A group of us are getting together in a little while to make cards. Some will be for us. Some will be for charity. And I'll have the gift bag kits I made up this weekend for those people who would like to decorate a bag.
I think I am going to take my nifty "Big Shot" with me to make flower die cuts. That means I need to get moving as I'll have to put more stuff in my car....
Be back later today with some pictures! Happy Monday!
Monday, January 21, 2013
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Pure Joy
I picked this up from my friend, Jean's FaceBook page. There is nothing so joyful as a baby's laughter.
Enjoy!
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Saturday
Saturdays are usually my "catch up on everything" days. But I didn't even attempt to do that today.
I spent the day making die cuts for paper flowers and other decorations for the "goody" bags we'll be giving to all those who attend the fashion show in March. We're having an art workshop at the Church on the Bayou on Monday and I wanted to get some kits made for those who would like to decorate a bag. Putting kits together prevents the need to pack up my supplies.
I am putting everything needed together with the items that will go in the bag.
Here is an example of one of the really cute cards. Shaped like an elegant evening bag complete with bling!
I made an ornate black bookmark to match and black and white layered flowers with a little "bling" in the centers. Sandy had made a LOT of cards for this project and every single one of them is lovely.
Once I have everything together (including tissue paper, tags and glue dots), I put them in a box.
When the bags are complete, they'll stand up in that same box like the little soldiers already pictured in my blog post earlier this week. The boxes make transporting them a bit easier. It will probably take a couple of cars to transport them all to the Safety Harbor Resort and Spa on Friday, March 22nd. They will be locked up in the opportunity basket and fashion boutique room until the next morning. Angie and I (and maybe a couple of helpers) will get there early to put a bag at each place setting before the guests start arriving the morning of the 23rd.
We still are more than two months away from the big day, so we are right on target for getting it all done. The cards will be completed on Monday. We'll have a couple of work shops during February and/or early March to finish the bags.
It's coming together beautifully....
I spent the day making die cuts for paper flowers and other decorations for the "goody" bags we'll be giving to all those who attend the fashion show in March. We're having an art workshop at the Church on the Bayou on Monday and I wanted to get some kits made for those who would like to decorate a bag. Putting kits together prevents the need to pack up my supplies.
I am putting everything needed together with the items that will go in the bag.
Here is an example of one of the really cute cards. Shaped like an elegant evening bag complete with bling!
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| Card by Sandy |
Once I have everything together (including tissue paper, tags and glue dots), I put them in a box.
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| Cards, Bookmarks and Embellishments by Sherri |
We still are more than two months away from the big day, so we are right on target for getting it all done. The cards will be completed on Monday. We'll have a couple of work shops during February and/or early March to finish the bags.
It's coming together beautifully....
Friday, January 18, 2013
TGIF
As much as I love Thursdays, I love Fridays even more. Friday is my main day to work in the Friends Book Store. I enjoy the hours I spend sorting the book donations and working with my new buddy, Nancy, on pricing and shelving them.
Today was even more fun than usual because we started the day at a Volunteer's breakfast hosted by the library staff. We had a scrumptious breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, croissants, pastries and fruit with coffee and orange juice to drink. It is rare for volunteers to see everyone at one time. We work different days and different hours so we normally see the same people all the time. It is always fun to see everyone together. Around 100 invitations went out. I think there were close to 60 people there today.
There was a lot of food left over so those of us working today were able to have the leftovers for lunch, too.
Nancy and I got through all the donations and things looked pretty good when we left around 2PM. The library will be closed for M L King Day on Monday, but I wasn't planning to be there, anyway. I will be attending an art workshop and will be preparing for that this weekend. I started this afternoon when I got home. I'll post more about that tomorrow.
Hope today has been a good day for everyone.
Today was even more fun than usual because we started the day at a Volunteer's breakfast hosted by the library staff. We had a scrumptious breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, croissants, pastries and fruit with coffee and orange juice to drink. It is rare for volunteers to see everyone at one time. We work different days and different hours so we normally see the same people all the time. It is always fun to see everyone together. Around 100 invitations went out. I think there were close to 60 people there today.
