Tuesday Tasks

[Ivy]

We had snow in the night, but it's slowly melting and is probably only 1" now. We might get snow tonight, too, but it'll be warming up and Christmas is supposed to be cloudy and on and off showers.

I said my prayers, wrote in my journal, did some emails and printed up deadlines for 2013 from our editor. I need to get the deadlines logged into my day runner and on my office wall calendar.

I walked 30 min., took a 1-hour nap, had a late shower and worked on my on-line calendar. I did some crochet, enjoyed seeing sunshine on the snowy yard with the birds.

I got out my a.m. clothes, set my dawn simulator, put away 2 sweaters and a casserole dish. DH and I sorted mail together and I wrote a card/letter to a new gal who found me through a pen pal club.

We emptied the DW together, I put away Ziploc containers, planned our dinner out and am writing a letter to a pal I failed to answer a couple of months ago, due to it being chaotic around here with health problems and trying to balance my writing work with everyday life. She lets a few months go by without replying to me, so I'm sure she'll be glad to hear from me again.

OKay, It's great your DMom got a good doctor report today! It's always nice to get a good report. Good luck to her on the gin/raisin treatment, too.

Dee, I hope everything works out and that your leg's better, too. Support stockings are so awesome. I have some, but don't really need them. My podiatrist prescribed them to me. It might be a good idea to use them for an Apron Cleaning Conga Day though!

Sadie, I'm glad you have a warm sunny day. It's sunny and in the 30's here. I hope your laundry and water keep going today. Hope you got a nap in and were able to putter, too.

I have an angry squirrel in our attic crawl space and he's trying to lift the board above my office shelves, to try and get down into the office with me. I yelled at him this morning. DH said he's going to get some wire and rig up something where he can get out of the attic, then the wire door will lock and he cannot get back in again.

Helia, Glad your dbro's pkg. got mailed. It's a zoo everywhere right now. It's so nice to get home from being out in the crowds. At least that's how I feel.

Nancy, It's cute your h. called twice about the chickens today. My Dsis sells her eggs at work, too.

Elizabeth, I'm glad your DD is okay. I have an adopted cat.

Blessed, Gifts, even if they're late, will be welcome.

Helia, I think it's a "guy thing". They just don't think like a Mom does.

Twins' Mom, I'm glad ddogs make you happy!

Lilac, I'll say a prayer for your dgd16's surgery. You sound so busy and productive, too. You're so right about your DH looking vulnerable to the wrong type of people while traveling alone, too. I hope he'll never need to use it, too, but it's a safe guard.

DH was cross with me when he woke up from his nap on the sofa a little bit ago. I was talking, while I was running water, he was on the sofa with his back to me, I couldn't hear his answer, asked him twice, and he got cross. I figured it was time to leave the room and come to the Village. He JUST read this, and we kissed and laughed. He's on his way out into the snow to get more firewood. He apologized to me. ♥♥

I'm now on the 1st arm of a stuffed dog (crochet) and my arm's sore today. I'm trying to get it done and wrapped. It's taking me forever to get it done.

Have a nice evening, Villagers!

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I'm home again after a long day out.

It was a long, slow, drive into Presbytery. You know it will be bad when you see the road backed up miles before the next traffic light on the secondary highway. We turned on the traffic report and nothing was said about the blockage but the freeway had an accident blocking lanes where we would have had to go past so taking secondary roads (with more detours available) was the better idea.

I volunteered for just over an hour and then headed to my hair appointment. I had to wait a few minutes but didn't mind. Turned out one hair cutter was ill and the owner fit in a client who hadn't got the message her appointment had been canceled because she was visiting her dh in the ICU at the hospital. I wouldn't have minded in any case, but under those circumstances it was a pleasure to wait.

We had a nice visit with our chip wagon friend and a good lunch. Then we walked up to a magazine store for stocking stuffers and then along the pedestrian street looking for a map store that obviously is no more.

From there it was on to two more stores (one purchase, one return) and finally IKEA. They were out of Christmas napkins so I bought plain white and will sub in fancy ones if I find them elsewhere at an affordable price. Otherwise, they'll do fine.

Put those in the car and then went back in for dinner. It was only about 4:45 so there was no line up. Was dishing up my salad when I heard my name called and turned around to see ds 3 people behind me in line! We had a nice dinner together.

He's pretty pooped, only able to work part days (goes in around 10 and leaves around 3.) Luckily, he's still on the IT project so these shortened hours, while inconvenient, are at least possible.

His first full shift is on the 23rd and that is a 3 - 11 shift. Then he's on overnights - a 12 hour shift on the 24/25th (11p.m. to 11 a.m.), and 8 hour overnights on the 26, 27, 30, 31, and 1st. That makes for 20 hours of 1.5x pay plus a full paycheque. With the unemployment sick benefits he may be just fine and not have to dip too much into his Australia savings account. Assuming he doesn't work too hard. It is 52 hours over a 10 day period but only 3 days off in that time (and I'm not sure what his schedule is like after the 1st.)

He had to respond to his first Code Blue (medical incident within the hospital) yesterday. He was coming back from lunch and a visitor to the hospital fell in the hall in front of him. His coworker called in the code and he went to the aid of the person. He can't touch a person (on hospital property he is not allowed to use his first aid training) but he got the person a chair, made him sit and told him all that was about to happen. A respiratory tech was the first medical personnel on the scene, followed by two nurses who popped out of the ER OR (which was on the other side of the wall) with a crash cart, followed by the Code Blue ER nurses (who had to go around by the halls instead of cutting through the OR), and finally the Code Blue doctor on duty. The poor man was facing down the hall so could see wave after wave of people responding to him tripping over mat by a doorway! Ds said it was quite the reintegration into hospital life!

