Thursday, in Theory

[OKay]

I have a bad case of do-not-wannas.

After lunch, LO went with DH to pick up MPB chemicals (2 hour drive). This is a perfect opportunity for me to DO SOMETHING.

Why am I just sitting here?

Going to make a glass of ice coffee protein drink. Maybe that will give me a boost. Once I start again, I usually don't have a problem keeping on.

[OKay]

Thinking outloud...... just checked the tracking # of DGD3(almost) gift that we mailed to her. It arrived yesterday and was received according to the website. No news from DD about it.
Last month was DGS19 & DGS17 birthday. DD told them she was sending them money for their birthday, it hasn't arrived yet. Last week DD emailed me that she had sent something in the mail to LO. We know from past experience there is about a 10% chance that it is the truth so I didn't say anything to LO about it. Nothing has arrived in the mail from her. In some cases Theory and Reality are very far apart.

In theory, the difference between theory and practice is small. In practice, the difference between theory and practice is large.

This describes me today. I know what needs to be done and I agree it needs to be done. Actually following through and DOING it is huge.

Baby stepping....Next up -
** LOL out of dryer to put away status
** Dish drainer of dishes done
** 5 minutes timer focus on bedroom

[helia]

Stopping by. . .

x chatted with dh this morning about frustrating church comm. meeting (he is on the committee) last night; he needed to debrief some more
x s2s
x moms group picnic - I got there late, around 9:50. I left a little after 12:30
x party store - I left there around 2 pm. Well, I left earlier and then I realized I'd forgotten something very important - pop up disposable garbage containers - so I went back to get them. I got the last 4 in the store. I think I have all the paper goods now, including set up for 2 disposable chafing dishes.
x put everything away
x started breadmaker
x chatted briefly with kids

This brings me to now - and it is already 3:35. I'm having a bit of a sit down for a moment. I'm drinking water and I'm going to head out for a jog in a minute. Then, I"ll work on:
- reclaiming the kitchen,
- tidying living areas,
- putting leaves in the table,
- getting the girls to put away their things on the hot spot
- making rice and asparagus

Ds is off with my van to pick up mulch. Dh told him to do that; we're trying to give him productive things to do during this down time he's having.

I think I've decided to leave w/ ds Wed. next week and stop by my parents the first night, 360 miles down the road. That will help as it will leave us with 1000 miles of driving in 2 days rather than 1360 miles driving in 2 days, which does sound better. It also makes for a 6 day trip rather than a 5 day trip right before the big party. . . . . I'm really hoping to get some things done around the house this weekend. It looks like it will be a gorgeous weekend here! And there's nothing on the calendar, other than celebrating dd15's birthday - on the actual day, which will be Monday.

The weekend of the big grad party, dfriend E will be here (from Tx - also visiting his mom in OH) Friday - Sunday. Funny, since I will have just left his house in Austin 4 days prior. Then, dbro and possibly his girlfriend will be here Saturday - ? Then, a dfriend who moved away to NY and her mother will be here the next Monday - Tuesday as she moves her mother from Seattle to her home in NY to live with her. Dh is leaving for Hawaii that Monday so I'll be hosting on my own at that point. Anyhow, we'll be a bit of a bed and breakfast the weekend of the party. It is all good, it will just make for a busy weekend.

OK, I should head out. S will be here around 6 to cook up the meat.

[OKay]

Those 3 done. I used the 5 minutes focus to take pictures of the quilts & blankets that "made the cut". Earlier this week I decluttered 4 quilts and a down comfortor that weren't being used & didn't have sentimental value. I kept 11 quilts/blankets that are used regularly. As part of my focus cleaning this week, those eleven "keepers" were washed/dried/photographed and are now part of the inventory documentation.

Next up -
** Pull everything out of LO baseball bag and see what kind of damage the red gatorade spill did. I didn't know LO had put it into the backpack until I saw red leaking out the bottom. MMMmmmhhhh....taking a deep breathe.....When I compare this to LO spilling 4000 BB's inside our home......this seems so easy to clean up in comparison. Who knew that BB mishap could be such a blessing to make everything else look easy?
** process MPB daily gross bags from the last 2 days
** do another dish drainer of dishes

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Had the septic failed before the normal 25 years, I would have figured the 6 (!) trees the original owner planted around the septic field had something to do with it. But since it is 30 years old and is built on clay and every other septic in the neighbourhood has failed or is on watch, my guess is the trees had nothing. We've often wondered if the septic had something to do with the higher sugar count but the experts say no.

