Monday Move it, Move it!

[Twins' Mom]

Home from work. I'm always tired on Mondays because the clock goes off so early, after sleeping in on the weekend. This morning, at 5:15, dh's workout partner called him to go work out, so it was even earlier than usual, and dh didn't go workout after all that. We were also out later than I like being out on Sunday evenings last night. The late afternoon/early evening supper got pushed back and we were the first to leave at 8 p.m., with a 30 minute drive home.

Work is still very slow, tho I can see it picking up by this time next week. Today I did a three-hour CPE tax software update webinar. Can you say B.o.r.i.n.g? Tomorrow is a two hour webinar on the new tax act - at least the entire tax dept is attending, and they are providing lunch.

I am strongly considering not working beyond tax season this year, and coming back to work each tax season only in the future. I've felt this way before many times in January and February, and always by April I was ready to stick it out the rest of the year. (I remember telling myself I only had to go until April 15 and could quit then.) Anything can happen between now and April. The issues with dsis, dmom, another year of being temple president, and just being tired of what I do at work for most of the year are hanging over me.

Good morning everyone. I am still recovering from a particularly bad morning yesterday with DD10.

Elizabeth, I know where you’re coming from with dd. We had some rough times with my dd and I was often in tears and it’s a marvel now that we speak kindly to each other and can do things together. I had a dfriend who told me that she often parked at the YMCA after she dropped her kids off for day care, and had a good cry before heading to work every morning because her dd was so hard to deal with, so I keep remembering that. She's one of the most "common sense" women I can imagine.

"God Bless You, Ma'am!"

Lol, Ivy, I have to remind the younger staff people at the office not to call me “Ma’am" – totally hate it and makes me feel ancient. It is a Southern polite thing to use it liberally. Speaking of Southern sayings, we often had our kids call other moms “Miss Amy” or “Miss Debbie.” I was reminded of that last night with friends, the kids were calling the dad’s girlfriend “Miss _____.”

(Elizabeth) my take on your situation is that you are a perfectly fine Mother, but your DD is a challenge and that makes you question yourself.

Nodding in agreement with Harmony.

Kathryn, dh and I were mostly in agreement about what to keep and what to let go in our move. I just bought myself a corner desk with double file cabinet space on each side for my stamping/crafty things. I'm finally getting motivated to unpack and settle them in, and after making do for years, I'd like to set it up nicely for myself.

Dh is bowling tonight. We had highs in the 70s over the weekend, I think the high today was in the 40s. There is freezing rain just to the west of us although our temps may not drop any more this evening. I may not walk the poor ddogs tonight in this cold rain.

[helia]

Popping in this evening. I can't take the time to properly cuops - still lots to do here. Dh is gone to a church meeting. I am just home after picking up dd14 from synchro. We didn't eat all the leftovers. I may freeze some; I have quite a collection of small amounts of leftovers in the freezer, each dish being enough for 2-3 people. We need to start eating them.

((Elizabeth)) Exactly what Harmony said.

((lucylee))

I'm doing much better staying focused! Today:
x a.m. routine
x 3 lols washed, dried, folded, put away; one more to put away -- and one more to run through the wash
x lots of Hebrew translated, about 35 verses done. We only got through about 25 verses today so I have a head start on next week.
x 2 DPCs done: changed ds' derm. appt. and checked with pharmacy re: dd14's script
x Hebrew class
x made dinner: leftovers with fresh rice, butternut squash, rolls
x picked up dd14 from synch practice; dd17 took her there since she didn't do the Detroit tutoring tonight
x picked up dd14's script from Walgreens

Next up: Get the kitchen cleaned up, start load of whites, work on menu plan and groc. list for the rest of the week, email Th. dinner crew to cancel. Dh is out Thursday night, and we are leaving Friday afternoon to go skiing up north. I think I'll have a lot to be doing to get ready for that and I'd like to have Thursday evening to work on that.

That should be enough for this evening.

Tomorrow is another full day: coffee meeting with dh, groc. store, 2 hours at the school gathering marching band uniform returns, dd14's oboe lesson late in the afternoon.

