Tinsel Tuesday

[Kittykatt]

Triple Dog Dare!

Pick 3 things
Do them
Post your TaDas!

»»—-Cheers! WTG! Ygg!—-««

Don't think about it. Just do it!
~~ I Triple Dog Dare ya! ~~
Good Morning!
»»————　✼　————««

[Kittykatt]

The very first tinsel emerged not in Britain but in 17th-century Germany, where thin strands of real silver were hammered and sliced to imitate the sparkling effect of icicles on winter trees. Over time, silver tarnished too quickly, so craftsmen experimented with tin and lead, before eventually turning to lightweight, shiny plastics in the 20th century.

Tinsel spread across Europe, and by the time it reached Britain in the Victorian period, it became a symbol of luxury and modernity—its gleaming strands catching the candlelight on early Christmas trees.

[Kittykatt]

Good morning ,everyone , and happy Tuesday!

Today I need to clean downstairs. The veg box is arriving some time today, so that will need to be dealt with. And I need to out the finishing touches to my Waitrose order. I'd also like to prep some veg for Christmas day (it should be fine in bags in the fridge, which would just leave the fresh fruit salad to make tomorrow, and the batter for the Yorkshire puddings. If today is reasonably dry, then I'd also like to hoover the car, which again would mean one less thing for tomorrow, but that might be too ambitious, both in daylight hours available, and the cooperation of the weather!

[Kittykatt]

To do:

Appointments:
Tuesday: Riverford veg box delivery
DH?? I think he wants to go into town
At home for me - clean downstairs
Take beef out of freezer
Ham to soak
Can I start veg prep for Christmas Day meal?
9pm final touches to Waitrose order
Hoover car? (Weather permitting!)
Sort out end of my garden? (weather permitting!)

Wednesday: Christmas Eve
9-10 am Waitrose delivery
PA groceries
Dr appointment for DH - give him a list of anything Waitrose didn't have so he can pick it up for me from somewhere
Clean kitchen
Prep veg etc for Christmas lunch
Make fruit salad
Work out timings for beef
Hoover car? (If not done yesterday!)
Sort out garden? (If not already done!)
Cook supper - start red cabbage early in low oven
Laxapet for Jude and Matilda
7pm (earlier if possible) Christmas Eve supper -baked ham, mashed potato, carrots, broad beans, red cabbage, parsley sauce
9 pm Bethlehem Mass

Thursday: Christmas Day
Stockings first thing
Ask DH to lay table
Ensure bathroom is clean and tidy
Run a quick duster and hoover round hall and sitting room
Cook lunch - use timings in my book.
12 noon Dnextdoorneighbour C arrives
1pm lunch - roast beef, roast potatoes, roasted carrots and parsnips, gravy , Brussels sprouts, Yorkshire puddings, fresh fruit salad, cream
Take my apron off and relax!

Friday: Boxing Day
Possibly some time sorting out my garden (weather permitting!)
Leftovers to eat

Saturday:
At home ??
Leftovers to eat
Text DF E?

Sunday:
Church 9.30 am
Visit DFE for coffee?
We'll still be eating left overs so probably cold cut for lunch
Laxapet Jude and Matilda
Set up new Waitrose delivery

Future dates to note:
7/1 order inhalers
6/1 Freddie - Solensia 8.30 am
8/1 Jude weight check 2 pm

Outstanding deliveries:

Extras:
Email J - do this MONDAY
Email NW when I have a reply from RO
Check and send above
Put pictures back WIP
Order new orthotics - wait until ankle settles
Can I do 15 minutes of decluttering in the bedroom each day?
Digital decluttering- Google Photos for 2024 and 2025
Pick up my footprints
House tasks: Replace the bit of mortar that's fallen out of the edge of the roof (I think its called the verge? Can this wait until next year when we get the house painted when a roof ladder will be in place?) I need for it to stop raining before I ask anyone to come and look!
Verge and ridge tiles on garage roof
Sort out cabinet that wobbles - does the back need some sort of bracing ? MJ will.sort it out in the new year
Take up and hem those thick winter curtains for the kitchen
Book eye test for me
Sort prints and put in albums (this will probably be an activity to do on wet days!) WIP I am now working on 2025
Think about setting up Guardianship for F,J and M - looked on Cats' Protection, I need their microchip numbers, approximate DOB, colour and markings and useful information about them. Bookmark link with local recommended solicitors (also ask DF CW?)
Change health centres to the one nearest us? We're going to do this in January

