RM, I have a constant list running in my head. (I’ll even write things down for the weekend.) I can spend all day at work planning to work out in the evening, but then when I drive home in the dark, I can’t seem to make myself leave the house (or accomplish much else around the house.) Weeknights I just come home very tired.
I get the “very tired”. I do find that IF I can get myself going I find the energy. Not sure why that makes sense but it does. I don’t try to exercise at night typically. Too many things have a tendency to “get in my way”. Instead I get up and go prior to work. That seems to work for me as there aren’t many excuses (other than sleep) that I can come up with at 5:00 AM. 
Can’t vacuum as H is still sleeping at that hour. Come home, make dinner and lunches for the next day, clean dinner up and then as long as I don’t SIT DOWN I can keep going. If I do sit down I try to make sure that I’m doing things like knitting while watching TV so at least I’m getting something done!
RM, are you sure you aren’t a 30 year old who is has been masquerading as an older mom all these years?
Nah - when I was 30 I could work all day, play with the kids when I got home and still sew into the night. Now I’m DONE by 9. My day is just VERY early. Starts at 4:30. Done by 9 PM. I used to be able to start that early and go until 11 at night for days on end. Not any more.
One other thing I try to do is not do very much. Instead, I try to hire uber organized people like RM.
Sooooo – I arrive at the beach house Wednesday afternoon to find the heat is not working. (H thought something was wrong since we have Nest thermostats which can be monitored via phone and it seemed as if the heat was running way too much for the low “Away” temperature.) Fortunately it wasn’t too, too cold in the house – I put on another sweater and got out the heavy down comforter. My buddy Shawn showed up Thursday morning to get things running. We’re, unfortunately, so buddy-buddy with Shawn because this is not the first time we’ve had issues with the heat/hot water. Needless to sway, we’re not pleased – this a new house with a fancy, schmancy German furnace that’s supposed to be top-of-the-line. Gr-r-r-r-r!!!
Meanwhile, I was at dinner with my golf friends Wednesday night when D called me. (She had texted earlier to say she and BF were back from Iceland.) I ignored the call since I was … at dinner. BUT, she called, via FaceTime, again several minutes later. Of course I thought something was wrong, so I answered. She was completely flummoxed that I was out somewhere, especially when she found out H was still in MA. So, she said she’d call me later when I was back from dinner. I got off the phone and said to my friends, “I think D got engaged in Iceland!”
D did call me later that evening, and asked if I’d be back in MA on Thursday, and would H also be there – she and BF wanted to come over that evening. At this point I was 99% sure my hunch was right. I talked to H and told him my theory so he wouldn’t be blind-sided. (He likes D’s BF a lot, but also has a little of the “no one is good enough for my little girl” mentality.) Cut to the chase – YES, he proposed! Woot, woot!!! He gave D a “temporary” engagement ring since he didn’t want to bring the real one to Iceland. (He has a friend who proposed in Paris, and the ring was confiscated at the airport and the friend had to pay to get it back … Odd story, I know.) Anyway, the real one belonged to his mother’s mother. Not sure if they’ll have it re-set.
I consider myself to be pretty organized, too, but theses days I don’t have so much of the “it all has to be done now” mindset. I like crossing things off my list, but if some items are on the list for a couple days, I don’t worry about it. As we all know, life is short – and some things can wait.
Horrible, horrible news from Paris. When will it end? Or will it ever end?
Congratulations, CBB! What lovely news.
Paris makes me sad on so many levels.
When I used to be in journalism, one of the things I used to ponder was my role in traumatizing the public as the immediacy and scope of global events ramped up with increasing access to information. What I mean by that is that I noticed how much senselessness could taint the community or global mindset and thus produce a form of anxiety that is difficult to resolve without “desensitization.” Further, I often felt that this anxiety was out-of-proportion…because of mechanics of gate keeping, news and ratings.
For example, statistically far more people die daily around the globe from starvation than war, far more people in our own country die from auto accidents, pharma, or medical mistakes than plane crashes, crimes, epidemics or terrorism, but the anxieties most suffer relate back to “extra-ordinary” events: school shootings acts of terror, Ebola.
It’s irrational on one hand but IMHO very real and inescapable for humans on another.
What I’d been trained to believe was that public discourse, exposure, awareness, could motivate people to work together to make a difference. But what I often saw was the opposite…how divided and helpless and cynical people became.
