Saturday is Christmas Eve's Eve

[Harmony]

Dee, so sad for the neighbors. Those things happen.

Still working around. Half-way done with 1 bathroom. Floors all done except a quick mop in the kitchen. Little sweeper must have thrown a bearing, began making a huge noise. DH not happy. He hates the big vacuum worse than I do. He tried to use it, wouldn't pick up. I checked the bag, only half full. Then I noticed the vacuum dial was all the way down to light. Rant from DH, why would they put something like that on a vacuum... oh, so if I wanted to dust drapes I could do it... so between the 2 of us we got the floors done.

EGADS! I found 2 spots where things had accumulated. Behind the box fan which sits in the corner of the dining room for us to put up in the window cool mornings. Hadn't gotten moved in a while. And the corner beside the triple dresser which means a get-on-your-knees and wipe with damp rag...which is why that spot hadn't gotten done. I'm really having a problem getting down like that.

DH's version of cleaning and mine is miles apart. Why are you putting everything away from your sewing machine? Are people going to stand there and look at your machine? That's in the room we can see on the way to the guest bathroom. If I left it up to him he'd buy food, shut all the doors and call it a success.

He's out buying an extension cord so he can use the leaf blower on the front porch. In 1 week he'll have the usual one back when I unplug the lights. No, not good enough. I told him a broom was cheaper. Didn't go over very well!

We got the folding table into the house and the chairs all set around. And the platter and big bowl down off the top of the cabinets. They're up there for decoration but I use them occasionally.

Ok I need to get busy here again.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Harmony: I just popped in here for a break. I've been on my feet almost all day and definitely fading fast. Only 3100 steps, though. I'll pick up another 3 - 4K walking to dinner and for milk after dinner (unless we just get it from the gas stations across from the pub, same price.)

Table is cleared off (only half the stuff was organized in removal, the rest is dumped in the living room for now.) I pulled out the sounding cloth and then decided I had to sit. There was something else I had to do over here but I can't recall what it might be!

And still it snows. Still no view.

[LadyMaverick]

Ham is out of the oven. I'll let it cool a bit then ask DH if he would slice it. Even with an electric knife, it takes awhile to get a large ham sliced.

I made a cooked fruit/nut mixture. Cooked apples, raisins, pineapple, blueberries, and pecans. I added some cinnamon and allspice. It turned out soo good.

Neighbors with 2 kids stopped by WITH GIFTS! ARGH! This is our 3rd Christmas living next door to them and this is the first time either of us has bought Christmas gifts for the other ones. Double ARGH! There wasn't much I could do about it other than accept the gift from them. DH always has a supply of quarters and so he filled their kids' pockets with quarters. They stayed over an hour visiting while the kids played.

DD told DS9 a couple days ago that she was going to bake cookies today and invited him to come help her. He decided about 30 minutes to go to her home for awhile. He said he was only going to stay for 1 hour. I told him that he could stay as long as he wanted. To let me know if he wanted to spend the night there. We will see.

[Lynlee]

Kathryn.. That is a lot of travelling days.
I'll be wishing you well.
My neck problems are worse when I carry things,the cart helps,but if it is heavy and there is a hill, the effect is the same. Besides, my handbag has been to heavy for an age.
Yoga is my defence and attempt at repair.
I've given up regular pt or chiro.
I've had too much carrying since my car problems.

I did get some sleep, and a leg cramp. For want of salt. Skipped church . .

Need best.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Table not set. Since my last post I worked on it but not knowing how many people will be at the table makes setting it hard since I have to start with the correct number of leaves in and the correct table cloth. Added one 8" leaf to make room for turkey carving if we are 9 but that didn't work because I don't have a table cloth for that configuration. Pulled out the leaf, put a cheap lacy one and it wasn't wide enough and wouldn't stay in place so gave up, pulled out the ironing board and iron and ironed onto the table the correct linen one. That will be more work in the days to come (having to clean it and get it back into storage.) I figured I'd spend more time fussing with the wrong one so it was better to cut my losses and switch.

So in the past hour, that's all I've done. Put the table cloth on.

I'm really, really cranky because I'm sore and because dh is still working on the clean up of the egg rolls. I can't clean the kitchen until he's done in there but now I have no energy and we still have to walk over to the pub for dinner so it isn't like I'm getting off my feet any time soon. Dh forgot to put the mat under his feet while he worked so he's feeling sore too.

[LadyMaverick]

Ham is sliced and packaged to travel on Monday. Everything cleaned up in the kitchen.

DS9 called and asked to be picked up from DD home. They did make cookies together so he is thrilled.

DGS21 came by the house while I was picking up DS9. He just dropped some stuff off and said he would be back on Monday.

I am going to relax a bit. I want to read a chapter of a book that I'm in process of reading.

[Harriet]

Lynlee, that's good that it's yoga that helps you most, because it's a free, instantly available help and you are in control. Hope you feel better soon.

