Decluttering, Gratitude and Cards

 Quick Lyme update: Things were really going well lately and I'm trying to get off the medication. However, on Sunday there was a reminder by getting the tummy to rebel and chase me to my knees just as we were ready to leave the house! Spent some time there; not even water would stay down. Body went into shock, chills and shivers and the whole lot, so back to huddle under the soft blanket second-born son gave me for Christmas. We were planning all sorts of fun things for Sunday, which of course didn't happen. Bleh!

Tonight Jess and I will be doing a presentation in Vaughan to a group of women. Usually after such an event, we walk away with contacts, future helpers and others to carry out the message and the information to warn their own loved ones about this disease.

Decluttering

How are you doing with decluttering and maybe trying the 40 Bag Challenge as posted before? I've done several sections in the home; maybe recycled or threw out about 7 or 8 bags out so far, plus various items like a wheeled chair, set of 12 cups and saucers, and so on. Oh and my cleaning cabinet looks a whole lot better after sorting all those bottles and containers, combining some that were the same, or disposing of some that were not used completely. I much prefer to use natural cleaners and fresheners and have found several hints all over the web!

A lemon and rock salt freshener has been put to use already and seems to take on the cat litter boxes with gusto. I've used an empty cat food container, washed off the label and stuck on a note about what it now contains plus the date. A tissue or two keeps the lemon upright in the container. The freshener is supposed to be effective for about two months. Of course it is affordable enough to make more, even if it only lasts a month or so!

The original idea comes from Abundance on a Dime: Six Natural & Cheap Ways to Freshen Up Your Home

As for cleaning up and throwing out, this is what the cleaning cabinet now looks like after a whole bunch of things went out of there! 
Several empty spray bottles will find a new home with someone else and first-born son is still using Febreze for his car, after the previous owner's dogs had a stinky mishap on the carpeting .... The empty plastic container in the foreground contains cleaning rags which were created by pulling an old sheet into squares. Wonderful for all sorts of jobs and just to toss into the washing machine!

Cards

One of the things that I've been trying to do better, is to send out cards to friends. Christmas cards go out every year, but I meant other cards - thank you or gratitude cards, birthday cards, sympathy cards, friendship cards --- Work always seemed to get in the way and I'd be too tired to go to the store or forget to create and mail one in time. Then, in September 2012, I discovered an online gem! I've been using them since then. Yes, it can be a pyramid scheme but I'm not interested in that - only in the ease of creating and sending out cards. Even at midnight if I remember that so-and-so would need a card, I can pull up the laptop, create the card, tell when it should be sent, and be done with it. Voila!

The cards are great quality and everyone who received one, commented on the fact that it was personalized with their name printed right inside. I guess I've sent out over 150 folded cards and postcards since September, to locations all over the world. It is so easy and I think it is cheaper than driving to a store, picking out a card and sending it off. Using your own pictures or graphics make the card a little more expensive, but still not that much, and it is so much fun! Creating campaigns to group friends or family together, make it a cinch to add another recipient to an already created card. And no, I don't get anything for passing on this information!

How does it work (cards)?

World Wide Lyme Disease awareness, May 2013

We're still busy with the plans for WorldWideLyme (Canada) protest in May.  The specific plans will be announced according to availability of volunteers and the like, but you can look on Facebook (even if you're not a member) to see which countries are already part of the movement. Here is the original page: WorldWideLymeProtest  

If you would like to do something in your area, or be part of a group planning some awareness event, please post to the Facegroup page if you're a member, or a comment at the bottom of this post in the "Comments" link, please! 

Be well, be happy, be strong.