Diana: Yes, much easier in AZ--away from reality somehow--no appts.; minimal chores as there is NO CLUTTER here (& husband wants to keep it that way--hence getting rid of most of our stuff in Indiana before we relocate here); hardly any cooking as husband doesn't want me "to work" so we go out most nights (HARD for diet, though) or he barbecues even Christmas & Thanksgiving turkeys; so basically, I only have to do dishes, a little laundry & a bit more if we have people staying with us or over for dinner.

On the day we leave I usually spend 4 hours doing a cleaning spree (while my husband is off playing tennis or hiking or he gets in the way trying to "help"--though he does do the vacuuming & outdoor chores) so that the place is ready when we return.

Kim: I had a similar thing when I returned to college after 30 years (!). My math & science classes were so out of date that I would have to retake them. Oh no!! I did get A's in math--but NOW I don't think I could remember the basics...passed the science with good grades with much help of my husband (a graduate student in plant physiology while I was an undergrad). Now I don't think so. I just ended up taking the classes that I really wanted to--English lit. & history. Loved them, but no degrees to frame, of course!

JDI's today: hike with husband; folded laundry; emptied dishwasher; researched films to see when we return next month with another couple for the film festival (plan of attack to get tickets; luckily, our neighbor here is a bigwig in the festival committee & can help us out); knitting & reading.--Suzy

