Wednesday Anti-Procrastination 11 December

[Harriet]

Shopping troubles and solutions

Found the very nice golf hat elsewhere, and it will arrive in time. Just have a higher shipping cost. Sigh.

Gift purchase for WonderBoy was "cancelled" by surprise. What? So found it elsewhere, too, at a MUCH higher shipping cost. Double sigh. They said, "last one". Whatareyagonnado?

I figured, these are decisions I made after lots of thinking time and my thinking time is worth something - I don't want to start over from square one again. Also, it has nothing to do with the recipient, or with "it's the thought that counts" if shipping charges suddenly change. So, looked at that way, each grand's gift still stayed within the budget and about equal.

The food order I was waiting on last night still hasn't arrived. It would have offered some convenience for traveling. I've just managed with all homemade.

Hugs to villagers having misunderstandings or frustrating communication with loved ones. It's a stressful time of year.

Ya'll have been chatting about the Blue Bloods cancellation. I know you will smile at this, but I've been bingeing the old black and white Car 54 show with Fred Gwynn, Joe E. Ross, Nipsy Russell. What a heartwarming police show in a half-hour, often with funny situations, sometimes very real problems as part. Last night they mentioned there being less respect for the police than there used to be, with name-calling, gestures. This was almost 65 years ago.

[blessedw2]

I like car 54 - where are you! you made me smile remembering it d harriet
how frustrating that the gift was cancelled - sorry u had to pay more

dh must have realized he over stepped - he asked if it would help to start my car before taking mom home - it really helped and I thanked him for it. a new day tomorrow! he just came in and apologized.

tonight I saw this posted
take life day by day and be grateful for the little things
dont get stressed over what yo can't control & focus on the positive

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

This is the second, Car 54 Where are You reference I've seen today.

The first was here:

https://www.newsfromme.com/2024/12/11/t ... link-4295/

Quite the coincidence. Since I've never watched the show, I might go off and listen to the theme song!

After my morning outings, I had breakfast at 1, and got the jigsaw puzzle done for today. Then I polished the silver candelabra along with the teaspoons and spoon tray, and the napkin rings (which won't be used again until later in January, I have Christmas ones for this season.)

I still haven't taken down the Christmas glasses and mugs. I'm debating not doing it this year. Three mugs are out (they go in the dining room on the buffet). The buffet is 'dressed' now for the season along with the table.

I went to exercise class, came back and fussed a bit over a few things (such as putting down carpet pieces to allow me to put the recliner half on the rug, half on the carpet pieces.

Then I got the tree out of its box and up. Had dinner, then another meeting, and then got the lights and garlands onto the tree. The light timer doesn't work but it might just need some charging first. We'll see.

I'm off to bed now.

Tomorrow is a singing day and then dinner out at the pub.

Today's worship meeting landed more writing to be done by Monday or Tuesday next week, plus reminded me I have to write a Christmas Eve sermon. On the other hand, the meeting's opening reflection gave me an excellent spark for that so the sermon is almost half written.

[blessedw2]

good night d Kathyrn

[lucylee]

Well, I haven't done anything to promote "anti-procrastination." In fact, I have been in major procrastination-mode most of the day.
After eating lunch with dgd, I came home and took a nap.
Then, went to the children's program at church, and it was very nice.
Home, ate supper -- salad and a "Lunchable." Salad was good though, even though I threw out my O live G Arden dressing which reached its "best by" date two years ago! It was just a Chef's Salad from Wmart, but I added a tangerine, some celery, and some almonds.

