Today I’m doing things I like to do that I rarely make time for, such as giving myself a pedicure and playing double solitaire. (You could add blogging in there too.)
Being a low maintenance person who rarely wears make-up, has not had my fingernails painted in almost twenty years, and has never plucked an eyebrow, you’d think I wouldn’t enjoy pedicures. On the contrary, they are the best sort of pampering. With the clipping, exfoliating, and soaking in warm water, they are both practical and pleasurable. Very satisfying. And if the nails are painted, they need no more attention for months.
As for double solitaire, I always appreciated the uncountable hours my grandparents spent playing cards with me when I was younger. It was the slow paced quality time that enabled me to talk freely and be myself. It helped me feel close to them. I asked for and received two brand new decks of playing cards for Christmas (with the intention of using them with my children.) I didn’t open them up until last night. Let me back up a bit.
I came to New York City with Bob this week mainly to put together a new TV stand while he was at work. I decided to make my ten year old, Mary, come with us. I wanted to spend some time alone with her. So yesterday, besides building the TV stand, we played Sleeping Queens, Lion King Uno, and you guessed it, double solitaire. And she even helped me get an app called Game Pigeon to play more games. I’m enjoying being with Mary and holding her hand as we walk through unfamiliar neighborhoods with her stuffed dog Dandee.
There’s a church nearby that has a 12:05 Mass. Yesterday we attended but left right before Adoration to come home to eat lunch. Today, a thunderstorm at the end of Mass encouraged us to linger longer, which I appreciated.
Back at the apartment, I put on a “Spa Day” playlist and gave Mary a pedicure while she played games on her iPad with a friend from home. I felt like a professional, but my nail painting needs practice. Then I gave myself a pedicure and wrote this post as I took breaks. The music and the being still has put me in a very relaxed state that I highly recommend.
Billy Joel is one of my favorite musicians. Vienna is one of my favorite Billy Joel songs. It popped into my head as I sat down to write this post. It begins…
Slow down, you crazy child
You're so ambitious for a juvenile
But then if you're so smart, well, tell me
Why are you still so afraid? Mm
Where's the fire, what's the hurry about?
You'd better cool it off before you burn it out
You've got so much to do
And only so many hours in a day
“Slow down” seems to be the theme of this blog, and maybe of my life. I often come here to ponder “aloud” my desires to be simple. To remind myself of what’s really important, which is doing God’s will and not my own. And slowing down seems to be the only way that I can hear my Lord. The noise of constant busyness drowns him out for me. I keep cycling between feeling close to Him, then doing too much work or socializing and not spending enough time with Him, and then feeling burnt out and disconnected. I’m learning that I love getting things done, I try to please others, and I tire easily. I seem to be married to the Energizer Bunny, and my life would most certainly be more boring without him. And I have six children and relationships with family and friends. I wonder if God has given me the gifts He has given me to continuously show me how much I need Him. Maybe I just need to keep practicing putting first things first.
So the details are, that I am recovering from two days of shopping, cleaning, triple birthday party prep and hosting. And that was after two weeks of traveling to and from New York City, including shopping, packing, and moving into our new apartment there. Yes, we have an apartment in NYC, and a home in Western Massachusetts. I don’t think I can call myself an aspiring minimalist anymore.
My husband will be commuting there for work. I have been helping to set up and furnish the place. It’s a big change happening in our lives, which means I really need to rely on God. And I need to not look into the unknown future, but to stay in the present moment, where He is with me. I need to slow down and listen.
I hear myself breathing. I try to drop all my worries and trust Him. He takes care of all always. I need to reject the illusion that I am in charge. I do not even want to be in charge. I will bring Him everything and let Him decide what the outcome will be.
Nothing needs to be done but what He asks me to do. I do not need to do things for Him to love me. My existence is enough. Every part of me, body and soul. There is not anything that I can do that will stop His love for me. And He tells me that when I am weak, He is strong. All my strength comes from Him alone. I don’t even think I can surrender without Him. His grace seems make it happen.
He tells me to enjoy the gift. He means of His Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament, which I feel privileged to enjoy. But I think I should enjoy all the gifts. I have so much to be grateful for.
Slow down for one week. Do only necessary work. Be as quiet as possible. Do not initiate any movie nights or put on any music. Stay away from social media and news. Spend lots of time ouside, and rest.
