All Things EARTH... part 2

[Sailor_Sally]

I clean out my closet regularly so how does it fill up . No items from long ago just things I bought and then did not love . I am going to do a major clean after the holidays .

[purduemom1]

Thanks, Margaret for the info on the bread. I won’t bother looking for it at our Costco. Guess you will have to enjoy a slice for me😊.

 

Melody, your Christmas bathroom is cute and very festive.

 

Anita, you are inspiring me to continue with my purging. I gave a boat load, well really a couple of car loads away and am taking a break for the holidays. I plan to go at it again in January. 

Sharon

[laurspag]

Melody, we both love snowmen, from the looks of it!  At my old house, I had a holiday shower curtain.  I love to decorate the whole house.  In our current house, the half bath is super tiny, and I just have a little snowman in there where I can squeeze it in, and a festive hand towel.  I have nothing in the upstairs bath because it's an odd color blue.  We have glass shower doors, so no curtain.  I miss that!

 

One thing I don't think I mentioned previously, but when I decorate, I remove items and replace them.  In other words, I don't squeeze a figurine in between a vase and a picture...when I unpack the Christmas items, I take some of he everyday items in put them in box the decorations were from and they go in the basement.  Then I just switch things around when the holidays are over.  It keeps things from getting too cluttered.

 

The one area that is rather cluttered is my snowman collection.  I have started to move things around a bit more, just so that table doesn't explode, lol.  Oh well!!

 

Clothing, and going through it, is such an interesting adventure.  While I am probably ten years or more away from retirement, I am still thinking all the time about not wanting too many work clothes to get rid of.  The reality is, most of what is in my closet won't be around in ten years anyway.  My approach right now with work clothes is filling voids, and then replacing things as they wear out.  

 

I am to the conclusion that I am ready for the next stage of my life, but my budget isn't there yet.  I'm not going to get worked up over it, because that will solve nothing.  I am simply going to keep working at it!  It's not that I've "failed".  I have always worked hard to save for retirement, knowing that I would likely have to retire at a normal retirement age of 67, based on changes to social security.  I have hoped that trying to save more and working down debt would mean I could retire sooner.  And that is what I am doing.  I'm 54, my goal right now is sometime after 62, but before 67.  I will get there!

 

I'm digressing a bit, but the reason is that I think about how clothing is based on what we do.  I have a varied wardrobe because we have 4 seasons, I need work clothes, workout clothes, weekend clothes, dressier clothes, you name it.

 

Workout clothes are the one area where if I choose something that isn't an earth color, I live with it.  It is so hard to find good color choices at times, and when you do, it's a top and you have no bottoms to go with it, or your sneakers (athletic shoes) are screaming at you that you don't match, lol.  I've learned to work with it.   If I find earth colors though, I jump on it because they make me feel happy.  I do have olive green sneakers!!!!!

 

I remember your salsa dress, Anita.  It's that lovely orangey red color, a handkerchief hem, I think?  From Cache???

 

I have had a few dresses that have given me that "feeling".  One was a purple dress, where the first time I wore it on a cruise, I didn't post hardly any pictures because I was so much bigger then.  Then I lost weight and took it in.  I was so in love with that dress!  But I lost more weight and it was too the point where I had to let go of it.  It was very, very sad.  I have two full length dresses like that now - the teal lace dress, and the orange one..  I'll find pics later.  Especially the teal one though!!

[Sailor_Sally]

Laurie , You sound to me like you need a mental health day from work . A fake sick day when you just lay around and watch Tv or read a book and nap . It is the best thing to reset your attitude . Do not clean on that day or do anything on your to do list just fritter the day away .

[awhfy]

Laurie, these are my only snowmen. I normally only do moose. The teal caught my eye on this. 
 

I agree with Sally, it sounds like a mental health day is in order. 
 

Margaret, we had a dark raisin round loaf at our Costco yesterday. I was too busy buying Les an 82” tv to grab it tho. You can see this sucker from space!  Melody 

[MJC]

I think of reading like exercise. It is something that keeps me healthy, and therefore it is not only an indulgence, it is necessary. Like getting enough sleep, when you are busy it seems like a place you can cut back, but you really shouldn't.

