Optimistic October, 2022 W.I.S.H. Thread

[Oneanne]

Thankful for my second Rolfing appointment this morning, today she worked on my sides so I am now more twisty and bendy.

Thankful things have calmed down at work and people are making concerted efforts to put things right... and a certain amount of silliness has broken out which is so refreshing.

Thankful for the beautiful fall weather we've been having and that tress are starting to color up. Last night on the weather forecast they were saying we're going to have a La Nina winter (colder and stormier), making me even more grateful for what we're having now.

And thankful that Port Townsend is in a totally different weather micro-climate than Seattle... it is always windier so there will be less forest fire smoke hanging around and my poor sinuses sure do need a break.

 

[ShannyMcB]

Thankful this insanely long week is over.
Thankful for the wonderful funeral home that handled dad's services, everything was beautiful and everyone felt comfortable.
Thankful again for a life well lived. My dad was the smartest person I knew and he instilled much wisdom which I was able to draw on to help my kids through the day.
Thankful for old friends who have been in contact over the last few days, even though we aren't in touch as much as we used to be between those who stopped by the wake and even simply sending a text to check in it was all so appreciated.
Thankful for local eateries, between the restaurant we had today's luncheon at and the small Mexican take out place DH is grabbing dinner from not having to think about cooking is great.

 

[Summer2018]

I am thankful for my old paraprofessional being removed. She was terrible for many reasons.

I am thankful for my new paraprofessional who appears to be everything I need in an assistant.

I am thankful that even though the parent of my violent student is resistant to interventions, we are moving forward in the right direction.

I am thankful that it’s Friday.

I am thankful that I am getting my booster and flu shots today along with my family.

 

[Summer2018]

Thankful this insanely long week is over.
Thankful for the wonderful funeral home that handled dad's services, everything was beautiful and everyone felt comfortable.
Thankful again for a life well lived. My dad was the smartest person I knew and he instilled much wisdom which I was able to draw on to help my kids through the day.
Thankful for old friends who have been in contact over the last few days, even though we aren't in touch as much as we used to be between those who stopped by the wake and even simply sending a text to check in it was all so appreciated.
Thankful for local eateries, between the restaurant we had today's luncheon at and the small Mexican take out place DH is grabbing dinner from not having to think about cooking is great.

 

[PAsFab5]

Happy Friday everyone!!! What’s everyone have going on for free for all Friday???

 

[PollyannaMom]

View attachment 710688
Happy Friday everyone!!! What’s everyone have going on for free for all Friday???

Not especially busy this weekend. Going to my friends' DD's dance recital and out to dinner with them after, but otherwise just some house stuff and relaxing.

 

[Tygerlilly]

Been a busy week. Spent a few days moving bedrooms around and getting the baby moved into his own room and out of ours (which is a huge plus for my mental health). Putting together a desk to put in the newly cribless area of our room so I can finally get myself organized.

This weekend I'm learning a new position at work this weekend to be a backup when they have someone gone. My best friend is the manager in there and I know she'll appreciate having my help when needed.

 

[Oneanne]

Halleluiah vacation starts in about five hours! I've done very little to prepare for being away, but I'm refusing to stress about it because I know I'm in my "OMG there's so much to do" phase and when I actually get to it, it won't be much at all. And I do have today and tomorrow to get stuff done.

I have several classes next week, but Wednesday is an all-day trip down the Olympic Peninsula to forage and hang out in the woods... so looking forward to this, and feeling blessed that the weather is predicted to still be this gorgeous cool sunny loveliness. This is one of the dormitory buildings, which is where we're going to be staying:



Yesterday I decided to go to my Sister's at the ocean shore for Thanksgiving. It's an overnight trip but I can work from there Friday if need be. Then it looks like I'll be hosting Christmas, so now the great (internal) debate is, do I give myself a holiday present and have the house professionally cleaned... will ponder on this for a bit more because it is quite expensive. And of course I'm already thinking of menus...

 

[piglet1979]

DD is the only one that is back to 100% in our house. She has band tonight and her riding lesson tomorrow. I am sure she will be asking me to do stuff with her boyfriend this weekend. She doesn't seem to understand that the rest of us don't feel good. It might be a long weekend for for her. They are off today and Monday and she is going to be bored.

