The “40 Bags in 40 Days Challenge” of 2012 officially ended for me on Saturday at the Community Yard Sale. Here I am minding the store, hip pack clamped on for hands-free transacting.

I debated about going to all the trouble of sorting and pricing my booty from the 40 Day Challenge, but in the end I decided to donate the clothes and sell everything else.

For the minor inconvenience of slapping pre-printed price tags on my household baggage, I had a fun morning interacting with customers, friends, and neighbors, and I managed to earn a nice cash windfall. Not bad for a few hours of work.

It was beautiful weather for the Annual Earth Day Yard Sale. Held right outside the high school, the event brings in plenty of curious shoppers. For only $15, I rented a table which they delivered and set up for me.

Once again I was reminded what a wonderful institution those yard sales are. I put my unwanted junk on a table and someone excitedly picks it up and says “I’ve been looking for a _____” (fill in the blank with floor lamp, plastic ficus plant, pewter pitcher, silver-plated tray, wooden crate, chafing dish, foot locker, or monkeypod salad bowl). It happened many times that morning.

At the noon hour, the Big Brothers/Big Sisters van pulled up and we loaded our unsold items into the truck. I admit I had a hard time saying good-bye to our baby stroller. It’s 22 years old, and I logged hundreds of miles pushing my two kids in it. As a toddler, this six-foot tall guy used to insist I roll him through every mud puddle.

The final tally: 40 Bags in 40 Days. The result: a terrific sense of satisfaction, release, and accomplishment.

Marna Ashburn Krajeski is the author of HOUSEHOLD BAGGAGE: The Moving Life of a Military Wife, and HOUSEHOLD BAGGAGE HANDLERS: 56 Stories From the Hearts and Lives of Military Wives. She also blogs at www.TheHangingIndent.com and www.GreatGetTogethers.com.

Much like the Sailor Kissing the Nurse, there are iconic photographs that touch our hearts. When I saw this picture posted on Facebook by a high school friend, I felt it was one of those powerful and precious images. Cyndi graciously agreed to let me re-post it on my blog.

This is Cyndi’s nephew Cole and his girlfriend, Ariel, saying goodbye at the airport before they both depart to Army basic training. Ariel’s going to Ft. Jackson, SC to become a Human Resource Specialist, and Cole’s attending Infantry basic at Ft. Benning, GA. They’re both 20 years old.

That passionate embrace juxtaposed with the backpacks and the little leg kick makes it so endearing and poignant. Dubbed the “See You Later Kiss,” this photograph captures a profound mixture of youthful exuberance, sadness, love, beginnings, and selfless service.

Here’s wishing them the best in all they do.

(Photo by Cyndi Villegas of Villegas Distinctive Imagery.)

Marna Ashburn Krajeski is the author of HOUSEHOLD BAGGAGE: The Moving Life of a Military Wife, and HOUSEHOLD BAGGAGE HANDLERS: 56 Stories From the Hearts and Lives of Military Wives. She also blogs atwww.TheHangingIndent.com and www.GreatGetTogethers.com.

1. My printer cost $100, but two ink cartridges (color and B&W) cost $53. What? I noticed printer ink is now kept in theft deterrent acrylic boxes that have to be removed by the cashier. How much is the mark-up on ink? Congress should investigate because the American people are getting hustled.
2. I saw an unsecured shopping cart roll across a windy parking lot and smash into an Audi (too far away for me to stop). It’s just good manners to return your cart to the corral so this doesn’t happen.
3. No, Rite-Aid Drugstore, I don’t want to sign up for a Rite Card so you can track all my purchases. If I can’t get the discount on the item without having a Rite Card, I just won’t buy it.

Marna Krajeski is the author of HOUSEHOLD BAGGAGE: The Moving Life of a Military Wife, and HOUSEHOLD BAGGAGE HANDLERS: 56 Stories From the Hearts and Lives of Military Wives. She also blogs at www.TheHangingIndent.com and www.GreatGetTogethers.com.

Military spouse blogger in Vermont says that National Guard aren’t Soldiers so their spouses aren’t “Army Wives.”
Presidents, past Presidents, Supreme Court Judges, Senators, and …  pop stars? Flags are ordered at half-staff for Whitney Houston’s death? Come on, Gov. Christie!

Michelle Obama goes to military dining facilities to encourage them to include more vegetables.  The fine professionals who run the dining facilities don’t need her assistance.

Bouquets

Michelle Obama goes to military dining facilities to encourage them to include more vegetables. I’m sure the troops appreciated a visit from the First Lady.

