Thank You All for the bday wishes :D

Hi CriticalMass
WTG! for getting the doll clothes done!
Good luck with your organizing plans while roommate & dog are away.
Please find someone to answer your financial/disability questions. That would really help to ease some of your worry. (((HUGS)))

Hi Motown
:D

Hi Tatoulia
YEA! for taking out Mom's "trash", I guess.
Happy the can wasn't messy and "no harm, no foul".
Sorry she will never allow you off the hook. (((HUG)))


Hi Subclinical
Please spend the two days in bed and leave this nasty bug behind.
How is your iron level?
We do NOT want you getting anemic again.

Beautiful sunny day with a few high & scattered white fluffy clouds.
Yesterday I didn't feel like cooking so I just ate random junk while I watched online videos all day.
Been thinking that maybe I should cash in my EE savings bonds now and put the money in the safe?
I bought them about 30 years ago for my "old age".
It's not much, just six bonds bought at 100 each.
I wonder what they are worth now?
Still sitting here in bed drinking tea and have no idea what I'll be doing today yet.

Hi, sounds like most had a nice Christmas but SubC I hope that bug you've been fighting will decide to pack his bags and get outta town and not come back!

Tillie I have learned so much this year about cats and their territorial behaviors. Your guy who claims four beds is kinda like our boy, whose motto seems to be "What's mine is mine, and what's yours is mine."

Tatoulia, I saw on Facebook about Sister Wendy's passing. Lucky you for having the chance to meet her. My roommate's degree is in art history, and I took a few classes back in college. Makes me want to watch Sister Wendy's shows because I've only seen a few.

I'm finishing up the Barbie doll clothes and hope to deliver them today. We had a nice quiet celebration here. Got a large order of barbecue meats from our fave place and I had a package of butter flavor instant potatoes which weren't bad at all. Watched National Lampoon Christmas Vacation and Charlie Brown Christmas.

She is soon to depart for her family out of town and I hope to take advantage of the chance to pull a bunch of stuff out of my bedroom and put what goes back into some kind of order. Some items I'd hoped to work with - doll crafting mainly - I may decide to park in the storage unit. That and quiltmaking I sometimes get excited and gather a bunch of stuff then don't have time to get to. But keep hoping, and feel confident I will. But in the meantime it may need to be shifted so I can cope with the day to day in my limited space.

Also want to catch up with some writing and being in touch with friends I'd hoped to write Christmas cards/letters to but time ran out. Maybe just call them.

And of course there will be plenty to do riding herd on the two cats, four bunnies, and one frog. The dog goes with her and that's good because the scope of decluttering I want to do would be difficult to accomplish with him around.

So, happy last few days of 2018 to everyone. What a crazy ride it was. I'm thankful to be starting a new year in a little better shape with the van that actually runs. Now I just have to find ways to recover from the financial blows the old one dealt, one after another. Drained me dry, basically.

Hoping maybe selling stuff like the doll clothes will help until I can figure out if it's possible to have a steady income stream to make ends meet without jeopardizing the disability. It's sad to admit, but with no living family and the mental health issues that dog my heels, I'm beyond terrified ever to let go of that, shy of winning the lottery or something. My track record with jobs has been abysmal and thinking about relying on being 100% self supporting feels like tightrope walking the Grand Canyon. That's even assuming I could GET a full time job in today's market. People with flawless employment histories often can't.

Sigh. I need to find some people to talk to without being locked into anything too scary too quickly. The senior center maybe, or someplace. I had a bellyful of therapy in the past and really don't want to go down that rabbit hole anymore.

Okay, enough. Been carrying all this around in my head so I spewed. But must stay positive and not get discouraged. God's got my back, must have faith! Iced tea clinks!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TILLIE!!!!!
Hope you celebrate it just the way you want and have a nice peaceful day!
More later but just had to say that in case I don't get a chance back on here today.

Peace, love and happy birthdays!

Motown

Happy birthday, dear Tillie. You are dear to us.

SubC I do hope you can rest up. You poor thing! You haven't caught a break this winter, I'm afraid.

