Matthias Mayer Monday @ TDD - C&C

[helia]

L Ann, yes, I'll continue to teach 1 class. Honestly, though, our enrollment is extremely low right now. We're not sure what will happen in the future. People from other countries have to want to come here to learn English for the school to sustain itself, though we usually have a collection of corporate clients, like we just ran a professional class for a group of accountants (their first languages are not English) at a company. The class was on cultural norms in communicating effectively with clients. Ah, you're back to nonfiction. I'm reading Happiness Falls by Angie Kim. Well-written, kind of a mystery set in a Korean American family with a neurodivergent son.
I'm glad Oksana has won some medals, trissie! Glad her son is doing well.
It's nice to be planning your flower garden in the dead of winter, Lauralind, kind of like tending the knowledge that spring WILL come.
Glad you could get outside, Kitty. Yes - you do have a lot of improvements happening at your home. I'll have to look up magnolia as a color.
That's a lot of snow, kitkat!
Sounds like you're cozy in the winter weather, Bama.

Next:
- start QT
- payroll meeting on zoom at 12
- lunch

Done:
- s2s and self care
- gathered stuff; otd late
- 9:20 - 10:40 out - walked in the mall with friend B
- postal place: shears in the mail to RH and bought stamps
- home; kitchen reclaimed
- payroll: messages - meeting has been moved up to 12 pm

[Bama]

Lots of chat going on, nice to see everyone!

Kittykatt, is magnolia a creamy color? I prefer neutrals too but whenever we get around to redoing the outside at Hollywood I’m thinking of a dark blue green, just to be cheerful and different from our home. It’s a small house so I don’t think it will be too much, plus it’s nestled off road between big trees so it won’t glare, love wood details. Like Cascades, #1 on this link:
https://www.brickandbatten.com/green-ex ... se-colors/
This year’s focus is the windows so it will be awhile before we put siding on.

LAnn, your last read does sound intense, is the Ferryman book lighter?

Kitkat, enjoy your visit and those muscles you’re working.

Laura, the painting sounds peaceful and beautiful. Lil J sounds adorable at this precious stage of childhood.

Trissie, welcome home.

Helia, do professionals already know a little English or are they expected to become proficient with your class…? How long does the class last? Wondering as I am not quick to pick up new words so can’t imagine being thrust in a new country and working while trying to understand what’s being said.

Off to find my list.

[Bama]

Monday:
Dailies
WHB
Something in every room
Closets - deal with clothing pile in mine, declutter others
Porch - take down hummingbird feeders and wash
Outside - pick greens, cover plants
3rd bedroom - cut out carpet by door and reset trim
Living room - take down tree?, pack up ornaments, repot plants? find blackout blinds or curtains
Bedrooms - declutter, wash linens
Bathrooms - clean, dc one drawer
Office - declutter
Dining - hang corkboard?
Paper -
Call J and ask if she can notarize something this week
Schedule Polaris pu and tuneup
Pets - brush (Tux, Toby, Opie), walk, dremel nails
Donations - decide what can go and load up
Auction - list board games?
Self care - wash hair and try out new hair dryer
Read book club book
Read for pleasure

Done:
Weigh
Breakfast
Fire in fireplace
Laundry - 2 covers back on lr furniture, last cover drying, washing 3 white throws
Fed Lily as she was chewing the food box to get into it
Picked up bedroom #3
Burning candles from Christmas to use up so I can toss on trash day
Emails

[L.Ann]

I read Happiness Falls, helian. I liked it but it was a hard read when you are a parent of a child who is difficult to understand and know more than one young adult with difficult behaviors.

