Saturday Social

[Lynlee]

Waving from Sunday
The almost day started about 4 with a combination of the innercity wildlife abounding (where) with 2 dogs prancing indoors. Probabilities are of a possum/s and maybe a carpet snake (python) maybe on the roof.
Needless to say I didn't get back to sleep and feel short changed to less than 4 hrs.

I think the grocery store is next up. Must close computer.

[Harmony]

Hello!

You'd really have to be here to know all the problems with DH working. There are a lot of expenses to keeping the co. operating legally. In another state without so much regulation he could take little handy-man jobs and go out and work when he wants. Not here. Licenses and insurance, a lot of expenses. Plus, nowadays he needs someone to help do a lot of the stuff he does. So it's either work full out or not at all. Been through this during the recession where there wasn't much work...and we lost everything but our SOX! Not going there again.

Anyway, I enlisted his help to move things along here. He ran the sweeper in 2 rooms after I got all the fabric put away. Hours and hours more sewing and what's left is a bunch of snaps to sew on. Here's an idea how much sewing this project was: I went through 1 whole big spool of thread and watched the last rounds coming off the spool at the very end. 3 bobbins full. Shesh.

He and I got everything wrapped. I boxed up and cut paper. He is very slow because ever since his hand surgery he's very awkward with his fingers...so I'm not sure it saved me much time, but we did do it together. His stuff and mine is in 2 shopping bags with tags. A shortcut!

We've had dinner and what's left to do is load dishwasher, bake cookies (am I going to get to them?) pack. I did get my hair trimmed yesterday. Still figuring out what to do with it. Got DH to clean out the car and he ran the vacuum out there. I did 3 loads of laundry but nothing's folded.

I'd start in on the cookies now except DH wanted to go and look at Christmas lights and since we've done nothing "fun" for us this holiday, I said ok we'd go. Which means I'll be up later than I want.

Ok, gotta get a move on here.

[LadyMaverick]

Home from spending 2.5 hours at the Y. DS10 had a friend here playing with him outside and they wanted to continue playing instead of going with me. DH agreed to supervise them so I had several hours by myself.

DGD7 had been at DD house for 5 hours when DD contacted me about arraignments for DGD7 to return here.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Dinner at the pub was good. I worked on my bullet journal, mapping out next week. Ds ended up with an extra shift so he works 25th 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., then 11:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. on the 26th (so only a couple of hours sleep on Christmas) and then 7:30 p.m. on the 26th to 7:30 a.m. on the 27th. He'll be exhausted and that explains why he said he may not be at the Boxing Day party.

I invited his friends at his request to the party. So far, only one has accepted that ds knows about but he doesn't know his foster brother will be there with the baby since they're are driving up as a surprise. Actually, as I write this, I realize that ds's friends are also dfs' friends so this will work out.

Our favourite server from the pub was there tonight. She left a year ago but fills in occasionally so she made sure we were seated in her section and we had a visit.

Then we went to our local grocery store and I picked up even more food. I'm starting to feel done, all that is left is the veggies for the veggie tray. The grocery store had two perfect ornaments, one for dgs and one for baby Iris. So I now feel like I'm finished. And I remembered to get bandaids. I'm down to my last two in the apartment. Actually, I have a box of cartoon ones but my last regular ones. I couldn't get another box in that style so had to settle for another brand and 'flesh' coloured. I prefer clear ones.

[Harriet]

Lynlee, money gifts are highly prized! Sounds like you are managing well on the trip and having a good time. That business about a python, though... .. Do you hear it crawling? That's how we know if there is a blacksnake in the attic here - the different sound. I am able to be philosophical about a blacksnake. But I'm thinking that the knowledge it could be a python might send my skin crawling, too.

Ramblin', I hope you continue to feel better.

Hoping Kathryn's dgs get well soon.

This evening with dd38's family was terrif! It took a while for the restaurant staff to find a place to seat 7-and-a-booster (smile) but we had a nice place to wait. Dsonil and I took one end of the table and had a good talk about many family directions, his own loss, his cousin's child's broken leg (yipes). At the other end of the table, my two daughters were sitting opposite each other and talking fast and non-stop, leaned forward and intent. ( ) Dsonil and I were amused at them. The scene did my heart good.

The boys were all just so well behaved and attentive. Our youngest kept asking me why Grandpa couldn't come, until finally I asked dd38 to try explaining. He is simply not satisfied with any answers, though. He listens, but he has enough sense to know this doesn't sound right (and I agree with him!).

Their hotel reservation ends at 11 tomorrow and we are not expected at ds' until 1, so they will probably spend some time playing on our front lawn. They won't even consider coming in the door, though, and frankly that's as it should be. HRH is unhappy about this and blaming himself for any trouble it causes them. Sigh.

I need to get up early tomorrow and prepare for little faces looking through the window to see presents! Also need to prepare for going briefly to the church right when I wish I could stay with my grandkids, but I wouldn't change that - it will save me so much time to handle everything myself instead of delegating.

My watch has stopped and my car ignition doesn't want to turn over. I must worry about these things in the morning, though.

[Harmony]

Harriet, I sure hope your car starts in the morning. How will you get to church if it doesn't?

Looking at the lights was fun. 2 places that were on the list were completely dark when we went by. Already out on a holiday trip, I suppose and left lights off. The best 2 were 3 houses together and property in between all decorated as nicely as those ones we see on the TV shows about lights. They took up a whole block together. Then one nicely lit one had a sign with a radio station number and I tuned in to find Christmas music synced to the light show. I could have sat and watched that for an hour!

Everything wrapped ready to go except for the plant. 3rd LOL in the dryer.

Oh my. I must read back about Lynlee's python. Watch out!!

[Lynlee]

I'm not sure if it was a python, or a group of possums or something playing leap frog, with nervous cries.
Other 'action' cries or territorial disputes between possums is a whole different sort of intimidating noise. Koalas similarly are very vocal about 'action interaction things' .
Anyway I thought the dogs were after something that had come inside, but when I got up they were outside my door, and the noise of thuds and bumps was from perhaps the bathroom roof. There are trees hanging over there. Its all maybe perhaps, me surmising the possibilities.
Where I live the pythons can be to 6-7 feet, not so fat as to swallow a pullet. (at least the one from my childhood that took a liking to the chook yard couldn't stomach the pullets it tried to swallow.
A carpet snake in the ceiling is said to be the best possum deterrent ever. Up north the snakes are large enough to require greater respect.
The Just like the clump thump bump and skittle noise on my roof I reason to be a bush turkey's clumsy landing, without going out to try to actually see what it is..

Home from shops. lunch happened. (yes I buy my own food that suits me for breakfast and lunch prep. I don't expect others to stock special supplies for me.)

Harriet - thanks for the vote on cash. DD goes all out with huge numbers of gifts around the tree.
d mini schnauzer had his cane (cat) igloo under the tree and loves to hide in there. Golden retriever just takes up as much floor space as he likes.

I finished a library book. I'm back at my one a day cycle.

After hot, stormy days the cool change is finally here.