For the rest of us it will just rest. DS is still getting fevers. Though they have not been bad and not all day either. I am still congested and really tired. I do have a bit of a sore throat still as well. DH is feeling pretty good so he may be good in another day or two. I seem to have gotten it the worst and it is just taking me longer to feel good again. So the couch will be my friend this weekend and I will rest.

 

[glss1/2fll]

Well, whenever DH gets home from Costco we're driving the couple hours to my parents' place where we will work our fannies off for them this weekend! We do plan to head home Sunday morning so I suppose just all of Saturday we'll be doing chores there. Then we'll come home and do chores at our place!

I have eaten soooo much junk food today. Bread, bread, bread, bread, bread. It was yummy though! Hopefully tomorrow's hard work will mitigate some of those calories.

 

[Summer2018]

All of us have gotten our booster and flu shot. I felt much better initially. Every other time, I felt awful. Overnight the body aches arrived along with a runny nose. I took Tylenol which allowed me to sleep. So far I feel better than when I had Covid 5 months ago. It was definitely smart to get the bivalent booster and the flu shot. This way if I get either, it won’t be as severe. I highly recommend it.

 

[PAsFab5]

Happy Saturday! I hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend so far!

Since the Holidays are fast approaching I got to thinking…

What’s your favorite Holiday? Christmas? Thanksgiving? Halloween? Easter?

Something else??

What is your favorite tradition? Multiple answers are encouraged!

My favorite holiday is thanksgiving! I love that it’s laid back, revolves around food and family, is a nice long weekend for most people and the glimmer of Christmas is in everyone’s eyes! I also love that I get all my decorations out for Christmas over thanksgiving weekend! I always forget what I have for year to year!

Favorite traditions-Thanksgiving weekend we go as a extended family with aunts, uncles, cousins, adult children and we all cut down Christmas trees! We ride the wagon out to the field, eat apples on the wagon ride and cut down our trees!

Another favorite is our cookie baking day. My closest group of 5 friends and all our kids have gotten together for 10 years now and we each bake a different type of cookie, have tons of snacks and our kids can be all together all day. It’s absolutely so much fun!

I am excited to hear everyone’s answers!

 

[PollyannaMom]

My favorite holiday is Christmas, but it's really "Christmastime" more than just the one day that I love - the glow of the tree, holiday movies, people being nicer to each other... I even love wrapping presents.

My favorite tradition is probably riding around to look at the lights (though too many sweets is unfortunately a close second).

 

[Oneanne]

All of us have gotten our booster and flu shot. I felt much better initially. Every other time, I felt awful. Overnight the body aches arrived along with a runny nose. I took Tylenol which allowed me to sleep. So far I feel better than when I had Covid 5 months ago. It was definitely smart to get the bivalent booster and the flu shot. This way if I get either, it won’t be as severe. I highly recommend it.

I'm getting mine next month, so it will be in full force when I'm at WDW.

 

[Oneanne]

I like that recently we've been having Holiday Seasons, as we don't seem to all be able to get together at the same time any more.

This year the Season starts end of this month with the trip down to Long Beach with my SIS and SIL to celebrate my Brother's birthday... we lived in that area as a young family and he and my SIL used to go camping there a lot so she has her own memories. Halloween isn't going to be much of anything, but I do like the idea of putting out bags of chips instead of candy.

Thanksgiving I'm going down to my Sister's at the coast. It will just be her, her girl friend and myself, so very low key with a nice walk on the beach and probably a game of Domino's.

Early December is my WDW trip where I'm meeting up with several friends and will soak up all the holiday festivities. Isabella Rossellini will be hosting the night we have Candle Light Processional booked. Last time I was there during the Holidays I really enjoyed the Story Tellers in the different Countries, hopefully they'll be there this year.

Christmas is at my house. It should be SIL, possibly Nephew, SIS and possibly her GF. So again a small group, but I'm already thinking about how I can over do it. I've already purchased a garland and a wreath from Balsam Hill, to go with the tree that I got from them 4 years ago. I think my colors this year are going to be white and red and the theme a little bit woodsy and natural, but I'll know for sure when the new sofa comes which will be on the 24th.

New Year's will be at my Niece's in Port Townsend. There's no news yet about plans to do the town's First Night celebration, but if not we'll do our own thing which will include Second Christmas.

And of course all this is dependent on a lack of snow, which killed all plans last year.