What I Did
Sunday: I went to Mass with my family. I followed our usual after Mass routine of eating a meal while watching a week’s worth of Frank James You Tube videos. I skipped other videos that I usually watch, but that my family does not enjoy. Next, I posted homeschool curricula for sale online. I sold some and prepared them for shipping. I sat on the deck reading meditations and planning out the week. Then I did some more questionable work (necessary or unnecessary?) to please my daughter Sarah. Rachel and I helped her put together her new bed and bedding. I spent time praying and journaling. I made dinner. I prayed the rosary while talking a walk outside. At night, I watched a movie with Bobby that he initiated and chose. Then I ironed Bob’s clothes and made his breakfast for the next day. When I had trouble falling asleep, I looked at homeschool curricula on my phone in bed.
Monday: I woke up 15 minutes before my alarm went off (unusual) and started the day on my phone again. I was looking at Home Bunch, a website that I use to get decorating ideas for my home, or maybe as a distraction, or as a reason to snuggle under the covers longer. I wrote in my journal: I get scared if I don’t sleep enough I’ll get sick. I had trouble falling asleep – uncomfortable – and woke up early. I hope my new “strategy” is not too busy. I already feel rushed in my “slow down” week. I’m planning unnecessary work. I went to a 7:15 AM Mass, prayed the rosary in the van, and returned empty cans at a grocery store while waiting to meet my mom and sister for breakfast. I dropped a package off at the post office, then stopped at the Home Depot to purchase some electrical items for Sarah’s room. I read one of Sarah’s novels aloud to the girls, then took a two hour nap. I picked up and cleaned the house all afternoon, made dinner, went to a meeting on Zoom, then watched a movie with Bobby and the girls. I was up late again reading something on my phone.
Tuesday: I woke up sick. I changed my plans to staying home all day. I spent time journaling, praying, reading more of Sarah’s The Chapstick Chronicles to the girls, talking on the phone with a friend, and then I felt worse. I thanked the Lord for really slowing me down. It was more quiet than I had planned and I believed that he chose what was best for me. Bobby brought us take-out for dinner. I watched a movie with the family at night. All I had to do for it was sit still on the couch.
Wednesday: Too sick to do anything. No reading, no writing. No work. I watched two movies. Probably initiated them. I tried to pray a little.
Thursday: I felt a little better. I shopped online, started thinking about homeschool planning, read The ChapstickChronicles, and spent the afternoon on the deck doing a crossword puzzle. It was beautiful out. Then I did laundry, cleaned the kitchen, and made dinner. I was busy and unaware of God’s Presence. I started looking into history curriculum, showered, shaved, went to a Zoom meeting and watched a movie with Bobby and the girls. At bedtime, I was up coughing and couldn’t get comfortable so I shopped online for Hannah’s summer reading books and read some news articles. When I realized I said I wouldn’t read those this week, I read the Intro to Consoling the Heart of Jesus into the early morning.
Friday: Still sick. I journaled a long time. Guess I had a lot to say. Read meditation books and some scripture verses and more of The Chapstick Chronicles. I started the Consoling the Heart of Jesus: A Do-It-Yourself Retreat. Good times on the deck. I watched a show with Bobby at night and prayed and journaled before bed. I had the bedroom to myself because Bobby’s been sleeping upstairs in a non-germy room.
Saturday: Prayer and meditation, journaling, continuing the “retreat” and blogging.
What I Learned
I am not in charge. Unfortunately, I keep forgetting this one. But on the other hand, I did accept that things were not going the way that I had planned. This time.
God knows what’s best for me. And He gave me another reminder of this. Remember all of the unnecessary work I did on Sunday? Remember on Monday I was already feeling rushed during my “slow down” week? I might not have rested at all if I was feeling well.
I want to try to do one thing at a time. Multitasking makes me feel hurried. So often I listen to talks while working, I eat while watching shows, I think, plan, figure out… while doing other things. I am not in the present moment. This getting things done can get compulsive. I get anxiety about not wasting time. If I slow down, by doing one thing at a time, (and thinking counts as an activity for me) I can be present to what I am doing or feeling and be aware that God is present with me.
