Susan Seidelman Sunday

[trissie]

kitkat, hoping the fires and their smoke will stay far away from you! Just wondering, do you keep an evacuation bag ready?

Frenchie, do potatoes need a lot of sun, or would they thrive in shade too? I bet freshly harvested ones taste heavenly! Your vacation sounds very lovely and very active!
Re the EU thing, I don't mind the regulation itself (unlike many of of my colleagues I do see the need and the advantages), but I very much mind the questionnaire. Of course, part of it is the fact that you're supposed to have an interface for it, so you only record things in one place and then everything fills in automatically year after year - but those interfaces are EXPENSIVE and small companies like ours are stuck with filling it in manually. And the excel provided by European Banking Authority is really stupid and has repeating information over multitude of sheets for some reason and I have to fill in the same thing over and over and over, each time filling in some other detail or arranging it by different criteria (like, if this was about a ZOO, you'd have a sheet with the list of animals and their biological classification. Then another sheet with list of animals and their wild origin continent. Then a sheet with each individual animal and info on where they were born. Then another sheet that would list all animals born in that ZOO. And a sheet sorting them by continent. And so on and so on! So a big ZOO would have a database with all that information animal by animal and the interface would just load it in the sheets, and a small ZOO would have a frantic clerk copying the same stuff in gazillion tables)

I never cease to be amazed how much of a difference those AI-generated "spiff up lists" make! The garden went from "oh my!" to "we could have company outside" within an hour!

TaDas
- morning routine
- 15 on living room (with the kids home, it's gotten out of control)
- sweep front yard, patio and pool deck
- deadhead all roses
- pick up - front garden / porch
- pick up - backyard
- raked sandbox
- spiff up carpool
- lunch started

ToDos
- 30 minute downstairs reset
- clean DBD's room
- strip and remake master bedroom bed

Braindump
routines
- midday routine
- afternoon routine
- evening routine
food
- lunch
- dinner
- bake something sweet
organization
- 5pm BBQ at friends
- check all backpacks
- DBD's speech therapy
- make apt - obgyn
- update land contract
- 15 on filing
- plan for July
- review packing list for all kids
cleaning
- spiff up living room
- spiff up twins' room (oversee it done)
- spiff up DS15's room
- spiff up master bedroom
- spiff up master bathroom
- spiff up kitchen
- spiff up downstairs bathroom and hallways
- spiff up office
- clean out / reorganize attic
laundry
- load of linens
- load of towels
- ironing
- folding
- mending
- laundry put away
garden and outside
- weeding in veggie garden
- weeding in front garden
- deadhead bushes
- spiff up garage
- water flowerpots
- water veggie garden
- weekly fertilizing
- reseed in veggie garden
me time
- 15 of exercise
- Bible study
- reading
- sewing

[helia]

kitkat. your comment made my check our AQI. I think we're moderate too (50-100?) but not bad, about 55. Stay safe!
FFB, that sounds so nice to cook with your own homegrown potatoes! Does MrNG like your new hair color?
So glad you got to recharge yesterday, trissie. Funny how those tasks don't finish themselves. Did DBD use the farting unicorn to help her feel secure during the movie? Yes - big Hollywood movies are very predictable.
See you later, Doggedly.
Glad you have your car back. Have a good morning at church, Kitty. And we'd love a report on your Sunday lunch.

No need to read: I'm up but grumpy bc of what the scale told me this morning. I think I need to emotionally disconnect from it -- but I feel my clothes are telling me the same thing. HOW is it possible I can do 65 floors on the stair master on Thursday, work out with my trainer on Friday, jog 3.5 miles on Saturday - my muscles are still sore - eat well last week -- and gain 1.5 pounds overnight?? I do weigh at the same time every day. Possibilities: I didn't track T-Th-Sat but monitored and thought I ate well - but maybe not. Or maybe my muscles are swelling and I'm holding some water? I may just try being extremely austere with my eating and exercise for a couple days and see if that affects my weight at all. It is stuck. But it's too late to make any lasting impact before we leave on our trip. *sigh*

Yesterday, I made a dent in my list but didn't get many things done. It is now clear to me that I need to get a new phone before our trip -- SO I'll do that this afternoon. I did finish the exam prep for payroll. At home, I s/sed the main bathroom and tidied the living room and wipe down its surfaces - and it was really bad. SO dirty - it took me a while. A lot of it was detritus from dh's plants but also pollen from leaving the windows open - and just plain old dust too. And I helped set up the patio. I did not touch the play room where the kids hung out. It was tidy - I just had wanted to vacuum and to put away the pack 'n play crib. CG1 was here 5:10 - almost 10 pm. We were a small group, which I like better - just 16 people and just 8 adults. A discussion with 8 adults is much better than a discussion with 15 adults, the number of adults actually in our CG1.

