This first week of January has been very interesting full of ups and downs. We spent New Year’s Day with our Son and his wife. Then the next day went to Meijer Garden to see their Christmas display. I wanted to walk to the Japanese Garden in winter. It was an absolutely lovely trip after being snowed in over Christmas and not being able to see them and go to the garden as planned. It’s always great to see the kids and hang out.
New Year’s Day and the first week is when I set a lot of goals and hopes for the year. I planned to spend the winter cleaning out and tidying up the sewing room. It was cluttered and not organized. I haven’t been able to do much cleaning or organizing in 2022 and it wasn’t in good shape before I got sick. This is the year and I found Just Get It Done Quilts was doing their Decluttering Challenge. I joined the email list, signed up for the Facebook group and dug in. I have to say that it was not easy to start. I had Tuesday off from work and did a lot, in fact too much, decluttering and moving totes. I decided to follow the prompts closely and to do this I needed a place to stage the overflow and sort it. I have an enclosed front porch and I had space to put the extra fabrics and boxes there. So far, we have removed the things that don’t belong, took out the trash, sorted books and pattern. I then decided it was time to take the sewing machine off the dining room table and into my craft room. I had a table but it won’t do, so a little sewing table is on order. I am very relieved this mess is not as bad as my mind’s eye had pictured it. I hope that I can do my podcasting and video in this space now that it is cleaned up.
However, all of this activity had a cost. I was extremely tired Thursday and needed much quiet outside of work. I was worried I wouldn’t bounce back but by Friday afternoon I was feeling better. I picked up with the challenges. I definitely will limit my activity to 15 to 20 minutes so I can keep up with my other responsibilities.
I also found Gretchen Rubin’s challenge for 2023. Her’s is getting in nature for 23 min a day. Not easy this week due to rain but everything counts including Dashing across parking lots. I also decided that getting out in my garage gym counts on inclement weather because I am out of the house and can observe nature. I missed the full 23 min a few days but it’s ok, it is trying to get out every chance I get. I realized in my life I hardly ever get outside, and it is good to get out for the body and the soul. I thought it would be a good thing to add to my long covid rehab.
I plan to implement Fly lady cleaning this year but I am not going to implement too many things at once. Once the sewing room is set up, I will start with the house deep clean and really work my way through as much as I can this year. I hope that much can be donated and we don’t have to get a dumpster because I am not strong enough yet for a week of filling it.
So, a week of ups and downs. After all the snow, it warmed up and melted a lot. I have been energized to exercise and clean that lead to me having long Covid exhaustion for a couple of days. I have had days where I can smell and taste only to have it be gone the next day. I have come to the conclusion that is how life is. Take the good with the bad, some ups and downs. I will feel better and then a few days where I don’t. I have loose plans and then go where the day takes me. The key is my strategy to time management doing things in short periods of time, consistently. Overall, 2023 is starting out so well I almost hate to say it for fear it will jinx it!
Lori Holt’s Sew Scrappy Spool quilt along with FQS is starting in a week or so. I have some fabric pulled, I will look thru the stash for more. I printed the pattern, and I am ready to join in. More sewing and creative moments are to come this year!
Vicki
mycreativecorner3.com 