I was just reading back over previous posts for the last three months. Quite a lot of water under my personal bridge, lots of plans made and goals met. Now it's the cusp of a new month and time to look at what goals I'd like to accomplish in June, as well as how I've progressed with the past month's goals.
First let's start with May. The next series on the blog is begun, though it's a little behind at the moment. I've started an article for that series but got side-tracked by little things like attending a meeting (that was cancelled) and turned into coffee with our friends, then a long weekend and leaving for our retreat.
We made the retreat trip this week. We chose to return to St. Augustine and we are so glad we did. It's just a place that feels like home to us and we've vowed we'll just plan to go back there and stop forcing ourselves to go other places, lol! We just relax immediately in that area because we know it well, we're familiar enough with the town to find what we need and just unfamiliar enough to still be surprised by it. The retreat itself was cathartic. I didn't really spend lots of time in Bible study this time. I spent lots of time with my nose in a book, a book I could barely stand to put down. Peony in Love by Lisa Lee. The author's work is very mystic and deep and absorbing. Loved it. I plan to send it on to my oldest daughter, who I am sure, will love it as much as I did.
My adventure to the mall was a huge HUGE disappointment. Turned out the mall was basically empty. sigh. Well I went, I saw, and while I might not have conquered at least I kept my word to myself.
The new series on the blog opened up quite accidentally when my young friend sent a panicked email regarding running a household on a budget and with only one income. She's always been employed and while she may have some work to do from home, the majority of the financial burden will be her husband's. "How do I keep house and make a home?" she wailed...And so Homemaking 101 was born as the new series.
I went to the financial source of the household and laid out my desire for a pretty yard...I probably couldn't have chosen a worse Spring to start this project, but you start where you are. It's been very very dry, as in high alert for wild fires sort of dry and no grass to mow sort of dry. Thankfully no expensive plantings have been done. John suggested I hire help, namely our youngest son. When I approached youngest he said he'd happily come once a week for the cost of a homemade meal and gasoline money down. Thankfully his dad said I could pay him a wee bit more than that. We've trimmed trees, spread some mulch, done some minor planting, dug up loads of things that are mostly being discarded and that's just three weeks worth of work.
My back deck project is coming along okay. I pulled a glider out of hiding that had been sadly neglected and ignored and discovered that the 'broke' part was a missing bolt and nut. Ok! That means I have seating for the cost of a can of spray paint (or two) and the time it will take to dig out a nut and bolt from the jar where we keep them. I have pillow covers made and just need inserts to go in them. This week I hope to tackle the painting of the furniture and planning how to place it all so that it makes sense and looks nice.
My guest bedroom project is in progress. I have materials to fashion curtains and an idea for a cute arrangement on the wall and a color scheme in mind (cottage style).
I managed a new look for the master bedroom and on a dime at that. I am well pleased, have plenty more fabric to do a bit more work with.
I at least started the clean up of the living room clutter but haven't finished it as of yet.
I stuck hard to a lowered grocery budget last month and did very well, managing both stocking up and lowering that bottom line. I was pleased as punch over that, too. Chance has continued to work extra shifts twice a month which has meant a nice cushion for us and we've done well with savings and doing repairs without using any savings at all (or very rarely). That's been a nice thing and allows for a sense of security.
So that was last month....What's ahead for June?
I want to finish the started projects (many, oh so many, lol). Get guest room curtains made and paint the side table and look for something to make a headboard from. I have an idea that will be cheap enough and should look more than nice. Just a matter of getting all the stuff together to do it.
Put the top coat of paint on the vanity in the guest bath. It was primed months ago. I'm ashamed, really I am.
Make more shams and valances for master bedroom.
Put more paint on the front door. It's 100F outside for heavens' sake, surely it will dry in record time?
Plants for front porch, mostly bloomers and toss the plants that are well past prime. And two pretty pots of plants for either side of the doorsteps there.
Paint deck furniture. Get deck arranged. (Planters there are looking pretty good. I might add one or two more pots of plants but if not we'll get by with what we have).
Chance is actually thinking he might not work extra shifts this coming month, or just one at most. Suits me. I've been a Sunday widow since January. To that end, I want to be careful with our spending. We should have a little extra cash here and there due to that third pay period this month which works out over a six week period where we have a bill that we might not have to pay or can spread out a little longer to pay. I want to be sure we have that extra to offset his not working OT so he doesn't feel he must work extra all the time.
I have a list of new projects I'd like to start but I think it best if I finish the ones I've got underway first. I feel I accomplished a great deal this past month and heaven knows I was B-U-S-Y, all month long. Seemed like the last two weeks before our retreat I just couldn't stop going and I was weary beyond words when I'd quit each night.
One area I do want to touch upon this month is figuring out a way/time/place to have more God in my life. I have been reading my daily Bible, but it's been more just reading and hurrying through at that. I want to spend a little time each day in study, prayer and praise, not just rush through or pray by rote. I've plenty of study materials here on hand. I need to just choose one and DO it.
If indeed John is home a bit more I'd like to have a date or two with him on his two off weeks. I thought we might invite friends over for dinner and grill out, or perhaps go off to visit that museum he so wanted to see last June over at Ft. Benning.
Kate's to come home sometime this next month. I hope it is a good visit for her, as the last one was. She's had quite a struggle this year and I'd like to think she can relax and be young and have fun a bit here.
For myself, I plan to lighten up. I have tended to hide a lot of my grief over situations I can't change and have no control over. Chance and I had a long long talk one night and I realized that letting myself talk it out now and then isn't complaining or whining or being a victim. It's just letting go of things that hurt and moving on.
And so we sail into June...
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