I am already late for work. I need to walk in to work since I am terribly sluggish from the holidays. And exhausted.

I brought some groceries and supplies to mom's last night. Mainly stuff I had but she needed, like butter and paper goods. I stopped to get some milk and bread. I got to her house around 10 PM and we visited for a moment then I took her garbage out and came home. Around 11:30 she called to find out what I'd done with her laundry. She'd gotten her laundry all together in a white plastic bag for her aide. Oops. Luckily the trash can was empty other than a new liner and no one had put more garbage on top.

Unfortunately mom will now use this to decide that whatever's missing was thrown out by me. She still challenges me weekly on things I moved when she was in hospital in 2017. Even Christmas Eve she was upset that I'd gotten rid of one of her bookcases. She had done that with me, but had forgotten, and I was able to remind her that we'd done that together in order to make room for a table for kitty to eat on (mom is unable to bend over to feed the kitty, so I bought an end table at a consignment shop. Works out perfectly for the two of them).

Ok I'll dry my hair now and make it look like I'm going to the office.

Happy birthday, Tillie.

Happy birthday Tillie!

Kids are gone except dd2. We're heading east with youngest in tow to see our birth families.

I am still very sick. Plan to spend the two days at his mother's house in bed so that I will hopefully be well for my family.

Hi Tatoulia

YEA! Miss Kitty's new bed!
Happy she is enjoying it.
My big orange tabby boy officially has 4 beds and he insists he needs all of them.
He does sleep in all of them equally too.
My cat "sleeps around". ')


So sorry you lost someone special to you (((HUG)))

Must be so quiet there in the building all alone.
Living in a big city it's not often you get to enjoy the sounds of silence.

When people would comment on my always being busy doing things I would always explain to them that I do so much so nobody will ever realize that I'm truly just very lazy.

This is the anniversary of the day I got my tiny little blue eyed white baby cat.

Tomorrow is my bday.
Today I watched a LOT on Youtube.
Right now I am watching "The Birds".

Still me. I've showered but not much more. Awaiting a package from fed ex. Must be a gift basket with champagne or wine as the phone message told me I need to have ID.

I'm very sad to learn that Sister Wendy, the art historian has died. I met her many years ago and she was just so dear.

I'll do some more work now and await my fed ex guy.

I forgot to mention that I shredded an entire folder of my brother's paperwork last week. I kept just enough out of that folder in case he tries to sue me at some point. I have plenty of other folders to go through.

Very quiet here. No one's in town and I'm the only one in my building. Kitty got a new bed and she's snuggled in it now. She doesn't need two beds so I'll have to decide what to do. I had just gotten rid of one of her beds and was blissfully down to one. This new one was a gift from a neighbor child. His mother uses my car to get him to and from school. Pretty sweet gift and the colors go with my house.

Hey it's me! Not late for work today, the opening at noon helped with that.

I am so tired. Mom called me a little while ago and said, I wish I had known you had a half day. I think she doesn't realize that I'm a sloth.

I just wiped up the kitchen and I changed kitty's boxand wiped up in bathroom. I hope cleaners can come next week. The house misses them.

I'm going to brew some coffee and take a shower and get dressed.

Great gift for husband! I love how Tillie worded it!

We ended up going to our favorite little spot and getting a chowder today. I'm still full from last night. I came home and slept, now up so I can go back to sleep. I'll feed kitty and take my pills. Already washed up and in pjs.

Work starts at noon tmr, which I think is pretty nice. I'll be working from here, but the soft opening will really help me along.

YEA! for three months of trash service!
Instead of being "the gift that keeps on giving"
that's the gift that keeps on taking. :D
So nice you have your family with you (((hug)))

Hi Tatoulia
Enjoy your peaceful relaxed day (((hug)))

Merry Christmas all!

All my kids are here, and dh loved his gift.

Bright sunny cold day here. I'm finally out of bed and dressed. Going for a walk up to see BF then back to bed.

No garbage pickup til Friday. I will put my recycling in bin.

