I found this image, and thought some of you might be able to relate, when I was searching for an Anne Taintor calender for 2015. I always get one of hers for my desk area. I love her humor and may have to include some of her other creations I came across that tickled my funny bone. Maybe I'll have an "Anne Taintor Week" coming up!
But, this isn't me this year. We've intentionally planned our holidays so that they would be low-key. Christmas was and I expect New Year's to be also. It will be a good way to slide into January which we intend to make a relaxing, rehabilitating, restful month. I can hardly wait.
Today Papa Pea and I hauled twenty-some heavy, large tote boxes down from our uninsulated (colder than a son of a buck it was up there) storage room. We spread the boxes out in the kitchen where it took us all day to sort through them. We now have six big cardboard boxes of clothing to take to our recycling resale store tomorrow along with some miscellaneous household items we sorted through last week.
After going through all the totes, just to have more fun, we re-packed and re-labeled them all and hauled them up the stairs and back into storage. I will not be working out on my StairMaster tonight. Nor will I be doing any weight-bearing exercises.
Our temperatures finally fell to more December-like weather two days ago, down into the low 20s. Now the forecast for the coming week is high daytime temperatures barely over zero. But the fantastic news is . . . wait for it . . . SUNSHINE is also forecast for the whole week. How welcome that will be! (Still no snow even though the mid and southern part of our state got dumped on a couple of days ago. None here in the north. What's wrong with this picture?)
Although it's not a New Year's Resolution (honest, it's not), come January 1st Papa Pea and I are going to purge our bodies (said in a Julia Child voice) of all the not-so-good morsels we've allowed to pass over our lips during this food and confection-laden season. We need to straighten up and fly right . . . and hopefully lose a few pounds in the process. We'll be eating lots of apples and healthy smoothies, probably our good eggs for breakfast but no toast, dinner will be a couple of veggies (heaven knows we have plenty of them from the garden stashed in the freezers) along with some protein. Few or no carbohydrates (I will personally need lotsa help in this area), especially no sweet treats (hubby's downfall). We'll be reminding each other to drink a lot of water to keep our systems clean and pure. I know these are all high and noble plans, but we're both on the same page with it and want to shed some of the winter hibernation fat we absolutely don't need.
The seed catalogs started arriving here before Thanksgiving this year (didn't like that . . . way too early), but now I'm getting itchy to pour through them and get my seed order(s) in early. I don't think I'll do anything radical or too different as far as the vegetables I plant this year, but I do want to plant more flowers. I believe it was Ralph Waldo Emerson who is credited with saying, "The earth smiles with flowers." I like that. Yes, I wanna plant lots more flowers!
Ah yes the New Years purge, I know it well. I need to do a body purge too and get on the eating right bandwagon this year. Post about your efforts so it will help keep me motivated cause I need all the motivation I can get.
ReplyDeleteSparkless - Somehow I just know it's easier to talk about it prior to having to actually start eating healthier in a few days. I'll try to keep you motivated if you try to keep me motivated. Deal?
DeleteHubby and I are looking forward to that New Year's purge as well. We've "allowed" ourselves to wallow in treats between Thanksgiving and New Years, like hogs at the slop trough.....and wow---the weight, the feeling lousy, the up half the night---it's ALL BACK. Ugh. We feel like death---not even warmed over!
ReplyDeleteBest to you both in the coming New Year. I , for one, certainly hope it's better than 2014. What a year it's been. I try to look at it as , um, a sobering reminder of how good my life really is. Gotta throw in a bad year once in awhile, but oh my gosh, ENOUGH already!!!
Happy New Year, Mama and Papa Pea.
" . . . like hogs at the slop trough . . . " Can't help it, Sue, I had to laugh at that one. Do you know that the better your everyday diet is (the healthier you eat) the harder it hits you when you fall off the wagon? Your system is so unused to processing the synthetics and poisons that it is stressed to the max to handle it all. Why do we do this to ourselves?
DeleteMaybe in 2015 we'll all wise up and take care of ourselves better. Sounds good to me!
Funny how great minds think alike. Everything you mentioned is on my list too and from reading the comments above I guess were all in the same boat.
