Doing the Next Right Thing.....

 I started using the phrase of 'doing the next right thing' so many many years ago.
I think I first read that in a Melody Beattie book on co-dependents back 20 years or more..
Doing the next right thing has helped me so much over the years.

I woke up this morning before Louis Dean and made the coffee taking my first cup outside on the front porch where I simply sat. I am feeling a little numb these days and my heart is heavy.
I refuse to watch the news.....Louis Dean mutes it the second I walk into the den and I keep the curtain closed that separates the den from the utility room that leads to the kitchen. 

I sit in a stupor for awhile before gathering myself up and going in for my quiet time.
I open my Streams in the Desert Devotional book and I read my scripture cards from my memory boxes. I select the next Christmas card to pray over - today was Diana of Nana Diana Takes a Break.
We all love Diana and her beloved husband - she's been such a friend to all of us.
Now we can support her in prayer as she has so much going on right now and so many responsibilities.
By this point, I'm opening my prayer journal and writing my prayers and thoughts.
Then I write in my diary.....and sip another cup of coffee.

I get up and feed the kittens, giving them a fresh egg, fill their water bowl and change their litter.
Then I move on through my day.....doing the next right thing.

I empty the dishwasher and change out the washer and dryer.
I pack away all the Christmas glassware and replace it with the freshly washed regular ones.and I do the same with the coffee cups but replace them with the Valentine ones.

One step in front of the other - doing the next right thing.

I've been putting Christmas away and the kittens seem to go to where the lights and decorations remain.

Maybe that's because I am not in there pulling everything apart.

Both Tabitha and Samantha got out yesterday.

I had gone to bed for a little nap and Louis Dean had to get something out of his truck.

The wind blew the door open and both kittens took advantage of it and flew right out with the wind.

The only way I caught them was because they were fascinated with the leaves.

So I brought some in for them!

I don't blame them for wanting to go out and explore.

I keep a Daily Planner in my kitchen and today I had written on it:

Finish cleaning kitchen

Change out Christmas cups and glasses

Clean the pantry

Clean the fridge

Go to Home Depot and order kitchen countertops

Eat Mexican food at La Margarita

I did everything but clean the fridge.

I'll roll that one over to tomorrow!

This was our first visit to La Margarita on Beltline Road up by Aldi.

It was very good.

Louis Dean had tacos and enchiladas and he loved both.

I nearly always get a taco salad at any Mexican restaurant and it was a good one here.

The margarita was okay. Some are just better than others and I don't know what makes them that way.

It would not be wise for me to have a margarita machine at home.

I can just see me trying to make THE perfect one.

Before we celebrated at La Margarita.....

we selected our countertops and ordered them.

Whew!!!

Most people love the marble and granite but we wanted something a little more forgiving if you knock something over or set a glass down hard. I chose a laminate, instead.

This day last year I came home from the hospital after getting my left knee replaced.

By the time I was up and about - we were in lockdown mode from Covid.

I knew then I would not be getting the countertops and carpet I had planned on purchasing.

This year I am acting faster!

Once the counters are in - and who knows how long that will take? - then I will start on the carpet.

Back years ago when I started looking at countertops, I chose a dark butcher block.

That's no longer available so I chose something different.

My old butcher block is so damaged by the many time Louis Dean and I have overflowed the sink ( We can't be trusted with water!) plus it's so old....1983 was when it was put in. The year my house caught fire and had to be gutted.

I also bought a new sink!

It will be an under counter mounted one - and I have wanted that for so long!

We are keeping the new faucet Summer installed for us this fall.

In the morning we will drink from a heart themed coffee cup!

My house and my kitchen are rather unusual and, while most people would not want to live here,

It's a great place to visit!

And I do love my home!!