Mini Goals for my First Quilt

Tammy, a good friend and neighbor of mine, is teaching me how to make a quilt. It's always something I've wanted to do and after seeing quilts that Tammy created, I knew she would be the perfect guide.

In making this quilt, it's so clear how being organized plays a big part in this process.

Although, with her experience and expertise, Tammy could probably make this particular quilt in a day or two, she is taking me through this project in a mini-goal fashion, and we're working in short, one-hour increments which work best for our busy schedules.

Our mini-goals so far have been:

1) Decide on what the quilt will be used for (I decided to make my first quilt for my daughter Amanda.)

2) Browse ideas for patterns and colors (Tammy loaned me some books, and I choose a simple square, rectangle combination pattern that I felt would be a good one for a quilting beginner. I decided against the pastel colors and choose casual yellows, blues, greens and reds that Amanda wouldn't grow out of. They remind me of an early fall day.)

3) Visit the craft store to choose, measure, cut and purchase the material needed.

4) Iron all the material.

5) Cut the material into the pieces needed for the quilt.

6) Begin arranging the quilt on a large table. This took a bit of time because I wanted to be sure no two exact materials were pieced against each other.

7) Once I was happy with the quilt layout, I made a written grid of all the shapes and colors so that if I had to move the quilt from the table, I wouldn't lose all the work I put into arranging the material.

8) Pin sections of the material together and start sewing, ironing each section that has been sewed.

9) Cut and add the quilt border.

Eight of those mini-goals so far have been accomplished and on Tuesday, I will try to complete mini-goal number nine.

Of course, there are still some mini-goals left to complete this project, but taking it step-by-step and accomplishing these mini-goals along the way, has made this project both fun and fulfilling, without making me feel overwhelmed.

I can't wait to see my daughter snuggled up in this quilt.

Whether you're quilting or doing something else that requires lots of steps to accomplish, mini-goals are definitely the way to go. With every one you complete, you will be one step closer to the finished project.

I've Never Seen So Much Soy Sauce in My Life

I just returned from a trip to New Jersey to help out my sister who recently had surgery. She is still in a lot of pain, but the doctors feel confident at this point that they were able to remove the cancer. My mother is staying with her this week to assist, and we'll be flying back over the next week or so to assist for another week. Hopefully by then, she'll be feeling a bit better.

I received so many notes from many of you. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time for our family. I'm touched from all the well wishes.

While we were in NJ, we stayed in my sister Jude's house. Her and her husband, Ed, store lots of stuff, although I must say that they definitely have the space to do so.

That's often a problem with getting organized. People have the space and so they don't toss anything. They figure that as long as they have the space to store it, then it's not a problem.

Jude and Ed have been storing things like a blender, a George Foreman grill, baby clothes that no longer fit her daughter, books from when my sister was in nursing school (she's been a registered nurse for over 10 years), video tapes they received as gifts years ago and much more. All of these things are sitting in their basement, neatly stored in cardboard boxes.

Much of these possessions were moved from their apartment over 3 years ago, and the boxes haven't been opened since.

My take on the situation--they're not being used. So why keep all of that stuff?

One thing that was really noticeable--and funny even--was all the soy sauce, duck sauce and hot mustard stored in their kitchen.

Trust me when I say, I've never seen so much soy sauce in my entire life. It was everywhere I looked. In one cabinet, it was in a Tupperware container. In another cabinet, it was in a basket. There was even a bowl in the refrigerator filled with--you guessed it--more soy sauce!

During our visit, not once was one packet of soy sauce or any of the other condiments used. Of course, when they order Chinese food again, there will be yet more soy sauce added to the packets they already have in storage.

My take on the situation--why keep hundreds of packets of soy sauce, when there's no way these will be used in a lifetime? Plus, why are they being stored in so many different places?

If you have lots of space and you have things packed away that you never look at, consider making a point of going through those boxes and storage containers with the intention of donating, selling or dumping anything you are not using.

If it's sitting in a box, it's of no use to you. But it could be of use to someone else if you allow it to be.

By the way, if you're also hoarding soy sauce and other condiments that you never use, why not take a few moments today and toss them. And the next time you order out, tell the person taking your order that you don't need the condiment packets.

In the scheme of things, storing things you don't need, especially if you HAVE the space to do so, isn't the biggest problem in the world--especially compared to major health issues. But, small organizing issues like this one could get out of hand as time goes on.

If things continue being stored over the next five or ten years, the space in their home is going to feel much smaller and eventually, they will run out of space. Once they do, it will take them months--maybe longer--to get everything back in order.

So why not stop that inevitable situation from happening in the first place? In reducing your clutter now, you can spend your time concentrating on the important things in life like your health, your loved ones and your goals.

Don't Put Off Until Tomorrow

One important concept, when it comes to organizing, is not putting off until tomorrow, what can be done today.

For instance, leave dirty dishes in the sink for a day or two, and not only will they pile up, but they'll be more difficult to clean. As soon as Joe and I are done eating, the dishes go directly into the dishwasher--and the dishwasher cycle is run every single night. Don't have a dishwasher? It will only take a few minutes to wash those dishes immediately.

If you allow paper to begin piling, it may grow to the ceiling and it will take forever to file it all away if you wait a week or more. I always file as needed, or at the latest, at the end of each day.

Wait a week to clean the bathroom, and it will require deep cleaning each week. Tidy up the bathroom each day for just a few minutes, and you'll never have to deep clean again.

This concept applies to so many different areas of life. Whenever possible (and most times it IS possible), don't delay on the basic, everyday things that tend to pile up. Handle them now and you won't have to even think about them later.

GroundHog Day 2006

Today, February 2nd is Groundhog Day. In a nutshell, it is the day that the legendary groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, comes out of his hole after a long winter sleep to look for his shadow.

If he sees it, he regards it as an omen of six more weeks of winter and returns to his hole.

If the day is cloudy and, hence, shadowless, he stays above ground and predicts an early spring.

The groundhog made his first official trek to Gobbler's Knob in 1887. He saw his shadow that year.

In fact, he sees his shadow almost every year. Here is his track record according to the official groundhog site:

Saw Shadow: 96 times
No Shadow: 14 times
No Record: 9 times

Not sure what happened in those years that there wasn't any record. Perhaps they're still lost on someone's desk among the paper piles.

Anyway, Phil did see his shadow this year once again (what a surprise!) and alas six more weeks of winter are still upon us.