Gardening

It’s almost spring here, and t’s time to start thinking about planting a garden. I read this book, All New Square Foot Gardening: Grow More in Less Space, by Mel Bartholomew.  I had read this book before, when it was not the ‘All New’ version. It’s good both ways. I’m going to give the method a try. Usually when I see a new way of dong something, I jump in with both feet. You know what happens? Broken heels. So, I’m taking this slow, and by that  mean I’m only making one garden box. t’s a four by four square. I’ll put one plant in each square. Everything will be much more manageable. I asked a friend of mine to go into with me, and she’s going to. here on the coast of NC we have some very hot humid weather. I’m thinking all the gardening is going to be early morning. I’m up early, so it’s all good.

What should I put in it? Well, onions and broccoli will be good for now. Which means I need to get going on the frame. So pretending the frame is ready, and It’s soon to be summer, I’ll be trying to grow tomatoes, eggplant, basil, bell peppers, and I can’t think of anything else at the moment. I’m sure it’ll come to me though.

We’ve gotten a lot of rain this winter, and my lawn has been soggy since last fall. I know, because we put off the last lawn mowing until the lawn dried. We are still waiting. Which is okay, since I have since lost the key to the shed. I’ll get the shed open, and then it’s no holds barred.

Take care, and keep warm.

Beth

The walk through on a property I own

A couple of days ago, I did a walk through on a house I own in a nearby neighborhood. It has four bedrooms, and a nice fenced in yard. I bought it so I ould have passive income. I read this book A Million Bucks by Thirty: How to Overcome a Crap Job, Stingy Parents, and a Useless Degree to become a Mllionaire Before (or After) Thirty, by Alan Corey. I found to very inspirational. Ok, he may have had different experiences, but the thought is still valid. By being smart, living below your means, and being aware, you can really get where you want to go. Alan had a goal, and he worked so he could achieve it. His avenue was real estate. I like the idea.  I rent that house out, and live in my other one. See, I bought the house, and someone else lives in it.

I was kidding with my daughter last night. I told her the house we live in is so minimal at this point, I can rent out the closets so people can live in them. I laughed, she was aghast. I ‘m still laughing.

So, back to the walk through. It went very well. The family that lives in my house, must have read the book. They have their family in it, and they have another family there, too. That was on my okay. So basically they rent half price. Genius. They take wonderful of the place. I have a rental agency taking care of the repair details for me. I might do it myself next year. Or hire my own rental agent. I can outsource just as well, if not better than the rental people.   

I’ll put some marl (marl is drieway gravel and sea shells in a mix) in the driveway, since they asked, and I wish them well.

Take care, all.

Beth

This morning, I’m only going to read five things online before I start my day.

I notice that I spend a lot of time on the computer doing a lot of nothing. I probably don’t need to read a newspaper from a town I lived in 19 years ago. I mean,what meaning can it really have to me? I’ll tell you what meaning it has, it keeps me from what I need to be doing. Like homework, or house work, or putting marl in the driveway. Fake stuff is keeping me from real stuff. I want to really take a good look at how I waste my time, while seeming to be doing something worthwhile. So, starting today, I’m only going to read five things online in the morning before I start my real stuff. That’s instead of five hours of reading online.

I got nine books from the library yesterday. I would rather read junk online than Algebra Demystified. well, I guess, to be fair, who wouldn’t? but the thing is, if I go into my algebra class with some background, I can pass the class and move on with my plan. That would only take eight weeks. Eight weeks! I have dreaded that class since I was in high school. I can get that off my back, never to worry about again, if I put some time into it now. doing the pre-work will free me of math, which has been such a burden to me all these years. It has keep my from school. it has kept me in low paying jobs, because I thought I didn’t have the smarts tp go any further in school that a welding diploma. And I never even used that. Algebra and the very thought of higher math has been a shackle to me. Time to get focused, stop making excuses, and learn what I can.

Wish me luck. I’m off to dig into this math book. Oh, and it’s PRE algrebra first. I was too embarrassed to write that. algebra is later this week.

Take care! Beth

Blog Feeds

As I grow, I get more discerning in my choices of blogs. I subscribe to a lot of them, on various subjects. All well and good, you say? It is. but one thing I’m doing is paring down. That means the blogs I read, too. I’ll have three or so, on a topic of interest. Then I’ll look at the blogs, and think, is there anyway I’m really going to cook what’s on that foodies blog? The truth is no, I’m not. I cook as little as possible, and the blogs just make me hungry. So out they go. I’m not getting rid of them to get rid of them. This is not mindless. What happens is that I feel a drag on my mind time if I have projects I’m never going to do. The projects, whatever they may be, call out to me. So for the time being, until I’m ready for projects beyond school, I’m dropping ones that haunt me. I’d like to live in a van, but the time is not right. So all vandwellers feeds are out. They will be there when I’m ready, and can concentrate on them. It keeps my mind clear. I’m not pulled in so many directions.

