How can it be that one week of my vacation has already gone? Seems like that went by fast!
Once again, last night, daughter had another asthma attack - she's been having these several nights, now. I plugged in the humidifier in her room and have it going every night, and that seems to help, a little. She is also taking her asthma medications twice a day now (earlier, her doctor had told her to reduce the frequency to once a day or even, once every other day, as her asthma seemed to be under control). I think she has become allergic to the cat fur and dander! She's fine when she's up at Berkeley. Anyway, she was up till late waiting for her medications to take effect and I was up with her and so, we both slept till late, this morning. The best part of being on vacation is being able to sleep in, in the mornings!
I spent the rest of the morning relaxing, having coffee, responding to blog comments, reading other blogs, etc.
Later, in the afternoon, I went to pay my home owner's insurance and earthquake insurance ($1,178, due December 30; I budget $100 for it, in my monthly budget, throughout the year and pay it off in full, rather than in installments, when it comes due; as a result, I don't need to pay any interest which is built into the installments and I don't feel the need to tighten the belt towards the end of the year to find extra money in the budget for the big bill that is coming due at the end of December). Daughter came with me and, afterwards, we picked up some Japanese food for lunch, which we ordered to go.
Came home and had lunch and chatted a bit. Then, daughter put away her share of the laundry while I rested. After that, I drove her to my friend A's house (the same friend who invited us to Christmas lunch); my daughter is good friends with A's daughters and they had planned to watch some movies, play with the new puppy, and have pizza for dinner. After I came home, I watered the front garden, took out the kitchen trash, had a cup of coffee, put away my laundry, and did two more loads of laundry. I am running short of clothes hangers, which I use to hang up the clothes to dry! Time to either buy another set of hangers or go through the closet and get rid of a few items!
I also tidied my dining table, again! I did all my gift wrapping there and the whole table was covered with tissue paper, gift boxes and bags I didn't use, boxes of ribbon, and a few extra gifts (I often pick up a couple of extras, just in case). I put everything away, changed the table cloth, and finally set the table with the Christmas china that I had taken down about two weeks ago!
Dinner was some of the leftovers from lunch and grapes.
Then, it was time to go to pick up daughter. We've been relaxing after we came home.
Today, I am grateful for:
- Lovely weather (85F, today)
- Running errands with my daughter keeping me company
- Japanese food for lunch
- Two free tote bags from the insurance company (I'll add them to my reusable grocery shopping bags)
- Being able to accomplish all what I got done, today.
Tomorrow, I need to tidy the family room, with daughter's help. In the afternoon, my aunt and cousin are supposed to visit. In the evening, daughter and I will go to the monthly prayer gathering at my friend's house. In between, I hope to do another load of laundry and water the back garden.
How was your day? Are you looking forward to the weekend?
We cleaned up our wrapping paper "explosion" a couple of days ago before we had people over. I'm not sure how, but it seems to get out of control every year.
ReplyDelete"Explosion" is a very apt word to describe it! :) I'm glad I was able to use up all but one of my Christmas gift bags (all of them were re-cycled from previous years). I've used up all of my Christmas themed wrapping paper, too. I still have lots of ribbon I bought on sale for $.10 per roll, when a store was going out of business!
DeleteSorry to hear that your daughter has had a couple of asthma attacks. Do hope she is feeling better today.
ReplyDelete"Two free tote bags" a welcome gift in California - we got caught out a couple of times of not having bags with us over our visit in November! Growing up and really until I was a young adult it was normal to take a shopping bag/basket with you for your shopping. Soon got lazy shopping here where they are provided for free. Occasionally I see people with reusable bags here at the grocery store, so think I had better take a look into that.
Thank you, Sandy; she felt OK last night, as far as I know.
DeleteTote bags/reusable bags are most welcome, here. Otherwise, one has to pay for the bags at the store. I have about six or seven reusable bags, which I keep in the trunk of the car; some of which are starting to tear, so, the new ones will replace them.
Everyone has left the nest here so today I get to begin the cleaning up process! Having the entire clan here was so worth the mess and chaos!
ReplyDeleteAnne, I'm sure you enjoyed having your family spend Christmas with you. I've no doubt you'll have the place all neat and tidy in just a couple of days. :)
DeleteI am planning to do another declutter, in the new year. The house is starting to feel a bit bursting at the seams, again.
Yikes. Hope your daughter feels better! Glad you got to sit with her and not worry about waking up in the morning and having to go to work. When does she fly back? My daughter left today and I am biting my nails as the weather is terrible and she's driving. I know I won't relax until she gets home.
ReplyDeleteSharon, I hope your daughter has a safe drive back to her apartment. I know that's a long drive and it can be longer in the snow. Hope she can pull into a motel or someplace to wait it out, if needed. My daughter flies back on the 7th - next Sunday. So I've another week to enjoy her company.
DeleteSo sorry that your daughter had the asthma attacks. It is too bad if it is cat fur/dander that is triggering them. Our son is allergic to cats and gets the sneezing/runny nose effect. They never replaced their cat even though they all love them. I don't look after any now so there isn't be hint of fur here when he visits.
ReplyDeleteI never have gift wrap on the dining table since I found that I could put my foldout fabric cutting board onto the spare room bed and do all the wrapping on there. Of course it has to be done and cleared before the family arrive and that bed is needed.
She gets them when she's up at Berkeley, too, but not as frequently as she does, when she's down here. I think there is just more dust down here and probably our air quality isn't as good, either, especially with our recent fires.
DeleteThat fabric cutting board on the spare room bed is a great idea! I used to spread out things on the floor and wrap, but these days, the dining table is a better height at which to work!
Sounds like a nice day! Did being exposed to the puppy result in an asthma attack for your daughter? Poor thing!
ReplyDeleteCarolyn, no, it wasn't the puppy. We both think it is the cat, but we are not going to give him away, so daughter will just have to make sure she takes her inhalers when she's home.
DeleteOh no! I hope she's better and I also hope it's not cute little Dancer she's allergic to!
ReplyDeleteMiddle Son looooves cats and our cats love him but he's allergic to cats and gets teary-eyed and runny nose as soon as he walks in our door. I keep a supply of Benadryl on hand for him and usually hand him one as soon as he gets here if he's going to stay for a while. When he lived here we only had 2 cats and it wasn't so bad and got some slight immunity to it, but now that we have 6 cats and he hasn't lived here in several years, it affects him more.
Anyhoo, good job getting everything cleaned up. I took my few decorations down but they're still in my bedroom, I haven't managed to put them away yet. But at least they're out of the way.
She's better, now, Nathalie, thank you. It's probably a combination of dust and pet dander, I'm thinking.
DeleteYou did well to take down the decorations. Most years, I keep everything up until the 6th of January, for the full 12 days of Christmas, but, maybe I'll put everything away well before then, this year.
I took my decorations down as well. It took me most of the day, but I did it. I am glad to hear that your daughter is feeling a little bit better now. I have a strong suspicion that it has a lot to do with the air quality right now, because of the fires.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Susan. She just has to remember to take her second dose of asthma medications while she's down here (she has got used to needing to take them once a day, only) and the humidifier being on at night seems to help, too. You are probably right about the air quality, too. There have been several warnings for people with asthma to stay indoors, etc.
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