Thread: Everyday Chatting & Waffling {2020} Let's get to know each other!

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Looks like everyone is keeping busy! I also have Christmas cards I need to get out. We send ours with a newsletter, which is hubby’s task, but we have been so busy I may have to do it. Also, we found out yesterday that my computer’s hard drive is on the cusp of failure (I haven’t been able to turn it on since Friday). Luckily they were able to clone the data onto anew hard drive, but I have it backed up to online storage just in case. I’m just irritated because I have things to do, dang it, lol.
 
dorannmwin said:
Well, Kathryn had a good birthday. Her boyfriend came up from down south and stayed the weekend up here. I have to admit that I wasn't all that comfortable with that arrangement, but it is my mom's house and she approved it, so I kind of felt outnumbered. I mean I do like Chris a lot, but I still see my little girl as just that, my little girl, not an adult. But then I think about myself at that age and realize just how lucky I am to have her as a daughter (I could have gotten the mother's curse of having a daughter just like myself).

I am so close to being done with my Christmas shopping that I can taste it, I need to get some pants for Kathryn and pajamas for both of the kids and I will be done.
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Kids are not very obliging when it comes to behaving like kids. I remember the first time Karen moved in with someone, I was horrified. They were in Paris, though, so it was not right under my nose.

AJsRandom said:
Looks like everyone is keeping busy! I also have Christmas cards I need to get out. We send ours with a newsletter, which is hubby’s task, but we have been so busy I may have to do it. Also, we found out yesterday that my computer’s hard drive is on the cusp of failure (I haven’t been able to turn it on since Friday). Luckily they were able to clone the data onto anew hard drive, but I have it backed up to online storage just in case. I’m just irritated because I have things to do, dang it, lol.
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I have finished writing and mailing most of my cards. I have about 30 more to go to the Daughters of the British Empire. I am regent of the local chapter, so I have to do something! I feel as though I have the bulk of things like that done now, I just have presents to make. I am painting rocks (I know that sounds odd, but they have a purpose. Rocks for Karen and Jon for their garden that labels the veggies, paper weights, my brother sings acoustic classic rock... I have my calendar done - I am so pleased with it. I can't wait to get them (14th December!). I have a few gifts to wrap also.

We will be Zooming this Christmas to open presents. Steven says that Nessa is potentially exposed to COVID on a regular basis at work (she works for a nursing agency for the elderly and her staff is often assigned to skilled nursing facilities when their staff is down with COVID. Nessa has not assigned herself to one yet, she does mostly admin and individual nursing, but other staff members are in quarantine.) We are all about protecting my mum, although I am at slightly higher risk also due to respiratory issues. We are going to make it into an adventure, but it is still a let down.
All we can do is deal with it, knowing things will get better.

Husband Rand gave blood today and we stopped at a French Bakery for goodies on the way home. Restaurants are still open for take out. My mother was thrilled :)
 
Now my computer is fixed! It took a lot of work on the fix-it guys' part, as they first stuck in a bad hard drive and had to swap it out and re-clone everything to a good drive. We picked it up last night, but accidentally left the power cord there. So I fetched it this morning. Then we hooked it up only to discover that we needed a new monitor cable. *sigh* So back to the fixit place. It feels good to be sitting in my chair again, able to work on layouts and surf the web easier. I know, first-world problems.

How is everyone else doing? It's been pretty quiet in here this week. I hope that means y'all are up to holiday goodness and keeping your head above water. I'm still working on those Christmas cards, and I may have another gift or two to create before the big day comes, but I will get it done! I hope you do too! :)
 
It has been quiet this week. I have checked in a few times, but have not seen much going on. I am done with most of my cards. I have one group of cards still to do... But I will do those after some more pressing things are finished. I wrapped a bunch of presents today, ordered some for my UK family and started on some presents I am making. I am scrapping a 5x7 album for my brother of his grandson. He is so thrilled and I don't think he has that many pictures, other than those his daughter has posted on Facebook and Instagram. I have taken a bunch, so I will include all the ones I downloaded from her account, plus a bunch that I have taken.

I made my calendars and I am waiting for them to arrive. I think I will make envelopes from wrapping paper now that I can just slide them into when they arrive. That will work, I think. Then I will mail the ones to my son and his wife.

