There are few comforts to me in the world quite like
the saint coming home on a really bad day. Either I am easier to read than I fancy myself, or something about him intuitively knows that there is nothing more I need in that moment than some saving. He sees me laid out on the couch with a 1900s period piece playing, and he knows I will need him to help me on the project that went awry, make plans for dinner, and help me find a safe place to spoil myself without ridicule or condemnation. Care-giving is one of his very best and easiest qualities. It's a cute nickname, but he really is a saint. That's how my Saturday ended...after a rather tragic and emotional end to what I thought would be a cool project.
Today I sit here full of visions of dogwoods and weeping cherry trees. We've just returned from a local nursery where I wanted to buy every single tree under the sun. We decided on a wonderful crab apple tree, and cannot wait to plant it. Perhaps that's a country task I'll save for my sis! I am now snacking on cheddar and carr's crackers, and feeling rather deliciously happy to be a country girl. Today. I think I shall make some chicken cacciatore for dinner...
But this is all neither here nor there. What I really wanted to tell you was how amazingly pleased I am with the conclusion of February's Frugality Challenge. If you remember, here were the goals:
Every time I have the inclination to buy something, I will take its amount and transfer it into savings.If we go out with friends or on a date, we have to have an amount set beforehand. Once we get home, 50% of whatever we spent will be transferred into savings.If we want to go out, but decide to stay home for a meal, we will estimate what we would have spent and transfer it into savings.I will not buy anything we don't absolutely need.I will not buy anything at full price, but will scour for coupons and sales.I will not purchase anything new (other than groceries), but will instead find it thrifted or make it.And the ultimate goal through all of these? I hope to save between 15% and 20% of our month's income.
I have failed at pretty much all of it except for the transferring of money to savings. Each week as I sat to do the bills (another key to financial clarity), I totaled up our restaurant, pub, coffee, and cocktail receipts. I would then divide it by two and transfer that amount into savings. My goal was to save 15% of our monthly income...and I believe I have just calculated the total savings to be 13% (I would have had 15%, but an emergency came up at the beginning of the month that I was absolutely grateful to have the funds to attend to..and isn't that a nice thing about savings anyway?). I am happy about this indeed!
The goal of this 12-month challenge was to implement things into my life slowly...things that I've wanted to change but felt too overwhelmed to actually attempt. One of the greatest things about February was that the saint and I have decided to keep this practice going, this rewarding our bank account for something we already love and soulfully peruse as part of our relationship. For YEARS, we've attempted to punish ourselves for our lifestyle, and it simply never worked. I love how this changes my perspective about going out.
SOOOOO.
On to March.
Well, I've become increasingly aware of 6-10 extra pounds sticking with me since I retired from my city walking life. I simply do not move as much as I used to because it isn't built into my lifestyle. In honor of the inspiration of the Olympics and college basketball, I will be exercising every day this month. This morning, I did yoga and feel so great. Other days I hope to take walks around the property, maybe grab the family dog and teach her how to heel, and remember how much my body is made for movement...not just sitting in quiet thought.
(i've used this photo before, but it makes me laugh so much that i thought i would extend the treat to your funny bones)
Whadda think? I think it sounds great. I think it's just about the only thing (besides lots of gin) that might help me find some comfort in my
loss.
What do you do to get moving?
~crm
Good Monday morning to you. I hope you've found a cup of something tasty (hey, it's 5pm somewhere) and settled into your desk, chair, studio. I've got a few items to cover here today.
First, I have to give major accolades to the group who participated in my January photo challenge. When I started this whole
12-month business, I didn't realize how much having participants to join me along the way would make some months so much better than others. The
month of mail was a blast and the
Daily Bread photo group not only gave me another excuse to get behind the lens, but to get to know a group of amazing people even better. I really want to thank you all for doing these things with me!
To wrap up The Daily Bread Group, here are a few from our last week:
1. time for dessert, 2. 01.31.10, 3. Everyday Cake, 4. afternoon tea, 5. finished product, 6. Right on., 7. veggies,
8. To beat the afternoon heat, 9. Over a pitcher of Moose Drool, 10. a little bit crunchy,
11. DINNA!, 12. Mexican Wedding Cookies, 13. A breakfast classic
And here are a few of my personal favorites:
It seems that everywhere I turn, I see something that needs fixing, sprucing, or doing. I haven't quite settled into my new home here in the country, and my eyes are starting to resent this house. I also realize it's probably just a matter of perspective (I will not talk about Haiti here because I do not believe it's good for me to shame myself into contentment based upon comparison) about the materials of my life. I think one good remedy would be for me to get outdoors more often...what is there to fix about the ocean or the trees?
