For multiple reasons this has been a difficult week. Don’t worry, I don’t plan to detail them. I will only choose to send peace and love to those who have chosen to hurt us. It is our only weapon.

So, I am so ready for a Friday night! The end of this week…and hope for the start of a better one.

I am ready for a glass of wine, however I have some grocery shopping to do first.

But before I go I wanted to talk about my new venture into green cleaning. Already in the few days since I bought supplies and microfiber cloths, I have noticed that I am consciously using fewer paper towels. Actually, the first and only time I used paper towels was last night to drain the grease off of dinner. Sounds great, huh?! Yum, greasy dinner.

I cleaned my front door window, which has given me fits for years. In the past I would have to clean it multiple times, reinstall it, see streaks, remove it clean it again and again…it was such a pain. I only cleaned it once a year or so because I hated it so much and even then I was never happy with the result. Well, last Tuesday I tried it with the combination of homemade window wash and microfiber towels. Because of the layers of dirt, I did clean each side twice, but when I put the windows back in the door…they were sparkly and perfect. Even with the sun shining through in the evening. You know, that special time of day when you can see all of the streaks and crud? Yeah, no streaks!

I wasn’t thinking about Earth Day, I was just making some changes. I seriously doubt that it will help me with my headaches, but I figured why not eliminate unnecessary chemicals from around the house and save money at the same time. It certainly couldn’t hurt.

So far, I am not disappointed.

I will leave you this Friday night with a music video that makes me want to dance around the room and smile big silly grins, which is something that I need today (edited to say: sorry, I am just now getting the disco theme–yes, I am that unfocused tonight!–this is not disco, but it is danceable!!):

“Say Hey(I Love You)” – Michael Franti and Spearhead

“I know, one thing, that I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you!”

Not done yet…but seriously close.

 

I hadn’t touched the stained glass window since I last checked in on the Fourth of July. So much for getting the project done!

 

I finally got some work done on it yesterday. I thought I might actually finish piecing and leading the window, but I ran out of lead came. I will have to go pick some more up today. It is finally starting to come together and I am excited to finish. It won’t take much to complete this step and I can move on to soldering….my favorite thing!

Starr might actually get her 2007 Christmas gift before Halloween!

Limbo. As I wait (and wait) for Starr to get ready to go with me to one of the local 4th of July festivities, I thought I would take a picture of the little bit of work I did yesterday on the panel and upload it.

Oh, and here are a couple songs…because…how long does it take to get dressed anyway??…*drums fingers on desk*

_DSC0582A – Thai Monk is in natural meditation, originally uploaded by hcchoo.

Like exercise, I keep thinking that I want to add meditation to my daily schedule. I have read books, bought cd’s, and taken classes. Mostly, I am impatient, I get fidgety and the more I try to calm my mind, the crazier it gets. I assume that with practice I will get better, but I want instant results…again, just like exercise.

Wednesday’s column by Mark Morford, Sit down, shut up, breathe, reminded me that this is still a skill that I wish to work on. From the article:

It’s a small study that goes handily with the umpteen similar bits of research lo these past years, all of which seem to indicate some other famously healthful aspect of meditation: stress relief, improved heart function, life extension, emotional stability, improved sleep, increased productivity, better orgasms, fewer ingrown hairs, brighter sunshine, better gas mileage and also merely learning to sit still and shut the hell up once in awhile, which I can promise you will make your wife and your siblings and your kids and your dog and even your own manic ego very happy indeed.

Better orgasms, gas mileage and brighter sunshine!! Say no more…I am back on the meditation bus. Exercise too.