Tag Archives: Life magazines

I am the family curator.

Posted in decluttering, home stuff, Uncategorized by

I’m the one who goes thru 99% of our stuff to declutter and get rid of. Of course, I check with other family members about whether they want something or not. Other things that are in the realm of kitchen, misc, etc I often just put in the thrift store bag and be done with it.

Right now I’m back at getting rid of my Life magazines. I want to have just 2 bins of the best of Life. Kennedy assassination, Martin Luther King assassination, Selma, moon walk, etc, you get the picture. I pulled 6 out to give to the cancer thrift. They are somewhat collectible.: 2 Beatles ones, Arnold Schwarzenegger as a bodybuilder and a few others. i have to decide what to keep and what to let go of.

My son has been getting rid of old comics. For a while we were collecting all kinds from Superman to Justice League. But most just sit in a bin so what’s the point?

Most stuff isn’t worth my time to put on Ebay. Last week I had on a 1950’s slinky, and barkcloth from the 50s too. Lots of lookers but not one bid so I’m giving them to the thrift store instead of trying to relist. The barkcloth is a cool mid century pattern but not in colors I use anymore. Lots of yellows.

I think it’s a balance of what’s really worth keeping and what is just stuff lying around( or in closets, bins, storage areas, garages??

I was reading a really good article over at Food52 about visual clutter and that even when you’ve decluttered and things are pared down it might not be the amount of stuff but the effect of the visual stuff still left.. The person writing the article removed her container of utensils on her counter and put them in a drawer and she said she felt instantly more calm. So,it’s not so much about the amount of stuff( if you’ve decluttered) but the effect of the visual clutter on you of what’s left.

The article is written by Laura Fenton. She also says let FUNCTION be your guide. In other words , as she says, if all the shoes end up in your entryway instead of closets, then put a basket or something to hold the shoes in that area thus serving the function of the shoe dilema.

She has written a book that I think I will order from Amazon as I have liked all the articles she has written.

It’s a process, that’s for sure but I think in the end we all want our living spaces to reflect who we are and sometimes we need to just be the one to curate that space.

Simple Sunday

Posted in decluttering, Flylady, husband, Uncategorized, Walking by

I walked this morning and B actually felt like walking too!!! Hurray!!! As soon as we were done though it started pouring rain. It was funny.

Today is supposed to be rainy but then the rest of the week looks lovely and in the mid-’60s. Yes, I can get outside.  I am wanting to get out to the barn to go thru another bin of Life magazines. I think I’m just going to take most of the very early ones to the Cancer thrift. I have some of the ones in the 1930s. I love that life was so different and way simpler but also way more uninformed. News took a long time to get out. Now it’s instant. Anyway, I’m pretty sure my kids don’t want these ones so I think that will eliminate almost a whole bin. I have 4 bins left and I’d like to get it down to 2 by this summer.  Other than reorganizing camping stuff the shelves out there look good.

B will need to give most of his samples away since he’s not on the road and won’t be again.  The food bank always appreciates the organic and natural stuff.  His job has been given to someone else so when he goes back it won’t be for that job. Does anyone know the law about that?  Do they have to hold his job for him for x amount of months or not at all? Well, since we don’t know how long it’s going to be I guess it’s a moot point but still I’d like to know.

I’m off to the gym and then finish the bedroom zone. I want to wash the curtains this time around.

Dinner is spaghetti with a sauce I think. Brinner is an option too. So one or the other.

 

2018

Posted in cooking, decluttering, Flylady, Uncategorized by

A new year.

I do not set or make resolutions. I haven’t for years. What I do is just figure out what I want to do more of or less of. I do write out a list of things to accomplish so I guess that’s more of a goal. I do like goals as such. Like the Minimalist game and setting the goal of getting rid of things. But for some reason, I don’t do the resolution thing like exercise more, diet, lose 10 lbs.  Those things just don’t interest me.

When I started the Just Keep Walking Project, I just wanted to walk every day. That’s a goal.  But I try to not make it that there’s guilt attached or pressure.  Since I’m in year 4 and 7 months, I guess I like that goal.

In terms of routines and keeping things simple, I like to do certain things daily and weekly. This is where I do FlyLady stuff. It keeps me focused and then I know it’s done for the week.

So my list for 2018 looks like this with stuff added and subtracted as the year progress.

  • Keep walking
  • gym 3x a week
  • daily routines
  • weekly routines
  • now, this is new, I’d like to shop once a week or even once every 2 weeks. I only go to Costco once a month or even 6 weeks. But at the market, I tend to need something usually cat food or cream. I’m doing the Frugalwoods January no spend so that will help. But I’d like to get the other part figured out. I get conflicted with stocking up stuff(which I do for somethings) and more of a minimalist view(like in Paris or Europe) of getting what I need fresh more often. Well, since I haven’t figured it out yet, I will make that a goal.
  • YNAB for our budget goals and daily recording
  • build a new deck for the Studio( well,my husband would do this), I’d just supervise and get in the way.
  • Put in a new kitchen counter and sink. This depends on money really and it would be from Ikea so nothing outrageous.
  • if we can afford 2 more trees taken down.
  • camping 6 x’s (last year we did 4 trips)
  • go on some sort of date with my husband 1X a month. Like a new lunch place.

