I had my leisure in July...well, okay, I at least gave myself a break from goals and working on projects in July. I worked plenty but it was mostly day to day things, the wash, rinse and repeat tasks that claimed my attentions. August is a tough month to pick up the mantle of hard work but it's necessary on so many scores. I can't say July was without any accomplishment at all. I accidentally added to my potted plant garden by rooting more basil, coleus stems and Portulaca from stems I'd picked from the ground. The pot is full and lush and a great surprise to me! I kept the flower beds pretty much weeded and have put up a tiny bit of harvest from my produce bags. I wiped down walls in all but two rooms. I added to my pantry. I cut my credit card bill hard after a spate of spending in June.
But here in August I must look not only to jobs at hand but future things and begin my preparations for hurricane season which is upon us, for autumn and winter and yes, even spring. I can't forget the upcoming feast days and such that are important in the Messianic calendar, nor my very real need of a vacation of some sort and then there's holidays ahead and I really need to plan now for those as well. So you can see August is a key month for many things!
I'll start in the house: I want to get those last two rooms' walls dusted down.
I'd like to start airing quilts and washing curtains while we've got good hot sun to dry them.
I want to go through each room and seriously consider what is in each and how we use it or why we don't.
There are minor maintenance things to be done in each room either to furnishings or to the walls and doors and windows. I haven't a complete list of these and I likely won't make a complete list but I will start in one room and work my way through it. I just need to pinpoint exactly what that one room is likely going to be. I want to say it will be the guest room, as it serves so many purposes overall, but we'll see if that is true. Sometimes my home redirects me by pointing up a need in another area!
The only room I won't really touch is John's music room. I might wash curtains and dust down the walls but I don't muck about with his things. I move things of his all the time and he's pretty cool with that for the most part but the man ought to have one room where his things are his things and the music room is it.
I need to make a list of pantry items needed. I know, for instance, that we're low on mayonnaise and likely Labor Day weekend will be the last sale of that until Spring. There are other things we need to stock. I have already made a list of non-grocery items that we need to restock such as cold meds and over the counter remedies and personal care items all of which are really pantry items in the end. I don't believe a pantry is just foods. It's paper goods, and pet care items and cleaning supplies and toiletries. If 2020 has taught us nothing else it's that all those things need to be kept in our homes in some supply.
I also want to make out a list of things we can substitute for others. John and I have had this conversation in a small way. There are things I am planning to just cut out altogether because I feel the money could be better spent in other areas. I've gleaned ideas from reading past posts in my own blog! I really ought to put some of my own suggestions to work, agreed?
Outdoors, I want to maintain the beds I have.
Now that I have direction for where the garden will go, and thanks to Lana's advice I feel the southern exposure near the house is a good one since it gets shade in the afternoon/evening hours, I want to finish off the end of the bed that runs along the end of the house and about the Sweet Gum. That way I can contain my mulch better.
Then I need to get my compost in a better spot. I've been using two trash bins but I can't really turn it the way it ought to be turned so there's that to work on.
The back porch floor needs to be scraped, sigh. The paint has peeled a lot over the past year. I don't know just why but it has. So it needs to be redone so that the porch will maintain well over winter. I also want to work on those railings and rafters back there. BIG job, both of them and it shall be a small bites job. I have at least three months of warm weather to work in so no need to rush it along.
I want to get my bulbs planted. And the daylilies I've divided. I need to divide Iris and spread them about a bit, too.
I want to start planning my fall plantings. I need to do necessary research before I do plant. So that's on the agenda! Carrots, beets, Swiss Chard, potatoes, brussels sprouts, spinach and collards can be grown in what receptacles I have at present. I need to purchase more soil to top things up and some seeds.
I want to keep a promise to myself to add something this fall that will bloom next spring/summer.
I could go on and on, truly. I see so many things that I could and should be doing but I think that's quite enough over and above the usual and given the very warm temperatures this time of year.
7 comments:
I'm on the same track... looking at fall cleaning, what projects didn't get done, the last of the punch list we made 2 yrs ago when buying this home... I am mostly stocked except for tomato products... that's just starting in the garden and if it's not enough the Amish have tomatoes for sale. Dogs need their meds.... I do need to order their vitamin also. One is having a growth removed from his eye lid tomorrow. And other boy dog needs a exam at the ortho vet for possible acl damage to his leg... I know there will be a med for him to take as our vet already said so.
