August 2, 2026 Sunday

Greetings!

Another week has flown by.  Been still feeling cruddy, but generally maybe a bit better than the week before?  McFamily left for Minneapolis Friday for Dagan's heart/pacemaker checkup this coming week and won't be back till Wednesday.  It is a chance for them to visit with Leah's youngest sister, hubby, and the boys' cousin.  I think they were taking the three boys to the Home Depot Kids Workshop down there.  (Always the first Saturday of the month.)  They usually hit IKEA and the MegaMall.  (If I am worse by the time they get back I will probably go to the walk-in clinic just to make sure I don't have pneumonia or something.)

Anyways, last weekend...found out the hand-painted cupboard knobs I purchased won't work on these IKEA hutches.  Going to sell or give away.  See how they have the two bolts on them?

Well, there is only room for a screwhead.  Totally different way to attach than these.  The bolts stick out so far the doors won't close.

There's no leeway and the bolts will hit the shelves.  

I was bummed out, but maybe I can find something else with just a bare screw attachment.  Been searching and a lot of them have this double nut way and you have to cut off the excess screw part.  But there are some that attach just by a screw...so I will spend some time looking for something colorful.

Last weekend Dagan and Leah cleared out the orange rug, cleaned the floor and taped down the round rug.  We are moving the jug of laundry detergent around the edge to press it down well. 

Leah hung my magnetic chalkboard outside the door...and the mail rack I just bought last month.

Will be adding some shelves to hold the chalk and erasers underneath.  Hadn't ordered them yet, but they're here now, so probably next weekend.  :)

Dagan helped me by moving up books in the corner bookshelves.  Uncovered a bunch more that I want to reach easily so needed the center area free.

He put in that last shelf in the hutch.  

All the brushes are back on the art table, if you can even find them--lol!  Yes, last week was definitely a gets-worse-before-it-gets-better in the cleaning and organizing project--lol!

Dagan and Leah kind of nudged me with the Breville, too--lol!  Leah rolled it in and I set it to heat for 20 minutes.  (Don't all appliances that heat up have that similar awful stink to them when they are new?)  Then Leah actually made me up a pizza.  Dagan brought it down and we figured out how to set the dials.  So, I finally used the new multi-functional contraption!  

And the pizza was delicious!  As leftovers, too.  The Breville finally got broken in!

The week was not nauseous or crampy...but it was still a drowsy, coughing, nose-blowing week.  I did get something done.  Using shelves to unload...

...the two boxes that were at the end of the table.

I get kind of paralyzed trying to figure out how to organize everything in a new and smaller way.  I follow this lady on YT who is a home organizer--Clutterbug.  She had this new video out where she showed filling a bookcase the four different ways she talks about.  (She has four categories of how people organize).  I followed the link under her video to take the test again.  I took the quiz years ago and thought I was a "Bee".  I am.  I added the link in case you're interested.  If you take the quiz tell me what kind of organizer you are.  I'd love to know.  :)

Anyways, I had been thinking I needed more see-through containers so I could move some of my art supplies out of drawers...that's why I had already ordered a small set of them I got a while ago.  The thing that clicked with me in her video was that you only have so much space and that won't change.  She buys the containers first and then fills them!  I have never done it that way before in my life.  Seems really a$$-backwards, you know?  But I have been so paralyzed and set back with the putting away and then having to move things...I figured I'd give it a go.  

So, the plan is to start moving empty containers into the shelves...which I have started to do but have a long ways to go.

I did start filling up the blank center space in the corner bookshelves this past week.  There will be more.

A lot of what was piled over here on top of these dressers were empty containers!

AND--four sets of empty plastic containers arrived the past two days!  I'm actually kind of excited to try this new system out.  

Now I am searching for more empty containers I already have.--lol!  Allie takes it all in stride.

I told Leah all about this new organizational plan when she brought me to the lab on Thursday.  She said she is a "Cricket".  So she knew about Clutterbug--lol!  

Look what Leah found in the garage and brought down yesterday!  Couldn't be better timing!  All the tubs I ordered almost four years ago for the new wall shelf unit!

This new-to-me method of organizing may work better than I imagine.  Who knows?  But this "Bee" does like things all organized into specific categories and as much where I can actually see it as possible.  You can tell by my lazy susans by my chair--lol!  They are all organized by type and brand...with a small covered wastebasket for recyclables (paper mostly).  And of course--eye drops. 

It's the same as the ones in my studio rollie cart...organized by type and brand.  I love seeing them out there in their cups--all that color and organization--ahh!  Brings me great joy!  Would drive some other people crazy--lol!

BTW--the studio or art rollie carts were moved out here so they weren't in the way while I am organizing in there...but...

...once Dagan and Leah remove all these parts of the bookcases that couldn't be used the rollie carts will live in that spot.

Somebody who is happy for them to be like a blockade behind her chair is Allie.  She' been snuggled up back there in that bed pretty often since I moved them there.  Never really laid back there before that--lol!  Must feel like a little fortress!

Anyways, I got a message from my rheumatologist later on Friday.  My inflammation markers have increased.  (Not surprised at all since been sick for going on two weeks.)  She wants to increase my dosage and to see me earlier than we had planned (August 21).  I haven't written back to her yet...weekend and all.  I'll send her a message on Monday.  I don't know if she meant a virtual or a regular visit...but I may end up going to the walk-in clinic to get a chest x-ray if I am not better by the time McFamily is home.  Meanwhile...at least for this weekend...I am focusing on finding and arranging empty storage containers--lol! 

Wild Card 

Predestined?  I don't think I have ever thought of anything as predestined in my life.  But before I had ever heard of reincarnation or anything about past lives (raised Methodist) I do remember the oddest moment.  I was around 14 years old.  Lying alone out on the grass in the backyard one summer afternoon.  This tiny pale green insect with long translucent sparkly wings landed on my arm.  I was staring at it and thinking about how beautifully fragile it was.  Suddenly I knew I had asked for a lot this time.  No idea where that knowledge came from, but I suddenly knew there were going to be some huge tests for my soul.  The overwhelming recognition of my overconfidence and optimism just washed over me.  So intensely that I whispered to the little bug on my arm...I may have bitten off more than I can chew this time.  

You can do this...said that voice I sometimes heard inside my head.

Probably...maybe...glad you think so, I thought.  Chuckling to myself, I scared away the delicate little bug.    

Well---so far, I have managed.  Sometimes just barely, but I have managed okay, I guess.  But I have never felt events or circumstances were predestined.  Life has always felt more like a choose your own ending story--lol!

What about you?  I am enjoying this deck.  Some weeks life gets overly crowded or overly empty and I forget about them, but I am always glad when I remember.  For me, they often trigger forgotten memories.  :)

With Allie currently on my lap, I'll say bye for now.  Chat with you next week and let you know what's happening in my little corner of the world.  I hope all is going well in yours.  :)