Bring on 2016

No wallowing in self deprecating thoughts. Remembering that those that matter tend to not be bothered by my idiosyncrasies. Be kinder to those around me, friend and stranger alike. Give more to the poor.  Hug puppies. Smile at cute children. Ya Da Ya Da Ya Da. I've been here before.  All the promise of a fresh start and becoming a better person in the new year.  Well, despite my bad habit of mind somersaults that wake me up at night and keep me from being refreshed, I am not feeling a need to dive into the world of self improvement in 2016. Eating better, sleeping better, moving more-all good things that do not need a new year to start focusing on. Learning that crap and clutter in my house that is not in use even on a semi routine basis has no business in my home will be a lifelong battle.  I know that, so lamenting and setting stretch goals on January 1 about decluttering will not aide me in home improvement, just removing something instead of putting it on a shelf or in a box will.

So if I have no New Year resolution, what am I going to be thinking about in 2016? Here;s a 1/2 year preview. 

January: Show choir season starts for DD#2. Hopefully January will be met with lucrative job offers for DD3 and DS. Not getting massively sick is a great aspiration. The year of 50 Birthday's continues with two get together's in this month alone on the calendar.




February: State Choir concert for DD#2-where she keeps those big lungs in that tiny little body, I'll never know. We're thinking of a long weekend in February combined with Presidents Day-maybe somewhere just a few hours away near a state or regional park and getting some snowshoes-or just a good hot tub. 

March: DD#2 will be gone for a week.  I think I will combine a vacation day with my day off, and have a good spring clean with one less person to work around. I live an exciting life so I must schedule these things. 




April: Decision time on how to spend Easter.  The sister-in-law that I had the clash with has been the host the last few years, and it has been a stressful day. My sister hosts a brunch so perhaps we will just forgo anything on the other side.  Maybe by then, all will be fine again. 

May: Opening the cabin, but this time, with a lot of purging as this is being torn down, and a new year round home being put up in it's place. This is a leftover item from my father-in-laws wishes and will start in August.  Mother's Day to get through-still hard when I have no mother. 

June: Summer officially kicks off, and we get the three hot months of the year. I like sun and heat, and the fighting over windows or air conditioning with the hubs will be a daily battle. I'll live on my deck again.






Along with this, I'll keep blogging, and keep at it to move the other project forward, truly using my extra non-work time to invest in something potentially lucrative for me.  I'll join in some of the blog challenges you all post on occasion, as I like a little healthy competition. I plan to enjoy fun activities and events in my immediate area, and other than a little get away, save travel money the first half of the year for a big trip in August. Who else is posting about their year ahead?  If you don't blog, just leave your thoughts in the comment-I'd love to read your plans. 

Life Happens When You're Making Other Plans

To paraphrase John Lennon-I planned and life kept on rolling. This was a week that both the hands on the clock and the pages of a joke a day calendar flew by me without so much as a wink. Soccer, school, car pools then work, family, sleep- not enough of the latter, filled my days. Not many words made it to the post this week but I did manage to get both a new e-mail and Twitter acount set up.  I needed to seperate out blog world and  personal world.  I was getting confused and mixing up messages. Apologies Julie at homefornow for sending you my kids soccer schedule when you asked about my pasta fagiole fake it recipe. I have found though updating Twitter and seperating  topics I follow that align with my blog goals around simplicity, intentionality, and frugality is keeping me challenged in thinking beyond my current daily grind.  Sam3kids needs to know if the soccer fields are rained out, the upcoming events at church, and the random thoughts of my friends and family, or topics I follow for work.  Samandcoffee65 needs to be inspired with tales of tiny house living, upcycling, creative culinary without the fuss,  entrepreneurialism, and minimalism.   If you do Twitter, come follow me and give me recommendations @samandcoffee65. I've already found some new voices I look forward to hearing.   Why Samandcoffee65? Well, I'm embracing my age and hitting the midcentury mark.  That's where the 65, the year of my birth, comes in. I'll end with another paraphrased quote from anonymous.  "Coffee and wine are like my life coaches.  Coffee says get up! You can do it.  Wine says, things will be better tomorrow." Here's a toast to the coffee side of me.

It's Seen Better Days

In my new re-found frugalism, I need to be careful to not slip into deprivation mode, thus defeating the purpose of accepting a new position.  The job change was to help me find more peace and satisfaction in my work life, not just to run away from a job that had become too consuming. To that intent, I want to start the new position fresh and energized, and that includes starting with a fresh look and polish that I hope sets the stage for this new career chapter. I've had a 31 tote bag for over three years, using it for both a computer bag and a work tote for files and binders and such.  It has been dragged back and forth across the country too many times to count anymore, overstuffed, and stretched and pulled. It has lived a good life and gave me reasonable value.  I have decided to retire the bag, and start fresh on March 2nd.  Not yet knowing what type of computer I will be using, I am going to concentrate on looking for a new model with the file and paperwork intent, rather than double duty as a laptop case.

I've been hoarding some gift money as well as $145 in Target gift cards with the intention of putting towards a Chrome book, or a HP stream.  I've been back and forth a gazillion times.  Both retail for $199.  My sister though has a MS surface that she had purchased for work, but then didn't use, and has no intent to use.  She has graciously not only  offered to loan it to me to see if it will meet my need, since she has no need or want for it, she has offered to give it to me, knowing that if she would ever want a tablet in the future, the model she likely would want will be several versions upgraded from the current Surface model.  She is a techie in a techie job. I am thinking of  redeploying the gift cards to a reasonably priced tote.   

