Sunday, December 18, 2022

Yesterday's Christmas celebrations went well. The grandchildren seemed to really enjoy their gifts this year which was rewarding as I really worked hard to choose their gifts.

This morning we went back to Mike's DD's home for breakfast. We leave in about an hour to drop off his DS at the airport (quick trip for him as we picked him up there at 2 yesterday). We will be back at my Cape house by about 2. Hopefully it will be quiet the rest of the day. Too much activity lately!

Food choices were as one would expect at the holiday. At least I can't eat large quantities of it...

Have a surprising Sunday!

Greetings all

Oops, AWOL yesterday. It was a busy day by my low standards and it seems it I don't get a post before dinner it does not get done. Too many dog care and DH care chores to cram in and then I sit down with a glass of wine....

I had to go pick up some financial papers and then go work at the gallery. The documents pertain to who has paid dues over the course of the year and who still owes. My job is to collect and keep track and its herding cats. 25 people all paying in different times and ways and amounts. Chaos for me. But our treasurer and I finally sorted it out and agree on the results. I had time in between gallery customers to spread out papers on the big desk with good lighting. Anyway today I have to email all the late payers and get after them to close the finance year. It would be easier if my desk here at home had one inch of space on it but no such luck. Oh well.

Christmas trees! Ya'll are so industrious to put them up. AT our friends house there are 5 trees so we get our fix.

And while at the gallery I did most of my christmas shopping. Called the wine tasting room across the street and the nice guy there delivered a case of wine. They have about 25 kinds! I chose a red blend called "Wish Upon A Star". And I got a couple of boxed sets of greeting cards as well. Final shopping will be gift cards from the local natural foods store. Yay me.

The pot pie from the deli was quite good. More tonight. Costco makes a chicken pot pie but it is as big as a trampoline so no thanks for this house.

CC sounds like you could use one of those roomba vacuum cleaners for all your hard surfaced floors. But what happens when you get a puppy?. And what happens when the roomba comes to your water feature? Tee tee. I am hoping your missing appliances show up but somehow fear they are lost.

Peps do you get christmas treats for the dogs? I am contemplating that for our herd. Old Chip ate a good breakfast and still seems comfortable. He got cuddle time in our bed this morning.

Liz you are rocking the blended family thing. Glad your holidays are going well.

I am having a craving for some good prime rib. A good prime rib dinner was the only food funeral I had before VSG. Guess it's ok to crave some after 13 years. Must search.

Cheers all. Diane S

Well I baked 5 kinds of cookies yesterday, so I can't be mean towards myself if I ate 5 kinds of cookies today... at least they are all bite size type cookies. And I binge watched 4 episodes of White Lotus today while eating cookies. I have one episode left, but DD, who arrived this morning, asked me to wait until she can watch it with me. I don't know if I will pay later for wasting so much time today, but good heavens it felt glorious.

4 more days until break. But really, break does not start for me until December 26. I wish I could feel less Scrooge like, but I'm tired of my role of pageant director. My parents live in the country, there is no place to get take out from, and they can no longer cook, or travel, so I bring Christmas dinner, and brunch for the following morning, and make up the beds when we get there etc. I figure that's my gift to them, I make Christmas happen at their house, but I'm getting older myself, and kind of tired. But in the end, I'm lucky to still have them, together, in their own home.

Well time to do a chore or two.

Good on your for being pageant director DD! You will be glad you did. Hope you can make the meal prep quick and easy. But you are making me want to do cookies! I have not done any for 15 years. hmmmmm ds

You deserve to have time to relax and enjoy yourself when opportunity presents. You give so much to others (including your parents) that you need time to recharge.

Funny thought for the day: Astigmatisms are very festive at Christmas - my tree lights all have very big sparkly starbursts around them! Looks like at least double the lights!

Today's tasks included more laundry, changed the bed, cleaned and Rain-xed a shower door, tried to figure out where my dryers vent (inconveniently the roof) as they are both giving air blockage errors - grr, trip to the grocery store, and a trip to Walmart (the horror) to replace my FoodSaver as I need it for Christmas to sous vide the tenderloin. I HATE Walmart. It's dirty, dim, and unorganized, and the layout makes me feel like a lab rat in a maze. But alas, there are no other box store choices nearby for housewares.

My folks are on their way. They should be here by Wednesday or Thursday. So more tidying of their room to do stat!

Food is carby. No excuses, but ugh.

Wal-Mart's layout is insane. Back in the day when I bought these products, the diapers and the diaper wipes were in entirely different parts of the store. Why?? But sometimes, like when visiting my grandparents, it was my only shopping option too. Ugh. Now I venture in once in awhile to stock up on canned beans, canned tomatoes etc because they are remarkably cheaper than other grocery stores here, but I still don't like it, and the 1,000 plastic bags they pack my cans in.

On sale and at your house by Tuesday.... https://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-FM2100-Manual-Sealing-Prese rvation/dp/B00LUGK5QW/ref=sr_1_10?crid=38UO6MDKEW65H&keyword s=food%2Bsaver&qid=1671435063&sprefix=food%2Bsaver%2Caps%2C1 77&sr=8-10&th=1

I've bought so much online lately that I was starting to feel bad for the delivery and Amazon distribution center people! Silly, I know...

Sad that for the most part our choices for that kind of stuff are often only Walmart or Amazon. Though the same thing may be available at a Bed, Bath and Beyond they aren't always nearby and they can be rather expensive.