The Old Folks Home

[Peep_Show]

I have dogs and a husband, so it's never going to be tidy tidy here. The Roomba chokes out regularly and usually in some obscure place (like under the sofa or bed). I try to keep the stacks to a minimum, but cleaning just isn't my forte. Usually I'll take action when I have no place to set anything down. I tell visitors to take off their glasses and we'll all be happy. I think my New Year's resolutions are going to involve a lot of purging.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Good to hear you're hatching more Tolbunts after losing too many to preds.

Thanks DD. Have a great holiday season!

 

[CapricornFarm]

Christmas chicks. Sooooooo cute!

Earlier today, I was frazzled. Usually, I'm on top of things, but this Christmas, I've been totally off my game. My house looked like a war zone, mostly due to the grands, but not exclusively due to them. While Dh did wrap all our presents, Dd had a bunch from someone that is unable to wrap them, so she had them stashed, and spent from 3 pm, until 1 am, wrapping them. She was no help to me. In fact, I was having to do all the caring for the kids, because she was holed up in the bedroom wrapping presents. I was ankle deep in helping the kids make some home-made Christmas ornaments. They're giving them to everyone in their family. I made the dough for them, cut them out, baked them dry, mod-podged everyone's names on them, and the kids did the gold glitter. Baked again to set the names, then coated the sides, and fronts with mod-podge, and applied the opalescent glitter. Baked them to dry, flipped them over to finish the backs with mod-podge, and they are now drying in the oven.

For the record: The "recipe" called for baking them at 175 in the oven. That's for a conventional oven. This oven of mine is convection. No, I did not scorch them, but 175 is too hot, and most ovens don't bake at much lower than that. I have a setting on my oven that I've never used called DEHYDRATE. It's for making fruit leathers, and such. Well, I set it on that, after I initially baked the ornaments. It does 150 degrees. It's PERFECT for what I was needing. I'm amazed! It's made quick work of the project. Otherwise, it would have taken several days drying time, in between the various stages, and coats of mod-podge.

While all that was in the oven, I got the house vacuumed. Dd did finally emerge from the bedroom, and she dusted for me. Dd, and the kids are going tomorrow to their Aunt's for Christmas for that side of the family. While they're all gone, I'll get the floors mopped. I will start the prep work for our Christmas too. I'm not exactly where I want to be with my Christmas doings, but I'm getting there.

Thanks Clue, I was hoping to hatch at least 2. Have a great day!

 

[getaclue]

Whew, I dodged a major monkey wrench. My cousin wanted to exchange gifts, but neither of us had time to go visit the other right now. I suggested we get together a couple days after Christmas. Nope. We agreed to meet at a half way point between the two homes. She just called. She didn't realize she was expecting a package, and has to wait on it to be delivered, and has no idea exactly what time that will be. She's coming over to my house after the package is delivered. That gives me more time to get things done.

Dd, and the grands are going to their Aunt's, on my X's side of the family. They do their family Christmas a day early, so as not to interfere with everyone's other plans. Dh works tonight, so he will be out of the way too. Without all of them here, I will be able to get quite a bit done.

Ok, the home-made Christmas ornaments turned out so much better than I expected. They're really nice. I already know a few of the tweaks I want to do for next year, to make them look more professional. I now know to use the Dehydrate setting on my oven for them. I commented to Dd that I'm going to start in June, or July with the Christmas doings, so I'll be fully ready next year. She wholeheartedly agreed.

 

[bruceha2000]

Still, you could have waved from the rotary at 91 and Rt. 2!

IF I happened to be on my way to Northampton!! That intersection is 200 miles from here!! I'd save time if I just went to 91 (Exit 8 IIRC?) and wave from there.

LOL I tell people my house looks like it was tossed by robbers. So when and if someone broke in they would think they were too late....

That would be OUR house!

 

[getaclue]

Thank you! Now I don't feel so bad about the state of my home. Believe it or not, it will be in good shape by tomorrow morning. I won't be, but the house will. Mopping, because of no lymph nodes under my arms, will have me hurting for a couple days. I have a scrubber, which really is easier on my physically, and deep cleans the floors much better, but it's slower. I'm in more of a hurry, so I'll mop this time.

 

[getaclue]

Watching Dr. Who marathon, and folding the clothes. I can put all of them away, except the ones that go into the master bath linen closet. Dh is sleeping in the master bedroom, and I have to walk in there to get to the bathroom linen closet. I'll put those away when he wakes up. Next, I'll be clearing the clutter on the kitchen counters. UGH!

 

[microchick]

Here is the candy!
Chocolate covered caramel
View attachment 1986913

English Toffee and Raspberry truffles

View attachment 1986914

I'm hyperglycemic just looking at the pictures! But man what a way to go.

Happy Christmas Eve all! Pumpkin pie is in the oven getting the meat out to thaw in a few. Meanwhile, it's in the 60 today. No snow, no cold. Makes me want to go out and just stand in the sun and revel before we get back to reality.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Need to feed the sourdough or flush it back later find some clothes on the top part of me feeling pretty good everyone have a Merry Christmas Eve

 

[bruceha2000]

Next, I'll be clearing the clutter on the kitchen counters. UGH!

Give up, give up (to the tune from Frozen as translated by Google translate at 2:50

)
I pretty much have.