Monday Normalcy

[Harriet]

What do we want?

NORMALCY !

When do we want it?

MONDAY!

*\o/* *\o/* *\o/* *\o/* *\o/* *\o/* *\o/*

[BookSaver]

*\o/* YES!
Thank you, Harriet, Normalcy is exactly what I want for this Monday.

Thank you, everyone, for your kind words on the loss of DMIL. Her memorial service on Friday turned out just the way she requested.

I took a total break from volunteer work for 2 days Friday & Saturday.
Yesterday I limited myself to a couple hours at the library finishing clean-up from last weekend's book sale. DH and I have stopped our newspaper subscription at home since there were so many problems with delivery. I can read it at the library any time I want to go there. DH came with me yesterday and he read the week's newspapers while I dismantled a big box of old textbooks for recycling.

This week will include several hours of volunteer time, so I need to print a tracking form. Filling in those little bubbles on the form helps me with focus and realistic expectations. I count each bubble as 1/2 hour.

But first ... the cat wants attention and my coffee cup is empty. BBL.

[helia]

Normalcy. . .. . yes! THAT is exactly what I want! How did you know, Harriet?
I'm glad you were able to take a break, Bookie. Glad the service turned out as dmil wanted.

I had a very social weekend and want to spend all today at home by myself. Can't happen. LOL! But, I can be less social.

I had 4 parties/get togethers to attend this past weekend, not including having S, R, and baby J over for dinner last night, our normal Sunday night happening. 3 of the parties were Saturday - a small good bye brunch in the morning for the wife of our pastor (they are moving later this month) from about 9 - 12, a cook out for the teachers at my school from about 6 - 8:15 (we left early), and then a later evening small get together with a colleague of dh's, who is from the UK and is here working on a project with dh and his team for 2 years. We were home from the last get together a bit after 11 pm. With a groc. store trip + one other errand and getting dd19 to the airport at 5:30 a.m. (I got up at 4:40 a.m.), I was out of the house for more than 11 hours Saturday - and pretty socialized out and tired. And I had eaten way too much.

Yesterday was a bit better, church with a good bye reception for our pastor and his family immediately after the service, though I ended up chatting in the sanctuary with 2 friends during most of the reception time. (Dh and I have a lunch date with the pastor and his wife for next weekend.) Then, dd17 and I brought lunch to R's house and shared lunch with him. S is out of town - again. Baby J stayed with R this time. I took a nap in the afternoon and then we were off to a graduation party, home, and then S, R, and J showed up 15 minutes later for dinner. They left around 8:30. Again, I was so tired.

With all the social activity this weekend, I didn't call my parents. I've been neglecting them. . .

We've heard from dd19 so we know she got to Guatemala safely and has met up with her team. Yay!

I called ds on Saturday and he is doing very well! He said, "everyone here is really smart." He likes that! He likes his team.

Late start for dd17 today. She's been a little stressed preparing for final exams this week - they start tomorrow for her. She tends to stress out over school work more than my other two kids, but she also doesn't procrastinate like dd19 did. Dd19 played games with her school work. I think all dd17's grades are all well-situated so she doesn't need to be too concerned.

I wonder if Harriet's dd16 is likewise busy with exams?

Dh is off on a long run.

Next:
- QT
- s2s and self-care
- edit R's essay

Later:
- finish a.m. routine
- tutor R
- li$ts for the week
- grade quiz and update engrade for my class
- prep for class
- exercise of some sort; it looks kind of rainy, though jogging in light rain is often quite pleasant.
- payroll
- dinner: tuna pasta, salad, bread

[Nancy]

Off to the chicken feeding rounds first and had coffee going before I left to feed. So I have had some normalcy here already yea! Sun is up now. 100* it the hi for today so I need to water.

I need to spiff up the rest of the kitchen take a.m. meds. The header on the shooting at the store the other day is referring to a link to other crimes the suspects have.

I have stuff to get goi going on this week sweet potato vines to plant for some fun!

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Love the opening today!

Normalcy will be the order of the day here but for me that means returning to write services and sermons so cramming an extra 15 hours into the week. Plus I have physio today.

I've recently restarted doing zone chores and this week's (which haven't been touched properly since moving in, although some were done at Christmas) are heavy as the zone is living room, dining room, foyer. So I really need to get my act together if I'm going to accomplish health care, zone work, writing.

I sorted my summer/winter clothes last night just because my closet was getting to jam-packed. Now the off-season/formal-wear closet is jam-packed but there's breathing room in my closet. I need to get rid of a large number of skirts. Way too many of those (I think 10 for summer and 8 for winter, some summer ones which are dual season.)

