Time flies by...

OK, I'm a bad blogger. Yes, we are still waiting for parts to get my home computer up and running and I don't have much time at the office to get on here as often as I'd like. So let me see if I can catch things up...

First of all, Dad's surgery went fine and he's already been back for one check up and goes again tomorrow for the second one. Mom's been able to help him wash his hair all around the site and he's been glad for that at least. It has hurt some, but not too bad overall. Thanks for all your prayers for this - they are appreciated.

Last weekend I began some spring cleaning and was really pleased with the progress I made. I went through my bedroom closet, all of my dresser drawers and all of the floor-to-ceiling shelves I have on one wall of my bedroom. I have a couple bags and a suitcase full of items to donate and filled up my huge (city-given) trash can with stuff that wasn't worth donating. I added all of the puzzles I brought home from my grandfather's house and I still have four completely empty cubes that I will be able to use, which was the goal because my sewing room/office is overflowing! I also reorganized and found more space on the shelves in my laundry room and my linen closet. Such a good feeling when everything has a place and everything is in its place - especially in one's bedroom!

So this weekend the coat closet, utility closet and sewing room are on the agenda! It will take another full day of work here as I also have a full wall of floor-to-ceiling shelves in there. (Thanks to my wonderful Dad who has built all these shelving units!!) I need to decide what to move to the empty spaces in the bedroom, get rid of things that I don't need or want anymore and then organize what's left and hope that everything will have a place and the floor will be empty - which it hasn't been since I moved in almost 5 years ago! It's a good thing it's a 3-day holiday weekend because we are also planning to spend either tomorrow or Monday outside working at cleaning up the pool and then filling it so that it will start warming up - the boys are very anxious to begin swimming. I've also asked Marc if he will help me put the new mailbox up that I bought. I think I can figure out how, but whether I have the strength and/or the proper (read power) tools to do it is another question. I also remembered that I have all brand new locks for the doors to change out and might take advantage of the power tools being there to accomplish that as well. Then we are planning to hang out and grill out and enjoy being together! So we have a full weekend planned and thought I'd love to just enjoy it and read a book or do something fun - I know that I will enjoy many more weekends of that once things are organized and cleaned up!

Maybe I'll reserve Sunday afternoon for relaxation... I've got a book I'd love to make some headway on - Sarum. It's a huge novel of England that I've been reading off and on (more off, apparently) for several years now and I'd really like to get it finished. I'd also like to make some more headway with my scrapbooking. On Mother's Day I went through all my old photos from 1990 to current - just reminiscing, but also found some pics that needed to be added to my portfolio stack which I'd like to make tracks on. I also may try to run down to JoAnn's Etc. in Cool Springs for a quick trip tomorrow. My friend was kind enough to send me the 40% off one item coupon and I'd like to get a Japanese awl. Since it is regularly close to $100.00, now would be a good time to purchase it. I need to pay bills this afternoon to make sure whether I have the money in my account to do it or not, before I drive down there. Payday is Wednesday, but I'm also scheduled for a perm next Saturday and I need to have Marc do my brakes and oil change real soon. Plus I'm still not sure how much, if any, I'm going to have to spend to get the computer back up and running. So I don't want to run myself down to the wire.

That's what this learning to live on cash only is all about - learning to plan and budget for things and only being able to spend if it's there! Which I must say I'm doing very well at so far. It's been 5 months since I last used a credit card and it still feels really great! As far as the rest of the things I said in January that I'd like to accomplish I'm doing pretty well on some and not so good with others. I've done well at my daily Bible reading and devotion time, though I'm a few days behind now, I have plans to catch up this weekend without any problems. I've done well with my tythe from each paycheck also. I've not done so well on the exercise front, but am planning to change that soon. I'd really like to do it in the morning, so I've got to force myself into an earlier schedule (earlier to bed, earlier to rise), maybe this weekend I'll be able to make that happen. Also, I've been eating way more sugar and bad carbs than I should and intend to cut that off this weekend as well. The house is now empty of all such things and I just need to pick up some veggies this weekend to start eating correctly. The key here is planning for me and maybe I'll be able to get a plan done on Sunday so I can move forward this coming week.

Well, I guess that's about all for now. One of my other friends challenged us in her blog (well over a week ago now) to write about something we treasure. I haven't forgotten her challenge and am planning to write it. I've been mulling it over and think I've decided what I want to write about so you should see that coming soon. Also there is something else going on in my life that I can't write about quite yet, some of you know as you've heard from me by email, but hopefully soon, it will be the right time and I'll be able to post about it. Stay-tuned... there's always more to come! I hope you all have a blessed holiday weekend!