I want to watch what is going into my mind. I’ve talked about this before. If I’m going to be limiting the amount of information that’s going in, (because I’m doing one thing at a time) then I better raise the bar on the content. Is it true? Is it honorable? Is it worthy of praise? And so on…
I want to watch what is coming out of my mouth. I failed at being as quiet as possible this week. I think I forgot that was even part of the experiment. Did I really need to give everyone unsolicited updates on my sick symptoms? Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
God gives me encouragement. As I was thinking that some quiet time would benefit me, I read this inJesus Calling, one of my current meditation books: “You need a buffer zone of silence around you in order to focus on things that are unseen.” It goes on to say that overstimulation blocks out awareness of the unseen world. Encouragement.
Put First Things First. Yet another principle that I already know, but struggle to put into practice. I read about it Friday in my “retreat” book. He explains how when we want to detach from something, (Let’s say noise from busyness, talking, movies or media.) sheer acts of the will are the wrong way to go about it. They don’t work… for long anyway. The reason is that focusing on the attachments puts second things first. The only way to detach is to keep the focus on the first thing. He gives the example of St. Peter walking on water until he takes his eyes off Jesus and sinks.
In Conclusion
So, I did slow down this week. I didn’t do it exactly as planned. Actually, it wasn’t at all like I planned. But I’d still give this experiment two thumbs up. Look what I learned again! So many good things. Today, I’m not planning anything. I’m just doing one thing at a time, and being quiet, and listening for direction.
Yesterday was the last day of school for Rachel, my daughter who goes to high school, and Hannah and Mary, who were homeschooling with me. We are now officially on summer break. I spent this morning on a “Mother’s Sabbath”, a term I added to my vocabulary after reading A Mother‘s Rule of Life. I don’t know its exact definition. (Though I enjoyed the book, I gave it away.) I think it means getting out of your house and doing things that renew your spirit. When I take one, it usually includes Mass, the Rosary, Confession, Panera, reading, writing and Adoration. It can be a time of recollection and of getting my priorities straight.
Today, I thought of something that was a part of my daily schedule when my children were young. I called it Quiet Time. It was usually after lunch. It was when everyone went into separate rooms to do something quiet for an hour. It might be playing with toys, napping, reading, drawing… as long as it was quiet. My Quiet Time was often “interrupted” by babies. And sometimes I would blow it myself by going on a computer. This was back in the days before iphones and ipads. This morning I realized I want to spend the first week of summer break slowing down.
From my journal:
Slow Down Week – Like a Sunday. Do what’s necessary, but enjoy life. Spend the week with you, Lord. In prayer and meditation, adoration… quiet. No news, no videos. Resting – Nature – Art – Music (not quiet) Remember Quiet TIme? Unplug.
So that was how I remembered Quiet Time. I think I need to be more disciplined if I want the life that I desire. To be closer to God, I cannot crowd Him out with noise and ceaseless activity. So, I’ll try this for one week and report the results.
Experiment #4:
Slow down for one week. Do only necessary work. Be as quiet as possible. Do not initiate any movie nights or put on any music. Stay away from social media and news. Spend lots of time ouside, and rest.
I finished reading this book three weeks ago. I really want to dive right into The Discernment of Spirits, but I’m making myself write a final post to fulfill my “duty of bringing to completion” (227) what I started. Part IV of Chapter 8 is titled Doing Things Well and Finishing Everything. OK, A.G., I’ll take your advice. I’ll be constant, patient, and I will persevere. I would not want this unfinished work to “be a reproach” to me. (229)
“I see a cause of moral decadence in abandoning a project or an undertaking. One grows used to giving-up; one resigns oneself to disorder, to an uncomfortable conscience; one gets a habit of shilly-shallying. Thence comes a loss of dignity that can have no favorable effect on one’s progress.”
(229)
Sounds serious. Shilly-shally is my new favorite word. Shilly-shallying is why I want to learn how to practice the discernment of spirits. It means:
: to show hesitation or lack of decisiveness or resolution
: DAWDLE
I do this frequently. I am unsure. How does God want me to spend the time I have been given? More questions arose when I read this part of the book. Do I finish what I start? Do I reflect (count the cost) before starting on a piece of work? (228) A quick list eased my mind. I usually complete projects I start. I also have many commitments that have been ongoing for years, and although they don’t end, I have not given up on them. What I often neglect are books, home studies, and writing, the very things for which The Intellectual Life offers help. The end of Chapter 8 sums up what conditions are needed for success in work: to reflect at the start, to begin at the beginning, to proceed methodically, to advance slowly, to give out all one’s strength. (233)
So now I have come to the final chapter, for which I hand wrote four pages of quotes and notes while my four daughters were getting haircuts at a local salon. To limit the length of this post, I’m going to focus on just two ideas. I’ll call them: living and resting.
