Layering Tuesday

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

It is terrifically cold here this morning so we'll be layering as many clothes as we can.

It is a way of preserving our body energy and cutting costs (taking a taxi to the office, for example.)

'Layering' our chores is a way of preserving energy and cutting costs as homemakers, as well.

Cooking a double batch of food so we have an extra meal in the freezer for busy days.

Popping a cake or muffins into the oven while it is already hot from cooking dinner.

Creating (and sticking to!) an errand day so we save time and gas by making one trip out.

Running the washer and dryer or dishwasher while doing other work around the house.

Listening to audio books while working around so you are expanding your mind while doing rote chores.

If we layer our tasks efficiently, it leaves us more time to 'lie out in the sun and relax' and recharge our own batteries and those of our family by spending family time not distracted by chores.

[blessedw2]

good morning d kathryn and all.

I may not be here much today but I am thinking of all of you! Wishing you a lovely day with good work done in your day and a peaceful relaxing night in the evening.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

It is bloody cold here. Although many of you will have it colder than me since the wind chill here is just 0*F. The air temp is 17*F.

On the other hand, on Saturday I checked the weather and it was to be 31, 30, 32, 31, so we brought outerwear for around 32. Not for 0. And there is a huge difference, especially when you are walking everywhere.

I have my new coat which is really good only to 45. With a fleece vest I've been comfortable at 38. With a fleece sweater it is good to 28. We'll find out today if it will be warm enough with a fleece vest and fleece sweater (and undershirt and turtlekneck!) It will be my legs and feet that will be cold since I don't have long underwear with me and only have light socks. Oh, and my fingers since I only have gloves. My hat is good to very cold temps, since it has flaps that come down and cover my ears and forehead. So my head will be fine.

I'll limit my walking to just a few blocks, augmented by the subway. Dh has 2/3 of a mile to walk and no public transportation option. He also failed to bring a sweater and his coat hasn't got its liner in it (it hasn't been that cold at home yet.) Thankfully, I brought two fleece vests so he'll wear the second one today (and not the bright pink one!) His hat will be fine since it also has ear flaps. But he will be walking slowly because he's walking with someone who has limited mobility. I told him to take a taxi but he pointed out he'll be waiting longer in the cold to find a taxi than it will take to walk the distance.

I'm up. Slept fairly well last night despite being sore. The bed is not too my liking but adding my heating pad to relax my muscles helped me fall asleep. Dh's phone went off at 5 so I've been up since then but had a good 6 hours of sleep before then.

I'm having my tea and chocolate at the moment. Then I'll get dressed and eat my breakfast. All I have to do outside is the concert at noon. And I'll probably walk dh home from work. I'd like to walk over to the theological college and wander around but I may pass on that. We'll see how it feels later in the day. The sun is out so it might warm up to warm enough for a walk.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I've dressed and had breakfast, washed up the dishes and tidied the hotel room. Read the two papers, cut out the crosswords and have avoided getting to work for as long as possible.

The room is a bit chilly but the sun is coming in so I've been sitting in the sunny patch.

Will try and knock off one of the 12 to-do items on my list, then go out for the noon concert.

[BookSaver]

Good morning, villagers ~
The view of the snow out my window is so, so pretty -- and I am so, so glad that I don't have to go out in it today!

The trip to Sam's yesterday was cold. The car started right up and ran great the whole way, but getting in and out was cold. I found almost everything on my list in the store, but loading it all into the car I had the wind blasting right in my face ... and did I mention that it was cold? OK, I'm done whining now.

Today's goals:
* Update pantry inventory
* Laundry
* Declutter underwear drawer
* Declutter kitchen
* Scrub kitchen floor
* Call library group president
* Watch DVDs borrowed from the library so they can be returned tomorrow

[DeeClutter]

It's even cold (for here) down in "sunny?" FL today. Think it's supposed to maybe get to 58. But I'll take it as opposed to the snow and black ice up home. That ice is so scary!

I'm very slowly getting going today. Slept well until 3:25 and that's all she wrote. Did doze off about 7:30-8:30. Hate that -it's such slow going after that.

Very gray out there today. Have to make a W mart run later to pick up a ham for dinner at church tomorrow. Am adding a few other things as I go along.

Decided that our room is rather a 'pit' this morning. So will spend my time working on one surface at a time. Don't usually let it get to this state. So for the next hour or so I'll be 'layering' our bedroom.

