Suddenly Second Saturday

[CathyS]

Oh joy, oh bliss!! The sun came out this afternoon!!

It seemed SO bright, plus we had a snow storm yesterday, so it's reflecting off the snow. SO much better than dead grass, overcast skies and no leaves on the trees. Now it just looks so pretty outside. It's icy in spots and there are patches along the edges of the road that you need to be careful about, but that's okay.

Football game is on and dh is sleeping at his computer. I just got home from knitting.

This afternoon life just seems so much better than yesterday or the day before. I think I might need to get a SAD light.

[DeeClutter]

How did THAT happen already? Oh, I know: "Suddenly".

Hardly got any sleep last night and then got 4 hours between 5 and 9:30 with a grand total of 5 hours 40 minutes. I've been puttering all day.

Dh seems a little better today. I'm trying to tweak his meds just a little. For instance -his Eliquis (blood thinner) he's been taking in the morning and then again about 4pm I'm thinking that's too close together. Did a lot of researching and found what I was looking for finally. Says twice a day should probably mean when arising and at bedtime -i.e. 12 hours apart. Then I realized he takes both Omeprazole and Famotidine both with his so-called 4 o'clock meds -they're both for the stomach. So I just split those up so he's getting omeprazole in the morning, late afternoon and the famotidine at bedtime. Kept reading how important it was for blood thinner to be equal times apart to avoid too much at one time -or not enough.

Find him dreaming a lot, evidently and he'll wake up and ask questions. Think he's sleeping deeply/dreaming/waking up too suddenly to what he thinks is reality. Gave him a 2nd breathing treatment this afternoon and he thinks it's helping. The most concerning thing is how much weight he's gained. We think though that he wasn't getting his lasix, etc while in the hospital as they were trying to take care of so many things. So we'll see how the next few days go. For instance he gained 3# since yesterday and it's surely not eating too much by any means.

Got a lot of odds 'n ends done today. Dh had to call us for help last night with severe leg cramps and he couldn't move. So he started drinking tonic water again and hopefully that will help. DD bought 2 liter bottles of citrus tonic water ( I just typed "toxic" -I don't think so) on sale today for him. She bought 5 @ $1 each. Should keep him for a while.

I hear the oven singing so dinner must be ready. Smells so good -we're heaving turkey pot pie so dh gets to eat some of our Thanksgiving turkey -he was up north for that.

[lucylee]

I wonder if my dh is taking his Eliquis too close together also, Dee. He usually starts the day feeling pretty good, and then later in the day he just wears out. BUT -- since they started the iron supplement, he has felt better, so maybe that was the problem for him.
And yes -- time does pass SUDDENLY when you spend the majority of it dealing with hospitals and all that involves. While you're AT the hospital, it doesn't pass quickly at all... but then you look at the calendar and think WHAT ON EARTH???

This is my whole excuse for being completely out of sync with the whole Christmas season, including putting a close to it.

PROGRESS REPORT!!!
DGD helped me and we have just about boxed up the dining room & kitchens stuff -- ALMOST cleared the dining room table. However, I got "stuck" because I forgot what boxes certain things came out of, and I'm left with some Santas and some snowmen that I don't know where to put... and I'm not doing a very good job of organizing the boxes to put away like you did, Harmony. Maybe I will do better next year. But I do agree, it is sooo nice to have everything put away and cleaned up again.
It sure would be nice if Mystery's dh could come make short work of it around here. My dh, with his arthritis pain, is no help at all.

I stopped and went to dgs' ballgame but I do plan to do some more before giving up tonight.

I have to go back to ds' house and get dgs' piano books. Tomorrow he will have his first lesson since the Sunday before Christmas, and tonight will probably be the first time he's touched a piano since then, as well. So... I know his teacher is going to be thrilled with him -- NOT. Twice he missed because of the holidays, twice because the teacher had to cancel. But that's no excuse for him not practicing.
OTOH, it comes back to him pretty easily, I think, so if he can get back into a routine (remember -- no one at his house understands the meaning of that word ) but if he CAN, then maybe he'll do okay in a week or two.
My dbro, who earned a piano performance scholarship to Alabama, took lessons from the same teacher. He said when he was dgs' age, the teacher told dmom he might need to stop taking lessons! He said he didn't really take a big interest in the piano until (1) he decided he wanted to play like two older girls who were friends of his, and (2) he heard Horowitz play something and decided that he wanted to learn to play that piece of music.
DGS probably has more interest in emulating Jerry Lee Lewis than Horowitz, LOL, and I don't think this teacher will ever get him to rockabilly fame... but if he learns to read music well enough to entertain himself, I think he will be very pleased with himself.

