Wednesday Name your own Day

[CathyS]

Hi everyone!!

Started off with a sunny day, so I stitched for a bit. Then dh called and needed his heavy winter coat because he had to make a tire delivery and it's windy out. That got my bottom in gear.

After I dropped of the coat for dh, I went shopping. I shopped, and I shopped and I shopped. I only have 1 more gift card for MIL. DD and her SO are getting a beer making kit. I also got them zombie targets that they can hang on our back fence and use the BB gun on. Dd has a thing for zombies. I think she does a zombie walk every year in Toronto. I think she also had a bit part in a zombie short film, either that or she was a camera person on the set... They are done. SIL is done. Of course, I am still getting things for dh. I think I am going to Rona for MIL's gift card tomorrow, and since I'm out, I will go to Bass Pro to see what I can get for dh. He has mentioned bags for the food saver machine. We repackage all of our meat after we buy it, except for whole birds like chicken or turkey. I say we, but dh does all the work.

I had a very late lunch/early supper of Greek food at the mall. Dh is at his company Christmas dinner.

[LadyMaverick]

The first fifty bags of candy & fruit are completed. This 50 bags was a test to get a feel for how much of each kind of candy to put into each bag. We don't have equal amounts of all 8 types of candy so I had to estimate how much of each to put into the individual bags. I started by grouping all the cases of like candy together and then decided how much of that candy could be used for each bag. There are 6 cases each of 3 types of the candy so that means that 1 case will be divided up between 50 bags. Learning how to estimate 1/50 of a case took some trial and error. Now that I have the 50 test bags completed I have a fairly good idea how much to put into each bag. Now to repeat that process 5 more times. Yug. I am not a fan of these gift bags of fruit, nut and candy but I'm keeping my opinion to myself. (other than saying it here)

DS8 decided he didn't want to go caroling tonight. I briefly considered making him go, but decide to pick my battles and this is not one I'm taking a stand on. I have txt the group doing the coordinating and let them know we won't be there. There are plenty of volunteers so I don't feel the need to go help since DS8 isn't going to participate.

Wednesday night is starting to become "my time". I feel somewhat bad that I stay home while DH and DS8 go to church. However my craving for alone time trumps it. By staying home I get 3 hours of silence. No questions to answer. No child to care for. Three hours of nothing. Just basking in the silence.

[lucylee]

Sigh. Dmom is NOT coming to the play. Said her stomach is "rolling and cramping" and she feels like she is going to throw up.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Lady M: that sounds like Sabbath rest to me and God wants us to have a Sabbath.

I got most of the cards to be mailed done. A half dozen or fewer left. There are some for church members that we'll take on Sunday. Half the church ones went out today. Still have to do MF's but while I was working on that, he wrote to ask to meet for dinner next week and, it's a Christmas Miracle, I'm free the day he proposes, so maybe I'll just skip a card or take it to him. He still hasn't said if he's coming for Christmas dinner or on the 26th. I'll probably find out next week.

I still have to plan the Christmas dinner.

I still have to get an email out to all the residents about the Christmas party. I still have to get an email out to the Residents' Assoc. executive to confirm the food and give up doing everything.

[LadyMaverick]

I finished (in silence) putting an apple and orange in each of the bags. There were 16 more oranges than apples. I was curious how many we received (we ordered 300 each) so I counted all the filled bags. 313 bags. So they gave us 13 more apples and 29 more oranges than we ordered. One of the cases was 1/2 oranges & 1/2 apples. I suspect they just filled that case to the top to make it travel better.

When DH went to pick up this order he was given a case of chocolate candy. One of the Indian Nations had ordered the candy and paid for it, but when they were called to come pick it up they said they didn't need it anymore. So the store donated the case of chocolate to the church gift bags project.

My phone keeps going off. I don't want to talk. This is my silent time. Each time my phone rings, I look to make sure it isn't one of our DMom's then I ignore it. I suspect most of the calls are questions about the Tree of Love gifts. I put all that information on the church FB group but some still want to talk about it. I'll respond to whatever they want tomorrow. Most of it is same questions over and over. No, each gift does not need to be wrapped in different type/color of paper. Yes, we have volunteers to wrap the gifts if need be.

[Sunny]

Taking time to check in and say Hello!

We have been busy with something going on for the past week. Friday a home health nurse came to do a final discharge visit, which means home health care for dh is finished -- we are now on our own and back back to regular dr. visits with our own doctors. Dh also had a blood test, after the nurse visit, and then in the evening we went to my dcousin's house for dinner and visit. The weekend was our normal routines with some cleaning and some shopping. Monday dh had an ultrasound on kidneys, ordered by his primary dr. She had wanted that done last Sept., but had to be cancelled. We went grocery shopping after that appointment.

Dh has been insisting on making his Christmas cookies again this year. However, I have decided we are not making as many different kinds. The 7-layer cookies are done. We have dough mixed up for three more in the fridge. They are chocolate chip, peanut butter and white chip cookies. Dh wanted at least two batches of each; we will start baking tomorrow.

