My "write 6 things I am going to do in my 70th year journal on the 27th of every month" is already derailed. I started on November 27th, and I never made it one month without forgetting to do it. This may not be as easy as I thought, it wasn't until Dec 30th that I remembered. I should have kept writing all the great ides I had in November because so far, I have only been able to come up with one thing out of the 6. Clearly, I have no trouble creating a deadline or identifying a specific date to make sure I stay organized. I have come to realize it is the follow through that is the issue.
I had planned all through the Christmas season that on New Year's Day I will pack my decorations away. I will do it with intention. The intention is to pack like none other and downsize the containers. I aborted that idea long before New Years Day arrived. I didn't have the intent I wanted, and I knew I wouldn't do a good job. I get a tremendous urge to purge when I am putting my Christmas decorations away. I think everyone has those bits that never make it into the current decorating scheme. At some point we have to deal with those bits. My dealing with them is simple, every year I put them back into the container and say to myself, "I'll deal with that next year". Which never happens!
A practical thing that I have already accomplished in preparation for a new year is to pour vinegar through the coffee pot. It is important to go into a new year with the best functioning coffee pot that is possible. I was planning to clean my oven, but that didn't happen. I have to push the button that says, "clean" on my stove. It is pretty simple, but it takes planning when you clean an oven. You have to be home for safety reasons. You can't use it; in fact, I can't even use my burners for 4 hours. It's no wonder it's not done; it almost turns into a life changing event, and I'm simply not prepared to do so. So far this year, I have planned a lot of things and done none of them. I see a pattern developing and the new year has hardly gotten started.
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| I am considering Plan B |
I do have a plan that I will do the entire month of January. I am determined to clear off my technology. Yes, I am going to push the "delete all" button on the deleted messages file on my email. I might need sedation to do that, but I am doing it. I don't have a lot of icons on my screen, nor do I have much under my favorites file, but there are areas in my computer that simply are jammed packed. I don't know my way around a computer very well, so I am hopeful it will be flying from one site to another once it gets its little clean up.
During the month of January, I am setting up stations in my home. I have my cards for solitaire, my knitting, reading, coloring and puzzle station. Much like stations for kindergarten children, so they don't get bored. I am knitting pink chemo hats for a project the Waves will be doing during Breast Cancer Awareness month in October. We are making chemo bags as gifts to all women receiving chemo for Breast Cancer in any of the Cancer Care Units in our region. It is always good for me to have a project to focus my knitting on, and this is a very special one to say the least.
This year, I am going to rethink where to donate. I have used a Facebook page in the past. It is a site that you can ask for something or advertise something to give away, no selling allowed. Most people don't have a car, so dropping off is part of it. I don't mind that; in fact, I prefer it. One donation I have already made, was to drop off 50 of Mom's puzzles at the library. The librarian's eyes nearly jumped out of her head when she saw them.
When I put something new in my closet, I take something out. Unfortunately, donating to secondhand stores has become quite complicated. With the exception of Value Village, all the others have specific times when they accept donations. In fact, you have to make an appointment at one. My favorite place to donate is the organization that has a closet for their clients that need an outfit for a job interview or to start a new job. It is an amazing place, and I wish I had clothes to donate there. If you are retiring this year, and your need for work clothes is less, you may want to consider a place like this. Women helping women at its finest. Westman Immigrations will take any items for a home, that includes those that are hard to get rid of, such as a TV or bed. They set up apartments for their clientele, and anything is welcome.
2026 is up and running. I am going to get onboard and start with getting my decorations down, purged and packed like a professional. Who knows where it will go from there. Maybe push "clean" on my oven or write 5 more things in my "70" journal. The possibilities are endless. I know I will stray from my plans, but let's remember I am retired. That means I can. Good luck everyone with whatever you are planning to do in January, and may the new year hold lots of accomplishments and adventures for you.
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