 

Has anyone read The Little Paris Bookshop? I am enjoying it so much. The main character, a bookseller, sees what people need emotionally and "prescribes" books for them. It's also a love story. I can't wait to see where it goes.

 

I have a handful of dresses that I keep because they mark times when I was happy with them and with myself. Not all clothes are like that, there are a lot of times where I wore what I could just barely afford or what my mom bought me, and they did not bring joy. My prom dress, a dress I had in college, one from my grandma that I wore for my first cruise formal... seeing them in my closet is a little happy dance every time. I will likely never get rid of them. Likewise, I purged my dance clothes years ago but I kept a pair of pointe shoes and the costume I wore for my senior thesis solo. When I see them I don't think of them as being a past to let go of, but a facet of myself that had to go dormant but still needs to be visited now and then so I feel whole.

 

Today I put out my wreaths and got out my little silver tree to enjoy at the lake. Even though we are never home for the holidays, at least I can enjoy them for a few days. I packed up all the gifts and shipped them out, but we still have a few goodies under the tree at the apartment. My florist neighbor just gave me a lovely wreath for our door there. It's starting to feel like Christmas!

 

Melody, 82" 😲 I didn't know they came that big!!!

 

Edited December 15, 2019 by MJC

[laurspag]

Our new tv is 75 inches.  We are excited about it, but it won't be put up until the week after. Christmas.

 

Yes, I could use a mental health day.  And to read!  Reading is like a vacation for the mind.  I'm a mystery buff.  I haven't read since around May.  I need to start "The Death of Mrs. Westaway".  I really like Ruth Ware.

 

Here is my snowman group. I need to take a picture with the lights on!

 

 

[laurspag]

[Sailor_Sally]

Margaret , I did read "Little Paris Bookshop " . I just finished " Next year in Havana " . It was okay not  great .

Laurie, Cute snowmen !

[Anita Latte]

I enjoyed Little Paris Bookshop a lot! 

 

There is a difference between keeping keepsake dresses etc and keeping clothing that you keep because you might wear it again. I have some things that I keep but don’t anticipate wearing again. And like you, Margaret, they make me smile when I see them... I like what you said about revisiting yourself as you were when wearing those dresses...feeling whole. I think we all have aspects of ourselves that are only revealed in certain circumstances and those may be rare occasions...so definitely it’s important to touch base with ourselves and feel whole in that way through memories if not actions. Love that.

 

Moose for Christmas is another thing I like so much. I think I have fabric with moose on it that says Merry Kiss Moose. Very cute.

 

82”? That must be a big room! Super bowl party at Melody’s!

[awhfy]

Scary big, feels like being at the theater. Amazing picture  Second picture was taken at back of the 28’ room

Edited December 16, 2019 by awhfy

[purduemom1]

Wow, Melody, that is big but it looks like you have the space needed to accommodate it. Your tree is lovely! 

Sharon

[Anita Latte]

So fun...you definitely have the room! Do your tree lights change from colors to white? 

 

Im hitting my closet again. With DS off to Uni, some of our suitcases have relocated to London...I’m finally taking the time to reorganize my shelves. I like my little closet. It’s a walk in...because our room is so small my double wide dresser is in there...we took the closet door off so it’s more like a recessed dressing room. I hung the hat rack my Grandpa made in there and I have more wall hanging organizer things I could hang. A mirror. 

 

I worked out out this morning for the first time in a while so feeling motivated!

[awhfy]

Our tree switches from colored lights to white. Another great Costco deal...how did I survive without Costco?

 

more snow today, at least it feels more seasonal this close to the holidays. My workout today was shoveling another 6-8” of snow, I’d rather be at the gym!  Melody

[Sailor_Sally]

Melody , That is one huge TV . Even though we have a big house we do not have a wall that would fit a TV that big . We have tons of huge windows looking out at the water so they break up the wall space..

