Happy New Year

 

Merry Christmas

Back in a Few Days

 

Hello everyone!  I'm still recovering from my knee surgery a week ago, still on crutches which makes doing anything almost impossible and still taking the pain medication to try to get comfortable for at least part of the day.  I can manage simple tasks like hopping around the kitchen unloading and reloading the dishes but everything takes such an effort, I'm just exhausted.

Vic was such a sweetheart last week, he took ten days' leave and did everything.  Today is his first day back at work.  I think Christmas is pretty much going to be a wash this year - Sophia only has one day off and it's too far for her to drive home in the morning and drive back in the afternoon.  I hate to think of her on the roads in the dark when it's cold and icy.  We can't go up there because I can't manage the stairs so I think she'll take advantage of the day and take a couple of Rover jobs and we'll have a FaceTime Christmas.  It is what it is.

 I hope to be back to full-time blogging in a couple of days.  Thank you for all your good wishes.  Whatever possessed me to schedule this just before Christmas?  I really wish I had waited until January but it's done now so I'm just praying for a speedier recovery than I have had so far.

Happy Thanksgiving

 

Friday Favorites

 

Knee surgery day so I'm putting up a few things that caught my eye recently.

I can remember hours of fun with a Spirograph, I'm sure there was a geometry lesson in there somewhere!

I love the script on this cake stand at Michaels and there were quite a few entertaining pieces to match

Also at Michaels for those of you with a Nutcracker, Sugar Plum Fairy, or Mouse King in your household - napkins, fun plates and a serving tray

Did you get yours?  Trader Joe's Advent Calendar for Dogs is always a hot item this time of year

30-Day Decluttering Challenge - Days Thirteen and Fourteen

Day Thirteen - Remotes for electronics that you no longer use

Done!  We returned our cable box with remote and I donated a DVD player and surround sound system, both with remotes, to the charity shop.

Day Fourteen - Remove kids' toys

Done!  About fifteen years ago!

If this is Tuesday, it must be England #154

  

Happy 75th Birthday to His Majesty King Charles III

This photo was taken on 7 November 2023 when King Charles III opened the fourth session of the 58th Parliament

Hello Monday - November 13, 2023

  

I'm linking up with Holly and Sarah this morning for Hello Monday and a weekend recap.

Friday it was off to the vet for Malone to get his boosters.  He had his sedatives the night before and in the morning and he seemed pretty calm.  It still took two vet techs and a muzzle but he buried his head between Vic's legs and under the bench we were sitting on and took both vaccinations pretty well.  Vic was off on Friday for the Veterans Day weekend so we went home and Malone slept most of the day.  We had breakfast with the weekly episode of The Great British Baking Show and I watched the daily December Daily Product Play class while Vic continued working on the flooring project.

The half-wall in the demolition stage (left)  and fully demolished (you can see the spot where it used to be at the top of the photo) with all the boards that needed to be removed marked with blue tape

The completed floor - the drywall repair will come after Christmas - we're going to put a tree in front of the spot for now

We ran a couple of errands in the afternoon - I had to pick up my home sleep study equipment (I had what I thought was a heart incident last December and opted to take a cardiology referral rather than be admitted for a stress test (we'd already been at the hospital for eleven hours)).  When I went for the stress test (which turned out to be normal), it came with an accompanying sleep study which could be done at home or on site.  So tonight, I strap on all the paraphernalia and my sleep pattern will register and be read by the sleep doctor.  We stopped at Joann's, Target, and World Market and then hit the commissary on the way home.

Love that Marks & Spencer returned to Target this year

Pickings were slim, I hope that just means that they are still stocking the shelves

I grabbed this gingerbread bus for Vic and Sophia to make at Christmas - couldn't resist and didn't want it to sell out!

Pizza and wings and Hallmark for dinner on Friday night.

Malone grabbing Vic's arm to ask for more rubs

It was a rainy rest of the weekend full of a lot of nothing.  Finishing off the flooring and cleaning up the mess, laundry, more Hallmark movies, and some scrapbooking.  Here it is Sunday night and I'm working on my blog post while Vic fills out his preliminary retirement paperwork.

And that was our weekend!

30-Day Decluttering Challenge - Day Twelve

 

Day Twelve - Seasonal décor items

I did the bulk of this after last Christmas, our first normal Christmas decorating after several years of no decorating due to the kitchen remodel and everything from the kitchen being in the living room.  There seemed to be a lot less flat space to display seasonal items so I trimmed down what I had considerably.  For seasons and other holidays, I keep just a few items to display on my two-tier server and the mantle.

This year, however, as I set out to decorate the tree, there will be some ornament decluttering.  Vic built a great storage solution above the garage door but every one of those twenty-six totes is full of ornaments so there is no room for any more.  I could just say "No more ornaments!" but that's not realistic because we always pick up something when we travel (and we have some of that planned) and there is always something at Hallmark each Christmas that I just can't resist.  My name is Pamela and I am addicted to ornaments.

Anyway, decluttering to come here as I open each tote.

30-Day Decluttering Challenge - Day Eleven

Day Eleven - Worn-out throw pillows

This one was easy - I don't have any worn-out throw pillows because I don't have any!  That's not to say that I don't have any throw pillows; I do, but they are inserts with pillow covers.  I just don't have room to store several pillows for each holiday or season so I got around that by buying only covers which store flat.

Jennifer shared this great tip here:

I love that the pillows look really plush and extra fluffy; I have 22' square pillows, so I buy the 20' covers so that the covers are full.

Brilliant!

Veterans Day 2023

Home of the free, because of the brave. Immeasurably proud of my husband's and my father's service and so very grateful for all those who serve our country. 

Vic

MSC, USN

1994-Present

My Dad, Herb

USA

1947-1973

Seen here at his retirement ceremony after 26 years of active duty

Korean War and Vietnam War veteran

30-Day Decluttering Challenge - Catching up on Days Eight, Nine, and Ten

 

Day Eight - Get Rid of Old Socks and Underwear

Done!  Do you have a thin side of your closet?  I found a thin side of my underwear drawer - tossed what I know I'll never fit into again!

Day Nine - Organize T-Shirts

Done!  I tend to buy a T-Shirt style I like in every color so I was good with the ones in the closet.  I don't have any T-Shirts with slogans on them, unless they are Christmas slogans!

Day Ten - Go Through Jeans

Done!  No old jeans to declutter - I tend to stick to one brand (I love Wit & Wisdom from Nordstrom) and as they wear out, I retire toss them and I buy a new pair.

2023 Reading Challenge

Good Reads 2023 Reading Challenge

YOUR 2023 BOOKS

I kept my goal at 36 books and I'm done!  I'm still reading, might make it to 37 or 38 this year although I just don't have the time to read that I had when I was working - sounds crazy, doesn't it?  I used to read on my lunch hour and on the bus ride home and both of those reading times came to an end after I injured my knee - I skipped lunches because retirement was imminent and I had so much to do to prepare and I rode to and from work with Vic so no reading time at all.  I'm looking forward to setting aside a dedicated reading time in 2024.

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