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| Euryops Flower |
The weekend went by too quickly for me! On Saturday, I decided to have what I called a "Do Nothing" Day! It was a sunny, relatively warm (a high of 70F) day and I slept in, stayed in my baggy old sweat suit, and relaxed! Much later in the evening, however, I swept the bathroom, cleaned the litter box, and did a load of laundry. I had leftovers for both brunch and dinner.
On Saturday, I was grateful for:
- A sunny day after Friday's rain
- Being able to have a relaxing day
- Online videos to watch
- Exchanging emails with friends
- Working appliances
- Being able to have a relaxing day
- Online videos to watch
- Exchanging emails with friends
- Working appliances
My joyful activity was writing an email to wish a long time friend a happy birthday.
On Sunday, I was grateful for:
- More rain for the garden
- A productive day
- Working appliances
- Peach topping providing a taste of summer's peach harvest
- Daughter had a fun day with friends
I made up for Saturday's indolence on Sunday! I dusted the living room, dining area, and part of the family room; cleared the family room coffee table (there weren't a lot of stuff on it, but, I put away the few items that were on it and wiped the glass table top with a damp cloth), cleared the big dining table, too (the triangles quilt I'm repairing was piled on the table, along with my rotary cutter and some pieces of fabric; I decided the quilt didn't have to be out when I am not actively sewing on it, folded it up and put it in a basket), took care of a small pile of mail, changed the dust sheets on the family room sofas, did a load of laundry, put away a couple of loads of laundry that had been done earlier, and did the dishes.
I also rearranged my closet a bit, when I was putting away the laundry. I normally hang my blouses arranged from sleeveless and short sleeved to long sleeved; this time, I reversed the order so that the long sleeved blouses are in the front, as I am more likely to wear them now that it is getting cold. I didn't declutter anything, though.
I made pancakes for brunch and had them with bacon and peach topping. Dinner was leftover macaroni and cheese with chicken curry! Yes, I know, it sounds weird, but, it's one of my favorite combinations!
We had a little light rain on Sunday morning and it was still drizzling a little bit when I went outside. The plants are enjoying the rain, as you can see.
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| Euryops Bush in Flower |
On Sunday, I was grateful for:
- More rain for the garden
- A productive day
- Working appliances
- Peach topping providing a taste of summer's peach harvest
- Daughter had a fun day with friends
My joyful activity was crocheting (a friend's daughter is expecting her first baby and I'm making a blanket)
Which brings us to Monday! It has been another mostly sunny day. I put away the laundry I did yesterday, mended one garment, paid some bills including my homeowner's insurance and earthquake insurance, cleaned the bathroom and the litter box, cleaned the fridge, and took the trash cans to the end of the driveway. I had leftover pancakes for brunch and leftover rice, chicken curry, and dhal for dinner.
On Sunday, I realized that it was 3 weeks till Christmas and I had not done anything! I had looked over last year's gift list last week and had made this year's list, but, I haven't made or bought any gifts! Nor have I made or bought any cards to send! I have the card list from last year and I will probably send cards to the same people, with maybe one or two changes. So, today, I sat down to make some cards. But, what I made was a huge big mess on the newly cleared dining table!
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| Making More of a Mess than Cards! |
I can't even blame Dancer for the mess since he is no longer able to jump up onto the table! But, I did clean it up after I stopped for the day:
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| Cleared Table (with cardmaking stuff piled at one end) |
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| The orange item in the fruit basket is the persimmon M gave, still waiting to get ripe enough to eat! |
Although I made such a big mess, I only made a couple of cards! LOL! I did get my card to my half-brother in Sri Lanka written and addressed; it is now in the mailbox waiting to be picked up by the letter carrier - hopefully, my brother will receive the card on or around New Year's Day.
Today, I am grateful for:
- Another sunny day
- Being able to pay bills online
- Being able to pay bills online
- Being able to make a mess without worrying too much about it
- Chatting with my daughter
- Forever stamps - I am using up my stash from years past!
- Chatting with my daughter
- Forever stamps - I am using up my stash from years past!
Today's joyful activities included crocheting and card-making.
By the way, our Covid case numbers for Los Angeles County are going up; it was 3,270 on Saturday, 5,106 on Sunday, and Monday's was 10,089, with a testing positivity rate of 12.67%. I guess this is the post Thanksgiving surge.
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| Monday's Sunset |
Plans for Tuesday:
- Bring the trash cans in
- Make a few more cards
- Make a few more cards
- Meal plan/prep
How are you coming along with your holiday preparations? Have you bought or made your cards and gifts?
Pretty yellow flowers. I like your declaration of a do nothing Saturday - what a good way to get your self re-centred. Probably, maybe, I'm guessing underneath that was your body & spirit reminding you that you just lost a very good friend. I like your mess while creating, isn't that fun. My cards are all done & in the mail & I would say what decorations are now up is it ... I have no more creative energy for decorating. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary-Lou. Yes, I think I needed a day to just be and reflect. The previous few days took an emotional toll on me.
DeleteAs for the mess, I tend to make a mess every time I try to create something! LOL. I was looking through my stash and I started out with neat piles, but the piles sort of just merged! But, I found several envelopes in the stash, which pleased me because I thought I didn't have anymore envelopes! You are a lot more organized than I am with your holiday preparations!
