Polishing

Materfamilias recently described her outfit as 'polished casual'.   Comments from our blogging community indicate that many can relate to that style description.   I'd be happy to describe my style that way myself.  However I wasn't so sure my look was always polished.

Tonight when I got home and looked around I realized that my decorating style could also be described as casual, but again what is missing is the polished part.

I've been discouraged by my surroundings for the last little while for various reasons.  I've visited friends and neighbours recently and they have lovely homes.   Surfaces are clear except for carefully selected items.  Floors of either hardwood or carpet are clean and in good condition.   There is a spacious feel that is lacking in my living quarters.

The truth is that my surroundings are entirely my own responsibility.  I allow the clutter.  I chose to live in a smaller house that is close to my place of work so that I don't spend hours of my day commuting.  I chose to rent out the upstairs and live in half a house so that I'm not spending all my income on my mortgage.  I select the furnishings and bring the stuff into my house, either new or inherited.   I prioritize my animals over the pristine condition of my home.  I have hobbies such as knitting and I like to have the materials, tools and books in my living space rather than in storage in my basement.

All that said, I think that I need to make more of an effort on some polishing.  That includes some curating and removal of unnecessary furniture and clutter as well as just cleaning and organizing.

At the end of a stressful day at work it can seem overwhelming but I am worthy of a clean comfortable home.  It is not impossible; I can make improvements to my living space.  I just need to get on with it and do it instead of plopping in front of the TV!

Okay so I just did the dishes, I don't really need a pat on the back for that!!  But it's a small start in the right direction.

Garden June 8 2014

The garden is doing well, and so far I'm keeping up with the weeds.  I try to spend a few minutes every day pulling some out.  The rhubarb is up, solomon's seal and daylily are thriving.  Taking up too much space in fact, I'd like to give some away.   For some reason I hate to just pull them out and kill them. 

The twisted poles in front each have a tomato plant, with basil around the edge, chives and rosemary in pots.

Found these little chairs abandoned by a neighbour - perfect with my Ikea table for sitting out with a morning coffee.  I don't like to get too fancy with the patio furniture in case it gets stolen (my yard is accessible from a lane at the back).

On of my geraniums is in bloom.  Not a good rendition of the colour, perhaps I need (want) a better camera.

Spring update

Good news about Rory since my last post - I took him off the medication in January and he recovered his 'joie de vie' within days.  So relieved to have my dog back, running around like a big silly.

Since it's finally warmed up in Toronto I've been doing a bit of an upgrade to the back garden.  I moved the path over to be more aligned with the edges.  It was bothering me that it wasn't parallel.  It still has a gentle curve, but I'm going to say that adds to the charm.   Right now the garden looks at it's best; there are no weeds visible.  It just hasn't gotten away from me yet; I know the seeds and roots are there waiting to overwhelm whatever I'm trying to grow.

Audra seems to approve of the new path location also.  Those are three daffodil flowers in the back of the daylily clump.

Might get to the Evergreen Brickyards garden centre this week and pick up some fancy heirloom tomatoes since I never got around to starting the seeds I saved from last years crop.   I will not be planting potatoes however; complete waste of $6.00 for four last year that produced about a handful of tiny potatoes.  (I should let that go, everyone makes silly purchases once in a while.)

At the close of a year

I've been busy lately, lots on the go and I have less energy as I get older I think.  Although I was shocked by an article in the Toronto Star recently about the murder of "an elderly woman" who was in her 60's!!!  I think of my mother as 'elderly' and she's 91.  Isn't 60 still middle aged at least?  How old was the individual who wrote the piece?  Probably some unpaid intern in their 20's.

My dog has become elderly in the last month.  The last episode of epileptic seizures took a lot out of him.  Then I started him on daily dose of potassium bromide to control them but the side effects seem to make him weird and unresponsive to commands he used to obey.  Which annoys me, and I don't want to be annoyed at my poor old dog.  Plus his legs have degenerated quickly this last few weeks, which could also be another side effect or a degenerative nerve disease.  Now he almost always falls down when he first tries to get up from the couch or bed, and goes down if he slips on the wood floor.  I got him a rug for the bedroom and living room that helps.  Today he just ate, went outside then went back to bed again.

