Deck the Halls

It is inevitable that this time of year the pressure begins. In the short weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas so much needs to be done. This year I am going to try and not wait until the last minute for much of it. My Holiday Newsletter and Christmas cards will get written and sent by December 9th (I hope), the tree will go up the following weekend (fingers crossed), and any shopping other than on-line will be accomplished also by 12/9 (yea right). I want to enjoy the time around Christmas and not be running around.

I'm pretty good about this if I write lists, then cross things off the lists. perhaps I can accomplish the impossible by the use of a simple list.

Next year I decided that presents should be given as good deeds done for others instead of materialist items. The kids were OK with it, they are old enough and compassionate enough after everything we have gone through to realize how much that type of giving means. I thought that a whole years notice on the changeover would be fair, since all these good deeds have to be done during the year to be given on Christmas.

To me all the commercialism during the holidays is such a turn off. Give me a pretty tree, a Christmas classic on TV or some carols, a drive though the neighborhood to look at lights, or baking some cookies any day over a bounty of presents under the tree.

Commitments

I am thinking about doing this. It starts on Monday and it is from 6-7 Monday-Friday for 4 weeks. The program is actually 6 weeks, but I am signing up late. Actually I think I can stomach 4 weeks to start with, if it works and I like it I will do 6 more weeks maybe. I am kind of nervous; I haven’t committed to do anything like this for a long time, at least by choice. I think it will be good for me. Perhaps I will lose some weight, god knows I need to do that, and gain a little self esteem, and actually feel better once the soreness wears off, if it ever does.

Another Weekend

So its Friday. Candice got back last week and she came over with her bf for dinner on Wednesday. It was good to see her, she had a fun time and got to experience both southern hospitality and the racism that is still rampant in areas of the US.

Today the Direct TV person is moving my receiver to my new den. Yes folks no more TV in the living room, which is a huge pet peeve of mine. I feel the living room/dinning room (mine is a combo)is for social interaction, and family time. If someone puts on the TV that ends quickly. If you want to watch TV, go to the den so everyone does not have to watch with you.

This stems from a variety of things. I hate watching the shows the kids used to watch, I would prefer quiet, and at the old house this is the way I set things up, but the house was huge and the den had built in everything for the TV and other components.

Here I have a spare bedroom that works as a small den. One whole wall is built in shelves which will be great for a flat panel once I get around to buying one (months from now I am sure).

I fit a love seat and 2 chairs in it, perfect for TV viewing. So the last thing to do was to have the TV moved. Well since that part of the house is built on a slab it has become a big project to get the cables for the Direct TV run there. He was under the house, now on the roof. Its gonna happen its just taking hours. Once the TV is installed I will set up the rest of the room. Have a couple of hours of stuff to do, then hang some pictures on the wall. Tonight I will be watching TV in that room. Not to mention it is on the NW corner of the house and is the coolest room in the summer time.

I am taking Daisy to a trainer this afternoon. She has issues when going for walks and seeing other dogs. So i am going to see what I can do to work on it. I think the main problem is Roscoe. He goes crazy then Daisy follows suite. We have pretty much confirmed this as yesterday walking Daisy with out Roscoe and things were much better.

This last week at work was really hell. My boss is a complete asshole. It is amazing what a thoughtless, lazy, jerk he is.

Catching up Again

It seems like things have been so busy over the last couple weeks. Maybe it is just me. I Have been exceptionally busy at the office, and in the evenings at home too. D has been over alot since the brat has been at camp. This coming week everyone leaves!

Monday Jake goes back to school. It happened alot sooner than I expected. Basically he wasn't supposed to leave until about th 18th, but because he is moving into an apartment, the EX has to move him because he has the truck. Well as you all know the EX was fired from his job a bit ago, and now is going to be doing some consulting for an old employer, but in India. So he has to leave for India on the 17th, which means Jake has to move up to school early. His classes don't even start until about the 27th.

Wednesday D and his son leave for a 2 week vacation, and Friday Candice leaves. She is going to Atlanta for a week with Teen Magazine. She is working for them now as an assistant stylist. So I will definitely be alone all at once.

Tonight Jake is having a couple friends over and we are all going to go out to eat. Not sure where yet. I am leaning towards Chinese, since it is fairly inexpensive for a crown of teenage boys. There will be 7 of us.

I bought new furniture for the house, now I need to get painting since nothing matches! I got a red sofa and 2 black and white flower print chairs, big puffy ones, for the living room. It looks so much better than my ultra modern stuff from the old house. This house is much more of a cottage, and the modern leather just did not look right. The couch was about to collapse anyway, it has these metal legs that were broken in the move.

I also bought stuff for the Den/TV room. A love seat and 2 chairs. I am having Direct TV come out to move the set up, no no more TV in the living room. That is a pet peeve of mine, and I really don't like it. The color scheme in there is pinks and green with a little red. I will post pictures when ever thing gets set up properly.

The Weekend

Well for once I have had a semi-productive weekend. Friday I took advantage of the sale at Osh, and avoided the weekend crowds. Came home with 5 medium large pots. And 5 bags of wood chips. The pots are for the patio, I want to container garden and put some flowering and pretty green plants on the patio. Right now I have 2 pretty large ficus trees, and thought some additional color would be nice. The wood chips are to spread under a trellis that I have in the back yard. There is a dirt area that I want to put tow more Adirondack chairs on and it gets quite dusty, so the chips should make it look nicer while keeping the dust down at bit.

Yesterday I went to the farmers market and took Daisy and Roscoe into the groomers for baths! Sprocket will go next weekend, he gets a cut too. Then I decided to finish unpacking the last room. It only took a couple hours to either put away or throw away the last of the "stuff". I still have to put together on of my claw foot tables, need some screws, and hand a couple more pictures. Other than that its done. The only problem is that it is now a room with no use. So far my treadmill and a bookcase and a small chest are in there, but it has no function.

I want to turn it into a TV room, but that means getting the direct TV people out here to move the box, and to also get something to sit on in there. I am thinking the multi functional futon would be a good idea. So I have a place for any potential guests to sleep, and a couple of comfy chairs. That still leave my treadmill in the middle of it all, but oh well. THats the next step.

Today Jake is having a bunch of his friends over for a late birthday celebration. I got to get to the market to pick up snacks and sodas, I will be taking them all out for a Chinese feast later in the afternoon. We will go to a very traditional chinese rsturant in the heart of a nearby heavily Asian community. The place is a hole inthe wall but has great food, and thankfully prints there menu in english and chinese. My favorite is Soup DUmplings. yum.

Almost the Weekend

I am ready for some R&R, and some projects. Although this weekend I won't get to much done as I have alot of commitments to deal with. Sunday is Fathers Day and Jacobs birthday, so dinner at my place for the gang, tomorrow I have a roofer coming for an estimate, taking Jacob to the DMV and a hair appointment, then D is coming over at 5. Saturday is pretty open, I need to grocery shop and do the farmers market so I have some yummy stuff for Sunday. But I will make a list of all the projects I want to do. I am finally feeling a little motivated.