The Elf Blog

Welcoming a New Friend

This morning, I received word that my application to adopt a dog had been approved.  I will pick up my new friend -- a young female tan terrier mix -- sometime this weekend.

Because I know where I keep things, in 15 minutes tonight, I was able to find bowls, blankets, a collar, a leash, dog sweaters, shampoo, and toys.  (This means I don't have to buy all these things new -- a significant savings.)

I'll post pictures and updates as my friend chooses her name and settles in.

I will not be changing my profile picture though.  Arwen will ALWAYS be the princess.

9 Months Away!

Christmas is 9 months from today!  No, don't go!  I'm not going to tell you that you should be finished shopping or make you start decorating, I promise!

There are some things you can do though.

Many areas have spring cleanup days when you can put out large things that usually can't go in the trash.  That makes it a good time to get rid of the large decorations and such that are in poor condition and cannot be repaired.

As you are planning your vacation, google the area to look for interesting places to shop for presents.  I've had excellent luck with little off-the-beaten path boutiques and museum shops.  Also, check for events in the area you will visit.  I've managed to catch craft shows in some places and come away with lovely one-of-a-kind gifts.  Imagine coming back from vacation well-rested AND with part of your shopping done!

If you do spring cleaning,it's a good time to organize your recipe files, decorations, and craft supplies.

Finally, take the time now to set up your holiday budget. You have 9 months to save.  That makes things a bit easier.  You'll know how much you need to put back each week to be ready for the holiday season!

Preparing for Passover

Passover begins in 2 weeks. If you celebrate, that means it's time to prepare!

If you are hosting seder, you need to invite your guests and make sure you have enough copies of the Haggadah you will use. You should start to think through the menu for the main meal.  As you have ideas for dishes that can be made without leaven, keep a list, since you'll probably need them all before the holiday is over.

The main thing to do is to start cleaning the house -- especially the cabinets.  Try to arrange menus that use the leaven you have in your house.  That could make the next two weeks a carb fest, but that's not such a bad thing!

An Ode to the Zeppole

Thursday, March 19th, is the Solemnity of Saint Joseph.  As I explained in an earlier post, one of the ways of celebrating the day is with a shared meal.  It is especially suggested to invited those who would otherwise be alone.

A traditional food for the day is the zeppole -- a sort of Italian doughnut, served either plain or filled.  In all honesty, it has no redeeming nutritional value.  It's just sugar and fat, but it sure is yummy.  And it's only for a few days a year.

So check out the Italian bakeries in your area to see if anyone will be selling them on Thursday.  Otherwise, you have to wait until next year!

Simplicity

You know, it's been a bit more than a week since I did my spring cleaning and one observation has stayed with me: I have too much stuff!

My guess is that many of us suffer from this situation.  We see a good deal on something, so we buy extra.  We make an impulse purchase.  We want something desperately in the moment, so we buy it, and then we decide we really don't need it.  We don't discard or donate old things when we upgrade. For whatever reason, we just end up with more stuff than we need and more stuff than we have room to store.

That's led me to thinking about trying to live more simply, especially in these difficult economic times.  Between now and the end of June, I hope to go through my closets, discarding or donating things that no longer fit, are beyond repair, or that I just don't wear anymore.  My guess is that I'll also find clothes I've forgotten that I owned.  Also, any purchase I make must be a service, immediately consumable, or purchased for a clear and necessary purpose.

To keep myself accountable, I'll report on my progress at the end of each month.

The Friday Tidy

Whether or not you did your spring cleaning last week, today is a good day to recommit to the "Friday Tidy."

I first blogged about this last April.  When you get home from work on Friday evening, take about an hour to clean and declutter the main rooms in the house.  Clean the bathroom fixture.  Put things where they belong.  Vacuum, dust, or damp mop as needed.  Do dishes.  Remove the science experiments from the fridge.  Take out the trash.  If more than one person lives there, more than one person tidies.

