After a three month hiatus, I decided that the last day of 2013 would be a good day to start blogging again. Why today and not tomorrow? Go with the flow....who knows what the new year will bring?
I am going to start a number of new projects in 2014: Here are a few -
1. All my photos will be organized. I spent a week at my parents' house and came back with a digital viewer than they had received as a gift but did not know what to do with, and many, many pictures for me to scan and put on it. Some of the photos I took I will also put on my computer - pictures of me and my siblings as kids, etc. Maybe someday my kids and grandkids will be interested to see them - who knows?
The two pictures below were taken when our family of four traveled for a year by motorcycle all over North America. Herb and Nikolette on left, Herb and Erik on right. I love my kids more than they will ever know. I know they have struggles - that is life, isn't it? I am proud of the loving caring adults and parents they have become.
So enough nostalgia about pictures - starting looking at a few old pictures and I start getting weepy - so many lovely memories!! I still have boxes of hard copy pictures in boxes too. And they will get organized this year as well.
2 - I will design a better system to deal with the minutia of life. Find a way to declutter better! I already started this process by cleaning 3 of my six closets! I practiced with a YouTube video about how to fold a fitted sheet until I could do it easily and now my linen closet looks great! My cleaning supply and luggage closet looks so much better - still has boxes of photos to organize but that will come too. So now on to the other three....http://youtu.be/9QXrZtXfo58 - Crazy guy but his method is easiest!
3 - I am going to either release permanently the weight I need to lose or give away the fabulous clothes that are waiting for me in my clothes closet - and I really do not want to give them up, so I guess I get to lose the weight instead. Anyone want to be a "buddy" in this process with me, let me know, as I know that it works better with another women dealing with the same 30 pounds to lose!! I am reading a good book by Dr, James Beckerman that is really hitting the spot to help me motivate myself ("Design your own weight-loss Plan").
4 - I am going to simplify life in general. Already gave up TV - no more cable TV bill to pay. No more newspaper or magazine subscriptions (Sorry publishers). Library for all books - and I do read many, many books every year. I counted one year, and I read over a hundred books that year! Now I no longer count, but just enjoy the 70-100 books I read in a variety of genres. I am currently enjoying an unusual book called "The Harbinger" by Jonathan Cahn, a Jewish rabbi. Very interesting......
5 - I am going to dance more! Yes, in my own limited, small-stature woman way, I love to dance. I don't have the 10 foot legs my gorgeous wonderful dancer daughter does, but I love to move to music. When I play my Spotify (free version) playlist, I often have to get off my chair and startle the dogs by dancing wildly in all directions. Cleo and Beemer are not quite sure what to do! Check out http://youtu.be/PfDVnX4j3-w - Herb does the waltz really well, but other than that, dancing is not his thing! So me and the dogs can dance to our hearts content...in the kitchen! And I'll pull Herb in every once in a while with a lively waltz. (Especially to Oceana's "Lala" - for married couples only!)
5 - I am going to renovate a house! Either the one I am living in or another one I buy for under its renovated value. I think it will be a wonderful project and great fun and hard work. Being a Realtor should help me to find the right one.....more on this once I think it through. I have great ideas and YouTube is filled with how-to's and I am pretty handy with tools. Yes, I have my own tool box which no one else is allowed to touch!
6 - I am going to be involved in a ministry at my church. Whether it is cleaning toilets or organizing something (I am good at both) I am mandated to minister and I want to be open to do that. Giving back is a necessary part of who I am.
7 - I am going to evaluate my African involvements and either do something amazing or give it over to another organization. I am helping two elementary schools in Malawi and Zambia. The Zambia organization is fledgling and has many projects, called African Generations. The founder Hillary Luo is a good friend, an African son, and he has big dreams! Sewing and literacy classes for women, carpentry classes for young men, and over 100 children (many orphans) attending their elementary school as well. Malawi's Kondwani Kindergarten and elementary school is progressing with limited funds but a very generous Rotary Club in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada has donated funds to not only build a first grade classroom, but also help to fund teachers and feed over 100 children in kindergarten and Form 1 (first grade). My African brother, Colvin Chirwa, is the project director, and he spearheads the community committees involved. I have probably spent thousands of personal dollars over the years, helping first the ERGO Secondary School for Girls get going, and then the Kondwani Kindergarten (sending a friend over there to teach and help out for a year and a half), and then Hillary's project is just growing in leaps and bounds. My parents and even my husband have questioned my sanity over the years, but "the starfish" story kept me going......
