Sunday March 3

[lucylee]

CI: to say hello before dh commandeers the computer to try to listen to ballgames. Our computer connection is so slow that live audio is virtually impossible. It's a very frustrating process, but dh keeps trying.

Yesterday we had a nice day @ basketball game -- although we lost again, as usual.

DH is fretting b/c ds, ddil, dgs did not come to church & they have very few occasions to come together... wants me to call them... * sigh * I just want to let it be. They will call us if they need anything. I am tired.

I am fretting b/c I just feel so ... conflicted ... re: whether or not to really push for a trip to You Know Where during Spring Break. If I do start insisting that we go... then daunt will probably want to come along... what if that leads to anxiety attacks and it will all be my fault... spinning -- spinning -- spinning -- I know.
I'm just praying for peace and assurance that we will do the right thing. That the Lord, through dmom, will let me KNOW what I need to do. And that dh will be in agreement. And that I will have no anxiety attacks.

Thinking of Harmony, MT, Sadie, and their dhusbands. (((BIG HUGS))) all around.

Also hope those of you with your own health concerns get some relief soon! Love you all!!!

[Twins' Mom]

Long walk with ddogs - more sniffing and discovering than actual walking but I consider it enrichment for them as much as exercise, since they are mostly house-bound now. We did some up and down hills at dMacs request so he's probably worn out with those bad legs. Talked to a neighbor couple a bit and they came into garage to see our heavy duty shelves, which hold comic books. They are thinking of installing the same - and I talked to them for a bit.

I did get dressed warmly and went upstairs to talk to dd so now I'll just start another round.

-start the lol
-clear kitchen table
-clear & wipe kitchen counters
-brush and floss teeth
-make the bed

[Nancy]

Good morning gals!
It's very windy here today the hens do not seem to mind. I put a couple more eggs under the broody hen now she has ten eggs more is better right? LOL! She did not seem to mind.

Chicks are find and growing very quickly now and getting more feathers.

We've had breakfast and coffee & bed are made. s2s done. I need to unload dishes and reboot the dish washer.

[Twins' Mom]

Just now finished that last round of jobs. In between I napped and hung out with dd.

Back to work:
-empty dishwasher
-clear high kitchen breakfast counter
-reboot laundry
-straighten up master bathroom

Didn't get this posted....have already done four of those...so

-clear high kitchen breakfast counter
-straighten M Bedroom
-water plants
-refill meds container
-move my car for dd, who is about to leave

It's no wonder I can't get this posted.....dh just called as he is on the way home, and dd is packing up and talking....I'm so ADD today.

[Twins' Mom]

And again....
-pooper scoop the back yard
-put away girl scout cookies on DR table
-put away two delivered boxes of internet orders
-walk ddogs for the evening while it's light out
-reorder meds for me

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Dh and I are back home. I'm exhausted.

Church went fine. Service ran over dramatically, but it tightened up after we got to the Sunday School room, so we went downstairs 15 minutes late and service only ended 20 minutes late. I had enough material so that went well. And our anthem was well received.

Dh had a good time visiting with the professional musician in our congregation (he doesn't come often.) He played dh's guitar (dh said, "It has never sounded so good!") and they talked for ages. Dh was all glowing when we left church.

We dropped off the guitar at home and headed out for lunch and then to tour an open house in the complex we are interested in. We have decided to stop looking for now, since when we are ready to pounce, we'll make that place our first choice. There are three buildings and a multitude of units that are appropriate but it is a condo so there won't be a lot of rentals. On the other hand, there four right now that would do and all are in our price range.

We toured two units. The first was 1771 square feet and we could move into that layout without having to make many decisions about what to leave behind. It has two large bedrooms and a good-size den, plus large living/dining and an eat in kitchen. The second was only 1345 square feet but we could (barely) manage in that space. We'd have to make many more compromises (mainly how much of the living/dining would be for office, if any, and what kind of guest room to have, if any.) But, if it was renting for $800/month less, I might be tempted to make those compromises.

