We had a late, great Fall this year. The leaves were beautiful, the weather nice and we really didn't have any bad weather until mid December. When it did come, it came in like a lion and we have had lots of snow since them. Notice the mailbox and how the snow practically comes to the top of the pole. This is after we have shoveled it many times. The snow plow didn't help as he pushed the snow up into it every day. The snow really is this deep though. We have large boulders along our sidewalk and boxwood bushes that are a couple of feet high, but you see no sign of them here. You will also notice the tall grass in the bottom picture.....well that is still there but you can barely see the tip of it. The roads are clear today, January 13th, but the driveway still has packed snow and ice since we face the north. We have been stuck twice trying to back out. Our snow pack on the mountains is finally up to "norm" which it hasn't been for several years now so we will be grateful, but if the next two months are the same I am buying a ticket to someplace warm. My older bones don't like this much and I fear falling again.

Remember what June looked like?

Cleaning Tips

I don't do "Spring Cleaning". It is too exhausting and stressful to me. I do most of my main cleaning after New Years. I took a cleaning class at Relief Society many years ago. I didn't incorporate everything that was taught that night but this is one thing that I do. The teacher said to clean one drawer (cabinet) each day. You will be tempted to do more, but don't. So, I take everything out of a drawer, scrub the drawer, clean the things that are in it and clean the outside of it. That's it for the day (this doesn't exclude the regular every day chores of course, just the things that you would normally consider "Spring Cleaning" chores. This works for the kitchen or bathroom. If you start at the beginning of the month, and if you have 30 cabinets and drawers, they will all be done by the end of the month. If you keep up this schedule, you will rarely ever have big chores to do and it feels like you hardly worked at all.

Now I need to incorporate this idea into my ironing. I don't like to iron and keep putting it off. a I have tried to buy clothes that don't need a lot, but I just can't let Wayne go to work in a shirt that came out of the dryer if the collar needs pressing and the sleeves need a crease. I 've been known to iron T-shirts at times too, but I did figure out a trick for them. Did you ever buy that wrinkle release spray that smells like fabric softener. You spray your t-shirt and then stretch it lightly and the wrinkles just melt away? I got some and it worked very well. Then I ran out and just sprayed it with plain water and stretched it and...voila...exactly the same results but without the smell. I did it this morning with a t-shirt that was very wrinkled. A little phsssst, phsssst and a little tug, tug and not a wrinkle in site. Maybe I will try ironing one item of clothing each day so it will never feel like a chore. If I do one article of clothing per day, I should be done by June.

I belong to a book club that is comprised of many amazing women. We all live in the same subdivision and just blocks from each other. After seeing the pictures, you may think that if your name isn't Laura or Susan, you can't take part, but that just isn't true. At book club when you say "Susan" or "Laura" you have to specify which one you are talking to or they may all answer. We have 3 Laura's, a Lori, a Lisa, and 2 Susans..... plus Michele, Joan, Nicole, Yolanda, Cliss and Tricia. We have diverse tastes in books but we try to read most of them even if it is not something that we would ordinarily pick. I have read several of these and have been pleasantly surprised each time. That's what I like about book club....it takes me out of my proverbial box. My tastes run to mysteries, historical fiction, biographies and old classics but I have expanded my repertoire to include some romance, contemporary fiction, young adult fiction, science fiction and histories. I have liked almost everything we have read except one (that I really should have liked) and that book was the non-fiction textbook called "The Illustrated Brief History of Time" by Steven Hawking. Even though it had a lot of fascinating things in it, I found myself drifting off too often to learn. I like to think it wasn't too intellectually above my understanding but I was just BORED to death. I may try it again in 20 years or so when I am in a "home" and can do nothing else. I will have to take a crash course in the next life if I ever hope to build my own world. Others really enjoyed it however. I love the discussions we have and how points will be brought out that I hadn't thought of or even noticed in the book before. Many times we will have totally different perspectives on the intended plot development and if we care about the characters in the book. Oh, and did I mention that we never leave without filling our tummies with yummy food? We have run the gamut of appetizers and desserts to soups, breads, fruits and veggies and have been known to prepare foods that are mentioned in the books. We can also bring our needlework or lap crafts and work on them while we talk. Thank you girls for making my 3rd Wednesday of the month a little more special than other Wednesdays. You are all the best!!!

Susan K. and Susan W.

Nicole, Laura H, Joan and Yolanda

Lori and Lisa

Lisa, Nicole and Laura H.

Laura L. , Julie, and Laura T.

Laura H. and Yolanda

Circle Food

It has been thought that what you eat and who you are with on New Years can bring luck during the coming year, so many people surround themselves with family and friends. Many cultures believe that anything in the shape of a ring is good luck, because it symbolizes "coming full circle," completing a year's cycle. For that reason, the Dutch believe that eating donuts on New Year's Day will bring good fortune. Works for me. Here I come Krispy Creme!!

Resolutions

This is pretty much how my New Year's resolutions go. Mark Twain said it best.

"Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual." -Mark Twain

I have kept a couple this year:

1. I have read the Book of Mormon again for the third time in a row and have tried to be more fervent in my prayers.
2. I have gotten pretty organized in most aspects of my life.

I have failed miserably at a few:

1. I have not lost a pound, in fact have gained a few so it's off to the doctor for the head tumor review. Did I mention that I actually have two? Both benign as far as we know.
2. I have not finished all my unfinished craft projects
3. I have not kept up the treadmill and exercise routines faithfully.
4. I have not kept my journal current, although I think this blog is a good start.
5. I have not sent every person that I love a birthday card as I promised myself I would do.
6. I still have a lot of problems with my bad leg and Wayne has told me for months to go see the doctor about it. No, I didn't ever go.

I will still make some more resolutions though, and hope that if I at least keep one I am still better off than I was before. How did you do this year?