Sometimes getting old sucks.

Pottery

I'm very partial to pottery bowls.  My latest acquisition is a classic shape, and a nice size to be useful for baking.  Very simple glaze which suits it I think.

I had three bowls in my hands at the sale, but when I got to the check out I put two back.  Trying to declutter doesn't work when you keep bringing more new stuff in!  In fact I should select something to donate from the kitchen to make up for this new item.

Gardening

This year I'm going to try to stay on top of the garden, not let the weeds run rampant and chaos rule.  

 As part of this plan, a fence has been installed to keep the dog out.  On Saturday I dug up the front half of the back garden and put a path of paving stones down the centre.   I'm going to plant some very simple vegetables in this half, peas on the fence, carrots, lettuce, italian parsley, perhaps some parsnips or beets.  I may buy a couple of tomato plants or green pepper.  Not enough space for cucumber or squash, and I don't really care for squash anyway.  Potatoes perhaps, if I find some seed potatoes when I'm getting plants.  I'm only growing things I might actually eat.

The back half is a random assortment of perennials and bulbs.  One daffodil.  My peony that was from my great grandmother's garden originally.  Beebalm, a couple of types of daylily, some phlox, solomon's seal, a rhubarb, a purple cone flower.  Perhaps a fern if it survived.

The chinese lantern is a pest that has got to go, likewise any goldenrod.  The garden is also infested with bind weed so it looks okay now but I know I've got a big job ahead this year if I want to keep it presentable.

A view of the same area from last fall.  This is what I want to avoid.  I really can do better if I get out there regularly and don't let the weeds get so bad that it's overwhelming.

Black Monday

Today's theme is black, so easy, so timeless, so Monday morning.  Black turtleneck, black pants, black high boots.  The high boots are a necessity in this slushy city weather if I don't want to have to dryclean my pants every time I wear them.

Note the dog's nose from the doorway.  He wanted to be in the shot too!  Or more likely he wanted me to stop messing about and feed him.  Not sure what happened to the colour, I swear I didn't change a thing on the camera and it's gone all yellow.  Oh well, the other shots were all weird or had a dog in front of me, so this will do.

I did accessorize though, very proud of myself.  This pendant is by a Canadian designer named Rafael, given to me by my parents in the 70's.  I always enjoy wearing it.

Simplify the kitchen

There are similarities between my eating patterns and my wardrobe.   Much like the wardrobe, items purchased on sale and never eaten are a waste of money, space and they clutter my life to such an extent that I can't function efficiently.  I end up eating fast sweet junk food instead of the healthy diet I know is better for me.

A good friend who is an excellent cook told me that spices do not last forever and should be thrown out after a certain period.  I think she might have said six months, but my brain wouldn't register the time period as I still have the same bags of spices and herbs that I bought before John died almost 13 years ago.  Have and use by the way.

So, shocked into rethinking my cooking habits I recently did a big clean out of my refrigerator and cupboards.  There were many expired items and things purchased for one particular recipe never to be used again - bulgar wheat anyone?  Like the mantra with clothing, if you haven't used it in a year get rid of it.  Or at least cook something else with it right away; my Scottish heritage won't let me just toss everything!

Fruit - will it be food or compost?

I regularly waste fresh food because I don't get around to eating it.  I'm very bad at thinking "I need to eat more vegetables", so I purchase random vegetables and let them rot in the refrigerator.  This won't do.  If I simplify my diet to certain planned dishes, have a meal plan for the week, the food on hand will fit what I will actually cook and eat.  Maccaroni and cheese is good, cornbread would work, salad is possible if I prepare everything washed and cut in advance.

The kitchen and diet declutter is on!

