Monday, While Majorly Motivated

[Harriet]

It's nice to have a slow day once in a while, don't you think?! - Harmony, last evening

So true.

But it's not usually a Monday.

Mondays, following a brief period of denial, are here to get us motivated. Majorly.

What are you motivated to do this week? How is Monday going to help get you there?

[CathyS]

Hi!

I have a l!$t of DPCs. Three today and 1 tomorrow. Two of them are to say Happy Birthday, but still... my younger brother will be 50 tomorrow. I remember the day he was born, and that also means that the 10th anniversary of my dad dying is later this week. It's also the 56th anniversary of my mom dying on the same day, which is always a very rough day for me. I hate the end of October for that reason.

Other than 2 knitting groups, I have nothing to do today other than empty the dishwasher.

It's very cold here today. Just a couple of degrees above freezing. Brrr... I told dh it's time for me to get my snow pants out. I wasn't really joking, but he thought it was funny.

No idea what's for supper. Maybe soup of some sort.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I managed some time on the balcony because the sun was out and it wasn't windy, but not long. Yesterday I couldn't sit out at all (last week I did both morning and night, sometimes for hours.) I did manage a one hour walk in the rain yesterday morning, though. At ground level, away from the building, the wind was only fresh, not unpleasant so while I had decided to force myself for a 30 minute walk, I didn't want to stop once I got going.

Busy day today. Halloween decorating of the buildings' lobbies tonight, prepping the new residents' coffee maker for first use, lots of emails, lots of signs to make, mass email to send out, pack up my stuff for the tea after the wedding, pack up my clothes for the wedding, take one car seat out of the car, and my regular house blessing. Dinner tonight is chicken, shake and bake style. I need a shower too but I'm still tending to the coffee maker cleaning so that will have to wait another half hour.

[Harriet]

((Cathy)) Were both these parents also your brother's parents? I guess if you remember his birth, I could figure out that the answer's yes for your mother and he was only 6 when she passed - so difficult. I hope you have a happy conversation with him for his birthday.

Kathryn, I'm hoping the decorations are whimsical and make you smile. I need to step AWAY from the holiday planning for a bit - I'll stop the tangent temporarily so I can get back to it later, lol.

Ramblin', I meant to tell you I enjoyed your "something we don't know" and can just imagine you as an avid surfer.

Laundry is spinning and there are two more loads awaitin'.

Kitchen spiffed.

General preparations for what I hope will be a lot of sewing this week, major motivation to get the other stuff done and out of the way.

Wish I didn't have mending also in the lineup (and in the way), but I do. And one is a bra, which is like THE least favorite mending for sure, but I need to try. (Strap slippage on this otherwise ideal bra may send me over the edge. Are "ideal" and "bra" ever in the same sentence, really?)

[Lady Maverick]

I didn't want to stop once I got going.

This is exactly how I feel most of the time. Dee used to say something about momentum and getting started. i have such good memories of Dee and treasure them.

I recently started putting 3x5 cards on the kitchen bar with reminders for kids. When I verbally remind them it sometimes to gets forgotten. Having that silent 3x5 card with reminder is so much easier. Then later I started putting 3x5 cards on the bar with reminders for DH what projects we are working on so they don't get overcome by events and activities. Eventually I added 3x5 cards with reminders for myself. I just counted and there are 18 cards on the bar for things we all need to get done today. None of these cards are normal daily activities. Having these things laid out on 3x5 cards makes me realize how much I have been carrying around and mentally juggling in my head.

[Nancy]

I've been up a while.
Had some food & coffee.
I have a plan I have written out how I am implementing it.
I will start with the dishes in the sink & make the bed done.
Got to see the sunrise this morning.
It was lovely.
Waving to everyone.

[blessedw2]

hello thank you for starting us dearest harriet! motivated for Monday - wonderful!!!
wonderful work d harriet!

hi d cathy! I am thinking of you!I am praying this October time goes by gently for you!
I wish your dear brother a wonderful birthday! I am sure he feels it as well and one side of him wants to celebrate his birthday and the other Side grieves the week. Being so young for both of you is so difficult and traumatic.
I am thinking of you!

hi d Nancy! yay on working on your plan! glad you were able to see the sunrise! what a lovely way to start the day!

hi d lady
I too have so many good memories of our sweet Dee!
great idea of using the 3 x 5's for the kiddos as a visual reminder.
-------------------------------------------
I don't know if this could help anyone but I will mention it bc it has helped me with mine- grief is so unique to each person. ignore it if isn't for you.

