Most Excellent Monday

[Twins' Mom]

Today, Monday, is the last day of July - tomorrow it's on to August!

Have the most excellent Monday possible today, whether you're wrapping up July, getting a jump on August, or just plain beginning another week with lots to do!

[Twins' Mom]

I am hoping (trying) to do better using my time well this week. On Wed I have a "pile up" of events for which two needed to be rescheduled - the hairdresser texted me this morning with an opening so I will go there this morning, and can cross it off.

Other stuff for today:
-pick up mother, bring to my house for a while to see Muffin
-reschedule body work massage that is supposed to be on Wed a.m. (Habitat is coming to pick up closet shelving too big for me to transport)
-work on upstairs desk to clear/organize for writing/research up there
-what else?

Right now:
-breakfast and meds
-get dressed, brush teeth, wash up
-walk ddog around the block
-start a lol
-empty dishwasher

[DeeClutter]

I've done my normal 'daily' routine, now on to doing some cleaning rounds. I have some 'hot spots' that need attention and have listed those individually. Have even more right now because of dh's recuperation.

Have to go to town a little later to buy some potatoes. We're doing shrimp 'boil' packs tonight for dd's last night here with us.

Oops! The AC just came on so hopped up to turn that up a bit. The next time it comes on I'll have to shut the door and turn off the fantastic fans.

Dh is icing his knee after his exercise. Then he's going out on the porch to 'strip wire'. He wants dd to take a box to FL with her for him. He'll turn it in down there.

He told camper whose truck he takes to FL and brings back that he'll take it this year but this is the last time. I'm not happy about this and have 'planted seeds' in dh's mind. I told him that even though truck owner pays for the gas it ends up costing us at least $700 extra for him to drive it. That includes 4 extra motel nights for dh, and usually 2 flights. (one for dh to come back generally for surgery or something, and another for the person who accompanies me to FL.) He says he wanted to be able to tell the women of our church in FL that he'd take all the White Cross bandages, etc. to Westminster, MD one more time. Told him we might better just give our group an extra $300 or so toward postage and call it even. Sure would be less wear and tear on both of us driving alone.

[blessedw2]

ooo a most excellent monday!!! how exciting~!!! thank you d twins. great job donating to Habitat for humanity

I am hoping (trying) to do better using my time well this week

moi aussi

hi d dee yay on getting your "normal" daily routine done
I am praying for that knee of dh's - hoping he feels those healing thoughts coming his way

hI d lucy I saw you posted last night... may you have a great day

starting my day... yesterday it was so quite here!

ok franny take off from chair 5...4...3...2...1

[Harmony]

Hello. We've been so busy around here that I've neglected seeing the weather...and today we have a big tropical storm coming in. We are very gray and torrents of rain coming down all morning. There were storms even last evening. I'm sure we'll be alright. The storm is north of us, and (Dee) the big bridge into St. Pete is closed from the winds. I hope Sunny is not getting flooded. At least she doesn't have to worry about that big tree coming down on top of her electric line and house roof.

Work (office) chores here are very frustrating. 2 people have statements due but we need paperwork from others first and unable to reach them for days and days.

I am trying to get some laundry caught up. Changed 1 bed, washed whites and towels and sheets so far.

Hope everybody has a lovely day.

[blessedw2]

hi d harmony!!! stay safe with that weather. hope people do their paperwork so you can do yours. have a great day too.

[Elizabeth]

Good morning everyone! I have 17 more days until I leave for Hawaii! It was a busy chaotic weekend. I started it with dinner with 9 friends from church Friday. Saturday was the usual cat clinic, which I left early so I could get to a serger lesson. The teacher was able to diagnose my biggest issue in < 1 minute. My model of serger does not do a cover stitch, therefore all my attempts to do one were doomed to failure! I expected that to take half the lesson, so was not as prepared with the questions I needed. Didn't matter, I found them as we went along and got much useful in the way of tricks and tips. Her method of changing thread alone will save me about 30 minutes of time and aggravation. She also told me how to fake a cover stitch with the equipment I had on hand. She suggested I would really enjoy the latest and greatest machine. At $5000, it is more than my entire Hawaii vacation, including cruise, hotel in Honolulu, shore excursions, and flight! I told her (truthfully) if I buy a new machine, I want an embroidery machine. Hard to justify when I don't do a lot of embroidery and am very skilled at hand embroidery. Got home to find out that the x had cancelled DD15's guitar lesson AGAIN, so he dropped her off. We did some sewing with Hogan after dinner and (cue Hallelujah Chorus), I finished traveling companion's sweater!

