Fresh New Week Monday

[BookSaver]

Good morning, villagers ~
I started the month feeling ahead of schedule, but today it seems as if I'm behind again. Luckily this week looks like I'll have lots of time at home to get caught up.

If I'm remembering correctly, I didn't get any Christmas decorations up last year until Christmas Eve. That means that any time before that this year will be early, right?

[BookSaver]

Harriet ~ Your mention of Alice & Jerry reminded me that one of my most recent scoops at the used book store was an Alice & Jerry book from 1943 called Neighbors on the Hill. It was still in the shopping bag, I had to go pull it out. Although it's labeled as "The Alice and Jerry Books" and has those same illustrators, apparently the characters are Nancy, Dick, and Jim and they live in the country. Maybe this was a textbook, since it's 192 pages divided into chapters and there's a word list at the back.

In my school we read the Dick & Jane books, so I don't know Alice & Jerry. I bought this one because of the illustrations, they're just wonderful -- plus I'm doing the project about home life in the 1940s.

Oh this is much too tempting to get sidetracked, I want to read this rightnow!! OK, it's on my desk so I can use it as a reward between chores. I'll savor a chapter here and there so I can really enjoy the pictures.

[Emptynester]

Finally got my Sunday blog up. With company all week - my week has been all discombobulated.

Today we will make a trip to Wickenburg as the Monday Sr. Discount plus sales, plus list we need make it profitable. We won't go to Park Beautification as it is cold out. (at least for us 39*F)

After we get home, I'm going to start my plan on the den. I have divided it into areas and will attack one each day. Today is 6 small bins/boxes in front of the closet. Not sure what is in them but will sort and throw and then use the boxes for future sorting.

Time to go work on my shopping list.

PS: Loved the time we spent in Williamsburg a few years ago. I love history when I can see it - just hated memorizing all the dates.

[helia]

Late check in. Didn't even get to the kitchen yet, beyond wiping down counters. I did get in a good devo time, s2s-ed, emailed dfriend in Calif. re: gifts for her 2 kids. Kept emails at bay.

I'll try again: by 11 a.m. - finish a.m. routine (kitchen reclaimed, laundry going, bed made, teeth care), groc. list finished.

[MysteryWoman]

Good morning!

With Carpool Dad recovered from his surgery, I did not have to drive the morning run today, so I'm at 6 cards of 27 only shortly after I would have gotten home from driving the kids. (OK, as I finish this post, it is no longer "shortly" after my getting-home time.) This is good, because the house still needs much whipping into shape before holiday guests. I started making l**ts last night of a "top ten" for each room; as I take breaks during the day, I will finish those and then note what can be delegated and to whom. There's no way I can do it all myself.

Bookie, DD's birthday is December 20th. The year she was born, we, too, were putting up decorations on Christmas Eve; I did some catalog shopping from the hospital, and I had DSIL drive me around shopping Christmas Eve morning until my boobs nearly exploded. (Apparently DD was on the same schedule; I came home to DH starting to make a bottle of formula.) Did I mention I had DD by C-section? Yes, the shopping part was really stupid. But I learned that year that Christmas is still Christmas, regardless of whether we manage to do all the things we think we "should" do. Besides, some folks have a long tradition of not decorating for Christmas until Christmas Eve. Despite what retailers would have us think, the "Twelve Days of Christmas" in the song begin, not end, on Christmas Day. You'll be fine!

Must CUOP from the weekend to see what is troubling Dee. Meanwhile -- (((hugs))).

Here, Kathryn, if buses are cancelled, school is, too. Schools are allowed a certain number of "calamity days" within the state-mandated schedule, and some schools/districts build a few more into their schedules. Most often, the calamity days are snow days, when buses can't get out, or when the wind chill is low enough that it's not safe for children to wait outside for the bus. But power outages, wind damage, water main breaks, etc., are not-uncommon reasons they get used. The girls' school has used two so far this year; the day after we got our share of Sandy, the school was closed because a tree had fallen across the entrance (and taken out some power lines as well, I think). After having school the following day, they cancelled it for the next, because being in the building that day revealed several leaks in the roof, with some classes being rearranged to avoid the children having to walk through slippery halls to change classes. I suppose it makes sense, though, for schools where most of the students arrive by car, if the problem is simply that the buses cannot get through, to hold class and excuse absences for those students who cannot make it through.

