It's not that I've chosen to stop living inspired. It's not even that I want to quit on this project after all this time. I've just been lost in a fog of sorts. It's partly a winter thing. When it's sunny and beautiful I am busy busy busy making hay while the sun shines as the old saying goes. When it's cloudy and grey (all too often these days), I am struggling.
I did do one project, finally. I redid the top of the three bookcases that form a unit across one wall of the main living area. I love it. I think it looks great. I'm happy with the color choices and the cost which was very reasonable, spread out over time as it was. I have said before, when it comes to creating a look in my home, I am very very patient. It took me about 9 months to gather all the items.
I managed another creative project: getting my home keeping notebook dividers made. I didn't fashion them from cardstock and scrapbookpaper as planned. Instead I found some cute, cute, cute!, file folders which were just the thing when cut right down the seam to make two dividers. I am very happy with how the project turned out.
I pushed myself once more to do a Big Shop. I did it more as a matter of wanting to take advantage of the major sales ongoing after taking part in a Pantry Freezer challenge for January. And yes, it brought home all over again how wearing it is to put so much time and effort and caused so much physical pain.
Mama and Granny are doing well together. Mama has more peace I think than she has had in many months. However, she continues to postpone calling the many resources for help that she was told by the Alzheimer's Support Group to call. I've held firm on my resolve not to get involved or to try and force the issues.
Now that January is over, I feel very happy with the work done over the past month. The chronological Bible reading is well under way and I hope this month to begin the study of the Names of God that I'd meant to do as well.
I also managed my finances very well. With the pantry/freezer challenge I joined I did manage to stay within budget. I had enough money extra to cover my daughter's special dietary needs after her oral surgery. I was pleased I didn't have to spend extra. The money for my Christmas savings is in the bank. I saved $60 for the month. I also managed to stay enough within our budget to put a nice chunk of money into savings, a feat of which I am particularly proud.
Housekeeping plans never really took off. I have all sorts of want to dos where deep cleaning is concerned but keeping up with the usual housework seems to be all I can manage. I am hoping this month to do better on that end. If I pace myself, I am sure I can manage it.
Other goals for February are to tackle another UFO project. I am thinking this month it will be my closet. I really want to get this done, because I had a vision of how it might look when I began it months ago. I want the closet to be neat and pretty and well organized.
I've spent the weekend looking through old Victoria and Martha Stewart Living magazines. My desire was to gain inspiration for the month ahead. Last night I had two sheets of paper filled with ideas for decorating, Valentine's ideas, recipes, menus and more. Even an advertisement can be inspiring if I look closely at the ads and determine what it is that captures my attention. I plan to continue with this all through the next week or so.
I've tentatively planned a 'play date' with a new friend to go antiquing later this month. I'll be saving my weekly allowance towards that trip and if for some reason it falls through, no harm, because next month there is an annual miles long yard sale, Peaches to Beaches that I plan to drive through for a bit.
I've grown so accustomed to being alone and keeping my life so firmly in a self-prescribed rut that I admit I feel a bit anxious thinking of going off for the day with someone I don't know well at the moment. But I feel very much it's time for me to begin to be independent. It's all part of my desire to be stronger, emotionally, physically, spiritually.
This week also saw the completion of a 21day fast that my husband and I both took part in. I chose to give up coffee and Coke Zero. I allowed myself 1 cup of coffee each morning and only one. I can't tell you it was easy, it was hard. I didn't have a specific prayer focus. I did it only because I wanted to give up something for my God and Savior. I felt guilty for a good bit of this fast. Not becasue I didn't stop wanting coffee, but because others I knew had specific focuses for the fast. I finally realized this past Wednesday night that it didn't matter that I didn't have a specific focus. My focus had been that I wanted to show my love to God. That was enough.
I look forward to February 1.
Week 33, Day 1
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