Ever since I've been procrastinating about doing today's quota of Christmas cards, and folding laundry in the dryer. (Just towels, etc.)
Also on the "ought to do but haven't yet" list -- WHB & s/s bathrooms.
Tomorrow is another hectic day --
-- haircut at 1:00 pm
-- pick up DGS at school, 3:00 pm
-- pick up DGD at school, 4:15
-- keep dgrands and go to hospital "Lights of Love," at 5:30

Oh -- I love Car 54! It is one of the cultural advantages that dh brought into my life. I had also never seen the movies To Kill a Mockingbird, Sergeant York, or any movies with Audie Murphy -- or tv shows Highway Patrol, Wagon Train, or Tales of Wells Fargo. I also
have developed a new appreciation for the Three Stooges, LOL. These old TV shows are great for distraction and stress relief.
I know I am too dependent on tv right now for entertainment, and comfort, and distraction, and stress relief... but right now, I'm just doing what I have to. I write things down in my planner, but I'm not real excited about reaching any goals or anything, I'm just kinda drifting along. And what I read yesterday confirmed that grief really IS physically exhausting -- so I figured the nap was worthwhile.

Harriet -- it is so frustrating when the shopping encounters shipping delays or cancellations.
BTDT... and it came to my attention tonight that we really do have 5 days less between Thanksgiving and Christmas than usual. I have a few orders still out, and I have a few things that simply will have to be bought in brick and mortar stores -- because as yet, I have not decided just what these things will BE. AUUGUGHH!! Dniece/nephew -- $ but I need something to wrap... dbil -- ???... dbil's fiance'??? The girls, it isn't quite so hard -- some kind of clothing or jewelry, something... but nephew and dbil -- I am at a total loss. I will be talking to fiance before I'm back in Next Town for ob-gyn appt next Tuesday. MAYBE she will have some suggestions.

Brrrr... blessed... it's cold here, but not like you're experiencing! VERY windy today, and that made it feel colder, of course. Dmom didn't go to the Christmas program, and personally, I'm glad I didn't have to worry about her.
I hope things settle down with your new routine with your mom, and that she becomes happier and more comfortable with the night caregiver. I am glad to hear your dh apologized and things are better with him.

(((Cathy)))

Waving to ALL of you!!!

I'm going to at least try to get my 10 cards done tonight.

Oh -- and earlier today, I talked to a Dcousin -- actually my dad's first cousin but he is 5 years younger than me! -- and he caught me up on some family news, mainly a daunt, (my great-aunt), who is in rehab right now in Next Town. I'm glad we talked -- I don't know how long she will be there, but I will try to go see her next week also, while I'm over there and deliver her Christmas card in person so it doesn't end up in limbo between rehab and her home address. She is super-sweet, never married, and (although she is my dad's aunt) is the same age as my ddad.

My family heritage on my dad's side is less a tree than a tangled briar or shrub, Twins. On my paternal grandfather's side, there were three children by my great-grandfather, and then he left his wife, ran off to Texas, and she remarried. She had at least 6 more children. I may be leaving out someone. This creates what I jokingly call "half-cousins" -- which the man I talked with today is. Also, one of my half-great aunts married my paternal grandmother's brother, creating.. what? Double cousins, but actually cousins-and-a-half? My paternal grandfather also had a grandmother whom I think was married more than once, with children by at least two husbands, and I don't even know ANYTHING about that family, except for one of my great-grandmother's half-sisters and her children/grandchildren.
See what I mean?
Also, Twins, while my great-grandfather was in Texas, after leaving his wife, he married again and -- here's the mystery -- there was a 6 year old child living in his household, according to the census of (I think) 1930. This child has the same first and last name of a very popular entertainer from a nearby city in Texas, who is probably around 40 today. So, could she have been an ancestor of the entertainer, I ask myself. I just can't help but wonder if this is just a weird coincidence, or if I'm crazy. No way to follow up on the entertainer, even if she is on ancestry.com, because census records aren't published recently enough for her father, and I don't know her grandfather's name.
I actually tried to contact this entertainer on her website, but I'm sure they think I'm totally nuts. They never replied, and I never tried again because I didn't want to get arrested as a stalker who was possibly out for money, LOL! But it is an interesting coincidence, don't you think?

Well... off in the weeds on that one, but it's another procrastination tactic, I think. I'll get to those Christmas cards.