1979

I'm scanning photos today from 1979.  that was a pivitol year for me as I ascended in my mind to that of a preteen!  That was the year that my cousins Tracy and Charlene came to visit from Texas and all we did for three weeks was hang out, just kids, never seemed to be any adults around.  It was a coming of age time for me.  A time when the kids figured out how to spend our time, deal with our problems and get along.

The pictures aren't the best, but I think they capture the joy of the freedom and the possibilities of being a young kid.

On the top:  Jennifer Rose, next row:  Tracy Wilson and Sandi Washburn, Bottom:  ? Mileski, Shawn Smith, Charlene Wilson, and Laurie Rose

Charlene, Grandpa Wilson, and Tracy.  This was grandpa's awesome pool that he hand dug in 1969.  

This was the group, it seemed that every day we had this large group together having fun!

Chalene and Tracy on the bikes.  Shawn is driving Tracy.  He's 10; she's 9!

Me in the pool!  I loved water, but couldn't swim.

Dana Slaughter and Tracy!  Dana was nearly two years younger!

Popular sundresses!  Charlene is 13 here.

Tracy cuddles with Pea!

Tracy in a sun dress.  This is what the girls wore when we picked them up at the airport in Syracuse.  I still remember being able to go up to the gate where they came through!

1979 was a time when we played and grew without helicopter parents.  It was a great time.  It wasn't that it was a simpler time, it was that it was a less paranoid time.  It was a time when adults recognized that children reached adulthood by taking risks, and learning from mistakes.  

I really enjoyed the memories these photos brought to me!

More Frugality

I just realized my last post was about frugality!  Seems that I am caught up in the passion that is living simply!

I have to admit, there is an appeal to living with less.  I think I spend many hours trying to figure out how to pay down debt and no longer be beholden to it.  I think also,that at 42, I am always in a state of retirement planning.  It's really not that I want to stop working at 55, it's just that I want to have something to do at that age and the financial freedom to do it.

Last week at the credit union I was offered a chance to refinance (again) at 3.25%.  It was a seemingly good offer, but it included refi on a loan that I can kill in less than  3 years.  So I pondered and crunched numbers and decided to wait.  I would rather work at snowballing debt than prolonging it.  I want the mortgage gone by age 53, and with my current plan, I think I can.  I also still think I could leave teaching at age 46 and move to a new career.

Anyhow, I did find a few "fun" sites that discuss the frugal or the simple lifestyle.  I just love the idea of doing less and having less clutter.  In fact, I spent last weekend decluttering my mom.  She had my "congrats it's a girl" cards from 1970!  Cute cards!  I enjoyed them one last time and threw them away.  My mom may have clutter, but she is always happy to let it go.  She's no hoarder.  I decided my best gift to her this year would be to help her clean up and organize.  I've taken all the photos from her house that I could find.  I also got her to toss half the catch all drawer.  I'll be buying her organizer trays, baskets, etc... to get it all together.

So.....with all this "fun" in mind.  Here  are some sites that discuss decluttering, frugality and simplicity.

http://lovingsimpleliving.com/ 
http://www.theminimalists.com/
http://www.becomingminimalist.com/
http://www.missminimalist.com/