[TDN]

I thought I was the only one that, the older I get, the more I dread the holidays. The last 2 Thanksgivings my husband and I have said to heck with it and went on a little 2 night trip. I do enjoy it but then I feel guilty. The only ones I really care to see are my 2 nieces. They are growing up so I do not see them as much. They did come over last Sunday and help me put some decorations up. No tree.....I can blame allergys for that but if I actually really wanted one I would put one up anyways! I am always relieved to get through Cheistmas and when New Years is over I am very happy!

On my list today is the same.......girls are coming tomorrow so need to finish up the rooms! Also get everything else in order( it is not bad at all, luckly) and finish my small food list to pick up before Church tomorrow......nieces want loaded nachos so easy peasy but I will do veggies and ranch and some fruit and prob some other snacks. We have our once a year peppermint ice cream with hot fudge sauce. Today I have to go do my gramas hair, 1/2 hour drive each way, since I am busy with the girls in Monday.

FW, good idea to wait on your decision. You will know when the time is right to leave. I am sure another rescue group will welcome you with open arms!

Hope everyone has a great day!

 

[pinetree]

TDN, I thnk we all go thru years like that, I almost feel some kinda of relief when the trees down and things go back to normal, theres always this energy that keeps your insides running full blast during the holiday season.

Have fun with the girls!

FW, hope you are feeling better today, I will think about you everytime I eat an orange... sending up prayers for you,,, hugs..

You too Niko!! Hugs..

SD. Sounds like you could use some cheer too.. Hope you are feeling better, well, you haven't slowed down yet, but maybe should say getting some rest!! WTG on all your decluttering!

ILC, Most of them were sales yesterday because of the free ship day, like cabella's. I don't know how much I saved on shipping, but it was quite a bit. Now I need to find some kitchen towels, cheap.. so will keep my eyes open!
Here kohls and jcp are having alot of sales, walmart seems to be out of stock on everything. Lowes has lights on sale for .79 for 100. Dh wants led so we didn't get any.

Everyone must be busy, hi to all of you!

The ham finally got up to temp, at 11pm last night, so will reheat it for dinner tonight. We tasted the hamhock, and it really tastes like ham, only without salt so its kinda weird, but its close!! I can't wait for a grillled ham and cheese!

I guess I'm done shopping, DH told me the card has run out of money, aww, drats!! lol, I didn't spend enough for that card to notice!! I feel so much like SD saving all that money this year!!

today
email bf
vacuum again
load of laundry
more cookies and candy
enjoy the warm.

Have a wonderful day.

 

[frugalwarrior2]

pinetree-your facination w/ ham.lol gotta love it. Around here Dh insists on one every Christmas placidly oblivious that the rest of us dont want it. Ds would eat seafood like lobster and crab,shrimp. DD likes veg sushi. sushimi?? like tuna rolls.
I like pasta like Alfredo lol

So ripping and tearing up here and there so i cant talk. But I am a lot better. Still stressed to heck but a few things going. DD anounced after work she is going to friends for a mini exchange. Trnaslation-not cleaning the bathroom AGAIN.
Well gotta do the dishes and throw a load and a roast. Toodles!!lol

 

[Spirit Deer]

Still sick here. Today is worse. I should be better. I don't think we dare to go to Mom's for Christmas since the progression of Husby's illness is a week behind mine and I'm going into the second week now, so she's going to be disappointed. But there's no way we're dragging this crap over to her so she gets sick, too. Oh, well, we can just have Christmas on New Year's.

We're no longer down about Christmas after all these years. We just don't care anymore. If it wasn't for Mom, we'd most likely be away from home for a mini-vacation, too. It would be a lot of fun to go somewhere for a winter break. But Mom would be heartbroken if we weren't with her for Christmas and that's okay. At least someone wants to be with us, and we want to be with her, too.

The happiest thing about Christmas for us this year is the pool table will most likely be gone by the time Christmas arrives. :cheer4:

The accessories for our KA mixer that I've looked for for years sold out while we procrastinated about whether or not the order was complete, so that's a nice howdy-do. I hope they get them back in stock.

Nothing much done here today. It's a rerun of last Saturday, feeling lousy and sitting around napping all day long.

 

[pinetree]

SD, hope you start feeling better, it wouldn't be nice if your Mom has to spend Christmas by herself. It gets really lonely if you dont have anyone, been there done that. You have a few days maybe you will feel better by then

FW, I will tell you one thing, curing a ham in a pain in the axx, I havent had ham for almost 1 1/2 yrs. All of my Drs. told me to never bite into a piece of salty ham, I will be back in the hospital before I knew it. So this is pretty exciting for me. I really appreciate the kids putting an entire weekend into, brining, smoking and curing them. I will have enough to last me along time. Funny how you dont want something, until you cant have it anymore!

