Monday, December 30, 2019

Getting Ready for the End of the Year

A Christmas gift my daughter made for one of her friends


Last night, before I went to sleep, I started tidying up the living room.  Daughter had left some of her Christmas gifts sitting around, I had a basket of laundry to fold, there was a pile of mail on the side table near my chair, some bits and pieces of craft supplies left out, a couple of magazines on the piano, etc.  This morning, I finished tidying the living room and cleared the dining table.  Again, I put away the jigsaw puzzles, the craft supplies, the wrapping paper and other Christmas related items, etc.

I wish I could say that I was tidying and cleaning because I wanted to keep the house well maintained.  But, my incentive to clean was the fact that I was expecting company on New Year's Eve!  I had invited friend A, her husband, and their daughters to have New Year's dinner with us.  They had dinner with us on New Year's Eve, last year, too, and it is now becoming a new tradition.  I had already invited them when we went to their house for Thanksgiving.  But, when my daughter came down with her cold and cough, I wasn't sure if it would be the right thing to invite people when she was sick and expose them to her germs.  In fact, I called A, yesterday, and told her about my daughter's cold and said I didn't want them to get exposed.  But, A didn't seem to mind it, saying it was fine with them, as long as daughter felt well enough to have company over.   My daughter seemed much better, today, so I called A this evening and confirmed tomorrow's dinner.  She offered to bring a dessert and I said that would be lovely.

In the afternoon, I went grocery shopping again, for a couple of items I couldn't buy on Saturday, specifically, some bottles of sparkling apple cider to toast the New Year!  The Armenian grocery store didn't have them.  I went to another store, today, and bought three bottles of the sparkling apple cider for $1.99 each (plus the bottle deposit of $.10 each).   I also bought some broccoli ($1.19/lb) to cook for tomorrow night's dinner.  I will cook rice, chicken curry, fish curry, sauteed smoked sausage, broccoli, dhal, cashew curry (from the freezer), and spicy garbanzo beans (also from the freezer).  I have yogurt and treacle for dessert, in addition to whatever friend A will bring.

While I was out grocery shopping, my daughter had tidied up the family room and done the dishes that were in the sink!  I was so pleased!  She said she felt well enough that she arranged to go to see a movie with a friend and thought that if she felt well enough to go out, then, she was well enough to help clean the house and do the dishes for me!  LOL!

In the evening, after she left, I dusted the living room, dining room, and family room.  I also took the trash bin and recycling bin out to the curb for pick up tomorrow morning.

Sunset
I took a picture of the sunset, yesterday, but my cell phone camera couldn't quite capture the brilliant colors.  Still, I am considering of using this picture for the Winter Photo Scavenger Hunt, for prompt #4: colors.  Haven't quite decided, yet. 

Today, I am grateful for:
- The house has been tidied for the New Year
- Daughter is feeling better
- Daughter helped with the tidying and cleaning
- Getting my grocery shopping done without any difficulties
- Ripe, fresh papaya from the grocery store

Tuesday's To Do List:
- Bring the trash cans in
- Vacuum
- Cook
- Enjoy having friends over to New Year's Eve dinner
- Greet the New Year with my daughter

How was your day?  What are your plans for New Year's Eve?

14 comments:

  1. Learn something new every day. I now know what a Groot is. Since it is associated with Marvel comics, I'm not surprised that I didn't know.

    Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha, ha, you are living up to your blog name, "live and learn". :) The only reason why I know what a Groot is, is because my daughter told me about it. :D

      Delete
  2. I'm staying at home this year. I don't really celebrate on New Year's Eve and will most likely be in bed long before the midnight chimes.

    I'm glad your daughter is feeling better and I hope you both enjoy seeing the New Year in with your friends.

    Happy New Year to both of you. I wish you both a happy and healthy 2020.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Home is the best place to be on New Year's Eve. In fact, my friend and her family will leave shortly after dinner in order to be back at their home in time to greet the New Year.

      I wish you a very happy New Year, Eileen. May 2020 be a year of good health, happiness, and wonderful new possibilities.

      Delete
  3. I hope you enjoy your visitors. That looks like a beautiful sunset. I'm glad daughter is feeling better.

    It will be a quiet one here. Mum is five hours ahead but we always 'see' in the New Year together. I'll listen along with her as Big Ben chimes in 2020.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Sharon. Sounds like you and your Mum have a nice tradition going, with you both listening to the new year being rung in. Happy New Year to you and yours. May it be a happy and healthy 2020 for us all.

      Delete
  4. That's great. It sure is nice to have some help with cleaning. Your daughter sounds very sweet. Happy New Year. I am clearing out some old mail and paperwork. I just ordered new checks and cleaned out my wallet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She really is very helpful when it comes to the tidying and cleaning, etc. And, today, she put away the food after dinner and helped with the washing up, even though she hates to wash dishes.

      Happy New Year, to you, too, Stephenie. Hope 2020 will be a very good year for you.

      Delete
  5. you sound ready for your New Year's Eve ... tidy and supplied with tasty goodies to enjoy- with that and your daughter and friends around, what more could you ask-
    all here are hoping that 2020 brings contentment and joy to our friends and family ... and I wish special happiness to you and yours too-
    as always,fondest regards-
    Barb

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've had a lovely New Year's Eve, although, towards the end, I did get tired. But, it was a lovely end to 2019 and a good start to 2020. Thank you for your well wishes, Barb. My daughter and I wish you and your family and loved one a very happy New Year, with special wishes for good health for everyone, especially Whitney and Paige. (((HUGS)))

      Delete
  6. Ha ha, I also had to look up, and now I know what a Groot is. LOL

    I have no special plans for New year's Eve, other than calling my mom.

    I'm glad your daughter is feeling better. I wish you both a very happy 2020!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha, ha, everyone is finding out who Groot is! :D

      Hope your mom is doing well; I'm sure she was waiting for your call. I wish you, your mom, and your sisters a very happy New Year.

      Delete
  7. We went to a very enjoyable pot luck house party but didn't stay until midnight. So good that the weather co-operated and it was mild and not snowing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad you were able to go out to a pot luck house party on New Year's Eve and the weather cooperated! I like pot lucks!

      Delete

Thank you for visiting my blog and commenting. Your comments are much appreciated. Please comment in English. Thank you.