SHEs Organized

Lights are on the tree. Far from perfect but I am telling myself it will look fine once we put the ornaments on.

Harriet, thank you for pointing out how I could be spending my time and money! LOL!!! There are many ways I could do worse than studying different styles of organization, aren’t there? Thank you for always making me feel so much better!

Harriet always has just the right thing to say!

I've been stamping some. I think dh is disgruntled with me. He believes we should be doing something together but doesn't have any suggestions for what that is that he thinks we should be doing. So I have to come up with something to do to entertain him? The trouble is he doesn't like doing things alone and wants company. Otherwise, he watches tv. He has to get used to retirement or things to do...Sorry for a bit of a rant.

I slept poorly, might nap a little. I think we're going out for our dinner.

Today is day #8 of our 10 day Thanksgiving break and I am enjoying the slower pace. I have done bits and pieces of the hourly tasks assigned to the last 6 hours but have only finished one of the hours. I'm okay with being off schedule and soaking up the relaxed moments. I know exactly what tasks are being ignored and they won't have lasting unexpected consequences.

I have done some online shopping today but for things that are not gifts. I could wrap them and wait to give them until Christmas but that doesn't seem logical to me. The person could be using them for the next 30ish days instead of being wrapped up. >>>>>shrug<<<< Is it any surprise that Christmas shows up every year and I don't have any presents wrapped? I have spent hundreds of $$ on the kids this week, but don't have anything to wrap.

I spent waaaaayyyy too much time researching and thinking about getting another robotic vacuum and mop system. AFter doing all that research, then I decided I don't want one. Hurrrumph! Couldn't I have made that decision before spending all that time and effort? >>>shrugging shoulders<<<< I decided to get a cordless stick vacuum that doesn't have the motor on the end. Some days I frustrate myself with my endless consideration of all options. However, on the flip side - I am usually thrilled with the final selection and enjoy using it.

LucyLee - You might want to put your hands over your eyes and don't read this! A-river has their 2026 planners marked down in the black Friday sale. Some of them are 50% off.

LOL, LadyM -- I don't let myself get tempted by the actual planners anymore because I spend about $45 each year on the Prayerful Planner, which I like, and spending that much sorta "shocks" me into staying away from those. The Passionate Penny Pincher Planner is even more expensive, and it just doesn't work for me. But I did fall down a rabbit hole looking at the "accessories" on that site, and that's where I found the digital, editable download ($10) and the three months set of daily lists ($12). I don't know why I think I'll use these when I can't follow the planner they are based on.

The planner has daily tasks and weekly focus areas, but some days, they just expect too much from a person. I don't know how anyone gets all the tasks done. And then how do they prep for holidays like this time of year? For instance, look at this -- Thanksgiving Day:
Daily Tasks
Morning
Exercise
Shower
Make Beds
Start Laundry
Clean Bathroom Sinks
Plan/Prep Dinner
Wash/Put Away Dishes
Clean Kitchen Counters
Wipe Down Kitchen Sink
Tidy Main Living Space
Evening
Make Dinner
Prep Meals for Next Day
Wash/Put Away Dishes
Clean Kitchen Counters
Wipe Down Kitchen Sink
Set Out Kitchen Towels
Sweep/Vacuum Kitchen
Fold Laundry
Tidy Main Living Space
Thursday Task
Change Bedroom Sheets (Thursday is always clean sheets day. Of course, they say to swap days to suit yourself, but it's printed right there on Thanksgiving Day.)
The Weekly Focus for this week IS Decorate for Christmas, so they do make allowance for that, LOL.

Today, Friday after Thanksgiving, daily tasks are
Clean electronic screens
Sort paperwork and mail
Take out trash

Next week's focus is Order Christmas Cards,
then Organize Gift Wrapping Supplies
then Wrap Christmas Gifts
then Plan Holiday Meals
then, Christmas week, "Enjoy Your Family."
(There may be an extra week here, because I'm looking at an older planner. Thanksgiving was on Nov. 23 in 2023, the year I ordered this planner. )

It's not really too bad when you look at it on paper, but if you actually did all those tasks yesterday, I don't see how you would have time (or energy) to do Thanksgiving!
I still need to wash dishes, clean counters, sink, etc from yesterday!