The snows melting!! Slow but its melting off the roof, but the roads, and driveway aren't melting yet. We have enough to last until Christmas, and the lights do look pretty with all the snow.

ILC, stay warm!! Funny how our weather is the opposite of yours!!

Almost forgot had a taco johns taco for lunch and got to have a apple grande too! Its was completely wonderful!! I miss eating out SO bad!!

Off to fold laundry..

 

[Spirit Deer]

Sounds like your slicer will be getting a workout prepping that 'ham' for the freezer! It sounds delicious.

 

[frugalwarrior2]

pinetree-ham ham ham ham (sung to Monty Pythons? spam song? )IDK just popped in from somewhere in the cobwebs of my mind. Dh is after Big Boy classics for us.
I have cherry pie for dessert. Never did the roast. tomorrow.

Took my nap w/ 3 cats. Hunty had a fit. JEALOUS little squirt.
'

 

[ilovechocolate]

pinetree, hope that ham is deeeelicious!

DS texted me at 11:30 last night to tell us he'd hurt his back packing stuff up, so we're not sure we'll be moving him tomorrow. Right now I'm planning as though we are. He HAS to be out by the 28th and that place is going to need some cleaning (actually more than some) and it's Christmas week so we're in a time crunch. But we'll make it happen because it has to happen!

For Sunday:

1) Finish emptying DS's room
2) More Christmas baking for DD's office party
3) Make list of what I still need to get for Christmas dinner

Have a good Sunday, everyone.

 

[frugalwarrior2]

ILC-sorry to say your kids sound like mine!! DD took off until tonight and of course works tomorrow.

Super tired today. Plan to tackle the ornaments and maybe wrap some. Dh is having a bronchitis attack and has decided Mucinex will do. Maybe we can visit him in the hosp. for Christmas. Frustrating. He gets this every year. IF I dont annoy him to the clinic he will end up on breathing treatments.

Pinetree-2 hits in the clean areas from Hunty today. 2 more weeks until he is neuterable?? now please,yesterday in fact.

Hope everyone is having a nice Sunday. I am going to try and reach Ds and see how long he will be staying.

 

[RABBIT]

fw - was just going to ask you if Hunty was neutered. I'm sure after he can be, the peeing in the house will stop. So is your son coming home tomorrow?

pinetree - thanks for the prayers

TDN - Thanks for the good wishes and right back at you! Sent up a prayer for you for your mammo results. I wish I could foster kittens, my cat Tooey has the Herpes Virus so I can't.

SD - sorry to hear that you are still sick, boy that is hanging around for a while.


Boy, I've been gone a couple of days and had pages to read! When my SIL was in the hospital last summer after her stroke, her husband was a wreck because he had no idea what bills needed to be paid, where they even were, or what needed to be done. I remember thinking that I have done my DH a disservice by never showing him any of these things either. DH has written 2 checks in his life and he's 55 years old. I take care of all the bills, household, shopping, pets, ect. So since I'm having this health scare, I decided that I need to get things in order and show him where things are and what to do. Besides that, to combat worry, I clean and purge. So that is what I have been doing the past few days. My office never looked so good!

I have been so preoccupied that I really haven't thought much of Christmas. I am hoping I get more in the mood next week. I did my 24 hour urine test yesterday and dropped it off at the hospital this morning. DH came along and we stopped at Meijer, Kroger and the Dollar Store. Glad that is out of the way and I won't have to do it after work tomorrow. Rented Mockingjay Part 1 so I will finally get to watch this tonight. Also started reading "After You" and I really like it so far. Has anyone read this? It's the sequel to "Me Before You".

 

[pinetree]

RABBIT, more than welcome, will keep them going up until I hear the all clear!! Hugs

TDN, I wish I could foster too, but I can't afford any more, I would never be able to give them up, I use to tell my vet, "when they come in my house, they are here forever" I seem to take in guys that have been dumped. Its so sad, they have no idea what is going on,

ILC, uh oh, nows not the time for a hurt back, that means its up to you and Dh to get this moved,, Good Luck,,
The ham was fantastic! one is all cut up and in the freezer, ready for scalloped potatoes or pineapple ham casserole, I don't know which one.. will cut the other one up today.
Stay warm or is it back in the 70's?

FW, wow, you can come here and clean!! Sounds like you're getting alot done! Sorry your DD is SO busy!! Bet you're getting excited about DS coming home!

Niko, thinking about you.

