Monday Countdown

[Lilac]

Christmas is almost here!

[Lilac]

I went to bed really late but felt like I got next to no sleep. I was awake at 4:13 when the power went out. It came back on about an hour or so later. Don't know what happened because the wind is calm and we aren't having any precipitation.

I wrapped gifts all evening and finished the gifts. Still need to do the stocking stuffers but they won't take long.

Made my grocery list out and have checked it several times. I will be going to WM and the grocery store.

We found out why dh was sick. He had had a manager's meeting and they served a lunch from J immy J ohn's. It is a sandwich shop. It seems that something from there has been causing gastro problems. I seen it on FB and told him. I didn't realize that he had eaten anything from there. He didn't have the vomiting or other output issue, his was the joint pain, body aches, fever and chilling symptoms. He has a basically cast iron stomach, so his hit other ways, which were symptoms we didn't recognize as food poisoning.

Today after buying groceries and wrapping the stocking stuffers, I will need to clean. Also, this evening I need to fix the frozen dessert. Tomorrow I will be doing food all day.

Guess I better shower and check that list again.

I hope you all have a great day, as you prepare for your Christmas celebration.

[Lynlee]

ty for opening Lilac. I do hope your DH recovers quickly.

my day - washing done
weeding done - first time in an age.
appointmt, pd bill, got cash, bought bags and 2 scripts for next week.
walked dog
long talks to dd2, dm, dsis, friend. I got a mixed msg letter in a card - eventually - I am ok with the person who sent it.

tomorrow - gifts to wrap, dog to wash, Packing of all things needed and helpful.
I want to be otd about lunch time - I'll eat here first.
good night.

PS - to Kathryn - has ds thought of registering at temp agencies? His hosp experience might help.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Lynlee: I'll pass that along. When looking on Gumtree, I skipped all the job postings from temp agencies because I didn't know which were legit and which were scams to get kids to register but wouldn't deliver.

Ds and the girls downstairs have a 3 kg turkey in the fridge ready to cook up with potatoes and carrots and they've bought ice cream (a luxury to them) for dessert. They'll go to the beach for the daytime but are planning a very late roast turkey dinner. The Italian at ds's place has made up a lasagna for the day and will need the oven there so they'll use the oven in the girls apartment. Not sure how many of the 21 from the two apartments will be joining in. My guess is most will be working that day in order to get extra money.

I'm amused that despite his declaration that he'd do a traditional Australian Christmas, he's actually reverting to traditional North American. Cam (his female Canadian friend downstairs) has observed that it feels like the Australians (as in the nation) are playing a huge practical joke on her, assuring the gullible foreigner that they really do celebrate Christmas like this when in fact they'll do it in their winter when it isn't as hot and endlessly sunny. Both of them are seriously feeling the disconnect between the date and improvised trees in public spaces ("Christmas trees should be real furs, not wire structures with lights on them") and the weather. Ds misses snow so much that he's up at 1 a.m. to watch the webcam at his ski hill so he can see people enjoying the snow.

[Norma]

Good Morning! Two days until Christmas. This holiday, my favorite, is coming around too fast every year now.

Saturday night we went with Cowinkie and Sweetie to our favorite burger place and then planned to go to see some cars. When we drove through the parking lot where they were supposed to be, there were only a handful. Too close to Christmas I guess and everyone had other plans. We decided to just go back to their place to visit and play with Willis and Sadie TWD. When we arrived Cowinkie handed me a Christmas gift bag and said the gift on top was for Mr. Guy and I but the second was just for me. I could see the twinkle in her eye and as I looked in to the bag I spotted a red bag with the words "Gimbal's" and "Cherry Lovers"! We both burst out laughing and Cowinkie knew she had nailed it! The guys had no idea what was going on so we explained how these had been the topic of many posts on the forum. I just love surprises like that. What a wonderful friend she is. The gift for Mr. Guy and I was a loaf of her wonderful Cranberry loaf. YUM! And the cherry candies - Oh Wow! Double YUM!

Cowinkie's ds arrived in the middle of the night. We will be spending Christmas Day with them and I am anxious to finally meet him. She has him for a week and is very happy and excited about that.

Merry Christmas to all!

[Nancy]

I have a 12 lb. Tky. Thawing in the fridge.
Hen chores done.
Bed made.
S2s x
K in C I napped during the movie yesterday.
Fold lol is next up.
Trash is dumped.
H. Said the truck would not start is was not firing---so he took the car to work so I will need to make other arrangements for groc. Shopping.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Wrapped 2 of the 5 presents for tomorrow night's service. Will wrap the rest at the church later today.

Have had breakfast.

Had a delightful chat with my Irish friend.

CM messaged me an hour ago asking if I needed anything from Costco. I just got the message so have texted her that I need bacon if not too late. Hope I got through to her in time.

Now I need to brush my teeth and vacuum the upstairs. I'm hoping that doing some housework will settle my frazzled brain. At the very least, it will get the fluff off the floor and the vacuum out of the spare bedroom (where it has been waiting for me to use if for the past 10 days!)