How is everyone else coping with Christmas?
 
I'm sorry. I'm just not very merry this year. Things are not going well for Anne. We're spending Christmas Eve with Lacy and Nick and that will be fun, I know, but getting "ready" for it's not what I usually feel, ya know.
I have my village up, but that's about it.
 
Hi everyone, please forgive me for not reading and commenting all the time.

My anxiety has been so high. My daughters mental health has deteriorated drastically again, her pain is also incredible difficult for her to handle, then she goes and falls on ice yesterday.

My life is protected by an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), if my heart acts up this device would shock me and prevent another death by cardiac arrest like I had before. On Friday an alert from the manufacturer of my device was released with a possibility of an early depletion of battery. It is unknown if or when it will deplete. its the unknown that scares me. Just increases my anxiety. we need to trust these things inside us, yet with alerts they are scary, I have been subject to so many already that did affect me. I guess I am lucky though as the manufacturer released news of three alerts and I am only subject to the one.
 
minicooper452 said:
I'm sorry. I'm just not very merry this year. Things are not going well for Anne. We're spending Christmas Eve with Lacy and Nick and that will be fun, I know, but getting "ready" for it's not what I usually feel, ya know.
I have my village up, but that's about it.
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You never have to apologize for not interacting. Although, I would say that we can be here for you in times you are not feeling very merry. This is a place to come for friendship and comfort. Participating is never a obligation, and just coming and reading is perfectly acceptable. We are not always going to be in a place where we can discuss what is going on in our lives and we do not always have the energy. We are here for you when you need us.

I am sorry things are not going well with Anne. It has been a tough year all around and particularly rough when you have family issues on top of everything else.

Firstoscartgrouch said:
Hi everyone, please forgive me for not reading and commenting all the time.

My anxiety has been so high. My daughters mental health has deteriorated drastically again, her pain is also incredible difficult for her to handle, then she goes and falls on ice yesterday.

My life is protected by an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), if my heart acts up this device would shock me and prevent another death by cardiac arrest like I had before. On Friday an alert from the manufacturer of my device was released with a possibility of an early depletion of battery. It is unknown if or when it will deplete. its the unknown that scares me. Just increases my anxiety. we need to trust these things inside us, yet with alerts they are scary, I have been subject to so many already that did affect me. I guess I am lucky though as the manufacturer released news of three alerts and I am only subject to the one.
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As I said to Carla - there is nothing to forgive. We are a plac eof safety, not a place of obligation. You read and comment when you can. Quiet weeks are okay, this is a place to chat, have fun, share heartaches when appropriate and to support each other with warmth and caring. I am so sorry things are not going well for Alexis. My Bible Study and Church pray for her each week.

I hope the device manufacturers have a plan for fixing your battery issues. If 2020 isn't enough, all this piled on top must be a huge mental weight. We are not only suffering from significant issues in our lives, but the pandemic has cut us off from the support we need and from those hugs that get us through tough times.

All I can say is that we are here for you, in whatever ways we can be.

And that goes for ALL the wafflers.
 
Sorting through stuff from my father the dilemma I'm facing is keeping something when I have one of my own that is similar. I don't need so many, but they are in good condition. Keeping the stuff to sell at a garage sale would just take up precious room at this time while we try to clean out so we can remodel. (This is what I really should do.)

On the other hand, my husband would rather buy new instead of cleaning up something that hasn't been used in years. (But why spend the money on something brand new when the old item just needs some cleaning.)

I really don't know what to do in both of these situations.
 
I know how you feel LilyAnn. I was just up at Mom's again on Friday and she has an old microwave that's in perfectly good condition but needs major cleaning and we need a new microwave, but oh the cleaning! (and hauling!)
 
I have been working so much, and I feel like I am burning out. I did finally manage to get my tree up, and while I love having it, putting it up was a struggle. It's exhausting. It's exhausting when I feel like everything about this year is a mess.

The two uncles who live with my Grandmother and Grandfather (84 w cancer and 88 with a previous heart attack) both tested positive for Covid. I can't convince them to go stay with my mother, so all I can do is hope that it's mild, hope that the one in closer contact is making it up for attention, hope that they stay as healthy as possible. You think that if they don't leave the house except for doctors, and no one else does bar grocery shopping, that things are safe. But they're not.