Good Morning Everybody

Hi Tatoulia
Yea! for having a lovely evening. :D

Scooter is being crazy cat again this morning.
Keeps putting cat toys on me so I will toss them and he fetches them back, and so on...
Cold dark dreary with a mix of snow & rain.
Nice day to be inside doing whatever strikes my fancy.

Merry Christmas 🎄 🎄 🎄

Still in bed. We were out late last night great time at BFs. Food was delicious and it was a warm and wonderful time with Mom, BF and his neighbors.

Take and bake for birthday sounds perfect!

Hi CriticalMass

LOL SO TRUE ;D

If somebody wants to pay my bills
I happily give them permission to do so.

Been gently drizzling most all day.

Talked to Steven about the clothes.
Suggested that he looks through them all and throw away the really worn out/tattered ones and get rid of the ones that are not his size.
There was one Tshirt in the wash that would only fit a 10 year old boy but he bought it because it says "Grateful Dead".
He has lots of other Tshirts and regular shirts in his closet/dresser that he never wears so it's not like he really needs the worn out rags.
He dresses like a hobo/bum/homeless person.

Since Netflix is eliminating "The Shining" in January I'm watching it now.
The book was so much scarier.

Tillie, when you mention having to sign authorization for his pension, I'm reminded of a meme - hopefully the link will work

Good Morning Everybody
Iced chai masala "Clink!"

Hi Tatoulia
Hope all your baking plans have gone smoothly.
Have a wonderful time at BF's clean home. :)

Hi Subclinical
WTG! DS for sorting out and organizing the Lego bins.
Have a wonderful time with all your family, dogs too. :)

Hi CriticalMass
Wishing you a peaceful stress less holiday :)

Hi Motown
Enjoy all your holiday activities and keep dreaming about your brighter future. :)


Scooter has been being crazy cat this morning.
Running & jumping all around playing and singing.
I'm still sitting here in bed even though it's 10:30am.
Soon I will get up, shower & wash my hair.
Still have not decided what I want to eat on my bday.
We need to get to a notary for me to sign a form allowing automatic deposits to the bank account for his pension payments.
For some reason I have to authorize this transaction too, not just him.
We will probably do this on my bday since the holidays makes it hard to conduct business this time of year.
So since I will be in town that day I could easily get a "take & bake" pizza. ;P

Merry Christmas Eve to y'all!!!!
Working half a day and then off to cook pies and cornbread for dressing and then celebrate Christmas at my mom's this evening and then at my house tomorrow all day.
Hope all your Christmas wishes come true and each of you has a blessed day.

Will check in after Christmas.

Love all of y'all!

Merry Christmas everyone - going to Mass this eve and then again in the morning. That has been my pattern in recent years that makes it register in my mind and heart that it's really Christmas.

This month hasn't yielded as much time for quiet reflection and Bible reading as I'd hoped, but once again I'm extremely grateful not to have the seasonal depression. It'll be okay.

The preparations are getting down to the wire and even though ours are simple, I can feel my ADD disorientation kicking in, and am praying I won't start stressing. The gal I'm doing the Barbie clothes for said don't worry, between Christmas and New Years is fine, which helps. Because they aren't done! Hoo boy!

Good morning!

Still sick, but I woke up hungry, the cough is a lot better, the head is barely stuffy, and the coffee actually tastes good today.

Yesterday dd1 came over on her own and baked cookies all afternoon, so my house is full of cookies (and also covered in dog hair, which I do not like, but I love my kids and I like their dogs, I am just not a dog person. I can vacuum later.)

The kids have really been wonderful to me. Other people have been keeping up with all the dishes and food and I have been keeping up with washing spilled on tablecloths and post muddy walks doggy towels.

Today ds is going to visit some of his local friends. Deli might stay here and work on the puzzle, because she doesn't like some of them, it will depend on what group gets together. Dd2 also has friend plans, so dd1 is not coming over. She has an in-law event this evening anyway. I'm hoping to use the window to finish wrapping the presents for tomorrow.

Ds has been sorting through our many bins of legos making them more usable (dividing out pieces needed to build special kinds of sets from standard blocks) and finding lots of things mixed in that weren't actually legos. We even have a plastic grocery bag of non-standard knock off blocks to donate and a race track set to give to d❤️Gs.