I also have to get dgs and myself something to eat for supper, (dh ate at the ballgame), and I have to get wrapping paper for a baby shower tomorrow.

AND tomorrow, after church, piano lessons, and the baby shower, I have to buy groceries for myself and dmom. (Sundays are anything BUT a "day of rest" around here.)
Dmom is not doing well. She said she almost fell getting out of her house with her walker, and she cancelled her beauty shop appt. She admits she might should have gone to rehab after the last hospital stay, but she was so anxious to come home she didn't even consider it. And, since she had not had surgery, I didn't mention it either. But she is VERY weak, and she has probably lost 25 pounds since all this started back in May.

The snow sounds beautiful, Cathy. I'm glad we don't get a LOT of it like some of y'all, but I absolutely agree -- it is sooo beautiful when everything is sparkling and white.

[Harmony]

Lucylee, BWTG getting a good start putting the decorations all away.

Mine is not the best organized, but what I am most pleased with is that there is not so much any more. Plenty of stuff to put away and get out, but everything is things I like. My decorated glass block with lights inside, my stockings and the hangers DH made for me. My table centerpiece basket. My 3 cross stitch embroidered pictures (maybe someday I'll get those in frames), a throw pillow, some potholders and hand towels. The sewed picture DSis made for me last year. Only thing not really loved is the tree which is a sorta cheap thing that is top heavy when I get it together, especially with the angel on top, though I love all the decorations I kept for it. A favorite is my manger nativity and the stable DH made for me out of cedar shakes. If I ever stop decorating, I could put that out and be happy.

I worked on the kitchen. Lots of cleaning. I wiped out drawers and counters, things like the toaster, the coffeepot.

Took another look at the bookcase. Got rid of about 6 paperback books, mostly old workbooks either done or partly done...not worth keeping. 1 to the recycle bin, others pitched. I'm hoping the house gets easier to keep tidy and clean.

Dee, yes don't serve your DH toxic water! I hope tweaking his meds helps him feel better.

I love to see snow too. It makes everything look so white and clean. When I was up north I hated all the leafless trees. They all looked dead to me, though I knew they really weren't, they made me sad to see them. We had tons of hardwood trees, at least some evergreens were still green.

[Harriet]

Yes, our 2-foot tree is still up, but then it is effortless and quick to take down. Decor will be very quick, too, so the minimal work is something to be grateful for, and that's what HRH wanted for us this year. We're still thinking one child will be able to come for presents, but pretty soon will give the decor up even if that doesn't happen soon, I guess.

Dd42 and I went out to eat (first time in a restaurant for me in ... .. a couple years?). Not crowded at all, very open so we felt confident. They had choices I could eat, but the meal still seemed heavy - just not used to restaurants, I think. But I'd had a smoothie for brunch and so I don't think the day was so bad for eating.

Then to Tarjay to shop. I bought very little - a new exercise mat and "Flair" pens and some index cards. She got things for the boys.

We noticed that there are no longer machines on posts around the store to let you find out the prices of items. I almost didn't buy the mat because we couldn't be sure of the price until checkout. The cashier said she knew of no one who understood why they have all been taken down, but the decision came from "on high".

Back home I remotely attended prayer meeting.

[lucylee]

GUESS WHAT!
Midnight CI:
EVERYTHING is back in the closet EXCEPT the tree/ornaments/lights and the dining room table arrangement.
I seriously doubt I will touch the tree tomorrow and Monday and Tuesday are busy too… but I might find 15 minutes each day to get it started.
The table arrangement can’t be put away till the ornament box is back in place.

I swear I think these things multiplied over the last month… or my closet shrunk.

I have also washed a load of clothes and wrapped the baby gift.