LIVING (Chapter 9, I. Keeping Contact With Life)
Living in society requires us to take part in many practical activities. (For me, it’s picking Rachel up from school and dropping her off at tennis practice, folding clothes, visiting my mother, painting a bathroom, taking kids shopping for bathing suits, going for a bike ride, etc.)
“It is hard to settle on exactly the measure of all these things.”
(236)
The author seems to understand the uncertainty I mentioned earlier of how to spend my time, but he says he has confidence that I will be able to decide, and that I’ll appreciate the relative value of things. (236) He addresses a concern that the intellectual will get so into his work that he’ll neglect the practical activities, or he’ll turn his back on the worthwhile things of life. Think scholé! I have an opposite concern. I may overdo the practical activities, neglect my intellectual or spiritual life, and also turn my back on scholé. Sertillanges advises: “Give up nothing of what belongs to man. Preserve a balance…” (241)
The beauty of this section inspires me. I see his message in other places, but the way he writes it makes me long for it.
“Nature renews everything, refreshes every well-formed mind, opens up new vistas and suggests surveys that abstract thinking knows nothing of. The tree is a teacher; the field teems with ideas as with anemones or daisies; the clouds and stars in the revolving sky bring fresh inspiration; the mountains steady our thoughts with their mass; and the course of the running streams starts the mind on lofty meditations…
Yet you let your mind get cramped and your heart grow dry, and you imagine that it is loss of time to follow the course of the torrents or to wander among the stars. The universe fills man with its glory, and you do not know it. The star of evening set against the darkening sky is lonely, it wants a place in your thought, and you refuse to admit it. You write, you compute, you string propositions together, you elaborate your theses, [you stare at your iphone] and you do not look.”
(238-239)
“Music has this precious quality for the intellectual that as it conveys no precise ideas, it interferes with none. It awakens states of soul, from which each one in his particular task will draw what he wills.”
(239)
He speaks of the connections between thought and the manifestations of creative power. (238) And the manifestations (a sunset, a visit to the Louvre, an evening at the symphony, a walk about Versailles under the autumn trees, and so on…) are dreamy. Homeschoolers may have heard of the British educator Charlotte Mason’s “Education is the science of relations.” Or her other famous motto: “Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, and a life.” This came to mind when I read this quote:
“One is a poor thing all by oneself in one’s study! It is true one can bring the universe into it and people it with God; but that divine inhabitation is effective only after long experience, of which the elements are everywhere about us. Should I write under the impression of nature and of universal beauty, if great scenery, the peaceful countryside, the vision of the achievements of art, had not previously educated me?”
(240)
What a great reminder to me, that atmosphere is important not only for a parent to provide for her homeschooled child, but for anyone, for life… We are all born persons. It also reminded me of the idea of an integrated curriculum. And how you can separate subjects into time slots in your day, but they will always overlap. They are all parts of one big story. Let’s allow no compartments! (241)
And speaking of being born persons… Theology of the Body came to mind when I read this next quote:
“Refuse to be a brain detached from its body, and a human being who has cut out his soul.”
(241)
Lastly, I shall paraphase a description of Sertillanges’ intellectual – to envision for myself: She has varied knowledge that goes well with her special studies. She loves the arts and natural beauty; her mind is one in everyday activities and in meditation. She is the same woman in the presence of God, with her family, and with acquaintances. She has a world of ideas and feelings that she writes about, shares in conversations with others, and by which she lives. (241)
RESTING (Chapter 9, II. Knowing How to Relax)
“Nothing must be in excess. Work, precisely because it is a duty, requires limits which maintain it in full vigor, make it lasting, and enable it to yield in the course of life the greatest total effect of which it is capable.”
(242)
That’s what I always say.
I like to relax; so reading arguments on why it’s necessary, makes my logical heart flutter. Let it be known that:
“Relaxation is a duty… to refuse to rest is implicitly to refuse an effort that rest would render possible.”
