Daily Project Round 4

[SpiritOfEdna]

Here’s the last thread: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4722070-daily-project-round-3?page=40&reply=129305044
@peridot1
@ThunderclapCloud
@petalpower
@autumnangel

@RunningKatie
@LateSummerLobelia
@Aria999
@Mumtobabyhavoc

and anyone else who would like to join us, whatever your daily tasks are.

I joined after procrastinating putting up some curtain tie backs and now I am flying through a massive decluttering exercise. (I need to tackle the loft next, but I may need to sit down (a lot) before I do that 😄).

Hope the tagging works, SoE.

I have dim recollections of a gong.....I know we had one at school but I think we had one at home for a while (grew up in an enormous old house) I must ask mum 🤔 Yes I am starting to feel a bit 'Enid Blyton' 😆
I have been known to text people who are in the house but I did want to make it clear that we do also converse in the traditional manner....

@petalpower you really are under the cosh, with family members becoming more infirm. I hope you manage to have a peaceful Christmas 💕 My mother is becoming a little more of a handful as she's feeling better, but is in denial about her frailty so makes choices that seem unwise to us. I have to work quite hard to keep my anxiety low, as she does not welcome interference.

I have been quite lazy today. I have a half-hearted cold that can't decide if it wants to do anything or not. I think I probably ought to go for a walk then do at least something useful. DH has been out late 2 nights running and has taken himself off for a nap. I can hear what sounds like cricket commentary so he must have the radio on up there.

Big hugs to all of you at this somewhat chaotic time of year 💐

Big hugs back to you @FrostyFogg . And to you @petalpower with family stresses and strains.

And to everyone.

I am doing the Christmas job I have been putting off- Christmas cards. I know I am leaving it late. I have faffed because writing hurts my wrist as have a bit of arthritis going on. I have bought a mini bottle of pink prosecco to ease the way.

We could be sisters @WinterLobelia 😂 I was so proud of myself buying a packet of 10 cards and 2 more personal ones. I think DH has stolen a couple for old uni mates. I haven't written any. I probably won't now, except my mum's one. Pretty much sums up every Christmas!

Sorry about the arthritis. Not much fun 😟

I can hear the radio, and I can hear snoring. I think I will go for that walk. Enjoy your pink prosecco Lobelia 🍷

Thank you for your kind words @WinterLobelia and @FrostyFogg .
I’ve finished top coating the dining room apart from a few bits that need touching up tomorrow. Also done the ironing that has been looking at me from the basket for the past week. Today has been a better day for Dad and Stepmother - family have visited them and reported back that things were a bit more positive which is a relief. I have written a big list for tomorrow which includes getting the decorations up in the two rooms that are clear enough to do so! (Major building work and general everything in the wrong place-ness everywhere else) DD is off work for the next couple of days and is generally very helpful so that will be good. The plumber is also in to finish the last bits on the new shower room. I suspect DH is going to have a few very late nights laying the new floor which is proving tricky. I can’t believe that in one week it will be Christmas Eve!

it's going on for 12:30am...I'm finally in bed after painting the dining room wall that separates kitchen/dining room. It's a cut out so has a ledge and I had done a fair bit of repair to it. Sanded it this evening and gave it three coats of paint and am happy with outcome. Wall itself got just one coat of paint (white over white) and then I did a quick coat of paint over baseboard which, although still needs some repair and sanding, looks 10x better and I can live with it. Did 3 loads laundry and gave Havoc a bath, so it was a productive few hours. Just trying o unwind now...

Morning all.

Glad things seem a little better with your Dad @petalpower.

My sister is improving slowly. Off the ventilator now. Was able to talk a little. In a lot of pain which is to be expected. New liver seems to be working. Fingers crossed!

I am now full of a cold and my cough is hurting my back. And kept me awake on and off all night. I did nothing over the weekend. BUt really need to get going on things today. A brain dump list is required!

I feel I’m getting stressed but as DH pointed out last night it’s only the three of us for Christmas and we do the same thing every year so it’s not exactly difficult! And he does a lot of it. And DS really doesn’t care if it’s not what I call perfect.

I’ve decided to let Christmas cards go this year other than ones for people in the village. I quite enjoy going for a walk around the village delivering them. I think I’ll aim to deliver the last one to the pub and have a sneaky glass of something nice!

