Started un-decorating the house on Monday. I had hoped to get started on Sunday but, everyone who was in from out of town didn't leave until late afternoon and evening. Which is fine with me because, not only were we having an absolutely grand time, I was able to use their presence as an excuse NOT to start the depressing-overwhelming-I-don't-want-to-do-it task of un-decorating the house. Now, it's Friday and I am still faced with completing said task. There's just no escaping it. Nor are the good fairies or little elves or any other little helpful creature coming to do it for me. Only one tree is down. Darn it!
This is celebration week at our house every year. January 4 is our oldest daughter's birthday; January 5 is our wedding anniversary; January 6 is my birthday. Now, there would really be only two things to celebrate during this first week of January had our first precious not arrived 20 days early. (Actually, all our daughters arrived on this planet early: Breezy, 20 days; Deanie, 16 days; Birdie, 10 days; DoodleBug....well, she probably would have stayed in for another month--we did have to
This is the last week before classes resume for the spring semester (this will be Birdie's last semester, she graduates in May with TWO degrees--Athletic Training and Exercise Science--WooWhoo!) so our two youngest daughters, who attend college and live downtown, have been coming home to spend time with us. We've played games (Banana Grams; Farkle; Wii sports), we've been shopping (I purchased some new little kitchen items which led to a rearranging of the cabinets in the kitchen which led to having to clean those cabinets first--well, the shopping part was fun anyway); we've been out to lunch; one day we just sat around and read books for an entire afternoon! I've completely enjoyed having this time with them but not one single time did I think: "HEY- here are your little helpers, let's get this house un-decorated!"
I participated (silently--and by silently I mean in my journal and not via blog) in a month long daily-prompt-writing thingy in December (Reverb 10) and I really loved it so I am now looking for something similar for January---anyone heard of anything? Meanwhile, I am using Mama Kat's prompts at Mama's Losin' It!
I also bought myself a new bird feeder--one of those flat, hexagonal ones that can be used as a feeder or for water. The birds really like it. So do the squirrels. Which means that Tucker likes it too. He's been chasing squirrels all week.
Hub's side of the family has a tendency to be negative and blame any and all lack of accomplishments on bad luck which, inevitably leads to one huge, life-long pity party (it's ok to put this in here, Hubs is well aware that they do this, thank God he is not like this at all). Deanie, our daughter who moved all the way up to DC several months ago was beginning to take on this negativity. Finally, when I simply COULD NOT STAND TO HEAR IT another minute, I told her in that nice, nurturing mommy's-here-for-you, caring, compassionate voice (right...I was the drill sergeant in that Geico commercial) that if she didn't start sending out positive vibes all she was ever going to get in return were more negative results and then she would end up just like L and W! She worked on changing her attitude immediately (she's not used to getting yelled at) and has had a change of 'luck' already. She has been looking for a new place to live (it's difficult up there when you have a 100 pound chocolate lab) and decided that she was going to find a place. She and the roommate did find one and it was between them and one other girl. This is Deanie's second week of her second job (bartending) and when she was filling out paperwork she told the boss that she was unsure of the address because she was moving next week.
Boss: Where are you moving?
Deanie: she told him the location and explained that they hadn't gotten word for certain but that she was trying this new thing where, if she wants something, she believes that she will get it...
Boss: Wow, that's a really nice location. I have a friend who owns property there.
Deanie: Oh really, where?
Boss: On the corner.
Deanie: No Way! What's his name.
OK, so you see where this went. Boss's friend is the guy who owns the properties that Deanie is hoping to rent and Boss just happened to be having a meeting with his friend the next day...Amazing what a positive attitude will do for you! She understands that this is not like having a genie pop out of a bottle and grant wishes. Hard work and determination are still necessary to make things happen. HOLD THE PHONE! WAIT A MINUTE! LIGHT BULB OVER THE HEAD! IF I believe the fairies are coming to un-decorate the house....LOL Seriously, our two college lovelies have just offered to come help tomorrow. What did I say about a positive attitude????!!!
Picked up the new contacts this week. That crazy eye doctor was all like, oh there are so many wonderful options out there now for dry, allergy eyes and if they're fitted right you won't have any trouble, blah, blah, blah...Well, he was right. I completely forgot they were in yesterday and enjoying seeing the world without those frustrating glasses!
Ate Chik-Fil-A waffle fries for lunch on my birthday! OMG I could eat those every day of the week and NEVER get tired of them!
