Have had dMacs to PT today and he's resting. The physical therapist keeps reminding me how strong he still is - I keep telling her that I think the neighbors think he's being mistreated because I make him go out and walk every day and he walks so slowly and seems so pitiful.
Have continued to try to get my new Fitbit to sync with old account. Emailed support that their "fix" didn't do the trick. Dh surprised me last night with an early Hanukah gift - the new iPad Air. My old iPad, which I use frequently, has started crashing pretty frequently. It is the original iPad, I'll see if dd or ds wants it. I'm transferring the backup of my old one over to the new - was undecided about whether to do that or download and install the apps I want fresh, but I took the easy way out.
Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better [wo]man. Ben Franklin
Woo hoo for me! I have vacuumed the den/kitchen/dining room/computer room/guest bath/halls!!!!
Just under 30 minutes to do carpets and hard floors in that area. It is really all one big area, no doors except for bathroom and computer room (which are both TINY). The kitchen is kinda out of sight of the den, and each area is distinct, but they all run together. I have to use two electrical outlets to do the whole area, and of course, I’m changing back and forth for carpet attachment to hardwood attachment on the vacuum, so it’s time-consuming in that way. But 30 minutes is NOT bad. That’s just two 15 minute sessions. I should be able to figure out a way to manage this on a regular basis.
I definitely prefer vacuuming with the E lectrolux to the K irby. Trouble is, I think ds/ddil do, too, and they have the
K irby now. I don’t think ddil has EVER used it, and I’m sure ds has used it precious little. But I do not dwell on that. Y’all have definitely taught me to choose my battles and the cleanliness of THEIR house is NOT high on my list. Certainly not until the cleanliness of my own house comes more in line with my own standards.
Still needing vacuuming are the master bedroom/bath, laundry room, baby room, study, and guest bedroom/bath. We do not use the study and guest room very often so they can go a LONG time without vacuuming, but I really do plan to get my act together in 2014 and do them as scheduled in the focus plan.
* Sigh * Ugh. I hate to even hear myself say that. I know y’all are groaning. How many times HAVE I said that… “I really do plan to get my act together…” BUT – now that I am retired, I have a reason to hope, right?
(((Dee))) I do hope you are feeling better by the time you have to hit the road. Will dh need you to do a lot of driving? Also – praying for safe travel!
Also glad to see Kathryn has “landed.”
(((helia))) – for perplexities of teenagers… so much like ds… such a good student… such a procrastinator…
Also (((hugs))) for Nancy & Sadie w/the sore throats. Wonder if it’s a seasonal/allergy thing all around? I know some of you are already experiencing winter, but here, the weather is very changeable. Hot enough that I wore shorts yesterday while walking, then cool enough that I had on three layers at the ballgame, plus a light blanket.
Hope dgs16 settles down and makes the best of the day with you, Okay. Sometimes young people just have to learn to adjust to others. That was great about the benefit. (((Jack the horse)))
Good morning/afternoon to Ivy, too. I’m still trying to wake-up, too.
You ALL get sooo much done before I even get started. This is the problem w/being a nightowl and late riser. I always feel so lazy when I check in and see what everyone else has been doing… but like I have said, in the interest of marital harmony, I think my schedule is pretty well set. I’ve just got to learn to work within it. Maybe I need to consider myself like Lynlee, living in a different time zone altogether. That’s it… we live on Elvis Presley time here. * sheesh * Except, while Elvis was sleeping, there was a whole entourage of people keeping Graceland going…
I need an entourage.
Another ta-da:
Backed up computer files to external hard drive. This is a weekly card but I couldn't begin to tell you when it was last done. DS had a major hard drive crash just recently -- and actually has TWO external hard drives, but had not backed up data -- so I am trying harder to remember to do these things.
dlucy I had a acquaintance who had 7 children and got up at 4:30 every morning to see her dh away to work as movie studio carpenter and her house and he body was perfect. She made it look effortless but found out she was constantly (I mean constantly) busy - she made it look effortless. I couldn't figure out how you taught, graded papers, went to games to cheer on your dson and the teams and still were walking. You made it look effortless. I think it's all perspective of time - dd18, dd now a young adult, dboy get up later than I do and take naps on weekends - they are awake when I am falling asleep and they get things done then and then I feel like a lazy bones because I can no longer keep up lol - you are doing great and look at that vacuumed house...awesome!!!
Feel better d dee and d sadie and d nancy
hope you power stays on d ivy
dtwins a lucky dog your dear mac is being able to walks with his d owner who loves him so.
d helia and d okay so happy you had fun evening with lovely company.
I'm here. Totally exhausted. I've been doing laundry since very early this morning. Mike has been itching like crazy, so to make him happy I have "washed" all his clothes. Absolutely no soap or dryer sheets. Everything from pants to socks and underwear and alllllllllllll his t-shirts have now been done. Regular laundry for me tomorrow. I have done more than enough today.
Everything that I am hanging up on his side of the closet will have the hanger facing the other way, so I will know what's washed or not. Very few of his dress shirts did not get done. IF this rinsing makes the itching stop, then I will do the dress shirts. No way am I ironing things twice.
Dishes never stop.
Laundry never stops.
