30-Days of Gratitude -- Really? Yes, really.

I love November.  It’s a month of gratitude – and it gives me great joy to know that at this time of year people are slowing down to count their blessings.  I have kept a “gratitude journal” for many years now.  I write in it whenever I am inspired -- and though I don’t write daily, I do try -- every day – to slow down for a moment and find something for which I am thankful. 

In the spirit of equality however, I wanted to take a moment to recognize some of those things that I am NOT thankful for.   Pet peeves, irritants – call them what you will.  Sometimes we just have to take time to acknowledge the things that really grind our gears.

Take dust for example.  What purpose does dust serve except to remind us to clean from time to time?  Pet hair – another one of those things that make me go, “grrrrrrr.”

Clean laundry dumped on the floor instead of being folded and put away. Wet towels in a heap.  An overflowing bin of unmatched socks.  And while we’re on the topic of laundry – how about the terrible smell of a t-shirt that’s been left in the washer too long.  Why?  Give us working moms a break.

Dishes piled up next to the sink, when an empty dishwasher sits right there waiting to be filled.  Trash that is left on top of the counter instead of being put in the wastebasket.  Empty milk cartons put back in the fridge, and cereal boxes left in the cabinet with hardly a teaspoon of crumbs in the bottom.

Unflushed toilets.  Unmade beds. Unpaid bills, and the stacks of junk mail and empty envelopes left on the table that could really just be thrown directly into the trash.

Checking off the items on your grocery list and realizing when you get home that you’ve missed one.  Better still, getting to the grocery store and realizing you left your list at home.

Aggressive drivers and ones that ride your tail. 

Getting to the dog park and realizing you’re out of poo-poo bags.

Throw rugs that won’t stay in place even though you bought the no-skid pad to put underneath.

Remote controls that don’t work properly.  And the DVR not recording your favorite show, because the disk is full with programs you already watched but never deleted.   Ugh !! 

But the very worst thing of all…the one that brings me to tears if I think too much about it --- is not being able to sit around and enjoy time with the people I love whenever I want. 

My life has been filled with so many people who make my life better.   Some are angels watching over me, others are just a phone call away.  Near or far – I am forever grateful for their love and friendship.  I only wish I could see them all more often. 

Now I better get back to chasing dust bunnies.

 

Cleaning Tip -- The Oven Door

So I'll admit it, I'm becoming a Pinterest junkie.

People say it's just another time waster -- and to some extent they're right.  It is so easy to get lost in different people's finds.  I'm trying to keep my visits in control though --  I visit when I have a few minutes to spare, and I just meander through -- daydreaming about vacation spots and my dream home, and gathering up recipes for things I'll probably never make.   It's not a complete waste of time though because at least all the ideas, daydreams and "someday" wishes that I find are being gathered in one central place -- rather than being lost in tides of websurfing!

Though most of my boards are just random collections, the two that are actually kind of practical are about getting organized and simple DIY cleaning tips.

Confession #2 -- I'm a wannabe organizer. I have spent countless hours looking at organization websites, meandering the storage container aisles at Target, and watching shows like Mission Organization. I have the best of intentions to put ideas into practice -- but like so many people, I get started but have trouble maintaining it.   Pinterest has given me a couple ideas that actually seem doable and I suspect you'll see more from me in the future on how I've applied some ideas at home.

Confession #3 -- I HATE TO CLEAN MY HOUSE. If there was one thing I could give up forever, it would be housework. I know I could probably just hire a cleaning lady, but with 2 kids in college, and another in high school, that's just not in the cards in the near future. I try all kinds of products that are supposed to make my life easier with cleaning -- but I've just ended up with a shelf full of half-used bottles of products that sort of work.

On Pinterest I've found a couple "tips" that make it sounds so easy.  I think the fact that they're just using basic things like baking soda, white vinegar, salt or ammonia make me feel like somehow if they work -- I've triumphed over the companies that have been selling me all these specialty items over the year.  Anyhow, I've gathered some of these DIY ideas on a board, and little by little I'm trying them to see how they really work.

So here is today's endeavor.   I found a posting about "how to clean the glass on the inside of your oven.   I clicked on the photo and was taken to this DIY blog, where the blogger posts her before and after pictures.    

I tried it for myself and here's how it worked for me -- the woman who hates to clean.

My oven door before cleaning (don't judge me please).

Mix 1/4 cup of baking soda with enough water to make a runny paste.  Cover the door and glass with the paste and let sit for 15-20 minutes.

The DIY website I referenced said that after 15 minutes, you could wipe it clean.  For me, the grime was definitely loosened, but it still required some elbow grease.  I used a green scrubby pad and a handi-wipe to scrub and wipe clean.  I would say I scrubbed for about 10 minutes, and then wiped it down with the handi-wipe.  My results....

Not perfect by any means, but WAY BETTER than what I was able to accomplish with the self-cleaning feature of my oven, or even with E-Z Off Cleaner.  Heck, you can actually see the tile floor through the glass!!  Best part of all, it was done inside a half hour, no fumes, no overheating house...and literally pennies to get it done! 

I'll be adding this one to my Pinterest board for sure! 

Happy cleaning!

Discover a New Holiday Tradition

You know I usually like to write my own posts -- but I received this message via email today from a friend, and I felt it was worth posting.  Not only does the message about supporting our local merchants resonate with me, but I also think some of these gift ideas are wonderful --- especially for the person who "has everything."    So with that, I'd like to share this message...

Christmas 2011 -- Birth of a New Tradition!


As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods -- merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift-giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is!
It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper? Nearly everyone gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber? Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement. Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American-owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.


Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plunking down the Benjamins on a Chinese-made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course. There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half-dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint? Remember, folks, this isn't about big national chains -- this is about supporting your hometown Americans with their financial lives on the line, to help them keep their doors open.


How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy? Thinking about a heartfelt gift for Mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day. My computer could use a tune-up, and I know I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running. OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local craftspeople spin their own yarn and knit it into scarves. They make jewelry, pottery and beautiful wood boxes.


Go out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre. Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands. Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another 10,000 Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of lights, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.


You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about "charity begins at home," encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine. THIS is the new American Christmas tradition, beginning in November of 2011 and continuing until we have a job market again!

PLEASE take just a moment and forward this to everyone on your mailing list. Post it to discussion groups. Throw up a post on Craigslist in the Rants and Raves section in your city. Send it to the editor of your local paper, to radio stations and TV news departments. This is a revolution of caring about each other, and isn't that what Christmas is all about?


 
The one idea that I will add -- in this age where so many of us are blessed with more material goods than we could ever possibly need, please know there are hundreds of very worthwhile non-profit organizations that could benefit from even a small donation. Human service organizations such as boys & girls clubs, food banks, hospitals, schools, shelters, etc., provide necessary services to those in need.  During difficult economic times, many of these organizations are losing donations -- at a time when they are most needed.    A donation made in someone's honor, to an organization they believe in, is a gift that gives tenfold.
 
Here's to the start of a happy holiday season!

The Business of Simplicity

It was probably 15 years ago or more, when my kids were still home and toddling around, that I first heard about the concept of simplifying your life.   I was in New York City for an escape weekend with my Aunt, and we were browsing the boutiques of SoHo. There, in an eclectic shop filled with books, stationery and accessories for self and home, I found a little book that somehow was calling out to me, Living the Simple Life: A Guide to Scaling Down and Enjoying More.

I can remember how I was drawn to the very simple design of the book with its square shape, silver cover with very simple lettering.  It was flanked on either side by two other books of similar design and concept by the same author, Elaine St. James -- but this one just spoke to me.  I was a young mother, overwhelmed by life, so caught up in the day to day, that I wasn't fully appreciating my blessings.

I remember thumbing through the book, putting it down on the rustic pine table, browsing around the store looking at funky scarves, stationery, and cocktail napkins -- and then going back and picking it up again.  I didn't want to leave without it, but I also didn't want to add another $10 to the sum of books I'd already purchased that I thought would change my life.  So the browsing courtship with the book continued for another 10-15 minutes, until finally my Aunt let me know she was continuing on to the next store.

Elaine St. James finally won me over, and my sole purchase for that escape weekend to The Big Apple was the book that, in many ways, changed my life.  I couldn't embrace all of the concepts that Ms. St. James introduced, but she helped me re-frame my thinking to cut through the clutter (not just material but emotional as well) so that I could more fully enjoy my day to day living.  Til this day I know it was $10 very well spent.

So -- why in the world did this memory of some 15 years ago come to me today and inspire me to write about it?  Well, since reading that book, most magazine articles, emails, or books that talk about "simplifying" get my attention.  Sadly, very few "solutions" are really what I would really consider simplifying -- they're just costly gadgets and gizmos that (in my opinion) give you one more thing to think about, instead of one less.   

Today's offender comes from the magazine whose name boasts simplicity -- and this section of their website that claims their "mission...has been to make your life easier with smart finds like these."   I'm not dissing the item , and truth be told, I enjoy the magazine -- I'm just commenting on the real value of these items from a simplicity perspective.

Real Simple suggests,  "Travel Shoe Bags - After traipsing around town, don’t just throw your shoes in your suitcase. Slip them in these lightweight packing cubes to keep dirt and odors separate from clean clothes." *


I say, "Really? Now on top of remembering shoes I have to remember a bag to put them in? Can't I just put my dirty laundry in the plastic bag the hotel provides and be done with it?"

They suggest,"Tea Bag Buddy - This handy silicone lid, which has grooves to prevent the tea bag from falling into the cup, not only keeps your brew covered while it steeps, but its deep well also acts as a convenient way to hold the used tea bag." *

I say, "How about using a spoon and putting the tea bag right in the trash?  Who wants to look at a dried up old tea bag anyway?  Plus, the odd shape of this little gem is a storage challenge.  KISS theory applies."

They suggest,  "Collapsible Lunch Box - This innovative food carrier is large enough to bring leftovers for lunch, but also folds down to hold a snack-sized portion as well. When you’re done, flatten the container and toss it into your bag."*

I say, "We have a winner!  I like this one enough that I will tell you that Real Simple says you can find it at http://www.papersource.com/ for $30.  I found the a similar one at Amazon.com for $23."

They say, "Pop-N-Go Scarf - Unpredictable weather can spoil your salon-perfect hairstyle. Keep this water-repellant scarf in your purse at all times and you’ll keep locks frizz-free." *

I say, "If you've really embraced the idea of living simply, you probably don't have a 'salon-perfect hairstyle.' that you are terribly worried about."

They suggest, "Bobble Brush - When was the last time you really washed that water bottle sitting on your desk? Give those containers a deep clean with this flexible brush designed to fit in and around the hard-to-reach curves on narrow containers."*
I say, "Huh? I love the notion that you have a refillable drinking vessel, but most that I've seen don't require a special brush.  Just saying..."

I don't know, maybe I'm crazy and I took Elaine St. James approach to simplicity a little too far, but sometimes I can't help but wonder if the business of simplicity has gone a little to far.

*Note:  All credit for the retail finds and product descriptives, attributed to Real Simple magazine -- which I really do enjoy, but sometimes I have to laugh at.