(243)
“When one does not make room for rest, the rest one does not take takes itself: it steals into the work, under the form of distractions, of sleepiness, of necessary things that demand attention, not having been foreseen at the right time.
… If I omitted these preparations because of some nominal work, some inferior occupation that I was bent on through lack of self-control, there is a double disaster; I arrive at this result: no real rest, no real work. Disorder reigns.”
(245-246)
The rest of this section goes on to describe true rest,
“St. Thomas explains that the true rest of the soul is joy, some activity in which we delight. Games, familiar conversation, friendship, family life, pleasant reading such as we have spoken of, communion with nature, some art accessible to us, some not tiring manual work, an intelligent stroll about town, theatrical performances that are not too exacting or too exciting, sport in moderation; these are our means of relaxation.”
(246)
how we must have a proper balance between work and rest,
“To work too long is to get worn-out; to stop too soon is to fail in giving one’s measure. In the same way, to rest too long is to destroy the momentum acquired; to rest too little is to fail in renewing one’s strength.”
(246)
and he gives another plug for being in nature.
“Ah, if one could work in the heart of nature, one’s window open on a fair landscape, so placed that when one was tired one could enjoy a few minutes in the green country; or, if one’s thought was at a standstill ask a suggestion from the mountains, from the company of trees and clouds, from the passing animals, instead of painfully enduring one’s dull mood -I am sure that the work produced would be doubled, and that it would be far more attractive, far more human.”
(247)
IN CONCLUSION
The Intellectual Life by A. G. Sertillanges, O.P., has given me conviction and clarity. I see how necessary it is for me to make time for scholé in my life. Scrolling through the Table of Contents (or past posts) reminds me of the methods suggested, and I feel so inspired. A confidence rises up inside me. I can do this! Clearly, I will just: feel a sense of duty, discipline my body, simplify my life, make solitude a priority, limit and be choosy about my reading, quiet my evenings, be focused and methodical, be sure what I start is worthwhile, finish what I start, and produce results! Woo Hoo!
I said at the beginning of this series that I wasn’t going to summarize the chapters. I’d just post stuff I’d write in a commonplace book, such as favorite quotes that inspired me, thoughts I had…
Well… this chapter, “Creative Work”, has been the most thought provoking, inspiring one yet! I began reading this book because I thought it would help me find more time for scholé. I enjoyed hearing about it on Christopher Perrin’s podcast. Now, I want to write! This could be blog-changing.
When I was a kid in the early eighties, I played Barbies with my brother, and when he outgrew them, my sister. I was likely the one who came up with our systems of separating the furniture and accessories. I think for awhile, we’d line everything up and take turns picking what we wanted. Then, it later changed to someone mixing up the stuff while the “picker”, back turned so as not to see the items, chose a number from one, to the number of items there were. And that’s the item they would get. Picking continued until everything was fairly sorted. After that time-consuming raffle-type experience, we’d set up the houses. I remember one day, (likely too old to be playing with Barbie dolls) that I had the thought: I enjoy getting ready to play, more than I enjoying playing.
I instantly saw this memory when I read the first two lines of this chapter:
You have come now to the moment of producing results. One cannot be forever learning and forever getting ready.
(Page 199)
How true. I have seen this pattern in my life. I have enjoyed homeschool planning, sometimes more than implementation. I enjoy getting the house in order, and messing it up by cooking or crafting, I tend to avoid. Or how about gardening? The preparing the soil and planting seeds is something I like. And I don’t mind weeding. But I’ve finally admitted to myself that watering and harvesting are not how I’d like to spend my time.
I see two things about myself here. One is that I prefer to participate in activities that are not messy. And the other is that I want to play it safe. Are these related?
When I am preparing to do something, it’s beautiful in my mind. We are going to have a homeschool year (or day) that is filled with discussing fascinating subjects, appreciating fine art, music, and nature, and consistently improving skills. It never works out the way I envision it. There is a wide range of other realities from a lack of enthusiasm to tears.
How many times have I gotten excited about trying a good-looking recipe, confident that following the instructions exactly and putting in the work would yield a wonderful meal? And then I’ve been disppointed by too much pink inside the chicken or the burnt whatever. You can probably imagine how a garden could let me down.
