Snowmobiling Saturday

[Lauralind]

Morning all. Brrrr. Outside activity. Fun to get in the Christmas spirit if it's enjoyable. I just got a couple pics from dd. Her daycare was in their Christmas parade. Their float won first place. Except- 20 Celsius and wind?? Brrrr. I can tell why they won. Someone is decorative and with cute kids and all.

Snowmobiling... another one I am very familiar with. I haven't been out but there's one still in my shed. We are of course right in prime country for it. Snow. Hills. Mountain trails. There might be some guided tours but most groups who go are experienced back country people on their own. With so many choices to explore it's a very common winter sport up here. Unfortunately ds27 has to fix his (sled) as lots call it. Needs a new engine I think. Not quite in budget along with a baby and a new house. I could probably find you some real live pictures if I knew how to share them. Probably part of the problem is everything I do is on my phone. Maybe if I did it from computer it would be easy?

Anyways it's still early. I'm going to get started in a while with routines and see how far I can get before the party. Snow day again today. So inside is best plan. Bbl with plans.

[FrenchFlybebe]

trissie, I hope you can enjoy the kids' choir. Are the school teachers required to freeze their a***s in the cold too and drink overpriced beverages too ? Just being curious. Oh, if I get any baking done this weekend, it will be all because of you, and the very interesting things you said about how many types of cookies you need to bake to be ranked among the respectable families, and if you don't bake at least 3, you're definitely lazy or someting like that. I hope gingerbread-type cookies can hold until Christmas if I bake them this weekend.

Dogged, so Germane is potty-reward-training you, and is she successful at it?

laura sorry it's cold. Party ? (I really should cuop)

kittykatt, you remember well, the lycée comes after the collège, it's for students 16yo to 18yo and ends with the A-level equivalents (the baccalauréat, aka "le bac"). RIght now both are in primary school but DS9almost10 will start collège next September : he will have different teachers and change classrooms from one class to the next.

MrNG is having a nap. Kids are exchanging collectible cards, like Pokemon cards but free, collectible cards given out by a certain supermarket chain to customers based on how much they spend, featuring Disney characters. All their classmates have some, kids learn the art of bartering during school breaks... and DS7 is not as cunning as his brother when it comes to convincingly negotiate agreements that are not in DS7's interests.
I showed them how to make an orange pomander, they were interested for awhile.

TADAs
fold lol, start new lol, lol on patio
drying rack to drip
update the Christmas lists
some cleaning but not much, because of next item :
dealt with DS7's complaining he was bored
DS9 and MrNG came back, we ate
cleanup
started orange pomander, showed the kids how-to

TODO
all the admin work to catch up on (car appts, important email, paperfiling, bank)
Zone cleaning + patio
some cooking in advance ?
family movie night tonight, with store-bought pizza, I need to wash the lettuce

WOULD LIKE TO
relax and read for fun
progress on my Christmas stitching project (won't be finished for this Christmas, but maybe the next)
fun projects with the kids : decorate the veranda glasses with white pens ?
maybe bake ginger cookies or Zimtsterne (DS9 got the recipe during his German lesson, I love them)

[Lauralind]

Frenchie it's not very cold here atm. Guess that was confusing. Dd lives 9 hours away and there it's cold. It could get that cold here. Just not yet. I described the party in my post last night. Replaced a baby shower with a nesting party.

Sounds like a nice relaxing day for a weekend with kids around.

[helia]

I'm finally getting here. It's actually warmer here now - 31F (-0.56C). I got up very late and did a little Cmas prep first thing this morning.

I hope you get to relax and read, FFB. I hope Mr NG heals well. The Netherlands also celebrates St Nick's day - Sinter Klaas, as they call it! We celebrate too -- just on a day that is actually a holiday for us all, which is not typically Dec. 6 in the USA.
That's cold to be out in a parade, Lauralind!
Being theoretically asleep doesn't sound very satisfying, Doggedly. I hope you can get back to sleep in reality.
Sounds like a full day, trissie. I hope the temps aren't too bad for lighting the Christmas tree.
Kitty, how is your room by room working out?

You all have inspired me. I might try baking gingerbread men cookies this year as it sounds like they can be stored and kept fresh for some time. The only Cmas baking I typically do is with dd27 - the Dutch letter cookies. Those need to be eaten fresh.

