Personal Perestróĭka

Last night I switched my laptop over to Windows 7 (which is made of WIN), and I’m pretty happy.  I lost a single folder of stuff, which I didn’t really need anyway.  I reorganized most of my computer files (the photos are still out of control but that’s a whole night’s work by itself, so some other time).  Now my computer feels shiny, happy and new, so that’s good!

Buoyed by this sense of accomplishment I started to take hold of my life today.  Well, that’s a huge project, but I got the closet cleaned out.  Packed away my summer clothes.  Pulled out all the fleecy lounge pants.  How much do I love Nashville weather that it was possible to wait until the last day of November to do this?  Granted it was an abnormally warm November, but still awesome!

Now I’ve finished lunch.  The closet stuff is done, including taking stuff to the Goodwill drop off.  The laundry is laundering.  I have a massive, ambitious to-do list.  Which really I need to break down into ongoing lists of projects to be done, and then parcel that out into smaller daily and weekly lists.  I could in fact lose an entire afternoon just to trying to organize all my projects, which really, I probably should do.  Hmmm.

(Picture today from Ricko on Flickr.)

As I did at exactly this time last year, I have taken the refashion pledge:

I pledge that I shall abstain from the purchase of “new” manufactured items of clothing, for the period of 2 months. I pledge that I shall refashion, renovate, recycle preloved items for myself with my own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium for the term of my contract. I pledge that I will share the love and post a photo of my refashioned, renovated, recycled, crafted or created item of clothing on the Wardrobe Refashion blog, so that others may share the joy that thriftiness brings!

So I will probably be doing most of my sewing blog posts over there, but I will try and link them here when they go up.

I made Thai green curry for dinner to stave off the depression of the first Standard time early sunset. Spicy, wonderful nom nom noms!  And hopefully to help me feel better.

The past two months of house guests, lots of running around, plenty of work and then, most recently, being sick, have left me feeling broke down and worn out.  I have need-to-do projects stacked knee-high around the house. I feel the need to just catch up on my life.  Like not even the projects, just you know, being me who isn’t hosting guests or sick or at work.  Ugh.  Lots of sewing will surely help. I should get started on that.

This weekend I spent a bunch of time fantasizing about a lovely, relaxing summer holiday here.  My mom is just now flying back from here, which also seems about right for where I’d rather be right now.  I did, after many false starts, finally book my tickets to Seattle for the winter holidays.  Dec 20-28.  I’m very much looking forward to that too.

I didn’t do anything for Halloween, but come home and put on pajamas. Lame, maybe, but so relaxing.  I’ve been thinking about my Gramma Marge and my Grampa Ray a lot today. El Día de los Muertos means honoring them.  For a while now I’ve been wanting to make a standing El Día de los Muertos altar for them in miniature.  I should perhaps take some time today to put down my plans for it so that I can start making the little pieces of it over the coming year.  I will light a candle for them tonight.

Picture today is my dining room fireplace “altar” for honoring the dead.