A Short Update

It’s been a while so I thought I would post an update. This month has been incredibly busy. Four days after I got back from vacation in August I started classes. So I’ve been working full time and taking classes. Luckily, I got the cast off my foot several weeks ago. I’m still building up strength in the tendon, but I can get around now, at least. Despite all the obstacles, I am continuing my journey towards a simpler, more sustainable, more fulfilling life. My progress has been slow but I am determined to make it. Every step counts.

The first step in my journey was decluttering. A few months ago I posted on here that I was finished with that. Well, it turns out I wasn’t. I haven’t brought anything in, but I have found more clutter. The biggest find was my filing cabinet –I haven’t ever gone through it! I found bills in there that I paid when I was sixteen. So I’ve been cleaning that out. It’s a slow process, as I have to go through each folder one at a time, decide what to keep, what to shred, and what to toss, and then follow through. After that I found more clutter, sometimes in the oddest places. Under some of my linens in the linen closet. Behind the tv stand. So I simply decided to take my house apart end to end looking for clutter, and get rid of whatever I can. I am even in the process of winnowing my books down!

Other things of note:
· I have taken control of my finances, and should have my credit card debt paid off by the end of the year.
· I have decided where to put my veggie beds and have double dug two of them. The third is on the to-do list for this weekend.
· I have added compost to the flower beds and planted the fall flowers
· My breakfast foods are now entirely home-made rather than store bought (with the exception of the occasional bagel). I decide what I want to have for the week, and make it on the weekends so that I have it ready during the week. Right now I switch between pancakes, various kinds of muffins, and oatmeal. Occasionally I have eggs and toast.
· I have not eaten out since my vacation, and have no intention of doing so anytime soon.

Challenges/Obstacles:
· Work and school limit my time to work on these projects to only a few hours per week.
· I am having considerable difficulty putting together the raised beds for the veggie patch.
· My vacuum cleaner went out last weekend. It’s completely burned out, and buying a new motor would cost much more than its worth. In a mostly carpeted house shared by me, several cats, and lab/heeler mix, going without a vacuum for any length of time is not acceptable. The question is, how do I replace it? I haven’t been able to find any used vacuum cleaners for sale, and I have to have one that’s able to suck up pet hair without burning itself out and/or clogging continuously. I may have to break down and buy one new.

Current Projects:
· Finish decluttering
· Get the final veggie bed dug, build the raised beds, add in the humus/topsoil and plant the cover crop (hopefully this weekend)
· Learn how to bake bread
· Get the house and grounds winterized