Have a good day all. And a good sleep @Mumtobabyhavoc! You should be getting as much rest as you can now.

hello, seems like things are looking up for dads and sisters 😄that is good; and for everyone under the cosh with colds and to do lists that are either unreasonably long or not yet written

I am in a 'can't be bothered' mood, and am pretending I have nothing to do because there is no list. 😄Anyway, all the trees are up, I need to do some baking for the arrival of other siblings for an early xmas catch up; and this thread has a magic quality as I can now face doing a list, (another) 😄
Today

• a gym session this morning - DONE
• another supermarket sweep to get some stuff I couldn't get the other day - shopping list made
• asked what stocking fillers the GNieces want - in prog
• stalk my online payslip to see when I get paid, so I can pay for a Reformers Pilate course - I LOVED it - tbc
• I keep shifting a pile of cardboard I need to keep from one untidy corner to another - at least decide what to keep and what to throw away

Busy day in work ahead still, so that will do for now, have a good day all, SoE

Hello everyone, as usual I lose track of messages over the weekend, and I seemed to have fallen behind. @Peridot1 it really has been such an emotional time for you and your sister and all the family and I am so sorry you are having to manage this from a distance. @petalpower I hope the news continue to be good on your side and that things resolve themselves enough for Christmas to be peaceful and pleasant. And hello to everyone else!

For once I have accomplished many things, today I had a rapid and successful trip into London to go to the consulate for a new ID card - was braced for it to be horrible and lenghty but it went incredibly smoothly. H came back on Saturday evening and yesterday we blitzed all the Christmas cards and they have all been posted or hand delivered as needed. Phew!

Other weekend achievements include three loads of laundry (including one caused by D stepping in dog poo and then rubbing the side of her mucky shoe against her tights.....), unexpected carrot cake at 7.30am on Saturday morning (because D wanted to make a cake to welcome her daddy home......seems like a lot of my tasks are caused by the D!!), and getting the final bits for the teachers' class presents, which we handed over this morning.

I'm working until Friday inclusive, D at school until Wedsnesday, and then PILs arrive on Thursday so that should help with keeping her busy. Very much in countdown mode now!

Very quiet around these parts today!
I’ve, at last, put up some decorations and written the master Christmas list so feel a bit more in control. The presents are all wrapped too. The guest room is ready for dad and stepmother who arrive on Thursday. I’ve done some more painting but have been held up by the carpenter who was working in the dining room today and DH who is sanding a parquet floor and is covered in dust. Today has been a house and Christmas day (plus a trip for lunch at a friend’s) but tomorrow I’m back to it with the painting and decorating. I can’t believe how close Christmas is and how much there still is to do on the building project before the big day.

Good morning! I'm another who has been felled by a heavy cold. @Peridot1 I hope you are on the mend! Thinking of you at this tricky time with your family.
@SpiritOfEdna I love your lists - they add a real 'ta-da' to the thread 😊
Your little girl sounds delightful @SingleThreadJoiner 💕
@petalpower your calmness in the face of all that is going on around you shows great strength. I hope all gets done in good time, and I trust that it will!

Chugging along here. I have missed a couple of Christmassy things due to this cold. Feeling rotten/not wanting to be responsible for other people catching it - though it's everywhere and no doubt if I don't share it, someone else will.

Not feeling festive in the slightest, but going through the motions. Lists have been made and we are trudging through them. I will be happy to see family members that I've not seen in the flesh for a while. Mother is a little fed up as she loved to do Christmas and was very good at it too. I am trying to include her in the preparations as much as I can but she thinks she is catering for 14 and won't be dissuaded. So it's complicated. None of us are catering for 14, not all at once anyway.

I would love to tag you all, but my spoons are limited so i hope a general 👋 in everyone's directions will do 💐

Clutching a coffee, got the drugs (sudafed) and need to get off MN and do something useful. First task is to change the duvet for the winter weight one in the spare room for my guests who arrive later, at their request. I'm fretting a bit about our germs but they have been warned, and as they have had similar themselves, and are currently on a plane with all the unknown lurgies there, they are unbothered. I shall restock the medication cabinet as well.

All the love to you all as you prepare for Christmas, and for 'our' Christmas baby @Mumtobabyhavoc (says she sounding like a MN mother in law! 😳)

Hope all the project family children are suitably excited, but not driving their parents round the bend!