1-check insurance
2-walk
3-photo pics of Little its art work

Menus
Monday-sausage and chickpea soup
Tuesday-cooking class gnocchi
Wednesday-DD33 out/me leftovers
Thursday-quick meal before theater
Friday-garlic shrimp and Spanish style potatoes
Saturday-buffalo chicken grain bowls
Sunday-salmon w/roasted sweet potato and broccoli

Events
Monday-no Little Bit
Tuesday-Little Bit 7:40-5, Little Bit school 9:15-3, breakfast w/friends @8:30, cooking class for DD33@6:30
Wednesday-Little Bit 7:40-5, Little Bit school 9:15-3, DD33 w/PS 3-8
Thursday-Little Bit 7:40-5, Little Bit school 9:15-3, theater 7-9:30
Friday-Little Bit 7:40-5, Little Bit school 9:15-11:45
Saturday-9:30-10:30 bball practice for DD33
Sunday-


Weekly House Blessing-mop dining room
Detailed Cleaning of spare room- swish and swipe bathroom, scrub floor, wipe down woodwork, high dusting, detailed vacuuming
Extra stuff-send letter to friend of DM
January paperwork-my bedroom-file box, Little Bit’s art work—spare room- DM’s papers
Death book-updates, call lawyer for appointment to review will and DD33’s POAs, check POD on insurance
Phone calls- call and make dermatology appointment

Accomplishments
-stretching and knee exercises
-meds and temp for DD33
-breakfast for dog and me
-diet site
-dress and pick up bedroom
-read for 20 minutes
-walk inside
-help DD33 make peanut butter bars
-mop bathroom
-polish furniture in spare room
-read for 20 minutes
-lunch

[trissie]

That doesn't sound like a feel good read, L.Ann! But then again, I am the one who just finished Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut, which is about power of propaganda, closely followed by a book on Stalin era political processes - I am in severe need of something light and fluffy!
Bama, there's mowing and there's shoveling! Seems like it's either or these days!
and I see who's shoveling today - it's kitkat!

TaDas
- morning routine
- clean master bathroom
- clean master bedroom
- sort a load of lights and start it
- fold a load of towels and put it away
- talk with DS re his schoolwork

ToDos
- 45 of whatever needs doing because I do know what that is
- come back with the account on what has been done

[Bama]

Cheering you on!

Lol, trissie, I would be horrible at shoveling snow daily. I’m happy I get a break from mowing weekly.

Monday:
Dailies
WHB
Something in every room
Closets - deal with clothing pile in mine, declutter others
Porch - take down hummingbird feeders and wash
Outside - pick greens, cover plants
3rd bedroom - cut out carpet by door and reset trim
Living room - take down tree?, pack up ornaments, repot plants? find blackout blinds or curtains
Bedrooms - declutter, wash linens
Bathrooms - clean, dc one drawer
Office - declutter
Dining - hang corkboard?
Call J and ask if she can notarize something this week
Schedule Polaris pu and tuneup
Pets - brush (Tux, Toby, Opie), walk, dremel nails
Donations - decide what can go and load up
Auction - list board games?
Self care - wash hair and try out new hair dryer
Read book club book
Read for pleasure

Done:
Weigh
Breakfast
Fire in fireplace
Laundry - 2 covers back on lr furniture, last cover drying, washing 3 white throws
Fed Lily as she was chewing the food box to get into it
Picked up bedroom #3
Burning candles from Christmas to use up so I can toss on trash day
Emails
:45 paperwork

[helia]

I wondered if you knew Happiness Falls and what you thought of it, L Ann. My dniece has had violent outbursts in the past, but I'm not close to her. I can see how the book might be a more difficult read for some.
trissie, I definitely think you need something light and fluffy.
Bama, so, with our corporate classes, we gear them toward what the company wants/ needs. We're providing them the service. One company specifically wanted their employees to practice giving business presentations, so we did that. With the accountants, AC said their English was already very advanced, but they needed help with the finer points of communication, like how to make small talk before launching right into the accounting details with a client. I'm not sure what every company does re: international employees in the US. That's a great question! It probably depends on each company and the specific employees. Sometimes, companies hire an international after they've gone to a university in the US, and that means they've received a sufficient score on the TOEFL test to get into a specific university. But even so, their skills can be lacking. When dh interviews potential PhD students from overseas, which most of his are, he takes into account their ability to express themselves in English.

OK, had my meeting with AC and CM. I will be helping with setting up curriculum for each session, which means I probably shouldn't plan trips around the long weekend between sessions, as I've always done. We'll work it out. I'll need to help with session prep meetings for the teachers too. The exam team will shrink, so I might have more exams to make in the future. I LOVE working with AC, so there's that!

