Goals

Today is Friday, February 24, 2012. It is 5 minutes after my last post. The sun is still bright and beautiful.
I've been thinking a lot about this new year and goals I had set for myself. They are not really resolutions - just some goals.
While we were in Nauvoo for the last year and a half, each day was pretty well scheduled for us. As it came time for us to be released as Temple Missionaries and return home, I bagan to wonder what I would do with all of those hours. I decided I would practice the piano everyday, write in my journal every day, spend time identifying photos, and do some sewing and write a blog at least once a week.
Here it is nearly the end of February. How have I done with those goals I set for myself? Well, I've written in my journal at least once a week (sometimes I play catch up on Sunday). I've done some sewing (made 6 or 7 hot pads from quilt blocks my mother cut out years ago). The;re have been days when I have not even touched the piano - other days when I have spent more than an hour playing it. Blogs - well, I have done ONE so far this year. This is my second one for 2012. (Well, actually my third.)
I've been sorting through possessions. We have many possessions. And I am such a saver. I have school programs and certificates for each of our children. I have a file folder for each one with all the things I find. I need to ship them off to each one now that they have their own homes. That would make a lot of room in my filing cabinet.
I am trying to be very selective in what I keep in the way of paper stuff. In 1991 Christo, a world renowned artist, had an unmbrella display through the Lebec and Grapevine area of Hwy 99. The Bakersfield Californian did a whole section about it. Should I keep that thing any longer? And I have a large calendar from the Californian where I wrote our activities for each day. It is packed with family history. And pages and pages of Valentines from when I was in the second grade and the third grade. I decided to pick out one or two that looked special and sent the rest to recycling.
Fabric - oh my gosh! My grandma loved fabric, my mother loved fabric and I love fabric. I am trying to be relentless is sending fabric to DI. We only have so much space and when will I ever use it? Most of it was given to Mother or me by someone else who collected fabric and had to clear out their supply.
And costumes I've kept over the years - I have been involved in many plays and productions and used many of them. I am narrowing down from 7 boxes to only two and considering just saving one. Nowadays, unless the costumes are vintage or wonderful looking, no one would wear them. I used to think our grandchildren would like to play dress up but not so. Our grandchildren have too many electronic devices to play with. Dress up only happens once a year, at Christmas for the Nativity Scene.
And dishes and pots and pans. I remember my mother's kitchen when she lived all alone. She had a huge cupboard (it had been the storage place for the washing machine) FILLED with pots and pans. Some she hadn't used in 20 years. Guess what? I have some I haven't used for 3 years. And guess what got donated to DI. Dishes, too. We lived for a year and a half with 8 plates, 8 bowls, 8 sets of silverware, 4 pans, 2 skillets, 8 glasses, 2 mixing bowls, 2 cookie sheets, 2 or 3 serving bowls. And we got along just fine.
We have spent these first months sorting things in the house. Now we are working on the "keepsakes" in the garage. We are de-cluttering. It's a great feeling. Maybe we are helping someone else, too. But I want to do better at my first plan - play the piano every day, write in my journal every day and blog at least once a week. The other activities I can enjoy as well. My Grandma McG used to say you have 24 hours everyday and just as much time as the President.
That's all for this blog.