Where She Walked Her Ironing Board Down The Street And Then ---

So last week I told myself, "Stop counting your losses! Sheesh."

But oh, how easy to sit upon the red couch and feel defeated by things that didn't turn out as I'd planned, making dreaming a sometimes hurtful activity. 

Yet finally this week I returned to creating projects. Oh, not only busy work (which at times, we all need), but ways to make days easier, simpler and more lovely for this lady who's not exactly growing younger. Er hem.

And since we'll not be spending oodles of money on a new house, I'm actually buying a few items so to make life here, as I stated, lovelier. After all, Tom and I have some excess money (especially since God--it seems-- continues to sneak extra into our account. Weird!) and if I'm still pinching pennies like a pauper? It's my own darn fault.

Anyway. I'll share some let's-make-your-life-easier-too ideas, below. We'll begin with the ironing board thing.

Now, my clothes don't need ironing, yet 90% of Tom's do and finally I realized, "Hey. For 5 years (more?) I've raced to see how many shirts I can iron before my back starts shouting, "Are ya trying to kill me?". Plus, in this small house, the ironing board has never had a this-makes-sense home place.

So. I ordered a hand-held clothes steamer then carried my 44-year-old ironing board down the stairs and down the street to the Salvation Army drop-off. Well, after I took this photo.

Good-bye old friend. You helped me iron away thousands of wrinkles, but sadly, both you and the iron have become wrinkles, yourselves, in this aging lady's life.

Why hold onto any item which once aided you, but now is only a burden?

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Moving on ...

When I take my nighttime vitamins, sometimes Tom's in the kitchen also and we step all over each other. Well, remember when I moved my cocoa-making supplies to the opposite side of the kitchen?

That began a sort of miraculouos 'his and hers sides of the kitchen' thing and we've never looked back.

How simple Life becomes when we calm our minds, let go of old ways which used to work and adopt new ideas for our growing-older selves.

The test becomes to not get all exasperated and quit before we discover those better ways.

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Other ideas in short?

I may not be able to rearrange this small house's furniture, but I can rearrange pictures on the wall and knickknacks and items in cupboards, drawers, even the refrigerator and ---

This gardening from my front porch idea is wonderful. Much easier all-around; the planting, the watering, etc. I just step out the door and poof! There's everything I need.

I can always burn my pretty-colored tapered candles or switch-on my cross and heart window lights or my fairy lights or --. Also, I can still buy newer, nicer things to replace older worn-out things (which doesn't sound like a big deal except after the little lying voices in your head have told you there's nothing left to do.).

Last time I mentioned watching Restaurant Impossible. Well, I've been doing bits of housework during the commercials-which-cannot-be-forwarded. I consult my page of Things To Do This Week in my notebook and seriously! I'm amazed at what I can accomplish in 3-and-a-half minutes...

... who knew that at 64 I'd still enjoy playing Beat The Clock games?

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There's more, but you get it and I hope you, also, will step around your house today and discover ways of making your own life not just easier, but more creative, efficient and fun.

You can do this! Just ask Grace for help and she'll be thrilled to give you all things necessary so you'll enjoy this season as much as earlier ones. Or perhaps even more.

"But God gives us more and more grace."   --- James 4:6

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Something very odd? Whenever any favorite tv shows involve boxing, I do not count them as good episodes. Usually they bore me. 

Well, Tom and I had never watched the Rocky movies (with Sylvester Stallone), but finally last month we did (free via Prime, I think) and you know? I loved them. Loved. Them.

As I often say, some things just cannot be explained. What matters is that we stay open-minded to at least try a few new things.

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Finally it hit me that since I've read Mary Emerling's cottage book 280 times, probably she's written another I'd love. (Gah. I. Am. So. Slow.). I ordered this one (previewed it at Open Library) and color me Inspired City. Wow.

Man, I keep telling myself perhaps I'm not finding wonderful books, tv shows, movies, ideas, etc., late, but rather, at the times I needed them most. But yeah, I'm not sure.  ツ

Oh, could you please pray for our neighbor, Sally? She's in the hospital and how upsetting to watch the ambulance whisk her away.

Thanks.

Never lose your zest for this life God has given you!

Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. 

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 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15