[awhfy]

10 hours ago, Sailor_Sally said:

Melody , That is one huge TV . Even though we have a big house we do not have a wall that would fit a TV that big . We have tons of huge windows looking out at the water so they break up the wall space..

We put the tv against a window that faces the street on our lower level. We’ve noticed a reduction in street noise as well.  Guess it was a win-win!  Sports & movies are truly like being at the field/theater (but with better popcorn!

Edited December 17, 2019 by awhfy

[pacruise804]

Merry Christmas everyone!  I've been enjoying time with my daughter being home, and my Dad was visiting the last few days also.  We put wreaths at the cemetery for Mom and some other family members - always bittersweet.  I have a new addition to my decorating this year:

 

My dad found the old sled in storage and my MIL had old skates she wanted to get rid of (I think I might have the feet backwards).  I found some pretty artificial flowers that fit.  Maybe next year I'll add lights and possibly put it on the front porch/slab.  I had the tree up with lights and garland, but daughter did all the ornaments this year - it was nice to delegate a little and I think she enjoyed it.

 

We've gone caroling the last few years to some shut-in from our church and I was surprised how hard it was emotionally for me this year.  Mom has been gone 14 years, but it really hit me being at the nursing homes (which weren't even where she spent her last years).  

 

Anita, I really like the thought of moving forward rather than looking back.  Melody, the bathroom is cute and your tv looks great.  Laurie, love the snowmen.

 

Have a great week all!

[Sailor_Sally]

Love the sled and the skates ! They really remind me of my youth .

[laurspag]

I have an old sled!  It is one of my favorite things.  It is named Rosebud, from the movie "Citizen Kane".  Or is it Cane?    Not that I ever liked the movie, but the whole sled thing stuck in my head while growing up.  One day, my husband and I were at an auction that was to sell off household items.  Most were not of value, but there were a few things we liked.  Well, we won the sled!  

 

Correction on my new TV: it is 65 inches, not 75.  This will be going up the weekend following Christmas.

 

Anita, you have made several good points.  I sometimes save things too.  For me, I sometimes cherish little things.  While I am not one to collect things, so to speak, sometimes I hang on to weird stuff.  On my first cruise, I bought a rum cake and I never ate it because it was my souvenir.  Now you have your laugh for the day!!!

 

I have some bath bombs from Lush that my daughter got me.  My girls tend to choose indulgences for me, you might say.  One year, they went in together and bought me a Michael Kors purse that I liked when we were out shopping.  Last year, I got a few bath bombs from Lush in my stocking.  

 

My husband asked me what I wanted for Christmas this year, and I was telling him I needed new potholders and oven mitts and a few baking dishes.  He looked at me and said "let me ask you again...what do you want for Christmas?"

 

I've had a super busy week at work, and next week will be busy also as I'm covering someone at work.  I decided to be reasonable in my expectations of myself for the holidays.  Sometimes, once you make a decision and plan out what is important to you, it's rather freeing.  I like for our time to be special, but that doesn't mean I need to spend all my time running around.  

 

Saturday, I'm making just a few sweets for the holidays.  I'll make some ziti and ham and cheese Stromboli to bring to my daughter's party on Sunday.  Christmas Day I have a "fancy" dinner, but it doesn't require excessive time in the kitchen.  Beef tenderloin, roasted baby potatoes, roasted brussel sprouts, popovers.  I'll make a homemade cheesecake beforehand for dessert.  Oh, and White Christmas martinis!!

 

We are going to my daughter's on Christmas Eve too.  It will only be 6 of us plus the baby.  She told me she has no idea what to make for dinner.  I told her not to fuss too much, and that I can bring a thing or two we can make together once I get there.

[Anita Latte]

Fun new decorations pacruise...my bestie back in Kansas would decorate her front porch with a sled and some skates. Good memories.

