Monday/Boxing Day PWYC

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Good morning all.

We have sunshine today and it is warming up so we'll be able to get outside to enjoy the snow if we can find time.

I'm still in the middle of 'Christmas' because our Boxing Day party is today but routine things are intruding on the holiday as well (garbage, laundry).

What are your plans for the day?

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I slept almost 8 hours before the driveway snow blowing woke us up. Then I dozed for almost an hour before dragging myself out of bed.

Turkey stock is dealt with and since the compost wasn't picked up yet, I got that into the bin. I also pulled the three bins out of the snowbank and put them back at the end of the driveway where they belong (we had them farther back because of plows through the night.) The first truck has just gone by (yes there are three trucks, how energy efficient is that?!!)

The crock pot is in soak because I need it for mulled juice today.

I'm on the treadmill with wet nails. I got them done then realized I hadn't put on my shoes so dh got off the bike and did that for me. I'm glad he's so accommodating.

Now I need to plan out the day in my head. My hip is weak, a sign my back is acting up which I already knew and the back exercises I did last night didn't reverse the lack of exercise and bad behaviour for the past two days. So treadmill is a priority, as is my floor routine. Then it will be prep, prep, prep. Dd will be a help once she gets going but I'm hoping she'll get 10 - 11 hours rest first.

Preparing for this party is a crap-shoot, we never know if we'll have 30 or 10. Ds is picking up two from the city, but we've heard from at least a dozen saying they are busy. We invite about 50 in total.

[Twins' Mom]

I've been up and about and have reclaimed my computer from dd (for the moment), read the paper and taken in a couple of cups of good coffee. I'm really wanting to hang out at home today, I hope dh will find something to do that doesn't involve me going out with him. I've OD'ed on people and social occasions and need a big dose of home life. Even on Saturday, I stayed extremely busy all day with wrapping, baking challah and making cards.

Back in a bit...

[OKay]

Kathryn - YGG! You have a plan and are working it. Very inspirational!

I'm up and going this morning. Depending on SHE cards to keep me moving forward in the right direction. My mind is not fully functioning and is sorta mush right now. I'm okay with that and know it will eventually work its way through the recent and pending emotional events. It is sooo very nice to be able to just do the next card and keep moving forward.

Today PODA -
** funeral arraignments for DBro. I'm not going to funeral home this morning with the family. There was plenty of discussion yesterday about details of service. I will just be standing by and doing phone call support.
** Christmas lights and carriage ride. Seems strange to keep doing celebrations/fun things while in the middle of grieving/funeral arraignments. i don't know what the proper thing is to do and I probably wouldn't follow "proper" rules anyway. I know what DBro#1 would tell me to do, so I'm just going forward and making decisions with that knowledge. I had already made plans to do the yearly traditional carriage ride tonight with older DGS's. I had also already invited xDSIL, his wife and 3 year old to join us. They would understand if I cancelled it, but I think I will go ahead with plans.
** DParents suppoert - DMom has a important doctor visit on Wednesday morning. I want her to keep that appt if at all possible. Once we find out funeral service date/time we can move forward with that decision. Need to get her prescriptions refilled for her today.
** Battery for my baby car. Without any warning it died yesterday. We jumped it off and got the car home, but it isn't driveable until new battery is bought and installed. DH will do that after it gets above freezing and MPB AM chores are done. In the meantime, I have no vehicle here for me to jump into and go at a whim.

[bittersweet]

I'm up and about as 'at 'em' as half a cup of coffee will get me..LOL DH is home from work after having worked an extra hour to cover the shift of a co-worker whose wife went into labour. Ddogs have been out, dkitties have been fed, and DS is still sleeping.

I'm like TwinsMom - pretty much peopled out for now. Today will be mostly about staying home, cleaning, sewing, having the cable guy over to hook up the PVR (and replace the unreliable digital box), and relaxing with DH. We'll probably have a late lunch/early supper of turkey sandwiches and watch the last HP movie.

Once I've had at least one more cup of coffee, a bit of breakfast, meds, etc, I'll get busy on some cleaning around here. In the meantime, I'll go waste a few minutes playing games on FB

[Harriet]

bittersweet, as I read your post last evening it made me remember that a few months ago we were discussing Keeping Up Appearances, the show, with dd33 and dsil. Especially as it relates to being ready for hospitality. HRH is a big admirer of the character Onslo and his "take me as you see me" attitude, and I must admit I like Daisy a lot - she's adorable. But at this conversation, I was saying how I admired Elizabeth, the neighbor whose husband travels so much he's never seen, and who is able to take in her recently-divorced brother and provide him a home. I think she's so kind and calm, and her home is cozy and I like to think I'm somewhat like her. Well, dd33 went on and on about how I was not very much like an "Elizabeth" at all, and was definitely a "Daisy". Sort of hurt my feelings! I think I could pull together an "Elizabeth" type hospitality - I don't always have to be frantic at the prospect of a group of people!!! LOL! Anyway, I cringed a little for you when I read your family didn't think you could pull off a gathering. Of course you can! They should be so lucky.

