The local Home Hardware flyer came today - the glossy colour one that shows page after page of yard tools, gardening supplies, patio stain, exterior paint, and grass seed and maintenance items. That was just the first half; the rest was full of household renovation supplies, multitudinous kitchen appliances each with only one purpose (a $279 steamer? really?) and garage organizational products.

It was so incredibly FREEING to page through it, enjoying the photos of houses, yards and decks, and know that I didn't need to buy a single thing! What a hold our home and yard had over our lives, our spare time, and our budget. Not to mention that unlike some people, I never got a more than a few moments' pleasure out of my yardwork. I loved the first perennials pushing up in spring, and I enjoyed planting some pots of annuals to brighten the yard. Then within a few weeks, I'd be complaining. "They're dry already? Didn't it just rain four days ago?" And my husband was no different: weekends of cutting grass, trimming hedges and spraying weeds was not his idea of a good time.

I don't know which member it is on this forum whose tag line is something like "We have a tiny house but a really huge yard", but I love that perspective. No longer are my belongings going to control my life. The world is my yard and I can't wait to explore every inch I can, without ever having to cut the grass or weed the flowerbeds!