Today, we have church 10 - 12:30ish, including coffee afterward. I hope we don't stay too long. No CG2 or Sunday dinner! Then, we have our family zoom call at 8:15 pm. I have a lot of payroll I'd like to get done. Plus, I need to get a new phone. *sigh*

Next:
- reclaim kitchen
- back exercises
- make the bed

Later:
- s2s and self care
- work on my lists
- 9:45ish otd to church
- 10-12ish church service
- 12-12:30ish coffee after church?
- home; lunch
- take phone to store to get new phone set up
- pick up new phone later
- walk - test my new walking shoes which I forgot to do earlier
- make a detailed packing list
- payroll: prep tutorial for M
- payroll: S7 COs X4
- payroll: practice test activities for AAS
- payroll: prep AAS D11
- update gradelink
- WF - I need more fresh blueberries for my yogurt?
- REI - rain pants?
- dinner with dh - something lo-cal
- after dinner clean up
- 8:15 family zoom call
- duolingo
- update WW
- update MFP

TaDas!
- up; weighed self
- coffee
- weather websites and email deletions
- ordered a new passport carrier (under clothes - I don't carry a purse in Europe and my old under clothes passport carrier isn't so convenient; new one has RFID blocking -- is that really necessary?) + ankle socks for the shoes I hope to wear when walking in the cities

[helia]

WEEKLY ACTIVITIES
Sun 10-church/ 8:15 family zoom call

Mon 11-1 payroll: tutorial/ 1-1:40 payroll: instructor mtg/ 1:40 - 3:30 payroll: teach AAS D11/ Dinner out with CG2
Tue 9-12ish? KS2J get together?/ 6:30 Dinner out with girls, Cs, and M
Wed 11-1 payroll: tutorial/ 1:40 - 3:30 payroll: teach AAS D12 final exam/ stay and grade the final exam and set up sub plans for Friday/ 8 pm - leave for the airpot/ FLY safely
Thu Arrive in Lyon, France/ hotel
Fri travel to Zinal, Switzerland/ pick up AA on the way/ settle into bnb
Sat pick up dd28/ short hike?
Sun perhaps meet up with some of dh's family as they arrive in Switzerland/ perhaps a family hike to warm up?

Mon - Friday 8.3 - 8.7 HIKING IN THE ALPS ~1675 meters to 3255 meters (up and down a bit)
- M up 400 m/sleep at 2100m
- T down some and then up 900m/ sleep at 2800 m
- W rest day to acclimate to 2800m altitude/ sleep at 2800m
- Th up 500? meters/ sleep at 3255m
- F down 1600m/ drive back to Lyon/ drop off AA and dd28 in Geneva to catch their flight

7/20 - 7/26 Dinner Menus
M - pork tenderloin medallions in cream w/ pancetta and fennel, roasted potatoes, roasted b sprouts
T - host Tuesday dinner for 8 people: lablabi, rice, tomato and cucumber salad (1 guest is vegetarian)
W - shrimp pasta (from freezer), mixed veggies
Th - leftover lablabi, rice, sauteed baby bok choy + garlic
F - out with Rs! - pizza
Sat - CG1 potluck HERE - pizza
Sun - perhaps eggs and toast? OR tamales?

JULY Brain Dumps
This Week - House
- can I spend some time decluttering in MBR?
- put away pack 'n play crib + bedding
- tidy play room before CG1 comes

This Week - Deskwork
- Writing progress - wip
- figure out another knitting project? - after our trip

This Week - Errands
- car wash - badly needed (now my car is in Chicago with dd28)
- can I return another pair of shoes?
- can I return wrong coffee pods?

General Brain Dump
- progress decluttering clothes - wip
- new phone eventually - after before our trip
- transfer info from old to new laptop (will require a trip to a specialist - do after we get back)

[L.Ann]

Morning all! My weight has been stuck for awhile and I can’t figure out why helian. If it is overnight weight my best suggestion is to drink extra water for a day or two.