If the blog is not updated frequently, I drop it, too. I like to read current content. So many things change with the speed of light, I’d rather read now stuff, instead of things written in 2007. Some of the content will always be pertinent, like gardening, and some of the things I read, like nursing, won’t be. No problem. Part of my journey is to figure out where I am, and be the best right there. that does not mean dilute myself with things, whether they are things or information.

Take care, and keep thinking!

Beth

The other five goals

I’m sitting in my nice clean living room. It has a nice wood floor, and an old dresser holding up the TV set. A couple of wicker chairs and a nice leather couch. A couple of other odds and ends. I like its minimlist look. the place pleases me. for many years, I did not have it this good. Having a plan has helped me get here. I love a plan, and I love when it works.

Goal number six. Get up and don’t waste time getting dressed. The weekend came, and I failed at this one. however, it’s Monday, and I’m on it! I’ll be taking my son’s uniform over to the cleaners to get military presses in it. That is one way neither of us has to worry about getting the lines right. When I’m up and at ’em, I get more done. Not rocket science, I know, but I need the physical reminder, not to be lazy. Getting dressed does it for me.

7. GET TO WALKING! I think I may have walked all of 10 miles since I started this blog. Not that great for studying. After I run errands this morning, before I study, I’ll walk. or maybe rake the yard of all the pine cones that came down in the storm. Some kind of exercise.

8. Keep my area neat. I’ve been coughing a lot. I booted the sweet cat out of my room, and I’ve been swiffering the floor daily. I still cough at night, but not so much during the day. it’s getting better. And I don’t have very much in my room. That makes it easy to switch my room around. I do that about once a month. I need to see if facing one way or another it better or worse for sleep.

9. I am not going anywhere this summer. I’d really love to, but I really have to count pennies at this point. So I’ll take half time school, probably. I need to see what’s offered, and see if I need or want the classes. I think because I’m not getting financial aid over the summer, that I can take classes I want, and don’t ‘need’ for my degree. I’ll think that one over. The classes I’d want are in the next town over, and I’m not sure I want to drive daily over the summer. Watching the cash flow, ya’ know?

10. Be at peace. This is so critical. I’m trying to be much  more aware of myself. What does it mean to be me? What is peaceful to me? What is crazy making to me, and how do I stay far from it? I like the freedom I have. I like to make decisions, and learn from them. I’m having a very good life.

I hope you are, too.

Take care, Beth

New thought on my goals

I think that goal number 10 might actually be the most important one of all. Be at peace. All the other goals I have point towards that goal in one way or another.

1. Pay my mortgage for the next six months? When I look at that one, in my mind, I think minimalistally. What do I really need? Not just want, but need? How can we as a family here, live even more frugally so our money can go father. I’m the head of the household, so that stress is all mine.  What helps me get peace with it, is to apply for student loans, and do what I can to make sure we are not bleeding money.

2. Get all ‘A’s’ in school. That’s a tough one, but if I do, I stand a far better chance of getting into nursing school, which will relive some of the money worry. I’ll be able to get another kind of school loan. And for many years I was competent, but very underpaid. I felt like I just  did not deserve any more than the pittance I made. Well, I feel with an RN it’s validation for me.

3. Teach the boys to be independent. That has so much value. they’ll take themselves more seriously. Perhaps, they won’t fall for just anything. I’ll have peace over that one for sure.

4. Write in this blog 5 times a week. One, because I just like to. Two, because writing publically helps me stay on target. Somewhat.

5. Get a better vehicle. Peace of mind, right there. I hate breaking down. ultimately, I want to be able to walk everywhere. I get a lot of peace from that. Moving meditation.

The rest of the goals tomorrow. I have a walk though on the rental house I own Monday morning,  that should be interesting.

Take care, Beth

Respiratory therapist

I was in class the other night learning about lungs and what not. There was a Surgical Sam dummy on our table. One of tonight’s lessons was how to intubate a person. Most of the class want to be nurses, except the very smart girl who sits next to me and wants to be a doctor.

Anyway, let’s just say I was not very good at it. I was a little rough. Maybe we could even say the dummy allegedly lost his head over the incident.