 

Laurie...that's too funny about the rum cake. On a similar note...but different...a LONG while back, I gave many, many things to my SIL. Some of these things were bathroom type decor things including some bath salts and bath bomb type cube things. I'm a saver, not a user, so often, when people give me things that I am supposed to use (like the hair conditioner Mom gave me)...I save it. I don't use it. So I had these bath salt cube things that were in an Easter basket? Maybe a stocking? So we're talking that these things were given to me when I was at LEAST in my teens if not tweens...or younger...and there they are...in my SIL's bathroom...on display along with all the things that I gave to her however many years ago.

 

Get this. I gave her the dishes that I had. I had the set of dishes that Dad had saved from his bachelor days. (We all tend to be keepers). When I got married and got different dishes, I passed these dishes along to this SIL. She STILL has them. I said to her that I wanted to take a place setting to set before my Dad when they came to visit...not really...but funny to think about. Thing is...they are cool dishes and I almost wish I still had them LOL. But I visit them every so often.

 

Laurie...that's a good hubby right there. That's the kind of answer that I might give too...something useful...but something that definitely isn't too gift-like. We don't have any presents this year. I have no idea what we are going to do...DH and I never exchange gifts and this year is just so odd with DS and his overseas living situation...we have an idea, but IDK. We'll see.

 

Meanwhile, last weekend we went to a game shop and then Barnes and Noble and we bought a several games, a couple of puzzles and DH picked out a special kit for me and found me an awesome coloring book! Anyone ever played Mansions of Madness? It is pretty amazing...it's a cooperative game where everyone works together to try to solve the game itself. Based on the world created by author Loveless, whom I have never read. Also bought another one based on Loveless world...and a crazy strategy game called Go. OMG...GO is so hard. 

[awhfy]

GO has been around forever, it’s an ancient Chinese game. We gave it to our oldest grandson when he was 15-16. He plays GO tournaments now. It is a very hard game. 
 

we tend to give each other something (like the huge tv) for the house. This year I got Les a watch box (he has 14 watches & I’m tired of seeing the small boxes on his dresser...I didn’t even know watch boxes were a thing, thank you Amazon. It even has two little gyros in it to keep his automatic watches in time, ingenious; it holds 20 watches so I expect he’ll get a couple more 🙄. 
 

Christmas Eve we’ll go to our middle daughter’s house for a soup fest. I’ll make pasta fagiole; oldest daughter will make squash soup; son will make white chicken chili; hosting daughter will make chicken noodle. We all bring treats. Nice relaxing evening. 
Christmas day we’ll go to our son’s for dinner & that should be pretty relaxing as well.  Not like the times when everyone came to our house & I cooked like a dervish for days!
 

Melody

[Sailor_Sally]

I m so glad to not have to do any entertaining this year . I am trying to build myself back up after the endless pneumonia.In January I have to go to an infection control doctor for heavy duty antibiotics to kill the last of the bacteria .Christmas Eve we are going to Gary's sons house for a casual buffet . It is pretty funny because the guys do it and they don't have a clue . I'm bringing a giant sandwich platter . His wife does not cook and has no interest in anything domestic so He makes some things . It is still fun .Christmas Day we are getting together with three couples we have known for years  . We are each doing one course . Last year it was a lot of fun.We do exchange presents . Nothing big .Gary is a big Florida Gator fan so He always gets Gator mdse.I usually get some jewelry from him and maybe a JJill gift card .I bought my DIL's jewelry from novica . It is a great site for reasonably priced jewelry .I did all my shopping online .

[awhfy]

Sally, hope you can break free from that nasty pneumonia. Melody

[awhfy]

Festival of Lights and Christmas in the same week. May all have a blessed season. Melody

[MJC]

On our way to FL. Can you tell I've been up since 5am?

 

I finally decided on clothes. Wearing my summer jeans and tan booties. L from the top: blue dress, tan skort, black tech shorts, tan ankle pants. In the cube: workout wear x2, three lucky t's, nightie. Shoes: zumba sneaks, gold flip flops, snakeskin sandals for walking, saddle wedge heels.

I've got room for shopping finds and presents. 🙂

 

Happy HolidayHolidays to my fashion peeps!