There was a lot of food left over so those of us working today were able to have the leftovers for lunch, too.
Nancy and I got through all the donations and things looked pretty good when we left around 2PM. The library will be closed for M L King Day on Monday, but I wasn't planning to be there, anyway. I will be attending an art workshop and will be preparing for that this weekend. I started this afternoon when I got home. I'll post more about that tomorrow.
Hope today has been a good day for everyone.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Thursday is a free day
It is rainy this morning. Not a usual occurrence in the winter here. Winter is our dry season but occasionally a front like this one brings some rain with it. It will be cooler for the next seven days as we return to temperatures more normal for January in west central Florida on the Gulf -- highs around 70, lows in the low 50s. Nice.
When I started revamping my life style last year, I took a hard look at what I could do to make things a little more manageable. As I've pointed out in the blog posts this week, I set aside some true "me" time. Thursday is one of those days that I try to keep totally free so I can do whatever I want to on that day. Sometimes that involves a little housework. Damn little. Most times it involves spending time with the husband. And it also means time for my painting and paper crafts.
I love Thursdays.
And I love rainy Thursdays because I planned to be at home anyway just doing my thing. I do like an occasional ride out to the beach when it is raining. It looks so different when the skies are stormy and the wind whips the palms every which way.
Today, though, I plan to straighten the office a little. Organize the chaos in the guest bedroom so I can find things again. And play with the cards, bookmarks and gift bags project. We have a workshop planned at The Church on the Bayou on Monday and I need to get some kits made up for people who would like to decorate a bag instead of making a card.
And I have an Amazon delivery I am expecting that will bring me some goodies I ordered on Monday night. Opening those boxes is always a lot of fun! I love Amazon almost as much as I love Thursdays.
When I started revamping my life style last year, I took a hard look at what I could do to make things a little more manageable. As I've pointed out in the blog posts this week, I set aside some true "me" time. Thursday is one of those days that I try to keep totally free so I can do whatever I want to on that day. Sometimes that involves a little housework. Damn little. Most times it involves spending time with the husband. And it also means time for my painting and paper crafts.
I love Thursdays.
And I love rainy Thursdays because I planned to be at home anyway just doing my thing. I do like an occasional ride out to the beach when it is raining. It looks so different when the skies are stormy and the wind whips the palms every which way.
Today, though, I plan to straighten the office a little. Organize the chaos in the guest bedroom so I can find things again. And play with the cards, bookmarks and gift bags project. We have a workshop planned at The Church on the Bayou on Monday and I need to get some kits made up for people who would like to decorate a bag instead of making a card.
And I have an Amazon delivery I am expecting that will bring me some goodies I ordered on Monday night. Opening those boxes is always a lot of fun! I love Amazon almost as much as I love Thursdays.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Wednesday Means Volunteerism
Going along with the theme of this week's posts -- Wednesday. Wednesday is a day I reserve for volunteer work. Normally this is a meeting day of some sort. Luncheon meetings, board meetings, committee meetings. Meetings are not my favorite activity but just as it is in the work world when one is working for a paycheck, some meetings are essential in the volunteer world as well. And, because our personal time as retirees is very important to us, I find that meetings of the organizations to which I belong, or boards on which I serve, are generally efficient and well managed. This makes meetings much less painful. I even look forward to some of them.
Today was the Woman's Club monthly membership meeting and the focus was the arts and crafts show I mentioned yesterday. I was pleasantly surprised to see that both my entries received third place ribbons in their respective categories. The box lunch catered by Delectables was delicious. And the meeting speakers were interesting, knowledgeable in their respective fields of investments, tax law and estate law. It was timely information well received by the membership and their guests.
I bought my tickets for the Charity Fashion Show. I was able to address the group about our marketing effort for ads in our program booklet for the show. Our speakers indicated that they would place an ad as well. I took two more ads from members and received a full packet of ads and gift certificates collected by one of my sales team.
It was a good day.
