Summer Project Progress

[rosarugosa]

Well that sounds like a pleasant summer project, Yppej!

[Geila]

Float-on - you are so inspirational!!! And it's kind of funny that you are swimming in rocks and I've recently bought a bunch of rocks for my garden. If I lived near you we could help each other out! Please post pics of your rock and water projects. I'd love to see them.

[Geila]

Ok, so yesterday was productive but not so much on the projects list. While I was cooking I decided to do a big batch cooking for the week and the same thing with the laundry, might as well do all the little odds and ends. So I ended up with 4 loads of laundry. After lunch I passed out on my bed. I had meant to change into my outdoor/cleaning clothes but my body had other plans. After my 90 min nap, I did a quick vacuum of the house and the kitchen floor was feeling sticky so I mopped it.

Then later I saw I friend I hadn't seen in a long time and was amazed at how great she looks. You can tell she really takes care of herself. And it made me realize that part of my thinking has been that after I finish all these big projects, I will have 'earned' the right to do some things for myself. And that's just silly. How is cleaning out the garage more important than taking care of myself?

I think that has been part of my blah feeling lately. I did two big projects and now, instead of charging ahead to #3, I feel distracted and uninspired. So I'm doing two things: I'm adding me time to the project list and I'm going to give myself credit for the work already done. I notice that checking things off gives me a good feeling of accomplishment when I do it on my daily list.

Summer Projects:
1. Kondo the whole house - DONE!
2. Deep clean the whole house - DONE!
3. Begin fitness routines
4. Begin physical pampering routines
5. Kondo the garage
6. Kondo the sideyard
7. Kondo the backyard

I love swimming but have been balking at the cost and have decided to accept the cost and get a membership. I'll be checking out 2 local gyms today. I haven't bought clothing in years and I'm down to a handful of shirts and underwear so end up having to do laundry more often than I'd like. I'll stop by Target and Ross today and pick up some things.

For some reason, I've gotten really bad at doing little things for myself that don't take any money and very little time. Things like soaking my feet (I walk and garden a lot and my feet really take a beating). I know that doing a foot soak and then a pumice massage will make me feel so good. Yet I don't do it. Taking better care of my hair, things like that. These things will be part of my pampering routine from now on. I should just call it self-care.

Anyway, I'm abandoning the garage project this week in lieu of setting up a routine for these two other projects I've introduced and for spending some time outside just enjoying the garden. The heat wave has broken and we're set to have some lovely weather the rest of the week. I might work on the gardens while I'm out there, I might not. I'll see. My period is due this week and that means low energy and lower back pain.

I also have to take the dog to the vet again this afternoon. She still has diarrhea. She'll get better for a bit and then reverts back. My other dog is perfectly fine, so it's just her. I love her dearly, but she is the most high-maintenance dog I've ever owned.

[Float On]

Float-on - you are so inspirational!!! And it's kind of funny that you are swimming in rocks and I've recently bought a bunch of rocks for my garden. If I lived near you we could help each other out! Please post pics of your rock and water projects. I'd love to see them.

Ha! I started digging on the corner of this rock that was sticking up. Horrible shaky photo I took after I hurt my back. I think I'm ready to start digging again tonight or in the morning. 20121557_10213638044447351_4809675778213567215_o.jpg I haven't decided where this rock will go yet. They say "You can tell how long someone has been gardening in the Ozarks by how tall their garden rock wall is." Behind my shovel is another area of shelf rock I'm clearing off. I get distracted and seem to flit from project to project.

I'm sorry your dog has been sick. You've done a wonderful job with your list - Kondo'ing and deep cleaning! I like that your adding personal self-care items to your list. We have to do that. I always add a few new self-care things to my big birthday list every year. I needed your reminder to soak my feet too. I'd love to treat myself to a pedicure but need my garden/kayaking feet to look a little better before I subject someone else to have to handle my feet.

[Float On]

It is too hot to do much, so I tried amaretto, which I've been wanting to do. I like it.

How did you have it? I've only put a splash in coffee.

[Yppej]

By itself. I love almonds, so I just sipped about an ounce a day.

[Geila]

I found a good gym and I'm going to try them out this week. It's less expensive than the Y and closer to my house. They have a very nice pool, dry sauna, and jacuzzi. And I can do a monthly membership. I don't like the entrance with it's jumble of things for sale but it seems that's where they make their money so I'll just ignore it and go about my business. If I find later that it feels too hectic, I can always switch to the Y for the winter months. The Y is a few miles away (vs. less than a mile for the new place) but the pool is very nice and peaceful with big windows. And the whole place is deserted during the day. For summer, this other one might be just the thing.

Float-on: I always remember that you do an annual birthday retreat just for you. Oh, and I read somewhere that soaking your feet in water and vinegar will soften the hard callouses on the feet to make them easier to pumice. That vinegar sure is handy! And I'm sorry you hurt your back. Are you sure it's safe to get back to those rocks today?

[Geila]

Just got back from gym visit and it was great. I swam, I jacuzzied, I swam some more, jacuzzi...... It was wonderful. The pool area was busy enough to feel social but not packed. Maybe 15 people in the pool, another 6 or so in the jacuzzi, and about a dozen in the sauna. The sauna is very popular with the exercise crowd after they work out. The group was pretty diverse in age, fitness level, and ethnicity. Easy to blend in.

I'm going to try it at different times in the next 3 days to make sure I'll use it but so far, so good. I LOVE that it's so close to my house.

Good progress on the self-care project. I might focus on that this week. I was starting to feel the menstrual aches and pains coming but after my pool and jacuzzi, I feel relaxed and limp like a noodle.

[Float On]

Just got back from gym visit and it was great. I swam, I jacuzzied, I swam some more, jacuzzi...... It was wonderful. The pool area was busy enough to feel social but not packed. .

I'm envious of your gym choices! Our Y nor the other two gyms in the area offer a pool...so I move rocks and kayak. I'd like to try a paddleboard to build my balance...which doesn't exist.

I'm bummed. I took some photos with one of my cameras then left the house without the camera...only the cord.
Yesterday morning I worked on the dry bed from 6-9 a.m. before it got too hot. Found some more rocks in the woods and completed the island and split part of the bed. Sent husband a text that said "6 bags of river pebbles from Lowes are sexier than a bouquet of flowers"...so he brought home the pebbles at 6 p.m. to finish the split part of the dry bed. We moved some more glass on copper posts. I filled in the island and planted some $1 end of year clearance mini bush and plants and mulch. DH swept off what I'd uncovered on the newest shelf rock discovery and the big rock that pulled my back he walked it over to where I want to use it as a step.

To do on the back yard:
1. Decide where to put the iris and lily I've dug up.
2. Finish uncovering the shelf rock and build a little wall around the back side of it (may have to walk further to find enough rocks for that).
3. Create a landing pad at top of step (I think I'll peagravel it and place the big bird bath there.
4. Son #2 came home with yellow, orange, red coneflowers and said I need to build him a coneflower garden again.
5. The dreaded last wall of vinca (6ft wide by 30 ft long approx).

[Geila]

Wow, Float On - you are some kind of wonder woman. All that work sounds both amazing and exhausting. I bet you're sleeping great at night!

I've been working hard on my self-care project. I've spent about 6 hours at the gym swimming, doing Aqua Zumba, and soaking in the jacuzzi. I was chatting with a fellow exerciser and found out that Costco has a great deal on the gym membership - almost 50% off.

Float - I think you've earned some kayak time! And a pedicure too. Don't overdo it with the rocks. Or take a day off to photograph your accomplishments and share with us.