Gee, scattered, I can't imagine why you'd wait as long as possible before putting on combat boots.

Hey, lucylee! Nice to see you getting a chance to peek in in the morning!

I may use this site to set goals and report back in an effort to stay on track.

That's what we're here for!

I hope Dr appt goes smoothly, Twins!

Sorry to hear your DDad is not doing well, Harriet.

I agree, MT, that 39° is a bit cold to be out and about "beautifying," particularly in the SW, where I presume you go to avoid the cold!

Apologies to anyone I missed -- I may be up and doing, but I'm not sure I'd totally call myself "awake." For example, I could've sworn I saw OKay, but I can't find the post now....

We had a very busy weekend here -- school holiday concert on Friday, two hockey games for dd, two birthday parties (one for each girl -- both on the far side of town), parish women's Christmas party, two hockey sessions for DD, church twice on Saturday (in the morning for a holy day of obligation, and in the evening for the Vigil Mass for Sunday, as we had a hockey game on the far side of town squarely in the middle of Sunday morning), and DH and I were tapped to lead Advent Evening Prayer on Sunday night. I don't think I'm forgetting anything....

Next up here: laundry and dining table excavation (always the worst on Monday mornings, with the remnants of the Sunday paper scattered about).

[blessedw2]

today is manage Monday before everything falls apart

So it's a daily and put away day

have a great day everyone

[helia]

Adding -- I too really like those illustrations, Harriet!! I don't recall reading those books as a child. I know we had some Dick and Jane at home for fun. And I'm not really any sort of authority on gardening -- at all. My dfriend planted my perennial gardens for me.

--This sat here right now as I have chatted with dh.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Harriet: WARNING BLUNT NORTHERN ATTITUDE FOLLOWS

Food can be a power struggle. I know your house is full of healthy options, why not just let your father graze by leaving a plate of things out on the counter or by the tv? I'm going to be 'northern' (blunt) and point out that he will not live forever and nothing you do can change that. If his body is starting to say "I'm done" then to force feed him or fight over it seems counter productive.

If he were a lot younger, or this was a temporary thing (like ds's mono), your focus on his diet would be important. But he may have decided his time is coming and is at peace with that. What he eats is one of the last decisions he gets to make these days (i.e. he no longer can talk with his wife, he can't live in his own home, he can't go off on his own when he fancies, he is expected to get up and go to bed at hours that please the family he's staying at instead of living according to his body rhythms), so taking control of food away from him seems cruel to me.

</Rant>

Choir has been cancelled for tonight.

I'm still not done breakfast.

Poof!

[Harmony]

Hello, I am taking a break. Yes, it's a fresh new week and I have some goals for this week that may be too ambitious, but I will forge ahead and see how far I get.

Yesterday I slept in and couldn't go to church same time I usually do. But I got to thinking I had food items to leave for a food basket we put together...so had to go deliver that. Made it just in time to hear the Pastor's sermon. I did not attempt to find a seat in too-crowded sanctuary, but sat in the narthex with about 20 people and watched on the tv screen there.

Afternoon was helping at memorial luncheon, putting together my veggie tray to take, attending a church meeting, and helping with cleanup in the kitchen...so that was the rest of the afternoon.

I've been sewing like crazy every minute I get too.
Youth group is here this Sunday so I feel I must get some decorations up outside so that's on the schedule too.

And ordinary things still march on. Tax season looms. I'm going to order my tax forms now (online) and find time to clean up the house and do some deskwork. I know I'll not get everything done, but one can only try.

[Twins' Mom]

Home from dr's office and trip by temple to drop off first half of statements. Blood pressure 115/70 something? Doc was delighted. Drew blood and peed in a jar...set up bone density testing and they are to call about setting up a sleep study. One pound down from last time there.

Going to nap - rain is coming down outside and I'm into avoidance because I need to return a DPC. Poor ddogs didn't get walk this morning.