Monday, October 24, 2016

Going Tiny?


When this tiny cabin made the rounds on Facebook and Pinterest a couple years ago, I saw it as the perfect hide away - a place to retreat from the world temporarily.   It was the first I had heard of the oncoming trend toward full-time tiny house living.  

Now that there are so many options for affordable, available small homes, I'm fascinated with the idea of downsizing.  I'm probably not ready for life with Hubs and two dogs in a house this small (or white), but I could learn to love the tiny house life...couldn't I?  The biggest attraction is simplicity.  

Less space requires less stuff.  Less stuff takes less time to clean and maintain.  Less time on housework means more time to do the things I enjoy.  But where?  Does my tiny home have room for a sewing machine or an artist's easel?  And what about my books?

One solution is to make use of outdoor living space.   Reading or hosting a dinner party on a patio or rooftop deck sound so inviting, but only in temperate weather - which happens approximately 30 days/year in Kansas and Nebraska.  Could I move to a state that doesn't have four distinct seasons?  

Speaking of less stuff, I have gone through my current home, which isn't exactly huge, and culled out everything I considered excess, but there's still a lot of stuff that isn't used daily.  I struggle to let go of the "good" dishes or the "good" table linens.   What do tiny-home owners do with Christmas decorations?  

Maybe my perspective on "stuff" is what really needs to be purged.  Maybe that al fresco dinner party would be just as enjoyable if served on the same dishes I use every day - or paper plates.  If I could remove the sentiment from objects - see them as tools to accomplish the necessities of life rather than having intrinsic value - the downsizing process would be easier.  

Living in a tiny home would be financially rewarding.  The cut in mortgage/rent, utilities, upkeep and insurance would make funds available for travel, charity and upgrading our remaining possessions.  If I only have space for dinnerware for 8, make them good quality and beautiful.  

Then there's the issue of guests . . . 

We probably won't start tiny-house hunting today, and "tiny" is relative - but it's an idea I can't completely escape.

Saturday, October 22, 2016

A Puzzling Challenge

Welcome to "Just One More Thing..." 
and my mini-challenge for Deweys 24-Hour Readathon.  

THE CHALLENGE IS NOW CLOSED.  THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING.

THE WINNER IS J.F. JENKINS.  
MS. JENKINS, PLEASE CONTACT ME (hcl_tami@yahoo.com) TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE.

Our son is getting married in just five weeks, so my mind is focused on all things wedding.  I'm even seeing wedding plans in book titles. The book covers below are  all missing one or more words.  Each missing word is something associated with weddings.  Can you replace the missing words?  (Hint: One missing word is in the author's name rather than the book title.)

List the thirteen missing words in the comments, or leave a link to where I can find your list.   You can also tweet the list or link to me (@mrschupa).  Please use the hashtag #RATpuzzle. 

A winner will be chosen by random drawing from all correct entries, and will receive a $15 gift card to Barnes and Noble or The Book Depository.  The challenge will remain open until the beginning of hour 8 (2:00 p.m. central time) and the winner will be posted by the start of hour 9.  Check back here at 3:00 p.m. central time to see if you're the lucky bride, or if you're a bridesmaid once again.


Click to enlarge

Readathon Day!

It's Readathon Day again!  Dewey's 24-hour Readathon is a semi-annual day of reading, games, prizes and more reading.  Here's what I have lined up for the day:

"The Tavern on Maple Street" by Sharon Owens - This is a book club selection and I'm about 2/3 through it.

"The Secret Garden" by Francis Hodgson Burnett - Another book club selection.  I can't believe I have never read this classic.

"Audacious" by Beth Moore.  I love everything Beth Moore writes, so I'm excited to get into this for my non-fiction selection.

"Love Has It's Reasons" by Earl Palmer.  This was a gift and recommendation from my cousin and dear friend, Arlene, the last time she purged her bookshelf.  

I have an Ellery Queen magazine for when I need a short-story break.  I haven't bought - or even seen - an EQ since high school.  And that's been a year or two (or 35) so I'm excited for that.

And the most anticipated book of the readathon:  "The Undoing of Saint Silvanus" - Beth Moore's first novel.

Hope you have a great lineup.  Stop back here at Hour 5 - 11:00 a.m.  in my area (Central Time) - for A Puzzling Challenge.  

Happy Reading!