It's that time of year here in the South when school starts once more. I always get that New Year/Fresh Start feeling when school begins. I want to restock my school supplies, start to tidy up my home and do some deeper cleaning tasks, declutter, and just generally sock myself into my home and yard and get things squared away once more after going about feeling leisurely for the past few months.
Now we all know I've been leisurely because it's HOT and I don't do hot very well, but it still starts to feel like I've been on an extended vacation after a few weeks of trying to stay cool indoors. And I start to miss the rhythms and routines that are my usual mode of operating. I want orderliness and discipline and schedules once again. I function better, my home and surroundings look better, and I am better satisfied with life overall if I get off my chair and begin to tackle tasks as though I have a mission. And I do! I lead a healthier life in many ways when I focus on what I want to accomplish and see results as I work away.
Spiritual Health: I put down Joy Clarkson's book, You Are A Tree, at the beginning of July because I was going to do the study work at the end of Chapter 2...and it's on my table beside my chair where it's been ever since. I think it's time to get back to working on that.
I finished 1 and 2Peter and enjoyed that study very much. Then I picked up a notebook and realized that at the beginning of the year, I'd started a deep study on the book of Romans that I'd not finished. I decided last week to begin that study once more. I've been reviewing the chapters and notes I made at the start of the study. I plan to continue this study this month.
John and TV have become John, Terri and TV. That's the result of spending a month or more trying to stay cool! He's not watching loads of political content or horrible things. He has been overindulging in short videos and I find myself staring at the screen watching mindlessly as minutes and then an hour or so slips away. I'm not blaming him. TV is a John thing and always has been. This month I want to be mindful of how much time I'm spending in front of the TV screen (and here I'd done fairly well with cutting down computer time and phone time!).
I realized the other day that I could put on a podcast or even music as I work in the kitchen. And while that idea does appeal to me, I approach it with caution...Am I just fooling myself into finding yet another way to be distracted? I'm going to see if I can find some uplifting podcasts to listen to. Do y'all have any to recommend? I'll just try to limit myself to a short time each day.
Personal: I spent quite a few weeks in July working on losing the weight I'd gained over the past several months. I've lost some. I now can fit a little more comfortably into some of my pants that were unpleasantly snug, and I can pull up and fasten one pair I'd been unable to wear, but they are not quite comfortable yet. Over that week I was sick, I gave in to not feeling well and ate what was easy to prepare rather than trying to make the obviously better choices. If I want to continue to lose weight, I need to get back on my eating plan. I shall have started this on Sunday as we begin this last week of July. I won't post this until we're ready for August, but rest assured, I am already practicing this discipline once more.
Also in July, I took a medication vacation. Don't be alarmed. I did not stop thyroid, blood pressure, or Metformin. I did leave off all but one supplement. I generally do a medicine detox about twice a year, usually in January and again in July. I find it beneficial for my own health. I'm not suggesting anyone else should do this! However, with the advent of August, I will be slowly adding in some of the supplements I stopped taking.
I added several pieces to my wardrobe over the past three months. I haven't worn any of them to date. I want to go through my closet and dresser and sort out all of my wardrobe. I also want to take time to make a list of things I think I need for Fall and Winter. If I notice gaps in my summer things, I want to see if I can find clearance items now the fashion season has moved on to the next season's fashions.
Look for a hairstyle to work towards.
Clean out my makeup drawer. And maybe play with what I have to find some fresh looks.
READ. Read.
Journal.
John pointed out this past weekend that the church is signing up for small groups, which starts in September. He said, "You don't have grandkids...maybe you should look around and see if there's a group you'd enjoy going to during one of the weekdays." He's got a point. I'll look around and see if there's anything I might like to be part of.
Home and Garden: While I will do routine cleaning all of this month, I'm going to spend time focusing hard on the kitchen this month. I want to declutter it. I know I just did this in December/January when I put things back in my kitchen, but there are things I haven't touched in seven months. I need to let go of more things, or at least move them to the shed and see if I miss them at all.
I want to clean the kitchen deeply: appliances, floors, walls. The rugs need to be taken outdoors and thoroughly cleaned. The curtains need to be washed.
