Sunday Afternoon Tea

Okay, it is really Monday so I'm a wee bit late. I spent the weekend running a few errands and most of today getting caught up with laundry and housework. We can sit down to a cup of decaf tea and a slice of the orange cranberry bread I made today. :)

It felt absolutely delicious to wake up this morning and know I had no place I had to BE. I had purchased a frozen pizza to fix for lunch, some chocolate to have for a snack, and a small bag of my favorite coffee to sip in between loads of laundry. There were snowflakes off and on as I looked out my kitchen window. How happy I was to be inside where I was baking the cranberry bread as a treat for the guys and simmering soup stock for tomorrow night's vegetable beef soup.

I always take time to reflect and review the first week of January. Since I either had (delightful) company or was working before now, I had to wait until this week. Tomorrow will be the start of this year's reflections as I pray about the plans for our family this year, various projects, relationships, etc. I believe we as humans are very subject to seasons (think of the beautiful section of the Word that tell us "For everything there is a Season"). In our culture, January is the start of the New Year. (Although September has a similar affect on me as the beginning of the school year.)

I've mention taking Elizabeth George's books with me to work to read during lunch time. I also read a chapter before going to bed each night. Since I have read them all before, rereading was very enjoyable and easy to do with distractions all around me. Tomorrow I will take a few other books off the shelf, all of them either about getting organized or offering spiritual encouragement. I'll share more as I read them.

I always try to go through my closet during the beginning of each year. Although I don't go by that old rule of getting rid of something I haven't used in a year (for I have found some things may only be used every two or three years but when I need them, I am glad they are there). However, I had quite a few items of clothing I knew I wouldn't use again. A couple sweaters I had held onto because they were old favorites but were now too big. I figured someone should enjoy them rather than having more clutter in the closet.

I finally put two heavy bowls in the garage for Goodwill. I really liked how they looked but found they were so heavy I'd get out my old Tupperware bowl rather than use them to whip up a quick bread or mash potatoes. I had used part of my small Christmas bonus from the bookstore to buy a pretty red (hard plastic) bowl from Tuesday Morning on clearance. Just a couple days later, I found a slightly smaller bowl that looked very similar. Both have a place on my red kitchen shelf.

I still have a very large vintage looking stoneware bowl for mixing bread dough and food such as potato salad for a crowd, as well as the large stainless steel bowl of my Kitchen Aid stand mixer. Yes, there is that old Tupperware bowl, too. Plenty of choices are available so those two very heavy bowls are now on their way to charity.

I'm looking forward this week to catching up with you a bit. My son is leaving his laptop home for me, at least the next few days. I'll be spending today through Thursday reading the Word, getting out my calendar and planning for the next couple of months, and re-reading a few more books to encourage getting organized within and without! I almost got caught up with laundry today. I want to do some organizing in the garage before my husband cleans it further next week. Well, just as long as we both can stand the cold weather. :)

Christopher is excited about his new classes. He is taking a very full load this semester at the community college as well as studying Government here at home. It will be a challenge but he'll be very prepared for the University come Autumn.

I am so glad to be back my friends. It will be easier to share each day when we (finally) get our computer back, which was suppose to be available today. In the meantime, I've become more used to this laptop. Thank you for the prayers, that was the only way I held up through challenging work hours!