This Week: Ending and Beginning

I don't know about you all but I am ready for the holidays to be done.  We don't do much for New Year's Eve nor New Year's Day in our home...and this year it will be even less since John is working.  I don't mind at all.  I've set my mind for the year ahead and that's the way I like to celebrate.



I packed Christmas away on Saturday. John was not scheduled to work but he went in and worked a half day.  This was not planned but something that came up early that morning.  He always asks if I'd mind and I had no real plans except getting the boys for a bit.  I didn't get them.  Instead I put away Christmas decorations and carried things out to the shed.  Then I started my fresh look in the living room.  I haven't finished because it's one of those jobs where things will come in time.  I am well pleased so far.

I enjoyed Christmas this year.  I don't regret what we didn't do.  I don't regret how quiet it was for us this season.  I needed the season just as it was.  I think it's because of how quiet and peaceful and calm Christmas was that I am so anticipating the year ahead.  And here we are.  Just a day away.

I'll share my plans for the year ahead in a separate post but I have to plan my week, as usual, and there's plenty of work to be done.  Now the holidays are over it's time to get back into routine housework, monthly deep cleaning routines (to avoid those seasonal deep cleans), and all my list of projects. Yes, there is plenty to do.

Work:


Zone work:  Living and Dining room this week.  I can't believe the dust that has accumulated since I last cleaned this area.  With all the damp weather we've had I do wonder where it's come from.  Since I'm also decorating this area, it's a good place to start.

Remake a slipcover.  I bought a new slipcover last January and it is so ill fitting and so much too large for my chair that it always looks unkempt and ragged.  After making a slipcover for the wing chair I feel sure I can manage a better fit for this chair.  Since it's done nothing much but rain lately, I think inside projects are  definitely the way to go.

Harvest Week.  I've got bills done but we can't mail them off until after the holiday when we can get to the bank.  We must go to the grocery store.  All the usual pay week things.

Routine housework.

Beginning the organization and decluttering of the house.  Typical January work.  There are always areas that need refining.

Shopping.  I have an exchange to make at Dollar General.  Target has a big cleaning/household sale on (buy $50 of products and get a $15 gift card) and 10% off organization items, too.   January is the  time to make initial purchases such as this and the prime time to choose to purchase them, since our income tends to be higher in this month as well.  Strike while the iron's hot I say.

Keeping the boys on Monday.

Meals:  

Stir Fry Beef, Rice, Mandarins

Cheeseburger Soup, Crackers, Oranges

Black Beans and Yellow Rice, Cornbread, Salsa 
We'll have the boys Monday and I know that Josh will likely eat this meal.  It's also part of my plan to have one meatless meal a week.

on my own

Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Salad

Meatloaf Sandwiches, Fries, Salad

on my own

Leisure:

I can be very unbalanced.  All work and no play and I get irritable and feel dissatisfied and ill used.  Too much leisure and I feel irritable and dissatisfied and ill used.  You'd think I'd not wait until that point to become aware of my own nature.  I'm working at finding the right balance for me.

Keeping the boys most all day Monday.  This is one of those things I shall enjoy and it will be work, too, lol.  I'll be more than happy to send them home come evening.

Reading  The Scent of Water  by Elizabeth Goudge.  This is one of my old favorites. 

Genealogy at least one afternoon (four hours).  I haven't done much with this in the last few months and I want to pick it back up.  If I don't plan it into my week I will not pick it up.

I have a whole blog list of blogs to try that I've been bookmarking for weeks now.  I doubt I will keep them all, but it shall be fun to explore new ones.