A Big Dill

 Now that I have your attention!

I like to say "Yes, you are kinda a big dill" to me. We are on this journey of life together. And I ask you; did you need to hear that today?  When life/ work/ family/ situations get us down, we often need to hear:

You are most welcome!

Probably not words my therapist would offer, but you get the pickle. (Sidebar: I am NOT a therapist, so please do not take my ramblings as any kind of official help.)

I was asked recently what I am reading. Here is a book you might not have thought of to add to your library, but I do suggest it. The Gentle Art of Death Cleaning. I know it sounds morbid, but it is actually quite freeing. I choose what happens to my shit after I'm gone and I do not leave this awful burden to my loved ones.  Because, well, I LOVE them!  

I know my parents and grandparents, etc loved. But they were also packrats (I might have blogged about this before. I haven't read through my past blogs either!).  I know for a fact they would have given up their lives for us. But when it comes to parting with precious treasures, doodads, knickknacks, tchotchkes? I heard "you give my stuff away, I'll come back to haunt you!"  I think my grandmother started it as a joke, but the more she said it, I really believe SHE believed it and my brother definitely believed her.

They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree so I see a tirade of threats to my family when I'm senile and loving my things to the point that I threaten to appear on an episode of "Get my Ghost Mama out of my house!"

There is also a sense of letting go. As a Christian woman, I believe in the afterlife. I know I cannot take my stuff with me and so my question today is: what do I need to let go of so I am living my best "life everlasting" right now.

For now, I'm keeping my "big dill" coffee mug. And that's that!

Keep being your Big Dill self, too.

Mugs and Kisses,

Strawberry

Welcome Back, Grainiacs!

 Hello, Grainiacs,

Just call me Strawberry van Winkle. I have been away for quite awhile. In that time, my 4 littles have grown, some have married, and one had a baby. I'm a grandma! My grandma name is Punky. As a child my grandmother called me Punky. As a matter of fact, I think she stopped calling me Punky after I had a child and then she called her Punky, Jr. 

I have missed blogging. It helps me process things and I have a lot to process right now.  I almost started a new blog called "The Discerning Slug," but decided to continue with my Going Against the Grain....STILL. 

Join me on this journey.

Forever yours,

Strawberry*

*See my blog post September 1, 2011 "Watership Down!

 https://goingagainstthegrainstill.blogspot.com/2011/09/watership-down.html

Listen, My Children

Someone pinned a Pinterest funny to me. My friend and I know a person we'd like to go "all Jesus" over and yes, this made me smile.

After that initial chuckle and thinking of our mutual friend this would apply to, I stopped.  It really isn't so funny after all.  Not meaning to be preachy, but probably was received that way, I wrote "Yeah, that's the easy part.  It's the forgiveness part that's hard."  And that, my friends, is the truth.


Yesterday, Hubby hit his sermon out of the park (imho).  Some received his message with gladness; some did not; and some stop listening after he mentioned the Republican Party and others after he mentioned the Democratic Party.

We are a divided people.  Judging is easy.  The Republicans are bad/ the Democrats are bad/ beware of the socialists/ the independents are clueless.  We judge. We call names.  We divide.

But the message of truth is God's got the evil taken care of.  Our job is to love, to forgive, and to treat each other as we want to be treated.  It's not really hard...or at least it shouldn't be.

I like cardmaking.  I started a blog called The Eclectic Scrapper and I've let other things get in the way of my ministry and I do want it to be a ministry.  Long years ago I wanted to start a postcard ministry- fun, right?  Well today is the day.

The person I want to go "all Jesus" on is getting a postcard!

Eldest Son Moving On

I'm happy for him. I really am. But I'm also keenly aware like the sands in an hourglass....so goes the days of our lives.  I never watched that soap opera but I do remember the commercials or the start of the show.  It usually signaled for me to get up and change the channel!

At present, I'm in Dennison and enjoying a night of rest and relaxation....and a little work on the computer...before I take off back to Cucaracha-ville tomorrow.  I've loved spending time with Working Boy.  He is loving his job and for that I am thankful.

Hubby called today and said "I guess you've spent the morning in the craft store."  I could honestly say "no!"  

I know!!!!  My big adventure here is a trip to Joanne's Fabric and Craft store.  We have one now in our neck of the woods so the urge to splurge has diminished.  I am also practicing the Marie Kondo stockpile all your crap in one heap so you can see how much you have.  I've been doing that with my crapt-ing stuff.  All craft crap (crapt) is in one room.  I am amazed at how much I have and I haven't even finished going through the house and piling it in that one room.

