Taking Stock

If you are like me I'm sure you often wonder where the day goes.  More often than not, I ask myself, "what did I accomplish today?"  I sometimes need to reflect on this question so that I can feel I didn't waste my day. This is a little hold over from my working days. Though I am now retired, I still like to make progress on tasks, especially since I'd like to get organized for my bright future, and I have a list of goals for 2010.

Today was a day for taking stock and assessing what I did. I started my day with coffee and a sandwich on healthy ancient grain bread (no breakfast today). I also had several glasses of water and a few cookies from yesterday's baking batch. I spent some time responding to blog comments and visiting other blogs. This was great since I haven't had enough time for visiting blogs and leaving comments for several weeks.

I then filled and started the dishwasher and put in a load of whites for the laundry while I watched some television and turned the hose on to water the garden. I also filled some buckets of water to water where the hose doesn't always reach and to water the containers.  Later, I had a shower and collected my mail box keys and cloth shopping bags and headed to the grocery store and post office. I also took in my recyclable bottles to the bottle depot where I made $1.15 for the Snowflake Jar (see the column to the right).

My container garden.

After returning home I began making dinner (grilled pork kebabs and mushrooms, a vegetable salad and home made dressing as well as some boiled red potatoes). I took my medicine and cleaned the refrigerator of rotting produce (this is food that was wasted when I went out of town) after eating. I washed the vegetable crispers and lined them with clean paper towels before putting in all my fresh fruits and vegetables.

Next, I vacuumed the kitchen and the master bathroom. White ceramic tiles show everything! I then folded my load of laundry though the towels and night clothes are sitting in the front room waiting to be put away.

I am making my second crochet doily right now. I wanted to make it in navy blue for a friend but the thread is too thick so I am making it in aqua instead. It looks lovely so far.

I spent some time on-line researching the differences in crochet thread and looking for free crochet patterns. My research confirmed what I've learned from the experience of using a particular brand of cotton thread. I'm thinking of ordering cotton thread on line in future and perhaps that way I can get more selection in colours and quality.  I also learned there are so many free patterns on line so I quickly downloaded some patterns I may want to make in future.  I hope I an find them when I need them.

Late in the evening I gently hand washed my first Pineapple Blossom doily and laid it to dry overnight on a towel and gently stretching it into shape. The instruction book said this was blocking but other crochet booklets I've read call for blocking with commercial starch (and even a sugar and water solution) and pinning the doily into shape using rust proof pins. If I find the doily needs more body I will get some starch and re-do the blocking.

After reflecting on my day, my only issue is not enough hours in the day to do so many projects as I'd like in crochet, knitting, quilting, photography, web design, etc. I like this problem though. It is a much better problem to have than not having enough  enjoyable things to do. I'm thankful I have a long list of things to do.  More than that, I'm thankful that I am making progress on the things on my list.

How did your day go?

(Graphic credit: Mike Paul's blog )