Today, I met my goal of decluttering and cleaning a room. I put off and put off as long as I could. With today and tomorrow left in this month, I decided to tackle the upstairs bathroom. It is so nice and such a motivation to start the next room.

I moved into the photography clothes closet which is next to the upstairs bath. I stared at the bottom shelf and thought, "All these scrapbooking pages, papers, and tools need help." Determined to organise them, I looked for a good spot. The only thing to do is get another file cabinet for blank papers only. As I look around, I have three areas that I have filled with blank papers to work with. I went on-line to find just the right size 41 inches high x 2 feet deep. Instead of finding that size, I found a 4 drawer(WHICH WILL WORK BETTER) and started about the planning process of placing the cabinet in the downstairs office. If I move this here and this here and this here and this here, it might just be perfect!

Up on one of the shelves, to be moved, I saw my collection of Golden Books. The books made me think of two things. One-I should look through these books to try to locate two lost playing cards that were lost at a Christmas party. Two-I thought about my friend Sherry, who recently hunted down her own used Golden books for a reading project. I flipped the every book, all 100 books. One card fell out. I have not found the last one yet. I did count the books though. There are 101 including the BLANK Golden Book allowing for a child to create their own book.

Back to my project.  WHICH project is that? Oh moving everything to get all my papers in one spot. Who knows maybe I will create a PAPER craft day.

Slow but steady, slow but steady,  reeeeeaaalllly slow but steady. The pounds are coming off.  It's almost so slow that I don't notice. Except . . . when I put my clothes on!!!!!!! It is no use to let my mind quibble over the actual strt time of the diet. Since I have started the recording of calories and daily journalling on myfitnesspal website, I have lost 12 pounds. If you consider the three pounds that I lost the week or two before, then it's 15. I have to tell myself, the point is not really how much I have dropped, but how far I be in one year. Steady as she goes.

This weekend, my hubby and I along with four others went to a place called Cherokee Rock Village to do some rope training. It was very successful and I actually got on rope again. I hated to admit it, but my weight has kept me off rope.  Because of comfort and the idea of my big fat butt being seen from below was not a joyful experience.

Valentine's Day is around the corner, and my photographer ideas keep bouncing off the walls of my heart. I have tow major ideas that I want to do. This weather arg!!!   I can't wait for Spring.

Progress on decluttering the house has been at a stand still. My January room was to be the kitchen. But I think it will be my upstairs bathroom. I am getting that THROW IT ALL AWAY feeling today. So, I shall go for now and work on it!!!  YAY!!!  I just feel happy today.

Last week, we headed to Georgia and stayed with a friend. During the visit, we decided to go out to eat. Caloric intake was on track for the day and a little behind, so I figured everything would be cool. No weigh day for Fri, Sat,Sun, nor Monday. Tuesday Morn, I had lost ground and reworked some ideas. Measuring my food, drinking water, and adding a tbsp of natural peanut butter was the plan. Hoping to get the scale back on target was discouraging. It's Friday again, and the scale is back on track. It took 20 years to get all this weight on and I want it off next week. What am I thinking? 11 pounds so far. I get excited sometimes thinking about a year from now.

I also think I have a touch of the wintertime cruds. I am usually "hit the ground" running first thing in the morning and changing the world through the day. I question what God has in plans for the photography in my heart. No shoots booked, in the whole by $100 to start the new year. Lord, help me to be patient and trusting that You are who guides this life and guards this heart.

I am feeling a little down today. The word may be more "dragging" than down. So far, I have lost 10 pounds and still on track. We shall see where I am after a year.
Steve and I are supposed to go . Ooops Actually it is more like I am going with Steve on a caving trip. I will be content to take photos along the way and be outdoors, while he goes into a couple of pits. On the list in a place called Moses Tomb and Flowing Stone. Flowing Stone has some bad memories for me.
It will be fun and relaxing.

On Tuesday, it will be a month since I started changing my eating habits. Shrinking the portion size was difficult at first, and I still have those days where I am hungry. That's okay, because there were those days (and lots of them) where I felt full. I have lost 10 lbs. I need to take another picture and go to the store to carry around something weighing ten pounds.

Today, I feel extremely cluttered. I went on a walk with a neighbor because it would be short and I could get back to several chores that I had lined up.

My husband lined up a small cave scouting trip that I was torn back and forth, back and forth, back and forth as to whether I should go. I finally decided to go and caused him to change the meet time to 15 minutes later. When I went to the shed to get my cave gear, I saw several things that belonged to me out in the yard, thrown from the shed. That did it MY CLUTTER IS EVERYWHERE and in his way. I stayed home to try to deal with the chore list I have.

Talking with a friend made me realise my life is not really that bad. I am not at the morgue, grieving for a son who was accidentally shot to death by his best friend, nor am I dealing with cancer, nor am I really in major trouble. In the scheme of things, I have a minor problem that I can get rid of in a heartbeat. THRIFT STORE trips and my problem solved.

Good Morning!

There are days that I do not feel as spry and happy as I would like. Maybe it is the clouds outside holding onto a pending doom. Lunch with my lady friends. LOVE IT! A photo shoot in the morning with a wonderful family. It's on location so I feel an overwhelming sense that I will forget a prop or not accomplish all the things I hope to.


This morning I awoke around 8 and had the thought, "I wonder if I can sleep any longer?" The answer is yes! An hour later and less time to prepare for today and tomorrow. And clouds out my window. ARG!

On a good note, my life change with my body is still, STEADY AS SHE GOES. Lost 8 lbs but it should be more about where will I be in a year. More disciplined. More decluttered. More calm.

I sit here typing because I do not want to face the inpending doom of LEAVE TIME!!! Ladies, I am on my way. I may be late, but I am on my way.

Decluttering my body will be a long road. I did not get into the shape I am in overnight. I began thinking about my body seriously around the first of December. By the 15th, I was ready for a full commitment to do this thing. My daughter talked to me and encouraged me. Now, I am on my way. It may take 2 years to get where I want to be, but I have begun. I tell myself I am in this for the long haul, not the short hill. Weigh in today has me down 7 lbs since I signed up with my fitness pal, a website to help aid caloric information and nutrition. I am down 10 lbs since December 1st. I don't feel a great deal lighter yet, but my clothes are starting to fit better. I guess I should get my camera on this job. I get all excited about the progress and then remind myself that it is the long haauuuuul that we are after. Changing the mind, directing the mouth, and enjoying life without an extra 70 lbs. It is not just a weight loss thing, but a path changer. I will not be changing direction. My new path will run parallel to old trail offering switchovers any time offering the old ways of sweet indulgence without a picture of the future results. I think I will start a visual progress chart to show myself where I have been and where the destructive way can lead. Anyway, I am quietly optimistic watching the scale drop, while dreading the plateaus that I know will be along the way. STEADY AS SHE GOES!