Happy New Year!

I'm getting a late start in keeping up this blog. Although I made a list of resolutions in my mind, I haven't put them in writing yet. Somehow, if you put them in print it's like they are written in a Sharpie. No erasing!

The two sweet faces in the photo are Mary, my Christmas kitten, and Mama, the orange stray who wandered up to the door too many years ago to count. Mary is about five years old now. I suppose as a good "cat mama", I should have written down the exact date of her birthday. I know it's near Christmas--sometime.

Not knowing Mary's actual birthdate reminds me of a lifelong battle against organization--or in my case, the lack thereof. Oh, I try to organize. I buy all those plastic tubbie things, all the little plastic boxes with slots and handles and spaces to organize. But somehow, my things never seem to fit the slots or spaces.

I watch all those home improvement shows when I can find the time. I've seen how they declutter and reorganize. "Put like objects in ONE bin." (This, of course, can backfire. A case in point are the Christmas lights----still missing, I might add. All except for one mislabeled bin. If the lights had been stored in their usual hodgepodge fashion, I'm sure we'd have found some strands by now.)

"Have a place for everything and let your files make sense." It's good advice in theory. In practice, it somehow never works for me. I can just imagine the utter chaos one of those home improvement gurus would find if they tried to organize my notebooks. Each year I begin with the a firm talk to myself. I WILL NOT use a notebook for more than ONE thing. If a notebook is for non-fiction article ideas---not a scrap of fiction or letters with enter it's blank pages. I WILL NOT use a notebook for everything that pops into my head, sticking post it notes on the pages to remind me where certain articles or stories begin.

Each year, I manage to keep that rule for about a week. Then I get caught out somewhere with the Work in Progress notebook and I'm suddenly overcome with a firm distaste for the WIP. I want to jot down some article ideas instead. Or begin a letter to my friend, Kitty. Or make a list to clean out my closet. Eventually, all my notebooks become like my life--layered with a little bit of everything. Guess as long as I don't run out of post it notes, everything will go along okay.

As January 1st rolled around, I made a firm vow to "Get Organized." I actually began the day with some closet decluttering. Four days later, I FOUND my missing Christmas tree skirt. Since the tree is still up, I'll get a picture to post here soon.

Being able to walk in that closet again gave me a terrific boost on the new year. I figured I was off to a great start! Of course, I later realized that I'd been washing my hair with body wash for the last few days. And, that the lovely blue spitz bottle I thought was window cleaner turned out to be laundry stain cleaner instead. Hey, what can I say---it cleaned picture frames equally well. After this, it all has to be smooth sailing, right?

This new year finds "Cookies and Milk" with our fourth page in print. Maribeth (one of my co-editors) and I both have non-fiction articles in this month's issue of Fandangle online magazine for kids. Check out the page at www.fandangle.com. Click on this month's issue.

Okay, back to the organization--I'm sure if I work hard today I can actually find my bed tonight.