[Sunny]

Hi everyone. The website seems to be working a lot better today. And, yes, thank you to all the Mods and all the work you do to keep our Village running smoothly!

Elizabeth, I have to say I also agree with Harmony's statement. It sounds to me like dd is feeling some inner frustrations. You are doing a lot to keep her occupied. Don't give up and don't doubt yourself; keep giving dd encouragement.

I've had a frustrating day myself. Today was desk day, but even taking all afternoon I'm still not done. Our neighbors on the next street next to the house directly behind us are replacing their roof. The noise from the hammers and nail guns has dBlondie very nervous. She has not left my side all day long and just like Harmony's dd's dog has forced her way under my desk. There's not as much room as Harmony has and she pushed the trash can and shredder aside to get under, then she's tried to get up on my lap. That's funny....a 70 lb. yellow lab on my lap! I went outside with them when they wanted out, I spent some time brushing Blondie which seemed to calm her down. She did eat her dinner all right and she's outside again, laying by the door. But still not relaxed because she's still panting and holding her ears back very stiffly.

I still have a few checks to write, but will do those tomorrow. I have filled in my meals on MFP. Dinner is finished and kitchen cleaned up.

WTG to all those who are working hard to get their paperwork caught up.
Wishing MT and dh a nice visit with your dfriends.

**This sat here for a while. Wanted to check on ddogs and I got a message from ds#3 that I answered. I've forgotten what else I wanted to say, but I talk to everyone as I cuop!

[Ivy]

Good Evening, Villagers!

Our neighbor-friends came over to deliver my b-day gifts and homemade peach upside-down cake for my b-day cake tomorrow. They gave me 3 chocolate-scented candles and 1 microfiber hand towel and 2 matching microfiber washcloths. They'll be perfect for cleaning screens on TV, computers and the Nook. We had a nice visit and BFF brought her Governor's ball formal,too. Wow! Such a beautiful dress. Black, straps around the neck, an "X" of straps in back, and the straps have sequins, etc.. and then they pattern down the back of the skirt, too. She'll look beautiful in it. She'll get her hair done with a chignon, too. Lovely.

I was thinking about how I've read or heard other ways of venting, over the years, other than in a journal, email or on-line. Once I heard to go outdoors and scream at the top of your lungs, but the problem with that would be how someone would think a crime is being committed, you're in distress- when you're in stress- and may call 9-1-1 because of those screams.

I've heard if you go to your bedroom, lay your face in your pillow and scream, it's therapeutic, or beating a pillow with a tennis racket or sitting inside your car with the doors/windows closed, you scream in there, too. Some people scream in the shower. There are so many different ways to vent. Shoot hoops, toss stones into a pond or river, or just talk to a friend or post at the Village. It's so nice there are so many choices for us all, because we're all different. I have a confession to make. I've found myself venting in my journals. Now I have 27 journals, in a bin, to go through, to censure by ripping out pages or blacking them out or use an Exacto knife to remove an unkind page. I rarely vent like that now, in my journals, so use them for problem-solving or gratitude, etc....

It's been lightly snowing and at dusk it was like orange-tannish snow on the ground and in the sky with the pollutants in the air. It gave our local world a strange hue. It was neat to see though.

Have a wonderful evening, Everyone. Take care, have a good sleep, and wonderful day tomorrow, too.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I'm going to move away from the computer and wash up the dishes and then go to bed early. Broke down and had jelly beans. They didn't give me a boost or any satisfaction so I need to remember the lack of satisfaction the next time I crave them. Having them will make staying On Program this week much more difficult.

[Nancy]

Grand kids are home now so granny duty is over. I have some great news dear grand son got 5 eggs today the most we've ever gotten yea! That was awesome. Snow did not melt as predicted so dd will bring dg over here after preschool b/c we do not have snow tires just all season ones on the car.

Dinner was a hit hot soup on a snowy day is always yummy.
I need to pay attn. to the dishes and get to the p.m. routine.

