Making a Perpetual Calendar

Today I remembered I had started a perpetual calendar years ago. I suddenly wanted to write something on it. I poked around my desk and found it. I got out of the habit of using it after we moved to Lucerne Valley. Now I'm really thankful I started it, because I moved to today's date and found that 2 years ago yesterday we drove out to Lucerne Valley to pick up the keys for this house. So yesterday was our 2 year anniversary. And that is the beauty of perpetual calendars.

Oct. 13 would have been Guy's mom's birthday. But it is the day she will be buried. So reading that in the perpetual calendar was poignant. But it makes me appreciate life more. The previous entry was in 2011. It said we forgot her birthday. Talk about feeling guilty!

So, if you want to make your own perpetual calendar, here is how to do it. Get a box big enough to hold about 400 index cards. I like using the multicolored cards, but that is up to you. I used a clear recipe card box I got at a dollar type store.

Then you need one divider for each month. I used old postcards cut to size. Then you need to put the dates on each card and keep them all in order in the box.  Then on that day of each month you write down the most significant event. I try to write it on one line, but sometimes it takes  2 lines. Put that card to the back so the next day is ready to go in front. You will miss days. That's okay. Just put that card to the back.

If you have young children it is a helpful way to keep track of those big moments like first tooth, first haircut, and so on. It's only a sentence a day, when you don't have time for the baby book or the blog post.