AGAIN

I'm going to try this again. 

A lot has happened since I wrote in 2015.  It is now 2017.  My mother has passed and I miss her terribly.  She suffered for the last four months of her life and it was a blessing.  She died peacefully in her sleep.  She always worried so much about me.  She was very generous financially and, quite frankly, I don't think I could have made it without her support.

She really didn't want me to move away but for my own sanity I needed too.  I needed to move away from negativity that I was constantly around.  I needed peace and kindness in my life and I have found that here in gold country.  It is beautiful here, though very cold and wet this winter.  I feel like my home may float away, even though I'm in the mountains and there are no streams around me.  The earth is so saturated and just can't keep up with all the water.  At least I had a roof installed last year so I feel safe with no leaks.

My mother has left me financially secure and for that I am extremely grateful.  My house needs a lot of work and will now be able to make the place I want it to be.  I did remove some of the dark, ugly kitchen cabinets and painted the remainder with Annie Sloan chalk paint in white.  However, the layout stinks, the cabinets are old and disgusting, and I will be replacing them. I will shortly start looking for replacements.  I'll keep you informed.

I also want new hardwood floors and to paint the inside and outside of my home, remove the fireplace from the middle of the room and replace with another gas burning more modern style fireplace.  Also, I was in the middle of redoing the guest bathroom but ran out of money and now that should be restarted at the end of February. 

I'll start posting pictures of this disaster of a home starting tomorrow.

Good night for now dear friends.

I didn't write once in 2015.  So many things happened in my life.  I moved from Marin County to easier living in Grass Valley and I absolutely love it.  I am trying to make my life simple and filled with love. 

My new house needs lots of love and I am slowly working on it.  Right after I moved I became so tired and lethargic and could hardly raise my arms.  I had blood tests and it was determined that my thyroid was wasn't working properly.  The doctor raised my medication and lo and behold, I have so much more energy. 

With the help of my cousin, we painted the kitchen cabinets white from a dark dirty brown, removed some cabinet doors and left the cabinets as open shelving.  Right now I'm in the process of laying black concrete on the countertops.  When they are done I MAY post a picture.  Since I do not have a camera I have to use my phone so the picture will not be all that good.

Life is good.

Cheryl

In my new way of living simple and trying to live with a much smaller income, I am open to using natural products, not the expensive chemical filled ones found in the grocery stores.  I've been reading this blog:  http://www.diynatural.com/ and decided to follow their directions for homemade dishwasher soap and homemade clothes soap.  I'll let you know how it goes.

I know the homemade clothes soap will work well because I have used it before but I'm anxious to try the dishwasher soap.  I smells clean and fresh, so much better than the chemical laden store-bought products.

Also, I bought marrow bones and am making beef broth.  I included an onion, carrot, and celery as well as fresh basil, rosemary and oregano from my little deck garden.  I've been cooking it for a day and a half in my slow cooker and I'll give it until tomorrow morning.  It smells delicious.  Gelatin is very healthy for you and you obtain it from the marrow of the bones.  I had some leftover from a previous batch in the freezer and mixed it with a potato and broccoli and ate that last night.  A little salt and pepper and very satisfying.  Delicious.  I'll take batches of this broth and put in Ziploc bags and freeze flat in my freezer for future meals.  It will go great with added vegetables, meat and if wanted, grains, as a very delicious, nutritious meal.

I wish anyone reading this blog a very Happy, healthy, and wonderful new year.

I've been reading a lot of blogs and articles about spending less and living with what you have.  I just read an article from Forbes about a couple who decided not to spend any money for a year.  Here it is:  The Buy Nothing Year.  If you click on this link it will open in a new page.

It is a very interesting prospect.  I've often thought about trying not to spend money, especially since I don't have any, but I think I'll try it for week starting on Saturday and I'll let you know how it goes.

On another note, I'm starting The Kitchen Capsule Challenge started by Courtney Carver on the blog Be More With Less.  It's a challenge to only eat the same 33 foods for three months.  Read about it and let me know what you think.

Today is my youngest son's birthday.  I can't believe he is 34.  I am very proud of him -- he is a firefighter, farrier, husband and father.  Just love this kid.

I went to the Dollar Star to buy his birthday card.  They are only 50 cents each so I bought two of the same.  I cut out the design on one of them and used pop dots to pop it off the card on top of the same design. Makes it look like a more expensive card for only $1.00.  Love trying to be thrifty.

Of course, since I have so many craft items, I found the pop dots in my supply so they didn't cost me anything extra.  I had bought them for an earlier project.

Some day I would love to be perfectly organized in every room in my home.  Here are couple of ideas I found on Pinterest for the kitchen.

This first one I just think is a very practical idea:


                                          (makebakecelebrate)

I also love this one:


                                               Decorating Files

Enjoy these pictures and see if you can use them.

Here are ten healthy habits to start immediately:

1.  Start fresh every single morning.  It's a new day and time to start over.

2.  Put down your phone when you are with people.  It is so rude to be looking at your phone when you're in the middle of a conversation with someone.

3.  Don't try to keep up with the Jones'.  It just puts extra pressure on you and makes you feel inadequate.  Be happy for what you have accomplished.

4.  Stop beating yourself up.  If you are doing your best, accept yourself.

5.  Don't start smoking and if you do smoke, quit.  It will be one of the hardest things you have ever done but you won't regret it

6.  Cut back on sugar.  It will make you feel so much better.

7.  Listen to your body.  If it's sore, take it easy, if it needs exercise, take it for a walk.

8.  Always were a seat belt, even in a taxi or a bus if they have them.  Save your life.

9.  Count to 10 when you are angry.  Don't say something you will regret, especially to your children.

10. Don't skimp on sleep.  You need it and you will feel so much better for it.  That way, you can start fresh every morning.