I saw a frightening thing the other day.  I was walking along the sidewalk, a father was pushing his daughter toward me in a stroller.  She may have been 3 or 4 years old.  She was talking on a plastic toy phone!  Nattering away the whole time, copying her elders, engrossed in her conversation with herself.

just realized that it might have been a real phone!!!  If it was then that's even worse - an phone addict even before she's in school!

Northern Lights

I suppose there are lots of people who have never seen the Milky Way.  Growing up in the country I was used to being able to see the sky and the stars.  I remember my father showing me where the Big Dipper, Little Dipper and the North Star were and the Milky Way of course.  There weren't a lot of lights around to interfere.   Moonlight was wonderful in the forest around our house, I was never afraid of the dark.  

Best of all I've seen the Northern Lights a few times in my life, a couple of times faintly when I was a child.  It was always a big event, everyone come outside and look.  Although I grew up in the country, it was close to a big city, and got more and more built up as the years passed.  Doubt if you can even see many stars there now.

The most dramatic Aurora Borealis I ever saw was in Manitoba in October.  I was sent out there for my job back in the 80's.  It's a very awe inspiring thing to stand outside at night in the mystery of the dark, to look up and see this eerie shimmering dance across the sky.  Manitoba is so flat, the sky was huge and the lights rose high above.  A rare memory.

Here in the city I still watch for the moon, catch a glimpse of the odd star.  I try to remember to look up.

Buddies

I've been fostering these little guys since they were six weeks old (now they are eight months old).  Their mother was feral, so she couldn't come inside with them.  Toronto Cat Rescue had her spayd and returned to her colony.  

For a while the kittens had a foster mother whose kittens had just been adopted.   She seemed glad to have more kids to look after so there were no problems.  She would even let them suck on her sometimes even though there was no milk!!   Originally there were four of them, but one cute grey fluffy one was adopted as soon as they were put on the website.   In November another one plus the foster mother found their a forever homes.  Now there are only two of them left.  They are very sweet cats, they romp and play with each other and they also look after each other.

I confess I broke down and adopted the one myself - Pico, the one with the heart on his shoulder and the white tip on his tail.   Now I'm not sure I can separate him from his brother, so I may have to adopt him too!  

Update: the guy who adopted his brother in November sent me a Facebook message that he's thinking of a second cat.  So he might take him.  I've got mixed feelings, but Pico gets along well with one of my other male cats, so he'd get over the loss of his brother.  And Yas would have company; right now he's an only cat and alone all day.

I'm trying to think of it as decluttering cats!

visible Monday

I love this Akris jacket, but I haven't worn it much.   In the spirit of either use it or toss it, I'm going to start using it.  Slim black pants, white tshirt under were easy choices.  My Art boots to provide a bit of whimsy  At the last minute I thought a scarf at the neck would be a good idea so I grabbed a little pink pattern silk square.  I'd rather have something with more punch, but I was already late for work.

This is what I do with my wardrobe - I buy a bunch of unrelated things that I love when I buy them, but no idea of an outfit for them so they hang in my closet while I wear the same sweater/pants combinations over and over.  Laziness!!!

I have never participated in this but I love the idea, hope I can do this link thing correctly!  http://notdeadyetstyle.blogspot.com/

the freedom of space?

Reading today about how someone who decluttered has more space to be creative.  She got on a path of 'shoulds' in her 20's - should have a career, a house, a car, clothes, furnishings etc.  When letting go she found a more creative life was possible.  Don't know if it's automatic - declutter = artistic creation.  I still like to have things around that hold memories.