1-diet site
2-errands

Menus
Sunday-buffalo chicken grain bowl
Monday-bbq chicken with roasted veggies
Tuesday-tacos
Wednesday-DD33out/leftovers
Thursday-stir fry rice with checked and veggies
Friday-black bean rice and veggies bowls

Events
Sunday-
Monday-Little Bit:7:40-5, library science program 10:30-11:15
Tuesday-Little Bit:7:40-5, breakfast out w/friends@8:30, $1 movie Sponge Bob@10
Wednesday-Little Bit:7:40-5, Little Bit physical@2:15(do I have her afterwards?), DD33 PS 3-8
Thursday-Little Bit:7:40-5
Friday-Little Bit:7:40-5, kindergarten class with bus ride@library@2:30

Weekly House Blessing-mop kitchen and dining room, swish and swipe(spare room), windex, dust
Detailed cleaning list for bathroom-scrub floor
Death book-update DD33’s pages
Phone calls-
Extra stuff-

Accomplishments
-stretching and knee exercises
-breakfast for dog, DD33 and me
-wash hair, dress and pick up bedroom
-meds and temp for DD33
-walk

[FrenchFlybebe]

kitkat fortunately we are not in the way of the wildfire smokes, so no impact on us, as far as we can feel. Many areas are now suffering from poor air quality, though, and it is discussed in the news - I'm trying to get information, as DS10 has asthma (allergy related). I hope to see you later !

trissie potatoes need some sunlight but not as much as tomatoes. If you compost potato peels, you may already have "wild" potatoes growing without knowing. We've had some along the hedges, so, in shady places, which is where we spread compost, and they do grow there too, albeit a bit less. Your zoo analogy makes it very clear how annoying filling "by hand" the EU-regulation forms must be. I've had a few documents to submit where you have an Excel tab for this, another for that, with data that is copied from our ERP bit by bit instead of the full data set - very annoying.
I'm curious (again) about your spiff-up list : what info do you give the AI ? do you have a list of tasks, or a list of places (like, the garden table, the veggie patch, the entrance...), or do you maybe trust the system to know in advance what can be found in a regular garden and ask them to make a list for you ? Anyway I will ask AI also for my Sunday afternoon task list : AI will dcide how long to spend and in what order, based on the various tasks and places to attend.

helia good luck replacing your phone. No advice on the weight issue. At first I thought that climbing 65 floors was a lot and you must have big and powerful muscles, which may add to your weight, but you can't have grown that much muscle in so little time... so there must be some other reason, or no reason to be found and things will go back to normal before you know it. (65 floors... I'm sore just thinking about it) As for my hair color it's really not much different from my normal color.

Hi L.Ann, Little Bit has a full program for the week ahead ! And so have you. No break for you ?

We enjoyed lunch and the plum cake for dessert ( a recipe I must write down somewhere!). Cleaning up and starting the dishwasher and some talk with MrNG re the shelves he is creating in the LR... and it's almors 4pm !

TADAs
meal ready, plum cake ready
served meal, cleaned up, enjoyed cake and coffee with MrNG talking about home improvement
dishwasher running

TODOs
vacuum upstairs
more laundry
display family calendar for August, on the fridge
make index card for August, to track habits and HRT
review school supply list
review kids' summer wish-list
some dandelion un-rooting
cook tonight's dinner (crêpes, with ham and cheese, with onion and cheese, and sweet ones for dessert)
cook a few payroll lunches for the week ? it's going to be hot
time to relax and do nothing
shower, wash hair, be careful if any color spills
some movement
lay out clothes
a list for next week
sleep indors

[trissie]

trissie
I'm curious (again) about your spiff-up list : what info do you give the AI ? do you have a list of tasks, or a list of places (like, the garden table, the veggie patch, the entrance...), or do you maybe trust the system to know in advance what can be found in a regular garden and ask them to make a list for you ? Anyway I will ask AI also for my Sunday afternoon task list : AI will dcide how long to spend and in what order, based on the various tasks and places to attend.

I gave it the description of the house, and a description of the garden features and the amount of time I can spend on it. So now I just turn the timer on and spend the time in that area (I do know what needs to be done and what to start with), and when the timer goes off, I move on. Sometimes it's enough to only make progress, sometimes it kinda gets done, and sometimes there's even time to dig a bit deeper (like straighten a drawer that's bugging me). But it means that all areas of the house and garden get some attention and that makes a difference!

First 30 Minutes (High-Impact Reset)
Focus: common areas + anything guests would notice first.

