The Elf Blog

Holiday Weekend

I'm traveling for work and pleasure for the next 8 days. Blogging will be thin until my return.

Travel Planning

With summer travel on the horizon, it's imprtant to think about planning basics.

As is always the case, I think having lists makes all the difference.  Here are the lists you should have:

1. A contact list, explaining whereyou'll be and how to reach you.  You should also have local contacts who can address home or pet emergencies.
2. A packing list:  Keep a list of the basics you need to take on your trips.  If you work from an established list, you're far less likely to forget anything.
3. A house shutdown list: A list of everything you need to do to be ready to leave.  This ould include things like turning off the water, stopping the paper, etc.

The better you plan, the more you can relax.

World Turtle Day

Today is World Turtle Day.  Take a card and/or gift to your local turtles!

Sorry, folks.  That's all I've got today.

Christmas Countdown -- 7 Months

Christmas Eve is seven months from today!  I'm already excited!

Remember: the purpose of the Christmas countdown is to help you prepare.  If you follow the countdown, when Christmas Eve rolls around, you'll be relaxed and ready to celebrate.

Here are the things you should begin working on over the next few months:

• Update your Christmas card list.  (If you don't have one, make one.)  Summer is a big time for moves and marriages, so it's helpful to keep the addresses current.
• If you plan to make gifts, now is a very good time to start. You can do a little at a time and still finish.
• Use a rainy summer day to sort through your Christmas recipe file.  Discard the ones that were not good.  Highlight the ones you love. Select some new ones to try this year.
• If you are vacationing this summer, be on the lookout for charming and unusual gifts for those you love.  I've bought some of my favorite gifts at little boutiques I've visited on my travels.
• Have a conversation with family about where you will celebrate the holidays.  As soon as that is decided, make any travel arrangements needed.  You may be surprised to learn that Thanksgiving flights are already filling up.
• Make a budget for the holidays.  I tend to look at Halloween through New Year's.  It should include all aspects of your celebration:  gifts, travel, food, entertainment, decorations, cards and postage, etc.  If you have not already started saving to cover these costs, start now.  You should never go into debt to celebrate the holidays.  Having a budget and saving throughout the year will allow you to keep control of your spending while prioritizing the things that mean the most to you.

Memorial Day

Next Monday we'll celebrate Memorial Day -- the unofficial beginning of summer.  That makes this weekend a great time to

• invite a few friends over for a cookout
• visit a farmers' market and make wonderful dishes from the fresyh fruits and vegetables
• plan a quick getaway
• play tourist in your hometown
• spend some time looking for fun and free events to participate in over the summer
• spend time with loved ones
• break out the summer clothes and outdoor furniture

What will YOU be doing this weekend?

 

Perseverance

The older I get (though elves are, essentially, ageless), the more convinced I become that perseverance is a most valuable quality.

No matter what you try -- getting in shape, learning a new craft, planning well, etc. -- few of us will succeed quickly. Sticking to our efforts, even when they don't seem productive, is really what separates success from failure.

Would someone please remind me of that as I keep trying to learn to run races.?

The Illusion of Summer

Yesterday, I blogged about how much I love the longer days of summer.  Today, I want to blog about a necessary caution.

With summer on the horizon with its slower pace and long days, it seems like there will be time for everything. It's really easy to tell yourself, "I can do that over the summer, when there's more time."  But summer days, sunny though they are, still have only 24 hours and we should be sleeping 8 of those.

I thought of this today as I accepted three new projects to complete "over the summer."  Those are in addition to the travel I have planned and in addition to the chores I want to get to -- things like cleaning closets -- and the skills I want to learn -- like canning and weaving.

Taking on too many projects can lead to stress and disappointment. It can also leave you unable to enjoy the slower pace of summer and spending time with family and friends.

Don't let the illusion of an endless summer become a planning trap.

The Illusion of Summer

Yesterday, I blogged about how much I love the longer days of summer.  Today, I want to blog about a necessary caution.

With summer on the horizon with its slower pace and long days, it seems like there will be time for everything. It's really easy to tell yourself, "I can do that over the summer, when there's more time."  But summer days, sunny though they are, still have only 24 hours and we should be sleeping 8 of those.

I thought of this today as I accepted three new projects to complete "over the summer."  Those are in addition to the travel I have planned and in addition to the chores I want to get to -- things like cleaning closets -- and the skills I want to learn -- like canning and weaving.

Taking on too many projects can lead to stress and disappointment. It can also leave you unable to enjoy the slower pace of summer and spending time with family and friends.

Don't let the illusion of an endless summer become a planning trap.

Longer Days

One of my favorite things about this time of year is that the days get so much longer.  I don't know about you, but when I have more hours of daylight, I feel like I can accomplish a lot more.  I can run more errands, do more after work, take care of a few things before work, etc.

When it's dark by the time I leave the office, I just want to go home and delve into a good book or a craft or do some cooking.  But in the spring and summer, I don't feel the need to be in the house until 9.

Of course, that can make keeping the house tidy a bit more of a challenge!

Rainy Days (Even if they aren't Mondays)

Spring and summer have their fair share of rainy days (at least in Washinbgton, DC).  So it only makes sense to plan for the inevitable.

• For rainy weekend days, it's not a bad idea to keep a list of indoor chores you can tackle.  A rainy day is a great day to clean out a drawer or cabinet or closet.
• Keep a basic stock in your craft area so that you don't have to go out in the rain to work on your latest projet.
• I always like to have a few DVDs or a good book or a few magazines handy to read away a rainy day.
• Perfect a few rainy day recipes that take a little longer to cook.
• If you general workout outside (running, etc.), make sure you have an indoor alternative.