Month: April 2022

Lose The Clutter Lose The Weight

The Six-Week Total-Life Slim Down

I was skeptical when I spotted Lose The Clutter Lose The Weight on the same shelf as The Prepared Home at my local library. But I checked it out anyway. The author posits clutter and obesity are tied together psychologically. After reading the book, I can see the possible tie-in. My daily activities keep me in the normal range, weight wise, but the effort to declutter does burn calories.

Peter Walsh is the aforementioned author. Apparently he is famous. Since I don’t watch much television I was unfamiliar with his work with hoarders and those who simply live with clutter. (I am-was- guilty of the latter.) But after just two weeks of following the decluttering to a tee and attempting the mindfulness and fitness aspects I am a believer.

Lose The Clutter

Several self-evaluations begin the book. My analysis indicated I was not a compulsive buyer but I did have a hard time discarding things. In fact I am an expert at saving things. First, all the gifts from family and friends. Second, things that worked and I might need someday. Finally, I don’t want the money spent on the item to be wasted.

Walsh’s psychological discussion made sense. And gave me a justification to declutter. A personal example: My parents gave us a crockpot when we married. This was in the days before you could remove the cooking part from the heating element. Later they gave us a newer version. But both were in my kitchen cupboard until last week. Now only one remains and the other was given to the local second-hand shop. Along with three boxes of kitchen items, mostly duplicates.

Lose The Weight

So far, I have not lost weight. Perhaps I enjoyed Easter dinner too much. Or maybe I weigh what I should. I am older and quite active. But I was hoping to lose the inches around the waist reported by the individuals followed in Lose the Clutter Lose The Weight.

A most likely culprit is the fact the early exercises are less than what I already do. Perhaps by the end of six weeks this will change. Most impressive to me is the twenty-seven pages of strength training exercises. None requiring expensive equipment purchases. I am tempted to buy a copy of the book just so I can have these illustrated techniques to refer to.

Mindfulness and Mindset

A key component to the Lose The Clutter Lose The Weight program is the mindfulness sections. I find these helpful and encouraging. Guilt over purging items is addressed as is sadness. Best of all is the release of negative feelings by tossing the malignant items. I am still working on trying not to be so self-critical. Everything takes time.

Recommendation

This is a great book for those who have hoarding tendencies and a good book for anyone with a messy or disorganized home. I think large households or individuals who have saved things for decades will benefit the most. Buy a copy for yourself or gift it to someone you love. Walsh offers a positive approach to a difficult problem.

Good Friday 2022

Good Friday

Good Friday is observed by many in Western Culture. Christianity is a significant, but not the only religion practiced. So the holiday is not universally recognized. Nor is it marked with celebration by those identifying as Christians.

Since the day marks the crucifixion of Jesus, sadness and sorrow are the emotions I associate with Good Friday. In 2021, I grieved over the loss of my mother. This year a cousin is mourned. Her recent death unexpected but not surprising. Meg was battling cancer. Somehow, some way, her body shut down. Literally overnight.

Absorbing Death

My cousin was much younger than me. Her only child still in Middle School. Such a loss is difficult to absorb and comprehend. For all. Yet, a young teen will seek concrete answers in a world of gray.

Parents burying offspring goes against nature’s circle of life. Unfortunately, I have witnessed this aberrant occurrence too often. And the loss of a young one is part of nature-just a part humans have bypassed more than other species.

A sibling is hit hard. I know from my own experience nearly thirty years ago. The loss will continue as the challenges of family responsibilities fall on Meg’s sister.

The greatest loss belongs to her spouse. Soulmates. I cannot even imagine the devastation. Their wedding is still fresh in my memory although it was a lifetime ago. The exchange of vows, and the washing of the feet. Surrounded by family and friends.

My heart aches for all.

Faith on Good Friday

Christianity is just one of many religions in the world. Furthermore, it is not the only monotheistic religion. Nor is it the only one with Faith. But a Christian’s Faith centers on the Good Friday crucifixion of Jesus Christ. And the belief His death absolves sins.

So, today I will be reflecting on much. For me, remembering those who have gone before me is part of the observance. Another component is the spiritual connectedness. This is not something I can explain. It is just there. Finally, I will embrace life, striving to live up to the epitaph on our great-great grandmother’s tombstone: Life’s Work Well Done-Life’s Course Well Run. Rest in peace Meg. You are missed.

The Prepared Home Book Review

Relatable Author

The Prepared Home by Melissa George is a good resource for getting a home and family ready to face any natural disaster. George is not a doomsday survival type. Instead, she runs a common sense, ready for anything household. This book came out in 2021, partly as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

I found George very relatable. Perhaps because we ran out of the same item during the 2020 lockdown-trash bags. Another reason is her desire to keep an organized home. (I am a work in progress.) Most of all, I liked her positive and pragmatic attitude. Far from being anti-government, much of her work stems from FEMA guidelines for emergency preparedness.

