Recoup the rest of the Year - Wednesday

[Lynlee]

Waving from Thursday. I need recoup here to bring the end of year up to speed too.

commenting
((((Lilac)))) I'm not sure what consequence I would look for to let slide into their lives.

washing is on. breaky being eaten.
boxed tmeds and supps today. I need stop thing of the calcium + minerals as a suppliment thats optional and start thinking of it as a med. Also bump up probiotic remembering to see if that will help bone loss too.

Nancy - neighbours with roosters would let them roost at night - then send in teen son to get roosters for the garage overnight. His job to let them out in the morning before school. Unless its dark in the hen house cubby you could maybe just shut them all in there until you chose to switch on light, open the door when the time was right.
Re lighting - normal day length here produces an egg a day from a "good " hen. Commercial caged hen farmer used have lights on 24/7 to hopefully get an egg every 22 hours. Memories from a school friend whose father had thousands of hens. I did hate the smell of feed pollard that hung in the air.

need get my day going. breaky is eaten.

[Lilac]

lucylee, once your dfils health started failing, I noticed that you did a lot for them. Especially since you were working. 22 years ago this March my dearestmil was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. We lived 330 miles from them and his 2 sisters lived right there. One was working and the other wasn't but mentally she is fragile, so I made the decision to be there as much as I could. From March 16th until we came home from the funeral on May 15th. I spent the majority of the time there. Dh was working shiftwork, dd1 was in nursing school and dd2 was a freshman. They were on their own. When I did come home, I paid bills, bought groceries, cleaned house, done laundry and packed to go back. The last week of her life I spent every night at the hospital. I had did everything I knew to do and could do for her. I know that I am not God but afterwards I still second guessed myself, could I have done more? We were so very close and here it is almost 22 years later and I still miss her. My whole point is, there is no do overs in these health situations. You have to do as much as you can, so that down the road you don't have to live with the woulda, coulda, shouldas. I have a friend whose mother was widowed and a diabetic on dialysis. She lived an hour from here. My friend would not go help her mother because her sister who is a nurse and lived there in town wouldn't do anything. That sister wouldn't do anything because there were 5 kids in the family and no one would help her, so she did nothing. She was the only one of 5 who lived there and still nothing. Then their mother suddenly died after being lifewatched to a big city hospital. My friend lives with many regrets and it doesn't change a thing. When it comes to the health of a loved one, you can not keep score. You have to do as much as you can and not worry that someone else isn't helping. lucylee, you are a caring, sensitive person and I don't want you to someday have regrets like my friend does. I am saying this with love and because I care and I hope my saying this doesn't offend you.

[blessedw2]

what a good person your dear daughter is dhelia!

[scattered]

(((Lilac & Lucylee))) - I just want to give both of you a really big hug.

Lilac - Reading your post reminded me of my DNiece and DSis1, they are self proclaimed "California Girls" and worry about themselves first and foremost. This year my DSis1 sent us a gift box... the first time ever! I used to send her something for Christmas but after a few years I quit, not only did I not get a thank you, or even a phone call... I would get whined at because for what ever reason what I sent was not good enough. I will send her a thank you card this weekend (she has been out of state for the week), and perhaps an apron when I get time to make it... I made the decision a very long time ago not to worry about them unless they sent something... I would rather give to my boys, and those in my live who appreciate whatever I send. Life is to short to try to make grinches happy.

Lucylee - Do what you can and know that it is enough. Shortly after I told my xdh (DS13's DDad) that i was leaving his DGMa had a bleed in her head and was rushed to the hospital in NYC, even though I had already started sleeping in the Boy's room and was packing to move, I used my sick leave to drive w/ him to NYC and we stayed for a week taking turns at the hospital (someone had to watch the DBoys). Because I was nosy and medically trained I caught several problems and per her MD and DFamily was key to her recovery, she lived another 11 yrs and only passed away this last year at the age of 93. I will never regret that time I gave up to be there for her. I have been furious with my DSis1, Dniece, and Mother for years. When my DAunt/BFF had a horrible car accident that landed her in the ICU and then a wheelchair for months, they refused to visit her much less help her with her house, and this past year after loosing her DH2 they again refused to help her pack her house, sell her stuff, generally help in anyway they could... In fact they both called her and expected her to BRING them items of furniture that they were not willing to pay for. How these people were raised by the same people (DGma & DGpa) as I was I will never understand!

Ugh I am exhausted... think I am going to head to bed extra early tonight... nothing else is getting done.

ToDo/TaDa's
d2s
Coffee
make-up
pack lunch & coffee
work
library
dinner
1 lol in Bert & Ernie not tonight
15 min groove in LR not tonight

Sweet Dreams Villagers

[Twins' Mom]

Dmom also called tonight. It has become obvious to me that her short term memory is failing and that something may have to change in terms of her care taking. More OMM tonight.

[DeeClutter]

(((Twins))) Feel so much for you!

