A new year, a new start

I did not do nearly as well as I had hoped and planned for 2013.  But, it could have been worse.
The up side: early on (late summer) I got a very good start on deep cleaning most of the house, and a lot of serious purging.  I did have decorations up.  Everyone that matters to me got Christmas gifts.  We had a lot of good family time, but in a way that didn't overwhelm DH.

It is now January 2014.  The decorations are mostly still up .. partly because I just like them.  Partly because I haven't gotten the upstairs cleaned enough to put things up.  I have help coming to do that.

There are many things completely out of my control, so my challenge for this year is to find ways to accomplish what I need within the limits of DH's health and my failing vision.  One thing that will be important for me to remember is not to let myself get overwhelmed.  Don't plan too much, don't epect too much.  And be happy with whatever I manage to accomplish.

I do have a vaguely defined goal:  
January - clean attic, put up Christmas
February - put up Valentines, get a break
March - put up St. Pats, front bedroom and hall
April - put up Easter, clean back hall and den
May - put up spring, clean porch
June - put up summer, clean guest room and bathroom
July -  ut up patriotic, clean my room
August - put up late summer, clean living and dining rooms
September - put up fall, clean kitchen
October - put up Halloween, whole house once-over
November - put up Thanksgiving, begin Christmas 

Of course, there's not telling how well I'll be able to stick to this; but I'll try anyway.  

For now, my white tree  (that stays up all year) is now *winter*.

Final Countdown Week 2013

It is now just under one week to Christmas Day.  I am not where I wanted to be now; but considering all the unexpected circumstances I’ve been dealing with, it’s not too bad. 

I am happy that I got started early with going through the house room by room.  While there will always been more purging to do (especially with losing my vision – not much point in keeping a lot of things, such as books).

I did not get as much done as in previous years; but considering that the more problems I encountered, the less help I got from the ones I had most counted on .. it’s not too bad after all. 

My biggest problem at this point is with shopping.  I did not “plan ahead” to not be able to leave the house, or to not be able to drive.  For that matter, shopping is no longer fun when I can’t see things; and shopping on line just isn’t possible at all.  I used to prefer waiting; but clearly my priorities in that regard have to change.

Also, in the past I started just after Halloween to get decorating done.  This year I waited until after Thanksgiving since I had a big crowd here for that.  Since I did less .. and since I’ve had extremely limited chances to do “holiday things”, it’s worked out OK.  I’d like to think for next year I’ll go back to decorating early.

The truth is, I have no clue what will be my situation by next year.  I hope I will still be here in this house I love.  And I hope DH will still be here with me.  But in truth the only thing I can pretty much count on is that my vision will not be improved (and will most likely be a lot worse).

That being said, I need to revise my whole plan and start in January.  My original plan was a room a month, and I need to go back to that. 

This year there will be no piles of pretty packages.  There will be no big Christmas dinner.  I expect (I hope)  our grandsons will come by sometime in the evening; but that depends on what time they get to their dad’s house (might be too late to come here).  In the end, it will most likely be just another day here.  But it will be one with pretty lights anyway. J

Early December Update

I am very happy to report that while I won't have anywhere near as much as past years, I will have Christmas decorations.  I see very little hope of anything in the yard.  But a friend came over for a few hours yesterday to help me inside.
I had managed to get all of the fall decorations packed and upstairs; and I brought down the boxes of linens and had those in place.  She helped me bring down 7 bigger trees (4 and 5 feet), plus a few smaller ones.  Two of them need lights replaced (on half the tree), but that's not bad all things considered! LOL!

Today I have the rare opportunity to get away for a whole day!  It was supposed to be for a parade (with my DGD in marching band); but it's pouring rain and the temp is dropping rapidly .. so the chances seem very strong that the parade will be cancelled or postponed.  Since care for DH has been arranged, I still get the day with my DIL. :)
Tomorrow I hope (rested and refreshed) to begin "filling in".  Oh, nearly forgot, the friend also helped me unpack and *place*  a box of Nativities.  I still hope to bring down some of the nutcrackers and some of the snowmen.  And I may also bring down a few Santas  It's going to depend on how DH is doing (how much of my time is spent caring for him ... he has good days and bad days, and no way to plan ahead for that).  Except for the trees that were never undecorated, they are "naked" .. and may stay that way.  I can't see well enough to really do much about decorating them.  And since what I mostly see are the lights, I'm quite happy with them just having lights! LOL!

I will post pictures when I get a chance.

End of November

It is now past Thanksgiving, and the end of November.  And for the first time in many years, not the first thing has been done for Christmas decorating.  In fact, I haven't even acked away fall yet.

There will most likely be nothing at all outside, as there's no way for me to do that (DH cannot be left alone, or at least I must be within hearing of him).  I just don't think I have either the energy or the ambition to do much inside.  

But at least my hosue is (relatively) clean, and I'm much closer to being organized than ever before.  So that part of my lan, at least, is a success.

Hopefully over this coming week I will find a bit of "spirit" and get things done.  And next weekend I *might* get to go to a Christmas parade (that my DGD15 will be in with her school marching band).

I can do no shopping any more - it loses it's draw for me when I just can't see much.