Tillie, I hope you enjoy your quiet day and that Steven respects your laundry.

Tatoulia,
Have a lovely dinner!

Do what you enjoy, Tillie! We will be at BF's very clean house! Fingers crossed my meal goes well.

I haven't finished baking. I went to sleep after being at mom's.

I rubbed it in. I wanted some decent protein and I got it. So delicious. Would have loved for you to be here with me.

Hi Tatoulia

Yep, the laundry is not done until it's put away.
You have really been doing fantastic with doing the laundry from start to finish.
Really makes life a lot easier when stuff is where it should be and smelling fresh.

YEA! for royal icing success!

Yeah, rub it in that you had a shrimp po'boy. ;P


So is everybody who does XMas all ready?
Wishing you all peace joy and love.

For me, life will continue on as just another day.
Some people find this hard to accept but this truly is the way I have always wanted it to be. :)

You are a saint, Tillie.

One comment about the laundry reminded me how I used to leave it draped on a chair. Then the clean would mix with the dirty, and other things would fall to the floor, then because my house was dirty, I'd wash it all over again and keep the laundry draped on my chair, on a dresser, etc. since you've all taught me to wash and fold and put away, I have no such problems any more. I do hope he puts it away. And takes the rest to the laundromat.

I consistently try to reinforce my good habits. I have to.

Fun at mom's decorating the pre-made gingerbread house. OH I just love my new kitchenaide mixer!! I made the royal frosting here, and put it into tubes here, and brought the tubes over in a large ziplock. Great fun and it turned out absolutely beautifully. I brought home her two dish towels I used to protect the table, since that dried royal frosting is akin to cement. I'm also running the dishwasher right now.

I just had a shrimp po'boy and I'm going to nap for a bit. I'm the only one in the building; last person left yesterday. I can pretend it's my own house for a while.


I'll be making a cake tonight and pumpkin bread. After my nap.

Hi Tatoulia

So very glad that cold didn't linger on. :D
People in a school environment seem to always get some nasty viruses.
My brother (high school English teacher) always had something.

YEA! for BF and his cleaning fairies!

Have fun with all your baking and decorating.


Accepted the fact that the only way I would ever get that nasty funky dirty old smell out of the house
was to wash his laundry.
He refused to do it.
Did one load of white socks & underwear
two loads of shirts and
two loads of trousers.
The house finally smells clean.
Now he had better respect all the hard work I did and when they are dry put them all away properly rather than the usual just tossing them all in a big heap with dirty clothes.
Right now they are all on hangers & drying racks in his bedroom.
He needs to take his sheets & blankets & heavy cotton robes to the laundromat & wash them.
The house machine can not handle all the cat fur & etc. on them.

I can smell the breakfast from here SubC. Mind if I stop by? I'm glad the kids did most of the work! Congratulations on having a party! It's still a lot of emotional and mental work and you did it! My cold is gone. This was the first "successful" cold I've ever had. Hope this is a start of a trend for me. I drank a lot of vitamin C and zinc and a lot of juice. I also kept walking three miles a day. I can't say this was the magic combination but next door I'll test this theory. I'm also not around kids and work from home a chunk of the time. At the office, since I don't have a desk, I sit in a desk that is not near anyone. And I sit in a department that is sparsely populated. My own department is too noisy and I'm not perfectly crazy about everyone.

Tillie I bet you are sore. I hope you took your bath and cuddled up with a cat or a book! I've read a lot about Bird Box! You are so brave.

So BF loved the work the cleaners did. He is now thinking of having them do a deep clean of his office. His office is cleaned nightly but now he's seeing what he doesn't see. There were three people who showed up yesterday, the regular two ladies and the husband of one. They may have had a commercial job coming up that day or they may have felt safer with the husband there. In any event BF was thrilled and now sees the importance of having them at least once a month. He also wants me to get them back over to mom's.

We made a lot of changes in my life this year. I cannot thank you enough for getting me to this place. Where will you take me next year??

