Write it down - Wednesday PWYC

[Lady Maverick]

DGS18 is on the road to his home.
DS52 and DGD15 plan to visit but don’t have a set time yet. They’ve got guests staying at their home, and DGD15 is busy with a full calendar of events. DDIL’s mother, who lives with them, recently had surgery and can’t be left alone yet. One way or another, it will all work out okay.

When I picked DD14 up from school, she had a sore throat and seemed to be coming down with something. I called and cancelled her physical therapy appointment. DD14 is determined to get through the 4 hours of school tomorrow, even if she’s sick, because she doesn’t want to miss her semester tests. There’s no makeup day.

DH isn't recovering mentally like he has in previous episodes. It shows in the simple small things that he used to always do without any thought. I've taken over doing our laundry so have added those daily tasks to my hourly plan. Wash, dry, put away one load a day will keep us mostly caught up with random 2 loads a day when extra things need to be washed.
I'm going to cancel our cable subscription because DH is the only person who has ever watch TV in the past few years. He now only watches NCIS (Netflix) on repeat, so no one is watching cable.
Hum....thinking this through.....NCIS is also on Paramount+ which is available through Walmart subscription for free. I could cancel $24.99 Netflix subscription and DH would still have his NCIS......but I would have to teach him how to get to NCIS through Paramount+. I need to test that out before I cancel. However, my brain is stressed today, so I need to let these thoughts simmer and do them on a day that I'm not mentally stretched.

[CathyS]

LadyM consider that $24.99/month is an inexpensive "baby sitter", not saying he is a baby though. Dh insisted that he no longer needed his phone, which is true... but for the price I pay, it does keep him entertained at night when he can't sleep and he doesn't seem to enjoy reading any more. Also for my dh, he already knows how to find games on his phone and he has been having issues with the TV and his computer. He has forgotten how to search for stuff on the computer. He cusses at the TV and throws the remote across the room. At this point in time his phone is getting the most use because he hasn't forgotten how to use it. Yet.

[Twins' Mom]

((RR and Cathy))

Was able to work on DAR analysis, going to sleep on it and ck it in the a.m., and get it back to the Registrar tomorrow. Amazed that it's this close to being done.

We'll be going to neighbors in about an hour for Hanukkah. Busy evenings this week, we were home on Monday, I had a live webinar to watch last night, we're out tonight, I have a temple finance committee Zoom meeting tomorrow night, temple on Friday night, and another Hanukkah get together on Sunday night. Then we're out on the 24th and 25th evenings too.

I need to get cracking on Dh's birthday on 30 Dec too.

[Harriet]

Nancy, are you safely finding yourself WITH electricity now?

LadyM, perhaps this is an opportunity for ds to look at a large pool of options and even consider time spent on training for various work types in the future. My ds, so like your ds, would perhaps have taken a fire rescue course in any extra hours he found at that age, with great excitement and interest. Don't know how that sort of thing might work for your ds17/your community. Your ds17's experience - could it help someone in your extended family like your bro? Don't remember if you have kinfolk still doing farming operations.

I have a sparkling master bathroom. Very pleased. Additionally, HRH used a spinning scrubber in there on the floor grout around/behind/along and did a great job.

Don't see many security guards, but yes, at holiday season it becomes more common.

Twins', ouch, ouch on back needing lidocaine. Hope you feel better.

We are about to decide on a gift card as well, Ramblin', for dear niece. By the time dbil lets us know gift helps, delivery time comes into question.

Dbil sent size for niece - "small". WHAT is he talking about? The suggestion was design tee shirts and she is sixteen, could mean youth, could mean junior dept, could mean general adult tee sizing. I don't think he is ever the one who buys for others, lol.

[Lady Maverick]

When DS17 sets his mind on something, he gets tunnel vision to get it accomplished. Today, he visited seven businesses to ask about job opportunities. The main challenge he’s facing is that most of them won’t hire minors—he needs to be 18. While there are places like fast food restaurants or grocery stores that will hire younger workers, he’d rather avoid being indoors and surrounded by people. I reminded him that being an unemployed high schooler isn’t a bad experience and that he doesn’t have to work. I might as well have been talking to a fence post because that mentality just isn’t in DS17’s realm of possibilities.