When I finish, I order a pizza and hop in the shower.  Soon after I'm done with my shower, dinner has arrived and I've earned the rest of the night off with a good book or a movie or my needlework.  And when I wake up saturday morning, I can enjoy my weekend without facing a mess.

I find that blaring music makes it seem much faster and you can usually finish in the time is takes 10-12 songs to play.  If you like to clean to music, tell me in the comments what's on your cleaning play list.  I'll do a post of your favorites and mine!

The Issue of Pressure

If you are reading this blog, you are likely to be the sort of person who wants to be a good host, throwing lovely parties and entertaining guests.  Unfortunately, you (like me) may suffer from a compulsion to be "perfect."  Congratulations.  You have identified the surest way to set yourself up for failure.  No person or event will ever be perfect (no matter what you see on TV or in the magazines). Life just isn't made that way.

So give yourself a break.  Do prepare and try to foresee the big problems. But remember that no guest worth having will be upset with the little omissions and mishaps that are part of life.  So what if there's dust on the TV or the edges of the pizza burn or the dinner isn't all ready at the same time.

Life will go on.  And you might even have a funny story to tell at your next party!

A Small Rant

I did my spring cleaning over the weekend and then I sat down to catch up on some magazines.  I have had a subscription to Martha Stewart Living for years.  It's a fun read and I get some great ideas from it. 

But sometimes, the woman is just nuts.

In the December issue, there was an article about her caroling party -- in the summer house on her estate (approximately 3 times the size of my year-round house).  Of course, they used a Steinway grand piano.

Then in January, she talks about her plan for health and happiness.  It includes a daily 1 hour workout with her personal trainer in her fully equipped gym and having other exercise instructors coming to her office.  There's also a very intensive and expensive skin care regime since having a blemish would apparently cause the world to end.  Of course, what isn't there is anything like the daily necessities of life:  housework, grocery shopping, child care, etc.  Of course, her one child is grown and she has a staff for everything else.

I'm almost afraid to read the February and March issues.

I can't help but think that her magazine would be more helpful if it sort of reflected the lives that most of us live.  It is possible to live graciously inthe REAL world.

Daylight Savings Time

Daylight Savings Time begins at 2:00 a.. on Sunday, March 8.  (Yes, it's earlier than you remember!)  Before you go to bed tonight, turn your clocks AHEAD one hour.

And give yourself a break this week.  Even though it will be light later, you'll be feeling the loss of sleep.

Spring Cleaning

It's that time again -- time to think about and start your spring cleaning.  It helps to set aside a day or two, dedicated to nothing but cleaning.  Removing all other distractions (though music can be an excellent accompaniment) is good.  Otherwise, you'll find all sorts of other things you want to do besides clean.

Before you start, make sure you have all approriate cleaning supplies (cleansers, mops, cloths, etc.) at hand.

If the weather allows, throw open the windows to let fresh air circulate.  It will make the house smell cleaner than any cleanser.

If you will be doing laundry (blankets, carpets, etc.), start the loads first thing as they will take some time.  Also, if you plan to take things outside to wash or just air out, do that early on so that things will have enough time to dry or really get the benefit of the air.

There are two good cleaning strategies you might want to try.  In the first strategy, you do all of a certain task before moving to the next.  So, you would clear clutter and put things away in all rooms, then mop floors, then vacuum, then dust, etc.  Alternatively, you can clean one room thoroughly before moving on to the next.  I typically use that strategy.  I start in my bathroom and work in a counterclockwise fashion to my laundry room.  Each room is clean before I move to the next one.  That strategy lets me vary the tasks throughout the day and see real progress on a regular basis.

I will be doing my spring cleaning this weekend.  I don't clean closets and cabinets or move all the furniture.  I have a 900 square foot house and I can clean it in about 10 hours.

After you finish your cleaning, make sure you reward yourself -- perhaps a nice dinner or a long hot bath.