I'm washing all my sheets today even though I changed my bed two days ago. I have hives, and I'm not sure if they are due to the extreme cold, or because I've had a cold, or detergent issues, or due to medication. So I'm washing all my sheets again and rinsing them twice. When my washer was still working I always rinsed twice. Now that I use communal, I only rinse once since I'm trying to pack in a lot of different loads during the day. So back to double rinsing for me.

I have packed up my dinner dishes and half of the coffee cups and saucers. Not a chip on any of them so I am tempted to consign instead of donate. I expect to do the right thing and donate. The salad plates and soup bowls will reveal some chips. The Christmas gift boxes and tissue are holding the things nicely.

Ok back to work. Sipping peppermint tea. Refreshing!

Good to see that Life is Short, Eat Dessert First ruled the day, Tillie! Oooh the hash browns and eggs also sound so tasty!!

SubC I am joining you in the fast! I fasted Tuesday and am doing it again today. So good to get some time off from the indulgences! Wishing you safe travels.

Bitterly cold here and hard to keep/get my drafty old place warm. BF's place is plenty warm and I've been thinking about sending the cat up there.

It's trash night. I'm sure I can get a decent bag together.

I have gotten two or three big things off my mind in the past few weeks but would like to do one more. I'm wondering if I have what it takes to finally get rid of my microwave. I should check my sad bank balance first because I'd want to be able to replace this weekend.

Good Evening :)

Thank You Everybody for the birthday greetings! :D

Hi Subclinical :)
Have a wonderful time visiting!
Yes, the cats do need Son In Law to stay with them. ;)
Have a safe trip and a good little fast.

Hi Tatoulia :)
You are welcome, for the new board. :D
I'm glad your BF spoils you, you deserve to be spoiled.
Happy you are feeling better, stay that way. (((hugs)))
New dishes is a nice change!
I'm happy you are evaluating the pieces and making good decisions on what you need and no longer need.

It has been a good day.
More sunshine than clouds, not too cold outside.
I didn't do anything that resembles work except all those cat related daily chores.
Made O'Brian hash browns and eggs for my dinner, already ate cherry pie earlier.

Oh my! I was so busy remembering to use the new thread, I forgot to happy birthday tillie!

Happy birthday!

I have survived the first half of the holidays - next is a nine hour drive, followed by a day and a half at the home of the in laws who just left (the only way we get to see dh siblings and nieces and nephews) then a day and a half with my parents, brother, and nieces, then an 11 hour drive. With both of my girls.

Son in law is wisely staying here. He says the cats need him.

I am sad for those of you who have so little family. Some of my legal family is a pain, but I am surrounded by a beautiful heart family (that includes some blood and legal relatives) and I wish the same for you!

One good thing about the trip is I expect we will only be giving things away. Also, there is little I can eat at mil's, so I will have a short semi-fast to clear some of my holiday indulgence

Thanks for the nice fresh message board, Tillie! And again, happy birthday!

I've gone back and read everyone's posts and so enjoyed reading about your lives. CM you are doing great! I hope you'll have that clean sheet feeling much more frequently! I change mine once a week, sometimes twice a week. I love a freshly made bed too!

SubC you survived the holidays! I'm sorry that your MIL took things too far. I hope I remember that when someone asks me for something specific, I shouldn't conform it to my wishes or ideas! I don't think I've ever done that--I'm not generally in a situation where I'm buying something on request. I have no children, in laws, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, etc.

I am much improved today, both health-wise and spirit-wise. I went to office, which was sparsely populated. Despite that, I did not complete what I'd hoped to. Tomorrow is another day and I'll be home. I'll have to finish sorting through my gifts (BF spoils me) and put everything away. I also need to pack up my dishes--I finally found some dishes to replace my everyday china. I've had my everyday things for over 20 years. They are very nice and from a nice store, but I've wanted a change. I'm going to replace my set of 8 or ten with four. Santa gave me a gift card and the serving platter from the set, so I am on my way. Four is plenty. I have my mother's wedding china should I ever be hosting a large meal and my Christmas dishes are for 8.

This will be a challenge to box them up for goodwill. I'm also going to get rid of the serving pieces that compliment the existing dishes. This will help me to reduce.

My son and his wife left this afternoon, which made me sad. But I know her family wants to see them too.

But last night was wonderful. We had our dearest family friends over for dinner and singing. 15 people! The wife of one of their sons couldn't make it because of work, but he brought the baby who is two.

Sometimes I laugh thinking about how desperate I was for friends 21 years ago when I introduced myself in the women's locker room and invited her for lunch because her kids were the same sizes as mine. Now all the boys are 6ft or more, we have a third generation starting, and the caroling party is the highlight of our holidays!

Cookies and candy were exchanged and mostly eaten by the twenty somethings - I sent my son away with the leftover pie today.

On to dealing with the stuff of the season - my father in law made us beautiful benches for our entryway, which we have been wanting, and my mother in law bought me the pan which I have already mentioned. Also an " as seen on tv" zoodle maker, which left in a gift bag with dil for her family white elephant exchange. I think she liked the scarf from my student that I also passed on to her.

My children gifted me framed wedding portraits (both married in the last 18 months), new slippers that I love, and new work gloves. Dh got me three pairs of heavy warm socks (black, white, and navy) but the other package was not pajamas, it was a beautiful warm red cape!

So all is well there. I will use the pan until I replace it.

We are now storing 4 boxes of electric train and track for ds because the great uncle he was named after is terminally ill and wants him to have it. Ds wants very much to be able to set it up under his Christmas tree someday, but has nowhere to store it now in his apartment. He did sort through two bins of his childhood toys and take a gallon ziplock bag of movie themed items he plans to decorate his office with. Also we sorted through the wedding souvenir box and they left me with a smaller shoebox sized box and took or recycled the other items.

Today I am doing lots of laundry.

For all of you posting on phones and other small devices...
Phase nine! :D