SWDB 102108

A Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...October 21, 2008

Outside my Window...planes, trains and automobiles. And sunshine on slowly turning leaves.

Towards a daily rhythm...feeling strong kicks. She's getting creative. Left, right, high, low, both sides at once, now! It's weird when she dances on my cervix, yo.

I am thinking...of too many things.

I am thankful for...a warm house. but not too warm. I enjoy the crisp bite in the air as Autumn turns our way.

From the kitchen...making great headway in clearing stuff off of flat surfaces.

I am wearing...stretchy black leggings, stretchy purple top. And some blue-and white-beaded dangles.

I am reading...a wonderful book a friend just sent me called Mothers Who Think: Tales of Real-life Parenthood. This collection of essays is edited by Camille Peri and Kate Moses of Salon.com with a foreword by Anne Lamott. I've been dipping into it here and there, and I have not yet failed to find something that makes me laugh, moves me, or gives me lots to think about.

I am also reading a book I've temporarily ran off with from a friend's house. I Know Just What You Mean: The Power of Friendship in Women's Lives by Ellen Goodman and Patricia O'Brien. Most excellent! I'm not reading it straight through, mostly skipping around at this point. I would like to finish it to the point that I can return it. Another fun, moving and thought-provoking book. There seems to be a theme going this week, huh? Women and their lives.

I am creating...plans for pesto, plans for early Christmas cookies (if my kitchen is to be torn apart during that prime season), plans for a Halloween party for my students. I like making plans.

I am hoping...I can make all these plans without driving myself crazy. The perfectionist has all kinds of wonderful ideas, and wants to make everything sooo complicated. As if I can't do something without it being The Most Wonderful manifestation ever. I am hoping to keep my focus on the core goals: fun, friendship, good food, learning, calm spaces and festive gatherings, people feeling good about what they are doing.

I am hearing...the faint squeak of a cat's snore.

I am going to breathe deeply...and take 15 minutes to declutter ("boogie") my desk of paper clutter.

Around the house...a bowl full of basil leaves and late tomatoes and sweet peppers. They are almost too cheerful to eat.

Bring beauty to my home...see above. :)

One of my favorite things...lists of things to do. Since I try to use the FlyLady way of working in 15 minute increments, I often draw a series of boxes for each task, the number depending on how much time I think I should or can do that. So even if I work on something for a mere 15 minutes, I still get to check something off.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...Making (educational) invitations for the Halloween party, finding canned pumpkin to make pumpkin-chocolate-chip-muffins, and taking a few piles of goods to the thrift store. I still have to confirm that I am coming to the dance I am calling this weekend. I need to think about putting away and/or protecting all of the things in the kitchen and house during kitchen renovations. I expect the plaster dust to be astoundingly pervasive, so I'm planning to take proactive/protective measures.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...


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