Finally, Carol at Facing 50 with Humour is hosting a new weekly feature where she features a different blogger every week on her blog and--I'M THE FIRST ONE! How exciting!!! Carol and I have discovered that we have an almost twin-like connection in the many similar coincidences we have encountered. Really, I'm NOT kidding, it's almost eerie! And seriously, if you haven't already discovered her blog, then you are missing out on some of the best humor you've ever read! Please go over and give yourself a laughter filled uplift for the day and share some love with Carol!
Wow, what a week. Happy birthday to you and Jan. 4th is Bruce's oldest daughters birthday as well. Next on is the 14th for his youngest daughter. Busy month. So glad I found you. Fun blog. What restaurant did you go to? One of my favorites is Locklears at Folly Beach Pier. I miss them.
ReplyDeleteWhat a jammed packed week! I hope you had a wonderful birthday. 45 again? Love it! I might have to use that for my birthday on the
ReplyDelete28th of this month! Our middle daughter just had her bday on the
3rd and our youngest just started back to classes and has another 2 quarters before student teaching, she is doing a DUAL major...elementary AND special education...I felt like you might be my twin or the sister I never had!!! :)
xoxo, melody
oh, a side note:I just undecorated Weds. night...ugh!
blessings for the weekend!
Happy Birthday! What a busy time for you!
ReplyDeleteSue
xo
Had to come by to read your weekly report...phew it must have taken AGES to write. What a busy but fun week!
ReplyDeleteAw shucks you don't need to say anything about little old me... I'm the one who is doing the 'bigging you up' thing. I'm off to tweet about it again in a minute...you're getting a whole week of my undivided attention - you'll be sick of me:)
I hate to break it to you but I've actually found a way in which we differ - no, really! There is no way in Hell I'd get contacts in my eyes...even now I'm half shutting them and thinking 'Nooooo!' I'm a complete scaredy cat over the whole 'put anything in your eyes' business. Oh well it's only one difference.
Hope your next week is as fun.
Carol
Barb- we went downtown to Fleet Landing. We have a Locklear's right here in Mount Pleasant and the food IS delicious!
ReplyDeleteMelody-Mae: wow, those are some major similarities! Our youngest is a sophmore and is majoring in elementary ed and early childhood ed...someone told her it would be a good idea. If you're finished un-decorating...LOL
Thanks Sue!
Carol: me, sick of you? NEVER! I was like that about contacts until about 2 years ago when I was just so fed up with my glasses sliding down my nose during our hotter than hell summers. It was torture until now...but then, it's only been 2 days.
Happy belated BD kiddo. Sounds like your week has been better than most folks.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday and Happy, Happy Anniversary!!! What a great week!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your new contacts are working for you!
Enjoy your daughters! My two college boys are out of states (in different states) and it makes me miss them!
Stopping by via the Friday Hop to say hello and to follow.
ReplyDeleteHave a great Friday!
http://poshonabudget.com/2010/12/welcome-this-friday.html
You are sooo right about that attitude thing. I have found even with myself that a negative attitude generally just continues to spiral down. However, if you can climb out if it, positive will build on positive. Sometimes that is really hard when there doesn't seem to be much positive to grasp onto, but if you can find ANYTHING, then positive has somewhere to go.
ReplyDeleteLots of fragments here! My trees are still up and I'm just not in the mood. Happy Birthday to you and Happy Anniversary. That is cool about the Boss and place she is renting! Congrats on being featured, that's so much fun.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend.
Wow, what a great week! I would love when I kids came home from school! It is really funny when they move away from home how much they learn to appreciate you. They see so much out in the world that they think, oh I do have a really good family!
ReplyDeleteI also am one that believes what you put out in the world is what you get back.
Happy Birthday!!
Whew, I'm tired!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Happy Anniversary and Happy Birth Day to you!
You have some good girls...take after their mom.
You spring chick, if I were that young again...
Wishing you a belated "45th" birthday! I'm still working on getting my decorations down, too. Slow and steady...I'll get there!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend :) Kathy
Hi, it's wonderful to meet you! Congratulations on your anniversary, best wishes on Happy Birthday to you!
ReplyDeleteOne of my grandmothers was 39 for 20 years...then she turned 40! Way to go!! :)
I'm late, I'm sorry. I hope you had a great birthday. You deserve only the best. HAPPY BIRTHDAY my friend. Take care and God Bless!!
ReplyDeleteOh a belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY...I hope this is a great year for you!!!!
ReplyDelete