When my loved ones died (about 2 years after their passing - before I couldn't breath when dates came around).
I moved to celebrating their life on their birthday by doing something good for others that they would have done - in the beginning I dreaded the date they passed - too painful. I found adding the good to the date, in honor to them, helped my grief - I still grieve - but I am finding this helps me celebrate them more and more. (sometimes it's just a card thanking someone, a prayer or like in the beginning it was something based on the people I loved - my d mom in law sewed for others and did senior items and she was a remarkable mother- my dad is education and being grateful to services, my grandfather was the garden and this coming year I will be collecting seeds and distributing them to the food pantry etc. and growing plants to donate and later veg and fruit for the food pantry (I also put a flower by my grandfathers picture), my grandmother. - taking care of my house and family - . I no longer see their passing dates as much as their birthdays to celebrate their lives. On my aunts birthday's I do something kind for someone anonymously during my day. Grief doesn't go away but once I focused their passing date to something I knew they would do and celebrate them, then the good started to fill my heart more and more and then I moved it to their birthdate. Now there is a positive spot in my heart my for loved ones. Does it still tweak my heart - yes - but it has become a time to celebrate them and their laughter and love.

hello to all.

[blessedw2]

this weekend was a very very busy fun time! We had the wedding - my d niece, the bride, was beautiful! The whole evening was such a joy! I didn't go to bed until 3 pm, Sunday morning. My girls, after the wedding, went to visit with family at their hotel near the venue and had a blast then came back here.

Yesterday I set up a lunch with my cousin, my mom, and younger dd, who lives her (now in the city instead of by me). It was lovely! I am so glad we can be together in a good healthy relationship now. She was a true joy - like the old days. My mom was feisty on the way there and I thought our visit would be bad but mom was great and enjoyed the time. I was so happy to talk to my cousin like we did years ago. we stayed chatting for 4 hours.
Mom was so happy afterward! no

I dropped off mom at 6:30 bc I was tired. in the camera we could see she had had her jacket and backpack/purse on most of the evening until dd younger called her to say hello. Mom was happy - dd never mentioned the coat, she is excellent with others, and as she was talking to mom she could see her taking off her purse (we have cameras in her apartment). All good.

I have counter and landing spaces getting full so I hope to get that done. we will have to pick up mom but I need to focus on my house this week instead of entertaining. I hope she will be okay with it and not get bored.

focus: I want to focus on halloween. dd older is here today because she had become very sick over the weekend, and she took the day off bc she is still healing. I might - depending on mom and dd's do the pumpkins and make the caramel apples. I will make apple tart for d mom. (if they join - it will be great)

[blessedw2]

current:
call d mom - have one of the dd's look at her camera to see if she is up.
ask dd younger to put mom's meds together for the week.
I have to go there and give her her morning meds and make her breakfast as she really doesn't seem to eat until it's put in front of her. I find this surprising.

kitchen card pulled.

[Dove]

Good morning!
Towels & sheets are being washed & dried, vacuuming is happening two rooms at a time per chiropractors recommendation. I used to do the whole house at once & put the vacuum away. I don't like dragging the task out all morning like this but my back prefers it .

Thought I had donated some Fall decorations because certain items weren't in the bins when I put everything out a few weeks ago. I went up on the attic yesterday for something & passed more bins labeled Fall that never made it downstairs this year. I have a vague memory of needing more space after wrapping large glass pumpkins in towels to protect them. They were very inexpensive at H ome G oods & have beautiful orange swirls & curly stems. I won't put anything out from these newly found bins this year as I'll be taking all the Fall decor down soon anyway. I like a good two weeks of no decorations before putting out Christmas decorations.

Clipped dcats nails with dh this weekend. She was pretty good -- I was able to trim nails on one front foot before she began protesting. Slipped on the muzzle & she muttered a little but didn't struggle or fight. I was able to quickly & carefully trim the other nails & she was happy to get her treats from each of us afterword. I'm hoping she won't need the muzzle at all next time.

We went to a new to us combination Flea & Farmer's Market last week & had a fun time. Beautiful weather, friendly people, & some incredible produce booths. Will be roasting some of the broccoli from there for dinner tonight to go with leftover stuffing & Parmesan Oregano Chicken.

Harriet, I'm motivated to focus on Christmas, specifically gifts for dh & family. Will only be thinking about it today, but already have some ideas to write down.

Have to share what made me laugh this morning. We have a picture on the wall that is a beach scene. I walked past it today & dh had drawn a shark on a P ost It note & stuck it onto the ocean part of the picture .

~~~ Waving to everyone -- hope you all have a wonderful day!