Sounds like a nicely-paced few days and what a beautiful sunset! I am sure you will get everything done in time that you need/want to. Perhaps there will be some jars lurking in the kitchen, that would be well-received? This year for the first time I am giving some jars as presents. It is convenient and I think people will like them, besides I have enough to spare! I don't decorate until close to Christmas but have given myself a push to get the cards and letters done early this year, in fact I spent all weekend on it. We have postal strikes throughout the month, including 23rd and 24th, so the overseas cards need to leave the country sooner rather than later, and the domestic ones shouldn't be far behind. We had two strikes last week and there is already a backlog which will only be compounded as the volume of post increases throughout the month.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lady Ella. Well, my original plan for the peach jam was to give them as gifts, but, the jam didn't turn out that well, this time. Maybe, if I feel crazy enough, I'll redo the batch and add some cranberries to make cranberry-peach jam! :) The cranberries should help it set, I think.
DeleteI'm positive your jars will be much appreciated! The fact that you have repeat customers who put in requests for your jars is proof that your preserves are enjoyed by many. :)
Oh, dear, postal strikes are not good at any time of the year, but, especially during the holidays! Hope your cards get delivered in time for the holidays!
My dining room table looks like your before photo. I am not at a place where the after photo resembles mine yet, Maybe by midnight!
ReplyDeleteI've told myself that I can make as big a mess as I like, but, it needs to be tidied up before I go to sleep! I made another card today and the tables almost as messy, again (though not quite!)
DeleteI love a do-nothing day thrown into the week. One time a blog writer wrote down every single thing she did in a day and I was exhausted reading it. But you know what? Her list just had normal domestic tasks on it. No big jobs. All of us homemakers do a lot every day maintaining our homes so I think a day off is in order whenever the need calls to us :)
ReplyDeleteYou may have had things strewn all over the table but you tidied it up just fine. I just bought my cards this morning - I need to start addressing them.
I've got some chicken baking in the oven with carrots and potatoes and it's smelling good in my home.
I just needed a day to relax and just be instead of doing. :)
DeleteYes, I'm giving myself permission to mess up the table as long as I tidy it up, again, before going to bed. I made another card, today. Maybe I can do another couple before the day is through. :) I want to take my time and enjoy the process.
Yum! Your baked chicken dinner sounds delicious! I put a packet of turkey bits and a package of hot sausages to thaw. I had fried rice for brunch and I have just enough mac & cheese and chicken curry leftover for tonight's dinner.
The Euryops flowers are so pretty. I think your do nothing relaxing day paid off well as you seem to have got a lot done afterwards.
ReplyDeleteI didn't do much today as I was really tired even though I didn't wake up till 10 am, but it wasn't really a relaxing day although I did have a nap and then decided to head for the mailbox. It was good to get some fresh air. I have done very little towards Christmas although DGD's presents arrived by Fedex today. I need to send a few cards to those who don't use the internet!
They are cheerful little flowers, aren't they? The day of relaxation was good and I managed to get a lot of little things done the next day.
DeleteI'm glad you listened to your body and took it somewhat easy. A little fresh air is always good too. :) I'm making my cards this year, because I didn't buy any boxed cards. It's a way to use up some of my scrapbooking papers and I can have fun crafting. I think I need to play some Christmas music to really get into the mood, though! :)
I've been working on cleaning off our kitchen table this evening. It has been a mess for several days as I have been working on our cards. And I'm not even making them. :) The goal is to get the table cleaned off so I can move the mess from the kitchen counter where we've been working on another non-food project. I think a mess may be a necessary part of creating.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you've been busy working on projects at your house, too. :) I managed to not make as big a mess, today, when I made a few more cards. :)
DeleteI would love to make such a mess on my dining table, but it is currently covered in clean laundry, waiting to be ironed :)
ReplyDeleteThe Euryops flowers are very pretty. X
Maybe once the laundry has been ironed and put away, Jules. It'll give you something to look forward to doing! :D No doubt Lily and Boo will join you; I don't know if Mog will be interested!
DeleteI think we should all have a do-nothing day every week. 😀
ReplyDeleteYou look like you had a fun time with your card making. I'm sure you'll get everything done in time for Christmas ... the fewer the number of days, the more you'll focus! Good luck. xx
Your sunset photo is lovely ... did those clouds bring rain with them?
I vote in favor of a weekly do-nothing day! :D
DeleteWell, at first, I got stressed about making the cards (and the mess I was creating), but, by the 2nd day of card making, I began to relax and enjoy the process. I have 10 more to make and I think I'll be able to get them done by the end of this week. :)
Thank you! Unfortunately, the clouds didn't bring any rain. The clouds are still there, but, there's no rain in the forecast until this weekend.
Oh a do-nothing days sounds great -- I need one of those so I can catch up on blog reading - I hate being weeks behind. I can totally relate to that mess on the dining table, my craft area looks like a tornado came through very often. But unlike you, I don't clean it up at the end of the day. Good thing my craft room is out of the way!
ReplyDeleteDo nothing days can be very refreshing! I think I made more of a mess than cards, but, I am a messy crafter!
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