Learning New Things and Keeping My House Clean Too

Do you ever wonder when you will be cured of Not Being the Perfect Housekeeper, Homemaker, House cleaner, Person who cleans your own house?  I do.  I bet you did not know that.

You may be thinking, "Oh, she is sitting behind her little computer with everything in place.  The house looks perfect, because she has more energy, and she has got it all together now."

My answer to the above is "Nope!", which for my readers needing translation is American slang for no.

I think I had visions of everything being perfect:  I always fall into that trap it seems;  but, the truth is I am struggling in my own ways just like everyone else.  Now, I have two jobs  ( my unpaid decluttering ministry and my Plexus Slim).  That is why I dropped the Decluttering Blog, but I am still getting rid of the clutter.  I just do not have time to take pictures of everything I declutter.  However, sometimes I will bore you with a few of the getting rid of clutter details:  for instance...

• An old teflon frying pan with the teflon peeling off (not good to eat that stuff) was sitting on the kitchen counter and now it is in the trash.
• The protective covering that was on the new frying pan, which lay on the counter two days because I wanted someone else to read the instructions, which may never happen, is now in the trash.  But, the directions are still there.  Oops!  Maybe, I should just trash them too.

See, I am still a mess;  and, my house needs to be dusted.  My laundry needs to be put away.  My towels need to be folded.  I need to clean the hot spots too.

What happened?  Life.  Life happened:  I have more energy, but I still have to give my body and brain a break.  Guess what?    It's all Okay.  Sometimes, I am going to spend more time on one thing than the other.  It's a choice I have to make.   You and I will be alright.  I still understand.  Remember, I have been ill for over 20 years.  

I am here.  I am still doing this blog;  although, there are times the things I am learning to balance may be a little different.  I would not stop doing this, when I know there are people like me that would like a chance to be better in health, in doing their work, in being with their family, in getting out of the house and in finding time and energy to play.   Right now, my house is a mess and I am having a bit of a schedule struggle.  I have even found myself skipping vitamins this week, because I got too busy with other things.  I repeat.  I am not perfect.  God is not finished with me yet.  Thank goodness!

 If I tell you about my pink drink sometimes, it is because I want to help you.  I know I need to do more testimonies and more about the products for you that have perked your ears up at the hope something might help.  If you are not interested in reading about a product that might help you;  then, skip over it.  Okay, that is all I have to say about that for now.

Now I just want to anticipate the rest of the weekend, do something with my husband, and forget about work.  In fact, I need to--we all need to take breaks from wear and tear and work-- and  pace ourselves.  

Have a happy Saturday and Sunday!  Put the things of the world out of your mind for a while and rest.  Rest your bodies, do something relaxing, and spend time with God and fellow believers.  

Finding the right support group has been a great encouragement for me.  I live in a small town, so there are not any support groups that fit my needs;  however, I have found sisters in the spirit with similar problems that understand what I am going through on Facebook, Spark People, and a couple of other forums on the internet.  When I first became ill, it was difficult to find anything that gave me any answers or support; and actually, answers are not always certain in some illnesses.  But just knowing someone else understands helps me to feel that I am not alone.  I have left a couple of forums in my search for the right fit.  Sometimes, it was because I was too ill to  participate.  I left one group, because the posts were becoming more and more negative and I didn't like the jokes.  

Support groups can be both informative and encouraging.   I belonged to a group on a forum, which gave personal antidotes about what it was like to have hip replacement surgery, as well as answering questions the newbies asked.  It was belonging to that group that helped me make an informed decision.  I also did research on my own and talked to my orthopedic surgeon;  but it was communicating with the group members that helped remove my fear of having the surgery.  Having a joint and hip replacement is probably one of the best things I could have done for my health at this point  in my life, for I was extremely sedentary because of the pain.   While the hip heals and because I deal with other health issues, I have taken very small steps in adding activity.  I feel better because I'm moving more, but I try not to push myself;  because, I know that I will run out of fuel for several days if I do too much.

Do I have to tell people my real name?

I can be authentic without sharing
 all information about myself on the internet.

There are forums where you can use a pseudonym, as well as social media where you can use your real name.  When you are in an online support group, which is open to the public, you don't have to share anymore than you are comfortable sharing, certainly not your real name if you are talking about personal matters.  

