More fleabane. It’s everywhere, and it’s so pretty. I love how the initial bud is a lavender color and then, when it opens, it’s white.
Trying to figure out if I want to transfer things from my now defunct laptop to my new laptop. I do have a backup which would allow me to do that, but it’s complicated because I would only want to copy a few things and that might be impossible to do. But I realized this morning that I don’t have the printer software on this computer – not that I use it very much – and I also don’t have Microsoft Word. My particular version of that is quite old – so does this mean I have to just bite the bullet and get a new version? Sigh. Again – I don’t use it that much anymore, but I’m doing a session with one of the actresses from A Man of No Importance tomorrow and all of a sudden I’m reminded of these things.
Time to retire? I don’t know.
Of course, I also need to remember that I can use Don’s laptop with the software already on it. I may do that until I figure out what to do.
I am really enjoying a relatively clean, clutter-free laptop and I know it will get a bit more cluttered over time, but I would really like to keep it this way.
Unlike my home. But that’s another story.
Olivia changed her clothes the other day. She’s ready for Spring.
Stay safe.
Happy Sunday.
Olivia is looking charming and so trendy! I get it about what to transfer and what not. There are things I miss about my earlier Windows version in my Windows 11. I’m sure it’s that way with Apple things, too — always changing!
I figured out how to get Word back on the computer and also the scanner utility for the printer. Feeling good about that!
Stay safe, Jeanie.
Love Olivia’s purple gingham ribbon. She’s a cutie for sure. I can’t keep up with technology. I’m pretty sure I’ll have to buy a new iPad within the next six months. Oh, how I hate that learning curve, though. I don’t even have a cell phone. We just finished eating our Sunday breakfast of 🥓 and 🍳. What we’re having for dinner remains a mystery but I’ll figure it out. Enjoy your Sunday. Hugs, Elaine
We just had some pancakes!
I’m trying not to have to update anything techy. My iPad works just fine. I mainly use it to view Instagram because the tiny window for IG on my phone is hard on my eyes.
Stay safe, Elaine.
good morning.
glad there are some options. best wishes on all the tech work and what-to-save-and-transfer-or-not decisions.
lovely fleabane.
love the colors little miss olivia is wearing and that she’s wearing them together (i am more of a mixer than matcher myself).
as far as a cluttered home? i work on that. though i haven’t added to any in years, i am a collector by nature. in part because i live in a very small space, and for getting older, i have been and am in the process of going through everything i own. every paper, every pair of socks, everything. books and music? done. clothing and shoes? done. art supplies, too. about 50% of papers also done. i’m going by category (rather than a room at a time) because that seems to work better for me. never read her book, but heard about the marie kondo method of decluttering by keeping only what “sparks joy”. lots of things bring joy or a smile to me, but i can’t keep them all in 500 square feet. what’s resonated more for me is an idea with an awful-sounding name, “swedish death cleaning”. that is about paring down to not leave unnecessary work for loved ones when i leave this world … and i love my family more than any collection i have (and which they’ve already said they don’t want). i am also making a list for my family about what’s staying, especially the family pieces (like my mother’s sewing machine, the wicker settee that came from my parents after my paternal grandparents passed on …). it’s not very easy for me because i am very sentimental, but i can be practical and also want to share my blessings, with my family first and other people, too.
wow … guess i had a bit to say about decluttering … haha. anyway, that’s what i’m doing about it and now you know. :)
hope you, don and everyone else will have a wonderful sunday and stay safe! and happy work day tomorrow, claudia!
kathy
Kathy I agree with what you said about not leaving behind a lot for our love ones to figure out what to do with.
Something to really think about.
thank you, linda!
for me, it’s not an easy task, but i am determined to get things in a better way … in part for my own sake (i live in a small space, an apartment), but mostly for my family. i am an organized person, but also sentimental. my closets are full and i am blessed in so many ways. i don’t want my family to have to deal with my stuff. i can’t control that 100%, but at least i can make it easier and more organized for them for when that time comes. just like having a will, beneficiaries listed for my assets, having conversations with my family …
maybe i should add there’s no health change prompting me to do this! just love for my family (and, to be fully honest, also not having yet found a larger space for me to live).
anyway, thanks again.
hope you and your loves are all well and will have a great week ahead!
kathy
Never a fan of Marie Kondo – she doesn’t even follow the Sparks Joy thing any longer.
But yes, I have a lot of stuff and I don’t want my sister or Don’s brother to have to sort through it all. I have a lot of family inheritances that would go to my sister or nieces and nephews. I’ll probably start in on that when we head into autumn.