Sunday started with church. Then home for lunch. DD decided to skip local amusement park in favor of guitar practice. Her version of Dust in the Wind was recognizable without hints. Come Sail Away is coming along nicely. Some song I didn't recognize was very bouncy and fun-sounding and as near as I could tell without knowing the song, well-played. Her instructor, who is also the church music director, wants her to join the praise band. She likes the idea. I'm sure that just thrills her atheist stepmother and her father who has not darkened a church door since the divorce. (Didn't like the prohibition on adultery I imagine). The church van has gone to Heaven, so we picked up some kids for the All-Faiths Night baseball game. Excellent, because DD made two new friends.

On dropping off DD, I once again found the x to be a complete jerk. There was a scheduling snafu because he assumed (like he did when we were married) that I have psychic abilities regarding his schedule and that mine can be completely and arbitrarily shifted about for his convenience. Didn't work when we were married, why would it work now? He said regarding DD, "She is as stubborn as you are". To which I replied, "Don't be insulting. I don't insult you." He did not apologize (no surprise, he thinks such comments are "helpful information and feedback"). But he did look rather shocked. I don't bother to defend myself against his outrageous comments anymore, I just point out his rudeness. It has actually been a few years since he tried the "she's just like you" insult (badly) disguised as information. He stopped after I called him on it before. He is so middle school. I am trying to train myself that, instead of getting angry, I should immediately and constantly thank God that I am free. I am not only grateful to be rid of him, I am grateful to live alone and have no one pestering me. Sometimes I think the other woman deserves better, but that's not my problem. I truly enjoyed going to my bed gloriously and spectacularly alone. Well, sort of, there were four out of the five cats.

[Nancy]

I thought it was Aug. lol, make bed, clean mic., journal all done.

[Elizabeth]

One more item for the Hallelujah Chorus! Less than a month ago, I missed by one hour a special sale on a set of crochet magazines I had on my purchase list. Normal price for the bundle = $19.99. Sale price was $9.99. I was totally bummed because I lost $10 just by forgetting that CST and MST are an hour apart. Just got notice that the magazines are on sale for $1.99 individually for a total of $7.96. (No shipping because they are digital download form). I did not waste any time and put them on credit, rather than waiting on payday Friday. Normally I would not use credit for this sort of thing, but this is the first frivolous credit card purchase in about a year. Naturally, it will be paid off Friday evening. SCORE!

[LadyMaverick]

Some days are better than others. This day isn't one of DS8 better ones. Homeschool has been a struggle today. DS8 tics are on an upswing. They are unusually strong and frequent and making him cranky. He has been taking his Tourettes meds the last 5 days trying to calm the tics but they just seem to be getting worse. He is having to wear a neck collar all the time and take Tylenol regularly because of the pain the tics are causing his muscles. We are just dealing with it as best we can.

DH and another elder are having lunch with the pastor today. The other elder asked for this lunch meeting because he is concerned about the church finances and wants to discuss his concerns. This elder is the most cautious elder of the bunch. A couple of the elders tend to spend more money than this elder is comfortable with. I think it is good to have a mixture of opinions. Not too cautious. Not spending impulsively. They tend to balance each other out. Our church is financially well off (compared to other churches its size) so this elder concern seems a bit obsessive IMHO. Maybe once he has talked his concerns out it will help him calm down. Probably not, but he can express his opinion again as he tries to get DH to agree with him.