THEY HAVE HIT HOME.....hard times

We'll, given enough time, preparing for the worse, hoping for the best....It has happened. My husbands shop is closing the end of June...200 people added to the already bulging Michigan unemployment line, which is the highest in the nation. Even tho as we seen shops crumble around us and tried to brace ourselves, nothing compares to the stark bald reality of it. Its a numb feeling, a feeling of helplessness, of confusion, shock, panic, tears, uncertainty....spinning in all directions, in a coma like panic, stuck in fear of which direction to go, to even think...we need time to let this new reality sink in, to fully encompass it, and settle in to a game plan. Thank GOD I still have my job, and time to be inventive, and creative...
its a fine line...don't take your job for granted, the money in your pocket....its a fine line, we all need to fold our hands and pray for this country.....

Tough Times

They haven't hit our family, but it is all around us. I am not trying to be pessimistic, but rather realistic...and prepared, because you never know. I am trying to live more simply, to question if I need something. Most of the time, I can do without or manufacture it out of what I have. In my grandparents day they didn't have nearly all the accomodations we have, not even indoor plumbing and they managed, with little, and I might add were very happy. I challenge myself to go one more day without going to the grocery store, and make a meal out of what I have on hand...and then I go one more day. I try not to leave the house on the weekends....it is so cold now, that one is easy. We don't eat out, if we do it is rarely...we don't go to the movies. We drive to work, unfortunately. My work is a little further than I can walk in the winter time, or ride my bike. In the spring and summer I can start up again. Try for a few days a week. I don't eat out at work, and I take my snacks; apples, nuts, cheerios. I drink water out of the cooler. I am always looking for ways to make money, and the best way I have found is, to not spend it right now. *A penny saved IS a penny earned*. I know there are many more ways to cut; cable, phone, internet, ect...but we choose to cut other things first, knowing we can always cut deeper. I plan to keep putting money away...they say six months wages....this is a goal, as is my one credit card to pay off....when that is paid, IF I use it, it WILL be paid off the same month. Credit card companys aren't going to keep getting my money in interest anymore. I am going to increase my direct depost into savings accounts also...I find after awhile I manage on a smaller paycheck...and I don't concern myself with the growing saving accounts, I know they are there...but they are **hands off**. Pay yourself first, and adjust to the smaller paycheck, you can adapt.

Action Plan for 2009

How is your brand new year going...10 days into it? I hope all is well in your little corner of the world. I have yet to make any new years resolutions....or at least committed them to paper....so I will ramble through it now...These are things I would like to resolve to do this year. They don't appear in any specific order.

1. Be more organized
2. Finish what I start
3. Exercise; Starting at three days a week on the treadmill, for 1/2 hr 3.5-4.0MPH
4. Learning crochet
5. To eat less meat, more vegetarian
6. Get back to journaling
7. Get back to drawing
8. Lower cholesterol
9. Find more creative ways to get by, to save money
10. Consume less
11. Keep up on my blogs
12. Donate more
13. Simplify....THIS ONE SHOULD BE NUMBER ONE

I did move the treadmill into the house, and have been using it, three days a week, mostly walking with intervals of running. I would eventually want to run on it consistently. I am learning to crochet with some beginner books; Teach Yourself Visually Crocheting, also picked up a learning to crochet starter kit with hooks. It keeps my hands busy at night. I know I will always want to sit down in the evening and watch *my shows*, so at least my hands with be busy and I will be doing something. I created the blog http://www.cholesteroldown.blogspot.com/ but durning the holidays I *fell off*, I plan to get back into that, and keep up www.sparkpeople.com to enter my daily eating plan. I thought I could make it through the holidays but I was weak. As far as saving money, one hint...don't leave the house. Period! Of course that is an easy one for me in the wintertime, especially when it is so cold. I am pretty well stocked with enough crafting supplies to keep me doing something everyday for a long time. Motivation, I am still working on.
Drawing; has always been something I want to do well, and I have http://speakswithpencil.blogspot.com/ for that, which I need to keep up with as well. All these blogs I made to *have the courage of my convictions*....to keep me honest. I find the Take One Day at a Time approach works well. To be in focus during that time to the task at hand and make that time the most important thing you have to do.

