SHEs Organized

To finish something you have to start it, right?

Having a hard time starting anything.

Snow is falling, and falling, and falling. I drove over to CM's (3+ miles away along the highway) and was glad I had no farther to go than that. Didn't get much over 40 mph instead of the normal 50 - 55. After 2 hours there my car was coated in snow so had to brush it off and come home. The plow had been around once but I got through that and the pile dh left in front of the garage for the tractor snow blower to remove.

CM and I got the minutes to last year's Annual meeting roughed out. (She had lost the notes but her dh found them for her cuz he knew where they were.) We also drew up a plan for Christmas dinner. No shortage of food. A roast of lamb, of beef, a salmon and two tortieres. Mashed and scallop potatoes, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, beans & carrots. Yorkshire puddings. For before hand (!) veggies and dip and some appetizers she has in the freezer. For dessert, two kinds of ice cream, and two kinds of pie. I'm bringing tortieres, pies, yorkshire puddings, mashed potatoes, carrots, veggies and dip, ice cream, apple pie, sparkling juices, disposable plates and bowls.

I'm home, have read the paper and hung up the two blown glass ornaments CM bought me. I need to pull down the outside decorations since one of the strings of LED lights has ceased to work. I'm frustrated looking at the box which says the lights are rated for 200,000 hours and how wonderful they are because they don't have to replaced each year and keep working if even a few bulbs burn out. All lies.

Ivy- yes on coyotes more foxes here I heard some thing yipping last night not sure if someone has puppies or if it was pretators.

Laundry is in the dryer.
Dgson is here now too.

We made the decision to cancel tomorrow trip to celebrate DGD2 turning 3 years old. There was just too many negatives stacking up.
** They are predicting 1/2" of ice....don't wanna be driving on that!
** DMom invited herself to go with us and then called to tell us when we should leave, what we should take, etc.
** Although I'm feeling better, my voice is almost nonexistent and my body is still achy (sides of my neck are swollen & tender).
I'm not happy about missing DGD2 birthday, but there isn't much I can do about it. We will have a late birthday celebration with her ASAP.

Cards due today = 14
# Cards completed 58
'% Cards completed = 81%
Papers processed = 5
Healthy Habits completed = 70%

B: Omelet/Breakfast burrito
L: Steak & Salad
D: Pizza

OKay Good decision on cancelling the trip due to negatives.

I rearranged the outdoor Christmas lights. There's a good reason I do this in November when I don't have to deal with snow and wear gloves! The remaining string of lights wasn't long enough to fill the space so I moved the 30' of mini-light lit garland from the window sills on the front porch and attached it to the archway. Hopefully, it will hold in wind. It only has to last 10 days. I took the remaining strand of LED lights and wrapped them around the wreath hung between the windows. It needed lights anyway and that spot needs more light now that window sill garlands are gone.

Looks really magical right now, so it was successful use of my time.

The broken LED light set can't have the lights replaced by the owner (some can) so it will go into the garbage. The lifetime warranty requires both the warranty card (which I have) and the receipt (which I don't have.) Plus they don't cover wiring issues and I'm sure they'll blame wiring if I sent them in (at my expense which would be more than just buying a new string of lights.) So much for the claim on the box, "They also last a really long time so you won't have to throw them away next season." True, they lasted about 4 seasons but the mini lights on the garland are at least 8 years old, cost 1/3 as much (or less) and are repairable if the lights burn out.

Home again here. I've started challah going in the breadmaker, which is working normally. (I poured water into accidentally last weekend, and it's been drying out since.)

This morning I went to cleaners, then bank, then CVS drugstore. Several phone calls along the way, one long one re temple wall issues (again.) Then dropped off dog collars for donation and got to temple. Wrote notes on cards and added cash for employees. Discussed several issues with office manager. Discussed an issue with former treasurer and spouse of a past president, who wanted to know if I was interested in working tax season. Rec'd email re: 25K donation before year end almost finalized. Lunch on the run, then got battery in dmom's watch and went to see her. Filled meds containers, got specs re cash she needs for family cards. (I wish she would stop doing this, at least for my family, but my plea falls on deaf ears.) Then picked up a few things at grocery so I could do a Shabbas dinner tonight for me, dh and ds. (DD is house sitting....)

Ds, who so far has declined to add anything to my grocery list, has taken off for grocery in my car.

Tonight's dinner is only grilled chicken, baked sweet pots and a wedge salad, with challah so shouldn't be hard to pull together.

I'm going to sit outside with the dogs, although might nap a little also.

Also glad that OK isn't traveling in bad weather tomorrow.

Okay, I am relieved that the decision has been made for you to stay home. Between ice on the road and you not feeling well, it is for the best.