 

[ShannyMcB]

My favorite holiday seems to vary every year but it's probably the multiple Christmas celebrations. Christmas eve is the biggest event with DH's family. They do the "7 fish" which I did not know was a thing...and considering I don't eat seafood I eat a lot of pasta on Christmas eve. We do a big family yankee swap and secret Santa and play games and eat cookies from mid-afternoon until close to 11. Christmas day is at my house and it's pretty subdued. The 5 of us and formerly my parents. Since covid and the nursing home move my inlaws have joined us...and anyone we know who has no where to go on Christmas is given the invite...we typically only have additional people before dinner for pickies or during dessert but I always make the offer. Then there is Christmas with my BIL and niece somewhere in there depending on what weekend he has her. He always has her Christmas eve and her mother on Christmas so we have a mini celebration on another day. And of course there is seeing local light displays, riding the polar express etc.

Last night DH and I went out with some friends of ours for dinner then dozed off early. This week has been long! Yesterday was probably the hardest day since my dad actually passed, the funeral director brought by the guest book, thank you cards etc and my dad's wedding ring and rosary. And all the flowers oh so many flowers.


Since he is being cremated it wasn't like we could bring any of the cemetery....or could we? Well that's what we did today. We took the arrangements to the graves of DH and my grandparents as well as dropping a rose off at the site of one of DH's late co-workers who my dad really liked. We did make some calls last week and found out there is room for two cremated remains in my dad's parent's plot. Best of both worlds...he gets the cremation he wanted and there will still be a spot to visit him. I love my dad but I don't want his remains in my house very long....like where would I put him? Seriously? He'll stay here until after my mom passes (my gut is telling me it won't be long) and then we'll bring them to be laid with his family.

Tomorrow not sure what we are going to do....the patriots game is usually carried by our local cbs/fox affiliate but our cable provider is not currently carrying it due to a contract dispute...really hoping that gets alleviated by tomorrow.

 

[Summer2018]

The side effects from the booster woke me up on Friday night, but Tylenol helped me sleep. They really kicked in around lunchtime yesterday, and Advil didn’t even touch the body aches and outrageous headache. So other than doing laundry on Saturday morning, I was incapacitated for the rest of the day. I will see how today goes.

 

[Summer2018]

Christmastime wins hands down.

As a child, it was the tradition of getting a real tree from a farm one week before Christmas; hiking through the woods; picking out a tall tree; drinking hot cocoa by the campfire; and riding on the hayride with our tree back to our car while we sang Christmas carols. We always put the tree up on Christmas Eve and had family and friends over for shrimp cocktail, egg nog, and my mother's homemade lasagna that the Italian ladies in the neighborhood taught her how to make. The anticipation of Santa Claus made it magical. As I got older, Christmas Eve church services were the most meaningful moments of all.

When my mother was gone, and transitioning into adulthood, traditions changed. As a married woman creating my new family, my DH and I tried out different things and landed on decorating the weekend after Thanksgiving and beginning to write the Christmas cards. From the time she was little, DD and I always baked and decorated sugar cookies. That was the beginning of her learning how to cook. We were very involved in the church, singing in the choir, Christmas Pageants, attending Open Houses, etc. One very special Christmas was in WDW, arriving on Christmas Eve and departing on New Year's Day. As you know, the decorations are beyond, and even though it was 85 degrees, the Christmas spirit was everywhere, especially at the Candlelight Processional.

Our current traditions include the decorating, Christmas cards, and the baking. Up until Covid, we have been traveling to Long Island, NY to my family for Christmas. 2019 was the last time since 2020 was a hot mess, and in 2021 we had Covid. We are planning on going this year, but I'm not making hotel reservations to stay since we had to cancel last year. We will take it day by day. Hopefully we will see my family that we miss so much. Church is now online and it really stinks. My faith remains strong, but it is a more personal expression. I look forward to going to church again, not just on Christmas Eve, but every Sunday.

So, we carry on. We will do our best to bring Christmas into our home and outside our home with decorations and lights. We will bake and decorate all of the cookies. I will send out all of the Christmas cards wishing all those that I miss a very Merry Christmas.

 

[PAsFab5]

It is time for self care Sunday!! I found this a few weeks ago and saved it because I thought our group would appreciate it! Often times it’s the little things that make you feel wonderful!


I loved hearing about everyone traditions and what they are looking forward to this year!!

Everyone have a great Sunday!!

 

[PollyannaMom]

I totally get it about the pens!

And coffee before anyone else is up is absolutely necessary for a centered start to my day.

The sponge thing is kind of true for me too...