Day 111 - Wow!

Today is Day 111 of our journey to living a more simple life on Hacienda Hill. Times flies, doesn't it? I started writing about our adventure on August 6, 2010.

Just a quick note to say there is nothing quite as handy as a calendar with any and everything written on it for future reference! I still have calendars from a few years back. They have come in handy many times. Really.

It also contributes to living a more simple life because I know once I commit an upcoming event to the calendar, I don't have to worry or think about it again till it comes up. If it is something that needs prep work a week in advance, I log that on the calendar, too. Takes away the stress of hoping I don't forget. Every December, I sit down and transfer all important dates, birthday's etc on the calendar for the coming year.

I've tried all kind of calendar systems over the years to find what works best for me. I've set up the calendars online where you can choose the people that can see what is coming up thinking our grown kids would contribute and be more a part of each others worlds. HA! I think one daughter posted something, once, maybe. No one else contributed and, frankly, I think they found it annoying. They really didn't care to know.

When the grandkids lived here I had a giant Family Calendar. Everyone's stuff visible at a glance and separated out by person. It was handy. Don't need anything that elaborate anymore.

I tried to have separate calendars for personal family business like paying bills, etc and one for public viewing I could leave out. That was too much trouble! Sometimes I actually did forget things because I wasn't looking at the right calendar. Scratch that plan. I've tried the desk pad type calendar, but that was distracting and ugly. I don't like ugly.

I'm more a hands on kinda girl, a bit technology challenged and prefer a paper calendar I can write on as opposed to an electronic one that fits in the palm of my hand. I've learned never to say 'never' but I don't see that system attracting me any time soon. I like the simple life, don't you know.

I've simplified my system to the one calendar for bills, birthdays, Dr appointments and all. It's a tiny bit larger than a piece of notebook paper and has a spiral binder I've learned I do not want to live without. I've grown picky about my calendars because they are so vital in the day-today management of life here on Hacienda Hill. Chances are, if it's not on the calendar, it isn't going to happen! I rely on it for order and peace of mind.

You cannot live a simple life without order and peace of mind!

I cannot yet say my home, life and world are in the place I want them to be where order and peace of mind are concerned. It's a journey, takes one step at a time. I first had to change my thinking and straighten out my priorities. That part has been done. Now it is a matter of aligning my surroundings, my possessions and my habits to fit the simple life mentality. It is impossible to live the way you've always lived and have things be different than they always were. Change comes from the inside out. The outside can change the way the inside functions. It's a circle of cooperative change making life sweeter, more simple and less stressful. Here's to the next 111 days!