The interesting part of her post was the career thing.  I think back to my very early twenties sometimes.  I was living in a little house outside of a small town called Aldergrove BC.  I didn't have a job, I stayed home and cooked on a wood stove, went for walks with the dog, knit, sewed or whatever I wanted to do every day.  I was in the country, living a simple life which was what I wanted, so I remember feeling very content.  I had no particular ambition - I was a free spirit.

don't know where this is, but it's very like Ontario countryside that I love

One day my partner was killed no let's be honest here at least, he killed himself.  And my life changed direction drastically.  I came back to the big city of Toronto and got a job to support myself.  Then a career developed, I found another man who I married, we got a house, and continued the good middle class materialist lifestyle of the 80's.  Job advancement, better house, BMW, etc.  Until I had surgery in 2008 I never had more than three weeks away from the job in thirty years.

this is the view outside my office building

I sometimes wonder about the direction my life would have taken if I had not changed to the career mode and I had stayed in BC.  Would I have been an artist?  or an organic farmer?  both have been deep desires of mine, pushed aside because I hear a practical (probably it's my mother's) voice telling me I couldn't do it.

I'm near retirement now, but sometimes I still just want to get rid of the stuff, quit my job, take the animals and go live on a farm!

the tyranny of stuff

"Give yourself time my friend and you will start to see that the ties that bind you to stuff will begin to weaken and you will finally be free from the tyranny of placing too much importance on stuff. Very little of it matters and the more you declutter the more you will come to realise that. Just keep letting go of it and it will begin to let go of you."


Great advice from the blog 365 less things .  
 
Today as I looked through my off season clothing that had been stored over summer, I found a dress with a moth hole right in the centre front of the top.  I might be able to repair a small hole on a sleeve, but this has made the dress into garbage.  Not a huge loss, since I hadn't worn it for several years anyway.  The question is, why do I have so many things that I can't properly look after them?   This isn't valuing my posessions, it's me creating junk!  Pictures that aren't framed and displayed get mildew in the basement, wool items get moth eaten, metal rusts.  I might as well toss it now, or even better give it to someone who will value and look after it.
 
Plus it's a beautiful weekend and I'm inside dealing with clutter.  This is a poor way to live my life. 
 
Good news is I've rented the upstairs apartment.  Which is one of the reasons I have to deal with some of the extra stuff I had stored up there.  Now I have to be careful not to go buy more things I think I need, just because I have the extra income.   The 'one in one out' principle must be adhered to!
 

Cat photos - I love Audra's golden eyes!

The kittens are getting bigger.  This is a rare shot of all three together.

Old clutter

This weekend I got into some serious decluttering.  Following an example I saw on Raverly, I decided to let go of 50 items.  At first it was difficult, but as I went along it got easier, and I made it to 50 without too much difficulty.

Even better, I was able to let go of some sort of sentimental things that I'd carried around a long time.  Some of them I didn't even like much, for example a majorica plate from my grandmother, some were in poor shape like a strange egyptian wall hanging from a great aunt; some didn't work, like a watch my former husband gave me before we were married.  No reason to to be constrained by family history, have shabby things or hang on to the past.  Let it all go.

I also parted with some extras like the fourth set of sheets, or the odd towel. I find it difficult to part with these types of things, but honestly I think I'd prefer to have a spacious feeling instead of being overwhelmed by stuff. I even let go of a few books!

Picture of Rory and Pico - nothing to do with decluttering!

Simplicity and age

Read a blog recently about the Hindu idea of the four stages of life, and moving into the 'Forest Dweller' stage. Entering the forest of many delights


I heard about this many years ago. The concept always made sense, and the idea of moving beyond accumulation had an appeal, even when I was in the materialistic 'Householder' stage.

In my thirties I was very into my career - concerned about how much money I was making, looking for advancement, taking courses to improve my skills and get more credentials, always looking to move ahead.  I always had my resume ready, and I changed employers a few times.  Nowadays, I don't care anymore. Several openings to the Supervisor level have come up where I work - I won't apply for them. I enjoy my job, especially getting out in the field and getting things built. I won't trade a few extra dollars and a title for being stuck at a desk reviewing someone else's project.