I'm up, the bed is stripped and remade, the first load of laundry is started. The kitchen is tidied and I'm having my tea and chocolate.

Didn't sleep well. Although that isn't news. My leg is marginal this morning. The pain has eased but it is certainly sore which will likely slow me down today. As well, dh is on a conference call already today so I can't be too noisy (that started at 8 a.m.) He's now doing work both in Europe and California (NZ is on hiatus) so when he gets up in the morning, Europe as already been working for 4 hours. Dh puts off his morning routine to deal with them, often having his breakfast after lunchtime here (because they've stopped for the day and California is just coming into work.) With CA three hours behind us, he then is on-call to them until 9 p.m. This is not an ideal work environment at all, since he then spends the weekends catching up on his standards work and preparing deliveries for Europe (so they can play with the product for a few hours Monday morning while dh is sleeping.) But what the hay - he claims he's happy in his retirement.

[blessedw2]

Happy Monday! Normalcy - what a wonderful way to start! thank you d Harriet
wow d helia.. you are a busy wonderful woman!
Dearest book I am sorry for the loss of your D MIL .. my condolences to your family
Hi d book and d nancy!
D Kathryn feel better!

[Ramblinrose]

Morning y'all

I'm back to normal after hosting my luncheon yesterday.

Sweetie helped me put two tables together so I could seat everyone together. I had to move and angle my dinning room table, which is in my eating area, and then we placed an additional table at the end of it. My table, with its leave in it, comfortablely fits eight but there were ten of us.

My chicken salad sandwiches were a hit and othe gals brought additional dishes. We drank and toasted with champaign, plus I had sparkling water for those who would prefer that.

The afternoon was amazing. Ten women of all ages who worked side by side for ten years or more. Every day we at lunch together sharing love, laughter and tears. We celebrated marriages, births, deaths, kids and everyday problems and successes.

Many of my friends have retired but we still continue to gather together as often as possible. We never fuss or fight..it has always been a safe environment to share our thoughts or feelings even when we disagree.

It's hard for me to imagine this many women sharing a unique friendship in other situations.

My home is already back to normal. I worked on it before I went to bed last night. House is clean and laundry is done so I have the day to myself.

Right now I think I will drink my second cup of coffee and then make so breakfast. Willis is at my feet telling me he wants his too. C'ya later... Enjoy your day
Right

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Zone work done for the day. I cleaned out the front hall closet and the set of drawers that hold our hats and gloves. Things we didn't wear last winter (which was a very cold winter) went back into the hats & gloves bins. I pulled out the summer hats (half were out because of the trip south in winter.) I've managed to find a grocery bag sized pile of things to give away. I'm keeping lots of mitts, hats and scarves that we don't wear because they were made by our mothers. That bin of extras can be used when we have visitors without proper clothing for Ottawa winter.

Dh also helped me by taking down all the light fixtures that had bugs or dirt on them. So that's all done as well.

Two items off this week's list of 14 deep cleaning tasks. I can skip test smoke alarms, though, because that's a job done by the superintendent.

I'm still not dressed so that will be my next to-do. And physio exercises as well - at least the easy ones!

[Harmony]

Good morning! I was working away at making the house normal again after this weekend and company so the topic fits today.

I hung up the towels I washed last night and started another load. I have another load done waiting to be folded. Kitchen chores also done.

Reconciled one bank account. I had that one messed up! 2 DPC's done, 1 taken 1 made. I have several returns to do today, 3 places. I need to get to the floors here too. Then It'll be back to to normal. Want to look at spreadsheets first before I start the rest. Busy Monday for me.

[Twins' Mom]

Slept in a bit - clock started going off at 7 and I kept hitting the snooze button until 8:30. Can't figure out how I kept hitting it that long and didn't get myself up.

I can use normalcy here for sure. I'm remembering that the last few summers dd has been away for most the summer and ds has at least been working during daytime hours, so they haven't been here so much in the daytime.

I need to get my house together, my menus/plans for this week with Aunt P here beginning on Wed and have some time for myself. I'd still like to get upstairs to stamp, or rather to clean up the desk enough so I can stamp.

OMM for today:
-dd and I agreed we would paint the outside metal table today, I hope we can get that going
-groceries, make lasagne sauce for lasagne for dd's going away next Sunday
-guest lists to have people over while P is here and also next Sunday for dd's going away
-routines
-what else?

Right now:
-grocery list
-s2s
-reboot laundry
-refill meds box
-get rid of 10 pieces of paper - my desk is killing me