President Obama visited with more than two dozen wounded warriors and awarded eight Purple Hearts at Walter Reed Medical Center.

Rest in Peace to the three Medal of Honor recipients who’ve died in 2012. Source: www.cmohs.org

1. Van T. Barfoot (WWII)
2. John F. Baker (WWII)
3. Mike Colalillo (WWII)

President and First Lady Obama host a State Dinner for Iraq War Veterans and family members.

The US Navy names a combat ship after former Representative Gabrielle Giffords.

Ash Wednesday on Feb 22 marked the official start of Lent and the kick-off to the “40 Bags in 40 Days” Challenge.  Easter is  Apr 8. Do you have your Household Bag?

United Airlines exempts military families from expensive policy on shipping pets to overseas assignments.

It’s the 50th anniversary of the Mercury 7 Astronauts, candidates chosen from the US Navy, US Air Force, and US Marine Corps: Gus Grissom, Alan Shepard, Scott Carpenter, Wally Schirra, Deke Slayton, John Glenn, and Gordon Cooper.  John Glenn and Scott Carpenter are still living.

Is lying about receiving the Medal of Honor criminal or protected by the First Amendment? The Supreme Court is deciding.

The Obama administration has set a goal for all 50 states to pass their own legislation to  make it easier for military spouses to transfer professional licenses and certifications from one state to another. This is a terrific initiative. I’ve heard so many horror stories through the years, especially from teachers and nurses.

Whitney Houston’s inspiring version of the national anthem still gives me chills.

Marna Krajeski is the author of HOUSEHOLD BAGGAGE: The Moving Life of a Military Wife, and HOUSEHOLD BAGGAGE HANDLERS: 56 Stories From the Hearts and Lives of Military Wives. She blogs at www.HouseholdBaggage.com and www.GreatGetTogethers.com.

Each day I clean an area of my house and collect a small bag of belongings I no longer need. I empty the small bag into large sorting bags in the garage.  I’ll go through everything after Easter.

On Saturday I collected two bags worth (guest room closet and cookbook shelf).

I also filled two on Sunday (office desk and Elena’s closet). Plus I went through files and shredded a bunch of documents, so I’m counting it as “three bag day.”

Today is only the eleventh day of Lent. You still have time to start the “40 Bags in 40 Days Challenge,” or should we say “40 Bags in 29 Days”? It’s never too late to begin. Look around your house. What could you lose and still be you?

I feel purified. Onward!

P.S. Get your own Household Bag here.

Marna Krajeski is the author of HOUSEHOLD BAGGAGE: The Moving Life of a Military Wife and HOUSEHOLD BAGGAGE HANDLERS: 56 Stories from the Hearts and Lives of Military Wives. She blogs at www.HouseholdBaggage.com and www.GreatGetTogethers.com.

Ash Wednesday on February 22 marked the beginning of Lent. What are you giving up? Instead of chocolate or coffee or Facebook, I’m giving up a bag of belongings each day.

Take the “40 Bags in 40 Days Challenge” with me this year. Each day you fill the Household Bag with stuff you no longer need or use, then empty it into a larger box for collection. Keep the Household Bag empty and out in the open to remind yourself to fill it again the next day.

At the end of 40 days, sort your plunder. Recycle, donate, sell, and toss, but keep nothing. Be ruthless and say good-bye.

In 2012, I’m confronting the “scary room” in the basement — that closed-off storage section that looks like “Hoarders.”  After that, I’ll clean up the garage, one bag at a time. No space is safe in the house either. I’m going through it all.

If you do this for 40 days, you’ll feel like a heavy burden’s been lifted from your life.

This is my third year of the “40 Bags in 40 Days Challenge.” Here’s a picture of me in 2010 waiting for the Big Sisters van to haul away the results. I still remember how liberating it felt.

Yoga master Erich Schiffmann says “Love is what’s left when we let go of everything we don’t need.” What are you holding onto that no longer serves you? It’s time to get rid of it.

This year I asked my friend Jackie of Pond House Productions to print a reusable shopping bag for the 40 Day Challenge. At 12″ wide, 14″ tall, and 8″ deep, it’s the perfect size to fill each day, and the subtle reminder won’t be overlooked.

Order your own Household Bag here for $3.99.

Join the challenge and let’s get started! Connect on Facebook and let me know how it’s going.

PS: If you’re making excuses because Lent has already begun, remember that Sundays in Lent don’t count towards the 40 days. Easter’s on April 8 so you still have plenty of time, and you can always fill two bags a day to catch up.

