Forgot to post this past week:

Spiritual:
Been doing my prayers and meditation in the mornings in the screened in. What a relaxing place to meditate!
Church attendance sometimes on Sat. sometimes on Sunday instead, depending on social things.

House: Got carpets and windows cleaned this week. What a really nice atmosphere! The landscaper has started cutting down the weeds and will do a regular program (will check on cost first). Been continuing with the craft room and babysteps in the basement.

Family/friends; Spoke with all my children last week. Love when that happens. Planning a get together luncheon for the 4th with family and friends. Had UFP group here yesterday.
Plans made for a few more get togethers.

Finances:
Well I splurged with help around the house, but it needed it, and was well worth it. Paying down credit card. Also using the Debit card when I can....

Pets: Doing well.

ME time; hoping to find more of that.

Diana, I don't think you have anything to fear about the queen taking over!

Your life seems very nicely balanced. It's good to get the house done, isn't it? As you say, well worth the money.

As for time management, I am keeping an eye out for those "time stealers" that Hadassah mentioned. I think I found one or two culprits, already - the tv and the computer!

O definitely, I agree with you on the time stealers. I do limit myself on the computer, but would like more time for reading instead of the tv. Watch it while I work on projects, so that is my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

Thank you so much for the kind comment Dianaro! To be honest, credit should also go to you on how I am navigating my journey, because even if I do not check in as regularly as you all, and update my progresses, I have taken with me all the encouragement and all the tips that I have been tought by my GONer Moms!

I can't count the number of times in a day when I have my motto in my head, and when I feel that I can do it thanks to what I learnt here!

Blessmymess, you are such an amazing inspiration too! With all you do, and find the time in the day to dedicate to supporting others on this board, that is amazing to me! You surely manage your time like an acrobat!

Yesterday evening, during a casual conversation at the social gathering we enjoy after religious service, I had an interesting awareness on that topic, as I was mentioning - don't remember how it came into the conversation - that I usually get up at 5:30 am and my listener, a friend who I thought was a busy businessman, sounded extremely surprised that I had to get up so early and was wondering aloud why?

I had a moment of wonder as to what to answer: saying that I need to get so many things done in a day didn't seem glamorous enough I guess, because all of a sudden I figured out that he probably did not have to plan any of the food shopping - meal preparations for three different people - paperwork for school children including one special need - laundry folding/preparation/cleanup - cleaning of the kitchen - gym - budget - daily accounting - all this before the actual work day starts...

Maybe I am assuming wrongly, and maybe he is very busy too before he heads to his career job, I don't know. But obviously people have little ideas about our lives as single parents/single incomes... that's what came to my mind as I gave him a more "exciting" reason why I would have to be up and running at dawn... I could not resist bragging and twisting the lame truth a little bit, and explaining that working with creative content was easier for me in the early hours than during the busy day! (and mentioning that I was working with Europe, which is also true, but the Internet does not care about hours of the day or night anyway).

Thank you Hadassah,but YOU do it all.

You were very right to assume the man doesn't do all a woman oes in a mornin before the actual day starts, and good for you in
using a creative content!

There is nothing wrong with putting a creative twist on what we do. And working with contacts in Europe is a very valid reason.

I found another time stealer - it's called "naps"! I had just returned from a 3+ hr. shopping trip with DD - it wore me out! I came home and fell asleep for 2 hrs! Oh, well, I guess I'll call it "me time/attending to health & beauty". I can be creative, too.

Naps and sleep and taking care of oneself are definitely not time stealers Blessmymess! never consider them as such! What are traditionally considered as time stealers would rather be these:
- lack of motivation
- mistakes in planning
- clutter in the work space
- indecisiveness
- lack of discipline
- lack of delegation
- conflicting priorities
- too vague goals or objectives
- interruptions
- useless meetings
- lack of response (waiting for or having to redo the call)
- accepting new tasks because we would not say no assertively
...
etc!

Naps can be added to a work day! I am always pretty well refreshed after a cat nap (15 minutes) and get twice more completed than I would have without a quickie nap.

Driving for 3 hours and shopping would DEFINITELY wear me out
Bless. Don't you sometimes wish we could "beam me up Scotty" for our trips!?

Hadassah, some of those apply to me, especially the last one - I have a very hard time saying no when people ask me if I can do something for them! Sometimes, they don't even have to ask - I jump in and volunteer! And then I get frustrated because I don't have time to do my own stuff! Sigh.

Diana, I don't mind the driving too much, although it would be nice to have a chauffeur to drive me around! But shopping for clothes tires me! But DD had a successful shopping trip. We went to a discount shop because she refuses to pay more than $10 for a top (according to the guidelines I had set for her when she was younger: $10 for a top and $20 for a bottom). She was able to buy 17 items (tops and skirts) for $114. The most expensive were 2 skirts, at $13 each.

I am so much like you Bless, about volunteering ! We must have been sisters in another life.

I was brave last week, and resigned from the beading group. I have enough to do with the sewing and knitting groups, along with my UFP group. Something had to go, and I had belonged to that for more than two years. Of course I will be welcome to come back any time!

Bless,
That is very wise is setting limits on clothes. I am shocked when I see what these young girls spend on clothing and shoes and think nothing of it! That is a wonderful lesson for DD!