I know I mentioned recently that we are working on greeting cards, bookmarks and decorated gift bags for guests of the show. This project has a somewhat negative impact on several rooms in my home. The office has stacks of various papers sitting on every surface and the floor. My art table has cards and embellishments everywhere. And the worst room? Our guest room --
Cards and bookmarks done and ready to go into a decorated bag accompanied by bright tissue paper are all over the bed and....
completed bags are lined up like little soldiers. Every surface in that room will be covered with completed bags before we are through with this project. And it is sooo much fun.
What's even better?
A husband who does not complain about any of the mess. A loving partner who understands how important all of this is to me and just goes with the flow.
Now it's time to go work on a bag or two and then get ready for a board meeting at the hospital tonight. A friend was supposed to go but she is ill so I'm going in her place.
After all, it IS meeting day, right?
Today was the Woman's Club monthly membership meeting and the focus was the arts and crafts show I mentioned yesterday. I was pleasantly surprised to see that both my entries received third place ribbons in their respective categories. The box lunch catered by Delectables was delicious. And the meeting speakers were interesting, knowledgeable in their respective fields of investments, tax law and estate law. It was timely information well received by the membership and their guests.
I bought my tickets for the Charity Fashion Show. I was able to address the group about our marketing effort for ads in our program booklet for the show. Our speakers indicated that they would place an ad as well. I took two more ads from members and received a full packet of ads and gift certificates collected by one of my sales team.
It was a good day.
I know I mentioned recently that we are working on greeting cards, bookmarks and decorated gift bags for guests of the show. This project has a somewhat negative impact on several rooms in my home. The office has stacks of various papers sitting on every surface and the floor. My art table has cards and embellishments everywhere. And the worst room? Our guest room --
Cards and bookmarks done and ready to go into a decorated bag accompanied by bright tissue paper are all over the bed and....
completed bags are lined up like little soldiers. Every surface in that room will be covered with completed bags before we are through with this project. And it is sooo much fun.
What's even better?
A husband who does not complain about any of the mess. A loving partner who understands how important all of this is to me and just goes with the flow.
Now it's time to go work on a bag or two and then get ready for a board meeting at the hospital tonight. A friend was supposed to go but she is ill so I'm going in her place.
After all, it IS meeting day, right?
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Tuesday is Hobby Day
Well, actually, any day is hobby day when I can squeeze the time in. Lately, though, I have tried to set Tuesday as a day that I stay home and play in my little art nook. Because I wasn't feeling well, yesterday became "Hobby Day." Today I have to be at the Heritage Museum at 10 and have a doctor's appointment at 2:15 so I won't be doing much in the way of hobbies.
Today is the set-up day for the Woman's Club Arts & Crafts Show. Members who are entering their work must bring it to the museum to register between 10:30 and noon. Judges will arrive somewhere around 2, I think, to award prizes for the best work in their opinions.
My entry this year in the Watercolor division is:
I worked on this one a little more last year and got the water a little more to my liking. It is a fairly big painting (for me) and I have it matted in white and framed in black.
And for the Acrylics division, I decided on this one:
Maybe they'll win a ribbon -- maybe they won't. We all appreciate different things, don't we? The important thing to me is to support our club and its important work in the community. Participating in the fun events like this show is all part of the overall effort. There are no monetary prizes -- just recognition from the judges who are independent. None are ever members of the Woman's Club. Our names are not shown anywhere so there is no bias there, either.
So....wish me luck!
And, yesterday? Yes, I did play a bit with a new passion of mine: card making. I am enjoying that so much. Yesterday, I did an old fashioned theme and made four cards.
A little lace from a sewing basket, a few buttons, a hatpin, a rubber stamp or two, and a few stickers. The next step will be matching bookmarks for each.
Have a lovely Tuesday, everyone. It is gorgeous here on the Gulf Coast this morning. A good day to be on Spring Bayou. I'll take my camera, of course.
Today is the set-up day for the Woman's Club Arts & Crafts Show. Members who are entering their work must bring it to the museum to register between 10:30 and noon. Judges will arrive somewhere around 2, I think, to award prizes for the best work in their opinions.
