Snow and the Worms

I never thought the worms would really make a big difference in our garbage, but let me tell you, when you have not had garbage picked up for THREE WEEKS, it is great to know that the worms have eaten all of the food scraps so there is no stinky garbage rotting in the garage. Not having garbage service because of the snow and ice really allowed me to analyze what we recycle and what we throw away. I am happy to say that we recycle at least 5 times the amount of garbage that we actually throw away. Our recycle bin is overflowing and I have a huge box filled to the brim with more recycled items. Maybe the goal of one garbage can per month is doable!

Always Be Prepared...Party Time!

What else are you going to do when you are snowed in on a hill in a FREAKISH snowstorm? Turn your SUV into a bar, of course! We had nothing better to do so we invited our neighbors over for a Bloody Mary party last week at two in the afternoon. We set up bar and everyone brought something to contribute. In the end, we had probably a dozen or so neighbors gathered in our cold, slippery driveway. The camping chair you see there ended up being buried by more snowfall that very night. We found it 4 days later when the snow began to collapse under all the ice. Nice.

If there is an organizing moral to this story, it is this: be prepared to be trapped for a week. Get to know your neighbors. Not only did we all share in this makeshift bar, we traded maple syrup, brown sugar and cookies galore for two solid weeks. We are truly blessed! Now, go meet a new neighbor...you never know when you will be looking for a jar of pickled green beans...

Pick a Tolerance, Any Tolerance...

My challenge for you today is to pick a tolerance and fix it. Squeaky garage door? Oil it. Lightbulb burned out? Change it. (With a LED one, of course.) Just pick something and take care of it. You will feel so much better! It is all part of organizing yourself. When you don't have to think about the thing that needs to be fixed or changed, you can actually use that brain power for something else, like putting things in their places -- the number one rule of organizing!

On a different note, my 7 year old daughter moved out on Sunday. Just to the front porch. She wasn't mad and wasn't trying to run away, she just wanted her own pad. When I went to check on her she had her clothes laying out on the azalea bushes. I asked that she bring those in when it started to rain and she informed me that that is how she washes her clothes. Sigh...yes, I am off to do another load of laundry...

Updates...

Well, I haven't really come up with anything dramatically life changing but I did come up with 3 things I can do that is a bit different than what I have been doing: turn down the thermostat 2 degrees, attempt to only fill one garbage can a month, and keep my worm friends happy. The last one is pretty easy since all I do is toss in food. A dog might be easier but would be actually messier. The worms don't demand to be let out (they can't lift the lid themselves -- yet), they never complain about what is for dinner (unlike my children), and their poop is actually useful (again, unlike my children). So far there is no smell but it does seem to take a long time for them to break down the food. I am sure I saw last month's onion root still in there -- maybe those were new wormies...

As for the temperature in the house, 2 degrees may not seem like much but you can sure feel it. I'm surprised the kids haven't complained. I seem to be the only one doing that...sigh...I'm off to get ANOTHER sweatshirt on...

The trash thing has me worried, though. I may have started too late this month to attempt to get it down to just one can. The clumping cat litter alone may take up an entire can. I wish I could get the cat to go in the worm bin... I'll update tomorrow with a picture of Will the Worm, Wilma the Worm, etc., etc., etc.

Just Floating Along...

As tempting as it might be, sometimes it feels easier to just want to hang out and float through life. I am still pondering about the undertaking I want to do. Something more than just giving up gum for a month. If you have any suggestions, please send them my way! Some possible ideas are not purchasing any office supplies for a whole month. Not very earth shattering but it might be worth a try. Maybe I could promise to always turn off all my computer equipment every single night for a month and see how that affects me and the power bill. Hmmm.... I think you can see where I am going with this. Well, until I can decide (I plan on coming up with something this weekend) I think I'll just keep on floating along.

Quote of the day: A real friend never gets in your way -- unless you happen to be on your way down. --Anonymous

Time for Me

Yes, this is me a few weeks ago sea kayaking in Puget Sound. Hard to believe this was an October day. It was gorgeous, serene, and absolutely breathtaking. I did not want to paddle back to shore.

During this time away, I was contemplating some ways that I can do something good for Mother Earth. Something besides my wormies and paper towel-less kitchen. I'm still pondering but I think I may be onto something. Tune in for my EARTH-SHATTERING revelation. I'm sure it will be exciting, educational, and maybe even inspirational. Here is a quote to get you through until tomorrow: The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. -- Eleanor Roosevelt. (I have this on my desk and look at it every day!) Be well...

Good News, Sunshine, and Rainbows -- OH MY!

Today I am not going to discuss much about organizing -- okay, I'm not going to discuss it AT ALL.

It occurred to me that while I was reading today's paper, there really isn't much good news to read. I know you have all experienced what I am talking about. Recession, depression, election, molestation, you get the idea. Well, I went to Google and typed in "good news." Lo and behold, a ton of websites popped up! I have now made www.goodnewsnetwork.org my home page. It has nothing but good news. Can you imagine that? When I log onto the internet now, I see that a dog saved some kittens from a fire, there is a vaccine that stops sick kids from getting sicker, there are stories about injustices being righted...it goes on and on! Can you believe that there is so much good going on in the world? I tell you what, when we all stop focusing on all the bad, it will allow all the good to come through. Give it a try. I guarantee you'll feel better or YOUR MONEY BACK!