking twice. Who cares that I occasionally feel like throwing it across the room.....I would probably feel that way twice as often with a new one!! So....I guess I will make do awhile longer with this old friend. I’ll let ya know!
Speaking of things to do in 2011, do any of you start thinking “fresh starts” as the New Year approaches? In December I am always thinking about cleaning out closets and getting rid of stuff. I also do a sort of “mid-winter” cleaning (as opposed to “spring” cleaning.) In Louisiana, you often can get days in January that are nice enough to work outside, or to open up the house and clean. In my “big house”, I had a huge walk-in attic with an end dedicated to the storage of all things related to Christmas. Here in my “little house”, I had to make other arrangements. When we bought the house, we had an RV parking cover with a room on that back that is 10 feet by about 16 or 18 feet. Of course the ceiling was about 16 foot in the middle. My Dad and Ron decided that they could build an upper floor in it with stairs going up. I call it “the loft” and it is where I have my shelves for the Christmas stuff. (Among other things.) My habit has ALWAYS been to sweep, sort and straighten the space BEFORE all of the stuff goes back in after the holidays. I’m waiting for a good day to do this....it has been pretty chilly lately.
But when I was wrapping gifts in December and stashing them in different hiding places, I cleaned out a few closet shelves INSIDE. I ran across a box of magazine clippings and other odds and ends. I got to thinking about all of the household hints I have learned in almost 40 years of housekeeping....and I am still learning! But I also thought of “problems” I have dealt with all of my life.
One problem I have is “throwing things away”. I didn’t live during the depression. My Dad was born in 1925 and my mother a few years later. Neither of them remembered the depression (although their parents did). Maybe it is my personality....maybe it is bad habit, or perhaps learned habits. I continually say that I just plain HATE WASTE but I have a terrible time throwing some things away.
Magazines
Fabric
Clothes
Bits of leftovers
The 2 tablespoons of ketchup left in the bottom of the “not quite empty” bottle. (Or mayonaise, or shampoo, or hand lotion.....)
What about you? What do you SAVE?
Or what do you have trouble throwing away?
Do you recycle?
Do you compost?
Do you sell your unused items in garage sales, donate them to charity, or throw them out?
Ok...end of today's ramble. However, you will notice that my post has ended with several questions. Here's the catch. If you read this you HAVE to comment! It's the LAW! Now I will know how many of you out there, that complain about my infrequent posting, are really READING my blog!
See ya later!
Oh well....here I sit at my computer!
I promised a friend that I was going to try to blog more in 2011....and I really will try. I really do stay awfully busy, but maybe I could sleep less.......! In my effort to blog more often, the following is a Blog Ramble. (Definition of a Blog Ramble: Nothing very interesting and no pictures) Here goes:
I need a new computer. This laptop is over 5 years old. I’m running Windows XP Home Edition Version 2002! I have an external wireless card that is held together by a pony tail band. (I’m remembering my friend, Traci, here and her PENCIL camera. I won’t explain, but she’ll understand. You do what you have to do, eh Traci?) My keyboard has been replaced once and my “E, N, & M Keys” have the letters half worn off! My dvd/cd burner isn’t working and if I leave any programs running too long, I get blue screens and dump messages. I don’t have an installed camera, so I can’t do Skype.
But you know what? I love this old ‘puter. It’s like a favorite pair of slippers. I’m comfy with it. I know how to use it. I know where everything is. I can navigate through my photos and to my external hard-drive without thinking twice. Who cares that I occasionally feel like throwing it across the room.....I would probably feel that way twice as often with a new one!! So....I guess I will make do awhile longer with this old friend. I’ll let ya know!
Speaking of things to do in 2011, do any of you start thinking “fresh starts” as the New Year approaches? In December I am always thinking about cleaning out closets and getting rid of stuff. I also do a sort of “mid-winter” cleaning (as opposed to “spring” cleaning.) In Louisiana, you often can get days in January that are nice enough to work outside, or to open up the house and clean. In my “big house”, I had a huge walk-in attic with an end dedicated to the storage of all things related to Christmas. Here in my “little house”, I had to make other arrangements. When we bought the house, we had an RV parking cover with a room on that back that is 10 feet by about 16 or 18 feet. Of course the ceiling was about 16 foot in the middle. My Dad and Ron decided that they could build an upper floor in it with stairs going up. I call it “the loft” and it is where I have my shelves for the Christmas stuff. (Among other things.) My habit has ALWAYS been to sweep, sort and straighten the space BEFORE all of the stuff goes back in after the holidays. I’m waiting for a good day to do this....it has been pretty chilly lately.
But when I was wrapping gifts in December and stashing them in different hiding places, I cleaned out a few closet shelves INSIDE. I ran across a box of magazine clippings and other odds and ends. I got to thinking about all of the household hints I have learned in almost 40 years of housekeeping....and I am still learning! But I also thought of “problems” I have dealt with all of my life.
One problem I have is “throwing things away”. I didn’t live during the depression. My Dad was born in 1925 and my mother a few years later. Neither of them remembered the depression (although their parents did). Maybe it is my personality....maybe it is bad habit, or perhaps learned habits. I continually say that I just plain HATE WASTE but I have a terrible time throwing some things away.
Magazines
Fabric
Clothes
Bits of leftovers
The 2 tablespoons of ketchup left in the bottom of the “not quite empty” bottle. (Or mayonaise, or shampoo, or hand lotion.....)
What about you? What do you SAVE?
Or what do you have trouble throwing away?
Do you recycle?
Do you compost?
Do you sell your unused items in garage sales, donate them to charity, or throw them out?
Ok...end of today's ramble. However, you will notice that my post has ended with several questions. Here's the catch. If you read this you HAVE to comment! It's the LAW! Now I will know how many of you out there, that complain about my infrequent posting, are really READING my blog!
See ya later!
Comments
Getting rid of things is my specialty. I am amazed at what I have donated since I moved up north, wish I would have done more of that before I moved, would have saved some $$, but one never really knows what will ‘fit’ in a new house. Houghton Lake, MI has a ‘Donate for the Troops’ organization; it’s like goodwill, but all proceeds go to buying away from home ‘kits’ for our Men & Women over seas. Things like toiletries & games. By the way, I love it when you “ramble”! Hugs
"Skype" is....uh....a program that allows you to "call" another computer over the internet. If YOU have a camera in your computer and THEY have a camera in their computer, you can sit face-to-face and visit (well....screen-to-screen, anyway.) A lot of people have it...the newer computers just COME with camera's in them and I guess all you need is an internet connection. There's no additional cost that I know of. Hope that clears THAT up!
PS...If I am going to blog more often, you can EXPECT more "rambles"! Hugs back to you.
Recycle: Yes
Compost: Every season but winter.
Charity/Throw Away: Both.
Making progress on my photo's & albums, & Picasa (computer picture viewing) It is a tedious, arduous project!!
Thanks for your comments. If you leave an "Anonymous" comment, please leave your name (or some hint so I know who you are!)
Carolyn
Love you!
Anna