They've all broken up very early here - not sure if that's a good thing or not?

Morning all, i fear I am failing at parenting at the moment. Didn't return an important form in time, didn't even realise we had to register for carol concert in advance. Thankfully dc2 is very chilled and all sorted now.
My Christmas cards will be late, don't have all the gifts or a plan, but I've got a bit of time off tomorrow and dh is off on Fri so hopefully it'll all come good.
Today I need to put away some of the winter gloves etc., that we needed for Lapland but aren't necessary here at the mo! Then I'm going to a carol concert (phew!) and taking dc1 gift shopping this eve.
Hope all those with colds feel ok, @Mumtobabyhavoc is resting, and that the poorly relatives are doing well.

Morning all. I am still here but yes the Dcs are driving me around the bend! Moaning that we are not 'doing anything'. Yesterday we were out all day at a Christmas market, bowling and lunch but no, that doesn't count apparently.

I can't be bothered today but need to drop off some gifts, get some champagne for gifts and tidy for the cleaner who comes tomorrow. Plus finish off sorting things out. Oh, and I need to buy a Christmas tree. Probably start thinking about food too.

Hope everyone with colds are feeling better soon and that the visit goes well @petalpower . Plus also hope that @Mumtobabyhavoc puts her feet up!

to everyone!

Winter, Katie, Frosty, Peridot, Rest will come soon - Christmas and a couple days after. Thank you for the kind thoughts. ❤

It's just past 2:00am, had a late night as finished painting hallway (!!!), painted dining area walls and and related baseboards. 😁I really only have large dining/living room wall, smaller living room wall and half of bathroom to do. I just might succeed getting it all done by Saturday. (Fingers crossed!) If I do I will feel quite a bit more relaxed. Also managed two loads laundry, one of which was new baby items, so am quite glad about that.
Have a bit of a dry cough as of this evening and am praying I am not coming down with anything as had my surgical pre-screening today. 😦😷
(Well, yesterday, since it is now past midnight...)

Morning all, been quietly lurking for a few days reading your posts but each time I've gone to write my own I've been interrupted by the little toddler! She's sleeping in the car now as we're driving to London to see Bluey at the theatre. I think she'll have an emotional melt down when we see Bluey in 'real life' 😄

I hope those with coughs and colds feel better in time for Christmas! And hope those with poorly relatives are managing OK 🫂

I got paid today so have a few last minute Christmas gifts to order and a food shop to get in tomorrow. Last day at work tomorrow, so have a few things to get finished off there then onto the pre-christmas cleaning before my parents arrive. I'll write up a list for that tomorrow, but the only job today is to make sure DD has the best day out 🎉

Morning all. This week will be brought to you by Lemsip. (Other cold/flu meds are available .) DH has now succumbed to the lurgy which of course is much more serious than mine. Asked how he was feeling to be told it could go either way……… He did manage to empty the dishwasher while I was in the shower so may not be quite at death’s door just yet.

My sister is improving slowly. The new liver seems to be functioning well so far. 🙏

Yesterday I had a hair appointment which I was a bit worried about going to due to my cold but you have to cancel 48 hours in advance (which was Sunday) or be charged anyway so I went.

MIL isn’t great again. Her niece and her husband have done a lot this week so I sent them some flowers to say thanks. Latest concern is that the gas fire might be leaking carbon monoxide so hopefully that will be checked today.

List wise here -

• general tidy around for the cleaners
• Chistmas cards and presents for cleaners
• write Christmas cards for village
• do Christmas message for those I usually post cards to
• make breadcrumbs
• put last of Christmas decorations boxes in garage
• strip bed
• wash towels
• wash bedding
• wrap some presents
• collapse on sofa!

@Mumtobabyhavoc - I am constantly amazed at your energy levels! Really hope you don’t get the cold that is about. That would be all you need.

