New Isabella

love & (((((hugs)))))
Isabella

...you’ll be in my thoughts and prayers.

1. Finish de-cluttering the kitchen counter.

2. Do at least a babystep or two on cleaning in the bathrooms.

3. Take out the recycling tonight along with the garbage.

I’m late for walking. Want to do the same thing as yesterday. Babysteps towards de-cluttering and bathroom cleaning.

OK, I’ve planned to go out and do something this morning. And by the time I get back this afternoon, it’s foreccast to be hot and muggy. So, I’m going to keep this kind of general today. When I get home, I want to take three babysteps from my flylady missions of the week (bathroom cleaning and hotspots). My choice.

1. Babystep #1.

2. Babystep #2.

3. Babystep #3.

1. Grateful for the gift of a short walk around the library pond late this afternoon, and the amazing sight of at least 10 turtles swimming towards me from all directions. I guess people feed them. I think they were “pond sliders”, like the one in this image from The Firefly Forest. There was one larger turtle that looked like a snapping turtle, and thankfully he was swimming away from me.

2. Grateful for the gift of enough gumption to finally take care a contract issue that’s come due. Grateful for a friendly and helpful customer service rep.

3. Grateful for the gift of some time spent in the comfortable air-conditioned library this afternoon. This was a gift I gave myself as a reward for item #2.

4. Grateful for the gift of anonymous friends.

5. Grateful for the gift of a cute thank-you card from my sister-in-law and brother.

6. Grateful for the gift of all my siblings, but especially for my brother whose birthday is today. I’ve known him longer than any other person I can think of who is still living, except for one uncle.

Item #1 on my list for today is done. Whew! I’m so glad. What a relief to cross that off my list.

OK, celebration over. Onward to item #2!

1. Call about the contract that I was supposed to have reviewed by now.

2. Make sure my outgoing mail gets mailed today.

3. Do some part of the week’s flylady mission.

The flylady missions this week concern the Master Bedroom, but my bedroom is relatively clean and de-cluttered this week. So, I’m going to continue last week’s unfinished bathroom mission, and also work on hotspots. (And try to remember & do my daily routines, too.)

These are the places where clutter tends to accumulate. Over time it becomes invisible because you are so used to it being there.

Here is the status of some of my current hotspots:

...and I’m almost done, but it looks like I have to buy something before I can become a valid customer and write a review. Now I have to decide what to buy.

I want to thank ruthie for her comment under another of my goals to let me know about a web site called “Squalor Survivers”. It has a lot of helpful and interesting information, but what’s really hitting home to me is an article about something called “demand resistance”. And what exactly is that? It’s that feeling I get every day that I post my 3 daily goals, that feeling that whispers, “I really should do these 3 things, but I don’t want to, so I won’t”, that part of me that’s a rebel and feels controlled unfairly. Or, as the article says, “Demand-Resistance is defined as a chronic and automatic negative inner response to the perception of pressure, expectations, or demands (from within or without)(Mallinger and De Wyze, Too Perfect,1992).

Overcoming demand resistance involves, at least in part, becoming clearer about what I really want. The web site again quotes the same two authors:

To change the patterns, you’ll need to reconnect with the “I want” aspect of everything you do. Catch yourself thinking “I should” or “I have to,” and challenge these thoughts. Stop telling yourself “I have to” unless you’re certain that’s the case. Don’t let the ownership of your life slip away. Realize that even when you are pressured to do something, the decision to comply or not is entirely yours.

I’m not quite sure how exactly to go about doing it. It seems to somehow involve befriending my inner critic, who is the one that tells me what I should be doing.

Relearning Loveliness
The bud
stands for all things,
even for those things that don’t flower,
for everything flowers, from within, of self-blessing;
though sometimes it is necessary
to reteach a thing it’s loveliness,
to put a hand on the brow
of the flower,
and retell it in words and in touch,
it is lovely
until it flowers again within, of self-blessing
^{—poem by Galway Kinnell}

much love & many ((((hugs))))
Isabella

Me and my mom are glad you are at least feeling hungry this morning. Are you able to eat yet? We miss our dinner parties, but we can’t have them without you.

My mom said to tell you that she said a prayer for you today.

Hope ferocious is taking good care of you while you’re not feeling well, and giving you lots of purring and kitty kisses and cuddles.

love,
Miss Kitty

Was up early this morning and doing a few things around the house. Still to do:

(1) Remember to drop out-going mail in the mailbox.

(2) Review contracts.

(3) Flylady mission: Continue cleaning bathrooms especially flat surfaces.

Today, an image of beautiful butterflies resting on a lovely butterfly bush, for you, and prayers for your care and comfort.

You are in my heart.

love,
Isabella

1. Return stuff to the library. DONE, and I just now took a 43-T break.
2. Review contracts. (Confront fears.)
3. Continue cleaning bathrooms.

1. Grateful that my foot is feeling much better today. I was bitten by fire ants last Monday evening. It’s amazing how much damage these little tiny animals can quickly do! I’m grateful that the swelling has gone down. I’m grateful for over-the-counter cremes that are helping to stop the itching. I’m grateful to information available on the internet about treating fire ant bites. This is the second time in a month that I’ve been bitten, but this time was worse than the first time.

^{Note to self: Don’t stand outside too long on sidewalks or parking lots with sandals on talking to people.}

2. Grateful for a good sleep last night.

3. Grateful for a pleasant walk this morning.

4. Grateful I had a coupon for a free cup of coffee this morning.

5. Grateful for the new library. It’s really a nice facility.

6. Grateful for supportive communities, including this one on 43-T.

1. Vacuum & clean the bathrooms.

Morning
Shine sink
Scoop litter boxes
Water plants & lawn if needed (W, F, Su)

Weekly
Take out garbage (Th PM)