My entry this year in the Watercolor division is:
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| Stormy Surf II |
And for the Acrylics division, I decided on this one:
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| Springtime in the Forest |
Maybe they'll win a ribbon -- maybe they won't. We all appreciate different things, don't we? The important thing to me is to support our club and its important work in the community. Participating in the fun events like this show is all part of the overall effort. There are no monetary prizes -- just recognition from the judges who are independent. None are ever members of the Woman's Club. Our names are not shown anywhere so there is no bias there, either.
So....wish me luck!
And, yesterday? Yes, I did play a bit with a new passion of mine: card making. I am enjoying that so much. Yesterday, I did an old fashioned theme and made four cards.
A little lace from a sewing basket, a few buttons, a hatpin, a rubber stamp or two, and a few stickers. The next step will be matching bookmarks for each.
Have a lovely Tuesday, everyone. It is gorgeous here on the Gulf Coast this morning. A good day to be on Spring Bayou. I'll take my camera, of course.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Monday, Monday
I am usually refreshed and raring to go on Monday mornings. This morning? Not so much. Whopping headache when I got up so I went to back to bed after medicating to sleep it off. I'm better now but feel kind of washed out so I've been taking a few pictures and don't plan to do anything really strenuous.
My friend Nancy in JAX has been asking me how our garden grows so I thought I'd devote today's post to a garden update.
Husband has two Topsy Turvy planters he so dearly loves that he was at the doors when BIG LOTS opened this morning so he could buy a dozen more for $1.50 each. Not that I care how he spends his money, but he explained that these were selling for $9.95 each at Walgreen's. The ones he has were a Father's Day gift from our daughter, Chele, several years ago. He has relined them with Tyvek and they are looking a little ratty, so I am glad he sprang for the buck-fifty deal. I must admit that they fascinate me, too.
Before I post the pictures, I need to tell you the "Radiator Charlie's Mortgage Lifter Tomato" story. This tomato was developed by "Radiator" Charlie Byles of Logan, WV, who planted a German Johnson tomato in the center of a ring of ten tomato plants of four different varieties. All of these were grown from the seeds of the largest tomatoes known in the country back then in the early 40's. He would go around to each of the 10 plants and collect the pollen using a baby's syringe and then squirt it on the flowers of the German Johnson. Then he would save the seeds. After seven years, he felt he had a tomato that was stable enough and had all the qualities he was looking for. He started planting them commercially and told small plants for a dollar each -- a lot of money in those days. He always said he paid off his mortgage with the money from the sale of that tomato.
What's so special about the Mortgage Lifter? It is HUGE. The fruit has a lot of flavor but isn't acidic and they grow to a pound or two a piece. Perfect for BLTs!
The white bucket is what catches the water as it drips through the soil in the planter above.
Please note the terra cotta pot next to it.
My pineapple has been invaded by suckers that he has pulled off the Mortgage Lifters and stuck in my pots. I have given him an eviction notice and he plans to put them in their own pots. They certainly are big enough.
Look at that sucker! (Ha ha) I want him outta there. He's blocking sunlight from my pineapple. But not only the pineapple....
They are in both my avocado pots, too. Speaking of which....
Both avocados are doing well, but #1 has always been the strongest and fastest growing of the two. It's looking great.
Back to the Mortgage Lifters now. Look at those blooms!
We can tell by how thick these vines are growing that the plants are preparing themselves for the weight of those big tomatoes. We have a few tiny tomatoes on them already but I couldn't find them in the foliage for a good shot of them.
So there you have it. We're having fun watching them grow and this warm winter weather here has been perfect temperatures for development of strong healthy plants. They are so large now that if we have a frost predicted we'll just cover them with sheets. They are really too heavy to try to move to the garage without breaking them. That is one drawback of the Topsy Turvy. You can't just set the plant in a wheelbarrow and move it to safety.
I'll post another update when the tomatoes are easy to see.
My friend Nancy in JAX has been asking me how our garden grows so I thought I'd devote today's post to a garden update.
