Monday Miscellany

Brilliant title, isn't it? My astounding creativity just never fails to deliver.

Hubby is off today and tomorrow. Plus we didn't have any big plans over the weekend, so it's been nice having him home for a four day weekend. For me, Saturday and Sunday included going through the rest of my boxes of kitchen stuff. Although that also meant that I had to entirely reorganize my kitchen. It seems that when we first moved here (5 months ago), I just put some things away and that worked out fine. Except that there were at least a dozen boxes and totes in the garage -- with all the rest of my kitchen.

While it's not 100% done, it's about 90%, which is a huge relief. I actually have access to things I haven't seen in some time. I can grind wheat again. I can keep my tortillas warm. I can have a small glass of something to drink. And other such goodness.

Although there is this one shelf. The Shelf of Indecision. Sigh. That real estate could certainly be put to better use. But that would require me to make hard decisions. Which I will do. Eventually. It's partly motivation and frame of mind, though. When I'm in a hardcore get-rid-of-ALL-excess, it's much easier. Seems I'm a little soft right now. Here's the partial rundown:

1. My cobalt blue glasses. I love these glasses. I have 5 glasses and 3 stems. They're nothing fancy, but I've always loved them. However, if they live in my kitchen cupboard, I am the only one who uses them. And not all the time. Occasionally someone else comes to visit and uses one. But I can't bring myself to take up space in my very minimal kitchen cupboards to keep them there. Yet I really hate storing things that aren't used. Unless it's like my baby blanket, teddy bear, or high school yearbook. That's different. So. There they are.

2. These are the most fun Halloween mugs that my mom bought for the boys. They really love them, too. Although they have to be hand-washed. Which does detract from the fun factor. But they're cool and they're a gift and they're loved and they're big. Haven't decided if I'm willing to give up minimal cupboard space for them. I suspect the boys would be crushed if they went away.

3. The three mugs across the front were painted by the boys & me at a paint-it-yourself ceramics joint. August 18, 2003. Last day before school started that year. It's funny because when you look at each mug, you can see the personality of the artist. For many years, I used that mug every day for my iced chai latte at breakfast. Again, hand-wash.

4. This would be the tool caddy that I used for a long time. Until I got a Pampered Chef Tool Turn About. Which holds more and is more convenient. Although it does occupy more counter top space than the red caddy. And the red caddy totally goes with my kitchen when I have the whole red and white cherry thing going on. I haven't gotten there yet. I'm thinking maybe I could repurpose it (apologies to Antique Mommy . . . well, and me).

5. Vases. Three of them, to be precise. A big one for a lovely bouquet of flowers. From the garden or the store, it really doesn't matter. A medium vase for a small 2-3 flower bouquet. And a bud vase. I don't have flowers all that often. But if I don't have the vases, will I wish I did? Or would I just find something else to suffice? Good question that remains unanswered.

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Sunday afternoon, I went over to hang out with Mom for awhile so Dad could run some errands. She just came home on Friday after a stint at the hospital with knee replacement surgery. We played some Scrabble and watched part of a movie. So that was fun. We'd been Scrabble-less for far too long. I won the first game and she won the second. I also got to photograph her tulips. Many times over.

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That brings me to today. Now that the kitchen is 90% addressed, it's time to move on to the studio. Whenever I say studio, I think of Sussudio by Phil Collins. It's just how my brain works, what can I say? Taking a ride down my musical journey each day can be rather interesting. Anyway. We return to the randomness already in progress.

My awesome friend, the Gremlin Wrangler and her fam are coming for a visit next month. We'll be having a serious slumber party (Does that sound like an oxymoron to you? Maybe it's just me.) with 10 people in our house, which will be, like, total coolness. But I'm guessing that Carrie & Charlie would prefer sleeping in a room with actual floor space (there won't be much), and not sleeping on boxes. So I'm working like crazy to purge out some excess stuff. It's amazing the amount of accoutrement one can acquire when one has been rubber stamping and scrapbooking for thirteen years or so. Maybe not so much amazing as overwhelming. Once again, time to make the hard decisions and seriously pass on some stuff. That also brings me to a goal that I'm not doing very well with this year. USE WHAT I HAVE. Stop buying new supplies. It's different if there's something very specific I need for a layout, but I really have to start working on using what I already own. It's a good thing, I tell ya'.

I've made some pretty decent headway in here. Sussudio. Is it just me, or is that a very silly name for a song? Although I am noticing that it will probably be a little cozier for Mr & Mrs Wrangler than I first thought. Shhh. Don't tell her. Once she's here, she can't change her mind.

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I should really learn to break all this randomness into multiple posts. Somehow neither my brain nor my life work that way, though. That would look something like . . . oh, I don't know . . . BALANCE. That ever elusive concept that dares not to grace my doorstep.

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Speaking of scrapbooking (well, I was. awhile ago.), Lucy & I have been getting together every Friday and having ourselves some cropping fun. We made it to a crop at a local store one night and otherwise, have been working at our dining room tables. We used to crop regularly, but haven't done so in a few years. So it's been a good time, a time of accomplishment, and the kids love it, cause they all get to hang out together and play.

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Well, I guess that's it. For now. Thanks for hanging in there with me.