The best laid plans..........

Remember Monday when I was all gung ho about planning and goals and action!  Yeah well, it started out good but Tuesday went to $#@% in a hand basket!  I had my day planned out really well and got going as soon as I got up.  It was garbage day so I got that out to the road and then I had errands to run...I went to the bank, the pharmacy, the dollar store and the grocery store here in town.
When I was at the pharmacy I asked the pharmacist if any of the medicines I take would cause my AST (liver test) to go high and she said 'no'.  Then when I got home I called my RA doctor to see if they could tell me what to do since I hadn't heard from my GP.  They said they had no access to the blood work I had done.  So, I called the nurse at the GP's and asked her to send the results to my other doctor.  Then I called to make an appointment for Grace, my cat who hasn't been feeling well and didn't seem to be eating much.  They said if I got there there in 30 minutes they could see her.  So, I dropped everything and took her to the vet.....$192.00 later she had an IV because she was dehydrated and blood work which indicated she was jaundice and having liver problems!  What is this National Liver Month or something?  I got home about 4:30 p.m, no dinner made, few priorities done and totally in shock about Grace.  If I can't get her to eat they will have to insert a tube in her neck and MOI will have to tube feed her!  Poor Grace!  So, it was a very disheartening day and get this......while I was gone the nurse called me back and this time she left a message....to call her back! LOL!  By then it was 5:00 p.m.  I was done for the day!
In reviewing my 2 days of "action plans" I was already behind in everything!  But here's part of what I got done on Monday.........it seems miniscule but it makes me feel good when I look at it.........plus, there's an empty shelf on the bottom......now that's progress!

 

 Today is making piecrusts, making Green Chile Spinach Quiche, laundry and trying to catch up with what I didn't get done yesterday.....wish me luck and please send some good thoughts Grace's way....she is a sweet soul.

Happy Trails!!!

Monday - Plans, schedules and action lists!

No Book Date today as I am reading the same ones but in reading my friend Marsha's blog yesterday, Lefty Crafter (she's on my sidebar) she was talking about how she was spending Sunday afternoon planning her week.  It dawned on me how I used to do that when I was working and had the farm and the family.  I had to plan everything out or something would fall between the cracks!

Here's the definition of planning:   according to Wikipedia "planning  (also called forethought) is the process of thinking about and organizing the activities required to achieve a desired goal. It involves the creation and maintenance of a plan, such as psychological aspects that require conceptual skills. "
I used to be so good at writing goals and action plans and setting milestones to gauge how I was coming along.  But when I got sick and then subsequently retired it all went out the window!  I was more focused on getting well, slowing down, simplifying and taking care of myself.  I did do that but now I have seen that other things have gone by the wayside and I am ready to move forward and tackle those things!
I used to have fancy planners but now I just use the old fashioned composition books where I can use as many pages as I want and with numbering them and having an index in the front I can find anything I need quickly.  This one was started near the end of October and it's still going..............when it's full I will put the end date on the front too.

Years ago, I ran across a book that talked about balance in your life and that is what I needed then and I need it again now!  When you don't have your tasks and needs balanced that is when things fall between the cracks and that can be stressful and lead to feelings of being overwhelmed.
My old categories still pretty much fit with my lifestyle.  The author of the book talked about separating your life into 9 boxes but I now have 10 categories and feel okay about adding more if necessary but for now 10 is just fine.  Here are my 10 categories:
1.personal/spiritual
2.financial
3.travel/entertainment
4.cleaning/organizing
5.decorating/maintenance
6.gardening/landscaping 
7.cooking/baking
8.family/friends
9.blog/business
10.hobby/contribution

It took me a long time to settle on these categories in order to include everything I do and want to do in my life.  I don't do these every day but I would like to touch on every one of them in a week at least but at the very least monthly for sure!  Some categories require more time than others and you need to set aside time for those activities or tasks while other categories can be multi-tasked combining several together such as entertainment and hobby or travel and entertainment or friends and family.  It may look like a lot but in reality it helps to stay balanced and you feel better knowing you have a handle on your life.
So yesterday, I got back to my categories and planning and made my weekly list of goals based on my categories .  The categories are also great because they are like a "tickler" to remind you of things you might otherwise forget.
 Here are my Weekly Goals that I came  up with.....quite a bit but I also know from experience that even if I don't attain them all I will still get more done than if I hadn't written them down.....it's been proven by me and many others!  This list doesn't quite cover every category yet but I am just starting out again so I will give myself time to 'catchup' to my old system plus I am lots older now and don't have the energy I had 'back in the day'! LOL!  But it's a start and I was happy to be doing it again....it makes you feel like you are 'in the driver's seat' once more..... 

