Down to the Last Crumbs

Since my last post I have ...


* reorganized/purged Meg's bathroom storage

* purged (with a capital "P") the two hall closets (linen and utility)

* tidied up the spare bedroom dresser drawers and underbed storage (sorry Mom,
   but closet reorganization is pending the completion of the garage)

* reorganized/purged dining room cabinets  


My "loss" was Goodwill's gain.  Yesterday they received two full SUV loads of miscellaneous housewares and linens.  While I still have a handful of other projects to finish I am feeling sufficiently purged for now.  I plan to get a much needed mani/pedi today and take the rest of the week off.  :-)

Still Nibbling that Cookie

My friend Catherine certainly has me pegged.  Give Julie a Cookie and she'll.....



* Clean out her garage (Still in progress, btw.  Waiting on hubby to help sort his stuff)

* Clean out all of her kitchen cabinets, filling one giant trash bag and three boxes for Goodwill

* Decide she doesn't like her glassware or dishes and shops/buys all new ones

* Clean out her desk area (no small undertaking)

* Clean out her TV cabinet, prompting the purchase of new baskets to tidy up the interior

* Clean out her fridge and freezer (and by clean she means clean)

* Decide that the new guest room headboard calls for new lamps as well

* Pile stuff on her dining room table, initiating yet another room purge (next on list)


But today Julie is giving herself the day off and taking Meg and a friend to The Gardens Mall in West Palm to shop for back to school items.

Tough Girl!

Just a quick post to let everyone know that Meg has been doing fabulously.  Her surgery held no surprises (always a concern for me) and she's been such a trooper.  I forced her to take a half a percoset the first afternoon but she's refused all other attempts, saying she really wasn't in that much pain.  She's sporting a nice set of chipmunk cheeks and sleeping alot but otherwise doing extremely well.  I'm going to try to get her up and moving a bit more today and if she's up to it, we'll be traveling across state tomorrow where she can finish her recuperation and I can spend some time with my parents.

A Very Long Week

I knew our garage was a mess but never imagined that cleaning it out would be the chore that it's turned out to be.  UGH!  I spent four very long days in there this week and still have a very long ways to go. But I've weeded out the Christmas decorations, have disposed of all of the paint cans (kept samples of each for touch ups) and, thanks to Randy, now have two new shelving units to work with.  I have also moved all of the "to keep items" to the back of the garage and all of the donation items (Habitat for Humanity pickup scheduled for Tues.) have been moved to the front of the garage.  There is so much more to do but I'm taking a break until after Tuesday's pickup.

I began another long process today, that of photo editing.  June was a big photo month and I'm so very far behind.  So while no cruise photos yet, I would like to share with you a little of what I have accomplished so far.

Last Day of School.  Yep, she's an eighth grader now.

A photo shoot of Meg and two friends at the beach in early June.

The beach wedding of friends....

Meg's 13th birthday, complete with the requested whale card.

And a special birthday treat all of the way from Idaho.  Meg was actually chortling with excitement once she realized what was in the box.  (Thank you again Catherine!)

Switching gears....Meg is having her wisdom teeth extracted on Monday.  She's a bit young for the procedure but we've consulted with three professionals who have all agreed that the top two definitely need to come out now because they're blocking her 12 year molars.  The bottom two are as well, and while we could wait on them, we've decided to get it all over with in one fell swoop.  It won't be fun but at least it will be over.  Wish her luck.  She's very nervous and upset over the whole prospect, poor thing.

Yes, I'm Still Here (Part 2)

Summer continues to be very busy.  Meg and I had a fabulous time on our cruise! So much food.  So much fun.  The girls really enjoyed their freedom to come and go on the ship.  I enjoyed the new experiences and just hanging with my BFFs.  I know my mom is anxiously awaiting photos but I haven't had the time to do the post processing quite yet.  They will come though, I promise.

Upon our return home I got the itch to clean out Meg's closet.  (Why unpack when you're just stuffing clothes into a very full and very messy closet?)  The closet turned into the drawers, which lead to under the bed, which led to the bedside tables, etc, etc, etc.  (As my girlfriend Catherine likes to put it, "If You Give Julie a Cookie....")  It took three days but her room is now fabulous and she's very, very happy.  Upon finishing I decided I wanted a fabulous closet as well.  (So goes the "cookie" saga, which if you aren't familiar with children's books you can find here.)  It was only after I finished this new project that I began the unpacking process.

My summer clean out was followed by a visit from Jay and Colleen.  While the visit was short, it's always so nice to see them.  They weren't allowed to leave empty handed though.  We had been storing items (in the garage) that we'd brought back from my parent's home months and months ago.  Now that their stuff is gone it's time for another project.  (To say my garage is disaster zone is putting mildly.) It's filled with furniture that I've been holding onto but know in my heart, I will never use again.   It's time for some hard purging choices.  And that my friends, is my giant undertaking for this week (and maybe on into next.)  Total Garage Clean Out.  It won't be easy but I am determined.  Wish me luck.