It has been a hectic month but I have certainly enjoyed the beautiful weather. The last two weekends we have spent cleaning out our garage and attic and preparing to do more cleaning out the clutter. Then the time will come to work on our home. It is amazing the things we collect for example paper dolls of Nancy and Ronald Reagan. They are wonderful pieces of American Kitsch, never been used. I have many Disney VHS tapes which will be donated to the local library for whatever use they may have for them. It will feel good to get rid of some of these things which tie us down. When you think about it, we really do not need all these possessions.

Often when visiting I take notice of a person’s personal book or music collection to be able to know a little more about a person that they may not reveal about themselves. Since I was little, I always felt each person had a story to tell. To this day, I suppose it has been my passion to listen to stories and tell some stories. Possessions mean little to me, unless they are tied to a story or a person that is meaningful to me. I don’t care much to shop, whether it be online or at Walmart. I throw the flyers from the Sunday paper away but not before my husband examines each and every one of them. Family is the single most important thing to me. I cannot be bothered with television however I do enjoy talk radio on my commutes to work. I have never watched a Friends episode or Americal Idol.  I read the newspaper online as it is the most up to date of anything printed I can buy. I am careful not to accept this 24/7 news at that level. We do not need all this excess, from the news, most of which I find disturbing, to clutter in our lives. I made a small change this year when I decided not to read any sensationalized, horrific headlines. After September 11^th, I was addicted to news 24/7 and would wake up in the middle of the night, to watch it.Yes, I feel much better not having all that disturbing trash running amuck in my head.

            I don’t spend much time on Facebook, usually ten minutes per day. I do spend time on the computer working on my writing, and my historical projects, which sometimes includes research for blog material. I have many ideas and try to stay focused on a few at a time.

            Today on the way to work, I stopped several times on my journey to take photographs of barns. I have been doing this since I was a teenager and have a little collection of photos, some barns which are now long gone. I think their structures are fascinating and they are disappearing from the landscape as they are difficult to maintain.

My friends and their welfare is a concern to me. Time is spent keeping connected to those who want to stay connected to our lives. My family is important. I have busy siblings who are concerned with their own families. We try to stay connected. I hope it is always that way. Of course my parents whom I check in with each day sometimes two or three times, probably get annoyed that I am so close. I don’t think it is that I need them so much but rather I enjoy them and being around them. They sacrificed everything for their family. At forty- nine, I suppose there is not much BS left in me. I sort of tell things like I see it, and know I can be held to the same scrutiny. It is ok. I strive less for perfection and realize not much is in our control. One day, I realized I can’t collect all the shopping carts in the parking lot anymore. It was exhausting….. and I am not kidding. I can only try to maintain balance within the four walls in my home. Life is pretty good as I see it. It certainly beats the alternative.