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Miscellany | Clementine boxes, a post I liked, and a trip for me

You all know the drill, right? I’ve got stuff I want to share, but none of it is big enough to demand a dedicated post. So, here are some random bits and pieces, pulled together into a blog post. : )

Clementine Box Update

My mom emailed me after seeing the post about my clementine box quandary, and let me know that my dad would be happy to use the boxes as kindling (they have a wood stove in their house and also in my dad’s workshop). Sweet! I’m totally happy to have them used that way, especially since I didn’t exactly have a NEED for any of the clementine re-use projects (which means the projects might have ended up just being clutter. Even storage containers are clutter if too many of them live at my house!).

A good post with good questions

You all know I’m a big fan of simplifying our lives, and so when I read this post on Clover Lane, I said a big “amen!”. Go read it and be inspired to clear the schedule clutter out of your life to make room for what really IS important and essential.

I went away! By myself!

Me, in my hotel room, all by myself. Oh yes.

I had kind of a rotten week two weeks ago, soo, I went to a local hotel for 24 hours so that I could rest and regroup (that’s how my menu plan for the past week got so mixed up!). We get a Family and Friends discount from the hotel chain where my brother works, so we can get a really nice room for only $39.

I don’t know if I have ever gone away by myself before overnight, except for one time when I was in high school and went to visit a college (but even then I went with a friend) and for the time I went to be at the hospital when my sister-in-law was having her baby (and again, even then I was going to be with family).

So, yeah…this was the first time I’ve ever just been completely by myself, and I have to say, it was pretty delightful. I wouldn’t want to be by myself allll the time, but for 24 hours, it was lovely. Just what the doctor ordered.

I did not waste my leisure.

Yes, indeedy. I followed my own advice, and used the time to do things that were refreshing to me.

I went to bed early, woke up sort of early (6:30), watched the sunrise from my window, walked on the treadmill, took a nice long shower, read my Bible and prayed, ate a leisurely breakfast (during which I figured out where I’m wasting some of my time during the day and made a new schedule/routine for our family), read some books, did some leisurely shopping for Lisey’s birthday and also some shopping for me (I had a $40 Gap certificate, and I’ll tell you about that in another post), and ate a late lunch at Panera bread, where I did more reading and also made up a new prayer list for me to use when I pray for my family every day.

So, I returned home rested and refreshed, but also better equipped to face life and serve my family (the new schedule is working out very fabulously).

The new, improved schedule dictates that I be done blogging by 7:15 so that I can head upstairs to do breakfast, though, so I better wrap this up, or else one of my offspring will stick their head into the office and tell me I’m a minute late. 😉

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Lilypad

Sunday 17th of April 2011

I would LOVE to stay by myself in a hotel. I haven't been alone overnight since 1994 or so! My husband travels for business and I'm so jealous that he gets that time alone, even though he claims he misses us. ;-) I'm totally burned out (as my special needs son is about to turn 10) and could really use the breather...I'm so happy that you had the chance to revitalize yourself.

Alice G

Monday 28th of March 2011

I saw a letter in Birds and Blooms where a guy nailed his old Clementine boxes up in trees for birds. He said that the robins seemed to like them best of all the birds in his neighborhood. That might be an idea for you.

Jill

Wednesday 16th of March 2011

Your 24 hours away sound great! Here's another idea..... right before we started homeschooling this year, my husband took the kids away with him to a local hotel for 24 hours (we can do this frugally b/c of hotel points). I was able to have 24 hours of quiet in our own home.....in addition to doing some fun, relaxing things, I had hours to prepare for the coming school year. I don't think I had ever slept in our house by myself before!!

Jackie

Tuesday 15th of March 2011

Good for you! A weekend away sounds lovely.

Cate

Tuesday 15th of March 2011

Your getaway sounds truly delightful! If I were in the same situation I know I would be tempted to be totally unproductive the whole time, but I also know that I ultimately feel more refreshed when my days are a combination of productivity + downtime. I feel at my best when I'm at least moderately on top of chores and general household duties, but I also crave intellectual stimulation like reading, writing, etc. Good for you for using your alone time well!

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