Boy's parents and aunt are trying to game the Italian system so that we can have some semblance of a Christmas lunch- a week early on a Sunday, since the Italian government gave a one week grace period to move freely between regions to ensure there weren't riots from those living in the north with family in the south.

I had crafted a mega-layout earlier this year and got it printed as a puzzle for Christmas. I've been slowly looking through some of the pictures my mother found with my father and it's not exactly adding to my Christmas spirit fund. I have vacation coming, and he's already talking about how much cleaning we'll do. YUCK. I know it's part of being an adult, but it seems to be the only part he's really sure about.

Puzzle2.jpg
 
I'm so excited! We got to the Christmas stuff stored in the rafters in the garage and I got my childhood elves on the shelf. Picture is posted on my FB page!
 
I hope your all doing good, I read a few posts above, sounds like everyone is staying busy. I am not into Christmas this year. My oldest son who lives here in town won't be home for Christmas, he is in the Army and they are keeping him busy this Christmas. And the others live a couple hours away. I will be spending Christmas here in my apt. all by myself this year. Hope things get better soon and when my son gets back we will get together... Just with all the stuff going on in the world, and before I didn't know anyone personally that had covid-19 but now people I know are getting it... so staying home is best... for now. I hope you all stay safe, and have a Merry Christmas and hope you can be with some of the people you love. We are also suppose to get up to 8 inches of snow by tomorrow, so I don't need to be out in that... I use to love the snow, and played in it with the kids and grandkids, but now the cold makes my body hurt so much... the price of getting old... But I will be scrapping some layouts to keep me busy. and I also will be watching my Hallmark Christmas Movies... LOL You all take care, and stay safe, I will try and stop in again soon... HUGS
 
i wanted to try and scrap tonight, but i feel like i've had all the air punched out of me. my mum called me in on speaker phone when the oncologist called for gram. she's down to 94lbs. she was 133 at the end of october. they're calling in a hospice nurse for her, and setting up a bed in the living room. she just keeps asking how long she has left. and they don't have an answer, but they cancelled all outstanding tests because at this point.... there's no point.

i forced myself to eat. this year is. hard.
 
Alta, that must be hard, having Christmas alone. (((BIG HUGS))) from me to you. You are right- staying home is best for now. All my shopping is done, so I will do that for the next few days and enjoy the holidays with my shrunken family.

Sylfie, I am so sorry to hear about your grandmother. Both of mine are gone now and I miss them. Here are some (((HUGS))) for you too. I hope you can find some joy in the holidays. I know I will be glad when this year is over.
 
I have been thinking of popping in here and share with you all that I have not disappeared. I have been busy with visitors and preparations for Christmas. Plus I made the decision to return to being active on a digi site that was one of the first ones I ever joined way back in 2008. You will still see me around Ginger Scraps as I hope to continue hosting the members challenge for Art Journaling.

So I am here to say to you all along with your loved ones ....
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Lily Ann
I think that if there are two things and you have one that is similar, you pick the one that is in better shape or that you like the most and let the other one go. I would suggest that you pick a charity that you wholeheartedly support and let it go to them, so no storage and you get a tax deduction.

With regard to the items that you can use that need to be cleaned up, you can determine how much you need them and whether the amount of cleaning that has to be done is prohibitive. If you don't like it and it needs a lot of work, let it go. If you like it and the work is minimal, keep it.

Sylfie,
You have a lot going on in your life. I can't come up with any suggestions that would cheer you, except to make a list of the things you can do that will bring you some joy and make space for them. You need time to refresh your soul and pushing and pushing yourself robs you of that. Believe me, I do understand where you are right now. That time for self is important.

I am so very sorry about your grandmother. It is an especially hard blow around the holidays.

I love your mega layout! It is wonderful. I have such a good idea for my son and his wife, but it will have to wait for next Christmas, I think. I don't see it getting done before then. I have found a place and I think I am going to see if I can get a layout done today to upload. I will do some of my favourite pictures of my grandson for them. Thanks for the idea! I might do one for my brother also of his grandson.