SD, Hey great idea on slicing the ham, but this first one just kinda fell apart, will try with the other one, boy was it good, you are going to have to get that smoker going!!
Amazes me it tastes like ham, but without the salt..
Hope you are feeling better, but saw that you already picked up another project! Man you are really doing alot!! I need to get my machine out and figure out how to use it, I havent sewed for years,DH bought me a singer, that does embroidery, I havent even used it and I think its 5 yrs old now!

Made a 3 berry pie last night, cleaned out 2 of the fridge freezers. I forgot I froze a mess of strawberries. maybe will make jam? the kids also found more tomatoes in their freezer so I have more of them to put up, think I'll make sauce out of them, their romas..Good thing I bought more jars a few weeks ago!

Today
cut and freeze ham
clean bathroom
clean off counters
dust hutch

Have a great day!

Hi to everyone I didn't get,

 

[Spirit Deer]

We did some figuring and moved the small chest freezer to what we hope will be its permanent position now. I'm almost ready to do the happy dance for the pool table being gone. I've been spending the day hoping they really do come tomorrow and it really does go out the door. I'm going to have to stand in the family room looking at the empty space for a few hours to have it sink in.

Husby figured out where in his office he can put his bar fridge, which he keeps pop in. That'll be nice to get that out of the family room, too.

The sewing machine table I made a couple years ago after salvaging the base from the metal recycle pile will work great to hold the big honkin' analog TV we're going to have in the family room, so that will be out of the LR, along with the dining room set and big upright freezer. What a difference that's going to make in here!

I figured out the big craft cabinet that's currently holding up the giant TV can go into the back bedroom, which was the original plan anyway, but I didn't think it would work out. I'll have to get rid of two small shelves we currently have stacked in there, to make space for a larger shelf that will have to be moved, but we don't care about those two shelf things so no loss. There's hardly anything on them. Things are just getting better and better.

Husby's dragging his sick self outside now to shovel for the pool table move. Wish I could be more help.

Still have that last tote and box to sort, plus a tote full of assorted bags to purge. I've been delaying purging the bags till I have them all gathered up and can see what we have and try to figure out what we might need, and I think that point has finally arrived! AFAIK, all the spare cloth bags of any kind are now in that tote. Amazing! I never thought the day would come. I never thought getting rid of a ton of stuff I thought I didn't want to get rid of would make me this happy, either, but I'm really excited about it lately.

 

[Spirit Deer]

Pinetree, I couldn't imagine not sewing for five years! I'm always making or fixing something. I guess that's why I have seven sewing machines.

Yes, we do need to learn to use the smoker, or buy one that works better or something. I did buy a new thermometer for our smoker but haven't installed it yet. Knowing what's really going on in there temperature-wise should be helpful.

 

[frugalwarrior2]

Sd-dont think i have sewn since DD was a girl scout and we have 5 machines in this house.
Rabbit -I cant wait until he's done,trust me. My vets wife is a vet too and super smart but no personality. So i go yea I'm about ready to do a home job. She just wasnt sure if i was serious. lol Doesnt seem to be after the tree?? He prefers good oak furniture. sigh. On the up side he has fit in so well. Mikey and him play tug. Hilarious.He keeps Mikey busy but they destroyed 2 of his toys.
still praying. Why does it have come at the holidays. Dh has this hanging over his head too. We are ignoring the best we can.

I have done nothing today basically I am energyless. Mon. I was going to shop. No sense fighting the crowds.

Rabbit-your cat has the FIV virus? We have a beauty named SYMPHONY that needs a home badly. No one even looks at her. (Michigan Animal resue league) She is grey and white,very people oriented and affectionate. She has kinda this white fur elizabethan collar around her head. She was born 2008. I feel so bad because the other FIV cat found a home quite a while ago now and she is isolated.

 

[TDN]

FW.....I think rabbit said her cat has herpes virus. I have a FIV positive cat though. One of my fosters. I was trapping at the local high school after a friend who works there spotted kittens. Trapped Mike and Ike together in one trap. Feral kittens, also trapped their feral mom and a few other feral adults that were tnr. Luckly the school likes having them there. Ike tested positives several times , Mike never did. I finally found a great adopter but she ended up brining them back after 2 weeks because Mike wanted to hide. She wasn't interested in working with them. So after they came back my mom immediately took Mike the Siamese because she had recently lost one of her 2 cats and I kinda cried a lot about it so hard for her to say no. I totally loved Ike but we had 3 cats and I told my husband I would stop keeping them. But guess what my husband made for my Christmas sock?? A little frame with the word IKE in it. Still can not believe he gave me my boy! That was 3 Christmas ago. He has been healthy as a horse and they can live full lives so that is what I am hoping for! So hard to adopt FIV kitties though. People are scared of what they do not understand.

