Right Now...

~ I'm going through a decluttering-obsessive phase.  I can't seem to stop myself.  Each day I look around myself and I get tense, wanting to get rid of more.  I'm filling a bag or a box of garbage or stuff I want to sell constantly.  I'm just feeling so scattered and I think the clutter is adding to that.  I'm hitting the craft supplies too, friends, if you want anything, let me know.  One of our Relay For Life teams does an annual yard sale to raise money - I think I'll save my stuff for that.

~ Listening to one cat snore while another is literally calling me from upstairs.  Our three furry boarders left two weeks ago.  I am thrilled with the lack of waste product, but kind of missing always having someone warm and furry on my lap.  Three seems like such a small number right now.

~ Loving this recent bluegrass/folk influx in popular music.  I'm listening to Mumford & Sons right now (yes, I'm sure you were listening to them before they were popular) - British and bluegrass, how cool is that?  Funny - I really can't stand "country" music, but the complicated arrangements of banjo, guitar, violin, etc really make me smile.    

~ Have finished the sequel to Chocolat.  Loved Chocolat, didn't love The Girl With No Shadow.  Anyway, I'm between books right now, so if you have any suggestions, I'm all ears.

~ Am exercising a lot more.  And feeling a lot better.  The anxiety has settled a lot, and I really think the extra activity is what's helping the most.  Of course, this is not new information, but I still have a bad habit of falling off the wagon.  Posting my workouts on Facebook helps - I need people to guilt me into working out, apparently.

~ Finished all the books from the January list, did none of the tasks.  The Girl's room remains unpainted, but I did finish a scarf whilst watching Doctor Who and gave it to her, so she was briefly appeased.  I promised I would do it by the time she returns from camp.  In June.  Hey, it's before her next birthday, isn't it? (yes it is, for those who don't know.) 

I have been taking my camera out occasionally, but only occasionally, and I haven't uploaded pictures in awhile.  I'm feeling a bit squirrelly from my lack of creative outlet - maybe I should attempt to take a photo a day, just to get back in the habit.

~ Ooh, on the mental front, I started seeing a new therapist a few weeks ago, and I'm really liking this one.  I was able to go in with a definite idea of what I hoped to accomplish, which was a helpful side effect of seeing therapists that didn't work for me.  Things are starting to "click," if you will, and I am...cautiously optimistic.

We lost a little girl in our community on Friday, Ella-Reid, and everyone, even those of us who didn't know her well, are mourning.  She had P-NET cancer, a rare cancer that mainly afflicts young children and teenagers, and she fought so hard.   I had the pleasure of spending a little time with her in December while I worked in her classroom.  She was a sweetheart who loved pink and purple and rainbows and all kinds of girly things...and she showed a strength of character you don't see in many adults.  I don't mean to end on a low note, but she was an important part of our community and we will all miss her.  I just wanted to take a moment to honor Ella-Reid.