Suzy:
That is good that DH wants to go out for dinner. You need the break too!

~~~~~~~~
Finished up my few things today. Didn't have to go to the post office, I think I put enough postage on the letter I was sending out.

Hi, just an update.

Wash all the bedding. DONE
Dust and vacuum. DONE
Take the big ugly chest out and put it into the garage for another use, maybe even sell it at a garage sale. DONE
Organise my shoes. DONE
Declutter some clothes that I haven't worn for ages. I've thrown out two bags of stuff from the wardrobe already.

Glad that's done now.

Doing more stuff now, as in tale wedding dress out of box that is falling apart and put into another box - DONE.

Putting blankets into storage bags and sealing with lavender inside. IN the process of doing this.

Yay. feels good.

Hi everyone, hope you all are enjoying your Saturday.

Yesterday afternoon I managed to go sign up for my class. Though now I am really nervous all of a sudden. I always did great in school but I feel like my brain has turned to mush since the twins were born. Maybe we will read Dr Suess in the class them I will be able to get it...LOL.

Anyway todays JDIs:

[*]Laundry
[*]ETE in Kitchen
[*]File
[*]Work on taxes
[*]Visit Grandmother at nursing home
[*]ROTMs
****Work on MBR closet
****Go through Dresser drawers
[*]Go with DH this after noon to fix a friends furnace so I can bring the twins to visit

Well I am off to start my day,

Have a great day all.

Kim

Hi everyone,

You will do fine after the first couple of days Kim.

My JDI list for yesterday:
-fold and put away 4 loads of laundry (done)
-unload dishwasher, load and run again (done)
-pay cell phone bill (done)
-finish writing one article
-wipe down toliet, sink, and counter in bathroom
-go pick up suit for fiance at dry cleaners (done)
-work on putting binder together for my cooperating teacher
-fill out paperwork for substitute teaching package

Will continue to work on these items today.

Ingrid, good to see you back. Welcome! Send some of your heat this way - PLEASE! My thermometer was at minus 29* C when I got up this morning.

Kim, I have been in your situation - returning to class after a time away from studying. Yes, it can be difficult for the first tiny bit. At least I found it that way - but once my brain got switched from "mushy" to "study mode", it was easier going. As a general rule "maturity" is an asset. So hang in there - you can do it and will likely do extremely well!

The accountant was here yesterday to get our tax information. The good news is that I can take steps to avoid paying income tax but my hubby is going to loose part of his pension income for a period of time - so YAY and BOO! That means we're going to need to be careful with our dollars and cents.

I sent an email asking the MDiv faculty adviser if he is willing to be my MRRP adviser. He sent me a quick reply that he's half way around the world right now, will be "home" by Mon and most likely dealing with jetlag. He said he would contact me again by mid week. In the meantime though, I can continue to get my ideas written out ready to submit to him. I know that my next step is to make sure that my project idea meets the requirements for my program.

My big job for today is priming the bedroom walls and ceiling. Yesterday, DH told me that he had the room "paint ready."

Other JDIs include -

- lead chat online (15 min long) and send in report
- read Bible, "supplemental" book and lesson for Monday's Bible study (baby steps) I read the Bible passage yesterday; I'm hoping to read the corresponding section in the supplemental book today (as a "rest break" from painting?)
- quick kitchen clean - mainly PUPA clean dishes out of sink and anything that didn't get put away yesterday
- clean bathroom
- maybe go downtown to get fabric for finishing quilt enlargement project. There is no rush on getting this done. Our temperature is bitterly cold again so my preference will be to stay indoors.

As well, I have my larger projects that I keep working on (baby steps) - dealing with "the boxes" and working on my quilts.

That's a huge list and I know I will not finish all of it today. So I'm giving myself permission to not finish as long as I get as much done as is "reasonable"! LOL

The time has come for me to get dressed in my "paint gear" (a paint stained t-shirt and slacks that I use for painting) and begin organizing the primer and painting equipment.

Have a great day, everyone!

Kim:
I am sure you will love being back in school once you get into the class. Dr. Seuss sounds good but a little too young for Moms!

Hope you have a good visit with friends.

Darlene:
We are working those lists! So happy you were able to get in touch with the facilty advisor. Good for you.

Good luck painting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
I got my hour in downstairs, and what a difference! Also worked on yearly budget and report for this year. Brought up some things that need to be shredded.

Now I am going to shredd a little and play the rest of the day until Church and feeding the grandpuppies this evening.

I'd best type up my to do list for the rest of this weekend. Here it is already lunchtime, and I haven't started, and DS has a friend coming over after a while...sigh...

Work tasks (I have no personal life...)
1. Write Study Guide for one course. Post it online in 3 places.
2. Write Study Guide for another. Post online in 3 places.
3. Design a writing assignment. Post online in 3 places.
4. Read up on existentialism (blech...)
5. Design discussion forums for 6 sections & compose first topics for each of them.
6. Read novel that my students will be discussing this semester. Not overly interested, but it was a departmental choice, not mine...
7. Check & deal with any important emails.
8. Continue looking for textbooks for a new course I'm teaching in the fall. Deadline will be here shortly.
9. Locate resources for lectures for this week for one course. Print these.
10. Locate resources for lectures for second course, print.
11. Bind those resources with comb binder.
12. Write Monday's lectures. Make PowerPoints.
13. Write Tuesday's lectures. Make PowerPoints.

Home stuff:
1. Locate my Router software and figure it out, so I can set my laptop up somewhere else, without the hardwire.
2. Laundry
3. Clean out the refrigerator
4. Sort a small bag of receipts.
5. Fill out some paperwork (blech)
6. Set up new printer.
7. Relocate a shelf worth of books from bedroom to living room.
8. Put some things away in the bedroom.
9. Collapse.

Thanks all for the support I am sure I will get into the swing of things no problem.

Moonfire: Thats quite a list and I thought mine were long some days.

Heres an update:

[*]Laundry
[*]ETE in Kitchen
[*]File
[*]Work on taxes
[*]Visit Grandmother at nursing home
[*]ROTMs
****Work on MBR closet
****Go through Dresser drawers
[*]Go with DH this after noon to fix a friends furnace so I can bring the twins to visit

I will get to my ROTM someday.....perhaps tomorrow as I have no where to go and nothing else to really do.

Kim

I'm taking a break so I can put my chin close to my chest for a few minutes. Painting a ceiling is hard work and hard on one's neck - especially an "old" neck! I'm currently about 1/3 done the ceiling with the primer coat.

DH hung the decorative window in the kitchen today. I'll take a pic of it and post it on the ROTM thread later. It looks awesome!

Moonfire, you might be able to find your router software on the manufacturer's website for download. It's also your best source for the most up-to-date version.

Good going everyone else. Keep up the good work! Time for me to get that chin up in the air again! LOL