TREMENDOUS TUESDAY

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I'm s2s and have finished trying on my clothes. The giveaway pile is slightly larger.

Ds originally brought up a super large bin and a smaller bin. Only the smaller bin has clothes in it now and they are all too small for me. Most of my clothes now fit in my drawers and closet. The exception are my formal clothes and some summer dresses and skirts (and some outfits that are too small but I want to keep.)

Later this week, I'll go over the remaining clothes in the basement (which should be either too small but worth saving, or Christmas items.) I have two hanging clothes protectors, each about 2' wide and I'm figuring I should be able to toss one of those.

I've pulled 5 sockettes from the garbage (didn't bother searching for the 6th) and will see if I use them for dusting or when I'm washing the floor. If I don't - out they'll go. It really makes no difference if I toss them now or later. Dd gave me the toe socks so if I can convert them to something I'll use (and it is so cold here in the winter, fingerless gloves would be wonderful to have while I'm on the computer) then it is worth the effort.

I've just booked two more church surveys so I'll be busy next month. Woot! I need to get my 10 finished.

Still waiting to hear from my minister friend if I can come to his service after I drop the kids at the airport. I've worked every Sunday since July 14 (except the September 8 but for that Sunday I did the intro for the new minister and prepared the luncheon for her after.) I'm more than ready for a week away.

[helia]

a.m. routine is done - except for teeth care. I've also done more moms group emails and one email re: GG.

I looked at my closets. I actually don't have a huge number of clothes - I guess it is relative - but I do have pretty much all my clothes out -- in my closet and in the dresser which I share with dh. I have 2 under bed boxes (not very tall since our bed is European style), one in which I have some huge wool sweaters which are so bulky and which I wear so seldom (one I only wear skiing) I don't want to put them in the dresser. The other box has some jeans which are too big for me and a small bit of space for seasonal clothes, like my 4 pairs of capris. I should still cull some of my clothes and maybe I should rotate seasonal items out of the dresser and closets, which would also give me more space. Dresses, which I rarely wear, need to stay hung up regardless of the season. Rotating seasonal items would mean more under the bed storage boxes. Or, utilizing some of the empty cupboards in the laundry room downstairs.

My favorite old beat up pair of jeans now has a hole in the leg. It has some other holes along seams, but I can usually cover those with a shirt or sweater untucked. I don't like clothes shopping, but I think I'm going to need to replace my jeans.

I'm gearing up now to. . . . .
- do teeth care
- one more email to moms group child care staff
- clean downstairs bathroom in anticipation of visit from YFU lady. Not sure she's coming today, though
- tidy living areas

[Harmony]

Hello all. I've been away from the computer. It's sad to me that walking back here (1 hallway) and putting on the cpu and waiting for it to boot up, reading and posting takes too much energy sometimes.

OKay, I read about the accounting priority. I've often thought about your cards and how you get so much more done in the house than I do...but that my desk doesn't pile up to fall over either... and it's all a matter of priorities. My dishes can wait, my laundry can stay in the basket cleaned, but my paperwork can't. It is our livelihood. If I didn't do what I do in the office, DH would have to hire it out, and in our case that would be really bad because work to do comes in at all hours of the day and night. Many an evening we spend here working together.

When we're busy like this, and not enough time to do it all, something gets left out. I don't know how many hours of accounting you must do every day, but mine only varies from 1-4 except for tax time. Today I filed, did a proposal with DH (abut an hour) and I must run to the bank later. I don't have children in the mix, and DH doesn't care much if the dishes pile up if the sink is clear enough for him to fill his water cooler in the morning. It annoys me, but not him.

Since I haven't been feeling well I've been cooking less, keeping up less overall, and I don't go out unless necessary, but the paperwork gets done every day.

Yesterday I had a particularly bad day, having slept all night I somehow managed to sleep on and off all day long. Very bad. I have gone de-caffeine recently and no longer have that to prop me up. Tonight I have a responsibility at church and must somehow save energy for that. One dr. is convinced I must have a sleep disorder besides the other, and I'm not convinced, but curious. I must wait for any testing for a year. I'll see how I am by then.

Enough of that. Got yesterday's laundry to put away (3 loads) and I must run to bank, and I think I'll stop so I'm not worn out tonight.

[Twins' Mom]

Home again for just a few minutes. I went by temple for awhile after visiting dmom - we had a security mirror broken out last night and I needed to talk to secretary about a couple of other issues, none of them good news, I'm afraid. Emails flying about cancelling meeting this evening as there are conflicts and one sick. I finally said that I would be there w admin VP to go over some things, and to come to meet if able.