SOOO anyway. This
book I finished was all about this amazingly frugal woman, this "can do" woman. It has made me realize that I would like to spend some time teaching myself how to trim the fat around Booklings Manor.
The saint and I are spenders, not savers, and while we may be homeless at the end of our lives, we can at least say we had a few amazing meals! ;) I would like to learn to save better. Therefore, February will be the month of frugality. And here's what I hope to stick to:
- Every time I have the inclination to buy something, I will take its amount and transfer it into savings (within reason. I can't transfer the $1200 for the Michael Kors camel trench I've been lusting over).
- If we go out with friends or on a date, we have to have an amount set beforehand. Once we get home, 50% of whatever we spent will be transferred into savings.
- If we want to go out, but decide to stay home for a meal, we will estimate what we would have spent and transfer it into savings.
- I will not buy anything we don't absolutely need.
- I will not buy anything at full price, but will scour for coupons and sales.
- I will not purchase anything new (other than groceries), but will instead find it thrifted or make it.
- And the ultimate goal through all of these? I hope to save between 15% and 20% of our month's income.
- At the end of the month, I will reward myself with a massage or facial.
So there ya go. Anyone have any other ideas they want to share about how they trim the fat?
I am hoping to rub the scales of discontent from my eyeballs. I'm DETERMINED to find a bit of gratitude in the grubby walls of this two-bit trailer, damn it.
What are you looking for in February?
Happy Monday.
crm
Wow. Where DOES the week go? I cannot wrap my head around it today. This may be due to the fact that I've been in bed with a cold all day. I really MUST get rid of it before Sunday because
Brace Yourself!
JOEL AND I ARE GOING TO FLORIDA!
(lidda, send me an email about getting together!)
Okay, it's just Florida, but it is exciting nonetheless. I'm tagging along with Joel on a business trip of his as we celebrate a belated anniversary. Miami is boasting 75+ temps, so I'll be sure to get some much needed sun and sea. Oh, and also...Cuban food! Aye, aye, aye!!! I take off on Sunday, and am rather excited not only for the trip, but also to continue in my January photo challenge with a new cuisine and much more color.
Additionally, I wanted to take a few minutes to boast about my friends over in the
Daily Bread flickr pool. DUDE...these people eat well! You should pop over and take in the inspiration, but I must fairly warn you...do NOT go look if you are in any possible way hungry. It's just painful. Here are a few collections:
MMM. Dessert.
MMM. Drinks.
{ 1.
My Taste of Late, 2.
medium, dark, light, 3.
I like my tonic with gin and lime, 4.
01.08.10, 5.
Nourishment, 6.
some love it, 7.
Wine in a Jack Daniel's glass, 8.
Drink your greens, 9.
His and Hers: Cocktail Hour }
It's never too late to join. Just snap a pic of what you're eating and upload it to your flickr account...then send it to our group. Email me for more information.
MMM. Hot.
Also, we certainly love our mugs. It's kinda of an inside thing with us.
{ 1.
Strange Brew?, 2.
a proper tea, 3.
Cafe Nico, 4.
just a light conversation over lattes, 5.
01.06.10, 6.
hot pink hot chocolat, 7.
01.02.10, 8.
January 2: Happiness comes from contentment, 9.
Breakfast of Champs, 10.
Devoured, 11.
Hello Lover, 12.
clovesgingercardamomblackpepper, 13.
Breaking the Fast }
MMM. Color.
{ 1.
did you know, 2.
Lunch Break, 3.
Custard tart, 4.
suppah jan 4, 2010 }
GO HERE TO SEE ALL THE PHOTOS!