The mention of January is uplifting to me. January is such a calm month. An easy sway into so much less responsibility. Of course, I'll have a lot of church stuff to do, but in many ways the month will be a blessing. Doesn't it trip off the tongue so melodiously.. ... ♪ ♫ January. Jannnuary. Januaaarry. ♪ ♫ Lovely.

(Sorry, Kathryn!)

I think I'll post in the holiday thread some reminders to get things done early next year. I know that seems so obvious, but still the holidays creep up on me. Speaking of creeping up on me, best advice EVER is working on cards on Halloween evening or that time frame. Also the 25th of each month for Rudolph creativity. Here, it's like "the cobbler's children have no shoes", waiting on my sewing machine to hum.

Friends (the one who spoke at my ddad's funeral and his youngest son) dropped by with gifts for the children. Gifts that are way too nice, really. It was a joy to have the house looking festive and ready. Our green-eyed boy and toddlerC came over while they were here, opened their gifts and were truly overjoyed, since these were the first they have been allowed to touch.

Friend agreed with me that he and I both do too much church work (he attends elsewhere). He said it seems to him that it multiplies, with people saying so-and-so who's already doing so much would be a good choice for the next job. HRH said, "no comment!"

I have to S2S to get ready for morning. HRH was saying why didn't we go out at 2:00 a.m. to WMart tonight just to be contrary and see the inside of a store without big crowds. (We've done it before) I don't know, though. I'd awaken bleary.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Stores are dead here.

We had dinner at the pub after delivering the last of the invitations (another item off my list) and then picked up some of the groceries. Didn't the Bs (forgot the butter and berries and couldn't get broccoli, they were sold out.) I didn't have my list with me so did fairly well.

Here's what didn't get done today and is now shifted to tomorrow:

Finish Tidying - 45 minutes
Dust and Vacuum - 45 minutes
Mop the floors - 30 minutes
Make shortbread - 40 minutes
Set table - 60 minutes can wait until 25th
Assemble Wagon - unknown
Wrap presents - 45 minutes

I also have to strip and remake the bed, run two loads of laundry, to grocery shopping, 2 church services (one mine, one attend) visit my senior friend and take a bank card to my bank co-signer after figuring out which one is hers.

Edited to

1. delete a trailing "So"
2. Say I'm off to bed. I have one of the loads of laundry going now. Dh called me to kitchen to ask about a yellow stain on the counter. No idea what it was but the magic eraser took it off. Since I was up, I took everything off the counters and cleaned them thoroughly. With the kitchen above the floor properly cleaned, I refreshed the linens and started the load of towels I was saving for those linens.

[Harmony]

Well, Kathryn, I see you didn't cancel Christmas!

Lynlee, wish things were a little easier for you. Could you use a uber service?

Thinking what could I do ahead? I didn't know till a couple weeks ago I would have DD & family and not until last week that the number went up by 5 more. Doesn't anybody plan ahead any more?

I am hurrying along, like a turtle. I had DH break up all the bread for the stuffing, and I made 2 kinds of that. I washed the turkey and dried and have it wrapped and back in the refrigerator. It was too late by the time I got to that, so I'll cook it tomorrow. I did cook the neck and giblets for the gravy.

DH said he'd like me to have a ham also, so when I went out with him to get his big truck from that job he just finished, I stopped at the store. Got a small boneless ham which should just fill up one platter. I also filled up the car with gas. It was running on fumes. Our traffic is awful, as are the store parking lots.

I'm making my jello/fruit salad; waiting for it to congeal a little. LadyM's fruit sounded way better, but I had no time for that. Got carried away when I bought green beans and I had DH sit and snap them for me. 3 big bags. I'm sure it's too much so some for the freezer. I'm making 2 kinds of most things so I can have some non-dairy things.

Guess I won't make church this year. That's the thing I'm sorry about. Too much to do. I'd thought I could go tonight, but that didn't happen. DH is going early tomorrow morning. Sigh....

Must get to bed, I must must must get up early tomorrow.

[Nancy]

I worked till 6:30.

Did ex on the stat bike today.

We had soup for dinner and some of the gift box cheese and meat for dinner.

I got a text from dgd and we will be doing the family thing tomorrow at her house.

Did reboot the dishwasher and spiffed up main bathroom.
Bed got made.
My neck has been tight and headachy I feel off and cranky.

Plus h ate my cookies and not his gr-r. So had to mix up more and do some up tonight before bed. mine had rasians, his had carmel pieces in that I cannot chew. So I let him know and sent him to the cave with his cookie tin & 3 cookies in ch. Chip one he had one warm one. Seem we have a version of this each year. One yr I had some in the freezer for the holidays he ate all but 3. When his folks came he said you guys are on diets any way you don't want any cookies do you? I was flipping mad and then learned the truth he was the cookie monster! LoL.