Husband has two Topsy Turvy planters he so dearly loves that he was at the doors when BIG LOTS opened this morning so he could buy a dozen more for $1.50 each. Not that I care how he spends his money, but he explained that these were selling for $9.95 each at Walgreen's. The ones he has were a Father's Day gift from our daughter, Chele, several years ago. He has relined them with Tyvek and they are looking a little ratty, so I am glad he sprang for the buck-fifty deal. I must admit that they fascinate me, too.
Before I post the pictures, I need to tell you the "Radiator Charlie's Mortgage Lifter Tomato" story. This tomato was developed by "Radiator" Charlie Byles of Logan, WV, who planted a German Johnson tomato in the center of a ring of ten tomato plants of four different varieties. All of these were grown from the seeds of the largest tomatoes known in the country back then in the early 40's. He would go around to each of the 10 plants and collect the pollen using a baby's syringe and then squirt it on the flowers of the German Johnson. Then he would save the seeds. After seven years, he felt he had a tomato that was stable enough and had all the qualities he was looking for. He started planting them commercially and told small plants for a dollar each -- a lot of money in those days. He always said he paid off his mortgage with the money from the sale of that tomato.
What's so special about the Mortgage Lifter? It is HUGE. The fruit has a lot of flavor but isn't acidic and they grow to a pound or two a piece. Perfect for BLTs!
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| Topsy Turvy Planter 1 |
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| Topsy Turvy 2 |
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| Pineapple Plant in Terra Cotta Pot |
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| Sucker in Pineapple Pot |
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| Suckers in Avocado 2 |
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| Avocado #1 |
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| Avocado 2 |
We can tell by how thick these vines are growing that the plants are preparing themselves for the weight of those big tomatoes. We have a few tiny tomatoes on them already but I couldn't find them in the foliage for a good shot of them.
So there you have it. We're having fun watching them grow and this warm winter weather here has been perfect temperatures for development of strong healthy plants. They are so large now that if we have a frost predicted we'll just cover them with sheets. They are really too heavy to try to move to the garage without breaking them. That is one drawback of the Topsy Turvy. You can't just set the plant in a wheelbarrow and move it to safety.
I'll post another update when the tomatoes are easy to see.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Sunday
Palms of green and brown
Against a cloud-filled blue sky
Water tickles my toes.
-- S. Patterson
In school, I always loved my English classes. Especially the literature and writing segments of the core curriculum. Unfortunately, today's English classes have limited the fiction that today's students are required to read. They read twice as much non-fiction now.
You may have recognized that the little poem I just wrote about my photo of the beach at Howard Park is in the form of a Haiku. I lived on Okinawa as a child and fell in love with the Japanese people whom I found fascinating. I learned to speak a little Japanese and even then appreciated the beauty of the island. In almost every English class from Junior High on, we had a few days of studying and writing Haiku poems. The English version of the Haiku is normally 3 lines long in alternating lines of 5-7-5 syllable format. I love Japanese poetry and art and have several books that combine the two.
The painting above is vintage Japanese art in the Hawaiian Legacy Archive on Fine Art America website. There is no artist credited. It is classic Japanese art with ponds and cherry blossoms often major components in paintings. I have played with Chinese Brush painting but have never attempted Japanese art. Maybe I need to look into that. I'll use the library's online search for books and DVDs to see if they have anything on it. I'll bet they do.
I'll look into it when my schedule permits.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Thoughts on Walking
My left foot will never allow for walking as long or as far as I used to walk at one time. Now when I walk for awhile, it lets me know when I have to give it a rest. I would love to walk around the island again. Being able to do that requires the purchase of a parking pass And here comes the real subject of today's blog entry.
I am still not happy about Howard Park and Ft. DeSoto Park being the only ones to require a DAILY $5.00 fee to use a parking space in the park -- in fact, Ft. DeSoto charges you just to drive through whether you park or not. There are several beautiful waterfront parks in this Pinellas County Park system. NONE of them have this fee. As a result usage of these two parks has dropped significantly from previous years.
I can see a fee for out of town visitors, but a property owner paying taxes to support these parks should not have to pay more just to park a car and take a walk around the island. I had hoped this idea would die an untimely death, but it hasn't so I will probably knuckle under and purchase an annual pass this year as I have really missed enjoying views like the one above. And walking those winding little paths down to the beach.