All of this to say that I might be a perfectionist. I might be immature. Maybe I think of things not going as I planned as mistakes. That is my initial response. But I when I slow down and take a long look, I see that everything that has happened is good. I can accept that I don’t love cooking, but it is something I do to take care of myself and my family. I can have compassion for myself and my children as we homeschool imperfectly. I can see the garden beds as a lesson learned and move on. And I know I love to write. This chapter has inspired me to do it imperfectly.
An organ that is used grows and gets strong; a strong organ can be used more effectively. You must write throughout the whole of your intellectual life.
(Page 199)
I realize that I’ve been playing it safe. I pour my heart out in my private, black leather notebook. But here I write about decluttering, capsule wardrobes, and give room tours. I share quotes I like. I read, learn, pray, meditate… “forever getting ready.”
If you produce nothing you get a habit of passivity; timidity grows continually and the fear caused by pride; you hesitate, waste your powers in waiting, become as unproductive as a knotted tree-bud.
(Page 201)
I certainly don’t want to be described as knotted. It’s spring. Time to open up. I want to fully live.
If you want fully to exist from the intellectual point of view, you must know how to think aloud, to think explicitly, that is to shape both within you and for the outside world the word which is the expression of your mind.
(Page 201)
Beautiful.
So this is the plan now. This is not to say that I won’t post room before and after pictures. I just don’t want to hold back anymore. If you are a writer or a wannabe, and want inspiration, get a hold of this book and read chapter 8, part I. Writing. Yes, there are other parts to this chapter. Four more in fact. So, there may be a sequel.
This chapter, “Preparation for Work”, is long and full of information. I made a list of questions derived from this chapter to put it into a useful format for my future self.
AN EXAMEN ON PREPARATION FOR WORK
Reading
Do I have an uncontrolled habit of reading? (146)
Do I read intelligently, seeing to my well-being? (147)
Do I dull my mind, not feed it, by inordinate reading? (147)
Do I read to escape from self? (147)
Do I overstrain my eyes and the membranes of my brain? (147)
Do I read only what I want to retain, and retain only what will be useful? (148)
Do I manage my brain prudently, and not abuse it by cramming it absurdly? (148)
Do I go out of doors, breathe fresh air, relax? (148)
Have I cut down on the less solid and serious kind of reading (novels)? (148)
Do I read the news during working hours? (149)
Do I read more news than a weekly or bi-monthly chronicle in review? (149)
Am I reading (except in moments of recreation) only what concerns the purpose I am pursuing? (149)
Am I reading little, so as not to eat up my interior silence? (149)
Am I discerning what things I feed my mind and are to be the seed of my thoughts? (149)
Am I choosing (in my books) to associate only with first-rate thinkers? (150)
Do I turn away from badly written books, which are probably poor in thought also? (150)
Do I love the eternal books that express eternal truths? (151)
Do I choose guides whom I will trust when reading for formation? (153)
Do I watch myself, note what readings help me, and go to those for inspiration when needed? (155)
Do I read for recreation/rest something that I like, that does not excite me too much and divert me from my path? (156)
Do I choose books to rest my mind that will also be useful otherwise? (157)
Do I have an attitude of respect and realize the privilege of being in contact with great minds? (157)
Do I reflect that we are all of the same race, and that at the source of all inspiration, there is “God, the first and supreme author of all one writes.”? (159) (quote from Victor Hugo)
Am I looking for truths and what is lasting in an author’s work? (164)
Or do I have a fault finding attitude when reading the work of a great mind? (166)
Do I react to what I read so as to make it my own and by means of it to form my soul? (166)
Am I putting in my own effort? (167)
Do I realize the source of knowledge is not in books, but in reality, and in my thought? (169)
Am I comprehending what I am reading and thinking for myself? (170)
Is the object of my education to acquire truths and formulas or to develop wisdom? (170)
Am I being myself? Is my reading enabling me to be free, and bringing about my own thoughts? (172)
Memory
Am I wanting to remember only what is useful? (176)
Do I try to keep in the forefront of my mind what forms the basis of my work? (177)
Is my mind well-ordered? (178)
Do I relieve my mind of useless burdens, so it can devote itself to its work with all its strength, and go straight to its purpose and not waste time? (180)
When I read or listen am I fully present? (183)
