Tag: organize

Mid Week of Vacation

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life

Monday was all about finishing writing Wayfarer 16.  Tuesday was all about organizing stuff.  Today is all about getting book work done.

Yesterday with help from two people, I got my craft room looking like a craft room rather than a storage locker.  I can find things and get to them more easily than before.  Things are labeled and stored appropriately.  I put several boxes of things out for our sale.  I weeded out some yarns (they went into my remnants crock).

Today I made some calls, paid some bills, and worked on the computer.  I updated my spreadsheets.  It doesn’t sound like a lot but it’s time consuming.  I got my sales spreadsheet caught up with the change in the month.  I have to look at the vendors I sell through and see what sales were.  Depending on the vendor depends on the ease of doing this.

When I’m done on the computer, I think I’m going back to reading.  I started the Wayfarer series and am working my way through them so as I edit, I can make sure the flow is right and refresh my memory on characters, story lines and such.

Many things have gotten checked off my todo list and I’m happy with the progress.  I’ve gotten covers made for some of my novels and I’m working on editing.  Fingers crossed I’ll be able to get Wayfarer Convictions out this week.  Then I start the process all over for the next one.

I have all these ideas floating around in my head for crocheting.  I’m hoping to get to some of them this week.  I’ll see how my time goes.  Tomorrow is pay day for me, so more bill paying and computer work but hopefully not as long as today.

I’m taking it one day at a time.  The progress made yesterday is good, though it did clutter up parts of my house as we shifted.  Now we have to make harder decisions about things.

Crochet Savior!

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life

My middle daughter moved home.  March was chaotic with her moving.  April is turning into chaos with getting our house organized – or reorganized and integrating her stuff into our house.

I’m finally tackling my office.  Currently it’s in that state of extreme messy because I’ve been going through papers, shelves, drawers in order to sort out what we need to keep.  There’s an ultimate goal in mind but for now, I want to get rid of one piece of furniture and move two others.  These means I’m taking decorations down from the wall as the furniture is going to cover up the wall space.

I’m not certain the way I want to rearrange the furniture is actually going to work so I need to try it before I decide whether it is how I actually want it.  Also all the stuff I want to put on the furniture is sitting around my office making it seem more cluttered.  I swear there is an organized method to the chaos at this point.

I started yesterday and made good progress but today I’ve spent running errands and prepping for the week.  There are some things I don’t want to get rid of.  I look at them and the organizer in me is saying just let it go.  But the writer / mom / creator in me is saying NO!!!  I’m working on it.  I’m also looking at a row of books – reference type – which sit by computer.  Do I want to weed through them?  No but should I?  Probably.  I know some of them will stay.  I can look at at least six of them and know they stay but there’s at least three times that many.  So reluctantly I’ll look through these books to weed out any.

Then there’s the recycle / garbage, sale piles to contend with.  I’ve got a box of stuff for a sale we’re hoping to participate in later this summer.  Also while I remove and rearrange what do I do with all the stuff.

It’s definitely been a weekend of chaos.  I’m not sure we’re making it any better.  However, at the intermediate phase, it is so chaotic I’m not sure it’s getting better.

We’re doing all of this while I’m at my most busy at work.  Registration and scheduling for spring 18 are going on.  Lots of changes, problem solving, and stress at work means I need peace at home.  Right now, no peace just chaos.

This is where my crocheting comes in.  I’ve been working on a number of projects.  I finished an afghan, several headbands, and started a bandana.  This keeps me sane (ish) as it takes me away from the stress of both work and home.  It allows me to escape into my creative mind and work on patterns.  Right now I have several which I want to publish.

I keep telling myself it will get better.  I keep reminding myself it is the first weeks and I need to be patient.  However, the clutter is starting to wear on my nerves.  After I’m done in the office, I plan to hit the recliner and work on another pattern or three in order to calm and ease the stress of life right now.

Productive!

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life
It has been a busy and productive weekend.  Ken and I have knocked off the errands in record time.  My todo list for the weekend is nearly all done.  More sorting and organizing got done in the office.  The weekend is still not done.
My goal this weekend was to get the errands done and prep for a contest which is due next Monday.  This involved sorting through two large stacks of writing paperwork.  I thought it would take me a long time but essentially I sorted into categories and will do the fine tuning once my organizational items get here. 
Ken and I got through all the errands yesterday except grocery shopping which he did this morning.  We went to Shopko, the post office, and Walgreens.  We also prepped the house for Kelly and Dominic coming over.  They called mid-errands and wanted to get together.  This was a wonderful thing as life has been so busy for all of us. 
In prepping the house, I was able to cross off several things from my todo list, like organizing for the few projects I want to get done in the next week.  Everything I need is at hand so I just need crochet time.
This morning I got up and allowed myself one hour of time wasting by playing Bookworm Adventures.  It is addicting and I can’t stop but I allowed myself the fun of playing while I woke up. 
Then I worked on reorganizing things.  Ken helped by taking things off high shelves and putting them where I wanted (like on other high shelves).  I have the items where I want them now – mostly decorative stuff that is good to look at but I don’t need to deal with much.  I sorted through my huge stacks of paperwork.  I also got the doilies a friend made me put on display with some knick knacks (mostly stones) and a bowl I got for a gift.
It is amazing to me how many little details can get taken care of in a matter of just a day or two.  Last night while I watched tv I worked on another kitchen set.  I have two more pot holders to make and some sponges.  After which I will work on bibs for those who requested them. 

The office is coming together.  Lots of things have been organized and arranged.  The living room got cleaned, which involved me clearing off and organizing the stuff on the couch and much of my crocheting stuff.  Shortly, I’m going to take my manuscript and go sit in the recliner to do one more edit before I submit it for the contest.  I think I can officially say it has been a busy and productive weekend!

Change of Plans

by eileentroemel, posted in Life
This weekend my plan was to run errands and work on organizing the paperwork in the office.  It was going to be a quiet weekend spent inside as much as possible out of the frigid weather.  This is not going to happen.
Instead I’ve run some errands but now Ken is packing the van for me to go to Indiana.  Vicki has an appointment she wants me to go to on Monday.  In looking at the weather forecast today will be a better driving day than tomorrow. 
This brings me to what would you do for someone you loved – family or friend – when they are in need.  My daughter – always concerned about me with my – has offered that I not come down but I’ve rebuffed her each time.  Why?  I’m handicapped and it is difficult for me to get around.  I have concerns about getting into her apartment and if something goes wrong while I’m driving being able to get around.  All valid concerns but at the same time – my daughter needs me. 
Because she needs me, I’m going the extra mile to get to her and spend time with her.  Hopefully I won’t encounter any of the difficulties that concern me.  If I do – I’ll deal as I have to.  Mostly, I just want to get to my daughter so I can provide the support she needs.  Worries and concerns don’t really matter because she is more important than the fear that things might be tough. 
It is more important that she have the peace of mind that me being there will bring than the concerns I have over a winter drive possibly being difficult.  I know she and I will care for each other once I’m down there. 

I love that my daughters have gone off to live their lives.  They are doing exactly what I raised them to do – follow their own path.  This is the one drawback – they are far from me and it is harder to offer care and comfort when they are in need.  I do what I can and hope they know I’m there for them.  It is the one aspect of having strong adult daughters that is difficult – they have followed their path far from home and I can’t be there in an instant – except in spirit all the time.