Wash the Dog
The other day, the grands and I walked in the house and I asked, “What the heck is that smell?” I began checking the kitchen sink, garbage cans, and other places that might have some leftover tidbit of yuck. After a few minutes, I smelled the blanket on the couch, which I had washed the day before and it smelled terrible. Then, I remembered that I had not washed the cover on the dog’s chair in a while so that was likely the culprit. A while later, the dog jumped on the couch and I realized, it was the dog that smelled.
I was immediately reminded of when we first got the dog two years ago and my first line of business was to keep my house from smelling like a dog. You know those houses that smell terrible and you vow to never let your house smell that way.
During the first few months of dog ownership, I conducted many Google searches and no matter how I tried, the only answer to having a house that does not smell like a dog is to wash the dog. The first time I encounter the problem, I washed the dog and sure enough, the smell went away.
Our dog is not a smelly dog. My partner, upon first meeting the dog, remarked how “unscented” the dog is. I have also found that giving him, the dog, unnecessary baths makes him scratch because it dries his skin. So, the dog has been on a once/month bath schedule and it has worked well for both of us.
Unfortunately, I forget about our Sunday treks to the river where he runs and plays in the water and sometimes, finds horse poop to roll in. Well, he got a bath and once again, the house smells like a house that I want to live in. Wash the dog and the smell of the house will follow.
Press the Button, Clean the Oven
I just went in the kitchen to make dinner. I opened the oven and thought, “Darn it! I still have not cleaned the oven!” You might think that I actually have to don gloves and get on hands and knees and scrub, which would be a good reason that the oven is not clean but that is not the case. All I have to do is turn on the “Self Cleaning” feature and walk away. So, why for a month have I failed to clean the oven? Well, I think about it when I am about to use it. I run the feature at bedtime because it makes the area very hot. From dinner to bedtime, I have plenty of time to forget about cleaning the oven. It will likely not get done tonight…sigh…
Bring the Coffee
Within the last few months, I have started making my morning coffee at home. I add almond milk and actually like it better than Starbucks. However, at least 3 mornings each week, I make the coffee, leave the kitchen to finish getting ready, come back into the kitchen to gather my lunch, walk through the kitchen to get to the garage, leave the house, and when I am about 1 mile away, I remember my coffee. I make the coffee, add almond milk, and leave the house within 10 minutes and forget the coffee. I walk right past the coffee on my way out the door. Maybe I can “Ask Google” for a good way to remember my coffee.
Don’t Focus on What’s Missing
I am still working very hard on staying focused on what I have, not what is missing. If you don’t know, this is a daunting endeavor, even for a “mostly” positive person. I start out thinking, “I wish…” but then I consciously remind myself, “Carolyn, what do you have that makes you happy?” Changing a thought from negative to positive helps me to gain focus. Everyday, I definitely see the benefits of focusing on what I have and the good in my relationships and my life.
When I start out thinking about what is missing, I feel like everything is terrible with no possible positive outcome and before long, I am in a pool of unhappiness. Focusing on the “good” makes me appreciate people and my life more as opposed to walking around feeling sad, hurt, or less than whole. After focusing on the good, I am able to look at “what’s missing” as a goal or a destination that enhances what is already good. This approach always makes me feel good and I just need to keep doing it until it becomes a habit.
Read my post Life in Pieces of What’s Missing.
Parchment Paper or Aluminum Foil
In many areas of my life, I am a creature of habit. I have found that to prevent overeating and/or eating things that are not fresh and healthy, I must pre-plan my meals. For months, dinner always includes eggs and fresh spinach. Tonight, I decided to change it up and eat a Pollock filet instead of the eggs. Of course, the filet was frozen and I did not want to deal with thawing it. I recalled that I could put the frozen filet, fresh veggies, including spinach, in parchment paper and put it all in the oven at 450 degrees.
What a delicious dinner with almost zero effort on my part. If you want quick and easy dinner, toss some veggies and meat in parchment paper or foil, season, and toss it in the oven. Return to the couch and wait for the smell to remind you to remove it from the oven.
Read my post October 9,2016 – A Random List of Things I Know to find out my experience with healthy eating.
What are something that you know but sometimes forget?