As for cleaning - it will only get dirty again. Holidays are not for cleaning.

Sherri,

I am so very glad that you had something amazing to cheer you. You deserve it. Big hug for everything else going on in your life.


Alta,
I am so sorry you are alone this Christmas. Make sure you arrange something festive to lift your spirits and be sure to organize a Zoom with your family. I love Hallmark Christmas Movies.

There is a funny joke
What has 15 actors, four settings, two writers, and one plot?
632 Hallmark movies.

There is a certain amount of truth to that, but they are charming and you don't have to think to hard and you know they will have a happy ending.

Ane,
I am so glad your shopping is done and all is going well. I hope you are feeling better.

Anne-Marie,
I am glad you have popped in. I don't think I did this month's journaling challenge, I have been too busy with Christmas gifts. I am worn out, but in a good way and still bursting with creativity.

Carla,
I hope your spirits are lifting a little. I think about you and all you are going through and i feel for you. Holidays are extra-hard.
 
I have been really busy with Christmas. I scrapped almost 100 5x7 layouts for my brother's Christmas gift, a little album of his grandson's first 10 months. His daughter moved away in October and he misses his little grandson so much. He will love this. It took forever though.

And I scrapped an 8 1/2 x 11 calendar for his girlfriend. I do it every year. The pictures are her pets and it is adorable. I have her family birthdays on the calendar and she loves it. This year's is my favourite of all the years I have been doing this.

I also did our family calendar. That I have to send away to be printed. It is a huge task every year, getting the pictures together, scrapping them and what have you. My friend and I do ours around the same time and get them printed. They are wonderful. They have all the family's birthdays on them.

I am also working on a ton of other crafts. I am making a Halloween tree for my daughter-in-law. It has little purple spider lights on it and silver ornaments, little skulls, skeletons, bats, etc. It looks so adorable. It is her favourite holiday. I think she will love it.

I am painting rocks, too. Some of them are for my daughter's garden, another set are for her boyfriend's veggie garden, some are for my brother's girlfriend's brook she has running through her property. I am making happy ones for friends who need a little cheer and a reminder that they have happiness in their life. I am making custom masks also, for my friends. I have to go and get some custom fabric tomorrow. I have a bunch of other projects too. My life is always like this and I love the crafting. It makes me so happy.

I am going in for surgery at the beginning of January. I will be in hospital for a week and there will be a 6-8 week recovery period. I may not be extremely active during that time, certainly not during the hospitalization.
 
My lo is up for voting right now, its me by trees with glittery snowflakes, the very last on in the week.
I get to see my Mom tomorrow, I get to see my Mom!!!!!!!!!!
 
FormbyGirl said:
Sheri,

How did the visit with your mum go? Did you get to hug her?
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it was awesome. She is in a private room, so we could close the door and just spend one on one time together. We FaceTimed the kids while there, and the bunnies. Lol. Opened presents. Went through her wardrobe to see what she needed. I haven’t been in her room to check anything since February. So glad I had booked it for yesterday, as new stricter guidelines cam out today.
She is really losing weight, her colon cancer and age I guess. Her dementia has progressed. But still she is my mom.
 
FormbyGirl said:
I have been really busy with Christmas. I scrapped almost 100 5x7 layouts for my brother's Christmas gift, a little album of his grandson's first 10 months. His daughter moved away in October and he misses his little grandson so much. He will love this. It took forever though.

And I scrapped an 8 1/2 x 11 calendar for his girlfriend. I do it every year. The pictures are her pets and it is adorable. I have her family birthdays on the calendar and she loves it. This year's is my favourite of all the years I have been doing this.

I also did our family calendar. That I have to send away to be printed. It is a huge task every year, getting the pictures together, scrapping them and what have you. My friend and I do ours around the same time and get them printed. They are wonderful. They have all the family's birthdays on them.

I am also working on a ton of other crafts. I am making a Halloween tree for my daughter-in-law. It has little purple spider lights on it and silver ornaments, little skulls, skeletons, bats, etc. It looks so adorable. It is her favourite holiday. I think she will love it.