Also, I forgot to mention a rather important thing
the saint and I decided to do this month. In an effort to break our winter habit of watching too much 30 Rock and movies, we decided that after dinner, we were going to turn off our computers and television and really unplug for the night. Instead, we sit by the fire and read, or play a game, or split a bottle of wine and talk, or go out with friends, or go to bed early. It's amazing how setting aside time to get bored can really nourish the soul and squelch anxiety, though I admit that it's still terribly difficult. I am breaking the rules tonight because I just feel lousy, so we gave ourselves a night off. Joelio is sitting here watching a Japanese movie and I am bundled up with my sniffles. So far, it's been such a wonderful month. I really don't want to become one of those couples who simply do not know how to hang out with each other. It's also been quite amazing what you find to talk about when there's actually empty space to nurse your thoughts aloud. I highly recommend some sort of unplugging.
And one last thing. You really MUST head over to catholicbeer.com and watch the video my brother made of the latest catholicbeer event. Hilarious.
Good night loves.
~crm
Happiest of evenings to you, fellow survivors of the yule-log cheer:
I write to you fireside this quiet eventide. The saint and I both recline with hot tea and our feet sharing a stool, laptopping to our heart's gluttonous content. I feel a snack inclination and I imagine we'll head into the media room to continue 30-Rocking here soon, but I wanted to share my greetings. I truly must have the most blessed life, for my advent seasons are not very stressful (I'm gathering it's because we are very much still the children in our family and don't do a whole lot of work to pull of Christmas). Joel and I always do our own thing on some random day, and it's full of tradition all our own. I feel proud to have our family firmly established in these joys before we actually procreate.
By the way, there is no procreating on the agenda for 2010, I must regret to inform all of those nosy enough to ask and all those polite enough not to.
Ah, I digress.
Let's move on, shall we?
So, January is just around the corner, and after my post-champagne coma to come, I would like to propose January's 12-month challenge, which is to say, I will be hosting another photo community gathering on Flickr! So get ready.
For the entire month of January, I would like to invite you to participate with me as I take photographs and share them. The theme will be "Daily Bread"...that which brings us nourishment...be it bread, beer, or bologna...I want you to take a picture of any meal or food or drink or snack with the intention of honoring that which nourishes your physical body throughout the day. This group shall be silly and serious, meaningful and light-hearted, professional and casual.
Please go HERE if you would like to join...
Rules for "DAILY BREAD"
- YOU MAKE YOUR OWN RULES (but if you need external rules (like MEeeeeE), here are a few suggestions:)
- Take 1 photograph per day - No need to set up photo shoots, the goal here is to get a glimpse into our everyday lives, our everyday souls, even if it's plain grilled cheese every single day.
- Upload it to your Flickr account.
- Add the photo to the group pool here.
- Comment on the other pictures as you see fit.
And that's pretty much it!
So, WHOSE IN?
Also, in case you are curious, the blog community I follow
has been doing these photo gatherings for quite some time...
JOIN ME!
crm
I spent yesterday catching up on my life and one way I did that was reading all the final posts that came in from
November's Month of Mail! It was soo vastly satisfying to hold the entire month's mail in my hands and fondle it greedily. It was wonderful to see people responding with such appreciation for not only the mail, but also for the idea itself. I cannot say enough about what a wonderful month it was.
If mail isn't enough magic to bask in (can one bask in magic?), the heavens opened up and poured down its glorious white love upon my country home.
And snow reminds me...
(Warning: long-winded diatribe to follow)
I don't think we have enough magic in our lives as adults. I've encounterd countless people who feel that getting into Christmas (ie, buying a tree!!!) is unecessary if there are no children around to enjoy it. I know everyone loves watching children's faces as they marvel at the magic of lights and mangers of Jesus, but I can't help but feel a small loss when adults cannot register a similar magic. Joelio and I become children around this time of year, putting on music all the time, opening squares in advent calendars, ooohing and aaahing over our tacky Christmas decorations. We have no small children in this household, but we have plenty of magic.
Fall of 2008 brought with it a deep depression, and one of the major symptoms of this depression was the loss of magic in life. Nothing interested me...trees were just trees, not living souls. Stars were just burning things in the sky, not a map of ancient perspectives. Christmas was obligation and debt, not candlelight and conversation. For whatever reason, the magic has returned and I couldn't feel more grateful for it.
This season, I truly hope the advent brings you magic, and if not, at least HOPE for magic to come. I hope this magic is for YOU and not just the little souls in your life...