The famous painting by artist Emanuel Leutze depicts George Washington standing heroically in a rowboat as he’s leading his troops across the Delaware River in a surprise attack during the Battle of Trenton in 1776.

Though inspiring and iconic, it turns out the depiction isn’t historically accurate. To wit:

• The actual crossing took place at night, not during the day as shown in the painting.
• According to weather accounts at the time, there was a fierce Nor’easter so it was snowing.
• The forces wouldn’t have crossed in a tipsy rowboats, but in large flat ferries that could accomodate troops, cannons, and horses.
• The ferries were cable guided.
• The place where the troops crossed was only 300 yards wide.
• The ice was in thick sheets on the river, rather than floating ice chunks.
• The stars and stripes flag next to Washington was not adopted until after the Battle of Trenton

The facts need never get in the way of a good story — or a painting — but a Revolutionary War buff wanted to add a realistic depiction to the American consciousness. Thomas R. Suozzi, a former Nassau County executive, commissioned Mort Kunslter to paint an accurate portrayal of the historic event.

Kunstler, who is known for his painstaking research on paintings, spent months studying historical accounts, journals, weather reports, and boats in use at the time of the Revolution.

The result is this painting which premieres today on Washington’s birthday. Kunstler shows Washington aboard a crowded flat ferry, braced against a cannon wheel for support over the rough water. Troops hold torches and lanterns to light the way through the midnight passage. It’s snowing, and the ferry breaks through layers of ice on the river to get to the other side. And, of course, there’s no flag.

Rather than a romanticized version, the latest painting captures the dangerous conditions and Washington’s determined leadership under the worst of circumstances. It’s inspiring, but in a gritty, satisfying sort of way.

This blog entry was based on  “Crossing the Delaware, More Accurately” by Corey Kilgannon, NY Times Sunday Feb 19 .

P.S.: The game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” recently asked a question about Leutze’s painting. The question was, “What future U.S. president is depicted holding the flag?” The answer is James Monroe. Would you have known that?

Marna Krajeski is the author of HOUSEHOLD BAGGAGE: The Moving Life of a Military Wife and HOUSEHOLD BAGGAGE HANDLERS: 56 Stories from the Hearts and Lives of Military Wives. She blogs at www.HouseholdBaggage.com and www.GreatGetTogethers.com.

When my dryer was broken for a week, I went to a laundromat for the first time since 1987. I washed (but didn’t dry) three loads at home and then hauled the sodden garments to the vintage laundromat down the street. For four quarters, I loaded everything into one industrial-sized dryer. It was done in forty minutes.

While I waited, I perused the dog-eared magazines and found the cutest pictorial for a Valentine’s Tea in Country Living. (When you’re finished, skip over to my other blog GreatGetTogethers.com and read the entry about it.)

Just look at the dandy equipment I found at the laundromat. For my marathon folding session, I used a bi-level table with plenty of surface area for multiple stacks. Wouldn’t this be great to have at home? I usually fold while sitting on the floor of the basement TV room, dog hair clinging to everything, so this was a nice change.

Then I placed my overflowing baskets into the wheeled cart they provided and rolled it out to the car.  For people who have single-story homes, this cart would be an indispensable tool to collect dirty laundry and distribute clean clothes. It sure beats lugging around those heavy and awkward baskets.

The right equipment and a big dryer can make even the drudgery of laundry more pleasant.

Marna Krajeski is the author of HOUSEHOLD BAGGAGE: The Moving Life of a Military Wife, and HOUSEHOLD BAGGAGE HANDLERS: 56 Stories From the Hearts and Lives of Military Wives. She blogs at www.HouseholdBaggage.com and www.GreatGetTogethers.com.

Wheel of Fortune is featuring Military Spouses for the first time ever on their show this week. Fifteen spouses from the different branches of the Armed Forces are competing for top prizes on a set decorated especially to honor the Military. Watch this short video for all the information.

Little-known fact: Pat Sajak is a veteran. He served in the Army for three years as a broadcast journalist during the Vietnam War.

Second little-known fact: Wheel of Fortune is the longest running syndicated game show in US television history.

Third little-known fact: I’ve been mistaken for Vanna White on occasion.

Marna Krajeski is the author of HOUSEHOLD BAGGAGE: The Moving Life of a Military Wife, and HOUSEHOLD BAGGAGE HANDLERS: 56 Stories From the Hearts and Lives of Military Wives. She blogs at www.HouseholdBaggage.com and www.GreatGetTogethers.com.