I am painting rocks, too. Some of them are for my daughter's garden, another set are for her boyfriend's veggie garden, some are for my brother's girlfriend's brook she has running through her property. I am making happy ones for friends who need a little cheer and a reminder that they have happiness in their life. I am making custom masks also, for my friends. I have to go and get some custom fabric tomorrow. I have a bunch of other projects too. My life is always like this and I love the crafting. It makes me so happy.

I am going in for surgery at the beginning of January. I will be in hospital for a week and there will be a 6-8 week recovery period. I may not be extremely active during that time, certainly not during the hospitalization.
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best wishes for your surgery. Praying it goes flawlessly and you have a good recovery. Huge hugs.
painted rocks are so interesting. Mom’s care home has a huge pile of them that are medical and inspirational in a special area by the entrance.
 
Lynnie, I hope you get all your crafting done! And good luck with your surgery too. :)

Sherri, I'm glad you got to see your mom! That is a very good thing!
 
Checking in here on the eve of Chritmas, all is well and although Christmas is going to look different, I am still looking forward to it. I try to make the best of the situation since we have no control to change it. Going to spend the afternoon with Mom and then the Zoom family dinner tomorrow.

Lynnie, prayers for a speedy recovery, I will miss your posts during your recovery.
Sherri, saw the photos on FB of you and Mom...so happy you were able to visit. Prayers for Alexis, pain is hard to deal with.
Carla, hugs to you, hope things get merry for you.
LilyAnn, sorting a WHOLE house of stuff is a big task, break it down in chunks and you will get it done, also take a break and enjoy the holidays with your elves.
Sylvan, So sorry to hear to hear of your family's COVID cases, prayers for a healthy recover and prayers for your mother. Your puzzle is awesome, what a grand idea!
Alta, So sorry you wil be by yourself for Christmas but remember that your scrap friends are always in your heart. Enjoy your scrappy time and Hallmark movies to keep you busy.
Anne-Marie, Can't wait to see the art journal challenges for the new year, take care over the holidays.

Take care and be safe. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your families! May 2021 bring us peace, joy and happiness within ourselves and the entire world.
 
Christmas is an odd one this year. We had not planned on gathering, but fate stepped in anyway. Three days ago my son Steven's wife tested positive for COVID. Steven went right away to be tested and his came back positive yesterday. They have both lost their sense of taste and smell and have coughs. This means my daughter, Karen, may also test positive, although she has no symptoms. She is having a hard time finding somewhere to get a test right away. Her boyfriend needs to be tested also.

We went by Steven's early in the day, Christmas Eve, and dropped gifts on the porch. Karen met us there and picked up hers. Although she lives with Vanessa and Steven, she has chosen to isolate with Jon, since neither are showing any symptoms at all. Steven and Nessa waved from behind the window. It was lovely seeing them. We were all masked and Karen stayed far away. We got a great family pic, Steven in the window, us underneath and Karen six feet in front.

Christmas Eve afternoon, Karen announced over Facetime that since Mum and Dad aren't there, she could make up her own Christmas rules. She opened her stocking early. Then opened presents. She had such a good time :) It was so much fun. Her boyfriend had fun too.

Christmas Eve at midnight, we Zoomed and opened presents with Steven and Nessa. It is her family tradition that they open everything at midnight. Since they are not Zooming, she loved that we were willing to step in. We opened all our presents over Zoom and had such a great time. We have Zoom on our big TV so it was almost as though they were in the room with us.

Early Christmas morning, son James called from England and shared a part of his day with us.

All in all, it was a lovely day. I am preparing Christmas Dinner now. There was not so much chaos and mess doing Christmas this way. The prep for dinner is a no brainer and the cleanup will be a breeze. I will welcome the crazy times when they return, but in the meantime, I will appreciate the good bits!

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas.
 
I want to wish you all a though belated Merry Merry Christmas and hopefully a Happy New Year ~
wish 2021 will be brighter and more happy than 2020 was~
This Christmas was some kind of a sad one ~ first Christmas without my daughter ~ actually first Christmas without kids for 38 years
 
We had a pretty good Christmas here, just the 3 of us. I got a new chair for my computer desk- it doesn't squeak! I am looking forward to the new year. Fortunately hubby has the week off, so we are getting some tidying done, and hopefully the Christmas cards too!

Nice to see you, Chili! I hope you come back here often! :)
 
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