Oh, May! This is the time of year . . . when the time just FLIES! There is so much going on and so much to do — in the house, in the garden, up north, with my family, in the world — that I can barely keep up with myself.
Anyway. Mid-May. Already.
So it’s time for me to offer this R-E-P-O-R-T.
At mid-month I’m . . .
R . . . ebounding.
I’m feeling much better than I was a month ago (that diverticulitis – and the antibiotic cure – always throw me off my game for way longer than I think it will). Our kitchen is so close to being done I can taste it (more in a bit). And the mess in our garden (from last week’s storm) is in much better control after a weekend’s work (and, really, thanks to Tom’s hard work with his chainsaw). I think our big, old tree can be saved, but the branches that fell took out a couple of my beloved, smaller trees. I’m grieving, but . . . rebounding.
E . . . xpecting.
As in Expecting The End Of Our Kitchen Project. The renovation is more or less finished. But. . . sigh. It seems to be a universal truth . . . that every renovation project hits a little glitch. Our glitch didn’t hit until the end, thankfully. And it’s just the re-vamp of our “butler’s pantry.” Things are sorting out now, and it should only be a matter of time. I’m really looking forward to being able to – finally – fully move in to our new kitchen. (On a very positive note, our kitchen has been fully functional – except for the butler’s pantry – for a couple of weeks now.) (We love it; definitely worth the hassle.)
P . . . rotesting.
I just want to urge all of you . . . to get out and rise up at one of the next nationwide protest events scheduled for Saturday, June 14. It’s a simple, energizing, and inspiring way to DO SOMETHING! You don’t need to have a clever sign (although it is really fun to see all the signs, I have to admit) — you can just show up and make your voice heard. Here’s a link to the June 14 protests being organized all around the country. (Check your local Indivisible organization for marches near you, too.) Find a march or a rally or a protest near you, gather a friend or two, and get out there!!! (I can’t overemphasize how wonderful it is to get out there with other like-minded people. So. Energizing.)
O . . . rganizing.
Organizing on OVERLOAD is a better description, actually. We’ve been in renovation mode for so long now (we started by painting our fully finished basement last February!) and everything is still . . . in flux. I’m making progress every day, but there’s still a lot of organizing and “setting up” to be done. It feels good to be finally moving ahead with . . . All This. And it will feel even better when everything is back where it belongs!
R . . . eturning.
As in returning to the cabin for another season. Tom opened our cabin up north over a month ago, and he’s been up weekly for steelhead and (now) trout fishing. It’s far too cold for me to enjoy going with him that early in the season, but last week . . . it was time. That first trip up for me . . . is always a “work trip,” filled with reassessing our “inventories” and cleaning All The Things and washing windows and sweeping (so much sweeping) and getting ready for the more relaxing times ahead. Fun? Not exactly. But it’s always good to get away — even if it does involve a lot of laundry and mopping.
T . . . ossing.
As part of my current organizing-on-OVERLOAD extravaganza, I’ve been going through my craft “stashES” (yes – multiple). I am coming to grips with the reality that even if I live to be a healthy and active 100-year-old, I will never be able to sew, knit, or stitch my way through my existing stashes. So . . . I’m tossing. And by that, I mean donating. The hardest part is finding “good homes” for precious fabrics, yarns, embroidery kits, and books. I’m getting there! (And it feels really good.) (Anyone interested in some yarn???)
And that’s where I am . . . here at mid-month.
How about YOU?
I am happy to hear that your kitchen is nearing the end! But boo hoo for those trees! 🙁
Good luck on finding new homes for your stash! I am cleaning up a couple of things that are consuming space here so they can find new homes as well!
Happy Monday!
Kym, looks like good things will happen very shortly. Hooray for you! I have been getting rid of things in my house for the last year, and I am still not through. It’s endless, but it does feel good to unload. I have yet to get through my stashes, but you have inspired me to continue. I can’t believe we are at mid-May. It’s one of my favorite months, and it’s almost gone.