That's my thought for the day. Now I'm headed for the library to work for a couple of hours. Saturdays are supposed to be "free" days for me, but helping a kid get his required volunteer commitment out of the way is worth a couple of hours of my time.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Friday -- Library Day
When I listed my "changes' for 2012, I mentioned that getting more organized about my volunteer work was an important goal. As in the work world when you are disorganized in your approach to your job, disorganization when it comes to volunteer work has the same negative impact. Recognizing that I was becoming pretty frazzled trying to give time to Woman's Club activities, responsibilities as Treasurer of the Friends of the Library, and management of the Friends bookstore, I decided to be firm about assigning days in my weekly schedule and sticking to them.
So Friday is Library Day. Actually, it is Friends Bookstore Day. Every Friday. And I have missed very few of them. It is a day devoted to sorting through books donated by library patrons. Some donations are wonderful. Others -- not so much. Why do people donate filthy, smelly, moldy books to the library? What do they think the library can use them for? They end up in the dumpster and could just as easily be tossed in the garbage can at home. The Fridays that I have to deal with such a donation are the pits. And, unfortunately, these are usually HUGE donations requiring a lot of time on my part. It takes time away from sorting and pricing the good books. That means they don't get into the bookstore in a timely manner and if they aren't there, they can't be sold. And it means more days I have to allot in my schedule to sort books so that they are ready to be put in the store when the shelving team comes in on Tuesday.
Our bookstore is an "honor system" type of store. The bookstore is within sight of the circulation desk, but the librarians are busy helping patrons check their books out and sight of the bookstore is often blocked by the person standing in from of them. Therefore, some books "walk" and we know it. But we keep the prices low so most people can afford them. $1.00 for hard covers over 3 years old. Varying prices for newer releases -- but never more than $4.00. Soft covers (paperbacks) are priced at 10% of the original retail price. So a soft cover priced at $15.00 sells for $1.50 in our little store.
In 2012 we sold $17,466.00 in books, magazines, and other media. I wrote the check to the library on December 31. And I wrote a second check -- the investment gains during 2012 on the Friend's managed portfolio. The Friends gave the library a total of $50,000 this past year.
Libraries are vital to a free society. Many community leaders have forgotten or may never have known how important they are. I am glad we live in a city in which our elected leaders (Mayor and Commissioners) recognize the importance of our library and do what they can to keep the doors open and a staff in place. Our donation goes toward enhancements: programs for children and adults, modern computers, and a myriad of things that make our library a place where people want to come and spend a little while.
Fridays are special for me. Speaking of which -- I need to get moving!
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| Fountain in front of the library |
So Friday is Library Day. Actually, it is Friends Bookstore Day. Every Friday. And I have missed very few of them. It is a day devoted to sorting through books donated by library patrons. Some donations are wonderful. Others -- not so much. Why do people donate filthy, smelly, moldy books to the library? What do they think the library can use them for? They end up in the dumpster and could just as easily be tossed in the garbage can at home. The Fridays that I have to deal with such a donation are the pits. And, unfortunately, these are usually HUGE donations requiring a lot of time on my part. It takes time away from sorting and pricing the good books. That means they don't get into the bookstore in a timely manner and if they aren't there, they can't be sold. And it means more days I have to allot in my schedule to sort books so that they are ready to be put in the store when the shelving team comes in on Tuesday.
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| Friends Members ready for the big book sale |
Our bookstore is an "honor system" type of store. The bookstore is within sight of the circulation desk, but the librarians are busy helping patrons check their books out and sight of the bookstore is often blocked by the person standing in from of them. Therefore, some books "walk" and we know it. But we keep the prices low so most people can afford them. $1.00 for hard covers over 3 years old. Varying prices for newer releases -- but never more than $4.00. Soft covers (paperbacks) are priced at 10% of the original retail price. So a soft cover priced at $15.00 sells for $1.50 in our little store.
In 2012 we sold $17,466.00 in books, magazines, and other media. I wrote the check to the library on December 31. And I wrote a second check -- the investment gains during 2012 on the Friend's managed portfolio. The Friends gave the library a total of $50,000 this past year.
