Good Sunday morning, friends,

[timer lady]

A very good Sunday morning all,

It's a balmy 34 degrees out even as we speak; it's to be below zero by late this evening. I hate such drastic changes in weather & those drastic changes sent me scurrying out to the grocery store to pick up basic supplies that we were low on - milk, bread, coffee. Just the basics.

kt, Integrated Listening Systems (ILS) worker & I worked out the the back yard refilling my bird feeders, supplying the squirrels with corn in their feeders & throwing snowballs at one another & at Sally the wonder dog. A bit of winter fun in the middle of the afternoon - in for warm drinks & time for ourselves as Integrated Listening Systems (ILS) worker left then. Sometimes the help here gets to me.

I swear I'm going to get my tree up sometime this weekend. I have today left. It's not the tree itself, it's all those ornaments the cat likes to whack around the house & garland & such. Not much in the spirit this year - I'll get by that.

Have a good day all. I hope you all take this day of rest & rest. What isn't finished today will still be there tomorrow.

Ciao

 

[Marguerite]

Good morning everybody.

Linda, don't beat yourself up about the tree. Surely kt can decorate it for you? In our family, the tree has been decorated by the kids without our help (except to suggest moving an ornament here or there) as soon as they're old enough to reach. This year difficult child 3 did it all by himself. mother in law's chopped down pine tree got delivered in the rain on Friday and we got home from difficult child 3's school presentation day to find the tree in the bucket of water left for it. Yesterday was searingly hot with a dry hot wind so difficult child 3 & I moved the tree indoors to safety. Very glad we did - overnight the wind got stronger, today was literally blowing a gale although the day was mostly sunny, no rain. That tree would have been shrivelled to a crisp if we'd left it outside.

Today we had the train club Christmas party. Closed to the public, but still a large number of people because it's combined with the vintage & veteran car club. I got a ride in a 1923 Ford, the owner has added GPS to it, converted it to 12V and has a small radio installed. I showed him how to very simply "pimp his ride" and iPod the car. Talk about spanning the centuries!
It wasn't as hot today, I still wore my swimsuit for most of the day, just grabbing my jacket for those times when the wind was at its worst. We had a lovely picnic lunch, with cold chicken, salad, my home-made mince pies and biscuits, and fresh mangoes and cherries. That's something about Christmas for me - the smell of mangoes through the house.
Driving home we followed the coast road again. It was late afternoon but the sea looked beautiful, still intensely blue. From our position on the clifftop road, I was reminded of Tennyson's poem "The Eagle" and the second verse:
"The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls,
He watches from his mountain walls,
Then like a thunderbolt
He falls."

After all the gale-force winds in Sydney over the last few days, the skies are flushed clean and we could see the city in the far distance, every building clearly etched against the sky. The sea was clean, we could see so deeply into the ocean. I'll have to drive difficult child 3 down here again, just to explore the ocean beaches. We sometimes get too used to estuary beaches and their gentler surf.

Tomorrow - I don't know yet. I need to talk to teachers, I was hoping to get to a writers' meeting but I think once more school takes priority. We'll see what the morning brings.

Enjoy your Sunday, everyone.

Marg

 

[Wiped Out]

Good Morning,

Linda-I hear you about the weather! Glad you had some winter fun!

Marg-The party sounds like a fun time!

We are having some weird weather here too. It is supposed to be in the 40s and raining today and the high for tomorrow is 14. Yikes what a change. I just hope we don't lose all of our snow to the rain-I want a white Christmas!

I'm off to church in a bit. Lots to do today but I don't know how much energy since I've been up almost 2 hours already.

I plan on making it to the health club, maybe some shopping, maybe a bit of baking, definitely a nap and a trip to the grocery store (oh the health club thing is a definite-I need to get back on track).

Wishing everyone a peaceful day.

 

[LittleDudesMom]

Good Sunday Morning Friends!!


I'm off to Sunday School shortly myself. This morning is the Christmas breakfast in place of Sunday School with Christmas readings, caroling, and fellowship. Once of my favorite days in our church calendar!

difficult child finally completed his science stuff - looks great and is out of the way! Hopefully I can get him to do a big chunk of his English project today so he (and I!) doesn't have that hanging over his head all week. easy child has set aside a few hours today for DECA scholorship applications. While that is happening with them, I will be addressing Christmas cards!