The buildings are beautiful and have a recreation complex with exercise room, sauna, pools (indoor and outdoor), pool table, ping pong, indoor golf range, etc. etc. They are a reasonable walk from good grocery stores (by good I'm talking price and quality) and a long but doable walk from downtown and an easy bike ride. It is right on the bike path system and on the transit way system. So big win there. It is also by the train station so if we wanted to take the train to Toronto or Montreal, we could walk over.

This is also the first complex that sprang to both our minds, independently, when we had to describe where we'd like to live. So I think our first instinct might have been the best. It is also close to the hospitals (almost walking distance) and at the opposite end of the 'street' that contains our village, so the drive home was only 30 minutes.

We picked up groceries on the way home and I bought gluten-free bread mix. Now I'm off to learn how to make it in the bread maker. The box says to use the gluten-free program but my breadmaker is 15+ years old so was built before gluten-free became a 'thing.'

[Lilac]

Kathryn, I think it was just ahead of Christmas when your friends approached you about buying your home. I remember you commenting that you still had 18/19 months (and I can't remember the exact number) before you would sell/move. The other day you said 16 months and I remember thinking, it will be here before we know it and we will all be in disbelief that the time arrived so soon. I think you are doing a great job on your downsizing. Also, I think you and your dhs top choice sounds like a great place to move to. One other thing, I can't believe how long your dsil and dd have had to wait on finding out if he gets the job or not.

Finally the walls and the floor of the shower are ready to apply tile to. There have been a lot of tedious details to do but they will prevent leaks, etc., so in the long run it is time well spent. Dh is a perfectionist and won't do sloppy short-cuts. Of that, I am so thankful.

[Twins' Mom]

Yes, Ken and Kathryn are doing this the logical way. DH and I had talked about downsizing when the kids moved away and we really didn't make a conscious decision - we just liked the area and we "jumped." It has worked out well but we still have a garage full of stuff because we didn't do much of a weeding out before the move.

I am winding down - dh is home and I'm having a glass of wine. I think I will do some refrigerator purging now. I have the oven preheating for a pork tenderloin and roasted potatoes.

I still need to clean out my purse, make a li&t for tomorrow and get out my March planner.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

We went through two rapid house-emptying experiences (when parents died.) Ddad's was a nightmare. Aside from grief, nothing had been cleared out for years. My il's was much easier, my dmil was on top of clutter all her life. I was worried about emptying her storage room but it all fit on the couches and a small table in the basement when it was all spread out and we went through things quickly and easily.

My dh grew up in a small house. It had 3 bedrooms and they had four children, 3 girls and a boy. One bathroom. Total square footage, including basement was about half what I have. The girls commented that my dmil was always ready with whatever was needed for a project for school (toilet paper tube, scrap of material, cereal box) and yet she never seemed to have those things hanging around, they'd just ask and it would magically appear! We certainly didn't find much any hoarding of that stuff (compared to my 3 boxes of 'just in case' craft supplies in the basement and I don't have grandkids yet!

She taught sewing and sewed beautifully, but there was precious little material, far less than I have from my Dad's house (he sewed too.) Neither of them sewed much in their later years, but he kept what he had, she got rid of hers.

After that experience, I've been trying to downsize or at least declutter because it is so hard on those remaining to make decisions if there is junk mixed in with the treasures. It is easier to just let go of the junk, identify the treasures and discuss with family what will happen to them.

So, from that point of view, this is the perfect opportunity to rethink all my possessions and I see it as a blessing to my kids as well as to myself. I expect I'll feel much lighter when the process is done.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

My breadmaker didn't have a suitable cycle for the bread mix. Apparently, gluten free bread needs only one knead and rise before baking. Some people have managed with two. My machine only offers me three rises, so I just used the dough cycle and have put the dough in the oven to bake. We are having a roast chicken so the oven was already on.

Time to start the veggies next.