Trying hard to get excited about our cruise. Dh is very much so -probably enough for both of us. I think my anxiety about getting there and being on the water overshadows any excitement that might be there. I WANT to be excited; I just can't seem to get there. DD is also ultra excited.

Kathryn, stay warm and safe -no slipping out there.

Sunny, thank you for your post on FB. We're so proud of ddil (this is DS-R's wife and the one with stage 3 breast cancer. So far so good on that scale -5 years now).

[Harriet]

Tomorrow morning is our 17 degree morning. So I am listening to Kathryn and BookSaver and anticipating. Sigh.

Over only a 6-day period, our lows show a 38 degree difference. This is the kind of drop that makes folks sick. Not viruses but certainly stiff necks and tenseness and chills and irritability!

The school is continuing with their push against tardiness and therefore teachers are standing at points along the car-drop-off-parents' drive up the hill and around the circle. I imagine some are at the buses, too. Some of them were ill-prepared this a.m. in dresses. They looked so stiff - like those clothespin-craft dolls, only with their arms wrapped around! I'm sure tomorrow morning the uniform will be parkas and long pants like a few were wise enough to have!

I exercised this a.m. and have pretty much decided on a simplified exercise plan for the rest of the year. I'll think it through more and post in H and F. I need efficiency and it needs to be a no-brainer.

I made a phone order for my alfalfa capsules this a.m. from the T-Tapp site for this one-day special, half price. So glad I remembered to check that. Part can be a present for dd34. HRH had a blood-work appt first thing, so I got him off early for that. Got in a sensible breakfast - well, mostly sensible!

TaDa from yesterday is the installation of a new light fixture in our master closet. Can really see into the corners now!

More present-checking was the fun of looking for Barbie clothes. If anyone is interested, I especially appreciate a couple etsy sellers who make clothes that include sleeves - check that out. If I'm going to play Barbies, I want some real-world wardrobe items. We can't all live in strapless gowns every day! I need to make sure dbil brings a Barbie along when he and little niece come to visit!

[Harmony]

I was up early and made a good start...and then stalled. Phone call and I have such bad reception in the house that I had to keep going out onto porch, wearing my hoodie and shivering in the cold...well 60° and windy is cold for us. I'm shocked at the weather y'all are having this early. And all the snow... if this keeps up it'll be a flood happening in the spring when it all melts.

We're supposed to be cold like this for a couple days. These concrete boxes we live in down here never seem to get warm in the winter.

Made a start at my desk but didn't get far. Had to hunt a paper for DH...his scatter and find system is the pits. I did manage to find what he needed... and then I had phone call to insurance agent about business insurance this time and sent a fax... but there is much there to do.

House is getting bad again so I need to give that some attention also.

Was happy to read last night about Elizabeth's job and how she was liking it. I have a question... do bobcats breed with domestic cats?

[Harriet]

Oh, layering. Hmmm... ... I don't do enough.
I do think in terms of space as well as time with it. I wash clothes that will need to drip-dry with an eye to drying times in which no one will need that space. And take drip-dried items away promptly. I keep up with dishes as I go along, and finish all by evening, in great part because that means counter spaces and sink are ready for the unexpected project all day. I know feng shui experts would disapprove, but I really layer storage space underbed. Love those bedskirts!

Another layering thought - it does not work for desktops. (Ask me how I know right this minute.)

Twins' Mom said yesterday she just finished the whole Harry Potter series again. That is probably good layering use of time.


Harmony, we have to do that with cell-phones (porch conversations) and don't know if it is because of our metal roof or because we live at the intersection of phone towers' circles of reception, rather than well within one.

Others know more about bobcats, but I think the short answer is that they can breed with domestic cats but it almost never happens in the wild. There are those who sell mix bob/domestic cats - whether those have been ethical breeder's decisions or not I would let someone else answer. I would think both wildlife supporters and domestic animal supporters would see potential problems.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Listened to a John Cleese interview while updating Quicken. So that's one item off my to-do list. I'm halfway through the next item which is updating my SHE 'cards' (entries on Google calendar) to reflect my new home. This week I'm only working on the weeklies not zone chores.

Time for me to head off for the concert. I discovered I brought liner socks (normally worn under hiking socks which I didn't bring) so I'll double sock with knee socks.

There's a screen shot of a weather map showing all 50 states had at least one location with a low below freezing.