Stash vs Hoard

 In minimalism, stash vs hoard is hotly debated.  To hard core minimalist any sort of ‘extra’ is an abomination.  Yeah, whatever.  Methinks someone people need to minimalize their rules for other people…

 In my opinion, a hoard is having excess of what you need and/or keeping everything because you can’t bring yourself to discard.  Hoarding affects everyday life.

 A stash is a collection made to have materials on hand for a future project.  Mind you, a stash CAN become a hoard if you’re not careful.

 A few of my creative stashes crossed the line into a hoard.  Not good.  Those have been the hardest to deal with.  What I did to deal with it was to allow myself ONE reasonable size storage container (ie I can easily lift it when full) for holding the stash.  Then I did a KonMari.

 It worked…

Give Thanks, You'll Be Thankful You Did

 

Thanksgiving... a day set aside to be grateful and to give thanks.  A very nice day.

 So how about "being the change" and start acknowledging you gratitude at every meal?  You will be amazed at how your attitude about life will improve.  Your gratitudes don't have to be huge ones.  "I got a close parking place", "my donut was so fresh" and so on are perfect starting points.  The more you do, the more good things you will realize are happening in your life.

 Give it a try for a month...

 

 

Make a List and Combine Trips

 Global warming, nasty air quality, expensive fuel, traffic jams...  All good reasons "to be the change" and combine trips when you go out. 

 Next time you need to leave your home, make a list of other errands you can do while out.  For us living out here at The Sticks, just to get to town is a 15 mile trip that takes about 30 minutes with traffic and stop lights/signs.  Then you gotta come home.  An hour out of our lives to pick up groceries.

 Combining trips just makes sense.

A Tea for Three

 Twelve years ago today we had a 'high tea' in Scotland.  We were discussing the tea culture in the UK with our friend Dave.

 High tea, afternoon tea, low tea, cream tea:  we were so confused!  As he explained, afternoon tea and low tea are the same.  Delicious tasteys served in a beautiful display... on low tables in a posh setting.  Cream tea is an afternoon tea that features clotted cream as a spread for your scones.  High tea is a light meal to ward off hunger when getting home from work.  It is served at the dinner table (the 'high' table).  It too has a tray of goodies, but fewer and not so fancy.

 Then Dave decided to treat us to a high tea at a pub he knew just down the road.

  

Dave pouring his tea.

  

Our entrees.

 

And our simple selection of scones and treats.

 

 

 

 

 

Money From Mark

 I'm sure you've heard about the class action law suit against Facebook over personal info being sold to a political 'machine'.

 The case settled with a 725 million dollar ruling against Facebook, to be awarded to people who had a Facebook account(s) between May 2007 and December 2022.

 That would be me!  And I filed for my piece of the action.

 It is a bit dicey about how payment will be made.  This is the best explianation of how that is going to work.  " Using an oversimplified example, if the net settlement amount is $100 and the total number of points for all claimants adds up to 500, you would be paid 20 cents ($100/500) for every month you had an open account between May 2007 and December 2022. If your account was activated for, say, 52 months you would receive $10.40 (20 cents x 52 months). If it was activated all 187 months of that period you would receive $37.40."  (ABC News)

 I really don't care about the amount.  I will be happy if I get .25c out of Mark Zuckerberg's pocket!  When (and if) I get anything, I'll let you know.

 

 

Practical Minimalism

 I’ve been thinking about “practical minimalism” as a lifestyle…

 There are SO many facets to a life that have to be focused on, isn’t there? Not just a home and how much you have crammed into it. But rather how much you’ve crammed into your personal ‘world’. Your physical self, family, friends, the maintenance of home & yard, hobbies/recreation, groups/clubs, and so on. Lots of ‘so on’.

 Therefore I’ve decided to make a list of all those things above to decide what needs to be in my life, AND how to make what I pick focused.

 The point is to make deliberate decisions on everything immediately. Don’t have to implement all at once, but I will have a plan  when the time comes.

A Midnight Toad

 

Have you ever seen a black toad?  Neither had we until we came across this dude living in my herb bed.  Goggle says that "black toads" live only in a small area of California.  Another entry said that Eastern Spadefoot toads can be "almost black".  But nothing else seems to match. 

Seems we have a bit of a warty mystery out here in The Sticks.