End of the Year Ramblings

This is the time of year where many of us look back at the old year and look forward to the new year. Few years, if any, have I looked back and been thrilled with my accomplishments, probably because the first things on my "must do" lists are lose weight, get more organized and other similar acts that obviously aren't really at the top of my priority list. I set myself up to fail by putting those things that I know in my head I should change but have not yet totally made the commitment to change. If I really want to lose weight, and commit to doing it, I can do it . . no reason why I can't. Same thing with getting organized. I manage to organize the things I want organized but have just enough of my life disorganized to seem to always be living in chaos. So . . what do I do? Make a list of what I'd like to accomplish in 2006 and include at the top that I will lose weight and get more organized?? I don't think so! Not exactly sure how I'm going to tackle the List for 2006. There will be one because I do work better with a list. I still have a few days to think about this. But, what really got me to thinking about my life and where I'd like to go is Patty's Morning Rambling blog, which I came across by following a link on Bonnie's blog. This is a lifestyle I would truly love to live! This is similar to the lifestyle my grandparents lived . . not because they chose it but because they had no choice. I can never have a lifestyle similar to what Patty describes for several reasons but there are a lot of things I can do to change our lifestyle. I'm not sure exactly where I'm heading with this but whatever changes I make will have to be subtle. Chad and Vince might send me to live with Patty if I make too many changes too quickly but if I don't start somewhere, there'll never be any change, right? So, what are some of the areas of my life that are needing such radical changes (as I see it)?

1. Stuff - Even though I hate shopping, I have so much darned stuff! You know about the fabric stash but I'm a Bath & Body Works addict! There are dozens of BBW items in my bathroom, bedroom, kitchen . . everywhere. I love lavender and I buy everything I see that has lavender - soap, shampoo, candles. If I never again purchase hand cream or shampoo, I would probably not run out if I live to be 100.
2. More Stuff - I never get rid of anything! I haven't worked since 1997 but I still have all my work clothes,probably 30 or more pairs of high heel shoes and long, dangly ear rings. I will probably never work again and if I do, it is doubtful that a size 6 will ever fit again; if I tried to walk in those shoes, I'd break my neck and I never wear long ear rings any more so why do I still have this stuff?
3. Computer - I'm spending way too much time on the computer. With the laptop, it was so easy to grab it and do something that should take 2 or 3 minutes but first thing you know, I've been on the computer for 30 minutes or more.
4. Eating Habits - I love sugar and I eat/drink way too much. I don't eat healthy at all. For so many years, I could eat what I wanted and never had a weight problem but those years seem to have passed and I now gain weight just thinking about eating.
5. Gardening - I want to grow more of my own veggies. I've had a fairly decent garden in the past but my nature is to plant it, tend to it for a while, then it gets hot and the weeds come with a vengeance and I give up. This summer I planted three mini Roma tomato plants and those little plants worked so hard. I have never seen so many tomatoes from three plants. Last week I paid $3 for a little bag of grape tomatoes and I truly appreciated my plants that had long since been frozen back. There isn't much room for a garden at the house in town so I may not be able to have a big garden this summer but I will plant what I can.

That's a start to my list of things I need to change to get to a lifestyle I'd like to live. Not everything I need to do but it's a start.

Judy