Got a couple of pics via text from DS-A of DGS5months. Brought a healing smile to our faces. He's just so cute and obviously able to sit by himself now. He's growing too fast while we're away! Pics were of him studying and opening Christmas gifts, so not sure if they were doing that tonight. Sure DS-A is getting plows and salters ready to go out and sure other DS-R is working for the town on plowing tonight. They started 'getting it' furiously about 2 or 3 hours ago. Know things were covered in 5 minutes or less.

GD was again N A S T Y tonight. Think dd is convinced that this switch turns about 7:30-8pm. We gave her our old TV and dd bought a streaming device for her and set it up tonight. So at least she can spend some time in her room. That's till she needs to be that miserable person and needs people to throw it at. Hope she's better in the morning as we're going to DeLand, FL to an old grist mill that has a pancake restaurant. There's a grill in the middle of each table to cook on and you can order other things alacarte. Just a different adventure.

Went to AAA today to try to renew our Disney passes -we could, but couldn't put them on monthly payments. So we'll have to go to Disney to do it.

[Nancy]

Today I saw a hawk standing in a pile of feathers in the back yard that made me catch my breath and my heart skipped a beat. I went outside to get a closer look at who's feathers were on the ground the chickens were under the deck and I chased off the small hawk it had a dove for lunch.

I held dgd quite a bit today she had a stuffy nose. We rocked and I had a story time then she napped most of the afternoon.

Skippable vent:
H. came home in a bad mood and was cranky with dgd who was fighting a cold I was having none of that and got cranky right back at him then things simmered down. Apoligized later but it's getting old when he comes home hurting and takes it out on them when they are not perfect. He's a good man but sheesh if I came to his job and started in like that he would have a fit!

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I just can't take the time to cuop here.

I got to bed at 1:45 this morning (had to set up 'Christmas morning' and deal with a stressed out dd.)

Out of bed at 9 but was up from 7:30 onwards, trying to doze and then working out the steps to prepare for the party. That way, each person could go to the lists on the fridge and pick an item. My dsil didn't know where things went so he stuck with me and we worked as a team until the kitchen had room for him to work on cutting up the veggies.

But before that, we took 90 minutes for stockings, presents, and breakfast. No lunch since we were munching on the food we put out. No dinner because we were munching on leftovers.

Not many out to the party but it was still fun.

Dfs was here with his fiance, and Surfer Dude came before it started and stayed until 8, watching a movie with us. I miss him in our lives (now that he and ds aren't roommates, we don't see him much.)

Dd and dsil are in bed, ds is at work and dh and I just have to put the coats back into the foyer closet and then we can go to bed. They are on ds' bed (because they were moved up while I was napping) and he ended up napping, nestled in them before he left for work.

Dsil needs to be driven to the city to meet with potential employer for 9:15 so dh will take him and then wait in the city and bring him back at noon. I'll have a grocery list for him. The Texas storm will hit hard tomorrow - up to 8" of snow. Dh just read an update that says it might pass just south of us and we may not get any snow.

Dd's godparents come at noon tomorrow. They'll leave for a bit in the afternoon to take their son to work and then come back for dinner. I'll nap while they are gone. They hope to leave at 7 p.m. for the 4 hour drive back to their city so it will be an early dinner. Then an early bed for everyone. (Ds will be sleeping from 8 - 12 or 1, then a bit in the evening before his next shift.)

[Harriet]

Subject of children's gratitude in receiving gifts - I will agree it seems to be specific to the child, not necessarily the family, as Lilac notices in her daughters' different children. At our largest family party (dfirstil's) my oldest niece and middle nephew each have 2 children at similar ages. Of those, one of each expresses gratitude while the sibling does not. (One is super-verbal about it, pointing out the gift's good points in delight, and one is wordless, smiling, but looks the giver in the eye and mouths, "thank you", then hugs. I find either one charming and spot-on in "caring" for the giver.) But both of these children have a sibling that cannot seem to thank....? And it becomes more obvious and awkward with each passing year. I guess you couldn't say they are ugly about it - they just avoid thanking as though it is the most distasteful thing. Sigh. And at that party, each child receives 6 gifts - not too shabby, ya'know?

Lilac, making sure children know about charitable acts (and the need) around them is a super good idea. That reminds me of gift projects like Shoebox gifts or Angel Tree gifts, that sort of thing, that children can help shop for and then see go to others. Dd32 and I are going to have a "Grandma's Thank-You Note Lesson" tomorrow with her 2 older boys for gifts from those they haven't been able to see personally. Actually, thank-you notes are not a bad gift idea for children!I Maybe that gift should say, "Open Me First".

The above was supposed to post a long time ago, and I know I have not properly CUOPed now.

Our own family party this evening was lovely. Everyone safe and sound. All asleep now but me. Dishwasher finally humming and time for sleep.

[Lilac]

Kathryn, I am so glad that your dsil is with your dd this Christmas at your house. I hope he gets this job. Will it be in the city near you?