Whoo boy I ended 2014 with a bust. I crashed and burned so hard on my NaBloPoMo effort which seemingly set things into a tailspin through the end of the year (I say this to justify if/when I never do it again).
December overwhelmed me. It chewed me up and spit me out. I did not have the fortitude to withstand a month of holiday parties, end-of-year activities, gift-buying, illness, traveling, trying to bake with my children, and more illness. I just managed to take my tree down today, January 8th, before its dry crusty branches spontaneously combusted in my living room.
But alas today I finally feel like I might be returning to normal. I managed to declutter my kitchen and I’m not going to lie – that might be my favorite accomplishment of the past 60 days. It’s an odd and alarming stage of life when you get serious joy out of things like clean counter tops.
Perhaps not unrelated to this development, tomorrow I turn 40. I can’t decide if I care or not. I didn’t think much of it, but then all of a sudden I did. Am I really 40? Is that possible? Should someone double check the math on this? It’s a mind game.
I’m just going to baby step it into this new decade and try not to overthink it. I have some very simple goals for the year ahead including to get more sleep, buy new socks and underwear, and remember to set the coffee pot to auto-brew each night so I can awaken to the smell and anticipation of fresh coffee each morning. The bar is low around here but I need some easy wins. Also I’d like to eat more pancakes made by Mr. Martha.
Happy 2015!
Banana Wheels 
Happy Birthday!!
I get a little high when I declutter a space so I get what you are saying about your kitchen.
Here’s to a 2015 filled with artsy pancakes (said raising syrup bottle and toasting you)
Thank you! There is no better high than a good decluttering. So help me I think I might actually be 90, not 40.
Happy Birthday!!!
NABLOPOMO is hard.
I won’t ever do it again.
UNLESS you, Shannon and all the other Erma ladies do it together only make our own rules??
DEAL. And thank you!
Jan. 6th is the 12th day of Christmas. I certainly wouldn’t take my tree down before then. So it comes down the weekend after that. In other words, my tree is actively fire-hazarding it up in my living room still. As it is every year. I always stop watering a few days before Christmas too, because the gifts are in the way, and then when I try to start again, the stump isn’t taking up water any more…
I did fine with 30, and okay with 40. I think 50 is going to be hard though.
Glad it’s not just me. Somebody has to be the last one to take down their tree, right? In related news, I can’t wait to keep finding pine needles around my house for the next 2-3 months.
Hey, haven’t checked in on you in a while but welcome to the over 40 club!! It’s not bad! Also, I hear you on December, always too much and this year I accept that it’s usually a bit disappointing too. At least I’ve given up on trying to have an awesome New Years Eve! Actually, that may be because I’m 40 now and i have realistic expectations of some things! Happy Birthday and keep writing please!
Thank you! I can’t even remember the last time I stayed up until midnight on New Years. Sounds terrible.
First and foremost, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 40 rocks! (I’m turning 50 this year, I’m told that rocks too, but with much less enthusiasm!) 🙂
Second, if there’s a joy greater than de-cluttered counters, I’ve yet to experience it!
And lastly, (I feel like I’m writing a middle school essay here) I think your goals are fantastic. And I’ve just added new socks and underwear to my list as well. (That might, just might, make me happier than a clean kitchen counter. We’ll have to see.)
Thank you! Can you even imagine how mind-blowing it would be to declutter your counters WHILE WEARING NEW SOCKS AND UNDERWEAR?!?! Let’s both aim for this pinnacle of middle-aged achievement to celebrate our milestone birthdays.
December kills me, 50 is not a big deal until friends start dying (usually around 40.5), and are those real sticks in your pancake snow person?
40, stupid phone. 40.
I can’t handle the friends dying part. Nothankyou. And those are grape stems in the snowman. Isn’t he so crafty? Such pancake showmanship.
I was gonna be pretty dang impressed about real sticks. Real grape sticks? Mind blown.
Hay Hay Hay! How was turning 40? I’m sure it was like, oh- well I still have to get up and get the kids going and all that crap. Because I sort of feel like that too, but I have 11 months until 40. Still I hope your birthday was lovely and I hope to see you writing more soon. I wrote a post yesterday and I tried to channel your humor and wit. If you get a chance let me know if I did you justice.
Your travel adventures seriously make me want to put my house on the market tomorrow and move. Morocco?!? So jealous. 40 has been amaaaaazing so far. I cooked, I cleaned, then I cooked, then I got crazy and opted not to clean. Really sexy stuff. You’ll love it. 😉
I love decluttering, but my problem is that I won’t start unless I know I can finish, because I can’t leave my kitchen in a state of chaos. So I avoid even starting and my cabinets are bulging.
So you mean it’s not really decluttering if I just move my junk to a different hiding place? Shit.
Happy belated 40th, bwheels. I will buy you a drink in my next trip into town.
Hey you! Hope you had a great holiday and island life is treating you well.