Prepared Home Strategies

The Prepared Home Book Cover showing storage.In a prepared home, organization rises to the forefront in a common sense fashion. George recommends keeping a binder. Many things go into that binder. Emergency contact numbers, non-disclosing financial information (name of bank-but not account number), “restaurant menus” for home cooking and an evacuation plan-only if necessary- are a few sections suggested.

But most importantly, the author provides thorough information on FEMA’s recommended 72-hour emergency guidelines. Then she goes beyond. Because disasters such as hurricanes, floods and fires may carry the emergency longer.

Ten chapters encompass the strategies to meet an emergency head on. They include a much needed chapter on evaluating your own risk. And then planning accordingly. For example, I live thousands of miles away from either coast. So, I will not experience a hurricane. However, as discussed in recent posts, hurricane strength winds can sweep across the High Plains.

So, my planning needs to revolve around high winds, blizzards and wildfires. And an occasional tornado as we live just west of tornado alley. The Prepared Home helps one evaluate their risk from Mother Nature.

Food, Water and Power

Key chapters involve food and water storage and back-up power. Again, George addresses all three from a preparedness stand. Not hoarding. She specifically talks about how a prepared home keeps one from the tendency to empty the aisles as seen on news channels prior to any major weather event.

Water storage is also important. And to me, the most difficult aspect. We can go months without rain in my locale, so rain barrels would not do me much good. But many of her other suggestions were viable.

Finally, The Prepared Home offers quite a few suggestions on how to mitigate power loss. Again the author breaks the suggestions into short versus long term needs. Power loss can transition into loss of connectivity. So, George covers this possibility as well.

When all else Fails-Evacuate

The author makes a case for staying put in a prepared home as the best possible scenario. But we have all seen the natural disasters of the past few years forcing thousands out of their homes. And George addresses this type of situation. Prior planning provides positive outcomes. She stresses life over loss of belongings. Something we all should remember.

The Prepared Home- A Beautiful Approach

Pictures throughout the book demonstrate preparedness is not hoarding. George suggests and shows stylish storage containers. A key is to get rid of clutter and only keep necessities. And of course staying on top of everyday chores. For example, if the power goes out and laundry hasn’t been done in ten days, there will be trouble.

Same with the kitchen sink. As suggested in the review of Cleaning Sucks, an empty sink is an everyday step toward organization and that leads to preparedness. I believe The Prepared Home belongs in every home library. Kudos to Melissa George for wisely using her lockdown time writing instead of worrying.

Organized Kitchen Cabinets in Prepared Home
Organized Kitchen Cabinets
Storage units under a bed
Storage Under the Bed
Laundry Room
Water tucked into Laundry Room

The Fields Book Review

New Genre for Author

The Fields belongs in the crime novel genre; fiction not true crime. And the gripping story is superb. But don’t be fooled by the “debut” crime thriller tag. Because, Erin Young is a veteran storyteller. Her other works are found under the name Robyn Young.

Although switching from historical fiction to crime might be difficult for some authors, Young doesn’t miss a beat. A complex plot moves along through dialogue and action scenes. The novel is billed as a first in a new series. And as such, plenty of background is provided for the characters. Furthermore, Sergeant Riley Fisher is compelling. Strong enough to carry a series. And human enough to care about. She is great.

Setting

Man standing in front of a corn field where stalks tower over him.
Corn grows tall in Iowa.

“Rural” Iowa during a gubernatorial election year is the setting for The Fields. The author captures the reader’s attention with a victim running for her life through the cornfields; chased by a drone. Corn grows tall in Iowa. So, a field is a good refuge. Young captures the essence of the state. So impressive. One would think she was a native. And not a visitor from another country.

Black Hawk County is actually one of the more populous counties in the state with around 130,000 people spread out over 573 square miles. So, the clash between farm and urban use is keen. As is the struggle between corporate and family farms. Young depicts the conflicts with accuracy.

Plot

The novel tells the story of murder. And mutilation. Also, rape is a significant thread in the storyline. Both current and past.

After the third victim is found, the Sheriff’s department fears a monstrous, cannibalistic serial killer. Fisher suspects the husband of the first victim. But her boss doesn’t agree. Her ability is questioned mostly for her gender. And her family connections. So, personal factors are at play. Other suspects appear and the FBI is involved. In the end there are multiple culprits. But the author neatly ties everything together.

Furthermore, the multi-faceted nuances are a core piece of The Fields. Complexity keeps churning. The political campaign ties into the murders. So do the homeless. And naturally, corn. The fields are a staple of Iowa. And at the heart of the story. Finally, intrigue is the key to the novel.

The Fields

Erin Young does an excellent job on two levels. First, the story is compelling. Good versus evil never fails to intrigue. The novel is a standalone-a complete story. Yet, the writing serves a basis for an entire series. Fisher proves herself. And she confronts demons from the past. One can easily imagine her character growth through subsequent books.

Second, the cast of characters is rich in diversity. Again, plenty of ground to explore as new books are written. Plus, the setting is such that many plots can be conjured. I look forward to reading the next in the series. Master writers who capture the essence of a locale and its inhabitants are rare. Erin Young is such a writer. You would never know she wasn’t raised in Iowa herself. Absolute brilliance.