 

[RABBIT]

Yep, Tooey has herpes virus, not FIV. I do not need another animal though! (thanks for thinking of me though fw )
My DH also surprised me with one of my boys, I had seen Bomba in a high kill shelter and his time was near up, he was badly neglected and looked horrible. On top of that he was a poodle and DH and I are not poodle people but he was trying so hard to get someone to look at him and save him. I told DH about him and the next day when I got home from work, Bomba was at our house! DH had picked him up while working (drove a truck) and had to drive around with him all day. 9 years later, I still can't believe he did that for me.


SD, I LOVE getting rid of stuff! I think I'm at the point that I'd rather get rid of stuff then get stuff! You are definitely on a roll.

 

[RABBIT]

Sorry! I don't know why it's upside down and I can't figure out how to turn it around.

 

[Spirit Deer]

What a cutie! Even standing on his head. We're debating if we might be poodle people at some point. Husby tried lifting Sota today and it ain't happenin'. It's only going to get harder dealing with bigger dogs as we get older. And of course there's the shedding. The tree guy has a cute little poodle type doggy named Tanner and we had a good chat while the guys were working on the trees. He's a nice little guy and I could see us maybe having a doggy like that sometime. It would sure be hard to give up huskies though.

Sounds like you guys have keeper husbies like mine. Mine wouldn't really admit it but he's a big ol' softie when it comes to critters. He goes out and talks to the deer while he feeds them and the whole bit. He gets down on the floor to coax Sugar to eat and is right there to help her when she needs to be lifted up. Kinda funny because he grew up on a farm where people don't get attached to animals as much and his parents were cat hoarders who had dozens of them, all sick, and his dad literally killed kittens by the hundreds each year. It was truly disgusting but back then there weren't humane organizations to get involved or laws to keep people from doing that. Husby often comments how he can't believe how much he enjoys our cats because he couldn't stand them as a kid.

I got my ta-done for the day, cooking up ten pounds of ground meat mix for the freezer. Now I'll have instant taco meat and sloppy joes and all the other goodies. Just have to bag it up for the freezer now and hope I can find space. While that cooked I got the counter cleared and the dirty dishes in the dishwasher too, so that's taken care of for tomorrow. Don't want the guys worrying about knocking dirty dishes off the counter as they pass by with the pool table. I hope, I hope!

I do think we're on a roll getting this place in order. It's been a long hard road and it's not done yet, but I finally feel more optimistic about someday having a nice house. I think getting the office painted and decorated had a lot to do with that. We've been so buried under DIYs and UFOs and junk and excess, we haven't really ever had a chance to think about decorating and the nice little details, but that's changing now. It's a lot more fun now. It's also a lot easier to do just a little bit of work and actually see that something positive has been done.

 

[pinetree]

RABBIT, That looks like my dog, Buffy, the only one I owned and had to give to my Mom, cause I was young and took her and worked too much, she was too lonely. She was a doll, Hey wasn't I suppose to babysit so you could go shopping or something?!! Boy I sure would love to have that kind of company now, what a treat!!

SG, yea I know, but this new machine is wicked! Some of it has to be hooked up to a computer to work, and I just need to sit down and read the stupid book! I have been fixing things by hand, yea I know,,, I would really like to make those table cloths, maybe soon.
You sre going to have a house you dont recognize anymore! All that room! I'm really hoping they come get that tomorrow!! Merry Christmas to you!!

Well I dont know whats going on here, but we still have a good 12 inches of snow on the ground, looked out the window and it looked like it was snowing, well its not, its raining!! Boy what a mess tonight when the roads freeze, And My DS leaves for work at 8:30 tonight, oh what fun! worry, worry...

 

[Spirit Deer]

Yeah, I gotta haul out the book for mine every now and then too, and it's not even a very complicated machine. I wanted a sewing machine that'll do some embroidery, not an embroidery machine that'll do some sewing. I just don't have a use for a lot of embroidered stuff. If I could sell stuff after embroidering it, then I'd be more interested but of course that would be illegal.

I made a lateral move and emptied the green totes into empty ones, so now we have totes in the box of the truck, which we should have had years ago. We bought one for the back of the van when we got the van and use it all the time. Don't know why we never got any for the truck. But now we have matching-match green totes to go in the green truck. We bought them for our first pop up camper in 2002, to it's a repurpose several times over now.

I put the bags into a different tote now too, instead of the Christmas tote, so all the Christmas totes are empty now. Not sure what we need them for, but somehow it feels like a small accomplishment even so. Bit by tiny bit.