1. Quick declutter of living room & kitchen (8 min)
Put away items (dishes, trash, random objects)
Straighten pillows/blankets
Clear countertops

2. Kitchen surface reset (7 min)
Wipe counters + stovetop
Load/unload dishwasher or quickly wash essentials
Quick sink rinse

3. Downstairs bathroom refresh (3 min)
Wipe sink + faucet
Quick toilet wipe (seat + rim)
Replace towel if needed

4. High-traffic floor touch-up (5 min)
Quick vacuum or sweep: kitchen + living room main paths

5. Office tidy (4 min)
Clear desk surface
Stack papers, put items back

6. Trash check (3 min)
Empty kitchen trash if needed
Quick scan for full bins downstairs

Second 30 Minutes (Private Spaces + Light Reset)
Focus: bedrooms and maintaining overall calm.

1. Make beds (all bedrooms) (10 min)
Doesn’t need to be perfect—just pulled together

2. Bedroom quick declutter (8 min)
Clothes off floor
Clear nightstands
Return misplaced items

3. Master bathroom refresh (5 min)
Wipe sink + mirror
Quick toilet wipe
Straighten toiletries

4. Upstairs floors quick pass (4 min)
Vacuum/sweep main hallway + visible spots

5. Final reset loop (3 min)
Walk through house
Put away anything still out of place
Spot-fix anything noticeable


60-Minute "Quick Refresh" Garden Plan

0–10 min: Entrance & First Impressions (Driveway/Walkway)
Action: Sweep the driveway and main walkway leading to the house.
Tip: Remove any stray weeds poking through tiles or cracks to immediately boost "curb appeal."

10–20 min: Terrace & Pool Zone (The Social Hub)
Action: Quick sweep of the concrete tile floor.
Action: Wipe down the seating set (remove dust/pollen)
Action: Check the pool cover—rinse off any large debris (leaves/twigs) so they don't fall in when you slide it open.

20–35 min: Flora & Food (Trees, Veggies, Roses)
Action: Focus on the Roses and Decorative Bushes—deadhead (remove faded flowers) to encourage new blooms.
Action: Spot-water the Vegetable Garden and Windowsill Boxes (these dry out faster than the ground).
Action: Pick any ripe fruit from trees or bushes so they don't fall and attract pests.

35–45 min: Kids' Zone & Safety (Tree House/Sandbox)
Action: Rake the sandbox to level the sand.
Action: Clear the stairs/ladder of the tree house of any obstructions or spider webs.

45–55 min: Infrastructure & Tools (Shed/Carpot/Waste)
Action: Gather all collected green waste (trimmings, pulled weeds) and take them to the compost or bin.
Action: Briefly check the carport for any trash or fallen branches.
Action: Return tools to the shed.

55–60 min: The "Relaxation" Check
Action: Final walk-through. Adjust any tilted windowsill boxes or stray cushions.
Action: Take a moment to enjoy the view from the terrace!


Phase 2: Deep Care & Maintenance (60–120 min)
Focusing on the health of your plants and the longevity of your structures.

60–80 min: The Productive Zone (Orchard & Veggies)
Action: Deep weed the Vegetable Garden—don't just pull the tops, get the roots.
Action: Check Fruit Trees for pests or "suckers" (unwanted shoots growing from the base) and clip them off.
Action: Feed your Fruit Bushes with a liquid fertilizer or compost mulch to boost the next harvest.

80–95 min: Terrace & Pool Detail
Action: Use a stiff brush or pressure washer (if available) on stubborn spots on the Concrete Tiles.
Action: Check the Pool Water Chemistry (pH/Chlorine) since the cover is already clean.
Action: Inspect the Wooden Terrace joints for any protruding screws or splinters that could hurt bare feet.

95–110 min: Ornamental Grooming (Roses & Decorative Bushes)
Action: Detail-trim the Decorative Bushes to maintain their shape.
Action: Check the Roses for signs of aphids or black spot; apply treatment if needed
Action: Refresh the mulch around the base of the bushes to retain moisture.

110–120 min: Infrastructure & Shed Organization
Action: Tidy the Shed—coil hoses properly, sharpen pruners, and ensure the Carpot area is free of spider webs or dust build-up on the ceiling/beams.
Action: Refill the watering cans so they are ready for the next "Quick Refresh."

