A Purrfect Picture

From M'eowr House to Yours,

I wish you a Purrfectly Marvelous Day

However you define "marvelous", 

may your day be seasoned with a little bit of purrfection.

Hoppy Trails

So many trails ...

... I can only wonder how many rabbits.

One hoppy little rabbit ran a circle, did several four-feet-off-the-ground hops, circled back and headed on his merry way while I watched this morning. 

Could this be the work of only one rabbit? I may never know ...

Thank You

It seems to be a morning of squeezing out the last of the toothpaste from the tube; finishing off the last of some frozen fruit; running to the end of another toilet paper roll; and emptying a jug of milk. It has been a week of worn out socks; holey gloves; replacing another pen that ran out of ink; pulling out a warmer coat; and finishing off the last of my favorite foot cream.

In all cases but one, we have a back-up supply within the house. In the case of the milk, it will be replenished before the day's end.

As I squeeze out the last of all we have run out of, I cannot help but think "What if this was all we had? What if we couldn't replenish our resources by simply running out to the store?"

I have just refilled a prescription. The question of topping up the gas in the car is simply a matter of "when", not "how" or "if". Picking up groceries is a weekly chore, something I squeeze into the week but never a question of affordability.

I turned up the thermostat and the furnace didn't cut in as expected. I wandered downstairs to look at the furnace. How old is the air filter? Are any warning lights flashing? Everything checked out okay and within minutes I could feel the house heating up. What if our furnace died and we didn't have the means to have it repaired?

My car is looking pretty dirty with all the melting and slushy weather we have had recently. But everything is working and it gets me where I need to go and back home again. What if it didn't? If it died, what if I couldn't get it to a garage?

As I walk through my quiet little life, I hope I never ever stop feeling grateful for the creature comforts within our home and the community that surrounds us.

I am grateful. So grateful.

Thank you.

Focusing on the Joy

I found this in my morning scroll through Facebook:

~ Ziad K. Abdelnour

Image from rawforbeauty.com

So much truth in such a simple metaphor.

One's perception of "life" is so often where one places their focus.

I watch videos of children misbehaving and getting attention for their actions. 

Then we wonder why children are acting the way they do?

I scroll past information I find "jump on the bandwagon and 'hate' this person".

So much energy is spent on spreading the hate. 

And we wonder why there the peace within the world is threatened?

The state of our economy, job security, the value of our dollar and concern about the future?

They are all very valid concerns. 

Every time I start worrying about that which is out of my control, I look inward and try to find some small way in which I can control my very small piece of the puzzle (which is quite possibly why I spend an extraordinary amount of time scouring my financial spreadsheet to analyze my spending patterns and try to adapt better habits to secure a better future).

There is so very much that is out of our control within our world.

But if we focus on what's important,

Capture the joy we find along our way,

Develop from the negativity that surrounds us,

And just keep taking another shot when things go wrong,

 We will create a mental "photo album" that brings as much peace of mind as we can muster.

Thank you, Facebook for bringing the good stuff to our attention. 

I do not apologize for the negativity I quickly scroll past.

I am placing my focus on that which enlightens me and brings me joy.

It makes living in my happy little bubble wrapped world a better place to be.

A Year From Now

As much as I have been looking back recapping the year 2019 in my mind, there is a part of me that is looking up, appreciating the moment I'm in and wistfully wondering where things will be a year from now ...

I wrote those words then went back into the archives of this blog to remind myself where I was a year ago.

A year ago, I had basically stopped writing here. I started writing during my Christmas holiday and promised myself to start writing again. I have kept that promise.

A year ago, I wrote of our upstairs bedrooms not having an identity. I was toying with the idea of emptying out each bedroom, painting it, sorting the contents within and getting the house organized and spruced up one room at a time. A year later? The entire upstairs (minus the bathroom) was refurbished, floor to ceiling. The outdoor maintenance has been tended as well.

A year ago, I was beating myself up for not having the ambition I should have. Nothing has changed there. Except I am attempting to be a little kinder to myself and forgiving myself for my shortfalls.

A year ago, I was over the moon because I had no Christmas plans. It was a vacation to be enjoyed at home and there was no place I would rather be. Same goes for this year.

December 30, 2018 - this is what I wrote:

I'm a homebody. I love home. I love quiet. I feel like I could envelope myself within this tiny little world and it would be enough. 

I know enough to be careful what I wish for. What if "this" was all I could have? What if I didn't live in a world where invitations, interaction, work obligations, friends and family weren't at my fingertips? Would this be enough?

I know it wouldn't be. I know I have this incredible peace within me because I have a sense of purpose combined with strong, safe relationships with people outside of my tiny little bubble. 

My bubble wrapped little world. I'm not taking many risks here yet. I'll keep taking one forward step at a time. Peace and contentment first. The rest will follow ...

December 3, 2019 - almost a year has passed since I wrote those words. So much has transpired during the year past. So much.

I cannot help but wonder what the next year will bring. I will set my goals, live life a day at a time, continue to revel in the wonder that is "my life", I will be grateful for good health, family harmony and peace of mind for all.

The wheels are in motion. They never stop. Life evolves a day at a time. The past is history. The future is unknown. Living in the present, with an eye on tomorrow is truly the only way to live.

Though it never ceases to amaze me, how setting intentions does help steer the course of one's life toward a future one can only imagine.

This time last year? I was dreaming of where I hoped to be. Writing more. Tending to the needs of our neglected home. All my dreams came true. And so many more ...

Mathematical Recap of the Year ("Boring Alert" - you may wish to skip this one)

It all started when I started mentally recapping the year 2019 in my mind. It was a good year. It was memorable. It was productive. It was also very expensive.

Then my thoughts took a turn toward the financial side of the year past.

How can I start the new year right - with a new budget in place, pay off an outstanding loan from the year past AND save up for income taxes?

I looked backward and studied the money I spent. I looked forward and tried to orchestrate a budget I can live within. I added up all annual expenses and divided them by twelve to re-institute "annual expenses" back into my budget. The less I earn, the better I manage my money. This was a very financially irresponsible year.

I need to curb my spending, pay off debt and cover my tax bill while hoping no unexpected expenses arise.

Would I change a thing about the year past? Not in a heart beat.

House renovations were long overdue. I wish I had crossed fixing up the bathrooms off the list. If I had, I would be in a pretty fine pickle right about now. Thankfully I reined in my wishes and tabled bathroom renovations for another decade.

Many fine memories were made as I went where I wanted to go, did what I wanted to do, issued invitations on one hand and accepted them on the other.

It was a very good year but I am not quite in the head space to write a Christmas letter at the moment. I need to pick my head up and look above and beyond my financial spreadsheets. I need to find my whimsical side.

When I look up and out of the dollars and cents part of this life equation, I see so very many good things. At the end of the day, I turn on the Christmas lights and find my inner joy as I glance out the window in hope of spotting a rabbit.

It takes so very little to please me. I can read, write, visit and spot rabbits without leaving the house or spending a dime. So where the heck does all the money go? Just give me a sec and I can account for nearly every penny!

This is no time to write Christmas letters. I'll save that for a less financially minded day. I think I'll go watch for rabbits now ...

Best of Intentions

This has been sitting idle in the hallway for the past five days:

I hereby dub this scene "Best of Intentions"