I need to get harness onto Macs and head out.

[BookSaver]

Good morning, villagers ~
Today has been mostly meeting prep for tonight's sewing group board meeting and working on the newsletter.

Fitting laundry chores in and around reports and Emails, because it's an excellent way to make sure I'm standing up and walking away from the computer on a regular basis.

The weather is such a contrast from not that long ago when the thermostat in my office read 90. Today I'm actually chilly. I drank my coffee hot this morning and I'm fixing myself a hot lunch.

Kathryn ~ Your progress with downsizing your wardrobe is inspiring.

Okay ~ Good idea to flip the timing on the accounting work vs. household chores. How did you arrange the chores when you were working full time out of the house?

[Nancy]

I just lost a post had to reboot this tablet sigh
Did some gardening first thing today.
Ddg arrived and I got side tracked go figure.
Trash truck has been by so I can bring the can back from the curb now.
I have reclaimed the counters.
dgd collected the eggs they have been washed.
Dinner is thawing.
Bed is made.
WTG everyone on your progress!

I feel good about today's advancement on my goals so that is making today a Tremendous Tues. I've been able to toss some things and added to the donations in the trunk.
2 loaves of pumpkin bread are done dgd helped to mix up those, great progress for feed the freezer day.

[lucylee]

(((Dee))) – ditto thoughts re: being totally honest in letter.

Really need to get in and have my eyes checked. Every time I think of making an appointments new things crop up with dh. Getting him healthy right now is my number one priority.

More (((HUGS))), Dee. This was dmom’s problem for so long. That is why she is now dealing with the bunion surgery and is very anxious to have her eyes checked AND have some much-needed dental work done.

BookSaver – thanks for your thoughts last night re: dmom/activity/senior center, etc. I think dmom would feel too “young” for our local senior center. She is “only” 68. And until ddad got sick, she was an extremely young 68. HOWEVER – I do think if she gets her physical health back on track, she will be MUCH more involved w/church activities and that would be such a blessing. She loves her Sunday School class, loves the “Senior” group at church, loves singing in the choir. She and ddad were always extremely involved in everything that went on at church, so if she can just get to the point where physically she can attend more, I think that will do so much for her mental well-being, also.

She sounded good this morning. Two dfriends, men who worked w/ddad, had been out to replace a garage door, etc., and my uncle and cousin had brought her some furniture from dgrandparents’ house – and cousin took her SUV to wash & clean up. So she had been fairly busy, and still felt somewhat better since getting started on the antibiotic.

Amazed at helia – and all you other early risers. I feel like such a total worthless slug b/c we are generally still asleep at 10:00 a.m. * sigh * But I know I have discussed dh’s nightowl tendencies beyond anyone’s patience level. It is what it is.

OTOH… even though we slept ridiculously late, and I feel horribly lazy b/c I am not s2s at 1:00 p.m. -–
I do have several ta-da’s:
• Talked to dmom on phone – which is no small feat, generally kills 30 minutes minimum
• Wrote check to pay credit card bill
• Called florist and sent flowers for dfriend’s mom’s death
• Swish/swiped all three toilets
• Sorted load of laundry to wash after I walk – walking clothes will go in the wash, too

Kathryn makes me wonder how many socks, etc. I have. I really need to do some closet cleaning. And that is the focus for this week, isn’t it? TWO YEARS ago, I turned all the hangers in my closet backwards, reversing them as I wore things. Great idea I got from Real Simple magazine. Great idea IF one removes those clothes that obviously have not been worn in TWO YEARS. * sheesh * Sooo hard for me to declutter ANY thing! I’m ALWAYS afraid I’ll want it/need it later. * sigh *

Sooo glad I started this in Word. Just lost my internet connection. Grrrrr…
Hmmm… see Nancy is having the same trouble.

(((Lynlee)))

WTG, Twins on your houseguest prep and hospitality! (((HUGS))) re: dmom…

Sounds like Harriet is off and running, as usual! 

Okay – Oh my… crickets/birds/oh my…

Ivy – I hope everything goes well w/the mole removal. I have a mole that I need to have removed, but I am sooo afraid to. Afraid of pain, afraid of finding out it IS something to be concerned about, afraid messing with it will “stir up” something to be concerned about. (I know that is crazy, btw.) I am not really worried about it being cancerous b/c I have had it my entire life… but it may be getting larger, actually, b/c it is VERY worrisome when I wear pantyhose. It is on my upper thigh.

