SHEs Organized

I made a farrow/squash dish and d mom didn't want to try it - I will bring it out for lunch or dinner tomorrow.
She is wide awake!
I am not

dw is on - counters need cleaning - the few dishes need cleaning!
stove top needs cleaning and the kitchen needs sweeping again!

Mystery, he’s retiring on 30 June. He announced it to his clients in August. I so enjoy having the quiet home and am really concerned he’s going to be underfoot. I hope he will embrace some hobbies. He bowls twice a week but that’s it.

I just feel kinda blah about the new year. First new year since I was 15 that dh has not been a part of my life. It makes me sad and kinda hopeless about starting a new year. It's like, okay, I survived 2024... now you mean I've got to start over with another year, 2025??? It's depressing. I don't feel excited about filling out my calendars or planner or anything, like I usually do.

I did go to the funeral yesterday, with dmom and DS, and then last night DS and I, and the dgrands, went and spent a couple hours with my family at their New Year's Eve gathering. They were not all there, but it was nice to spend some time with the ones who came. Dgrands had a lot of fun.
I was disappointed because (1) I didn't get the TV on the New York City ball drop in time to see that, and (2) I forgot to record the Rose Parade. Forgot all about it till dmom mentioned it a little while ago. I saw them that it was being re-broadcast, and I should have the last hour or so on DVR now, so it's not a total loss... but that's the only parade I ever really want to watch.

I have managed to eat a couple of small meals today, but I've taken half a pill of the new medicine and I've been happy to basically sleep most of the day.

Sad about the events in New Orleans. I'm thinking how often we have been in New Orleans on New Year's Eve -- not a LOT of the time, of course, but several times. It's kinda scary to be in any big gathering anymore, isn't it?

I don't know WHAT I want to "work out" for the new year...
OMM right now --
[ ] put away Christmas
[ ] get back into an exercise habit
[ ] bake cookies for ds
[ ] slice ham and distribute among family (gift ham from man who cuts our hay -- this year it is a fully-cooked, ready to eat ham, thank goodness)
[ ] get through the next 15 days, get this biopsy over, and hopefully have nothing more to worry about re: this
[ ] get back into the box (3x5s)
[ ] be consistent with personal Bible study

I do want to wish you all a happy New Year! May God bless us all with better health for ourselves and our families, and give us peace and wisdom for all that comes our way.

End of the day check in for me.

I'm leaving the apartment in a state of disaster but I'm done. I'm exhausted and worked over 7 hours (I know because I started and finished a 5 hour audio book 2 hours ago.

I did eliminate 1 bin and 1 under-bed cardboard storage box from IKEA from my Christmas bins. So, while I still have 8, that's not 9 plus the cardboard box. So progress. When we moved here 11 Christmases ago, I had 10 boxes. So, I'm making steady progress. At this point, I'd be hard pressed to get rid of another whole bin, but there was about half a bin's worth we didn't put out this year. I did just have dh cut something off one decoration to make it smaller and allow me to use it next year so it is possible I'll be putting out more next year. But not necessary. I miss putting out my fragile ornaments. Next year they can go back on the tree for sure.

As my tree is over half decorated with non-ornaments and toy-like ornaments, dgs3.5 took a few things off to play but was gentle. He (and dgs8) played with a Santa and reindeer I had on the table and a toy airplane my sister and I would fight over who got to put it on the tree. Both are over 60 years old and so I didn't trust their plastic would actually hold up to their play and had to redirect them. For a full day and a half, the tractor I picked up at Harriet's Tractor Supply Store when I went in search of Cherry Lovers candies was dgs' favourite toy and he carried that everywhere so my brain was constantly doing a location check on it! It made it back to the tree when he left and into the ornament box tonight.

Dh opened the door to take out the garbage and found a warm present for us. It was fresh brownies from a neighbour. I'm so glad he opened the door when he did but my tummy is certainly full now.

Tomorrow I'll finish the cleaning part of de-decorating. One bin is left to be put away because it will contain the kitchen linens which I have to wash first. So tomorrow will be laundry as well. Then focus on 2025 and working out what I want from the year.

Hello, friends. I'm late to the party but wanted to pop in quickly to say Happy New Year 2025!
I've only had time to read a few posts, but I can easily see that we have all experienced a lot of big changes over the past few years.
Still, lots of things are the same, such as this wonderful group of people who keep gathering on this forum. That makes me happy.
I hope to be able to see all of you more often in the coming year.