The tree may survive but it is will have stress. The roots on one side will be disturbed with the pipe laying and a few of the branches on this side may have to be removed but we prune heavily on the house side of the tree because of branches over the roof. Only one of the people said the tree had to go and he was taking out a lot of the hedge as well. The others may have to remove an apple but won't know until they draw up the complete plan with all the measurements. When the addition was built, the tree was only 8 years on the property (but at least 15 years old at the time) and the roots were disturbed them but nothing it couldn't recover from.

Our trip to market town was a success. We picked up 5 boxes at the general store on the way and then another 10 from the liquor store and Walmart. Got 10 bags of mulch (still have one to fill when I decide where I want it to go), had lunch out, then picked up groceries. When we got home we did up the gardens so they are finished. They look OK, not spectacular. I pruned a lot of a fir tree in the back yard much to dh's annoyance. He hates that I'm spending time on things like that but the area under was full of uncut weeds because the lawn guys couldn't get into it so I wanted them to have access to at least cut the weeds.

I'm ready for a nap now. Took a break and watched the end of the movie I started a couple of weeks ago (The Trouble with Angels.) So that can be packed now. Just realized there are two tv sets to find homes for.

Still haven't packed one box yet today. But at least we have boxes when I finally get my act together.

[Nancy]

CI
Bed is made, laundry folded, kit. Swept , dishes unloaded.
I have have picked some apples off the tree branch that fell. I have a plan for dinner meat is cooked to go on the pizza.
Dgd is not here today. Dgson will be here in a while.

[CathyS]

Hi everyone!

Got home earlier than expected. I had some energy, but we are using it up. Mike needs the place to get cleaned up "yesterday". In other words, he's starting to get very freaked out about the house being a mess. His voice is getting that familiar rise in it, so that was a sign to get things dealt with.

Washed more stuff that we brought here the other night. Took stuff out of credenza and dining room cabinet to make room for new old stuff. A lot of it is family stuff. Told Mike that I want the family stuff to go into the dining room cabinet. The crystal and anything else can go into the credenza. I found where Mike had done a stash of French White. (Mr. Everything that proves actual people live here has to be hidden.)

We are also waiting to hear back from an estatewill lawyer. I just want to have a complete and full understanding of a few things. (Like why I have a trustee and nobody else does. When can we "break" the trust. Will says 21 years. I will be in my 70's.)

[OKay]

Those 3 done. Starting to feel my energy level rising.

Next up -
** Prep dinner
** 5 minutes (timer) in dining room
** LOL out of dryer to put away status. Then all laundry will be completely caught up!

[OKay]

Cathy - Those are some very thought provoking questions. I have my "head in the sand" when it comes to estate planning. We need to update our will since we have legally added a child. There are some decisions we need to make but I can't get my head & heart at place of peace to make them yet.

Those 3 things done. Kitchen, dining room & laundry room are all in MM. Dishes & laundry completely caught up again.

DH arrived back here just in time to receive call that reverse osmosis water had stopped working at MPB. That cycle is what makes vehicles spot free and also supplies BYOB water vending DH just called to let me know he traced the problem to a blown fuse. Which would be easily fixed IF we had a spare fuse on hand. DH usually keeps multiple spares of everything on hand, but somehow this size fuse didn't get restocked when the last one was used. DH called electric supply in big town but they didn't have any on hand so he is making ANOTHER 2 hour drive to get the fuse (plus all the spare fuses they are willing to sell us)

Dinner prep'd. I went ahead and served LO's dinner earlier than normal. LO has ball practice tonight in sunny 90+ degree weather so I want him to eat early. Running in the hot weather and a full belly doesn't sound like a good mix.

Next up -
** 10 pieces of paper
** 10 pieces of paper
** 10 pieces of paper

[BookSaver]

Oh boy, I am trying to season my new cast iron waffle iron. Set off the smoke alarm twice. Thank goodness it's warm enough today to open the screen door and turn on a fan!

Editing to add: at least it isn't LO's 4000 BBs!