Blazin' Trails - Watch Out 2020!

Whew!

After 2019, I might need a nap!

(source)

It was a year of many changes for us.

The biggest change was moving from my home of 18yrs.

Then a few months later changing my job of 6 1/2 yrs.

Then all those adjustments that go with those two moves:

where the vinegar is in this grocery store,

what cupboard the tablecloths are in,

how do I do X at work?

There are so many things in a routine that we take advantage of.

Change is difficult, Good, but difficult.

So a few things looking back before we plow forward.

There have been some challenges, to be sure.

Taking care of two homes that are an hour apart took its toll on me.

Becoming my own employer is/was a particularly difficult transition.

I wasn't sure what I was "supposed" to do as there is no job description.

It's been a good transition but difficult to wrap my brain around.

I tend to put myself in the helper role rather than the leader role.

(That's so backwards from my younger years.)

My word of the year for 2019 was Prosper.

It wasn't really for financial purposes though that was included.

For me it was about the changes we made and wanting them to be good ones.

I wanted the year to be prosperous with friends, 

 family, home, work, and goodness.

Of all of that, I would say I was better at keeping in contact with friends.

I'm generally horrible at that since I'm not on social media.

So Prosper served me well for the year but I'm ready to move on.

In addition to learning, I've had to relearn.

An example was our tomatoes.

I planted 1/2-2/3 as many plants as I usually did up the mountain

and my oh my.

We had a tomato jungle!

By season's end, I was tired of seeing them

even though my inner being loved them for the winter sustenance.

What's ahead?

This is always more fun, isn't it?

(source)

My word of the year this year is Grace.

It has multiple meanings and all in all is what I'm after.

If you do a word of the year, I'd love to hear it.

I will be taking a CAD class beginning next week. Yikes!

It was kinda funny when applying.

There were questions like:

Can your parents claim you on your insurance - haha.

How 'bout it Medicare? 

Will I have graduated high school by the beginning of the term?

I sorta remember high school-heehee

Anyways, that was a hoot!

We are designing our own home and whenever the time comes

will general it ourselves.

We have some time ;-)

It will also be a huge perk with work.

I will be able to do the detail drawings required for many jobs.

I'm very much hoping to sell the mountain house this year.

We'll work on that more towards spring,

but I'm hoping not to have to keep up with 2 yards this year.

(Prayers on that one greatly, hugely, enormously appreciated!)

Along that note, I'm looking forward to the garden this year.

Now that I have a glimmer of what gardening here is like,

maybe I can plan a little more appropriately.

Beginning January 1, I am challenging myself 

to see how long I can go with no spending.

I did this a few years back and made it to April.

I will do the envelope system for groceries

and pay our regular monthly expenses but nothing more.

I don't beat myself up if something arises that I spend.

I just start again at the beginning of the following month.

The trickiest part is being mindful of what day it is so I remember to do it.

I do keep a list of things we need or could use.

They are usually in the form of an antique so are things

that take time (sometimes years) to find.

I know if a cider press came along for the right price

sometime in February, I wouldn't think twice about breaking my challenge.

It would cost me more in the long run to wait and pay a higher price.

Bottom line is, I do what I can but don't take it to unreasonable extremes.

The other thing I'm hoping is to decrease my fabric stash.

Rather embarrassing, but I donated 3 carloads full of fabric.

Much of it had been given to me, but more and more I tell myself

"I'm not a storage unit."

At one time I made most of my clothes so had quite a bit of apparel fabric.

I enjoy quilting so primarily kept quilting fabrics - totes and totes of it!

I'm hoping to do a show or two next holiday season

which if anything sells would also generate some green stuff.

There are one or two other things I am hoping to make happen,

but I'll keep those a secret so you can be surprised.

Ain't that just like me - save the juicy stuff - heehee.

I'm looking forward to 2020 and to settling in to life here and now.

I don't anticipate any major life changes this year which is a relief.

 I have found the vinegar and tablecloths and

 am figuring out what needs to be done at work and when.

Are any of you routine people?

It sure throws me for a loop when my routine is upset for any length of time.

I do pretty good with short divergencies.

I think it's because I have that base routine to get back to.

Anyways, 2020 holds many promises for each of us.

Each day is getting just a little longer and each day brings us closer to our tomorrow so we might as well enjoy it, because

tomorrow it will be a memory.

Wishing you all much Grace

and many Blessings~