[trissie]

And no, I don't even follow that to a T - like, there's usually tools and kids' stuff on the patio / pool area, so that will get tackled first, and instead of spending 10 minutes on making beds (because I usually make our bed right when I get out of it in the morning and anyways, the duvet take only a minute to straighten), I will spend the extra time on putting away DBD's toys. I just stick to the general area and do what needs doing there

[trissie]

helia, over a pound overnight must be water retention! Are you actually drinking enough, considering weather? Or maybe it's your body retaining the extra water in the tired muscles! but it's super frustrating!
L.Ann, is kindergarten already starting for Little Bit?

We need to be OTD shortly, but I still have some time to get things done!

TaDas
- midday routine
- afternoon routine
- spiff up living room
- spiff up kitchen
- spiff up downstairs bathroom and hallways
- spiff up office
- clean DBD's room
- strip and remake master bedroom bed
- 15 on laundry - folding, ironing, putting away

ToDos
- watering session - flowers, veggie garden
- gather all stuff to take with us
- 5pm BBQ at friends

Braindump
routines
- evening routine
food
- dinner
- bake something sweet
organization
- check all backpacks
- DBD's speech therapy
- make apt - obgyn
- update land contract
- 15 on filing
- plan for July
- review packing list for all kids
cleaning
- spiff up twins' room (oversee it done)
- spiff up DS15's room
- spiff up master bedroom
- spiff up master bathroom
- clean out / reorganize attic
laundry
- load of linens
- load of towels
- ironing
- folding
- mending
- laundry put away
garden and outside
- weeding in veggie garden
- weeding in front garden
- deadhead bushes
- spiff up garage
- water flowerpots
- water veggie garden
- weekly fertilizing
- reseed in veggie garden
me time
- 15 of exercise
- Bible study
- reading
- sewing

[L.Ann]

Little Bit doesn’t start school until August 26th. I think the library is probably working around their schedule and when they can get a school bus to come. The Utah grandkids go back the week before. Weather is lovely here at the moment so I am enjoying it while it lasts. Our air quality is 19 today. It was 155 when we could smell the smoke… not nearly as bad as it was for most.

1-read
2-scrub bathroom floor
3-walk

4-lunch
5-text pet sitter about September date

Menus
Sunday-buffalo chicken grain bowl
Monday-bbq chicken with roasted veggies
Tuesday-tacos
Wednesday-DD33out/leftovers
Thursday-stir fry rice with checked and veggies
Friday-black bean rice and veggies bowls

Events
Sunday-
Monday-Little Bit:7:40-5, library science program 10:30-11:15
Tuesday-Little Bit:7:40-5, breakfast out w/friends@8:30, $1 movie Sponge Bob@10
Wednesday-Little Bit:7:40-5, Little Bit physical@2:15(do I have her afterwards?), DD33 PS 3-8
Thursday-Little Bit:7:40-5
Friday-Little Bit:7:40-5, kindergarten class with bus ride@library@2:30

Weekly House Blessing-mop kitchen and dining room
Detailed cleaning list for bathroom-scrub floor
Death book-update DD33’s pages
Phone calls-
Extra stuff-

Accomplishments
-stretching and knee exercises
-breakfast for dog, DD33 and me
-wash hair, dress and pick up bedroom
-meds and temp for DD33
-walk
-diet site
-errands
-windex, dust, swish and swipe

[FrenchFlybebe]

trissie thanks for answering my curiosity with so much detail. I see the general idea about the garden sessions. Very efficient, "first impression" first, and no-nonsense list. As for me, I ask for a list of tasks with duration for each, then I try to "beat" the AI by doing the tasks faster. When it's not a list of tasks but more like a list of places to attend to, I do spend the amound of time listed (usually) but doing what actually needs to be done instead of the suggestions from AI. So, yes, kind of the same use as yours.
I think having list given to me is sometimes more motivating that making my list and getting to it.

L.Ann that means a few more weeks with LIttle Bit with you. I see you're keeping her busy and entertained, lucky girl.

A few more things done, using AI for an organised to-do list and motivation. (not as motivating as accountability here).

TADAs
more laundry
display family calendar for August, on the fridge
make index card for August, to track habits and HRT
crêpe batter is ready, "resting"
snacks for kids

TODOs
vacuum upstairs
review school supply list
some dandelion un-rooting
cook tonight's dinner (crêpes, with ham and cheese, with onion and cheese, and sweet ones for dessert)
cook a few payroll lunches for the week ? it's going to be hot
time to relax and do nothing
shower, wash hair, be careful if any color spills
some movement
lay out clothes
a list for next week
sleep indors