To do:
Early morning:
Cuddles and treats on the bed with Matilda, Jude and Freddie
Cup of tea
QT
Lightbox session
Make bed
Shower / wash hair/ moisturiser and sunblock/ clean and floss teeth
DH launched
Physio exercises and back exercises WIP
Proprioceptors exercises X1 x2 x3
S/S bathroom
Get dressed
Breakfast and meds / supplements - me
DRINK WATER #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8
Check bank account
Go for my walk

Garden:
15 minutes in tiny front garden
15 minutes in back garden

Cats:
Cats’ breakfast and meds / supplements
Fresh water in cat bowls
Scoop cat trays
Check Jude’s bowl
Check Matilda's bowl
Walk Freddie
Lap time with Jude, Freddie and Matilda
Play with Jude, Freddie and Matilda
Head rubs with Jude, Freddie and Matilda
Cats' supper

House:
Rubbish down to wheelie bins
Kitchen clean up
Unload DW
Reload DW
Run DW when full
Unload DW
PUPA downstairs
Quick dust sitting room
Quick hoover downstairs
PUPA upstairs
Quick dust bedrooms
Quick hoover upstairs
Lunch
Supper
Lay out clothes for tomorrow
Journal three things I am thankful for today
Hand cream

Extra house tasks:

Monday:
Clean bathroom
Clean spare room
Clean bedroom

Tuesday:
Clean hall
Clean sitting room
Clean stairs
Empty hoover before starting work
Wheelie bins back when dustmen have been
Filing paperwork for 15 minutes

Wednesday:
Clean kitchen

Garden extras:
Water pots
Feed pots weekly

Financial:
More work on budget WIP

[Gma]

My kitchen is a mess, but I am going to bed, and will deal with it when I get up. I am going to see a man whose wife died a few days after my mother's funeral. Mother always wanted to remember them at Christmas, so he will get a plate of cookies. He wants to show me the pictures he had on display at the visitation, that took place at the same time as a college festival luncheon that I had tickets for several weeks in advance.
Then I will visit neighbors of mother's at their assisted living apartment, and bring them their gifts as well.
And come home to clean the kitchen and start rye bread. While it is rising, I will wrap gifts for ds and family. I finished shopping for them today, and have several things to wrap.

Meanwhile, I am thinking about how I am going to get my house in order, one step at a time, starting as soon as Christmas is over. But where to start? I don't have a plan yet. Filing has always been a huge problem for me, and I am trying to think aoubt several options, what will work? What won't? Where to put the filing cabinet? Shall I use an old one from the basement? Paint it? Buy a new modern one? Use the plastic bin my son gave me a few years ago that is full of empty filing folders because I couldn't figure out what categories to put on them? Should I have one drawer for current year and a second drawer for older items? There are financial records, then there are other things of interest. Should they have a separate place? My brother is a businessman, very organized. He has agreed with me that he would never hire me to be a secretary. Just coming up with categories is a challenge for me. Then deciding which category a piece of paper belongs in, is another challenge for me. It's obvious for many people, but never for me.
Maybe a solution will come to me in a dream? I'll sleep on it....