After hugging ds goodbye we headed home, stopping to pick up the mail (our box was stuffed because we missed yesterday) and the church to pick up my hymnbook.

No strategic planning took place over dinner (as I had hoped) because ds was there. Dh did manage to get the last of my presents while I was getting my hair cut. I'll have to go get things for him (and maybe finish up ds) after my doctor's appointment tomorrow morning.

[Harmony]

Kathryn, I guess DSon is feeling better now?

Dee, sorry to read about your ankles. We are she sisters for sure. I was just laying on the couch with my feet up on the back, trying to get my puffy ankles down. Too much sitting at the quilt rack I think. Today I came up with some sort of rash around my ankles and up a bit on my leg. Looks just like a drug allergy I had years and years ago to something I no longer take. I am hoping and praying it is not the Armor thyroid I'm on. It is working, I do not want to take the other kind, so crossing fingers here.

(Scattered) hoping you feel better for your 1st day tomorrow.
Twins, I love reading your doggie stories!
OKay, so good that your DMom's kidneys are better. What is the Gin Raisin treatment?
Eggs, Nancy! Good little hens you have there. What hours are you using the light? We used ours just in the morning, about 6 to extend the day.

Lilac, will keep your DGD in mind with her surgery tomorrow.

I worked at my desk till about 2:00. All the piled up stuff is dealt with. Checks written, all is current and bank account updated. I did one more statement, so that should be everything for the year (I think) and if we get payments in and deposited, that means lots and lots less work for the company bookkeeper (me).

Tomorrow I have a mailing to do with other volunteers at church. I had no idea when I agreed to be on this committee it would go this long. It will continue until we get enough money for our church building. We send out newsletters and envelopes. Our job is stuffing, stamping, sorting. Once a month. The fellowship is fun anyway.

I need to write our paychecks and get auto tag info ready and I'll run those errands on the way home. I want as many of my checks as possible to clear the bank before the end of the year. My tax forms came today, my W-2's and 1099's. I order them online from IRS. I do all the work for the government for free, so they can supply the forms!

[helia]

Ds is now home, and the average noise and energy level in this house has doubled - at least. We're starting our Dutch shoe tradition tonight (yes, 18 days late - since we're not in NL we do it as fits our schedules. . ), and the kids are so excited, even though they are teens and the shoe gifts are small, no more than $5/day average.

I did not stay on WW points today. It is hard with all those Cmas cookies in my kitchen. And I need to find a new time to exercise; I used to exercise around 5/6 pm. I can't do that anymore b/c I'm driving dd14 around during that time every day.

Dfriend B has invited dh and I to join her family and my ds18 (who was invited earlier; B's ds18 is ds' best friend) to see The Hobbit Friday night! I can go if dd17 will pick up dd14 from synch. swim practice. She said she could. Neither of the girls is interested; neither of them has had any interest in Tolkien's books, let alone the movies. Most of B's family and some of mine are Tolkien nerds, though more LOTR.

I have also made a lunch date with another friend on Thursday! This friend goes to our church and runs a bio. lab here at the Univ. with her dh; she has the PhD and he has the MD so they're a great pair. I always enjoy lunch with her.

Life is good!!

Kitchen is clean. I need to put clean sheets back on the MBR bed.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Service for December 30th is written. I still have prayers, sermon and benediction to write but the stuff that has to be printed is ready. I'm awaiting answers from the secretary about which hymns are sung on Christmas Eve so that I won't duplicate, if possible (the call to worship is based completely on Angels, from the Realms of Glory.) And which choral Amen they are referring to (it has 5 Amens and all the ones in my hymn book are 3 or 4 except for the one I want to do that has a Hallelujah in there for good measure but I'm waiting to find out if they know it.) Because dh is leading music with guitar (which doesn't provide the melody, just chords) we have to choose well-known music for people to sing to.

The list of what I didn't get done tonight is too long to write out. Christmas Cards are at the top of it, though.

Off to bed now. Second day in a row without a nap. I'm exhausted. This morning I fell back asleep for 90 minutes after dh woke me up at 6. He did his exercises and came into the room and woke me a second time. I had just 80 minutes to get up and out the door so had to skip exercising and showering.

[Emptynester]

AH!! made my goal for today. Dalas are carved, rough sanded, fine sanded and painted the first coat. I will have to do a bit of touch-up in the morning. Then comes the tole painting. I'm not real good at that - but it's the thought that counts, right?

DH is done with his carving for the DGDs and is now working on some other carving things. UFOs.

DD's box of cookies is going down slowly as I'm trying to stay away.

Time to hit the hay and be up and at 'em tomorrow. Nighters

[Elizabeth]

Good evening everyone! Girls' Night Out certainly was not what I expected! Instead of the usual, we started out at the urgent care for yet another UTI for DD10. Then to the pharmacy and Chinese food. After that, it was almost time for XDH to pick her up. She has a doctors appointment tomorrow, originally for her cough. I am going along, because I want to be sure that the doctor knows that I had recurring UTIs and kidney infections due to a problem that had to be surgically corrected. It may be completely unrelated, but then again, it could be vital information.

I did a LOL only to find out that the spin cycle on my washer is unreliable. This in addition to the dryer that makes noise enough to wake the dead. I am going to put the items on the drying rack. Then it is time to pay bills and update Quicken.

Lilac: I can certainly understand being excited to have gall bladder surgery. I too looked forward to mine. I expected (and got) relief from constant pain! They did keep me overnight because I was 6 months pregnant.

Good night everyone!

[Lilac]

Wow, Elizabeth, I have known several women who have had gall bladder problems while they were pregnant and they made them wait until after delivery to do the surgery. I am glad you were able to get relief from your pain after your surgery.

Guess I better get off of here and finish working on my checkbook.