I also pulled out some leftover panko-encrusted salmon for dinner tonight. I'll make rice and a tray of roasted broccoli and mushrooms to go with it.

Next:
- finish lunch
- some qt
- back exercises

[Doggedly]

Kittykatt, your drought of contractors is at an end! They are just about lining up for your work this year. The house is going to be in great shape.

Hi, helia. It looks like another busy day for you.

I'm glad that the storm has not harmed your area, L.Ann.

I'm glad that you are enjoying your taste of winter, Bama. We are happy to share with you. How are your outside animals bearing up?

You definitely got more snow than we did, kitkat. Enjoy your time with drandkids.

Your painting sounds lovely, Lauralind.

I will leave that thrill to you, trissie! You are talking to someone who rarely got off the bunny hill, and who's biggest adventure was the intermediate hill.

That's a good idea to set the timer for your reading, L.Ann, so that you know that this time is set aside for reading and you don't need to listen to the little voice going "but-but-but the dusting! the dishes! the floor!"
On that note, that little voice is demanding that I get up from this chair. CUOP'd to the end of Page 2.

[Bama]

Helia, thank you for that very helpful answer. I never think about all of the small details involved in the business world. It’s good you enjoy your coworkers. Dinner sounds delicious.

Doggedly, I love the cold, I have both doors open to let in the fresh air which is very refreshing with pets inside. The outdoor pets are all good, George, the neighbor’s cat, burrows under mom’s trailer out of wind and rain, Lola has shelter out by our shed, Tom Turkey has a shed for a house (used to be our chicken coop) but never gets in it, he sleeps in a tree no matter what the weather and seems ok with it.
I never could manage roller skates, I’m balance challenged I guess, so I can’t imagine trying skis and having to point my toes to steer. It would be a mess.

Monday:
WHB
Something in every room
Foyer - take cat tree to burn pile
Closets - deal with clothing pile in mine, declutter others
Porch - take down hummingbird feeders and wash
Outside - pick greens, cover plants
3rd bedroom - cut out carpet by door and reset trim
Living room - take down tree?, pack up ornaments, repot plants? find blackout blinds or curtains
Bedrooms - declutter, wash linens
Bathrooms - clean, dc one drawer
Office - declutter
Dining - hang corkboard?
Call J and ask if she can notarize something this week
Schedule Polaris pu and tuneup
Pets - walk, dremel nails
Donations - decide what can go and load up
Auction - list board games?
Self care - wash hair and try out new hair dryer
Read book club book
Read for pleasure

Done:
Weigh
Breakfast
Fire in fireplace
Laundry - 2 covers back on lr furniture, last cover drying, washing 3 white throws
Fed Lily as she was chewing the food box to get into it
Picked up bedroom #3
Burning candles from Christmas to use up so I can toss on trash day
Emails
Brush: Toby, Opie, Tux
Dust
Vacuum
Got package delivered so tried on gloves, pajamas, water resistant hoodie and all good
:45 paperwork
Kitchen - unload load dw,

[Doggedly]

helia, something similar happened to my df who taught ESL at a local university. When an issue came up between Canada and China, the Chinese students cancelled their enrollment and classes had to be cancelled.

Bama, I love forest green. I hadn't thought of it for a house, but I think that it would look great.
That's good that your pets all have a strategy for the cold.
Skiing is easier than roller skating, and snow is a lot softer to fall on.

I can imagine how that book would hit hard, L.Ann.

Monday
Topped up phone account. Updated CC information.
FACE: Worked on budgeting
Made new Procrastaccomplishments list for the week
Washed the soaking dishes and dumped water
Fresh kibble and water for Germane
Brushed teeth
Breakfast for dog. Opened a new can for her.
Put away dry dishes
Put away dry laundry
Rearranged the rest
Worked on emptying out last bag from entertainment centre
Worked on filing receipts etc. from purse
Finished emptying out last bag from entertainment centre
Labeled box
Set up stair-walking cart with boxes to bring to basement