I also remember in my 30's hearing that Elton John had a huge auction and got rid of most of his stage clothing and collectables. At the time I thought that was a strange thing to do, in fact I was shocked.  My then husband and I were busy accumulating furniture, dishes, pets, cars, all the householder items and we attached great importance to them. Then my marriage ended and I left most of it behind. It was freeing to live in a small apartment, with minimal possessions.
But I purchased a house, and slowly the accumulation crept up again. Things I "needed", and things I "wanted".  Clothes, furniture, motorcycles, a stereo, tools, knitting materials.  It's been seventeen years (hard to believe) and I have a full house again.  Now I find it hard to let go of some items, holding on to a younger life.

However, I have noticed a subtle shift in my life over the last few years, from always looking to acquire more, to an attitude of this is more than enough. For the first time over the last year I seriously considered retiring early.  Before I thought I'd want to work beyond age 65!

I am going to consider the Forest Dweller stage and how to let go of the mementos, the 'just in case' items, the tools for a life I don't live any more. It's a process, a shift I need to think about and honour.   It's time to let go.

PS on the letting go front I've taken three bags of clothing and books to the thrift store.  It's a start!

a funeral

Went downtown for the funeral of Jack Layton today.   I felt the urge to participate in a small way, just to be part of the event as his casket was taken from City Hall to Roy Thompson Hall for the funeral service. 

He was my Member of Parliament, but I didn't vote for him last time - I supported a friend who was running for the Green Party.  But I have voted for his party in the past, and apart from a symbolic vote for the Greens, I probably would have supported him.  And I admired so much that he changed his methods over time, became less confrontational, rising above mudslinging and attack politics to campaign on a positive message.  His contribution to the quality of my city when he was a City Councillor was huge too.

One thing I found very strange about the whole thing was the applause and even a few cheers as the hearse came by.  And the eulogies during the funeral ceremony got standing ovations!!  I guess people wanted to find a way to express what they felt about the man, what he had meant to them, the good concrete things he accomplished over his political career.

Rest in peace Jack.

Letting go

One of my challenges in life is a tendancy to purchase sale items that are close to but not quite what I wanted.  Perhaps an inherited trait from my very frugal mother, or an issue with my sense of selfworth.  Whatever, the result is usually a purchase that ends up as clutter.

I need to let go of some of these purchases and projects, hopefully to make room for better things in my life.

Yesterday I was looking at unfinished knitting projects, and I realized I have been working on two pale green cardigans.  I did not particularly say to myself "I could get a lot of wear from a pale green cardigan"  or "pale green fits in with my wardrobe, let's add more".  No, the wool was on sale in both cases.  Sweater one is too small and rather rough (purchased on line so no feel test).  I was going to reknit it larger, but why spend the time when it is a duplicate of sweater two?

The pattern of diamonds and crosses is very cool though. 

Sweater two is a nicer wool silk blend purchased at a store closing sale.  Right now it fits better, although I still want to change the back neck line.  Ripping out a couple of inches is better than ripping out an entire body. 

I intend to complete a couple more works in progress before I start anything else.  And I will be more deliberate when choosing my next knittng project.  Pick a colour and style that will work for me, even if I have to pay full price for the materials.

Black Cat Appreciation Day

Charlie playing with his toy troll.

He's got plush fur like a Gund toy.

Audra watching the kittens from a safe place.  My gleaming black panther cat.

Millie on the cat tower.

She's got a bit of white, but is mostly black so I'll post her picture today with my all black guys.

My summer vacation

Spent a week at my mother's cottage in Haliburton.  We had good weather, the lake water was really warm this year, so we went swimming every day. 

 This is down at the dock area, the cottage is up above this area.

 My mother on what is left of our dock.  She's going to be 90 next year, but is in good shape except for her eyesight.

This shows the stairs up to the cottage - 42 steps total!  My father built a seat for a rest half way up.  Rory is heading up.  He didn't go in the water, but came down with us.

This is the sleeping cabin - just enough space for a suitcase and a double bed.

This is a sunrise shot from the cottage deck.  I love getting up early and listening to the birds wake up.