What a lovely report. I am with you on the “even if live to 100” conundrum. I have been happy to find some very good homes for older fabric and some quilting projects that I will never finish. We have had wet, wet, and more wet so I am watching longingly as my garden begins to bloom.
I’m glad to hear that things in and around the house are getting back in order. Can’t wait to see the big kitchen reveal! Every home renovation project I’ve been part of has had some hitch, plus the timeline always seems to double, no matter what. I suspect many of us have the same SABLE issue. I guess I’m lucky that I have a crafty kid who can inherit whatever I don’t use!
I have lived in some “state of re-do” for most of my years, and it’s always DIY around here, so… always painfully slow. Glad you’re making progress with getting everything sorted!
The last time my best friend from High School visited she left with 3 trash bags of my perfectly good wool that I was never going to get to. This week she sent a picture of four ‘younguns’ (any one under 40) wearing 4 hats made with some of that wool. Definitely more happened to it than would have here. 🙂
Happy Mid-May! I’m so glad we have an early Memorial Day this year so I’ll have more May to enjoy after the long weekend. Can’t wait to see the kitchen and more from Up North. I’ll be venturing 20 miles north to the lake for a few chilly mornings next week (my mom’s lake house rental runs Friday through the following Sunday – and those lake-view mornings are my favorite).
I’ve got to do the craft pare down too. But don’t I need 1286 scraps of paper?
I planned to go through my stash last summer and did nothing. This weekend though I went through my Baby Yarn bucket and pulled out everything I won’t use. My sister is taking all the acrylic and machine washable to the Senior Center. A small amount is going to Goodwill. I kept a smaller amount that I put in the den closet. It will be good for any future baby gifts or hats for donation. I plan to go through the rest of the buckets this summer and there is a yarn shop in another part of the State that does a tag sale type thing with bags of yarn and the money goes to Project Linus so I am planning to put some sweater quantities that I won’t use aside for them.
Busy times for sure. I’m excited to see your new kitchen~!! Sorry about the loss of trees, but so thankful you were safe during the storms. I need to go through my stuff (material, yarn, embroidery stuff) and get rid of (donate) some. It’s a time consuming process though and time is what I seem to be lacking these days!
Men with chainsaws seem to be on my bingo card, too. We had a storm that brought down a lot of trees, so I’ve been hearing loads of chainsaws. I’ve also been going through my craft stashes. My SiL was cleaning out and gave me a felting project that I know I’ll never do, and now it’s time to ask if she wants it back or if I should pass it along. I am keeping one cross stitch project and now I just need to be ruthless with the yarn!
I’m sorry to hear the kitchen reno hit a glitch but I’m excited that it’s close to being done and what a great thing that you’ve mostly been able to use it recently. June 14th is our 28th wedding anniversary, maybe we need to celebrate by doing our first ever protest together! My favorite idea for a sign is “You know things are bad when the librarians start protesting!” Our weather has turned cold and windy this week so all of my garden plans have ground to a halt until it’s warmer. Things are tucked away in my little greenhouse until early next week, I think.
You have a butlers pantry! Woohoo. Scullery is evidently the word of the year. Can’t wait to see your new kitchen digs and basement, too.
So sorry your backyard had so much damage and good to hear Tom can handle it and the tree can be saved. It’s been so cold here, but today is our first warm day (70) and it will be 80 thereafter for the foreseeable future. Count me glad. The flowers have been purchased to fill my pots and that will happen the next two days (or so).
Good luck with the destashing! I’ve been working on cleaning out nearly everything and whittling my crafts to nearly nothing. I have two bins of yarn. The books are harder to control and I’m still working on the other stuff in the closet. I’m looking forward to a mostly clear closet (but, it’s not going to happen this year).
So excited about your new kitchen, Kym. Some friends recently overhauled theirs. Long countertops and oodles of drawers (ALL stuffed to the gills) were a priority. How about you?? With you about opening up your cabin chores. Especially as we get older. Think about June when it’s all done!