Litter boxes never stop.
Paper never stops.
Back home from outing to find water for DFriends. I still feel weird doing this alone without DDaddy. I took LO with me to the pasture as I searched for & cut the correct shaped willow tree limbs. Then I picked up DMom and took her with me to DFriends home (about a 20 mile drive). Three more DFriends met me there. These DFriends had never doused for water and wanted to try. I showed them how to hold the Y shaped stick and they followed me around but couldn't get their willow sticks to make a move. We traded sticks and tried again but their sticks still would not move. Meanwhile my stick is going crazy - hitting me in the face & twisting in my hands until I had blisters.
At the end of our time together we agreed it was a fun experiment and time well spent in beautiful weather. DFriend who is having a water well dug next week was very grateful for our efforts.
Thank you Ivy for the kind words! I find posts here interesting, just b/c many of you are doing different things from me in your daily lives. I really like variety; I can get bored. I've been thinking about this - that may be one reason I have trouble with keeping routines; I just get bored. I need to think of ways to mix them up or make them into games or competitions (w/ myself). . . .
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one dealing with teenage stuff. They do grow up - or so I'm told. I'm not actually there yet. Ds had his own teenage moment this week with his absent mindedness re: payment for his meal plan. He is like dh in this -- not big on life details.
Oh, feeling tired. I have pretty much spent all afternoon in the kitchen. I'd forgotten how labor intensive beef burgundy is. I found Julia Child's recipe, and borrowed some elements from it. I didn't follow it exactly as it is even more labor intensive than my lowly standard BH and G recipe. Another time I'd like to do her recipe. The beef has been simmering for about 2 hours now. Bacon is ready to go in last minute, and pearl onions have been braised and set aside. Mushrooms have been sauteed and set aside. I'll put them in around 4:30 and turn the crockpot to low. I have washed up all the pots and pans I used. I'm taking a break, finishing my lunch - and drinking some water b/c I haven't drunk any water yet today.
I did get a giving check written out, went to the post office box, and did all my groc. shopping at Trader Joe's, which is in the same shopping area as the po box. There were a couple items I couldn't get and I'll have to get them from our regular groc. store on Monday. I learned that meat is expensive there! But it saved time so I went ahead and shelled out the money. . .
Dd15 has asked me to order more reeds for her so I'll do that next. We buy from a friend/colleague of her oboe teacher's who lives in Ohio and makes them by hand. So does her teacher, but I 'm not sure why she recommends we buy from her friend. Dd15 is getting better at making her own reeds and occasionally uses one she has made.
Dh had wanted to go for a jog this afternoon but is still at his office. I don't think we have time at this point, not with small group starting at 5. He won't think much of being 30 minutes late - but I will. . .
Next:
- order oboe reeds
- start a lol
- prep new calendar! I actually enjoy doing this so I don't know why I'm putting it off. Other things are crowding it out.
I think many of us get bored easily. I do and that's why routines are hard for me too but again I would rather play all day (visiting and doing something for others) I do think it is our creativity and joyfulness that make us happy people but also try's to lead us away from the daily routine.
hitting a real tired spot here and haven't done much. dd older is napping, dd younger is doing homework, dh is out at target and yours truly feels like napping.
kitchen is clean and floor and vents smell so much better.
vacuumed front hall and rinsed it. I have to make dinner soon. I am sooooo tired.
I've got a new trick, I can post (and cuop) while driving in the car. I had understood my USB internet modem only worked when stopped but it works while driving too (which makes sense since it uses the same towers smart phones use.) I've excited because I'm bored.
It is raining but even so today's drive is much more pleasant.
Slept well, despite the bed having not enough air. I ended up with hives again yesterday (this is new, I never got stress hives before and have them twice in a month) so took meds for that. Slept really well, 8.5 hours in total. There are no blinds yet in the room but that didn't bother me because I sleep in an eye mask.
We had breakfast at their favourite diner and then we headed off as quickly as we could. Got on the road at 11:45. Not upset about leaving dd because I know I'll see her again soon, at least Dec. 7 if not sooner.
The drive through Toronto was painless and we had a quick lunch at Tim Horton's before spending 90 minutes with dd's godparents. Now we are back on the road taking the scenic route home. We'll stop for schnitzel along the way.
While it is daylight, I need to go over my service for tomorrow and then work on my notes for the big meeting after church. I have both things printed off so I can work from paper instead of my laptop.
Boy I am on a roll!
* s2s AND colored my hair
* vacuumed bedroom and bathroom
The house really does look better, blessed, and I am going to enjoy that feeling. You are always saying such sweet, encouraging things to me -- I really want you you to know how much I appreciate that. Your name should be blessING b/c you are always blessing others with encouragement and inspiration.
I guess I do get bored w/routines, maybe. Maybe I just get lazy and prefer to read or watch tv or play Solitaire and Suduko. I do NOT have that "have to be busy all the time" gene; that is for certain. My ddad had it, and my daunt, who had four children and then had one daughter move back in with three grandchildren -- she had it. I do not have it.
I'm not actually there yet. Ds had his own teenage moment this week with his absent mindedness re: payment for his meal plan. He is like dh in this -- not big on life details. 