BTW -- KittyKat -- I meant to thank you for the reminder about putting things in the cart and waiting 24 hours! I must remember that! I already do that a lot with Amazon.
And thanks for sharing your Thanksgiving list with us!

OH -- my alma mater is on the parade route now! The University of North Alabama, playing songs recorded in Muscle Shoals, AL. You should Google it -- FAME studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studios. A lot of big hits have been recorded here in my neck of the woods.

I've done some knitting
Swept leaves off driveway & raked font yard.
Folded laundry 2 loads.
Processed mail.
Let doggo out & back in.
Walk is under consideration but waiting till dusk to see the lites I see are going up today next door and other places.

The decorations are on the tree!!! Hooray for that!
Of course, still need to vacuum the floor -- this 40 year old tree sheds just like it was alive. And it is showing its age, but once the lights and ornaments are on it, it looks fine. We didn't even put the apples and candy canes on it. (Our first Christmas, we had red apples instead of balls. I never thought anything about it, except that it fit the "country, traditional" vibe I was going for. Then ddil pointed out that apples are very appropriate for two school teachers to have on their tree.) We haven't put any of the other decorations out, except a few things that had to be moved to get to the ornaments -- a couple of teddy bears, the table ornament for the dining room table.

I am exhausted now, and I still need to take care of the kitchen, and vacuum here in the den.

DGD is just up and down, up and down --

***
She was up again and I forgot to post.
Floor in the den is vacuumed, everything is put away that we got out today.
More decorations need to be set out, but that can wait till tomorrow -- and maybe Sunday, to let DGS have some part in all this.
DGD has talked to her mommy -- every few minutes she tells me, "I miss my mommy... I miss my daddy... " She especially trusts her mommy's judgement when she is sick, but mommy has no advice other than what we're already doing.
I finally did get her to swallow a Zofran with some applesauce. I am hoping it will help her get to sleep in a little while. I know it is too early, but my goodness, I'm tired.
AND the kitchen still looks like a tornado came through it.

BTW -- tonight is the official celebration for the 100th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry.
I hope ds' friend remembers to send me a poster.

I immediately started rearraigning the tasks to group them by location.

Make Bed ,,,as soon as you get up

Shower
Clean bathroom sink (also toilet and floor quick swish & swipe) before drying off and getting dressed
Exercise built into each task - squats while in shower to wipe down the walls, circle stretches to wipe the shower ceiling, balancing on one foot while brushing teeth, pushups while reviewing the list of 23 items included in AM personal care.

dirty clothes to laundry

move on to kitchen and the 9 tasks that happens there first thing.
etc.

I am finding myself missing being busy and productive. I have done excellent at taking it slow and easy and I have the lack of steps to prove it. I barely broke 3k steps today.
Now I have to decide whether to take another slow day tomorrow or jump back into my normal doings. I am feeling blessed that I have the choice.

That’s a good idea, LadyM. Organizing tasks in logical order.

Editing -- 12:00 midnight --
Believe it or not, my kitchen is clean! There are clean dishes in the drain rack on the counter, and the dishwasher is running, but the countertops are cleared, the floor is swept, and it looks nice again.
DGD is sound asleep. She finally began to feel a little better after the Zofran, and we played Battleship (until she sank my first ship and decided she was finished) and we played Outburst (until she got ahead of me and decided she was finished -- do you see a pattern here? She always quits while she is ahead.)
I need to take a shower, but may wait -- the dishwasher is on the same water heater as my shower and I might end up with a cold shower, you know?

I think I will go to bed and try to start fresh tomorrow. My stomach has been a little more iffy than usual tonight -- I certainly hope I'm not catching whatever dgd has had. With my stomach, it is hard to tell.

WTG with a clean kitchen, and a beautiful tree, Lucylee!

What a good idea to group tasks logically, Lady M. I already try and keep in top of the bathroom bit doing little tasks whenever I visit it, but, my hygienist does not approve of multi tasking, and has forbidden me from doing the standing on one leg exercise while cleaning my teeth! She said she wants me to concentrate entirely on teeth cleaning without distractions. And somehow she knows if I have been disobeying orders! I'm still working at finding another suitable time slot for standing on one leg. Maybe while waiting for the kettle to boil?