days_unfolding

I'm going to New York City next year! I got a discount hotel offer on Facebook for four nights at a good hotel. They made me call and tried to upsell me, of course, but I stuck to the original offer. I just need to book the train and flight as well as the hotel. Amtrak runs on Christmas, so I might leave on Christmas Eve.

Got up early. Go me. Cats: We want food, etc.

Forgot to mention that no one picked up the recycling. Suckage.

I’m eyeing a smart TV for the bedroom (on Facebook Marketplace). Though it's nice to have the bedroom a peaceful place. Need to think about that.

Out of the shower. I like my new eye cream. It seems to do a good job hydrating.

Did dishes and got the garbage out. It’s snowing. Hmm, I was going to return library books tonight, but maybe not with the snow. It’s a good day to stay home.

The house cleaner/organizer is here. She's working on the kitchen right now. She's great, by the way. I explained everything that was going on, including the guy coming to look at the garbage disposal, and she's working around it. She did a fantastic job organizing my kitchen! And she got a lot of my clothes put away!

At work, we "queue" up tickets in different areas. The guy who's "on call" to do that needed to be out for an appointment this morning, but I logged on early, so it all worked out!

Green Chef had a 50% off plus free salad deal, so I ordered it.

I'm trying to decide whether to get a parlor palm through easyplant. My other parlor palm dried up quickly. The easyplant comes with a self-watering planter, though I could get a cheaper plant and a self-watering planter. Yeah, I should do that.

I looked at the adoption application for a dog, and they prefer a fenced-in yard of at least four feet, and my fence is 42 inches. Bother, but I knew that it was short. They also want three personal references.

The garbage disposal guy came here and it took him about two minutes to unclog the disposal. He recommended that I get some cleaning tablets for it, so I ordered some from Lowe's for delivery (plus washer cleaner and dishwasher cleaner).

Sigh. The arthritic toe is bugging me. And I'm really tired. Just one more half-hour because I logged on early and took only 20 minutes for lunch.

The cleaner finished and the place looks great! I’m about ready to be alone though. Just ate. I need to feed the cats and take a nap. Mimi is not happy.

I made an appointment to see the fish tank tomorrow. I also contacted the person with the small TV, but haven’t heard back yet.

Napped. Zara kept me company. The cats are really tired. They didn’t get their naps today.

Huh. PetSmart is having sales on their aquariums. Their 20-gallon one is cheaper than the one that I’m looking at tomorrow, but it doesn’t include a stand.

I contacted Home Depot about a fence, and they want a document about the house that I don’t have.

Put the towels in the dryer and started a load of clothes. Watered some of the new plants.

Amazon is saying that my aquarium book should still arrive today. Um, it’s 11 PM.

Ordered some pet-friendly sidewalk salt because winter.

I’ve been decorating the library room in my mind. Mimi is not going to be happy because I’ll be bringing the wingback chair downstairs (what’s a library without a wingback chair?) and that’s her sleeping spot now. I brought a lamp with a small table from my mom’s house, but now I’m thinking of getting a good reading light and round end table. Actually, I have a round end table that I brought from my mom’s house, but it's tall. I'm looking on Facebook Marketplace for a table, and found a perfect one, but I'd have to get it this week. Actually, I found a nice table and lamp on Wayfair, and they aren’t even expensive. And I found a gray cover for the chair. (The walls in the room are gray-green.) Hmm. I think that I want a rug in there too. Maybe this rug?

I feel sad that Mom can’t see how I’m decorating with her stuff. It’s her stuff (the wingback chair is hers) but I’m putting my stamp on it.

My goal is to get the library room cleared out by the end of the long weekend (except for boxes of books). Then I'll get the guy in to assemble bookshelves.

There are a lot of Facebook Marketplace people selling cat wheels. I doubt that Zara or Mimi would use one now, though Zara probably would have when she was younger. (She still jumps really well. She did a three-foot jump from the kitchen table to the kitchen counter the other day. Plus she jumps on top of the kitchen cabinets. Not bad for a 15-year-old cat.) I might look into one when I adopt a younger cat.

Stayed up ridiculously late and overslept my shower. That's okay; I'm not going anywhere but need to get dressed and slap on some makeup for my Italian lesson.

I had my Italian lesson at lunch because my teacher was busy during the day. I was trying to explain the Thanksgiving holiday to her--in Italian. She asked why we celebrated it. I told her about the Pilgrims and Native Americans, but then I told her it was a time to give thanks for what we had. (And eat lots of food!)

