Less

So I’ve been trying to see where and what I’m wasting so that I can make less waste. Sometimes it’s pretty clear and sometimes I just buy a thing in a huge plastic container without even thinking about it because it was convenient - looking at you, chocolate muffins. I’ve been expanding that into saving money as well. Last fall, I cut back on some subscriptions for tv and I honestly haven’t missed them much. I very much enjoy having ad-free YouTube, which I use almost exclusively for ambient noise or music. I’ve started getting used to the Roku channel with its ads when I want some background noise or just to veg a bit. I’ve also looked at a few other channels who stream k-dramas with ads. Haven’t found a match there yet, but barely started looking. Prime will get canceled this year. I don’t need it. 

There have been some people trying to do economic blackouts for big companies that have done various things. I’ve chosen to focus mostly on those who decided DEI wasn’t a good thing. I was really grateful that my company announced they were keeping their program going. I’ve never liked Walmart so it’s not a problem to not shop there. Target is the one that hurts. I’m still trying to figure out where to get a few things if I can’t get them at Target, or Amazon. I have no delusions that my losing my little money will make any difference to the big companies. But this has made me look at what I have in my house and use it instead. It comes back to the less waste thing and more money saved. And even though it hurts to say this, I probably don’t need to buy the book either. LOL So basically, I’m trying to shop local (been shopping a local grocery store for years) and ask myself if I really need the thing. I’m not saying I will never shop at Target or Amazon again, but it will be fewer things I buy at those places and mostly just the things I really can’t find elsewhere. 

I’m still working on what to do about my Kindle. I have over 1000 books on there, I think. And some of the authors I want to support are there and on Kindle Unlimited. Maybe I try canceling KU for a month first just to see. I’ve got plenty of books I haven’t read in both electronic and paper forms. I can do what I am doing with streaming services and buy a month at a time and only pay when I want to use it. Like everything, it’s a work in progress and I’m not looking for perfection, just something I can sustain long term. 

Snow Day

And the snow is coming down! Still not complaining but I decided to work from home today. That way I have a window and can watch it snow and drink cocoa. Plus I have a ton of work to do so I can just set up my day and work away without needing to drive anywhere. Added bonus: I'll already be at home when the work is done and can settle in with a book or puzzle. Nope, not going to complain.  

Happy Birthday to Me

This has been a much better day than last year. I miss mom though. But I just got back from a quick road trip to Sedona, AZ and mom would have loved it. Sedona is fun! And so beautiful this time of year. I can’t believe how crowded it was in February, but we were there over a holiday weekend as well. We’ve already decided that it’s a place we’d go back. It was a long drive home but sleeping in my own bed last night made it worth it. 

We came home to snow. Finally snow! The sun was really great, but I’m not going to complain about winter hanging on a bit longer. Spring will come. I’ve been running errands and cleaning out my car. Bought myself clearance Valentine’s flowers. Then went to lunch with my sister and niece which was really nice.  LOL It’s a good day to turn 50. Don’t know how it happened but happy to be here. 

One Year

Hard to believe it’s 1 year since mom died. It’s been eons and the blink of an eye at the same time. We’ve navigated through family dinners, birthdays, holidays, and even vacations without her. When dad died he left a big hole in the family, but he was the guy in the background with the funny sense of humor, especially after his illness started. Mom was the one in the trenches who went everywhere and was always doing things for us. (Not that dad didn’t, but in different ways). Sometimes I just don’t know how to feel. That’s ok, it’s just how life is. So I guess I’ll pass this milestone and keep on going. Not sure I feel like celebrating my birthday, which is fine since I can do it any way I want. Might just sit at home with a book and some cocoa. Maybe a Dr. Pepper. Sounds like a good day to me.  

Micro-Adventures

I was sitting around being lazy this morning when I suddenly decided I needed to get out of the house. So I texted my sister and an hour later we were off for an adventure. My sister has started calling them micro-adventures: small things to enjoy the place we live and support local businesses. We drove to Logan ha ha. Did the usual and had lunch at Great Harvest, stopped by the Book Table and Bluebird and picked up some cheese at Gossners. I didn’t realize it was supposed to snow but it did start to snow on us but we went for a little walk by the Logan river anyway. It was so nice to get out for a bit. The snow wasn’t terrible in the canyon, but the front of the car was coated with it when we finally got home. 

It’s officially birthday shopping month….and I don’t want to buy anything. I don’t need any more books and there’s only a few that I actually want and they aren’t quite published yet. I’m trying to use the perfume I have, and I’ve also been working on producing less waste and looking at the single use plastics I use. Some I’m not giving up, but others I am. Baby steps. 

I don’t feel like I have major depression or anything like that, but this year has been a challenge and I am not excited about much. Add to it that mom’s death anniversary is coming up. Truthfully, I feel that it’s more the external things than grief that is affecting me right now. So still working on figuring out how to deal with that and what things I can actually do. I don’t always get it right but have to keep trying. 

January Blah

This is the time of year where people start getting sick and tired of winter. I feel like we haven’t really had winter since any snow we got was gone the next day. Today the wind has just blown and blown. Wind is the one thing I really don’t care for. I did get out and got my grocery shopping and other errands done. But basically I have felt Blah all day. I’m in between books and don’t want to go shopping. It’s not even the money: I don’t want more stuff in my house. 

So I guess I’ll fall back on the same old and do a puzzle, watch a movie, read a book, drink some cocoa. I mean, I’ve even already exercised today so I can’t even tell myself I should be doing that. Maybe the tv will drown out some of the wind. 

Snow Day!

Almost exactly a year ago I posted a picture of me sitting in my library and when I found myself in the same spot today, I had to take another picture. 

I have been waiting for a wet weekend to do a little shelving project in my library and today we finally got some snow. So I went through a couple shelves and got a stack of books to purge and then rearranged the shelves. Then after lunch I sat down with a mug of cocoa and finished my book. 

I went to my aunt’s funeral yesterday. It’s just that part of life I am in, I guess. My cousin said some really nice things about how lucky we are to have these types of connections that we get to grieve. Not that it’s easy but how wonderful is life because we love people enough to grieve when they are gone.

As for the new year, it came with no fanfare at all. I was only awake because my cough was keeping me up. I didn’t even think of resolutions or new beginnings and I simply don’t care. There is a lot I’m looking forward to, but it’s also just another year gone by and another one starting.