But, Twins Mom, yes - a day without people! It will be good for you!

Dsecondmil finally showed up yesterday - she and dstepfil had been driven around by HRH's sister visiting all day, but they never called to tell us anything. Instead of us being first on the visiting list in the morning as we'd been told, we were last, at almost dark. Dd13 didn't get to SS, I didn't get to church, HRH didn't visit his father's family, etc. etc. Next year I'm going to say we have to be given a time or there's a high probability we won't be here.

I went to bed early and then was up in the night. Sigh. Anyway, I got 2 hours of kitchen work done between 2 and 4 a.m. No interruptions!

My "brood", as a cousin called them in a Christmas card, will arrive beginning at 2 today. Dstepdil called last evening to ask what to bring to make my life easier - she is always thoughtful and always brings extra.

[Norma]

Thanks for my birthday greetings. I had a wonderful day. We went to Gilbert for brunch with relatives.


Today is somewhat back to normal. Monday is always lunch with the owners of our little AZ abode and other friends. We try to go somewhere different each Monday.


I'm going to try and drag DH to "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" tomorrow and maybe "War Horse" later in the week.



Happy Boxing Day to the Canadian families!

[Nancy]

Harriet I'm sorry relatives did not call you with a change in plans how rude and dd did not make it to ss & church, and HRH missed out on his family.

{{{Okay}}} I'm glad you are going on with a few things other than arrangements this week.

K in C glad you got to sleep in a bit today.

We went to the cheap theater is was not very busy at all, but cold as they had been closed the night before. We moved up a row as kids behind us had feet on the row of seats, talking, and some one bumped me when they got up to go for snacks or something it was very distracting. ~sigh~ I did not enjoy the guy film like dh did oh well. Cafe' we were going to was not open but we anticipated that might be the case and had a back up plan.

I slept restlessly last night.

Granny duty begins mid-morning only dgd dgson will be playing with his cousins so h. will not be able to take him to see the movie like we had tentatively discussed.

I've had my a.m. meds. time for more coffee.
I have a meal plan.
House is not looking too bad as I picked up yesterday as I went.

Waving to Norma and every one else!

http://organizedhome.com/seasonal-spin/cut-clutter-after-christmas
Some great tips here from CEO.

[helia]

Hello all! We are enjoying a s-l-o-w morning here. Everyone is up, but no one is dressed. LOL! We're all running around the house in our PJs.

I'm with many of you here -- I plan to hibernate as much as possible the next few days.

Yesterday was good, but I too am peopled out. We had a nice family bfast before going to church at 11; I managed to get a lol done (I've been so busy entertaining, etc. that I am WAY behind on laundry), the turkey in the oven, the kitchen reclaimed, the breadmaker started, and a sit down family breakfast enjoyed -- all before we went to church. We came home at 12:30, relaxed for 45 minutes, and then cooked up a storm. I'm so glad dh likes to cook and is a good cook; I feel so confident with him working in the kitchen beside me. Dfriends R and S showed up at 2 pm with 2 of her students. (Friend S leads a campus Asian Christian organization and some of her students were stranded in town over the holidays - which started last Thursday and end next week, a very short break for the University.) Anyway, we knew one student was coming but the 2nd was a surprise! We had enough food, etc. and quickly put down another place setting at the table, so not a big deal. We did use dh's grandmother's china on our good tablecloth which made the meal a bit more festive. The food was really good, I must say. . . Anyhow, we eventually opened gifts -- we were able to scrounge up a little something for surprise student #2. And then we had dessert. Dfriend S took her 2 students + ds to see the Sherlock Holmes movie. Dh, Dfriend R, and I had a quiet evening "reading," though in reality dh and I both nodded off. . . Anyhow, Dfriend S returned to our home after the movie and the party officially broke up around 11:15 pm. I had a nice long chat on the phone with my dbro. last night too, so that was nice. *phew*

This has been a busy week event-planning and hosting wise. Thursday, dh's group (about 25?) were at our house for a potluck meal together. Friday, we prepared for and had our family Sinterklaas celebration. Saturday, we had a friend over 11-2-ish, I did some preparation for Cmas, and we went to S and R's home for dinner, and then we went to church. Yesterday -- well, you have the story above. Prep, church, and then hosting 2- 11:15, although, dfriends R and S are like family to us. All good - and it is good that now we can take a break. I'm not sure what I'll do today beyond getting in a jog and working on laundry, and working on my New Year's letter. . . .

[OKay]

my morning activities....

phone call
card completed
phone call
card completed
phone call
card completed
phone call
card completed

DH and LO are on a mission together to find a new battery for my car. Hopefully they will be successful and I can soon be mobile again.

I just found DGS5 night goggles on top of our curio cabinet. These goggles are his most treasured of Christmas gifts and I know he is devastated by the fact they are here. He has been looking for them for the past 12 hours. So now that they are found, I'm in process of making arraignments to met DDIL mother 20 miles away to give her the goggles. She is going to visit DSon and family later today so the treasured goggles will be in DGS5 hands by night fall. *PHEW* DGS5 crisis solved.