"Icy" and "I see" Sunday

[blessedw2]

d book you made me smile

Anything to make so many projects seem a little daunting, right?

[blessedw2]

Heading out to a party..

I am in confusion on where to go next... I have to get my 2014 spending together for dh and for taxes
I think de cluttering it would help except I am not exactly sure how to do it.

I think I am complicating this too much .. I know getting rid of things seems to be the answer for me but it's the stuff I need to keep that has so many pieces that cause me problems.

I remember as a young mom and girl scout leader - I dropped off a check for another young mom whose house was spotless and kids played happily. She immediately went to her closed desk area and recorded the check and put it an envelope for deposit and closed the desk.. I was amazed how efficient she was... I know it is just routines that make the difference but when you have so much desk/paper clutter; it can seem daunting.

[helia]

Good afternoon! It is snowing here, which is very exciting! We are yet to have a good snowfall this winter. This one is kind of meh so far, but maybe. . . Ice disasters did not happen here last night. However, temps are supposed to fall rapidly from around 30 now to around 6* and a warning re: potential icy roads tonight has been issued. Dd16 is really hoping for a snow/ice day tomorrow. . .Our mild winter weather is disappearing tonight. Highs the next few days are 10 - 16*.

I love all the kindness and sincere support and exchanges of real ideas re: calendars and organizing tasks I read here.

((Kathrn and dd)) I know from some of the young moms in our moms group that can be a very arduous and painful struggle.

Well, all I've done today is go to church, chat with friends after church, go out to lunch w/ the entire family, and then relax at home - sudokus and then a nap.

We are having our Christmas with the C family tonight, so Christmas continues here! LOL! This was the best night we could coordinate with them after our friends E and C left. Earlier, we were traveling and then hosting E and C as houseguests. Even earlier, we originally had a pre-Christmas rush date on the calendar, but S wasn't ready at the time b/c she had been out of town with her work.

Before they arrive here in about 1:15, I'd like to:
- make an angel food cake - from scratch! A new thing for me, and I'm looking forward to experimenting.
- make our bed
- fold lol in the dryer
- wrap 2 small gifts for S and R that had been forgotten earlier
- walk with dh to WF for our traditional bread for dinner

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I see no Christmas here, just the seven bins all loaded, labeled and on carts ready to take to the storage locker. Dh has already taken the tree down.

I see vacuuming in my near future, but first I see McD's. We are both just too whipped to cook - even something simple. And too tired to have anything 'nice.' It is very nice to know it is just a 10 minute drive away.

I washed up all the dishes after lunch so the kitchen isn't in bad shape. Another reason to just run out for dinner.

But next I see a glass of water. I'm parched.

[blessedw2]

awesome christmas being packed up d kathryn.
happy continued fun of Christmas

Home after gathering.. so much fun!
Lovely people.

[lucylee]

Another tip of my hat to the checklist and the idea that "I can do anything for 15 minutes."
I know it takes approx 20 minutes to do my Sunday evening routine --
-- allergy shots
-- s/s kitchen & baths
-- water plants (for one in particular, this is becoming more like watering STEMS, and a couple more don't look too healthy )
-- refill meds for the week
-- check grocery list and coupons
-- write check for newspaper man (but I did that last night)
So... although I had slept awhile and awoke feeling achy and feverish again -- hot/clammy -- I thought, "It's not going to kill me to do those few little chores..."
And now they are all done and I am so glad.
Still feel hot and clammy, and the chocolate pretzels I rewarded myself with have upset my stomach, but still... I will go to bed w/a neat -- if not clean -- house.

I also switched my zone for tomorrow from entry/porch/study to den... b/c that is where the Christmas tree is, and it must come down this week. I don't mind leaving it up until Jan. 6, but that is IT, for me. Must get this done.

[blessedw2]

awesome d lucy

[Harmony]

Dblessed, your items are so diverse. All I can say is what I do here. I try to put like items together. My wrapping paper, ribbons, tags, packaging tape, extra boxes are all in the same place. Some of it is in small bins stacked together. It is in a place close to where I usually wrap, the master bed. My desk has the supplies I need to use every day. Extras are in a bin in the office closet. I have one of those fabric / ribbon boards over my desk surface and I have specific spots on that for stuff that comes in: checks, notes, etc. At least like things are put together so I know where to look. I have my own excesses too, though, it doesn't all stay put!

I worked hard all afternoon. I forgot to stop for dinner; made something for DH who has been in bed all day, but didn't stop for myself.