~crm
Well, in the
12-month challenge, November was BY FAR my favorite month - perhaps because people joined me in it. And yet again, I am humbly reminded that I am not an island; community is an integral part to inspiration and self-care. It was cool not only to form new friendships, but to both give and receive written mail. All of the challenges represented in the 12-month challenge are selected because I want to increase these things in my daily life...so I do hope that I'll be able to continue writing mail two or three times per week.
It's fun to be in a house where my mail has been received...it's like MAGIC!
So far, the months have gone a little something like this:
- August: Stick to a budget
- September: Claim the space for my new country home
- October: 25 photographs per day
- November: The month of mail - write a piece of mail each day.
So now the question remains, what to do with December? We are already TWO WHOLE days into it, and I think perhaps this month will continue the writing theme. Last December, I hosted a photography collaboration on
Flickr called
A Shot in the Dark: December Evenings...it was so fun. I miss those collaborations, and in the name of that, might do one in January.
So December, you busy little month, you...how about this. Every day for December I shall commit to journaling. Journaling is something I do regularly, though not regularly enough for my taste, and since most of what I read are other artists' journals, I am inspired to do the same. Shall you join me?
I did not bring my journal on my trip, and I won't return to it until December 11, so I think I might just have to type it...bah humbug. I like pens and scratchy sounds on paper.
Maybe my saint will bring it with him when he joins me this weekend for our trek home.
Or maybe this month should be a commitment to finish my now WAY TOO LONG read of
The Brothers Karamazov. I am losing quite a bit of continuity prolonging the read over so many months. Russians do not like to be put on hold like this, and I can feel myself loosing grip on Fyodor's message. Perhaps I shall drink vodka, eat caviar, and read every night? Hmmm.
As you can see, I am still a bit undecided. Perhaps then December should be the month of indecision. That should be fun.
Wishing you lots of hot coffee and chocolate cupcakes, trust me, it makes a grand breakfast,
I've been spending my week doing a lot of writing, and not all for myself! I can't say anything about it, but I hope to have an article published in
Antler Magazine come November 15th.
It's also the
MONTH OF MAIL - and even if you didn't join in to write a snail mail post every day, you can take advantage of the reminder to write your mother, daughter, friend, husband (post it?!) or cat and let their mailbox get a break from bills and junk. I wrote my grandpa a small postcard, and he left a voicemail gushing about how it was so meaningful to him. Seriously, mail can be profound.
So all of this writing! Sheesh...
Not a bad problem to have.
GET TO IT.
I've so been enjoying this
month of mail so far. A few lovely ladies have joined our collective to write mail, and I am so glad for the company. I cannot encourage snail mail enough. The intentionality of it, the intimacy of it, the pleasure of writing and receiving...there is really nothing like it.
Grab a postcard,
Jot a thought.
Seal it with a kiss
(After you apply red lipstick, bien sur)
grab your scarf.
Walk out to your post box
and SEND.
Oh my, it's a glorious Sunday here at Booklings Manor. The
saint is making all kinds of man-sounds out in the yard with various heavy machinery and I am peaking at him through the window above my writing desk.
How was your Halloween?
We got an extra hour of sleep (which we needed in order to recover from our bourbon pumpkin pie eating, (with homemade crust by yours truly!!) pumpkin stein making, and late night viewing of Hitchcock's
The Birds (what did YOU do?)) and decided to saunter into town for a breakfast bite. Coffee, tea, two griddle cakes, bacon, and eggs later, we returned home just in time to catch the most brilliant sunshine. Truly, I am wasting this remarkable light and should be outside with my camera capturing this fall set
aflame...but there is more day to be had. I think I'll ask the
saint to take a fall drive with me on our way to his parent's house for our regular Sunday relaxationation. Wanna come?!
Today marks the beginning of November's 12 month challenge,
the month of mail. I am happy to say that I have just finished writing my first postcard and will be placing it in the mail on my morning walk tomorrow. There is still time to join up if you think you'd like to participate in the
challenge. Shoot me an email!
Well I am off to busy myself about the day with a glad heart. I will be detailing my car, enjoying my family, paying my rent, making the menu for the week, and playing with my camera. Happy Sunday!