K in C I've been meaning to mention that I saw Downton Abbey show last night on PBS that I've been hearing about. First time I'd seen it. They had some of the actors on The View the other day. It was kind of slow but good to know there are some family viewing shows on in that time slot. Guess I'll go see if it's on again is was called Master Piece theater here. Harriet has mentioned it as well.

[Elizabeth]

It's so cold!!! Snow is falling and so is the temperature in my house. I upped the thermostat. I completed my bra and grocery buying errands. I have eaten and started a new book. I have emptied and partially filled the dishwasher. A LOL is washing as I type this. Another of the mini loads so I can use the drying rack. Next up, emptying the drying rack of dry clothes and cleaning out trash can (the bag slipped, yuck). Also need to wash hair tonight, the shower should warm me up. It is SO nice not having standing water in the tub as I shower! Guess I should take care of the cats too. Not that they will let me forget them, they have many ways to remind me. I heard one of them cough up a hairball, but I cannot find it.

I am starting to feel somewhat better mentally. XDH claims that DD10 never acts up with him. He denies all problems with DD, except when blaming them on me. (If she has no problems, then how could it be my fault?)

[lucylee]

I must get back on an exercise program, Kathryn... I am seeing that worry re: dparents/dh/daunt/deveryone is making me crawl like a turtle into my little shell and if I am not here on this computer, I am trying to sleep. And thanks to Paxil, I still DO sleep VERY well, for the most part... but it is not productive and exercise would help my mental state so much more. Although I do think the anxiety does wear on a person, and perhaps extra rest IS needed at a time like this.

And Sadie -- my anxiety doesn't have me to the point of tears yet... just feeling jittery, edgy, and a little bit queasy.
* Hope your dson feels better soon! We've had a LOT of kids absent from school lately. The flu must really be making its rounds.

ONE HAPPY THOUGHT -- provided we do not have a power outage -- we have a 2-hour delay for school tomorrow. I will NOT be happy if our power goes out and we start freezing to death -- we have no back-up heat, unfortunately -- but if the lights & heat stay on -- I am doing the happy dance... happy dance...

Ivy -- I also have journals that I CONSTANTLY consider destroying -- and for some reason, just can't bring myself to do so. I am not too bad to vent about other people in them, but I have, in the past, especially, been prone to writing about the various situations that result in my anxiety... and NOW, I have anxiety about them being read by ds/ddil, and them thinking I'm REALLY a nut. * sigh * OTOH, ds is such a family historian and keeper of all things, I think he might really enjoy someday having this link to his mother, and to his own past, possibly forgotten memories, after I'm gone. Maybe that is flattering myself too much. I just can't come to a decision about what to do with them.
I think I am a frustrated novelist... I have ALWAYS felt compelled to WRITE. But I am much too self-conscious to try to publish.

DITTO THE BIG THANK-YOU'S TO OUR MODERATORS!!!
It is sooo nice to have this site working properly again!

Also ditto Harmony's statement to Elizabeth.
(((BIG HUGS))) (((Elizabeth)))

Mondays are always hard for me, too, Twins. We sleep later on the weekends, then I usually have a long nap on Sunday afternoon, which always makes it hard to fall asleep on Sunday night.

Sunny -- I don't know of any more annoying noise than roofers. That is one of the loudest, most continuous noises, there is!

Harriet -- I did see your post the other day re: dh's grandfather, I think, and the Opry, and Don Reno. That is so exciting! DS is a big fan of Don Reno!

Waving to all... MT... helia... Booksaver... Nancy...

I need to take care of load of clothes that just finished in washer.
Also need to grade a set of papers and do that exercise I was mentioning earlier.
Already MOVED IT for the day, however, by getting out, after school, in 32 degree temps & rain -- to pay a bill... go to grocery store for dmil... and go to funeral home visitation for dfriend's brother... so see -- I haven't been SPINNING in my own head ALL day long.
Also many phone calls... ds -- ddad -- ds -- ddad (b/c he cut me off again, twice, b/c someone else was dialing in) -- dmil -- dcousin, wanting info re: ddad -- dbil -- ds (b/c I forgot to call him back the second time ddad cut into us)