Here are a couple options I have found. All range between $30 and $45, but only the black version had reviews over 4 stars, and a nice boxy syle that would stand up straight on a floor. I like the idea of a pop of color, but wonder if that would be too limiting. The tan was reviewed as cute and practical for the work place, but with poor quality straps.  I am pretty hard on things, so doubtful that would work.  Alternatively, I might invest a little time and stop at a couple thrift stores, as well as this oh so quaint consignment store in St Paul and see if I might find something of a bit better quality, for the same price range. I have had a hit or miss approach with thrift and consignment-never quite finding exactly what I've been looking for when looking, but hitting jack pots when just browsing with no particular lens. I have options, but think I might stroll over to the Second Hand Years for some vintage inspiration.

Nice reviews and a nice price at $35



Cute and neutral, but mixed reviews.  Cheapest at $30.

No reviews, and the highest at $45, but how cute is this!

I plan to spring a few dollars on a pair or two of new tights, as we have another 8 weeks of cool weather minimally, a good haircut, and a new lipstick and nail polish.  I'll freshen up my spotty wardrobe with a good wash in oxy clean to ensure all dinginess is gone and some spray starch to give my clothes a nice crispness.  I'm embarrassed to say that too frequently, pulling items out of the dryer on a weekday morning has been the norm.  I've got to keep my head focused on current job right through my last day, but I'm getting that first day of school excitement.  These extra little touches hopefully will launch me to a great start.










We Now Resume Normal Programming

Today starts the first day of the resumption of our households normal programming.  While technically today is sill the weekend, I find Sundays set the tone for the rest of the week.  How organized is the calendar for the week?  Does everyone have clean laundry for the week, or will I need to get a few loads done before nightfall. Is there adequate food reserves for breakfast, and supper, and quick things that can be brought along for lunches, or for DH to warm up on a quick lunch trip home?  Normalizing might will feel particularly onerous as I haven't worked a full week in the office since the week of December 1st. Between medical days and holidays, I've either had full days off or worked from home, slipping that load in the washer or filling and running the dishwasher were easily accomplished between rest,work, and socializing.

I honestly though am looking forward to resumption of normal.  I'm approaching 2015 as an open book.  I have decided that I will strive to fly under the radar at work.  I will not let my professional standards slip, but I  am not going to waste energy and induce stress trying to uphold standards that others  do not share.  I will be ethical, diligent, but subtle in how I let issues surface, or will just go about my job correcting quietly when needed.  I want the 2015 focus to be on my family, friends, and home, and truly remember that the job is my means to my ends, not the end itself. An opportunity is still on the horizon, but so far in comparing each facet, I would be giving up so much more than just a reduction of salary.  I'll have a few weeks still to decide as things came to a screeching halt the end of December.

It is Sunday, and while soup will feature prominently on our winter menus, I have a batch of both bean and wild rice soup frozen, as well as assorted chunky variety's of canned soup, purchased at very low prices, which make for an easy to grab lunch as I am heading out the door. Because we have so much soup on hand, I'm not making a batch today.  Instead I will putter through my pantry and freezer and use up stocks so I can do a very thorough clean before refilling. We will dine today, and leftovers for later in the week, on delicious crockpot au gratin potatoes.  I tweaked a bit today to use what I had on hand, but it's a basic recipe.  I clean 6-8 russet potatoes, and leaving the skin on, I slice in discs about 1/4 inch thick.  Separately I mix a can of cream of something soup, 3/4 of a can of milk, and about 1/2 cup grated cheese.  This is where I switched it up and used 1/2 an envelope of cheese powder from boxed mac and cheese, and added another couple tablespoons of milk.  I only had pepper jack cheese in the house, which I didn't think would be a good fit for the potatoes.  We rarely eat mac and cheese any more that DD#2 is out of the house, so I'll use the other  half packet and the macaroni in a tuna hot dish for tomorrow night. I pour about 1/3 of the sauce in the bottom of the crock pot after spraying with cooking spray.  I layer the slices, adding a little more salt and pepper between layers.  Then I top the whole thing with the remaining sauce.  Cook on high for about  2 1/2-3 hours depending on how big a cooker is used.  I hope they taste as good with the powdered cheese as they have with cheddar or Colby-jack.  I have broccoli to steam in the microwave, and maybe will cook up some bacon slices as well. 

Eating more healthy is a priority for the year, and unfortunately I've still got a lot of the instant and prepackaged convenience foods in the pantry.  I will try and use them up as sides, and as ingredients.  It doesn't seem right to donate poor quality food to food shelves, and I can't justify the waste of throwing, so I will use in more moderation until they are used up.  I'm getting really good inspiration on many blogs of home chefs that do just that.  All things in moderation.

DH and I have to work the closing clean-up shift at a basketball tournament tonight but while it is hard work, it is also social and kind of fun hanging with other parents doing their shift.  I used to be on the board, but now am just a regular old parent volunteer, so it feels like no work at all compared to past years. DD#2 still has some lingering homework as she had missed a few days before break, but other than these two commitments, Sunday will be spent getting organized for the week. Who else is back to normalizing starting tomorrow?  Are you dreading or do you have a little positive anticipation as I do?  Here's to a peaceful and simplistic 2015.

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year." -Ralph Waldo Emerson