Tillie I baked brownies last night in my house-shaped pan. I will decorate it later. I still need to make pumpkin bread and a cake.

I am going to mom's soon to decorate a gingerbread house. Then I need to get back to the grocery store as we are both woefully low on kitty food. I had walked to the grocery store last night and was limited by the number of things I could carry. As it turned out, BF called and offered to pick me up. At that point, I'd already checked out.

Good Morning Everyone

Hi Subclinical
So happy you all had a good time!

Please take advantage of this holiday vacation to get enough rest to shake that darn cold.
(((HUG)))


Cold dark and drizzly day so far.
Plan to cook some food and clean the kitchen.
The cats are happy with the house being cleaned.
They really never make much of a mess anyways.

Hi Tess!
The spa sounds lovely.

Tillie, I am very glad you hit your car back. I hope your hard work lasts a while.

Hi Tatoulia! Enjoy your holidays!

We had a wonderful party here last night. The "kids" from both families did the heavy lifting, but I am completely wiped out.

My cold has decided to never get better.

But my son is here, making breakfast.

Good Afternoon Everybody

HI TESS!
YES! spend the day at a spa!
Wonderful gift for yourself.


Hi Tatoulia
What are you baking?
Yea! for getting in exercise while you do errands.

Was starting to post this morning but the computer insisted on doing updating.
Anyways, I have spent the WHOLE day cleaning house.
Got everything done except dusting the wood furniture.
Too sore to do any more today so I will dust the furniture tomorrow.
But EVERYTHING else has been washed and/or vacuumed.
Hated every minute of doing it but I'm so happy it's been done.
I warned him about all the filthy messes he made and that he had better STOP.

Need to eat soon, take a shower and go to bed.
It's only 4:00pm

Merry Christmas 🎄🎁 Tess! I love your idea of relaxing at the day spa! What a wonderful plan for the day!

My BF is hosting Christmas Eve. Mom and I will be there, and we have invited his neighbors. I also invited my friend's Nurse, but alas she will be working. I used to spend every holiday with my friend and the same nurse worked every holiday. Now that my friend has passed, we miss seeing her nurse. I may try to track her down Christmas Day and see if I can stop by.

My errands for the day are done. I am doing laundry and preparing to bake.

Hi friends! Just popping in to wish everyone a happy holiday! It always makes my heart happy to log in and see everyone still chatting. I hope I can keep up better next year.

Today I ran errands, but that's it. No housework. I'm physically and emotionally exhausted. I had to have some work done in my apartment this week. My landlord didn't say anything about the condition, but I still feel embarrassed. So embarrassed. Now that he's been in here, maybe I'll lose a bit of my anxiety about someone seeing. The condition only gets better and better.

What is everyone doing for Christmas? I'm always alone on Christmas Day. This year I'm going to try to spend the day at a resort spa just a couple hours away. They have a wonderful water area and lounging room. I can purchase a day pass without paying for the overpriced services or purchase a service and get a day pass for free. We'll see what happens there!

If I don't pop in again before Christmas, have a very merry Christmas. Love you guys :)

Checking in and running errands. BF was very happy with the cleaners. He was there when they started but not when they left; nonetheless he said he felt lighter knowing they were cleaning his house. He wants to have them at least once a month. I'm glad he was happy. He works a ton of hours and deserves to have this done for him. She also told him she'll help him organize, which he really needs help with.

Going back out there to run some more errands. I'm tired right now. I need the exercise.

That is a surprise! And the cats were all chatty and impatient.

Up very early. Fed kitty and brushed teeth. Back in bed. Cleaners go to BFs today.

We had record warm temps yesterday. So windy and rainy.

Good Evening Everyone

Hi Tatoulia
YEA! for Monday off!
Hope you and Miss Kitty are dreaming sweetly by now.

Well he surprised me.
He brought home the car late this afternoon.
I didn't notice it right away because I had fallen deeply asleep on the couch but the cats kept jumping on me to wake me up to tell me the car came back.
Watched "Bird Box" on Netflix today.
It was good and scary, very well done.