Our preacher just called to give us a heads-up that about 100 carolers will be arriving at our home in around 30 minutes. After decades of singing for others, it feels a bit strange to now be the “old” folks being sung to.

[Nancy]

I have power never lost it.
Safety is a diff. issue with a small is branch hanging on a power line part way down, cars can go under it
but an 18 wheeler nope. Power did not return my call. But they are dealing with something like 8 counties and
8,000 people with issues. So probably not going to have this resolved till after tomorrow. Glad it missed my rigs and the
neighbors car. [That she no longer drives bc of her age.]
I have lites heat cable internet water hot and cold. So I"m feeling happy about that.

No schools , mail, or trash pick today b/c/ of the wind storm.
Glad it's not cold 55* was the high today before day lite.

I'd done some p/c work editing my book.
Cooked up some pea soup that seemed like it sounded good.

I need to clean up my kitchen.
Finished up a hot pad and started a new dishcloth for my kitchen.
Both kids and granddaughter have checked in on me I've called my sis twice.

No walk today so I'll be using indoor exercise equipment.
Should be having the storm pass in 40 min.
I did pick up someone's paper towels a roll got away from some one in the winds.

Tomorrow rain and more wind not as bad.

[Lady Maverick]

I don't think there were 100 carolers (I didn't attempt to count) but there were a couple trailers loaded with kids and multiple vans/vehicles. I am uploading it to my FB now, so it is available if we are FB friends and you are so inclined to spend 3 minutes watching the video.

3 Blessings from today
** Experiencing carolers
** A good ending to DGS18 four day visit. Lots of hugs given and received.
** dianthus flowers continue to survive the cold spells.

[CathyS]

I loved that video!! Thank you for sharing to FB LadyM!

[Harriet]

Enjoyed a visit from ddolder this evening. Big thing with her right now is that her assistant is retiring but it is during a hiring freeze and so she had to really go to bat to get an interview process going. She spent the whole day conducting interviews by phone and in the morning will suggest next-step interviews to 3 candidates. Also, will have slept on everything she's considering. She says right now she is running on fumes because of this and because of DangerBoy care yesterday.

DangerBoy really appreciated our gift of mashed potatoes. He is kinda down tonight because everyone gets pizza except him, lol. (His mother's long day meant no cooking this evening, but mashed potatoes is the way forward anyhow.)

Ds reports that now ddil has a scratchy throat. I just hope they get through this in the next week.

Music for family party - I think I will probably decide on The Vince G. "Charlie Brown Christmas" music. Lots of Celtic and "countryside" video/audio choices are fine but don't have much child appeal, while the traditional CB music doesn't seem to have a downside.

Got out all my existing paper products for table and I don't believe I'll need to buy anything else - plenty of poinsettia and snowman napkins, plates.

Slowly getting there. A couple gift-wrapping decisions still bug me. Not simple.

[Harriet]

About question of our surfaces of cabinetry for buffet - the pass-through or "bar" here with space for tall stools (if we used them) is a little less than 64 by 31 inches. Separates kitchen and den. At the wall end, it must be home to the small microwave, which faces onto the rest of the bar, but that's the only absolute item. It is solid cherry red Formica like all the kitchen countertops, so already works with decor without a tablecloth or runner. Too close to fridge, it can become tight there when someone needs to be opening and closing fridge, but otherwise is accessible, especially so since we don't do stools anyway.

My wassail for a hot beverage could be here on hotpads or could be on the stove instead. Most everything else would not require heat, maybe just staying warm, and each family can figure out their own contribution.

Fudge - not this year. Ddolder says December here is exceptionally humid and there is no day's forecast that gives her any encouragement to think it's a good day for fudge making. Oh, well. She says she will bring appetizer type things and choc oatmeal cookies.