End of the Week - start of new time!

Okay - I am three months into my life changes and am sometimes surprised by what seems like little progress, BUT at other times I can't believe the changes.   Three months since I decided I absolutely couldn't take it anymore!   In that time I have come to know my family better, taken better care of myself than I ever have, and completely re-evaluated my priorities.    So, one-fourth of my one-year timeline has gone by.  

I am a happier, stronger person.   And, doesn't that say it all!!

Tonight is our second football game (go Purple!).   We take our Friday Nights seriously here - and it is truthfully a lot of fun!!   Yesterday, I met with a friend who has such sound business sense it was great fun to bounce ideas off her.    As well, some exciting things going on in real estate.   So all in all, a good week, a good month, a good time.  

Family Updates:

Boy 1 had another great show in Westport this week!    We were the oldest people there - ha, ha.   He sounded so good, and appeared to be having so much fun on stage.  (This was confirmed later!)  

Boy 2 turned 16.   He can now drive to places other than school.  (Like to the grocery store for Mom!)

Dogs 1 and 2 have settled into a comfortable routine.   But still occasionally eat socks!

Wonderful Man is still Wonderful Man - patient and supportive.  Thank you!

Have a great weekend!!!

Tips

We were talking the other day about getting those "white" marks off wood tables (either water rings or heat marks) and I found the following helpful hints as I researched:

DIY – How To Remove White Heat Stains On Wood Table

We have an old wood table that has been used and abused for years. I brought it out over the holidays for card playing and commented how badly marked and stained it was–while quickly covering with a tablecloth. A relative gave me a tip: for the white scorch marks, just take an iron and apply heat to the cloudy stains, they’ll disappear!

NOW I HAVE NOT TRIED THIS - AND YOU NEED TO GO TO THE WEBSITE TO SEE INSTRUCTIONS AND PICTURES.    SHE GIVES SOME CONSERVATIVE APPROACHES AS WELL.


http://tipnut.com/diy-how-to-remove-white-heat-stains-on-wood-table/

More White Stain Removal Tips For Wood Furniture

If the last tip for removing those pesky white water rings or steam marks from wood tables and furniture was a bit too aggressive for you, try one of the tips below:

• Mix 50/50 toothpaste and baking soda, rub into mark. Do not use gel toothpaste for this.
• Rub in a paste of salt and olive oil, allow to sit for up to an hour. Wipe off.
• Rub in Miracle Whip (Mayonnaise) and wipe off after an hour.
• Mix 50/50 vinegar and olive oil and rub into the watermark.
• Try straight toothpaste (non-gel). Rub into the stain then wipe off.
• Make a paste with baking soda and a few drops of water. Rub into stain then wipe off. You can also try salt instead of baking soda.
• Rub some Vaseline (or other petroleum jelly) into the watermark and leave overnight. Wipe off in the morning.

OTHER INTERESTING TIPS:


Stained Plastic Dishes: Soak stained plastic dishes overnight with hot soapy water and 1/4 cup vinegar. Wash clean the next day.


When papering or painting a room, make a notation of the amount of material needed to do the job, and place the notation under the main light switch in that room. It won’t get lost and it will save yourself a lot of extra work when the room is being painted again.  (NOTE FROM ME:   This is a good one so you don't forget the paint color because we tend to use different shades of the same color!  Would also be helpful to the next owners of the home!)






A FUNNY ONE - TO ME! 
 (I liked this one and then I had to laugh.   The old me, first, didn't iron and anything that needed mending just wasn't worn!!! )


Keep a small pin cushion with threaded needles and a plastic box for buttons on the end of your ironing board for the “stitch in time” as you come to it, then ironing and mending are both finished at once.

Inspiration ... where do I get it?

I mentioned in an earlier post that I was not inspired by Kate of KatePlus8 fame.   And I don't mean to pick on her, I've just had a couple of people ask about.     Its not that I don't recognize what a challenge she has in raising children in that number - its just that she doesn't "inspire" me to do more, or to leave a pity-party once their life puts mine in real perspective.

Inspiring to me - is the woman I read about in Sunday's paper.  Suffering from a form of muscular dystrophy, this woman is married with two children and has a full time job.   Her life is spent in a wheelchair.  Having children endangered her life.   Can you say c-section with only LOCAL anesthetic?   She has to worry that any cold may turn into pneumonia which might end her life.    THAT INSPIRES ME and sure makes my problems look pretty simple.

A friend coming out of a divorce puts her child first - shielding him from knowing some not-so-nice facts about his Dad.  Taking the high road even though it would be perfectly understandable why she might not. THAT INSPIRES ME - to know sometimes people really do think of other first.

A teacher who actually gets excited when kids learn and doesn't give their top reason for choosing to be a teacher as "well, I get the summer off".    THAT INSPIRES ME - to gain true satisfaction in just knowing you furthered someone's knowledge (certainly above the low pay we provide to our teachers!)

I know how I feel when someone says they tried something I wrote about or you do a favor for a friend or even just when you do something trivial for someone but it was just a nice, unexpected thing to do (like tell them to go before you in grocery checkout line because they only have a couple items and I have my whole cart!)   THIS ALL FEELS GOOD.   And its people like I mention above that INSPIRE me to do these simple things.   I'd like to do more and need to figure out how I can do so on larger scale.

During some of my recent research on home journals and management I came across MAD (Make A Difference) and I'm sorry to say I can't remember where.   And I have been reminding myself every morning "I need to get MAD today".   Because you can Make A Difference every day - little thing - baby steps as someone I used to work with would say.    Its okay to start small - maybe bigger things will follow.

So....who inspires you to get MAD?

Family Times

What a great weekend!  Our first home football game was a decisive win!     Family came to visit; some stayed with us, while others were in a hotel.   There was a fun afternoon of "girl time":   shopping with my niece, sisters and nephew's wives.  My niece is a beautiful girl; tall and thin and can wear anything, has a confidence and style all her own.   Lots of laughs, great buys and beautiful weather.  Followed with a leisurely dinner where we met up with the "guys".   My nephews both have children of their own.   It was so funny to hear my nephew describe Boy 2 as looking so much like his dad, while he had his boys sitting near him and they look just like him at that age.    The other nephew has two beautiful girls, and both have been blessed with lovely wives.

Side note:   As I'm writing this I looked up the proper way for an Aunt (I'm sure the favorite one! ha, ha) to "address" nephew's wives.   It turns out their isn't one - which really strikes me as odd since every cousin into infamy gets a name.   The consensus seemed to be if you liked them or were "close" you called them nieces, but if not "nephew's wife" was the way to go.   That's just not right!!!   I certainly like them.   I can't say we are close, however, as we live several hours from them.    And, as I thought about it, maybe they don't want to be referred to as my nieces.    I think niece-in-law works just like sister-in-law.  Anyway - I will have to ask them when I next see them if they have any thoughts on this.  

Goodbye's were said to part of the group and the rest of the weekend included more family times:  celebration of Boy 2's 16th birthday, a trip to the lake (too windy for much boating but got to float), more shopping and another football game.  I put decorator sister to work while she stayed with me; needed advice on a couple of rooms, helped with my hair (will talk about more later!), made her shop the sales with me!  So today its back to work.  Labor Day always marked the end of summer - for me its marking the start of something new!   to be continued.