[trissie]

gma, you are a very kind friend! Re getting your house under control, maybe you could use the House&Holidays plan, which conveniently starts with office and paperwork areas, ignore the holiday missions and work the cleaning/organizing ones at your pace?
kittykatt, when we were gift shopping with DBD, she spotted a Christmas tin shaped like a truck (DH works as a programmer for truck simulator games). So it was kinda a joint idea that the tin should be filled with something, and I suggested those cheddar cookies
Dogged, so did you like Die Hard? Back at the day, Bruce Willis was really a sight for a sore eye! I feel really sorry for him and his family. Losing yourself - or your loved one - to an illness that steals a person while they are still alive is hard

Anyway, the last day before Christmas is here! Gotta do shopping, clean downstairs and do any food preps that need to be done today. Maybe, if there is time, we could watch Love Actually with DH? Most likely not, though

TaDas
- dressed to shoes
- breakfast and coffee
- internet time

ToDos
- grocery run & errand
- put groceries away
- cook lunch

Braindump
routines
- midday routine
- afternoon routine
- evening routine
food
- lunch
- dinner
organization
- grocery run
- pick up turkey
- pharmacy
- print photos
- update land contract
- rework contract with DS14's therapist
- have kids check and empty backpacks (no forgotten food found on Jan 4)
- DBD's speech therapy
- 15 on filing
cleaning
- clean kitchen
- clean living room
- clean office
- clean downstairs bathroom and hallways
- spiff up twins' room
- spiff up DBD's room
- spiff up DS13's room
- spiff up master bedroom
- spiff up master bathroom
laundry
- load of colors
- load of darks
- ironing
- folding
- mending
- laundry put away
me time
- 15 of exercise
- Bible study
- reading
Christmas preps
- potato salad
- Christmas braided bread
- stuffing and stuffing rolls
- decorate gingerbread cookies - even after yesterday's decorating session, there's still more to go!
- check gift list, print vouchers, last minute wrapping?
- more Christmas baking if anything seems interesting? another batch of beehives?

[Kittykatt]

Good morning, Trissie, and good night, Gma!

Trissie, that is just adorable of DBD, and quick thinking from you. I'm sure your DH will adore his present , because of all the love and thought and care that's gone into it.

Gma, I could never be someone's secretary either! This is what works for me:

Kitty Katt's Filing Cabinet

As you can see, I use box files to hold my filing, and a cabinet that opens wide, so all the box files are immediately visible. Each box file has a label on its spine, so I know what's inside. I made up the categories as I went. Some (Cats, car, house insurance, utilities) were easy. Others less so, so here I just wrote a temporary category in pencil on the spine. Inside each box file, I use labelled folders to subdivide as necessary. For example, for the cats, I have a folder each for Freddie, Jude and Matilda, which holds their adoption papers, microchip registration, insurance details, pet health club details,. vaccination certificate and anything else I can think of.

I'm off to a slower start today, but Ive taken care of a couple of small admin tasks, and Fred has had his walk. DH has been launched into town, so I need to start on the housework.

[Kittykatt]

To do:

Appointments:
Tuesday: Riverford veg box delivery
DH?? I think he wants to go into town
At home for me - clean downstairs
Take beef out of freezer
Ham to soak
Can I start veg prep for Christmas Day meal?
9pm final touches to Waitrose order
Hoover car? (Weather permitting!)
Sort out end of my garden? (weather permitting!)

Wednesday: Christmas Eve
9-10 am Waitrose delivery
PA groceries
Dr appointment for DH - give him a list of anything Waitrose didn't have so he can pick it up for me from somewhere
Clean kitchen
Prep veg etc for Christmas lunch
Make fruit salad
Work out timings for beef
Hoover car? (If not done yesterday!)
Sort out garden? (If not already done!)
Cook supper - start red cabbage early in low oven
Laxapet for Jude and Matilda
7pm (earlier if possible) Christmas Eve supper -baked ham, mashed potato, carrots, broad beans, red cabbage, parsley sauce
9 pm Bethlehem Mass

Thursday: Christmas Day
Stockings first thing
Ask DH to lay table
Ensure bathroom is clean and tidy
Run a quick duster and hoover round hall and sitting room
Cook lunch - use timings in my book.
12 noon Dnextdoorneighbour C arrives
1pm lunch - roast beef, roast potatoes, roasted carrots and parsnips, gravy , Brussels sprouts, Yorkshire puddings, fresh fruit salad, cream
Take my apron off and relax!

