Fancy Friday

[BookSaver]

What a day!

Decorating for tomorrow's party took from 8:30 to 3:30 and could have gone longer, but I had to say I couldn't stay any longer. I knew I still had several things on my list to do that involved my home computer, but I also needed to make an unexpected trip to the auto mechanic.

The car: When I was driving to the library this morning, I realized that my brake pedal felt ... mushy? So I parked at the library and decided that as soon as the decorating was done, I'd stop by the mechanic's to see if he had time to look at it. When it was time to leave the library, though, the unexpected became an emergency -- the brake pedal went right to the floor with almost no resistance. It did stop, but really did not feel trustworthy.

The only reason I kept driving is because it's a stick shift that I knew I could baby along for the few blocks needed, staying in 1st gear and keeping my hand on the emergency brake lever.

The Man said he thinks it's the brake cable rusted but he won't know for sure until he has time to take a closer look at it Monday morning. He gave me a ride home. I will have to borrow DH's car to go to the library party tomorrow.

After those adventures, I needed a good long break! I drank some water, put laundry in the washer, returned some phone calls, fixed and ate supper, flipped the laundry to the dryer, set up my dvr to record a Shakespeare show on PBS tonight, and put my feet up and read for half an hour. Then there was another phone call with last-minute stuff about the party.

Now I need to reorganize the guest list and print a few copies for the other workers, work out the seating chart, make name placecards, and fold & cut the little pocketmod booklets. I don't need to be at the library until after 11AM tomorrow, so I will wait until morning to make final decisions about what to wear.

I found a nice fluffy feather boa, that's the most important thing.

[Lynlee]

LM - I would be just saying no to that over night invitation. No excuse, no reason, no way for them to try and get around your reason or boundaries. If you see them often over the next few years, and get to know and like the family, you may make a different decision then, or not.

[helia]

LM, that does sound extremely odd (and somewhat creepy) to me. I agree with Lynlee, you're not obligated to give an excuse or a reason. Just say LO is not available.

Well, we went out to eat to a favorite Vietnamese restaurant tonight. Then, after dropping dd16 at home, dh and I went back out for coffee at a nice downtown spot.

I completely missed the sheet discussion! I have no plans to go buy any in the near future, though. To be honest, I'm not sure when I'd find the time to go shopping for them. I'm overdue for a Tar-jay trip, and I'm having trouble fitting that into my schedule.

I'm hitting the sack. I'll need to be out bright and early tomorrow morning with dd16.

[CathyS]

I bought pillows today, if that counts.

First pillow for $9.99, second for $1.00. They will replace the floor pillows that Wayne sits on when he's playing a game o the computer.

I got 3 baskets of laundry put away and all of the dishes done.

[Harmony]

LadyM, I think that is odd behavior, that other couple wanting LO so desperately. I would say no too.

Booksaver, that is a lot of hours to put into the decorating. Did you have any help? I think I'd be saying I had to have help or I wasn't doing it.

DH got criticized for the way his volunteer helpers cut in the paint in new areas at our church remodeling. He had told the guy with the calk to calk the corners, etc. so that they would be easy to cut in and he didn't do it. So the helpers didn't have a good line to paint up to. And he's getting criticized. He says he's not volunteering again unless he has an assurance that people will do what he says. It's not like he was getting paid or anything... I told him to quit volunteering. He spends way too much time over there anyway.

Sheets, well I looked at my top sheet (the good ones I bought) and there is a mark on it, blue, that I thought might have been from my pen I use doing crossword puzzles. Looked again, and it's a worn spot, and the blue is from the blue blanket on top...so I will have to mend. I'm disappointed these expensive sheets have a worn spot. Most of the time I wash and hang up. I don't think they've had hard wear and they're only a few years old. My cheaper sheets held up better.

Got a proposal edited and fixed and faxed off for DH. I got the last of January paperwork finished except for the spreadsheets. I don't have new sheets set up for this year yet. I copied off new withholding charts for this year. Slowly I'm getting caught up.

I don't know why I'm working so hard. I didn't used to work this hard in previous years. Last year, maybe. It seems to be getting worse and I don't know why. It is discouraging.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Sermon is almost finished. I've written more than enough words but it needs organizing and editing and I don't have the energy for that tonight.

Off to bed now!

[FelineFriend]

LadyM, I just read your explanation of that "weird AND somewhat odd" couple insisting that LO get into their vehicle, etc... I'd be feeling VERY CREEPY about that, too! It's just not done like they are asking, especially in this day and age! IMHO, if you don't really know these people, you are in know way bound to doing what they want. LO is your child. Not theirs. If you only met them once, don't know them, I'm with you and would say NO, too. It just doesn't "sound right" to me, for some reason. It's hard to imagine why they're this way, too. They sound "pushy", to me, too. I'm with you- 100%!