Helia, my very favorite pair of jeans also has a hole – in the seat. Someone would have to take a VERY awkward and impolite position to see it… but of course, I can’t wear them out anywhere, knowing it’s there. Very unhappy situation b/c these are ladies Carhartt jeans, and apparently they are unavailable ANYWHERE anymore. * sigh *

(((Harmony))) Your life continues to remind me sooo much of what my dmom is dealing with. The house vs the paperwork, etc. And now, no energy to deal with any of it. Such similar situations. Dmom HAS relaxed somewhat now, having missed the 15th deadline, she says now she knows she will have to pay the late fee, so… whatever. She will get it done as soon as she is able.
Like Okay, she much preferred to hire a housekeeper than an accountant for ddad’s business. She has a lady come every other week and vacuum, etc.

I must get on out and walk, then s2s. Tonight ds/dh/ddil will be singing at the nursing home and I’ll be on granny-duty. Must also continue/finish thank you notes for dmom… and I’d like to dust. Trying to do WHB chores T/W/Th – dust/vacuum/clean baths. Of course, s/s toilets should occur more often than once a week, and I do TRY to do that at least every other day… but I’m still trying to find my way in this new retirement lifestyle. However... I am finding that I REALLY like being retired.
Must brag on dh before I go. Since I am retired, we are able to go to late movies on week nights, you know, so last night, he took me to Chick Fil A... then waited two hours while I went in book store and department store to use gift cards I had received for birthday, THEN took me to see Austenland... which he agreed was a "chick flick on steroids" as my dbro had predicted. But I liked it and we had a really nice night.
Book store -- Joyce Meyer's God is Not Mad at You
Other store -- new billfold which was an absolute necessity but is the very first billfold I have ever had which I can CLOSE
-- and an "infinity" scarf in a print of just about every fall color you can imagine.
I felt like Queen for a Day.

[helia]

Remember I'm in Eastern time zone, lucylee. I get up around 7 a.m. Dh is a night owl too. He rarely goes to bed before midnight - he stays up working b/c he is also a workaholic. . . Now, I usually go to bed before him.

I have spent way too much time doing way too many emails. . .more moms group stuff. More GG organization stuff. An email to ds. And there are other online things I need to do. . .

I did put away some sundry items in the laundry room and switched the laundry. i took down items to clean the down bathroom - that is next. Then some phone calls.

I've read all about the crickets with great curiousity and amazement, OK. I'm also SO impressed at all the paperwork you and Harmony do. I still need to get GG's paperwork better organized. I have one file and one folder. I think she needs a desk top basket like the other kids have as well. Amazed at lucylee taking care of her mom. . .

The girls are home. .. . .I'm off.

[OKay]

Harmony - that is encouraging to know. Priority is important.

How did you arrange the chores when you were working full time out of the house?

Good question! I look back and wonder how I survived that last 2 years of working FT along with MPB, and LO care. Those were some crazy busy times! I remember eating lunch at computer most every day while working on accounting. Thinking......DH used to do all the clothes washing back then and prepared meals. He almost never cooks now and I can't remember the last time he did a LOL. LO care was different back then - he would go to bed and sleep from 5pm to 5am so I had a few more evening hours to get things done that I don't have now. He didn't talk non-stop expecting an answer to 10000 billion questions a day. (okay, so not that many questions but some days my mind feels like mush after hours of active interacting) Hum.....I didn't attend church functions very often then because keeping LO out of the weather and away from germs while getting his immunizations brought up to date. MPB wasn't as busy back in those days.....business has increased about 25% over the last couple of years which means the workload has increased. Thinking..... I honestly don't know how I used to get so much done while working FT.

[lucylee]

Walked two miles.

Thinking... I'm not really doing all that much "taking care" of dmom, helia... I mean, a 30-minute phone call is not much to brag about, you know?
All told, most days I probably spend 30 minutes or an hour on the phone w/dmom and maybe an hour involved w/dmil -- visiting w/dh, running errands.
Sleep -- 8 hours (odd hours, but about 8 when it's all said and done)
S2S, etc -- about an hour
Let's say meals take up 3 hours, even though that is waaay over-estimating.
That gives me what, approx. 10 hours to do whatever I need to/want to?
Oh -- and if I walk, that's another hour messed up -- getting ready to go out, cooling off when I come in --
Still, in NINE HOURS, ooohhhh... I should have this house looking like a palace. And all my pictures organized. And time for real Bible study and devotions. And time to actually cook supper. WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE NINE HOURS???