Hello

It’s so good to visit with you again. Happy Tuesday.

Energy

Who here pays attention to their body? Hmm,  I’m trying to. In fact, I’m learning the hard way.

The tree is still standing. If you didn’t read last week’s post, I cut down half a tree. Mind you, it’s a small one, but I didn’t work on it at all this week. The weather was part of the problem—it rained a good bit—but my energy level wasn’t exactly cooperating either.

So, I decided to listen to my body. Instead, I made two great dinners for us this week. One was intentionally planned so we’d have leftovers the next night. I love leftovers! The side dish was baby potatoes, carrots, and fresh green beans. I lightly creamed the mixture and then added a “secret” ingredient at the very end. Well, it’s not much of a secret. I stirred in a couple of tablespoons of French onion dip. Don’t ask me why—I just thought it sounded good. And boy, was it ever!

But back to listening to my body.

My replaced hip is doing well, but the quads on that leg let me know when I’ve overdone it. Another factor is that we have steps here at the lake house. My office, craft room, and journaling space are all in the basement, along with the laundry. Then there are a few more steps, just getting in and out of the house. Add in the dampness and humidity, something we don’t deal with in Arizona, and it all adds up. And let’s not forget the getting-older part.

When my body says, “Nope, not today,” I’ve started listening. When I do, my energy seems to come back tenfold, and my quads are much happier to cooperate. So maybe I’ll get back to the tree this week. Or maybe Sweet Man will finish it. He’s got plenty on his plate, though, and I have to admit—I kind of want to be able to say I did it myself. Does that make sense?

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

10 Minutes A Day

I recently read about the “10-Minute-a-Day Theory,” and it made me smile because I’ve been doing some version of it for most of my adult life. The theory is — no matter how tired you are, take ten minutes and tackle something that needs to be done.

It works for almost everything—dusting, reading, gardening, decluttering, cleaning, organizing, you name it. Some days, we have the energy to spend hours checking things off our lists. Other days, ten minutes is all we’ve got, and that’s okay.

“If you’re disciplined enough, ten minutes a day is all you need to make things happen.” — Jonathan Peykar 

I will clean part of the bathroom today. Then tomorrow tackle the bathtub. Those ten minutes help me tremendously. Most days, I’ll spend ten minutes and go through the mail, then hang up the clothes draped over the bedroom chair from the day before, and straighten the kitchen counter. These 10 minutes a day help my energy level stay in check.

Sometimes what needs attention isn’t just the house—it’s my mind. Ten minutes of reading, praying, meditating, gardening or journaling can be exactly what the doctor ordered for me.

A ten-minute walk through the gardens works wonders. It clears my mind, and somehow, a few pesky weeds usually get pulled along the way. And yes, some days it’s only 10 minutes.

The photos below were taken during one of those ten-minute walks. I came back inside feeling refreshed and recharged.

The ten-minute rule has helped me more times than I can count. 

Oh, and whether I finish the tree this week, Sweet Man finishes it, or it stands there for another week, it’ll still be waiting. The important thing is that I am taking care of myself and enjoying my summer at the lake.

Thanks For Being Here!

I’m learning that energy is a gift, not an unlimited resource. Some days I can do more, and some days a little less. Either way, progress is still progress.

Thanks for being here on another Tuesday. I wish for you to have unlimited energy this week. ☺️

Linking up with Terri Sunday Stills and The Flower Hour

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