Yesterday I failed to plan. This morning I am sipping coffee as salty tears stream down my cheeks. My tears are not because I failed to plan. I failed to plan because my heart was hurting and comforting my heart was more important than my to-do list and the calendar that still is void of color. All I could muster is the cream in my coffee and seeking wisdom and comfort in my meditation. The past seven days were stormy for sure!

I am ready for my roots to dig in deeper. My tall and beautiful friend, Shelley, left us too soon. Unexpected. Fast. Just like the storm that has raged around all of us caught in the bubble.

I realize even more now why I was led to focus 2018 around the words Strength and Dignity. As I chose my way into the year I was recognizing the generational legacy of my mother and grandmother. I wanted to honor them in living onward and upward.

Today, I lost my friend who treated me like a sister for more than 25 years. She was tall and steady like the strongest of well-rooted trees. She raised three amazing children with a dignity I strived to emulate while I have raised mine.

She taught me to love and be courageous in the way she lived. She was there to pick me up in every misstep I made. Her adult children have been a part of my extended family and that family has grown as they have had children of their own. Have I lost you? Don’t be! It takes a village. My village grows with each new generation. She loved our village fiercely. In my meditation and coffee sipping I renew my personal commitment in my focus to stay strong and carry on loving her children and the village we formed with her still in the roots of it all.

So I didn’t plan the week. This is not a failure. It is simply recognizing the need to mourn and be kind in self care. My heart aches and I am instead allowing myself space to grieve. I don’t need my planner for that. I am forgiving myself and taking each day as they come. One at a time. The planner pages, the washi, the colored pens, and the stickers will be waiting for me when I am ready.

This week I may spend time in my journal accounting memories. I will meditate. I will promise to continue. I will lean on the strength she always gave me. I will celebrate her. I will continue to love everyone with her passion. I will wear red, our favorite color. I will, simply put, miss her.

For the past several weeks I have been picking one morning of coffee sipping alone time to plan my weekly menu and make my shopping list. What is great is I have turned my adult son and his girlfriend on to this strategy. As an observer of their process I now find myself inspecting and adapting my own methods.

I have been using my Erin Condren Petite Planner. It is perfect for me because it is simple and fits nicely into my favorite Vera Bradley hipster.

And as you can see it lays nicely in the cart for me to check off as I shop. I have three goals.

1. Stick to the list.
2. Stay within budget.
3. Never buy more than what fits in my allotted shopping bags.

Recently I entertained my local store by testing their Scan and Go concept. Twice.

I was trying to understand what might be in it for me. Here is what I learned:

• I was slow (even the second time).
• It stressed me to scan and bag and check off my list.
• I accidentally put an item or two in without scanning (I did catch myself and was worried I would do it again.)
• I missed the check out lane experiences of reading the magazine covers and chatting with people.
• You still have to go to self check out. While there, the system couldn’t find my “scanned items”. It took the help of the employee and trying at more than one check out to finish up and get out of the store.

Honestly, I do not see myself doing that again. It was added stress and it did not save me time. And I just am not okay with taking jobs away. I prefer chatting and getting to know the employees. If I didn’t want to talk to folks and be in line I could just order for delivery.

Have you done this? I don’t mind self check out when I only need a couple of things. I do not like it for my regular weekly shopping.

Okay. I digressed a bit on my rant. I really wanted to share how easy meal planning and grocery shopping is for me when I use the right tools. You can acquire your own Erin Condren products through the link.

Happy Friday and Happy Planning!

I know. I know. I haven’t written in a while. I have used the month of June as a mental reset month. It may have seemed like I spent the entire month on vacation. Far from it. June has been a roller coaster. Since coming home from South Carolina, our family has been experiencing highs and lows and everything in between.

One of our three pups hasn’t been feeling well. And as she is “my” dog, I have been feeling a bit fenced in with worry and care to get her back in good health.

Mystery, my girl, is not happy with the cone of shame nor does she like being isolated to one room all day. She is definitely enjoying quality time with me because I have spent nearly all of my time at home in that room being HER faithful companion. I believe she has enjoyed binge watching The Crown and helping me get through my playlists on Hulu and Netflix.

Luckily we have reached the mid-point of her convalescence. Starting tomorrow she can resume a near normal routine but the cone…well, that stays on another 7 days.

The one benefit is that it afforded me time to spend reading and contemplating on my vision board.

I have decided to make a few changes for the balance of the year in how I plan and prioritize. I am still struggling with balance. And need to find a big NO to put on my board. I agree to do too much too often.

How about you?

I know. I know. I haven’t written in a while. I have used the month of June as a mental reset month. It may have seemed like I spent the entire month on vacation. Far from it. June has been a roller coaster. Since coming home from South Carolina, our family has been experiencing highs and lows and everything in between.

One of our three pups hasn’t been feeling well. And as “my” dog, I have been feeling a bit fenced in with worry and care to get her back in good health.

Mystery, my girl, is not happy with the cone of shame not does she like being isolated to one room all day either. She is definitely enjoying quality time with me because I have spent nearly all of my time at home in that room being HER faithful companion. I believe she has enjoyed binge watching The Crown and helping me get through my playlists on Hulu and Netflix.

Luckily we have reached the mid point of her convalescence. Starting tomorrow she can resume a near normal routine but the cone…well, that stays on another 7 days.