My living room was filled with a majority of son's junk....er, precious stuff and now that is gone.  Unfortunately the room is still piled with my junk, er, precious things.  My goal is to reclaim the living room.  I'm counting on all my babies coming home for Christmas and I need that room cleaned out!  ;)

For now, enjoy my picture of working boy and I.

my eye is doing something crazy there!

 Anywho.....Enjoy your Friday night.  Strawberry

Anybody out there?

Hello, my name is Strawberry and I am a hoarder.

Identifying the problem is the first step, right?

I've shared over and over my Dad's philosophy of "if one is good; two's better."  My Mom taught me to buy that extra pair of shoes when I found one I really liked.  My grandmother saved everything AND she was a collector (I'm changing that word to "hoarder").

Career Girl and I have been going through my Mom's house. It is daunting.  At first you want to save everything (it's in my DNA-- that's my story and I'm sticking to it).  Then you want to throw or give everything away (but you secretly keep it-- I've found my mom's secret stash of my grandmother's stuff who had a secret stash of her parents and grandparents and great- grandparents.....).

I don't know when I became a "depression baby" but I've got it bad, man!

Sale?  Stock up.

Remember Y2K? Make sure you have gas/ food/ money/ in case the computers crash and you are left in dire straights.

Save those Whipped Cream containers, turn the front hallway closet into a second pantry with peanut butter and toilet paper from the warehouse box store!

Create a blog. (it's good)

Create another blog. (it's even better)

Create a third blog (okay, now you've just got a problem!)

and don't write on any of them because you have overwhelmed yourself. 


So here I am, Grainiacs.  Ready to change.

The first part is identifying the problem: I am a hoarder whether it is stuff, head stuff, blogs, dogs, cats, crafts, shoes, vitamins! yes, you read right. I'm looking at a buttload of vitamins on my kitchen counter.

The second part is gaining strength to solve the problem.  (Dang, I'm tired after writing this down)

This pertains to weight, to hoarding, to procrastination.

It is said "the first step is always the hardest."

My first step is a healthy glass of smoothie- I need the energy. I just tired myself out.

Gotta get these two cuties in the picture.

Blog- check
Smoothie- check

I've made that first step. See you tomorrow! I'm back to blogging.

Going Against the Grain

It has been awhile since I gave up grains.  I know some grains are considered healthy and some are not.  But my body seems to process granola and sugared donuts the same and it lands directly in and on my gut.

I've been sluggish even with all the activities and commitments I have and do.  I'm absolutely wiped out.

Take today for instance.  I have been to the store. I've cleaned out several cabinets. I've cleaned dishes. And it is 4:09 p.m. and I need a nap.  The last time I felt like this the doctor put me on thyroid meds and the endocrinologist said she would NOT have put me on thyroid meds.

So what's a strawberry to do?

I say "take the nap!"

I think our bodies know what we need.

And I'm wondering if my body is telling me to get off the grains again.

In the meantime, I'll share with you my cleaned up cabinets.

sorta kinda "before"

do not pay attention to the floor...that has been cleaned up

 I don't feel like getting up and retaking the picture.  You'll have to believe me when I say the floor area is now cleaned up.

Boy's Stuff is up high...except for the water bottles. They are for me too!

neighboring cabinet

I have lots of weight watcher goodies so my no consuming grains will have to wait.  I mean I don't want to waste good money, right?

Happy Tuesday, Grainiacs!

Normal?

I am sitting here in OK giving thanks that Career Girl's foot surgery was successful and that she has not experienced too much pain.  Praise God!

On Friday she underwent a bunionectomy and a few bones had to be rearranged.  She expects to be off her foot for 3 months.  In the meantime we are watching loads of TV, I'm helping her organize her dresser drawers and closet....hey, no laughing!  Why is it easier to help someone else clean up their house than it is for one to clean one's own house?  Such a mystery.

Her post-op doctor's appointment was on Monday.  She got an A+ from the doctor.  Whoo hoo...such an overachiever!

After her appointment, we celebrated at WalMart.

How can anyone look that beautiful after major surgery???  We bought a few necessities and non-necessities. Next we went to get a handicap sticker, stop by the apartment office and then went to Sonic. Can we say I overdid it?

 And then we came home and I did laundry. #yeehaw

As I returned back with arms loaded with clean clothes, there was a notice on the door.  Who knew growing up in the 70's gave you a certain smell???

The only smells emanating from this place is fresh laundry, a burning buttered rum candle, Dominoes Pizza, and cat pee! Yum.

Career Girl has 2 indoor cats and all neighborhood cats like to mark the front door. So yeah, it stinks, but illegal substances??? Come on.  But never fear, she called the office and was told the claims are unsubstantiated.

Can we say fun time in OKC?

Hope you are having a wonderful day, Grainiacs.