Hope everyone else is doing ok with families and stresses and lurgies and general busyness.

morning - have had a very hectic couple of days - we have our first visitors today so it's been a whirlwind of general tidying this morning and finishing making mince pies for them to take home - I've had my baker's one and it was delicious 😄The rest of the day will be visitors, off out to meet a friend who is coming up for the football and then moving on for a meal with friends. I have a gym session at the crack of dawn tomorrow so I really don't want too late of a night.
Today

• finish mince pies - DONE
• handwash jumper - it's drying now
• get some clothes dry to go out in - waiting for dryer to finish
• wash all the dishes from baking and put away - In Progress
• put all the tools back in the shed - they are all gathered in one place ready for a dash out into the cold - In progress
• get ready for work presentation this afternoon - DONE

There's lots of moving stuff from place to place, but my cardboard stash has been whittled down to what I actually need (hurrah). have a good day all, SoE

Glad to hear that your sister is improving @Peridot1 . Sorry to hear about your MIL. No time to write individual replies but hope that everyone with horrid germs sees them off before Christmas, all the little ones settle and enjoy the lead up to Christmas without causing project parents to tear their hair out and that everyone with family illness and troubles is able to enjoy the next few days. Dad and stepmother arrive tomorrow so I’m not sure how much I’ll be posting after that. We have half a lovely festive house and half a building site. Hopefully it will all be gorgeous and sorted by 25th ….. I’ve been painting like a mad woman all day and DH is still laying oak flooring. Surely it will all be fine?!

Petal, I'm right there with you re painting. You can do it!!!!👏
y cough worsened throughout the night, not badly, but more frequent. At OB appt now (waiting) then will do errands while I'm still functioning. Covid neg test, but will keep testing as have to inform surgical team if pos. Masking just in case.

Hope the cough doesn’t get any worse @Mumtobabyhavoc . Presume you’re booked in for a C section? Will they stay with the same date if you’re Covid positive?

OB said it does happen to get bumped to a later date, but also that since I'll be frozen chest down it won't interfere with surgery if I'm coughing and that they'll just take extra precautions to protect themselves with N95s instead of regular masks. Just hoping it is only a cold, though, since have had covid 3x this year including almost entirely first four months of pregnancy. It was pretty awful.
I'm cursing the mum who brought her actively sick kid to gymnastics class (mum was sick as well) on Monday morning (just cause she wanted the pic getting the certificate. Her kid is under 3 years old....likely won't remember, nor care). 😡🤦‍♀️

Afternoon all, so much to so, so little time. Yet I find myself lying on the sofa for 5 mins, then I'll leap up again.
Day off today, dc1 hospital appt then back to school, then off to shops - busy but bearable. Got more gifts but I have real fear we don't have the right things etc.
Covid has struck in the extended family, so I'm waiting to see what happens.
Last day of work and school tomorrow, if we can get up, it's becoming increasingly hard!
Right, off to wrap gifts and write cards.

Dad and stepmother were a no show today - due to the adverse weather conditions they decided to postpone travelling until maybe tomorrow. I thought I’d be able to use the regained time to get ahead but have had a frustrating day and haven’t achieved much. I ran out of wood paint so had to get some locally which wasn’t Dulux and it’s proved to be rubbish. I did manage to get my Christmas online Sainsbury’s order updated and have put up some more fairy lights. Tomorrow I have an early morning dentist appointment and will pick up some proper paint (Dulux!) on the way home. Hairdresser appointment in the middle of the day and the rush back home as dad and stepmother should arrive at lunchtime. All the dining room furniture is covered in a heavy layer of builders dust and is piled up in the sitting room. The dining room still doesn’t have a full floor and is full of building equipment and in 3 days time it will be Christmas Eve. I am worried that nothing will be ready on time ….

Petal, sounds sensible they didn't travel today. How far is the drive?

Try not to worry, everyone, about whether or not things are perfect for Christmas. I try to remind myself how much I have and that it never makes me feel better to worry. 🩷🩷🩷

Walking the talk: decided to take pressure off myself of going to various stores for NB diapers, lanolin, Sudocrem for best deals.. just placed order on Amazon and lucked out on two boxes of diapers from Open Box//Return section for excellent price. Have bought 2 other items this way at great savings and no disappointment yet! 😁

Rec'd my check-in time and surgery confirmation today. 😬

It’s about 3-3.5 hours drive @Mumtobabyhavoc . Dad can’t drive because of his dementia so it’s down to stepmother. They’re both in their eighties now. My brother, sister in law and nephew are also coming so there will be 9 of us on Christmas Day. I’m sure it will all be fine. Food is all ordered and planned plus plenty of booze!!

Petal, that's a long drive - for anyone, really.
Fingers crossed they can make it. 🤞