So there’s probably more, like continue to declutter my Life Magazines( 6 bins left) to ideally 2 but I think that’s a stretch since there’s the moon walk, Kennedy, Selma, MLK Jr., and so many great ones.

Of course, most of this depends on how my labs are thru out the year and if I will go back on Velcade if the numbers start going up. I guess that’s a big ‘who knows?’

Dinner is fresh cream of mushroom soup, which I just tasted and it is YUM,  twice baked potatoes I did with the Costco huge bag of russets and a roast chicken in my NEW WHITE LE CREUSET  that Santa brought.  Oh, my it is very beautiful.

 

Rainy again

Posted in budgeting, cooking, minimalism, Uncategorized by

It’s a rainy Monday. We walked in the park and it was just misting.  Yesterday, there was an Easter service that we walked by. And there were 3 sets of new baby goslings.  Unfortunately today we saw a Canada goose had been gotten by a coyote or mountain lion and feathers were everywhere. And there were only 2 sets of parents.  Canada Geese are extraordinarily fierce with their young so it must have really tried to protect the babies. WE did count the babies and I got to 19 so maybe some of the ones of killed goose went over to the other parents. I hope so.

We had southern fried tofu for Easter dinner. Of course, we don’t celebrate Easter as such, just as a renewal of a new cycle of life. Not based on Jesus. So I made a potato salad and we had some deviled eggs. I didn’t fry the tofu but baked and you’d think the end of the world had come. I guess I’m not doing that again.  It was pretty good just not quite as tasty as when I fry them.

This week is not too busy. I have an Invisalign appt, and that’s it. Plus I’ll go to the Koffee Klatch on Thursday.  I have a good size load of Life magazines to go the Humane Society Thrift store.  There are some great ones from the 40’s going but it’s just the way it needs to be. Plus the van is full of Foodbank boxes so I’ll do that tomorrow on the way to the gym.

Next week are my labs so that’ll be interesting. At some point, my light chains will begin to increase and then who know. For now, I live each day as if it is a gift.  Life is precious, non-essential live it as fully as you can.

 

One thing about minimalism is that as you clear the nonessential, you really begin to experience things differently. DEfinetely clearer and more in touch with what is around you. It’s a process for sure.  I have to say, every time declutter or look at what is it I want around me, I’m surprised at what the answer to that is. I want my house to be clean, clear of stuff and just a simple place to live, cook and be. It’s getting there.

They’ll be a lot of no spend days this week as the budget is used up. We have a DMV to pay and that’s about it. So, freezer meals and pantry plus what I bought at Costco. Lots of salads.

Tonight is pasta night. I’m thinking an alfredo with a big salad.

 

 

Thursday stuff

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Well, it’s off to Sacramento for my last Velcade shot of cycle 5. I’m really glad I’m approaching the end of this cycle and the last one #6.  Overall, this is a relatively easy chemotherapy but there’s still side effects. My eyes are still developing some styes and continue to water some. Plus, now the neuropathy has snuck in.  Most of it is manageable but still it takes its toll. Plus today I get to take Dex. Such fun!!

On another note, I’m ready with a small load for the Goodwill express drop off. I rather not give stuff to Goodwill as it’s CEO gets a huge salary, but I have to admit they have their donation centers down to a science. the guy comes out with a cart ,loads it and then whisks it away. Very neat and tidy.  I did manage to get rid of some Life magazine ads I had in slips, but still, I need to whittle down the Life magazines to maybe 4 bins.  Some of my oldest Life magazines are from the ’30’s and I like looking at them but maybe I’ll try to sell those as they are probably more collectable. I also just tried to sell mad Men seasons 1-5 and no luck so I’ll give those to the Humane Society bookstore to sell.

The budget is just ok. Not much new there except not enough money to fund my envelopes till next payday.  I’m hoping with some of the refiguring of budget stuff, next month will be better. We will have some reductions in expenses. One, my son will go back to working at Grocery Outlet and so he will have his own spending money so, I’m planning on not giving him the money we were, so that’s a big savings.  He is going to take a summer school class and will have an internship(unpaid) for now, so depending on his money we may chip in for gas. So with June starting hopefully we will see most of the big bills for the year, (taxes, property taxes, auto insurance etc.) done till November. My big goal is to save and put money back in our EF which has taken a pretty big hit.  If B gets a bonus( which he thinks he is), that’s number one priority.

Our garden is giving us lovely lettuces and herbs,(cilantro, thyme, parsley, oregano, dill) so we are having fresh salads.  We have tomatoes in plus all the usual stuff. I haven’t really been food shopping so today after my shot I’m going to go to Winco or Walmart for pasta, and a few pickle type things that I can’t stand buying in our regular store ( Bel Air) for those of you on the west coast. I tried to get some whole wheat pasta at our store here in town. First , IMG_0089they didn’t have the Barilla I was looking for and the  ones they did have were almost $2.00 I can go to Winco and get Barilla for .99  So, it’s worth stocking up. the same with things like salsa and pickle type things (relish).  I also need some bulk popcorn, polenta etc. I’m going to buy the expensive milk in the glass jar to help cut down on garbage stuff. I’m on a new kick of trying not to buy stuff with a lot of packaging.  At Costco, it’s hard to avoid since everything has giant plastic wrap stuff, but my regular shopping I should be able to at least make a dent in some things.

 

Where I have my morning coffee!!!