So, that is my perfect list of 7....I'll keep you posted and in the meantime,
I am going to start a number of new projects in 2014: Here are a few -
1. All my photos will be organized. I spent a week at my parents' house and came back with a digital viewer than they had received as a gift but did not know what to do with, and many, many pictures for me to scan and put on it. Some of the photos I took I will also put on my computer - pictures of me and my siblings as kids, etc. Maybe someday my kids and grandkids will be interested to see them - who knows?
The two pictures below were taken when our family of four traveled for a year by motorcycle all over North America. Herb and Nikolette on left, Herb and Erik on right. I love my kids more than they will ever know. I know they have struggles - that is life, isn't it? I am proud of the loving caring adults and parents they have become.
So enough nostalgia about pictures - starting looking at a few old pictures and I start getting weepy - so many lovely memories!! I still have boxes of hard copy pictures in boxes too. And they will get organized this year as well.
2 - I will design a better system to deal with the minutia of life. Find a way to declutter better! I already started this process by cleaning 3 of my six closets! I practiced with a YouTube video about how to fold a fitted sheet until I could do it easily and now my linen closet looks great! My cleaning supply and luggage closet looks so much better - still has boxes of photos to organize but that will come too. So now on to the other three....http://youtu.be/9QXrZtXfo58 - Crazy guy but his method is easiest!
3 - I am going to either release permanently the weight I need to lose or give away the fabulous clothes that are waiting for me in my clothes closet - and I really do not want to give them up, so I guess I get to lose the weight instead. Anyone want to be a "buddy" in this process with me, let me know, as I know that it works better with another women dealing with the same 30 pounds to lose!! I am reading a good book by Dr, James Beckerman that is really hitting the spot to help me motivate myself ("Design your own weight-loss Plan").
4 - I am going to simplify life in general. Already gave up TV - no more cable TV bill to pay. No more newspaper or magazine subscriptions (Sorry publishers). Library for all books - and I do read many, many books every year. I counted one year, and I read over a hundred books that year! Now I no longer count, but just enjoy the 70-100 books I read in a variety of genres. I am currently enjoying an unusual book called "The Harbinger" by Jonathan Cahn, a Jewish rabbi. Very interesting......
5 - I am going to dance more! Yes, in my own limited, small-stature woman way, I love to dance. I don't have the 10 foot legs my gorgeous wonderful dancer daughter does, but I love to move to music. When I play my Spotify (free version) playlist, I often have to get off my chair and startle the dogs by dancing wildly in all directions. Cleo and Beemer are not quite sure what to do! Check out http://youtu.be/PfDVnX4j3-w - Herb does the waltz really well, but other than that, dancing is not his thing! So me and the dogs can dance to our hearts content...in the kitchen! And I'll pull Herb in every once in a while with a lively waltz. (Especially to Oceana's "Lala" - for married couples only!)
5 - I am going to renovate a house! Either the one I am living in or another one I buy for under its renovated value. I think it will be a wonderful project and great fun and hard work. Being a Realtor should help me to find the right one.....more on this once I think it through. I have great ideas and YouTube is filled with how-to's and I am pretty handy with tools. Yes, I have my own tool box which no one else is allowed to touch!
6 - I am going to be involved in a ministry at my church. Whether it is cleaning toilets or organizing something (I am good at both) I am mandated to minister and I want to be open to do that. Giving back is a necessary part of who I am.
7 - I am going to evaluate my African involvements and either do something amazing or give it over to another organization. I am helping two elementary schools in Malawi and Zambia. The Zambia organization is fledgling and has many projects, called African Generations. The founder Hillary Luo is a good friend, an African son, and he has big dreams! Sewing and literacy classes for women, carpentry classes for young men, and over 100 children (many orphans) attending their elementary school as well. Malawi's Kondwani Kindergarten and elementary school is progressing with limited funds but a very generous Rotary Club in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada has donated funds to not only build a first grade classroom, but also help to fund teachers and feed over 100 children in kindergarten and Form 1 (first grade). My African brother, Colvin Chirwa, is the project director, and he spearheads the community committees involved. I have probably spent thousands of personal dollars over the years, helping first the ERGO Secondary School for Girls get going, and then the Kondwani Kindergarten (sending a friend over there to teach and help out for a year and a half), and then Hillary's project is just growing in leaps and bounds. My parents and even my husband have questioned my sanity over the years, but "the starfish" story kept me going......
So, that is my perfect list of 7....I'll keep you posted and in the meantime,