Last night, I got some grading and a little updating in gradelink done after my last post. I then walked over to the new Vietnamese restaurant on campus and enjoyed a great meal with dh! Kinda expensive for what it was - but tasty. It was cold, so dh and I decided to see if we could find parking to attend the outdoor Kindlefest market. NO - that area of town was a zoo. So, finally, I told dh just to park at my work where my car was parked. That is about a 5 block walk to the area where the Kindlefest market is. Another teacher had parked his car there too to attend the Kindlefest. LOL! The market is a bit overrated, imho; not that many stalls and the main aisle was SO tightly packed with people going one direction, we couldn't even move. We were packed like sardines. This meant we couldn't see any of the stalls or do any shopping either. We just got out of that space and never really saw some of the stalls. There was a band, several bonfires where people could warm up, food stalls, and an insanely LONG line for gluhwein. LOL! Dh did buy some beeswax candles as gifts. It made me wonder if some of us Michiganders are kind of crazy, spending so much time out in the sub-freezing temperatures to do some shopping. And drinking too, I guess. LOL!

Today, I have my payroll party tonight at 6. Oh my goodness - it's the third night of 4 dinner events in a row, including the Kindlefest outing. Also, we last minute had MZ over for dinner on Tuesday and then M spontaneously joined us for dinner on Wednesday, which means Tuesday - Sunday evenings this week all involve an outing and/ or eating with other people. Actually, all involve eating with other people except for last night. Yes, they were fun - but I'm also looking forward to a couple quiet evenings next week. Other things to do today - Memorial thank you cards, get the midterm test together, update gradelink, start working on exam prep. Cardio at the gym would be great.

Next:
- some qt
- back exercises
- s2s and self care

Later:
- squeegee and wipe down shower
- empty dw (M ran it this morning)
- lunch
- Memorial thank you card progress
- maybe, buy more yarn?
- payroll: catch up on grading
- payroll: update gradelink week 2
- payroll: put midterm test together
- gym: cardio
- spiff self
- 5:45 otd to payroll party
- ~ 9pm? home again
- duolingo
- update health apps
- other things?

TaDas!
- up; weighed self -- way up again
- coffee + tea now
- email deletions + weather website - high of 34 forecast for today
- online shopping; ordered cute baby bodysuit for baby I
- messaged xsil A re: a gift for dniece

WEEKLY ACTIVITIES
Sat 6-9ish payroll holiday party
Sun 10 - 11:45ish Church/ 3:30 - 6ish CG2- at B and L's place? / 6 - 8ish host Sunday dinner

Mon 1-1:30 payroll: instructor mtg/ 1:30 - 3:30 payroll: teach AAS D7 - midterm test
Tue Dh out for the day - business trip/ 10-12ish KS2J get together (will I host?)
Wed 1:30 - 3:30 payroll: teach AAS D8/3:45 6-ish Drive with AC to GR/ Dinner out
Thu 11 - Brunch with AC and CM/ other adventures in GR?/ Drive home
Fri 8:20 Dr. appt. check up/ 1:30 - 3:30 payroll: teach AAS D9/ Dinner date with dh?
Sat 5 - ? CG1 (will we host?)
Sun 10 - 11:45ish Church/ say good bye to dh

December Brain Dumps
This Week - House
- towel laundry

This Week - Deskwork
- make appointment with optometrist
- Memorial thank yous
- call pavers for driveway?
- reach out to JK

This Week - Errands
- get Mom's bags of stuff to the charity

General Brain Dump
- progress decluttering clothes - wip
- new phone eventually

Mom
- go through bag of Mom's knick knacks

[helia]

Is there a Christmas list thread?

[Peaches1000]

Good morning/afternoon!

Next:
-Check email
-Update Toodledo
-Check bank accts/Amex
-DH reim - 10 min

Extras:
-Tasks - (empty vac)(unload dishes)(amex activity)(DH reim)
-Declutter/organize/clean - 10 min
-Files/Med Info/Papers/Emails - 10 min

Routine:
-Gather dirty laundry/sort
-Laundry #1 to washer
-Laundry #1 to dryer
-Laundry #1 hang/fold
-Put away laundry

-Cat - brush/food/water/litter
-Vacuum something
-6pm Eat
-Close blinds
-Open & sort mail/file
-Prep for next day (clothes/calendar)

Done:
-Bedroom - pupa
-Dress/ready
-Foyer Bath - pupa/restock
-Fresh food for kitty
-Open blinds/get water
-Refill pill box
-Medicine/vitamins
-This & that

[kitkat]

Good afternoon Ladies

Planning to join you once more. Hope all are doing well.

I must get laundry DONE,
pup walked
pick up bread and coffee. If I can get more done, wonderful ; gift wrapping is on the list, too.

Starting with
first lol
clothes sorted upstairs/pa
adv. lol/start fresh load

[helia]

Always great to see you here kitkat! Good luck on the laundry.
Hi Peaches!

It is 2:25 and I'm having a hard time getting going again. I have about 3 hours before I need to wrap a gift and spiff myself for the holiday party tonight.

