I've been stuck lately. I'm just laying it out here for you. I don't know if it's post-Christmas letdown, mid-winter blahs, or just what the medical term might be for me, but it's a rut. A shallow little ravine in the road of my life, really, but I'm stepping out of it. As of tonite.
You know I love, love, love to bake. We're talking love. I even got a brand new sweet-pretty-betty-mixer for Christmas from MIL after Pooks and I blew out the motor of my cheap-o inexpensive handheld mixer making that awesome gingerbread igloo. I've pulled the new mixer out once (totally kidding, MIL). And I'm craving Kendra's lemon blueberry scones. C.r.a.v.i.n.g. I bought the ingredients twice. The first set of lemons turned into tennis balls. Pretty sure.
My counters have been covered. I mean covered. In papers and crums and syrup and did I already mention papers? And books and cereal boxes and covered UP.
The laundry's been done. That's a win. And the kids all had showers tonite. Snow day likely tomorrow, but they'll smell clean for me here in the house, so that's a win, too.
A rut.
Tonite, I finished two projects I've been staring down for the better part of January. With them, I sense a new beginning. When you hear what they are, you will measure me strange.
The first was small.
I got rid of my calendar. No, I seriously did. I went to Office Whatever just before Christmas and bought one of those pricey leatheresque bound calendars with appointment spaces every 15 minutes in it for every day of 2011 just like I did in 2010. And in 2009. And pretty much every year since I graduated with my Master's degree. Christmas morning Hubby gave me an android phone. I don't need the desk calendar any more. Or the 2,486 things I kept in the back of it. So I got rid of all but the important stuff and put that in a pretty Southern Living basket on my counter with our dinner devotionals and history cards and conversation starters we peruse over the table with supper. And I wiped down the counter.
Win.
The second thing was bigger. You're going to think I'm crazy. Really, you are.
The mantel.
Told you.
I took my inspiration photo (wish I knew where to give credit - I found this in a photo file on my computer marked 2007):
And I did this:
Yeah, theirs is better. I'm kinda going craZy with all the things on it (it's been bare for about 3 weeks). I'm feeling fairly certain that I will love it. I might paint the frame thingy black...but...I do love it!
Win again.
Take That Old Man Winter!