I hope you have found this information to be helpful.  If you are a regular internet user, then you are probably well aware of what a great tool it can be;  however, it is on-the-job training for new users.  One more thing, do not let the internet totally take over your life.  Yes, we can make friends on the social media and reconnect with old ones;  but there is more to life than spending all day on the computer. If I have a day or two away from the computer,  I actually feel like I am doing something good for myself.  I lived a very full life before I had a computer, and I don't want to feel it has taken over my life.                                                         

When Games Become Work

It's been too long since I've written here, but I am ba-ack.  God has gotten me through serious surgery and a move.  In fact, I'm still unpacking and putting away.  

Have you ever felt like you

will never be able to find a

place for everything?  That's how I have been feeling for the past year.  Clutter is ugly, distressing and fatiguing.   However, I am taking baby steps and getting my new home in shape.  Now, enough of talking about chores and on to my topic for the day  -- when games become work.

Me, my computer and my dog.  
Since it isn't easy to sit on the floor, my dog has gotten spoiled.

Being part of the computer generation is a great boon for people with invisible illnesses.  We find understanding and support; we are able to connect with friends quickly; and we can play computer games.  Uh-huh!  Did you know that was where I was going?  Many computer games are like hobbies, because you can arrange the pictures they provide however you want.  It is the computer generation equal to having an electric train and building a set for it.   However, like any hobby, this can take up too much time;  moreover, it can be a big energy drain if I  begin to get obsessive about it. 

Energy drain, the bane of the chronically fatigued, is something we have to guard against.  In my own life, I have been taking gradual steps to increase my energy and learn my limits.  I have discovered one of my limits in playing games.   When the game becomes work, I have to step away for a while.  How long depends on my  work schedule.  With limited energy, I have to make a decision about what really needs to be done each day. Now, that I am able to accomplish more and I am sitting less, I have to choose my activities carefully.

Sometimes, I have to let my games go for a while: then, I close my eyes and lean back in my chair, I watch television, or I just read.  Balancing my playtime is just as important as balancing my work.  May your playtime be fun and your work be satisfying.  

Until next time, 

Deborah

Prioritizing my Days

Nowadays, when I think of prioritizing my schedule, the major thing that comes into play is doing those things I Have to do.  For instance, this past Saturday, I absolutely had to go to the grocery store.  I could not ask my husband to go because he was sick; and I was out of just about everything.  On days I go shopping, I might as well forget doing anything else, because that is the ONLY thing I will have energy for.  And sometimes, I have to cut the trip short; because I can feel when my well is dry.  If I try to push through my energy shortage, I pay with being too fatigued to get anything done around the house.

Sometimes, I am too tired to bathe or dress.  I know most people would not want to admit that, but this is my reality:  and if I'm going to encourage someone else that has physical problems, I feel like I need to be candid and honest.  I used to feel very guilty about being too fatigued to get dressed, but I realized the guilt was draining my energy even more.  Yesterday, I did not dress.  I wore a cute medium-length night shirt all night, all day, and all night again.  I missed church again, which I don't like;  but, I am through with beating myself up over all the shoulds in my life.  That can be a whole blog article in itself--The Shoulds and How I Make Myself  Frustrated or Depressed.  Something I did do was make supper for our family.  I needed to use the ground chuck in the fridge; so, I made my easiest spaghetti recipe and cooked a frozen vegetable.  My sweet husband blessed me by putting the dishes in the dishwasher and putting away the leftovers.  Yes, I can cook in my nightclothes / leisure clothes.  I am proud of that, because I remember days that I only had the energy to get a spoonful of peanut butter, eat a cheesestick, or put a frozen dinner in the microwave. 

Today, I have a completely different priority--staying cool.  Our air conditioner went out yesterday.  I did not know it was broken, until I realized the fan had been running a long time.  After that, I watched the thermostat steadily rise.  I'm also wondering why 82 degrees seems so much hotter in the house, or maybe 85 by now.  However, it is even hotter outside, so I am keeping the shades closed and staying as inactive as possible.  I have the perfect FlyLady Beginner Babystep to do today.  I am going to put a page in my control journal with some of my favorite inspirational quotes.  And I am going to turn off this computer, because it is putting out heat.  I did get dressed, but I will stay barefooted or wearing sandals.  I did clean the fan off in our great room / living room, because hunks of dust flew off when I turned it to high.  However,  I will not be shining my sink, or anything that requires more than a quick drive-by cleaning on the way to the bathroom or getting something cold to drink.  Also, I am going to pray the air conditioning repairman gets here soon.

Signing out,
Staying Cool in South Georgia

P.S.  The good news is my air conditioner has been fixed, and it was not a huge amount of money.  Talk about answer to prayer!