Hey SubC the game sounds like fun! I've only played it a few times and it wasn't fun but the camaraderie you describe sounds like great fun!

Tillie I am so sorry about this turn of events. What a pity that he is no longer working. I'm glad your car is fixed but here you are, stuck without it.

We have Monday off. I'm so excited. I am tired tonight. It is warm and very windy and very rainy. I still managed to walk to work. BF picked me up and he ran errands while I sat in the car.

I'm in my pjs. Going to relax a bit then head into bed.

HAPPY WINTER :)

I have some special treats to put out for all the cats and birds that visit my yard.

The car is fixed.
Still at the garage because he didn't bother to get it yesterday and today he's gone off to Carson City and the garage is closed on weekends.
Good thing I don't need to go anywhere and have all the groceries I need.

House is still dusty and the bathroom needs cleaning & floors need attention too.
Have absolutely no motivation to do anything about this.
I didn't make things dirty. :(

Oh, I like that game, but we always play it with white elephants and some good things from the host and multi ages where we make sure all the children are happy. People are very funny extolling the virtues of their 2006 Champaign flutes or framed catalog cover when someone is trying to chose "steal" or "open"

My cold is fine, but I am exhausted and have no voice. I'm taking a lot of medicine and going to work anyway because so many teachers are sick we are out of subs and still running on a skeleton staff. The director will be manning the front desk tomorrow with a black eye from a house decorating accident.

It's the last day before Christmas break. I think there will be a lot of game playing and art. The elementary science teacher has an exploratorium set up in her classroom, and she told me to just bring my 6-9s down to play in it after lunch if I need to.

Oh I think we call Dirty Santa a Yankee Swap. The good gift keeps getting chosen and you could get stuck with something stupid. I have been places where that happens. I never take the good gift, I find something moderate and inoffensive like Yahtzee so no one takes it yet I'll enjoy it. I haven't done one in years and not a big fan of that.

I'm still not home. Waiting in car for BF. Wanted to check in.

CM there is a cat on twitter who loves Barbies. Really sweet.

Will check in more later.

SubC how is your cold?

Hi CriticalMass
YEA! for no Winter depression!
Think maybe girl kitty wants a dolly for XMas?
WAY TO GO! for sewing!
That sounds like a great way to keep those Winter blues away.

Hi Tatoulia
YEA! for new PJs that fit and other larger ones off to donation!
So, did you play with the new Kitchenaide?


Hi Subclinical
Hope you have been resting and feeling a bit better now.
I think "dirty Santa" is a game where people get a gift but someone can steal it from them and it goes around the room with everybody trying to end up with the gift they want the most.

Have a "sick" headache since yesterday that I'm trying to shake.
Scooter was excessively clingy yesterday when I finally got back home.
He actually cuddled under the covers all night.
He never did that before.
Twinkles keeps following me around having a serious discussion with me.
Meow, meow, meow...
The house is dusty, wish I was motivated to fix that.
Maybe if this headache goes away?

Quick drive by

Tillie, belated Happy Birthday. Sorry about your car though, that stinks. Hopefully it will just be the one thing and not like my old junker van. I sure have been blessed to have the new one.

Tatoulia and SubC, hope the colds go away and don't come back!

I'll post more soon, I hope. Been sewing Barbie clothes a gal at church wanted. Might be the kickstart to doing more and selling as I've hoped.

The girl kitty, the more curious of the two, got busted by my roommate for grabbing my Barbie by the hair and attempting to kidnap her. Wish I'd seen it, LOL. Glad the doll is unharmed. I just bought her the other day. Have slowed down considerably buying them by the way. But I'd had my eye on this one since it was first advertised.

Two days till solstice and six till Christmas and so far I'm avoiding winter depression. Yay!

Oh Tillie, what a rotten thing. I'm so sorry. I can feel the pain and frustration and hassle and I'm so sorry.

Hi Guys
Get something warm in you both like soup or tea, put on snuggly jammies and go to sleep.

The weather was beautiful today but...
I should have stayed in bed.