 I hope I have another chance to practice, because getting the tube in the lungs, not the stomach will pass the test. The teacher wanted to know if anybody wanted to be a respiratory therapist. I thought about it for an instant, but since it not ever been one of my goals, I let it go. I’m flexible about my goals, and how to get them, but they are still my goals. Nursing it is, travel nursing, specifically, not  respiratory therapy. One of the kids in the class said, it might be good for a weekend job, but not the 40 hour a week job. I think he’s right. It never hurts to learn something new, of course, and I can learn it after my true goal.

The flu is running around my house at the moment. 4/4 are sick. I think the only one who is well is the cat. So we’re taking it easy, pushing fluids and mostly just chilling.

Take care, like we should have!

Beth

Goals of the month

Here are my new ten goals:

1.Pay my mortgage for the next six months on both my houses. Possibly get a new rental agency for my rental house. Change rooms around in the house I live in.

2. Get all ‘A’s in school. That’s a tough one, but I like a challenge.  B term classes start March 5th. I’m only taking one class now. For B term, March-May, I’ll be up to three. A&P2, Algebra, and Developmental Psychology. I really like the shorter classes better.

3. Teach all mye kids how to live independent lives. I have three sons that need lessons in budgeting, menu making, and cooking. No time like the present.

4. Write in my blog 5 times a week.

5. Sell the truck, and get a better vehicle. Thanks to my daughter for helping me spell vehicle last night. I had written vec, and I was waiting for the rest. She told me, veh. I said, okay, I’ve got it, what’s next. She’d repeat VEH… Finally I saw the problem. I saw vec as veh. I think algebra might be more of a problem than I think.   I see one thing and think it’s another. This might explain a lot of thing in my life, actually.

6. Get up and get dressed right away. Nap later in the day then 10 a.m. Like maybe 2p.m. I’m still going to nap, rest assured. Just not so early.

7. Walk before I do my homework. I’m reading this book called Brain Rules by John Medina. He suggests that we do better by walking, since our ancestors walked 12 miles a day, just to live, and that where they worked out their problems. On foot. So, I’ll give that a try. I will try a lot of things to do better at learning.

8. Keep my area neat. It really does help me think. Minimalist living helps my brain. How easy is that?

9. Decide if I really am going anywhere this summer. If not, I’ll consider what classes I’d like to take this summer. Time to start thinking about it.

10. Be at peace.

Take care, all!

Beth

Trying different approaches to studying

I have an A&P class tonight, We are studying the respiratory system. Friday, I read one hour of the chapter in our textbook. Tough stuff. That gas exchange has a lot of chemistry components.

 Saturday, I reread some of the hard stuff, with no more understanding that than I had before. No problem.I then listened to my smart pen class lecture.  I have more familiarity with what I need to know.

 Sunday I listened to the respitory system from Anatomy and physiology for Dummies on my kindle. It does a good job explaining. Not really easier, just different.

Monday, I looked up pathology fo the respiratory system. Very interesting stuff. Did you know fungus can grow in the lungs? Me neither. I looked at the histology (cell sized) of lung tissue, and of regular sized pictures of diseased lungs.

 Today, I’ll draw the lungs and other aspects of the respiratory system. So when I go to class to-night, I’ll have the best possible idea of what  questions to ask my professor.

I want a good understanding of what I’m learning. I know it’s key to becoming a good nurse. Learning all I can, every way I can.

The weather is much better here today, and the post office is open, so I’m going to walk on over and mail my taxes. I need to get that going so I have money for you, know, stuff. Oh, wait, I try not to own too much stuff. Let’s just say, I’ll use the money for a little thing I like to call ‘mortgage’.

Take care!  Beth

Algebra?

If I take this dreaded class, I can get points towards my Teas test and entry into the nursing program. Okay, that is definitely good for achieving my number one goal, of getting into nursing. The bad thing is I really struggle with math. I signed up for the class, but I can drop it any time between now and March 5th if I choose to. I only need to get a C in that class. I took out the old algebra text-book this morning, and I thumbed through it. The pre-algebra section has 88 pages. If I can master 8 pages a day, I might stand a chance in that class. Having a better knowledge of math will also help on the teas test itself. It looks like it might be a win-win. And an ulcer.

Still a bit of snow on the ground here. For the most part, it’s melted away. I don’t have much experience with snow, as I was rasied in south Florida. I’m not all that sure I like it. The very act it even snows here at all, gives me thoughts about my traveling nurse career. I’m thinking Arizona, south Texas, south Florida. Snowbird places, one and all. Maybe I need to brush up on geriatric nursing.

As for goal number two, weight loss and general good health, I’m going to check out a gym this morning. Right after I eat pancakes, eggs and bacon. Perhaps my idea of eating right needs a little work. hey, baby steps, right? Rome was not built in a day. Neither was my waistline.

Take care, my friends!

Beth