Black Friday for the cats!

This is an excellent example of a great Black Friday special deal!! http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/77633062.html

I decided I'd have a 'no shopping' day, but I wanted to make banana bread to save money by not buying something at Starbucks every morning. And I needed yogurt. so off to the chinese grocery store. Not a big deal, 2 apples, a dozen eggs and a container of 2% yogurt. At least I avoided the temptation to get a chocolate bar.

i've been trying to reduce clutter lately. calling it clutter doesn't seem accurate, it's just a matter of having more than I really need. I want to simplify - cleaning, planning, organizing. But there's almost a ratchet effect of purchasing, especially with clothing - I try it on, get tempted, buy it and there it is in my closet or dresser. And I can't just toss it if I don't wear it often. I feel like I should plan my outfits better to use more of my wardrobe but I tend to go back to the same easy familiar items.

Annoyed

Decided to give my Tafelmusik ticket for Sunday matinee to B so that I could go to S's housewarming potluck dinner instead. So I was very suprised when C came up to me at the party and thanked me for the ticket. Said she only stayed to the intermission because she wanted to come to S's party! WTF!

B must have known Thursday when I offered him the ticket that he couldn't go - why didn't he just decline the ticket? I have other friends who would have enjoyed the whole concert! Or I could have gone for half.

I know once you give something away you have to let it go, but that's the last favour B is getting from me!

Modern hermit

Walking home this afternoon I was tempted into the local bookstore. Found "Cave in the Snow" about a women who lived in a cave in the mountains for years. I knew that I'd heard of her before. Later I realized that I must have seen a newspaper article about her in 1988 when she came out of her solitude.

Fascinating book, I'm glad it came into my life. I've always remembered and wondered about her, how she survived, what motivated her.

dogs

Talking to K. on the weekend. She lost her Rottweiler to cancer about the same time I lost Yo. She knows someone who has two rottis and have to find a home for one as they are moving. so she may be getting another dog. she still has Dusty as her screen saver, just like I have a picture of Yo on my desk. I should scan some of my photos of him.

She really thought she wanted a puppy. Not me, I wouldn't take on a pup at this stage. The adult dogs I've rescued have ended up being just as loyal as a pup. Wojo, the dog who came from the dog pound and had been abused seemed even more grateful for a good home.

I've been going back and forth about whether to get another dog. Some days I get on the Greyhound rescue sites and think how easy it would be. Other days I'm not so sure. It's a big committment, more so than with the cats. Plus lack of space now that I have more cats.

Mind you if someone showed up with a Ridgeback who needed a home, I think I'd jump right in.

6 blue objects

now I have three more photos!!! this is completely random

not that much blue in my house, and I've never posted pictures before. The cat just stepped on the keyboard and deleted two of them, so I'm posting this lot now to see what happens.

blue bowl

my favourite blue bowl, good size for mixing and I love the pattern

this picture is a page from a book that I've had for a long time. the caption says "In a high chamber of the palace, it was as wonderous as that of a sultan"

trapped?

So here I am, John died and I went backwards. Leroy died and I went back to the social expected role. Do I think I need a partner to live the life I dream of? A women guest blogger on Adventures in Voluntary Simplicity made big changes after her husband died suddenly.

Am I content in this place? It doesn't feel completely satisfying, yet how to change, where do I need to be? Simplify for a start. Remember when I moved in the trunk of a taxi. How did I end up with a house full of expectations?

My pets are a burden that I can't slough off - done that a couple of times and it was wrong. Wherever I go they are part of my life and they need to come along or find a really good alternate safe home.

On the positive side I donated a box of wool, a shopping bag of clothing and a small box of books to Goodwill today. And purchased nothing!

Stress

Awake at 4 am today, thinking about Cawthra Park. Maybe the rain woke me up. Good thing I got Toad's cat shelter box out last night. Nice to think of him warm and dry, or at least dry last night.

Is this early morning wakefulness a sign of depression, or just the stress of my job getting to me? How do I know in my own head when I have clinical depression or I'm just anxious and sad about the state of the world?

At least in my own space it will help to complete or delete some projects. Looking at them all is making me anxious.

Procrastination and perfection

I've got a new google list on my home page of things to do. It will only list seven items at a time - a serious limitation! But I've realized (again) that my procrastination and inability to complete projects leads to clutter in my space. And probably in my head too.

So now I want to complete just one item, or at least work on one item from the list every day. Tonight I managed to hang the pictures in my living room. I had to let of of the requirement to have perfect balance and the 'correct' lay out, and just get them up on the wall the best that I could. I've got a Hang & Level from Canadian Tire that helped position them, and I did the rough arrangement on the floor. It's not bad, and it's complete except for one picture which may go in the hall or bedroom instead.

Good for me.

Tired this evening. Tried to find moth traps - out of stock, so wasted trip. I should be able to walk a couple of extra blocks without feeling so beat. Had to lie down at 6 pm for half an hour. Lack of sleep or is this beginning of the fall seasonal affective disorder?

sustainable?
Last night I was watching the BBC channel, some show about the global economy. A man who was obviously some British economic expert solemnly stated that the Chinese middle class have to start consuming more to make up for the Americans who aren't buying.And he was serious.The economic growth forever guys have no thought for the finite amount of product that this planet can produce. Let alone where do we dispose of it all once it's broken or out of fashion. To them it's all about the dollars, bottom line, GDP must go up.A billion Chinese using the earth's resources at the same rate as Americans is short term thinking at it's worst.
Posted by Northmoon at 8:02 AMSept 16, 2009 1 comments
Labels: economy