Decided to go into town this morning
fill water bottles
visit with my friends at the food bank thrift shop
and finally go grocery shopping.

After I finished grocery shopping I loaded up all my groceries into the car, got in and...
the car would NOT start.

It was doing all kinds of weird electrical things like flashing the emergency lights, not responding to locking or unlocking the doors, etc.
But turn the key and -------nothing---------

Walked over to a kindly looking older gentleman and asked him what he thought was the issue.
He was very helpful and concerned but had no idea what was wrong.
His wife lent me his phone to call Steven and they made sure I would be rescued shortly before they left me there.

Steven arrived and soon after his friend called & when Steven told him what was going on he came over there to help too.

The tow cost 77.00 and the mechanic was going to work on it right then but by then it was AFTER FIVE PM so since Steven knows the guy he told him to go home and fix it in the morning.

Seems like a battery cable decomposed and rotted and short circuited things and caused the battery terminal to sizzle & stink and I really don't know what the heck was going on there.


It was a long day. :p

HinSubC, I'm so sorry that the cold has derailed you! I agree with husband that you need to take sick days! I didn't take any with my cold this time because I, for the first time ever, didn't have the head fog and exhaustion. I had the sore throat and stuffy nose but none of the rest of it, thank goodness. I think I am mentally exhausted. I had a mentally stressful meeting last night and it weighed heavily on me all night long.

I am working hard today on reports and spreadsheets and other stuff that I find mentally exhausting! It is so cold here too. I think I'll bake in a bit and give my new kitchenaide a whirl.

I am tempted to go shopping due to sales but guess what? I don't need a thing.

Big victory yesterday. A co-worker gave me a pretty pair of red with white polka dots pjs and they were in size medium! And they fit! A few years back she had given me some XL pjs that I cannot wear any longer because they fall off. I have freshened them up in the laundry and put in donation pile.

The cold?

Mine has completely routed me. Dh wouldn't let me go to work yesterday (I agreed) or at all today. He said you either take a sick day, or you don't. Nobody takes half a sick day.

I'm going to call in to my 3:30 class, give my lecture, and lead my discussion. Because, I just need to be there.

Tillie, i'm Glad you had a lovely day to work on your garden. You always seem to find the bright side of things, even when there is little to be bright about.

How are the cars and jack?

I am drying a few things by the fire - works as a winter humidifier too.

Motown, I approve of the 13 y.o. Getting what he asked for.

I don't know what dirty Santa is?

Checking in. Very busy day at home. End of work charts and data, etc.

Last night before going to bed, I almost left my dishes just sitting there. So glad this AM that I hadn't done that. Nice to have a clean, clear sink.

I'm exhausted. Not sure why.

Good Afternoon Everybody

Hi Tatoulia
Thank you but it's not until the 27th.
But with all the craziness in the stores and some places being closed for the holidays I need to plan my attack early, therefore, I need to decide soon what I will want to eat. LOL ;D


Hi Subclinical
LOL ;P

So happy for you that this year you have made that wreath and you are happy with how your home is.
(((HUG)))


Hi Motown
Stick around with us and I am sure that in 2019 you will see great progress toward your goals/hopes/dreams.
Good luck with the stone.
Have they been able to analyze the stone fragments and discover what may be causing the stones to develop?
Steven refuses to "catch" the stones as they pass so his doctor can't prescribe treatments to help prevent them.
My mother's were caused by her gout.


Very nice day today.
Sunshine and absolutely no breeze/wind.
Laundry is out on the line.
Pruned a few branches off the Apricot tree and started sorta pruning on the Honeysuckle.
Lilac hedge needs lots of pruning so I did cut off one branch so I can say I started on it.
If I do a little every now & then on lovely days it will make me feel like I am not too far behind on getting the garden in order.
Have from now through March to do this.
At least I started.

Oh SubC taking before pictures is a splendid idea! I have taken pictures of some of my disaster zones and hope to get them in much better shape before this time next year.

I have gotten maybe half of the gifts wrapped and under the tree. Don't remember who suggested it but I did say to the kids that if they did not help to clean up in the living room and keep it picked up that I would not be putting gifts under the tree for them. The smart mouthed 13 year old said that he didn't want anything from me anyway. So guess what....