There is a free Thanksgiving meal for members of the community that I might go to. It's at a local high school.

Hmm. Sunday has a high of 23F/-5C so it’ll be cooold. (Yes, some of you will think that I’m a wimp. And you’re right :) I remember visiting my Mom from California under those conditions and burrowing under my scarf. Mom said, “I do that too, but I do that when it’s really cold!” Bah.) Saturday it might snow. So it looks like Friday will be errand day. I need to call the thrift store to see if they’ll be open on the day after Thanksgiving. Best Buy will certainly be open for Black Friday.

Another way that I can tell that it’s winter is that my eczema is flaring up. The skin on my fingers is peeling. Time for Neutrogena Hand Lotion. And I wonder if I should get some cotton gloves to sleep in.

I want a nap with Zara. Well, we had snuggles, but it’s already 8:30 PM, so I should just go to bed early and get up early to practice piano and singing. And I found some kitchen stuff in the library room that I need to bring into the kitchen.

Okay, I frittered away an hour on Facebook and Quora. Not how to get things done. Put clothes in the dryer and did dishes and fed the cats. Now I really need to go to bed.

Woke up on time. Getting to bed early helps. It's dark and gloomy again today. It's going to be a long winter.

I love it when Zara comes running up to snuggle when I lie down on the bed. She curls up and naps.

I'm feeling like crying for no good reason. Here is the winter Seasonal Affective Disorder. I'm wondering if I should try a light box again, but I experienced racing thoughts the last time that I used one, which isn't good either. I should look into other methods of dealing with it. I'm already on two antidepressants, so I don't think that I need more. A Web site said to get outside even if it's gloomy to get all the sunlight that you can. Maybe now that my foot is better, I should go for a walk outside. Though it’s light for so short a time that it makes it difficult to find a time.

Got a grocery order from Walmart. I'm now well stocked. I need to check out Aldi for some Thanksgiving-type things. They're supposed to have great pumpkin pie and sweet potatoes. (My work group has a "watercooler" Zoom meeting where we discuss stuff like that!) I checked, and pumpkin pie can be frozen, so I might pick up a couple.

I need to get rid of my old laptop that I had been using for my music lessons. The sound wasn’t working. I can recycle it at Best Buy. And note to self: Do get rid of it instead of keeping it hanging around.

I was looking for a place where I could donate Christmas gifts because I don't have anyone to shop for. I found a couple of possibilities. I want to get a local children's home some craft supplies and a Lego set. Crud, I wanted to get a Harry Potter Lego set, but it’s $135! Yikes!

I need a stand mixer to make Snickerdoodles with Almond Flour (and other baking). I'm looking for a cheaper alternative. I should check out Facebook Marketplace. Hmm, most of those are KitchenAid. I'd love a KitchenAid mixer, but I was hoping to spend less. Hmm. I was thinking of getting a new Hamliton Beach one, but I can get a used KitchenAid for only $40 more. Actually, I can get a used Hamilton Beach one for $64. That's better. Actually, there is an open box one on eBay for $50.

I was investigating a Panama Canal cruise for next year on Oceania. I'd have to go in the spring or fall; there are no cruises in the summer. It would cost a chunk of money to get a balcony too. Bermuda cruises are in the summer and are drastically cheaper. And I really, really want to go on this Japan, China, and Hong Kong cruise. Maybe I should wait until I retire and look for a "last minute" fare. But the airfare is a consideration too.

Mimi comes downstairs for food but then calls me to go back upstairs. I told her that I bought a two-story house to use both stories. She doesn’t think that’s a good reason to stay downstairs. Cats! I’m sitting in bed, and Zara is snuggled in my lap. Aww.

I got my extension cord for the light on my bedside table, but it has only one outlet. I didn’t know that they made extension cords with only one outlet. I have my lamp plugged in and like it (it’s very cozy with the dimmest setting) but I want to charge other items on my bedside table, so I bought an extension cord with a cube of outlets and USB ports. I’ll give this one away on Buy Nothing. I also looked at trays on Etsy to put my charging items on to make it neater.

Tried to nap but couldn’t sleep.

The temps this coming week are all over the map. It’s winter! It’s fall! It’s winter!

I’m tempted to go to bed early and get up early to practice singing and piano and Italian. I feel like a slug now. Plus I have the writing webinar at 11 AM.