Laundry List

While I hesitate to use the R word ~ you know, R for resolutions ~ I do have some plans for the next few months. Since my parents are in Florida for the winter, my time is my own again. I have big plans for this time. I decided that a huge list of plans might overwhelm me and I wouldn't even get started. I decided to make a list of what I wanted to do and post it on the door to that room. I'll see the list every time I walk by this room. That will happen a lot as it is beside the bathroom. hehehe


First up is the laundry room.

Let me start with this disclaimer. When hubby and I bought this house, we knew we wouldn't stay here throughout our retirement days. Everything we do is intended to help/not hurt our eventual sale. Therefore, we decided to paint the walls white. (I must tell you that our former home was mostly orange ~ long story, maybe a later blog post.)

What I hate most is the floor. If I get brave enough, I will put down a new floor. For now, I'm giving it an old-fashioned scrubbing.

Clean the window inside and out, then change the valance to this idea I have of using my antique handkerchief collection. I'll let you know how that turns out. By the way, how do you like my sprinkler collection? I still remember my mom sprinkling clothes before she ironed them.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75664617/vintage-merry-maid-clothes-sprinkler

http://veryirie.blogspot.com/2010/05/vintage-clothes-sprinkler-how-we-used.html

Clean the cabinet and the drawer. I'd love to paint this cabinet, but it has a shiny finish and I'm not sure how that would turn out. Have any of you tried this? I'd appreciate any suggestions. I may add some hardware just to update it.

I'd like to move the vacuum somewhere, but it needs to be plugged in to stay charged. This is probably the best location for it.

Add color. I can paint the wooden paper towel holder, the washtub, and perhaps the trash can. I also have a wooden table I can paint. I plan to use it to hopefully cover the dryer hose. I need to pick a color, and I'm leaning towards a bright green.

Any guesses on how long it will take me to accomplish this list?

Update: Did you notice there aren't any pictures? I took them, downloaded them, added them, deleted them from both my laptop and camera ~ then they disappeared! How does that happen?
If you're wondering why I didn't just retake the pictures, well, I'll tell you. This room was my plan for Monday (today). Then my daughter called, and we decided to meet after her doctor's appt. I was so anxious to get something done. I jumped up from the tv, emptied the room and have already scrubbed that ugly floor! It turned out great, by the way, but you'll just have to take my word for it ~ since I no longer have ANY pictures.

Have you got your Mojo?

I've heard people on tv talk about getting their mojo back so I thought that would make a catchy title for this post. I sure hope it doesn't mean something crude ~ I would be so embarrassed.

While I was in Florida getting my parents settled for the winter, I was lucky to be invited for dinner at my cousin's house. His wife is an excellent cook. Actually, they both are. I wish I had taken pictures of the food, but I didn't even take my camera to Florida.

My cousins are so good to Mom and Dad. My first cousin and his wife as well as their son (my first cousin once removed ~ It took me so long to understand how that worked, so now I love to use that information whenever I can slip it into a conversation.) and his family live very close to my parents (who live in The Villages). They check on them and invite them to dinner often. It's great to know there is family close by.


Anyway, it was a Cuban meal with squash (that looked like sweet potatoes to me), saffron rice with black beans, and this delicious pork roast. Ernie and Tina told me they injected the roast with a mojo marinade. Imagine my surprise when I saw this bottle of mojo at Big Lots. Now I just have to thaw the pork roast I have in the freezer to recreate that delicious taste. (I hope.)

Have you ever tried this?

I have questions.

Do you have answers?


I actually only have one question for you.


When I click on some blogs, the post shows up midway through it instead of at the top. Does that happen to anyone else? Is there anything I can do to fix it? Thanks for any suggestions.

Where do I begin?

Where do I begin?

No, this isn't a post about resolutions. It's more about my gradual re-entry into blogging. I've taken a break for a few months, and I really want to jump back in. I'm trying to catch up on your blogs and catch up with my life. Will it help you understand if I tell you that my Christmas tree is still up? (Don't worry - it's artificial.)

I just got back from Florida yesterday morning. (I took my parents to The Villages for the winter. More about that later.)

This morning - a mere 24 hours later - my dad called me to complain about how my mom was doing. (More about that later, too.) What can I do when I'm in VA? All I could do was listen and try to reassure him.

So ~ I feel like I have a short window of opportunity to accomplish my long list of things and also rejoin the blog world.
If this sounds disjointed, that's how I feel.

I hated to post without any pictures, so I'll tease you with a picture of the Panama Canal. I hope to blog about that trip soon.

One final comment - My dad just called again, trying to figure out his cell phone. At least this time he was in a good mood. Life is hard sometimes.

Have a great weekend, Friends.

Tis the season for Goodwill....

While I've been away from the blog, I've thought about my feelings of helplessness. What has made me feel so overwhelmed? I think it's because I've tried to be someone I'm not. I started the blog to share Goodwill finds (and the occasional Cate story), but then I got sidetracked.

I need to get back to my original intent. So, instead of bringing this stuff in from Goodwill, I'm taking it out.

On the right is a bag with clothes. I no longer keep duplicates of clothing items. That's something I've learned from Project 333.http://www.theproject333.com/
That's a positive thing I've learned from blogging.

The cream colored wire shelves on top of the bag were something I bought for a beach vignette. Hah! I didn't even know what a vignette was until blogging. To de-complicate (is that a word?) my life, I'm returning those to Goodwill.

 

See the orange plastic cups? I bought a new set, so the old set has to go. The pink lampshade is attached to a milk glass lamp that I know some of you would love to have, but since I turned the bedroom into a playroom for Cate, the lamp is no longer needed.

 

This is a Christmas decoration I planned to upcycle - another word I never heard of until blogging. I decided I didn't need the stress so it went back to Goodwill.

 

I can't sew and I won't be making any pillow covers. I didn't win any either, so back to Goodwill.....

 

 

It's not that I don't want to welcome folks to my house, but I couldn't figure out how to redo these into something I'd like. 

Another item to upcycle, but let's be real. I've had this since  spring/summer and never touched them. So, back to Goodwill....

I feel lighter already. And I didn't have to wait until January to make some resolutions.

Christmas Nap

Am I ready for Christmas? Not at all. Cate stayed with me today, and there wasn't a bed anywhere in the house that was cleared off for her to take a nap. I told her she could sleep on the couch, and she told me her mommy didn't let her do that at her house. I agreed but told her this would be a special treat at Mimi's house. (You gotta pull out the big guns sometimes, you know?)

I told her she could watch one show, then she would have to lie (lay?) down and try to sleep. She said her mommy let her watch two shows. I agreed as long as she agreed to nap after that.

Since she would be on the couch, I sat across from her to keep an eye on her. I'm not exaggerating when I tell you she was asleep in less than 5 minutes and she didn't move for an hour. I had to take a picture.

Please notice the Christmas pillows at the foot of the couch. They prove I've done some decorating.