I took down the outside lights and got that bin up on a tall shelf. I brought in the other bins and took all the boxed ornaments out of their boxes and put in smaller boxes & containers. It saved a lot of room. When I got everything sorted and put back I had 2 bins left over. I'll use one for year office records - I was going to have to buy one since the ones I have are full. There was extra things to sort this year because I used a bigger real tree and brought in lights and big bulbs I haven't been using. It was a LOT of work.

Hosed off the tree stand and got that stashed away. Had to sweep some floors and shake all the mats. Tree is in the backyard now. 5' is perfect, easy to carry and light. I pushed the end table back into the tree's corner because it looked so bare in there I felt sad. I washed the tree skirt on the hand wash cycle which just swishes it back and forth a little and no spinning. It's squeezed out and hanging outside to dry. When it's ready I'll put all the material things in plastic and get that stashed. It's so hot in the garage I can't put anything like that out there, it all goes in the mbr closet.

Whew! I'm glad DH has decided to wait at least another day before working. We were supposed to move trucks tonight but he's really sick. I'm afraid another day won't be enough, but he can't put this off for long. Really a dilemma. No sick days for him!

Waiting for D. Abbey tonight. Guess I'll go make a sandwich to eat while I watch.

Lucylee I sure hope you guys get better soon. A couple we know from church has been sick with this rot for 2 weeks.

[Elizabeth]

Hi everyone! I have CUOP, but this will be a fast check in! I have to pick up DD12 from youth group in about 5 minutes. I did do my Christmas card check for the church, but have not done it for non-church friends. Need to do that soon. Also thank you notes. I completed church webwork while DD was at YG and finally FOUND MY BROWN PANTS!!! I still need to find a crochet pattern, find a book, get clothes laid out for tomorrow, breakfast for tomorrow, cat care, and me care.

The X and the other woman have hit a new low. They put a picture of themselves, her son, and my daughter on my Facebook wall and labeled it "Our Family".

[Harriet]

Evenin', dear friends.

A very busy day for us, with church responsibilities from 8:30 to 12 and then fulfilling a promise to ourselves for a serious big grocery shopping trip, long needed. Frankly, I napped! On the couch, sitting up half the time. By the time I awakened, HRH had put a quilt over me and my glasses were (temporarily) lost.

blessed, I am a cardfile girl foremost, and also as BookSaver said, I am always interested in trying out new forms and especially check-off charts. (A chart or form that will fit ON a card is a delight, lol.)

Actually, I don't need to ask you WHY you both touch and see those cards - that's me, too. This is the "on my mind/off my mind" concept at work. The card is holding the task, remembering the task (forgiving the task and reminding again, if that's what's needed). To pick it up, appreciate it, acknowledge it, put it back and let it keep doing its job - that's a great way to release the tasks from the CLUTCH our poor brains have to keep on them otherwise! Whew! A line on paper can do this well, or a so-far-empty check-off box can do it, but the card is very FIRM in its intention, self-contained, standing up in front if necessary. We are saying to the card, "Here, hold this, it's important, and I'll be back."

Focus works for me, too - on cards or both cards and another calendar. I think Indiana was really so smart in the way she planned this - looking out across a full year, long-term, rotating consistently. Probably the reason it works for me is that I need clear understanding of what my "Next Up" should be. Since Focus is by room (or area sometimes, but mostly rooms) there is less side-tracking. Within the four walls of that room is my Next Up and I don't wander off on a rabbit trail so often.

Right, the way to know how much regular decluttering helps is to take a break from it.

Party supplies here - nice things like tablecloths in a drawer in the dining room. Paper things in a cabinet in the laundry/kitchen. Just typing that makes me wonder if the dining room drawer would hold it all, which would make more sense, really. I think I have party paper things mixed up in my mind with everyday paper. Hmmm... ... The two have little to do with each other. All party in the dining room drawer is a better idea!

Greeting cards - in card boxes with labels ("thank you", "note cards", "birthday") in a cabinet in living room.

"... ... for you to see a picture of my desk area" I fear my own desk could NOT stand up to scrutiny! Lets think in those terms AFTER the first office focus week!

Great job on your weight and inches, lucylee. Also on your record keeping so you know that, and your confidence in many things. I started smiling with the second paragraph of Twain's piece and was at a hearty "HA!" by the third. I love that part about how easy to replace a house as long as you don't need to find one with someone in it to remind you of their care. Gould and Curry - a mining co in which he held stock.

I can only assume the woman of advanced age who mixed the concoctions was named Guinan... ... but that's another story.

Smart way to look at the coming year, BookSaver.

Kathryn, somehow I got the idea you weren't coughing so much any more - get well soon! Thinking of you and family tonight.

Tomorrow the school days start, frantic searches for the one lost thing, cold mornings, shivering, O-dark-thirty partings. And NORMALCY!