Friday: Boxing Day
Possibly some time sorting out my garden (weather permitting!)
Leftovers to eat

Saturday:
At home ??
Leftovers to eat
Text DF E?

Sunday:
Church 9.30 am
Visit DFE for coffee?
We'll still be eating left overs so probably cold cut for lunch
Laxapet Jude and Matilda
Set up new Waitrose delivery

Future dates to note:
7/1 order inhalers
6/1 Freddie - Solensia 8.30 am
8/1 Jude weight check 2 pm

Outstanding deliveries:

Extras:
Email J - do this MONDAY
Email NW when I have a reply from RP
Had to email RP again
Check and send above
Put pictures back WIP
Order new orthotics - wait until ankle settles
Can I do 15 minutes of decluttering in the bedroom each day?
Digital decluttering- Google Photos for 2024 and 2025
Pick up my footprints
House tasks: Replace the bit of mortar that's fallen out of the edge of the roof (I think its called the verge? Can this wait until next year when we get the house painted when a roof ladder will be in place?) I need for it to stop raining before I ask anyone to come and look!
Verge and ridge tiles on garage roof
Sort out cabinet that wobbles - does the back need some sort of bracing ? MJ will.sort it out in the new year
Take up and hem those thick winter curtains for the kitchen
Book eye test for me
Sort prints and put in albums (this will probably be an activity to do on wet days!) WIP I am now working on 2025
Think about setting up Guardianship for F,J and M - looked on Cats' Protection, I need their microchip numbers, approximate DOB, colour and markings and useful information about them. Bookmark link with local recommended solicitors (also ask DF CW?)
Change health centres to the one nearest us? We're going to do this in January

To do:
Early morning:
Cuddles and treats on the bed with Matilda, Jude and Freddie
Cup of tea
QT
Lightbox session
Make bed
Shower / wash hair/ moisturiser and sunblock/ clean and floss teeth
DH launched
Physio exercises and back exercises
Proprioceptors exercises X1 x2 x3
S/S bathroom
Get dressed
Breakfast and meds / supplements - me
DRINK WATER #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8
Check bank account
Go for my walk

Garden:
15 minutes in tiny front garden
15 minutes in back garden

Cats:
Cats’ breakfast and meds / supplements
Fresh water in cat bowls
Scoop cat trays
Check Jude’s bowl
Check Matilda's bowl
Walk Freddie
Lap time with Jude, Freddie and Matilda
Play with Jude, Freddie and Matilda
Head rubs with Jude, Freddie and Matilda
Cats' supper

House:
Rubbish down to wheelie bins
Kitchen clean up
Unload DW
Reload DW
Run DW when full
Unload DW
PUPA downstairs
Quick dust sitting room
Quick hoover downstairs
PUPA upstairs
Quick dust bedrooms
Quick hoover upstairs
Lunch
Supper
Lay out clothes for tomorrow
Journal three things I am thankful for today
Hand cream

Extra house tasks:

Monday:
Clean bathroom
Clean spare room
Clean bedroom

Tuesday:
Clean hall
Clean sitting room
Clean stairs
Empty hoover before starting work
Wheelie bins back when dustmen have been
Filing paperwork for 15 minutes

Wednesday:
Clean kitchen

Garden extras:
Water pots
Feed pots weekly

Financial:
More work on budget WIP
[/quote]

[Gma]

That's a lovely and well organized filing system, kittykatt.
Trissie, thanks for starting us off with story about tinsel. I couldn't have it for almost 20 years, because I had a cat who would eat it (and Christmas ribbon, any other ribbon or stringy material) and then need surgery for it balled up in his stomach. And yes, I'll check out the holiday prep, after Christmas

[L.Ann]

Morning all! Tinsel reminds me of my childhood trees. I personally prefer to use binders for paperwork, GMA. I am not a great saver of paper stuff…. Most of what I have is medical stuff from DD33 and DD39. You could start with two or three drawers or boxes GMA. Just do a quick sort into the boxes. Something like bills, medical, things of interest to save. That would get them sorted and contained. Then you can go back and look at each box and see what categories you need and put things in folders.

Back later to post.