Then I want to make a list of improvements I can make for little to no cost. For instance, I've noted that I have a plate hanging above the sink that isn't placed properly. I want to rehang the curtain rod there, too. I have items to hang on the walls that I've put the discs on but never hung up. I want to redo the chair seats in the sitting area.
It is still hot. I don't want to work myself into the ground. So that's why I want to take all month to focus hard on the kitchen.
In June, when we were lacking rain, I moved lots of potted plants into shadier areas. We've had plenty of rain over the last few weeks. I want to move pots around and make the yard look pretty once more and flower beds look pretty once more.
I could so easily make fifteen other goals for this month. I have several in mind and if I more, I will do so. The above mentioned are the main items on my list for the month though.
I have this dream of participating in Jessica@ThreeRiversHomestead #everybitcounts challenge on a grand scale but as she explains in her current video her intention was to break down the massive work of canning and simply to try to do something every single day so that it worked with her schedule. Usually, she'll focus on making a few jars of jelly, or canning 7-14 jars of stuff each day. Her approach makes me feel I could manage to do something. This month I plan to attempt to participate.
Now part of me wants to do it every single day, just like Jessica. The truth is though that I'm not prepared to can loads. And some of the things I could do are actually things I don't need. What I thought I'd do is try to add to may pantry, preferably with what I can make myself like Pickles, gathering and drying herbs, vacuum sealing dry goods, etc. So, I won't be canning like a homesteader but I'm going to go forward with the idea that Every Bit Counts and see what I might add to my pantry.
Family: I'm pretty much taking a break. Everyone will be at work or in school and I'm basically free. I will go over the library calendar and determine which things the kids might like to go do.
I'll plan a Gramma's Fried Chicken Day with Taylor if her sports schedule will allow, and I'll go visit Mama at least once.
Order one birthday gift this month.
Finances: We had another vendor send us notice of a substantial monthly increase. I'll be adjusting our budget again. That's the third time in this quarter.
I was looking ahead at how the pay days fall in each month from now to the end of the year. I have three months with five full weeks between pay periods ahead. Sheesh. It's a tight stretch with four weeks but that fifth week month is hard. I want to do all I can to alleviate that tension. John gave me a good idea about how to help in one area. I'm going to look at how I can adjust my grocery budget to a weekly amount rather than a monthly amount so that each week has some leeway.
Continue to set aside money for vacation. We have the room pretty much covered. Now it's time to think about things like room tax and meals and gas.
Set aside money for our Christmas budget.
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5 comments:
My Daughter use to do 5th weeks as vegetarian weeks. Beans were her protien
You should try podcasts! I'd rather listen to them than watch anything. They let me multitask and they make time fly doing a mundane job. I use them as timers, and try to finish a task in one episode. I listen to a variety of topics, depending on my mood--sermons, small business talk, chicken-raising, fermented foods...
Unfortunately I haven't found many homemaking podcasts I like. I prefer frugal and practical ones that aren't heavily sponsored by expensive products. My favorite is What Have You and sometimes I like Simple Farmhouse Life.
But my weakness is old radio shows. They're so fun! I honestly like them better than modern entertainment.
I think you'd like my two favorite podcasts. One is on hiatus but you can listen to her past episodes. She's a Believer and loves vintage things and her voice is so soothing to listen to. It's just a short episode each time and always uplifting. It's called Idlewild Cottage and she goes by the seasons in nature. The other one is done by a lady who lives here in my town and also another author she's friends with. It, too, is a very delightful podcast and is called Eat Like a Heroine. They have written a book too and it's coming out next week. They look at how food was an important part of our favorite classic literary heroine books. It's only 1 season bit I think you would enjoy it.
Thank you so much, Karla! I've already finished the first episode of Eat Like a Heroine. I'm excited to listen to work my way through both of them. :)
Juls, I'll keep that in mind. It's harder for me to balance diabetes with beans but it might well be a help to the budget.
Amalia, I do listen to a podcast in the car...Dont' know why I haven't thought to listen to it at home. I do like Lisa's vlogs so might well enjoy Simple Farmhouse...Thank you for your recommendations!
Karla, Thank you. I'll look into these as well.
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