Hi everyone! Yes, I am still alive. I unexpectedly decided to make this past week a true vacation week, and, since I had no reviews prepared or posts to share, I went silent. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t busy. Between using the KonMari technique on my house, getting caught up on two weeks’ worth of email and bills, other personal correspondence, and laundry, I stayed occupied each day and enjoyed puttering around my house, getting to know it again, and putting it in order before I start my new job tomorrow.
I will admit that last week of work was enough to remove any vestiges of guilt I had about giving notice. There was some game-playing on the part of various managers, and that led to even greater frustrations than I expected. A lack of contingency planning meant long hours having to sit and wait for my manager to be available to go over my duties and walk him through my processes. A general lack of communication meant I could not give anyone forewarning about my pending departure either. I know I learned a lot during the three years I worked there, but it is going to take some time for the bitterness to ebb. However, onward and upward!
Our Memorial Day weekend was quiet and busy. Jim and the kids spent the day starting to clear the new lot, and I purged. And purged. And purged. 20 garbage bags full of items went to Goodwill. 124 books did as well. My garbage can was overflowing, and I cannot possibly add anything else to my recycling bin. I devoured Marie Kondo’s The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up in an hour and immediately set to work. Some of her ideas are a bit odd to Western readers, but I will say that her methods are effective. My closets have never been so empty, and I was actually able to make it through Target and just stick to my shopping list. I feel much lighter, and I actually enjoy doing laundry, putting things away, and keeping my house tidy. Now, my plan is to foist the book onto Jim and the kids, so they can tackle their own areas of the house. It is such a freeing experience; I highly recommend the book and the exercise to everyone.
This past weekend was the typical crazy. Jim and Connor ran a half-marathon on Saturday. Holly had pictures for her upcoming ballet recitals and variety shows. We will actually have spent two days at the studio with all of the different pictures she has to take. She also had a birthday/slumber party on Saturday night. See? Busy, busy. It never ends.
Now, I have to go and get ready for tomorrow. It feels like the first day of school! Have a great Sunday and wonderful week!