There was an older couple from here that had a family tragedy about 10 years ago or so, at Christmas due to ice. Their oldest daughter and her 3 kids were driving here from southern Texas. They hit a patch of ice and had a terrible accident. All 4 were killed. The daughters husband was to fly up right before Christmas. I always think of him and her parents at this time of year. So I hate for anyone to travel if ice is involved. It just isn't worth the risk.

Yesterday I finished up my shopping. Last night we went to dd2s for pizza, birthday cake and ice cream for dgs8s birthday.

This morning I bought groceries. I will go back either early Sunday morning or early Monday morning to buy more. Awhile ago I mailed some bills and dropped off my recycling. When I drove up dh was getting out of his work car. He is sick. He is chilling, aches, feels sick to his stomach and looks awful.

I always pay cash at T arget, except when dd1 and I shopped their late at night on Thanksgiving, I used my debit/credit card. I called the bank earlier and cancelled that card and they issuing us new cards. It took me a long time to use a debit/credit card but once I did, I really liked using it over cash. We have Life Lock but I decided I didn't want to take any chances.

We are suppose to have 2-4 inches of snow, starting tomorrow.

Have any of you seen "Frozen"? Dd2 and I took the 2 little girls 2 weeks ago. The boys seen it with their dad. Then last Friday they all went again and dgd17 and her bf went. Dd1 and dgs19 went on Sunday. They asked me to go but I planned to do Christmas cards. I didn't get to the cards so I wish I would have went. Dgs19 and I are talking about going together sometime soon. It is a wonderful movie with a wonderful message. I really liked the music. The sound track is out and dd2 bought it the other day.

Dd2 is going to run an ad in the paper announcing the closing of her store with 30% off, the last week. She will be lucky to make 1/3 of what she did last Dec. Around here, it seems like everyone supports the new thing and once the new wears off, there is not enough support to sustain it.

I need to wrap gifts tonight.

Today a guy stole dgd17s completed final. Just before the class ended he turned it in. Dgd17 had worked with the teacher on various things and the teacher recognized her handwriting. Dgd17 was un-nerved that she might have gotten a zero, if the teacher hadn't been as aware.

It is really cold again. We had 3 beautiful days of the 60's, 1 day of 50 ish and now cold...........brrrr............

Nancy, They could be either someone's new puppies or predators.

Found out that 2 mailers made it to TN, sent on Mon. the 16th, but the other one's still in-state of WA stuck about 40 miles away. It's on its way to Virginia, but the recipient goes out of town, won't return until Monday, so she's probably going to receive it by Christmas after all. Her DD picks up her mail for her, too. Also, she'll be out of town from the 24th - 27th, but someone picks her mail up for her. Am hoping the mailer arrives when she's home.

DH and I went to dfriends' house, for a visit, to exchange gifts, and had a very nice time. Spent 2 hours there. Such fun people. ♥ ♥ Enjoyed our stay so much.

Am washing jeans w/dark clothes, slowly am getting ready for the weekend, need to write my PODA and use and wash my peak flow meter, so it's dry by a.m.'s register time.

Luckily, the snow quickly melted, got 1 card with 2 pen pal letters, and a magazine. Will try to get snail mail caught up this evening, too.

Everyone, Finish Friday Strong! It's almost over! Can't believe where the year's gone. Wow. They say time flies when you're having fun. Didn't know "life" was that much fun, but it must be- because it's flying by!
Have a good night!

Something made me think to get an apartment in Wellington (Feb 6 - 14). Do you know what the Wellington Sevens are? Me neither. Big deal though. It is like getting a room in the Superbowl city. There is nothing.

We have a room for our first night (good thing, we arrive at midnight so needed a hotel with a 24 hour desk.)

I have spent the last 2 hours looking for a place to stay. There are three suitable AirBnB places so I've sent them inquiries. Hopefully they'll respond quickly but I'm not hopeful. If we can't get a place we'll have to rent a car and leave town on Friday night after dh is done working after arriving at midnight the same day - there's a recipe for disaster) and find a place away from the city to stay in. Alternatively, we'll have to fly to Christchurch or someplace like that for the two nights and fly back. I have dh booking a rental car now because it occurred to me if the city is full of rugby fans, there may be a shortage of cars to rent.

Even the hostels are full. The only room I found was at the Intercontinental at $450 per night. And that's only good for dh and I, we'd need another room for ds.

So there went my evening. And I'm in a foul mood. Obviously none of contacts in NZ thought to mention this when we said we'd be coming. We did ask one contact who said he couldn't help us because the local hotel was full. But he didn't mention that not just his hotel was full but all hotels in the area. Absolute worst comes to worst, we have friends we can bunk with in the far out suburbs. But I hate staying with acquaintances, friends or even family.