3 LOL & 1 load of dishes are put away.

s2s this evening, did 90-minutes of light housework and walked 30 minutes.

Am wearing down.

Had Shepherd's Pie for dinner. Sure is yummy.

Have been reading this evening, while DH watches TV.

DH got Kitty Cat a supplement for arthritis, for her to try. He also got her a nice scratching post with a toy, with streamers, hanging off it, she can bat at, while she's at the post.

Have a great night and a wonderful weekend, too!

Our fog lasted all day.

[Lilac]

Dh had not heard from his dr. at 2:00, so he called the office. They had made him an appointment with the specialist that he had seen in November. The appt will be Feb. 13, 2 weeks from today. In the meantime, she is putting him on a different antibiotic. It is for 2 weeks and she said it may/will cause gastric problems. We got a call from the pharmacy at 8 PM that the RX was ready. They were closing so I will pick it up in the morning. Dh seems to be slipping backwards again, with this ear problem.

We are invited to a Super Bowl Party. This is a first for me. Years ago, dh went to a SBP at this guy's house but I chose to stay home. This is one of the couples from dh's work that we met at the campground last fall. So since we will occasionally camp with them and I do like them, I will go this time. We are suppose to take a finger food. I decided to take bar-b-q beef and buns. I am also taking a bean dip and chips. I plan on cooking the meat tomorrow. I asked dh what we would do if he is having tummy issues that evening. He assures me he won't. So I will fix the meat and if we have to stay home, I will give each of the girls, meat and buns. They can have it that night or the next. I do know they won't turn me down, because they both enjoy not cooking, if they have the opportunity.

Grrrrr Harmony, on the people who complained about the volunteers painting and especially the way they ragged on your dh.

LadyMaverick, I am in agreement with everyone else. That was just creepy the way they were pressuring you to change LO's plans. You were so right to go with your gut instinct. The world is full of crazy people and you can't be too careful, even in rural areas.

Guess I better dig some roasts out of the freezer, so they can thaw overnight and I can get them in the crockpots, in the morning.

Tomorrow both dgs9 and dgs10 have basketball games. So I will get my shower early and be ready for the day, so I can pick up dh's RX.

Just as it was getting dark tonight, it started raining. Later it turned to snow. Just 3 days ago it was 79.

[BookSaver]

from Harmony

Booksaver, that is a lot of hours to put into the decorating. Did you have any help? I think I'd be saying I had to have help or I wasn't doing it.

Oh yes, there was help ... the kind of help that 1 person (thankfully this time not me) does something like set up tables and another person (who was only supposed to be in charge of food) doesn't like where the tables are placed so they have to have a long discussion and move the tables multiple times.

I knew the table placement was going to be ... um ... time consuming -- so I stayed out of the way and did things that were on my list like hauling in things from my car, organizing the decorating supplies, and unpacking the various things needed for the crafts activities.

I was technically just C the decorator's helper. Unfortunately, although she had a general plan in her head of what she wanted, we both knew she couldn't really put up anything until the table question was settled by the women in charge of the food. They didn't think it was of any importance to decide about the tables until today.

Of the 6 people who were supposed to be there today, 2 did not show up at all because of unexpected medical appointments. The 1 who felt the need to move the tables multiple times left as soon as the tablecloths were on and plates and cups out. The 1 who was left wasn't really supposed to stay as long as she did because she's under doctor's orders to rest, so C and I encouraged her to go home about 10:30ish. We were afraid that if she stayed longer than 1 1/2 hours today, her doctor would tell her she's not allowed to come help tomorrow.

I had hoped we would be done by 1, but since the tables and chairs took sooo looooong, C and I stopped at noon and took an hour for lunch. We continued talking about plans for the event the whole time, though, so that still counts for volunteer time. We really needed the 2 people who didn't show up, but cannot argue with doctor appointments.

I love the library. That's why I've been doing this. But I'm phasing myself out of this volunteer group, a decision I had made even before I got the paying gig that started last night. I'm determined to use the paid hours as replacements for volunteer hours, not in addition to, since either way they are time spent away from home and dealing with other people's schedules.

[Lilac]

BookSaver, you are definitely making the right decision to phase yourself out of the volunteer group. After awhile you feel taken for granted and unappreciated. When that happens it isn't fun anymore.