I can't do the outside stuff at all this year, since I must be at least within hearing of DH at all times.  And many people, instead of offering to help, tell me it's not important.  The fact that they are so unconcerned with the fact that it matters very much to me is very depressing.  So I guess they're right.

At least Thanksgiving was a success.  The house was clean and nicely decorated.  There was plenty of food for the 20 eople who were here.  I believe everyone, even DH, enjoyed the day.

3rd Week of November

I know my posting on this blog has become very eratic, even though I started it (this year at least) with the best of intentions.  Seems my life is too unpredictable these days.  I just muddle along the best I can.

However, despite my getting "off" my own Plan, things have come together fairly well.  I have given some degree of attention to every room, and a bit more to the areas most in need.  There is no room in my house I'd be embarrassed for anyone to walk into (although the back bathroom is "iffy", but that's because that's where the litter boxes are! LOL!).

I have sent many many boxes of "stuff" out the door to be donated somewhere.  I've forced myself to part with an awful lot of books -= and have more to go - because my vision has gotten so bad I can't read them.  There will be some I'll keep, in hopes that someday there will be such a thing as a person who actually has time to sit down and visit with me, and go through  (or just read aloud) some of them.  Same thing goes for notebooks.  I seem to collect them!!  I sent an entire box full .. at least 15 ... out the door.  I kept 4 or 5 big fat ones, in hopes of either getting someone to go through them with me, or being able to pass them on to someone who will appreciate them.

I also took on purging a huge amount of paperwork.  When I had sorted it down to about a quarter of what I once had (and hope I didn't throw out anything that was actually important), I had a niece help by going through what was left.  That pile is now about a quarter of what it was - much more manageable!  All of that purging allowed me to clean and organize the storage system in the closet behind my desk.  And, I no longer have piles of papers and other *stuff* on the floor!  

The outside of the house is a different story.  There are still dead plants on the porch.  The door that fell off it's one hinge (bathroom linen closet) is still on the porch.  One "bookshelf" (actually, the top section of a china hutch) that I completely emptied is on the porch.  My Halloween cat and pumpkin are still there.  Because my husband can't be left alone (I don't even like to be out of range of hearing him), I can't take those things to the barn and no longer have "help" with anything.

Today, I'm "cheating".  I'm hiring a housekeeper, just for the one day.  She will clean everything front front hall to back hall (and I will do those areas myself) and she will do an excellent job.  Then I will only have to keep up with manntenance ... I have company coming Saturday night, then a fair sized crowd (14) coming for Thanksgiving.  And then it will be time to start decorating!!

This is the first year in many years that I have waited until Thanksgiving to start Christmas but it's a very unusual year for me.  With DH's declining health plus dementia, and my own failing vision, things have gotten both more complicated and less so at the same time.  I can never go anywhere, so most of the time it's just me here .. no reason for the house to not stay clean once I do it.  But until at least January, I have to refrain from finding some other areas to purge and organize!

2nd Week November 2013

I've completely lost track of what week number it is, but it doesn't really matter.  The end result is what counts, right? )

I've actually worked, to some degree, in every room.  Some more than others; but I've not just ignored any room (as I've ended up doing in past rotations).  This week I'm mainly back in my computer room.  With my failing vision, I realize there are an awful lot of things in here there's no need to hang on to (like years worth of HGP notebooks! LOL!).    I have some nice heavy cardboard boxes that I plan (depending on weather of course) to spray paint silver and gold .. that will add bling to the open shelving and I will store the junk I just can't let go of yet.  It's all about *containing* the mess now.   
I am trying hardd to *maintain* what I've done.  The kitchen, of course, is hardest; but since I cook less and less, it's getting easier! LOL!  
Each morning I do a quick walk-through and look for anything out of place.  Some days I really don't feel like bothering, but if I push myself to keep the "public" rooms neat, it really does become a habit!

My sewing project is not likely to get done, which is a big disappointment.  But, I absolutely cannot see well enough to thread bobbins (I can wind them, but can't get the thread started on them) or to thread the machine.  I've been trying for weeks, but the closest I've come to getting "help" is someone suggested I get the nosey little girls next door to help.

It also appears I won't be getting the help I usually get with  my decorations.  The inside stuff will have to be scaled back due to DH's needs (wheelchair, clear pathways, etc).  I don't know if there will be anything outside or not.

OK, for now I am going to concentrate on Thanksgiving.  At least 4 people I was hoping would be here are not coming.  But we still should have about 15 or 16 of us, which is a fair sized crowd for this house (the house itself isn't "small" .. but most of the rooms are!).  So I'm concentrating on having the house clean and as neat as possible, and planning menu.    
I have some fun events coming up in the next few weeks also.  Next weekend we're having a visit from nieces we haven't seen in a very long time.  I'm totally looking forward to that!  The weekend after that is (1) oppening of the local annual light show and candy store (a tradition to go see the lights!) and (2) a friend and some of her family will be coming to supper and going to the lights.  Usually I go, but this year I'll stay home with DH because (3) it will be our 34th anniversary.  
My goodness!!  My ready-for-Thanksgiving  got moved up a week and a half! :)

November Table