Stay safe, Kathy.
hej, claudia …
interesting, curious that marie kondo doesn’t follow her own ideas. hmmm!
best wishes on your own sorting.
going through every big and little thing i own isn’t easy or fun or quick, but it feels good to get each category done … and that helps “keep the ball rolling” for me. :)
have a good night! and yes, stay safe!
kathy
Well, I think that is a more recent reaction from Kondo. Something about having kids now?
xo
… gosh, kathy, your post today about decluttering really hit home with me because it’s something I worry about continually, not leaving a mess of stuff behind for somebody else since that’s exactly what happened to me and why I’m STILL dealing with it and talking about it for something like 20 years now which is a lot of stress for me and certainly NOT contributing to good health; always the nag in the back of my mind that I’m not doing enough to tackle the job, that it has lingered for too long, that it’s also stressful for my minimalist husband to be buried in possessions; that before I die I won’t get the right things to the right descendants in the extended family; of how I live in wildfire country and could lose everything before the stuff finds its proper homes with others in my family; so, I copied down what you said on a piece of paper and am going to stare at that paper every day for awhile so that it can really sink in; I don’t want to be a selfish person and although I know why and how it happened and I don’t blame them anymore, it was wrong of my parents (yes, in a way, selfish) to leave so much behind for me as their only child to have to deal with (that of which they were themselves unwilling to do), because it’s not just their massive amount of stuff, but it’s as I’ve said before ad nauseum ALSO the collections of Mom’s second mother, Mom’s and Dad’s very best friends who were like my aunt and uncle, my grandmother’s things and her grandmother’s things; my other aunt’s things; and what about my own stuff because I am a lifelong collector as well who likes to hold onto things, very sentimental — of course I need a home organizer (professional, paid team) or some kind of estate-sale person to be involved, although I resist it, still thinking I can do all this myself; thing is, as I age, it’s getting harder and harder to do the physical work of it although, by gum, I’m sure gonna try harder this summer; and, for weeks now, I fill up the super-sized garbage can out on the driveway (which the City picks up weekly) to the brim and have lately, very-recently emptied three floor-to-ceiling shelving units; but, you know, the work is just endless … I have a long way to go … but, thanks kathy, because you had good, helpful advice here today … I admire you for doing what you’re doing for your loved ones and yourself …
oh, vicki!
i am very sorry you have those worries and wish i could take them away for you. as with physical possessions, our thoughts and feelings need a place to go so am glad you share at least some of them here (thanks to claudia for creating, hosting and maintaining such a welcoming spot here at mhc and thanks to everyone else here for adding to it … that includes you, vicki)!
given what you’ve shared (today and previously), “selfish” is not a word i could use to describe you. instead you have a kind and attentive heart … not even close to selfish!
you’ve been through a lot. and you’ve done a lot … for example, recently emptying three huge shelving units while also helping your husband recover from major surgery, caring for your pup and watching out for yourself, too. worrying about wildfires. daily life. and wanting to future-match-up the inherited pieces with particular relatives. all that’s a lot. and you are stronger mentally/emotionally than you might sometimes feel … but please be careful lifting heavy things and getting up to those higher shelves! :)
vicki, i appreciate your kind words about my own words. i hope they are helpful. even though i haven’t found “decluttering” easy, i am finding it beneficial. i’ve always been a sentimental person and am grateful to have some inherited pieces (furniture, my grandparents’ old wicker settee and coffee pot … even though i don’t drink coffee … etc.). same with things gifted to me for Christmas and my birthday. i can walk into any room (except my bathroom … haha) and point to dozens of things given to me by people i love and i am happy to see them. when covid and lockdowns started and dragged on, i was the only person in my entire family living solo. i am forever grateful that they each had at least one other person to hug, hold hands with, watch the awful news and pray with together. being alone in that sense was super-hard for me and all those gifted pieces became even more important to me … if i couldn’t hug my family, well, i could and did sit on the sofa my parents let me have 30-plus years ago, see my brother’s old flags from when he refereed and coached my nieces in soccer, wrap a throw from my sister around me, see all their photos and cry. things didn’t become more important than people or animals to me, but during such hard times, things themselves did become more important to me. now? it’s not 100%, but it’s much better because i get to spend time with my family and others, in person, and we can hug, hold hands and pray together, etc. and it’s better because of God’s goodness, His telling to not store treasures on earth, but to instead look forward to His treasure/ Heaven ahead, and to share what i can with others. so that’s what i’m trying to do. :)
well, i could go on about all these things, but will close this for now by saying vicki, please keep taking good care of yourself. you’re doing great so i hope on a regular basis you take a break and do something you enjoy.
sending a hug (if okay),
kathy
Kathy, I’ve returned to serious decluttering lately, mostly clothes and what the thrust stores call bric-a-brac. My adult daughters live with me and they’ll restart also, as soon as they reclaim some of the energy they lost these past two weeks with COVID.
I’m fortunate that my daughters share some of my hobbies. Other than my clothes, supplies from a few hobbies and interests go
To one daughter and from others go to the other one. But I do have to clean out more.
