In a Good Mood

I am in a good mood.

“Why?” You might ask.

Well, for one thing, I started out the day the way God intended – with a Venti-sized Iced Tangerine Juice Blend from Starbucks. I may HATE coffee, but I love my Starbucks iced drinks in the summer and gourmet hot chocolate in the winter. Mmm…nothing like an icy fruit drink to kick start a Saturday.

I am also now reveling in my air-conditioned office while the outside world swelters and shoulders on in the oppressive heat. I may be here to work, but I’m cool as a cucumber and that makes me a happy camper.

I’m also strangely happy to be at work getting caught up in the sweet silence of an empty office. There’s only one other person here, which means I’ll be able to get a lot done without multiple interruptions. Interruptions come frequently during the work week, so I’m bound to get more done now.

Well, after my short blogging break, that is.

Last night was very productive and put me in a positive state of mind. Mom and Gary dropped off the first load of Mom’s basement clutter we’ve been working on whittling down. It was an unorganized mess of things I’d decided I wanted to keep (as opposed to Gary carting it all off to Goodwill).

I spent the evening organizing, labeling, and taking photos of my childhood treasures. Then I packed everything away in the lavender totes I’d gotten on sale at Wal-Mart (only $4 – they were on sale because of the spring/lavender color – the clear ones in the same size were $7 – it was a STEAL!).

Pretty soon, I’ll be heading over to Mom’s to do the second round of cleaning out. We have a six prong system for cleaning Mom’s basement:

1. Holiday decorations organized by holiday
2. Things Mom forgot she had and now wants to keep
3. Things Mom doesn’t want to keep but thinks may be worth something on eBay
4. Things Mom doesn’t want, but I do
5. Things from my childhood that I want to keep
6. Things neither of us wants and would bring nothing on eBay go in the Goodwill pile

We are doing all this first – organizing and whittling down – before Mom and Gary purchase plastic storage totes to put the whole basement in order.

Helping to organize Mom’s basement has actually been a great deal of fun for me. It’s been great rediscovering my childhood and getting lots of Mom’s decorating castoffs (which are still in really good condition). I love the process of organizing and deciding.

I should probably work at a thrift store. I’m sure I’d love it!

Mom and Gary came over in the midst of my organizational progress. Mom chatted with me while Brett and Gary attacked the outside yard work that needed to be done.

Afterwards, the four of us watched an episode of Murder She Wrote (via Netflix). Mom and I split a bowl of popcorn and said how it seemed so much like “old times.” When I was little, Mom and Dad and I used to watch Murder She Wrote after church on Sunday. The three of us also shared a big ‘ol bowl of popcorn!

Somehow, in the middle of all that, I also managed to get three loads of laundry done!

So, here I am now, getting started on the work work part of my day, and I’m actually looking forward to it!

It’s nice to be in a good mood. And it’s even nicer to share it with others!