[helia]

Good morning all! I haven't been here for a couple days, things just got too busy and hectic - hours of shopping took place. We did NOT get ice! In fact, right now is the first time we've been below freezing for several days now. I think we're at 28* right now. Weird - a week or so ago, we were unusually cold, now this. . . Who knows what is next? Our snow is severely depleted but there is still a little on the ground. More like frozen slush at this point. . .

I think I'm done with my Cmas shopping, but I'm experiencing that phenomenon where you think your gifts are uneven so you buy more for one person -- only to realize that if you do that, you need to buy more for someone else, and it keeps going and never ends. . . I have overbought for dh but his bday is the end of January, so I'll save out an item or two for that. I'm now also thinking of gifts I'd like to give but haven't gotten yet - but I think I have enough for everyone. I would love to give GG a copy of LOTR books since we seem to have single-handedly introduced her to Tolkien and Middle earth through the films. . . I don't think dd18 has finished shopping yet so maybe she can buy her a book or two.

We (myself, dh, GG, dd15, and ds) did go see Hobbit II yesterday. We think it is better than Hobbit I - a fun movie but still not following the book well in parts. I have a friend whose philosophy is to take each film as a stand alone story/creation and not compare it to the book (if it comes from a book), and I find that approach helpful and freeing! We did pick apart the movie afterward as we are wont to do, having several conversations about what was in the book, what was ambiguous/unknown in the book and so could have happened (e.g. Legolas was not explicitly mentioned in the book, but he certainly could have been present as one of the woodelves as timing was right), whether the events of the Silmarillion extended as far in the future as the Hobbit, etc.

We are celebrating Sinterklaas today so getting ready for that will take most of the day: a long funny poem + a surprise (hand made "joke" gift roasting an aspect of their personality/life) for each person as well as gifts. I have a TON of wrapping to do, and I will make Dutch letter cookies late this afternoon. I do have supplies for "lekkerbords," plates of yummy goodies for each person to munch on during the festivities. Dh will make Dutch pancakes, and we still have bottles of "stroop" (syrup) from NL to eat with them.

I do eventually need to get to a groc. store and the honeybaked ham store for the last odds and ends items for Cmas. S, R, and a friend of theirs will be joining us for Cmas dinner, but we never firmed up a menu so I'm kind of making it up as I go. I may do that shopping tomorrow.

In the midst of all this busyness, my house is falling apart and I'd like to pay some attention to it today. Dh would appreciate that, and he is planning on galvanizing the troops (aka teenagers) to do their chores and help with pu/pa. Also, dd18 got a flat tire on Friday, so the kid car has the donut tire on it and dh wants to get that fixed today. . . .

Right now, the house is blessedly quiet. The teens are still sleeping. Well, dd18 is off at her small group's sleepover. Dh has s2s-ed and gone to meet a dfriend for coffee. I have emptied and reloaded the dw and taken the dogs out to potty.

Proud mommy moment - I can only share here: Ds' semester grades are in, and dh and I are increasingly impressed -- and dh is not easily impressed by academics. We don't tell this to ds, though. He is not arrogant about these sorts of things, and we'd like him to stay that way. We do tell him he's doing a great job! He is keeping his 4.0 - a doing so in very good style. Of course, it has only been 3 semesters and he still needs to get into the higher level more difficult classes, but he is off to a strong start!! Hopefully good work habits established now will help him in the future.

Next:
- a.m. routine
- gift wrapping

[Twins' Mom]

I am up and among the living. Sleep study last night left me way tired when the tech woke up up at 5:30 this morning. I really didn't feel like I slept well but I did slept the night with the nose mask on and connected to the CPAP machine. I was up around 3 to use the bathroom. Once home I talked to dh for a couple of minutes and went back to bed, getting up about an hour ago.

Temple biz regarding our wall already this morning and I still need to do the writing for the bulletin. Today I have a follow up appt at 2:40 w sleep apnea doc to get script for machine - we're trying to get this done by year end 'cause we've met deductible this yr. I also need to get cash for dmom and get to her house with cash and cards for her to give.

Tomorrow is only dinner out with dfamily for my birthday. Our "Other son" Z who is ds' best friend is here from D.C. and will go with us. I'm undecided between a "white table cloth" restaurant with fabulous views that accepts reservations or the casual pasta/trattoria type restaurant in the same area that the kids prefer, but takes no reservations.

I'm also whipped from socializing/family stress this weekend. We were out on Sat night for a party, Sunday a.m. for brunch and last night pizza with dfamily. (Not always dear.) Dh has fussed about dd house sitting and us not getting to see her much, but as soon as she walks in the two of them start up with each other.

[Twins' Mom]

Count down for OKay and dfamily as well. Starting to prepare the virtual waiting room with specialty coffee drinks, herbal teas and some light pastries. Also fresh fruit, bottled water and nuts for healthy munching.

Thoughts going out, lots happening today!