Libraries are vital to a free society. Many community leaders have forgotten or may never have known how important they are. I am glad we live in a city in which our elected leaders (Mayor and Commissioners) recognize the importance of our library and do what they can to keep the doors open and a staff in place. Our donation goes toward enhancements: programs for children and adults, modern computers, and a myriad of things that make our library a place where people want to come and spend a little while.
Fridays are special for me. Speaking of which -- I need to get moving!
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Starting A New Year with Good Intentions (Again)
Last January I made a few promises to myself. So let's see how I did with the changes I outlined on January 8, 2012.
Change #1: Less time on FaceBook
I did cut back on FB. And, surprisingly, I really did not miss it all that much. I still post to the Irresistibles private group and share a few pictures, but don't play as many games or spend as much time there. I will continue to reduce the time there.
Change #2: More time creating my blog. Adding more memories to it.
Wow! I failed miserably at this one. I created a grand total of 71 blog entries in 2012. I really need to get back into the groove on this one. Today is the first day of a more active blog in 2013. I'll shoot for 100 for 2013.
Change #3: Less disorganized volunteer time. More organized time. Certain days will be off limits.
Yay! I did do well with this change. And, as a result, I think I really accomplished more and did not feel as though I was being run ragged. I will continue to give myself those days of freedom to do things for myself. Sometimes it pays to be a little selfish.
Change #4: More time for my art work. More time for painting and jewelry art.
And I did accomplish this and even took up a new interest: card and bookmark creation -- gift bags and other paper crafts. And it has become part of a volunteer effort. My guest bedroom is full of gift bags, tissue, cards I and friends have made, bookmarks and a myriad of embellishments. It is so much fun. I'll continue to work on this.
Change 5: Less of me physically. Meaning I have gotten serious about a healthier lifestyle.
Yay! YES! 20 pounds down from this time last year. I am eating healthier meals and feeling good. And I am in a group of online Weight Watchers who have targeted a 24 pound loss by Christmas 2013. So far I am ahead of goal.
Change 6: More time being physically active. Meaning more time allotted to exercise.
I have been more active. I wear a pedometer daily and have a minimum number of steps I need to take daily and another (higher) target I have to meet twice weekly. It is part of the 24# program. I have a bum less foot due to breaking it a long time ago. It is true that when you break a foot, it is never quite right again. So I cannot walk the causeway the way I wanted to, but I can walk more throughout the day with resting the foot when it hurts.
So, overall, it was a successful year. I am healthier. So I am hoping for 2013 to continue along the same lines.
It should be another happy new year for me.
Change #3: Less disorganized volunteer time. More organized time. Certain days will be off limits.
Yay! I did do well with this change. And, as a result, I think I really accomplished more and did not feel as though I was being run ragged. I will continue to give myself those days of freedom to do things for myself. Sometimes it pays to be a little selfish.
Change #4: More time for my art work. More time for painting and jewelry art.
And I did accomplish this and even took up a new interest: card and bookmark creation -- gift bags and other paper crafts. And it has become part of a volunteer effort. My guest bedroom is full of gift bags, tissue, cards I and friends have made, bookmarks and a myriad of embellishments. It is so much fun. I'll continue to work on this.
Change 5: Less of me physically. Meaning I have gotten serious about a healthier lifestyle.
Yay! YES! 20 pounds down from this time last year. I am eating healthier meals and feeling good. And I am in a group of online Weight Watchers who have targeted a 24 pound loss by Christmas 2013. So far I am ahead of goal.
Change 6: More time being physically active. Meaning more time allotted to exercise.
I have been more active. I wear a pedometer daily and have a minimum number of steps I need to take daily and another (higher) target I have to meet twice weekly. It is part of the 24# program. I have a bum less foot due to breaking it a long time ago. It is true that when you break a foot, it is never quite right again. So I cannot walk the causeway the way I wanted to, but I can walk more throughout the day with resting the foot when it hurts.
So, overall, it was a successful year. I am healthier. So I am hoping for 2013 to continue along the same lines.
It should be another happy new year for me.
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