A sense of humor is very important.  Take this photo for instance.  I know that I don’t actually look glamorous, but I can pretend that I do, even in this get-up.  Get-up, now that’s an expression I’ve never typed before.  It looks a little funny.  Anyway, I call it my John Travolta outfit.  It reminds me of the white suit he wore in Saturday Night Fever, minus the mud stained bottom and paint drips, of course. 

I wore this a couple of weekends ago when I was helping the dear hubster take off the vinyl siding that the previous owners put on half of the house.  A little FYI here for all you home owners.  It is much better, and cheaper to pay to have the whole house painted than put vinyl siding on half of it.  I swear. 

As I was saying, it was awfully cold outside (the weather not matching the orginal forecast when planning this monstrous task), and I knew that this outfit would keep me warm and free of icky debris.  It did the trick, while also slowing traffic in front of our home.  Here is a simulated dialogue:

“Oh my gosh honey, slow down!  But not too much, we don’t want to call attention to ourselves.” 

“What on earth?  Is that a man or a woman?  And what on earth is it wearing?”

“Crap, I think it saw us, speed up, speed up!”

Back to that sense of humor.  Had I not been graced with a very healthy one, I would not be able to laugh at myself while wearing this outfit,  cope with life’s difficulties, or write blog posts about Hans and Sven. 

Life is good!

In January, after one of my quarterly trips Buffalo Exchange to sell and donate clothes, I had an epiphany.  If I “am” my possessions, why am I constantly getting rid of them?

What does that say about me?  “I am constantly getting rid of me?”  Why do I have so much of myself that I don’t need?  Which brought me to the next question – what, in life, do I really need?

I’m sure you already know the answers.  So, then and there, I made a decision to do something that I previously considered radical.  I would not buy any clothes until June.  I love clothes! 

Then, after looking at the giant pile of other miscellaneous junk waiting to be chauffered off to the Goodwill, Gregory and I decided together to not make any purchases, besides necessities, for our entire household until June.  No clothes, no shoes, no gadgets, no art, no CD’s.  Zip, zilch, nada!

Our start date was February first, and, with the exception of an Easter Lily ($6.49 at Trader Joe’s – brain fart!), we have kept our word.  It’s been really exciting, not just to see the savings add up, but to know that we can set a limit and stick to it.  

By my calculations, after a couple years of whining that we didn’t have the money, we’ll have enough to reupholster some chairs that are in dire need (darn kitty claws).  Who knows what other seemingly monumental task will be within our grasp?  I can’t wait to find out!

The picture is what our garden looks like in June, full of flowers and lush greenery.  Right now, there are some weeds and a few sprouts.  I think I forget that we already have all we need – with a little patience, the blooms reveal themselves!