The year is winding down...

Last thing I remember, it was June....Swoosh.......................Were did the time go, my dad always told me the older you get the faster time goes, he was right. Then a saying comes into my head; *don't count the days, make the days count*. It is true, when I am real productive and get alot done, be it work or fun, I find the day stretches out, filled right out to the corners. I go to bed happy that I did all I could, and fall to sleep with a good kind of tired. I am not perfect, and this isn't a scenario that I can practice consistently...cuz, sometimes I just want to sit and relax. Which has its own merits. It is only an observation, that the more I fit into a day the longer the day seems...I want my days to be stretched to the corners.
This weekend, I moved the treadmill into the bedroom, (it was there once before). Our house is small, so anywhere it would go would be in the way. It folds up, which is a good thing. It was in the garage, and it is too cold now to use it out there. If anyone had a video camera on me trying to get it into the house, it would have made a good you tube show. It was a challenge, but I did it. Most all of our snow is melted now, and just ice remained on our patio, which made is very slippery, and after a couple near falls, I threw some rugs down and got some good traction, and a couple heave hos I was able to slide it through the patio doors. All cleaned up and in its place. The electronics don't work on it, which is disappointing, so something happened with the move. So I wore my pedometer for cals, miles, steps...only thing I was missing was speed. I can guesstimate on where I set it. I walk 5 min, run 5 min. to start. for 30 min. Its a start. I have used it, once at night and once in the morning....I am not sure which I like better...(probably night)....

The First Day of Winter

Its cold...........real cold. Wind chills are -20*. I didn't want to leave the house today, but I had to. Tomorrow sounds like more of the same. It will be a White Christmas here in Michigan. I think the temps will be a little higher, which is nice. I couldn't imagine a Christmas where there was no snow, tho...which I really don't mind, because I used to ski, and snowmobile, and snowshoe, (In the U.P), now I will X-Country ski, if there is enough snow down here (Lower Peninsula). I do like the silent sports, getting back in the woods, gliding across the snow. Chickadees darting from tree to tree, keeping pace. So pristine, and clean. I think I need to invest in a new pair of boots, as I think they need to be upgraded...I have had them around 20 years, and I think last year the Squirrels decided to chew on them. I guess storing them in the garage wasn't such a good idea.

After today, three more days until Christmas...It is very hard to believe. Are you ready?

I am looking forward to the new year, and fresh starts...and the settling in for the long winter. I need to really focus on getting some of my *pending projects* done. I have enough to do, I would never have to leave the house.
The new winter schedual was just publish at the local museum, and I don't see any classes I am interested in this time around, which going out at night when it is so cold isn't too appealing anyway....I don't feel that bad about it.
So until next time...keep warm and safe, and enjoy the holidays!

Kathy Tesslings Fantasy Falls....

These beautiful pieces of art are done by fellow artist Kathy Tessling. Check out Kathys website to see other displays and wreaths; http://www.fantasyfalls.com/ be sure to click on the picture to get a larger view.

Update....

Well, my classes are over; watercolor, and digital camera. Since the watercolor class is in the daytime, (as it was this last session) I won't be taking it. Too hectic trying to fit it into the work schedual. Camera class however, I will be taking again. I enjoyed it, however I am a little concerned about getting out and about with my camera is cold weather.
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Other things I am working on; I decided to get back into doll making. The book I got from the library is; Creative Cloth Dollmaking, by Patti Medais Culea. Very *arty* dolls. I have attempted doll #1, and it is, the body that is, near completion. Then the challenge of designing her. Tonite I will attach her limbs to her body, and maybe do a base paint on her. I have to think this out, as the book has lots of ideas, I am not sure which direction I want to take her. I know I want a theme.
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I feel sometimes that I am constantly bouncing from one creative venue to another....but so much interests me, I just have to keep my mind stirred up with it all. The next thing I do plan on fitting in is a colored pencil class online, which I believe starts in Jan. I have had the pencils and even went as far as ordering three projects to draw, and they are still in the packaging. I am hoping Cathy Johnsons class; http://cathyjohnson.info/ will give me the confidence to try the projects.
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