Monday afternoon ds#2 stopped by on this way home from work and brought down the bins with Christmas decorations and the box with our 4 ft. tree. Neither dh nor I felt up to putting the 7 ft. tree up this year. When all the cookies are done I will start on the decorating. We are not doing the outside this year.

I still have some gift shopping to do; all the dsons and ddil are done. We already picked up restaurant gift cards to their favorite places for them. We still have most of the dgrandkids, but have ideas, so it shouldn't take long. I hope to have the box for dfam in VA ready by Monday. Hard to believe that the holiday is this close! Oh, and I still have cards to do also!

Oh, Harriet, I did see your question yesterday. Thank you for thinking of him! Yes, ds#3 is still with the U.S. Army Band. He has four more years to his twenty years then he will retire. However, he doesn't play his trombone with them. He has a desk job of Budget Analyst/Resource Manager (he handles all the contracts for all the band/orchestra/choir shows and travels), and keeps all the $$$ flowing. However, he sometimes plays with the Old Bridge Chamber Orchestra http://www.obco.org/

I have needed to take a short nap sometimes in the afternoon or early evening just from being totally exhausted - just can't keep my eyes open. Today was one of those days since I woke up with a sort of headache (does anyone get those?) and my right shoulder has been hurting. So, after a quick trip to W-M (for more flour) I took some pain med. and slept for almost an hour. I feel pretty good now.

I'm going to go watch the Lightning play vs the Flames now with dh. Have a good evening everyone! ♥

[helia]

To answer your earlier question, Twins, the last day of our school is Wed. Dec. 21st. I'll be officially done with payroll at 5:30 pm, 12/21, not much before Christmas. I really don't know how everything will come together.

I just discovered that we're out of aluminum foil, and I need some for the casserole I'm making for the Thursday dinner crew tomorrow night. SO. . .I have another errand. I'm off to the groc. store at 9:30 pm tonight. Dh is taking ds home.

When I get back, I'll need to finish editing dd18's project and then get the casserole together. *sigh* When can I get to Cmas? --I might have a little time tomorrow morning, but I'll be out the door at 12:45 for a get together with friends before heading to payroll and then friends will be here for dinner 30 minutes after I arrive home. I might be crazy enough to try to get in a jog tomorrow a.m. in 3*F temps. Dh is going and thinks I can also be outfitted so I'm comfortable. Then, I need to do some tidying for the Th. dinner crew -- and make sure the casserole is together if I don't finish it tonight. .

[BookSaver]

Hello, villagers ~
I have enjoyed reading all of today's PWYC. It's interesting to see how we all do our different preparations for the holidays at the end of the year.

For myself, today was errand day. I wanted to stay home to sew gifts all day, but today was the best weather forecast for the next 7 days. Supposedly the high temp was +15F with enough wind that the wind chill factor was -20F. Tomorrow and following days will either be still colder, or the 1 day that will be warmer is supposed to have snow. Today was the best chance to go to TheBigCity.

It turned out to be a good time to go to wm and Sam's, too -- middle of the week, afternoon before most people got off work, and several shopping days yet before Christmas. Crowded but not horrible, I was lucky enough to find decent parking spaces, and shelves were still fully stocked.

I found everything on my list and then some, and came home with my back seat full of food and supplies.

Tomorrow I'll go through the menu plan again to see if we have everything to get through December 26th. That's my goal, because DH and I are both off work from the 23rd through the 26th. Other than the family gathering on Christmas Eve, we might decide not to leave the house the rest of the days.

I also need to check my gift list again to see if I have everything on hand or if I'll need another shopping trip.

This morning I ironed fabrics and cut out 3 purses for co-workers. I have time now to sew a little while yet tonight. Tomorrow I'm going to try to sew at least 2 hours before leaving for work at the library.

[lucylee]

Play was really nice. Lots of LOL moments, but all good. Wish sooo badly dmom had come, and dh is rather perturbed with her, b/c this is so typical. DS & DDIL, surprisingly, seemed willing to give her the benefit of the doubt -- even though someone DOES cancel quite often, this does not mean said someone CAN'T be truly sick. * sigh * It gets sooo disappointing.

Anyway. DDIL filmed it all on her phone, so dmom can watch later. If she doesn't cancel out on Christmas. Which she is hosting for extended family on ddad's side. * SIGH *

Ordered ANOTHER gift, L L B ean pants for dbil, at his specific request, and with info provided by dniece.
AND... they are backordered, should arrive Jan. 4. Fine. I ordered anyway & printed a picture of them to wrap.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

The residents' association stuff is done.

Dh and I walked, in an unforecasted snowstorm, to the store for milk and one food item for Christmas parties. If I do the shopping 1 - 2 items at a time, it will give us ongoing excuses for walks.

Had a nice chat with the super who was out shoveling. He is on call tonight and thought it would be quiet but then the snow came.

Tomorrow will be terribly cold. We are out to the theatre in the evening. We could take the car and I might push for that although it will mean missing our usual dinner out before hand. (There is underground parking under the theatre.)