I just brought a carful (trunk and backseat stuffed) to the local senior center thrift shop. That really jump-started the rejuvenation of decluttering since it felt so good leaving those things behind in the donation center!
Good luck to all of you with decluttering, destashing, clearing out…whatever you call simplify fry ing your life with less stuff.
hej, wendy …
sorry to hear your daughters had covid … but really glad that you didn’t!!! hope they get their energy back soon and you all stay well!
congratulations on your own decluttering/simplifying! feels good, doesn’t it?
thanks for your good wishes! for being retired, i am not home much (usually early mornings, home after 8:30 at night) because i’d rather spend time with my family … so my decluttering goes slowly (which is a reason i am going through one category at a time … shoes, all of them, for example, before moving on to purses, etc. … more focus, less mess). and i’m going with the easiest things first … like those shoes and socks. anyway, i count it all as progress, even if it is slow.
best wishes and prayers to you and your daughters!
kathy
The fleabane has not bloomed yet here. Waiting patiently.
I moan and complain , fret and drag my feet every time I have to make changes with any electronic devices. Going through this with a business accounting software program right now! Reminding my self after a few weeks (or months), I will have forgotten what I was so upset and annoyed about!
Have a bright sunny day today!
Thank you, Betsy!
Stay safe.
Olivia looks darling in that outfit. So hip! (Is that even a current phrase these days…lol?).
Technology and I have a strange relationship. I love it for all the information that is available to me, but at the same time, it frustrates me too often. It’s great when it works, but it’s horrible when it doesn’t. Hope you get things straightened out to your satisfaction.
Enjoy your day! ;)
Same. Technology can be great and it can also be a pain in the tush.
Stay safe, Donnamae.
Olivia looks very sporty – she is one of those slim girls that can wear the comfortable baggy pants!
After years of accumulating and 3 people leaving things here when they moved out (ahem) I am working on decluttering too – my goal is something goes out each week and basically nothing non-consumable comes in without a lot of scrutiny. I see tiny progress.
Fleabane is one of my big favorites, I’m glad you appreciate it too.
ceci
Good for you, Ceci!
Stay safe.
I really like Olivia’s outfit….the style and the colors! Oh my goodness, just hearing you talk about your new computer decisions kind of makes me break into a sweat…I would definitely need assistance! That fleabane photo is lovely….but interesting name for a flower! Enjoy your Sunday!
I should research that name. Why is it called that?
Stay safe, Barrie.
Olivia has such a sweet face; love the mouthway. The color tones you chose today for her clothes go perfectly with her hair.
You’ll figure out the laptop thing. When my husband retired, he took over my email address (whereas before he’d always used his work address for his stuff) and I despair at the crap I’m getting in the Inbox which the virus program doesn’t seem to catch. I feel like all I do is block spam. Before, I was (still am) very careful where I went on the web; my husband isn’t so careful. It gets annoying. He seems to pick up a lot of bad junk along the way.
We’re sharing a little too much these days. The same, small, cluttered home. The same computer. Only one television set. The same hand-held/internet phone. The same car. We seem to even be ‘fighting’ over refrigerator-shelf space lately since we eat such separate foods from one another. Sounds like a personal problem!! (Or marriage in the retirement years!) But I’m feeling like a petulant child who wants her own things. Mine-mine-mine! At least we have separate bathrooms (although his has the one with the shower stall). Sigh.
How’s your back today, Claudia?
Why didn’t he just start a new email address? Don and I refuse to share one!
Back is an ongoing problem, but resting it these past few days has helped.
Thanks, Vicki.
Stay safe.
I am in the process of finding a home organizer to help me downsize and organize my space so it functions better for me. With my back things have gotten out of control and I’ve no one to help me. It’s a big step but I know the rewards will be worth the investment.
What a good idea, Linda!
Stay safe.
Claudia, when I bought my new MacBook, I was able to transfer everything from my old one. However, I didn’t like the new Photo editing software, nor the document writing and spreadsheet software. However, I was too cheap to buy the MS Office package so learned to use the new Pages and Numbers software preloaded onto the laptop. They are close enough to Word and Excel though different enough that I’ve had to rely on Help to get me through. It also seems like the files created by the new software take up more room than Word and Excel.
Oh well, that all keeps my brain whirling and working?
I couldn’t do that at the time I bought it because the cords for my backup were old versions and I had to find out what to replace from the manufacturer. I have that information now, as well as the new connectors. These little ports on the new MacBook Pro are a bit of a pain!
Stay safe, Wendy.
How do you organize and keep track of the clothes shoes and accessories for your “girls”? I’d enjoy a word or two about that – also how do you decide what they should wear? They always look stylish.
I look forward to you blog every day.
Maybe I’ll write a post about that, Leora. Though I feel rather unorganized at the moment!
Thanks for the suggestion.
Stay safe.