ReplyDeleteBring it on 2015! Lets do this!
Is there any other time of year when we eat so much sugar and heavy "celebration" foods? Maybe that's why after the holidays we all feel the need to shape up!
DeletePurge. Yep. That's what I need to do. I think that's what I shall call the year of 2015, thanks to you. Purge the unwanted / unneeded clothes/utencils/equipment/books (omg, did I say "books"???).....and some poundage. Thanks for the kick in the pants!
ReplyDeleteGood idea, Carolyn Renee! The Year of the Purge. Let's purge all the bad stuff emotionally, mentally and physically! We took six boxes of clothes (how many pieces of clothing can a person wear at once . . . even up here near the Arctic Circle?) to our recycling resale shop today and half a Suburban load to a local second hand store for household items of all kinds including furniture, lamps, dishes, etc. Everyone around here better watch out. If you're not nailed down, you may get jettisoned!
DeleteSince I've started cleaning and making it evident to keep it clean, the kids are cleaning. One cleaned her entire room area up and now Hubby is starting to clean up his stuff. It sure feels good. We too are working on health and improvement and hope to get back to the gym soon.
ReplyDeleteKristina - Wow, that's great that the kids are joining in with the cleaning going on in your house.
DeleteYou do such a good job of feeding your family with good food. You're an inspiration to me!
Now that things have settled out a bit at the Hoosier Country Homestead De and I are focusing on getting back on our 'feed'. We've both been (heavily) dabbling in the usual holiday chocolate and sugar-rich dainties, and are starting to reap the results.
ReplyDeleteI'm sitting here now working on my 'to-do' list for the week since I don't go back to my 'day job' until the 5th. (I think it'll show up in a post, soon.) I definitely won't be slacking!
Mark - From your blog post(s) it sure seems that you've been more than busy this holiday season. You may have to go back to work to rest! I think this week between Christmas and New Year's is a very natural time for all of us to take time to reassess our priorities and decide how we want to start (and go through) the new year.
DeleteI was just trying to settle in yesterday when I read this post and - darn it - felt the need to go in and work on the cat room! Then I baked some GF bread. Then I cleaned surfaces, squeezing in some book-reading between each session. I wonder if we WILL be able to settle down and take it easy for a month. I will if you will!
ReplyDeleteSusan - Okay, we're the first two members of the Rest, Relax and Rehabilitate in January club. Anyone else gonna join us? ;o)
DeleteYou make me want to do it too! Just wish I had teh get up & go you 2 do. I did squeeze some fresh grapefruit today & take the rinds to the compost bin. About 1/64th of what you guys do every day.
ReplyDeleteDFW - You make me laugh! Yay for that fresh grapefruit juice! Somehow I kinda know you get a lot done in a day's time. As we were driving back home this afternoon after dropping off a truckload of discarded items, I wondered out loud, "Gosh, what did I get done today?" But then when I started listing the things, I realized I actually did accomplish a bit. I think that's the same with all of us . . . we don't give ourselves enough credit for our accomplishments. (Could that be because we focus on ALL the things on the list we didn't get done? Gotta get rid of that blasted list.)
DeleteI'm in the same boat on the winter fluff! I have been eating horribly since Tom left, so I went out the other day and bought tons of stuff ....fruits, veggies, and yogurt to make smoothies. I won't give up carbs completely, but have cut back DRASTICALLY...no more pb&j sandwich before bed. I want to drop 20 or so pounds before I head to NH in February. But one of the biggest changes is moving my body. There are too many cold or rainy days I can't get outside. So I am determined to exercise in the house at least 30 mins each day.
ReplyDeleteHere's to a wonderful new year!
http://caffeinatedhomestead.weebly.com/blog
We're trying to live an overall healthier lifestyle too. Water is so important and over the holidays I've gotten so hooked on coffee and sweets and I'm usually not a 'sweets' person, but I think there is something to the idea that one can be 'addicted' to sugar? I'm actually glad it's finally the new year so things can settle down a bit and concentrate on a good routine. Good luck with your new year's goals!
ReplyDelete