Money & Clutter

I truly do check here each Monday, loving the fact that a nearby county publishes it's Leaf & Limb pick-up, telling gardeners where they can go find already bagged leaves to tote home for leaf mold, compost, mulch and/or earthworm vittles. I found dozens of bags today, filled up my truck, got coffee grounds, and 100 mismatched bricks from a brick company. I'm expanding the garden beds, willing to pay almost-sticker price for bricks, knowing they'll outlast the house. I still have all my original bricks that've moved twice before I bought this house in 1993.

I only go leaf-hunting in nearby neighborhoods, I'm not gonna waste gas or my time traipsing around.

My antique roses are still blooming and I sure wish I'd had time, years ago, to remember the names of those I'd planted. One today was heart-stoppingly fragrant. It really doesn't take much to make me happy.

I stood up there like a dork, planning next year's garden beds, never remembering which crops shouldn't follow each other, hardly remembering what I'd planted where this year, really just dilly dallying in the very warm sunshine, thankful I'm retired, glad that all my kids go to school, freeing me up each day.

This week is full of birthdays, Alex is 20 now, Mayra 16, Chuy 14, Tabby 7 and Sarah turns 36 this week alone. Y'all want Krispy Kreme? I'll barf if I have to see another sheet cake.

My mind today thinking hard about two blogs I adore, one of them reviewing a book the other one wrote. These statements in particular resonated, "I link to Unclutterer frequently because I believe there is a strong connection between clutter and financial problems, since clutter represents having more physical possessions than you can manage and all of those possessions cost money. Plus, dealing with clutter requires a time investment and in our busy lives, time has a very high value.

Amen.

The next fifty years for me will be all about food. Producing and preserving, gardening and simplicity... equals joy and happiness.

Bring it on.