Fifteen thousand dollars of air conditioning work will be done this week. One wall in my dressing area of the master bath needs paint and the new light fixtures we have had for months. Then we are going to spray paint the brass towel rods and tp holders plus a light fixture. If the paint doesn't hold up we will replace them. I hope we can complete that before our next trip over Labor Day.
Good evening, I was happy it was cool enough to open the windows and let in fresh air for several hours this morning. It’s either been too hot or too rainy to open windows for a good while. I can’t say I’ve done any fall cleaning but I feel like at least the air was cleaned this morning.
I’ve made a list for the week but it’s not real long - no sense getting frustrated by undone lists when I know the heat will get to me and I’ll have grands here at least some of the week
❤️ Hugs to you
I can’t believe it is August already Terri! My thoughts turn to getting all of my youngest son’s books and supplies for homeschool. He is in 10h grade this year. I am behind on some tasks, such as clearing off our front porch, giving it a good power wash and washing all the furniture and outdoor rugs, And windows! I usually wait until the front porch is washed as our well water leave minerals on the windows before I start my window cleaning.
I had a doc appt a few weeks ago and he said that my adrenals are still shot, so I am still finding that I only have a certain amount of energy to get things done each day and there’s not need to make a big list or else it makes me feel bad! I know that it is going to take some time, but I do get inpatient. My son’s brain injury was nearly 4 years ago now, and things have been calm for 1 year now. I guess I just need more time. I have decided to change my daily schedule around and make sure that I get a walk in (doc said more exercise) and then clean up the kitchen and put laundry in, and THEN start prepping supper. It seems that I run out of steam at about 3:00 and we are just having thrown together suppers.
Our home has needed a new roof for a while now and we finally got caught up with our emergency fund and have saved up enough to get it done. Another big expense is having our wood siding replaced. That will be saved up for next. It will be nice to get all of these pricely projects done as they are necessary.
Other than paying attention to the flower gardens and trying to keep up with the vegetable garden, that is basically the rest of summer! We are going to lower Michigan for a week which will be lovely. I hope you have a lovely August Terri! Summer is going by and before we know it autumn shall be here. Hugs to you.
It’s been stifling hot up here, so not much being done. The stupid meds I need to take post op don’t play well with heat, so I feel nauseous and sluggish, even in the air conditioning. It does give me time to look at my walls that desperately need painting, but need to be washed first. The painting will have to wait, but cleaning them is a priority. Dust and soot from the fireplace. Maybe you have a good method to share. I usually disssolve a small amount of borax in hot water and wipe them down. Not feeling up to it just yet. New York has been allowing Little League games, so we have been busy with that. It’s nice to see kids playing again! We watched my littlest grands Friday night to Sunday morning. I totally understand you waking up when the baby sleeps so soundly. Callan wraps himself in the blanket like a burrito, and smashes his face into the crib mattress. I never saw anything like it, and no sleep was had by me😩. I was dog tired when they went home lol. Anyway, have a great week! Liz
September is when I seriously start thinking about stocking up for winter and what projects are in the works. We are pretty well stocked up because of the virus but I do need to take an inventory to see if there are any holes in my supplies. August is our month to take it easy on big projects and enjoy some summer! We have been to the ocean for a few days, did an easy hike to some ice caves and my husband went deep sea fishing. I always feel a surge of energy and focus come September - hope that happens this year also! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, projects and goals!
Juls, I was working on food inventory today. I started with meats and I have more on hand than I'd thought. Not where I want to be exactly but a little better than I'd thought I might be.
Lana Ouch on the AC but praise God you've got it to fix it. Misery without it in our section of the States!
Rhonda I look forward to a day cool enough to air out my home. I've noted that your weather is usually a week or so ahead of ours, so I'll be looking for a cooling spell in a few days. Fingers crossed.
Karen, yes, August means we have officially gone beyond the halfway mark and are now on the downward move of the year. You have much on your heart dear, and I shall keep you in prayers.
Liz, no hints about soot and fireplace walls...Anybody have any helps for Liz?
Shirley your little getaway sounds so idyllic. I'm hoping for a time away but we'll see. I too am looking to a fall/winter stocking up holes in my supplies. I too feel that surge of energy but for us fall doesn't really come along until November and my weather predicting daughter tells me today that we're in a for a long hot spell of weather, so here's hoping November does bring some cool days to us.
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