Next 3:
- some qt
- gym: cardio
- Memorial thank you progress

Later:
- Memorial thank you card progress
- maybe, buy more yarn?
- payroll: catch up on grading
- payroll: update gradelink week 2
- payroll: put midterm test together
- gym: cardio
- spiff self
- 5:45 otd to payroll party
- ~ 9pm? home again
- duolingo
- update health apps
- other things?

TaDas!
- up; weighed self -- way up again
- coffee + tea
- email deletions + weather website - high of 34 forecast for today
- online shopping; ordered cute baby bodysuit for baby I
- messaged xsil A re: a gift for dniece
- back exercises
- s2s and self care
- squeegeed and wiped down shower
- unloaded dw
- lunch

[L.Ann]

The Christmas thread is at the top of fun and games, helian. All of Little Bit’s pants have holes in the knees, FFB. We went to The Polar Express this morning and then did a bunch of errands. So let me see where I am….

1-put away Target items
2-walk outside
3-fold laundry

Menus
Saturday-sheet pan Mexican shrimp tacos
Sunday-left over chicken curry
Monday-left over enchiladas
Tuesday-chicken burrito bowls
Wednesday-left overs/DD32 out
Thursday-pesto chicken salad wraps
Friday-out on way home
Saturday-Little Bit spending the night, Hospice open house with Clydesdales, tuba Christmas??????
Sunday-eat out at party

Events
Sunday-walk with friend@9
Monday-Little Bit 7:40-5, Little Bit to school 9:15-3
Tuesday-Little Bit 7:40-5, Little Bit to school 9:15-3
Wednesday-Little Bit 7:40-5, Little Bit to school 9:15-3
Thursday-Little Bit 7:40-5, Little Bit to school 9:15-3
Friday-Little Bit 7:40-9:15, Hopkins
Saturday-Little Bit spending the night, Hospice open house with Clydesdales, tuba Christmas??????
Sunday-barn Christmas party with DD32’s group, brunch with Santa@10 ??


Weekly House Blessing-mop dining room, kitchen and dining room, dust
Detail cleaning of dining room-scrub floor
Extra stuff-waiting for paper for lawyer


Accomplishments
-stretching and knee exercises
-breakfast for dog and me
-read
-dress and pick up bedroom
-temp and meds for DD32
-Polar Express movie
-pick up Target order and get gift cards, stop at 5 below
-pick up meds and library books
-short outside walk-6000 steps to go

[Doggedly]

Hello, all. I am up and ready to dive in. I did get back to sleep eventually. Normally I drop right off, but with Germane waking me back up repeatedly I stayed on "alert" for a while. I just slept in and got my sleep that way, so it's all fine. I am in the mood to work in the apartment today. There were a couple of events that I could have gone to, but honestly, I don't want to. And if one is in the mood to clean and tidy, that is an opportunity not to be missed.

Thank you for the fun winter start, Kittykatt. Fun facts about the snowmobile: it was invented in Quebec, where I'm from. It was used to get country doctors and ambulance workers to country villages where the roads got snowed out in winter. Those were heavier versions. Joseph-Armand Bombardier made the lighter version later, and tried to register it under the name of Ski-Dog. (Meant to be the equivalent of a dog sled.) The patent officer misspelled it, which is how we got the name Ski-Doo.

Kittykatt, I don't envy you having to go clothes shopping with all the Christmas shoppers out there. The only relief is that with online shopping, the stores are not as bad as they were before. Not a lot of comfort when you are stuck in line ups for the changing room, I know.
I hope that your DH's surgery is healing well and not bothering him.

The children's choir singing at the lighting of the Christmas tree sounds magical, trissie, but I can well imagine that by the 15th time you would be more focussed on your freezing toes, lol.

lauralind, that is interesting about snowmobiles being called sleds where you are. I grew up calling them all skidoos, no matter the brand. When I moved to Ontario, I had a neighbour talk about her son wanting to buy a snow machine. I thought that he literally wanted to buy a snow-making machine like the ski hills have, and I couldn't understand what he would want to do with it in a small yard in the suburbs, lol. Especially as he was about twelve years old at the time.
That is wonderful that your dd's daycare won first place for their float. They must be so pleased!

Frenchfly, Germane is very successful in her training efforts. She keeps me off balance by alternating dementia episodes where she can't remember how to back out of a corner, with her normal alert strategic self.

helia, it sounds like your Kindlefest is an opportunity for some budding entrepreneurs, so they can spread out a bit and give the shoppers room to breath.

Hi, Peaches

Polar Express sounds like fun, L.Ann. We do have a Christmas train that comes through here, that's lit up with Christmas lights. Fun for the little ones.