Based on my goals I made my action and task list for the week and they did touch every category.........(you can click on the pictures to enlarge)

I also have a monthly task list that I haven't listed everything on yet but it gives you an example of those tasks that you only need to do once a month and you can spread them out over the month.  I know it looks like a capital "G" after the task but actually it is a paren with a J after it which indicates that I did the task for January.  Every month I check the list and schedule the tasks throughout the month on my weekly goals and from there to my daily lists.  For February there will be an F when the task is done and so on.

This may be a bit much for those of you who are more organized by nature but for me it works and prevents me from feeling like I'm "losing it" while some of you may think this post is the proof! LOL!

Happy Trails!!!

YOP Week #31

I still don't have a camera but I am  using my tablet to the best of my ability.........I finished the bottom of my sweater..............

and I've picked the sleeves back up and have started working one of them..........

The directions for decreasing weren't entirely clear to me so I checked a couple video's on You Tube regarding knitting raglan sleeves and I think I figured out what her directions meant.  It's really mathematical so I love that!  I did the math and I think I'm on the right track.  I want to shorten the sleeves too maybe even 3/4 length as I always end up pushing them up so I can do dishes or stick my hands in water so 3/4 length is great for my lifestyle....we'll see as I go along.
 I finished one of Susan B. Anderson's little hearts that she hand felts.....I'm sticking mine in with the darks when I wash them.  I've felted things before and I think some agitation with other clothes will do the trick!  I'll see how I like it when it's done before I make any more.  This picture is pre-felting.

  Since I'm done with the size 8 circular from the sweater...I can now use it on my Cozy Memories Blanket....because I tried using straight needles and I didn't care for it.  I never did find the original one that I  used for it....leprechauns!  They're everywhere!  I almost got 4 squares done but not quite!  I need to measure it again too.

I haven't worked on my Christmas Eve socks as I need to find some yarn to continue with once I run out as I know I will.  I need to get a move on if I want to do the Box of Socks this year!  Also, there's my "Ornament a Month" self-imposed KAL if anyone wants to join me.  Last year, Amber from Maker's Haven did one but she's not doing it this year but I am!  I'll try anyway and I am trying to make the star for the top of the tree that I failed miserably at last year..............Amber's free pattern.

 I haven't gotten too far yet...I knitted all the star points just fine with the beads last time but I got carried away sewing them together and forgot to leave room to attach the points to each other....DUH!!!  So, it was in timeout for a year.....I can look at the yarn now without bursting into tears.......lol!

I watched Maker's Haven podcast last night and she's doing washcloths and highly recommended the book put out by Knit Picks on Kitchen Cloths.  I think I may need that one myself.  I have plenty of cotton yarn to make some and it would be nice to have them on hand for gifts etc. or just to replace the old ugly ones.
Inside Number 23 is having a KAL for garments using patterns from Michele Wang....it's for 3 months and you can use a WIP and you don't have to finish it in the 3 months!  Sweet deal and there will be prizes, of course.  If you know of any other knitting or crafting news please let us know!
I didn't really have any finishes this week.  I was on the phone with my friend who  had surgery and she is doing great!  I'm so happy!  She had a double mastectomy and came home the next day....she's amazing and so brave!  She's in great spirits, no pain just a little uncomfortable.  She's not even taking her pain meds and she's by herself!  Women are so strong!  I may be knitting her some 'knockers' after she's all healed up.  She mentioned it to me and the website is https://www.knittedknockers.org/  if you are interested in making any.  
My grandson, Sam,  had some leg pains on the same leg that they removed a tumor from when he was 5 or 4 (?)  (he's 10 now) They had an appointment at the University of Iowa with the surgeon and  he's fine....no returning tumor or problem...whew! 
I've been on the phone TRYING to get an answer from my doctor (you can never talk to the doctor though as the nurse screens the calls and I'm thinking she didn't even ask him because her answer did not sound like something he would say).  Anyway, my liver function results were high but I still don't know why.  I am hoping it is one of my medicines and not a problem with the heart muscle or hepatitis!  She told me he said to lay off the alcohol and not take Tylenol.  I told her I do neither....and that doesn't sound like something he would say....I've known him longer than she has!  He doesn't "assume" anything and he is very polite and would ASK me if I was drinking alcohol or taking Tylenol not assume like she did.  I had to call her twice before she got back to me after 3 days!  She also lied and told me she had called me but didn't leave a message....I have caller id and it records every number that calls whether they leave a message or not and there were no calls from them.....hmmm.  I don't like people that lie to me and I'm pretty sure I will be telling him the next time I see him.  Obviously she is not going to let me talk to him.  I think she's making her own recommendations without consulting him at all!  Scary!
Anyway, that's been my week pretty much so not a lot of progress on any front except I am SO happy everyone is healthy and healing!  I hope you had a great week and please stop by and check out the makes from other YOP'ers here
Happy Trails!!!