Hoping a little shut eye on the sofa by the fire before my gym class at 4:30. Wishing you a peaceful and restful Sunday.

Sharon

 

[tiredmommy]

Good morning!

Linda- I finally put up our little tree the basement rec room yesterday, Duckie & husband decorated. I found the key to kitties not batting at the bulbs is to not have them hanging below the branches... just too tempting!

Marg- The picnic and party sound fun!

Sharon (WO)- Don't over do it... we don't need you to get sick again!

Sharon (LDM)- Your church day sounds so fun! Enjoy your gym class later!

I'll be seeing my brother and his family later today... it's been a long time. Wish me luck because I did something to my left foot and I'm in a lot of discomfort when I walk. It started as a cramp last night. Duckie gave me a foot massage this morning and put rolled up tissues between my toes and it helped some. The tylenol arthritis strength seems to be helping too. I just hope I can work tomorrow. Ugh! :snowing:

Have a great day! Hi to anyone that snuck in.

 

[Fran]

Good Sunday Morning everyone.
easy child came home with two friends. It's been lovely to have all the chaos. My kitchen is a disaster but it is even when there are extra folks in.

husband played Santa yesterday at the community breakfast. The firetruck picked him up. I think we were all more excited about the fire truck. LOL. The fireman seemed more excited to pet the dogs than Santa.

We attended the company christmas dinner last night. I got to wear heels and feel like a grown up for two Saturdays in a row.
Afterwards we stopped at the community center adults Christmas party where husband was congratulated about being a "jolly old elf". Considering how often he rolled his eyes at me for volunteering him, I thought it was funny how much he enjoyed himself.

difficult child went to a social group Christmas event. It was only 2 hrs and there is a facilitator. This is difficult child's second visit. He seems to like it but I am not sure if he has taken over and tried to dazzle everyone with his gadgets. Hopefully I will get some feedback. He (and I) don't get white elephant gift giving. He just can't fathom why anyone would try to give a gift that no one would want. I must say I agree with him. Just doesn't compute. So he worked hard to follow the steps to getting prepared for an evening event. Other than reminding him to shave, he did ok without my input. Baby steps.

It was frigidly cold last night. Brrrrrrrr. :temps:

Now we march onward to finishing up preparations and gift planning, food shopping and all the other things that come along with the season.

Have a peaceful day. Look for a reason to be grateful.

 

[Andy]

GOOD MORNING
.

.
.

Timer - What a fun winter activity for you and KT yesterday. I hope you do find a time to put up the tree.

Marg - What a fun Christmas day for you and your family.

Wiped Out - I hope you find the energy you need to complete all your plans.

Little Dude's Mom - I hope difficult child can get his English done today (or almost done). The weekdays go so fast especially when something is due.

husband went to early service. I asked him to call me when he got there to let me know road conditions. Our driveway is plowed but not the road out to the main road. He said once I get to the main road most roads are not too bad. There is lots of drifting and to avoid Tower Road (I should drive through town). I told him I will stay home and if D doesn't make it in and anyone asks, there are snacks in the lunch room for the kids and the Christmas program director will work with them during Sunday School.

A little car just came speeding down our road, put on the breaks at our mailbox and went into an uncontrol spin in the cul-de-sac. Not good! I am so glad husband had moved his truck out of the cul-de-sac. However the state car is still sitting there. Fortunately it did not get hit.

I feel like wrapping gifts today so will get those done that difficult child hasn't done yet. He wrapped several gifts when we got back from the cities but seems to have lost interest when I gave him two more to do.

In preparation of a blizzard, we went grocery shopping yesterday and rented several movies. Last night did not get as bad as predicted which I was so happy for because then easy child got home safely with no problems. If we don't get what was predicted for today, there will be school for sure tomorrow. It is so hard hoping for a snow day and not having it happen. I think tomorrow will be hard for both difficult child and me to get out the door on time.

The neighbor boy was over last night. He was grounded from the Wii so they played in the living room (legos). It was so much fun listening to their conversations. Things boys think about and talk about!

Everyone have a GREAT day today! Find a way to make your difficult child laugh.

​

 

[Andy]

I thought I would get a sneak in. I got two!

Tired - Take it easy on that foot. So nice to have Duckie to do the foot massage.

Fran - I know what you mean about white elephant gifts. You have to go into it knowing that you are probably not going to get anything nice or useful. More of a time to laugh about what we keep at our homes without throwing.

You both also have a great day!