Life Gets In The Way

It started as a really nice , quiet morning. I woke early & went out & did all the chores-came back in quietly because DH was still sleeping . He had a rough night last night so I knew he needed the rest. I did not even stop in the kitchen to get a drink because I was afraid the noise would awaken him as he was asleep on the couch.

I made it to the sewing room & got on the computer to clear out emails & such. He came by shortly after & said that he had been out to the stove , but he saw that I had already filled it so he knew I was somewhere. LOL We fixed breakfast & I went to do the dishes-yep- that was my mistake for ruining a quiet morning.

The silverware drawer has been broken for approximately the last month. The support under neath of it gave way & it would either hang way out & thus you would bump it -or - if you pushed it in -then you could not get into the second drawer for the potholders???? It was a mess-but I had hopefully hoped that DH would feel like fixing it. But this morning it was the last straw for me - I got his drill & a screw & I was attempting to put a screw in to hold the broken support -just so it looked better & would be out of the way . But- NO- DH did not want that & he said we would go to town to get one & do it right?????? MISTAKE!

I did not want to go to town-but there was no derailing him. We made it to the little town where the hardware was located & IT WAS OUT OF BUSINESS!!!!!!!!!!!!  But he found some cheaper gas so we did get gas. Then we went to the next little town at Lowes building supplies & he found the support-yea!

We pulled out of the parking lot & the truck made the most aweful sound so we coasted into another parking lot. DH went in & got some oil -but it was too late to save the day. The motor was going -but we made it out of town & to a little country store a few miles from our  house. DH used their phone as we had Both left ours at home today????

He called a neighbor who was kind enough to come pick us up. He is such a sweet neighbor who was working at a local tire shop & was helping a co-worker when a piece of steel flew into his right eye. It was horrible - so much pain , but they thought he would be alright -wrong-now they don't think he will have but maybe 5 %sight-so he has been learning to drive with one eye & you would never know he had a problem. We also have another neighbor who only has one eye & he works for the local pop company fixing their pop machines.

We made it home & I was so thrilled - changed clothes & went out & did evening chores while DH called our oldest son who has a trailer and he & his wife came & picked up our truck & brought it home. The grandson & a friend are suppose to come in the morning to help DH pull the motor & work on it. Needless to say - time marches on. I went to lock up the chickens & was actually glad to take that walk up the hill - just to have a quiet moment to destress.

Even Yukon came over for a visit- always ready for a good "ear-scratching".

I ran across a nice tip today for clutter -  you just never know who it might help. As for me - I am still looking for that magic lamp with the genie! LOL

Hello and welcome back to your Declutter Fast newsletter!

Your home truly is your castle. And you deserve
to make your home a place that brings you serenity
and good feelings, 24 hours a day.

A long time ago, I figured out the "Doll House"
method of making a place into what you really
want it to be.

This is because I had a playhouse built in my
back yard. It started as a bare wood playhouse
with a bare floor. I had the playhouse painted,
and then I tiled the floor myself (about 64
squares of stick-on tile - it made all the
difference in the place).

If I'd had that place as a kid, I probably would
have spent all my time there, but my own kids
spent very little time in it. But I love the
playhouse because it's like a "perfect" little
home.

Even when my own home had too much clutter, I
refused to let the playhouse have ANY clutter.
I put cozy kid-sized armchairs in it, plus
some colorful kid-sized tables from Ikea. I
added lamps, a bookcase, a cute rug, a fold-out
chair-bed, a tiny TV set, and a mailbox.

This playhouse was always the no-clutter-zone
and it made me feel happy to look at it! It
still does!

It helped me to realize that at heart, I was
a spartan soul who liked ORDER and no clutter
whatsoever! And I know you like order too!

Later I decided to try this "doll house"
technique in my own home. I would take one
room at a time and make sure it only had what
was needed or pleasing to the eye - and not
one bit of clutter in sight. It works wonders!

How can you do this? You take away the things
which are making ANY sort of clutter - and put
them somewhere else for the time being.

Putting your clutter out of your sight is very
important - because every time you look at it,
this has a draining effect on you.

This way, your home can be your beautiful
"doll house" right away. You've moved and
contained the clutter for the time being.

Then, when you have time, you can systematically
go through your clutter. It WILL eventually be
conquered!

For more fast ways to declutter your world,
check out my book "Declutter Fast."

      at http://www.declutterfast.com

Every effort we make adds up.

Here's to order in our lives!

With love,
Mimi Tanner
Author of Declutter Fast - How to Get Your Home In
Order Almost Immediately!
http://www.declutterfast.com

Sorry - kids - I just ran across this recipe:

Blackberry Scones
(Makes 6-8 scones)

Ingredients:

For the scones:
1 – 1 1/2 c blackberries 2 c flour 1 Tbs baking powder 4 Tbs sugar 4 Tbs butter 2 eggs, beaten 1/3 c milk 1/4 c sour cream
For the crust:
1 egg white 1/4 c sugar

Directions:

If you are using fresh berries, wash them and then stick them in the freezer for at least a half hour. This will help the berries maintain their structural integrity when you work them into the dough.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the flour, baking flour, and the 4 Tbs of sugar in a bowl. Cut the butter into chunks and work it into the dough until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Stir in the milk, eggs, and sour cream and form a soft dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Fold the berries into the dough. Be careful not to overwork or smash the fruit.

Pat the dough into an 8 inch circle. Now it’s time to make the sugary crust. Beat the egg white until it is frothy and then spread over the top of the dough. This will seem soupy and strange, but go with it. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar over the egg whites so that the top is covered and the sugar is absorbed by the egg whites.

With a floured knife, cut the dough into wedges. The scones will expand a bit in the oven, so keep this in mind when you cut them. Carefully transfer the scones onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 18-20 minutes until they are lightly browned. Wait until cooled and then enjoy.