I think my kidney stone is like the death star from Star Wars--hard to destroy!

I have that procedure on January 11 but on January 10 hubby has foot surgery. He's getting only the left done this time so he will still be able to drive me. Then after that he can have the right one done. Glad he's retired!

Tillie, I think of you often and hope that you are able to enjoy your birthday in spite of the circumstances.

Happy there is sunshine in your life at least.

Glad everyone is just about ready to celebrate with family and friends. I still hope for that someday. I have been praying for the ability to get it done in 2019. I just know it's gonna be a good year for me. For all of us!

About to go make a pig of myself at our office Christmas potluck and then we will play dirty Santa (I detest that game) for ornament exchange. So I won't be worth anything the rest of the day (we will all be fighting that nap!).

Hamburger pizza followed by carrot cake! 😁

All of my saucy comments about Steven and the bathroom and his hoard were too off color for me to share.

Motown, can we hope that there was more damage to the stone thAn they could see and it will break apart over the holidays on it's own? Stranger things happen.

Did you manage to get a nice space to put your gifts under the tree?

I am feeling pretty calm about the holidays. We have lived in this house for 15 years, and for 15 years I have wanted to make and hang that wreath I tried one other time, but I didn't have a hula hoop and it collapsed.

There are a few things on the floor in the den that I need to either find a place to put out for decor or put back in the bin for this year and put away. I need to sweep and vaccuum, clean toilets, and put out fresh towels. I have some laundry and dishes to put away and things to clean up in the scullery. The gifts need to be wrapped and I still have candy making and baking to do. (I'm procrastinating because of my cold)

I haven't gotten my lesson plans together for this week, and yet, it all seems very doable. My house is really in the best shape it has been for a long time, but I want to walk through it and take pictures on Friday as "before" pictures for 2019! It may also just be that the sun finally came out today and i'm Crazy.

Happy birthday, Tillie. You are a great friend, a terrific resource and a wonderful person.

Hello

Hi Tatoulia
Hope you stay feeling good and really enjoy tonight's concert!

Hi Subclinical
WTG! for all you've done and for feeling a bit better.

Hi Motown
Sorry about the stone issues.


He monopolizes the bathroom making it difficult for me to use the bathroom or shower.
Honestly, how many times a day does a man have to crap?

Anyways, showered and washed my hair this afternoon even though I wanted to do it this morning.
Will do laundry tonight and hang it out tomorrow.
The sun has been shining more lately and we haven't had any more snow/rain for a while.

Trying to decide what I want to eat for my bday.
Pizza? A hamburger? Carrot cake?

Just a quick drive by...hope those that have been ailing are feeling better.
Found out Friday that the procedure to break up my kidney stone was not successful. Well, not enough. the procedure knocked it down from a 9mm to a 6 mm but that still isn't passable so it might as well still be 9mm. Have to repeat the procedure on January 11. Yay. Like I have yet another 3K lying around for stuff like that. and then there are no guarantees that it will break up small enough so they might have to end up doing the scope procedure that will be 1. way more expensive, 2. more painful with bleeding, etc. and 3. more time off work.

But enough about that, at least it isn't hurting me now as it has decided to hang out in the kidney for awhile and not try to fit to pass. Hope it's lazy for a few more weeks! LOL!

Went to Goodwill yesterday and just about finished up Christmas shopping for the kids at my house. Still have to get stuff for the ones in Chicago-land and get them mailed (I'm a terrible procrastinator).

Haven't sent the first Christmas card this year. Feel like a heel when I get pretty ones but oh well. Can't do what I can't do.

Going to join the biggest loser contest at work starting at the beginning of the year and hubby has agreed to kinda do it alongside me so that will be welcome support. DD might join us too to lose some baby weight.

Close to time for me to clear off my desk and get ready to head home to the chaos. Hard to believe that one week from today is Christmas Eve.

Will try to do better in the coming year. Hope to anyway.

Talk to y'all later!

Motown