Do I repeat what I am trying to remember? And reflect on it often? (183)
Do I live a peaceful life? (184)
Do I cultivate a sense of the newness of things? (184)
Notes
Do I think and let some time lapse before taking notes? (188)
Do I take notes in moderation? (188)
Do I take them according to my personal needs? (189)
Do they have something of myself in them? (189)
Do they correspond to what I am aiming at? (189)
Do I write down what I think after contact with someone else, more than that other person’s thought? (190)
Am I careful not to get crazy collecting notes? (194)
Look what’s left! Not too much. Really… just the basement, garage, and Bobby’s clothing. I’m thinking of checking off Joseph’s bedroom and clothing. One reason is that he’s working a lot, and he’s not going to want to declutter on his days off. Another reason is that we just went through his stuff when he switched bedrooms with Hannah and Mary. I can’t remember when that was, but I think it was after Christmas. Reasons #3 and #4: He’s twenty. He owns mostly Legos and books. He’ll want to keep them all. And the fifth reason is that his stuff is in his room. I rarely see it and it’s never strewn around the house. Bobby’s clothing, however, affects me. I do his laundry and benefit everyday from a tidy arrangement. I don’t want to be wrestling with sweaters, trying to squish them into his armoire.
So today I started with my van. You can see in the photo a pile to relocate on the left and a trash pile on the right. I didn’t vacuum the van interior, but it looks greatly improved. Very satisfying.
I emptied the linen closet. Sorted into yes, no, and not sure. The girls agreed to let go of some blankets. I’m getting rid of the extra tiles from the old bathroom floor. Unfortunately, I think there are some sheets and blankets in the basement. Some people made a fort under the stairs weeks ago.
I finished the school room, and the girls’ bedrooms. Tomorrow will be a day of rest.
I started by dropping off three bags of clothing at a donation center this morning. I also got 2 black garbage bags full of cans out of the garage. That’s not really clutter though. It’s trash that’s worth money.
I hung up these hammocks in the girls’ closet today. I haven’t decluttered their room yet, but I checked with Mary and she wanted to keep all of her stuffed animals and dolls. These are the ones she doesn’t keep on her bed.
I went through the “family room” part of the school room. Mary was willing to part with many items that she doesn’t play with very often. She also didn’t care if I got rid of books. She just loves her stuffed animals.
I had a lump in my throat this afternoon from spending too much time in the school room. I pulled out more books to give away. Mostly early readers and books someone gave me last year. I ditched lots of paper. I decluttered the sentimental items. I added to my future projects list: scan photos and finish scrapbooks. I’m purging picture frames, including this one.
Matthew’s going to take it. It was his cute little hand I traced.
The most exciting news of the day is that while Bob was busting on the elliptical machine and the recumbent bike, I was holding up items from his bins and drawers, and he was telling me where they go. The study, the garage, the bathroom, the trash…
Master Bedroom and Mudroom… check!!
Edited to add: Controversy ensued as to whose hand was actually traced in the above picture. After research, I have concluded that it was mostly likely Rachel’s hand.
Master Bathroom, check! Bobby sorted his toiletries into keep or trash. (A big deposit into the emotional bank account.)
I asked Mary, who is nine, what she wanted to keep in the mudroom and I bagged up the rest.
Foyer, check! There was nothing to get rid of in the closet. We use the iron and ironing board, vacuum cleaner, wrapping paper and gift bags (sometimes). We haven’t used the hangers much because we haven’t been having parties, but someday, right? And the jigsaw puzzle collection is staying.
I started to sort the homeschool curriculum before I left to go to a wake in Connecticut. Some items were easy to part with, but there are many “not sures”. We have decided to send Hannah to eighth grade at our local Catholic school this September. We haven’t made a decision about whether or not to send Mary (the youngest and last homeschooler in our family). As of now, she is on a waiting list for the fifth grade. So just being in the school room is emotional for me. That’s a story for another post.
As you can see in the picture above, I have a lot left to do. I checked off Sarah’s bedroom and clothing because she is going to do them on her own when the spring semester is finished. She usually does her own decluttering now. She’s the most minimalist of the family. I told Bobby, who’s into fitness, that our house is losing weight. It really does feel lighter to me already!
Unruffled Peace 