So Paris makes me sad for the souls lost, the families, but also for the world that just doesn’t know what to do with this stuff. My hope, just like what i used to tell myself as a journalist, is that the reality of how unpredictable our ends might be causes us all to live a little better, love a little more, and find a little more kindness and time for others 
Not to hate and divide.
I suppose for me, leaving journalism was a bit like getting a frontal lobotomy
So sad and scary about Paris.
Congrats to your D CBB and thanks for sharing the good news.
Kmc, the only thing I know for sure after Paris is that I hope everyone realizes that Starbucks cups do not represent the evil in the world.
So upsetting in Paris and everyone else.
I have had a GI illness since tues. if it doesn’t clear up this weekend I am going to the doctor.Lots of strange things this year new allergies etc… weird.
Tell me again how people handle advance degree help. Little bit of a dilemma been so happy my kids have no debt yet, but H is done and I just worry about them being crippled with student loan debt, especially when not looking to do that pays a lot in the future. (save the world). Shaw can you talk to my D?? JK. but you have the magic touch.
Congrats CBB!
Congratulations, CBB.
Mr. Arabrab is starting a new job, and so we have new health insurance choices to make right away for both December 1 and for next year. Just reading the rules on partial year HSA contributions gave me a headache.
Had a disturbing encounter tonight. One of H’s groups had a dinner. This is a great group and the only one that I have enjoyed over 33 plus years. J and I were chatting and T came up with a camera in our faces. I have a real issue with my picture being taken. period. no excuses. just won’t. So I said a polite no and moved away. T moved around J and told me that I had no choice. (no one, except the government, tells me that!). I told her she was being rude! and that she was not taking my picuture. grrr.
So this turns out to be a person my H thinks is a lovely person. He knows, accepts, and tells others to leave me alone about the picture taking–but he was not there.
When H and talked about it I gave the example of a guest saying, “thank you, I really do not want desert” and the server or host coming around to the other side and saying, “but! you have to eat this!”
No one would think that the guest would be wrong to feel insulted that their wishes were not honored.
What is it with the damn picture taking?
I am just ranting. I did not/do not feel guilty (maybe I am growing up?) but not happy that I was so strident with a nice person.
That said, perhaps she needed to hear this message.
arabrab–so glad we do not have these decisions! Good luck-- it is crazy reading.
dt–feel better!
I decided that I need to tell a positive after the last post.
I had the most amazing thing happen today!
I love glass fusion. I have run into many obstacles finding classes and ways to learn this art.
I actually asked the powers that be about a week ago to help me.
A card came in the mail a few days ago from the glass guild about the traveling show this weekend.
Meaning going from houses/studios all over the metro area.
My neighbor! just the nod and say pretty garden kind was on the list! 8 houses away!
She has an amazing studio. Mentioned a number of times that is is good to have friends with kilns.
I mentioned that my only talent is cooking–and so we are hopefully going to go forward and she will teach/help me and I will repay with dinners. She no doubt was willing to help for nothing but this makes it so much better.
She is a true artist and got right away that I do not want to make jewlery or do arts and crafts. She was an electrical engineer and her art is museum quality and very technical.
She also “got” and accepted my hearing issues–and she cannot understand if she cannot see the lips, yet has no hearing loss. I need to reseach this.
I have no idea if I have any talent but am so excited!
Yeah to CBB D’s. Great news! Needed that after the Paris incidents this weekend. Just too terrible.
I didn’t get everything on my list done and usually don’t – lets just say my list is usually overflowing. That’s okay. I’ll continue to work on those things. The things I didn’t get done are deep cleaning the living room and dining room. Not something I enjoy but I do enjoy the outcome! Cupcakes took a little bit longer than I anticipated for the Christening and well then I just wanted to knit. Shawl for MIL is complete and have started on the sweater for D (although only cast on an a couple of rows so still a LONG way to go).
CBB, how exciting!
Oregon, people frequently write into the various advice columnists with situations such as your picture taker. The advice columnists always seem to think that one can fend off these folks with a polite but firm “no.” Wrong.
In our master bedroom we’ve had the same wall-mounted bedside lamps for at least 20 years…you remember them…shiny brass, pleated shades, scream early 90s. Well mine broke about 6 months ago, H’s had to be finessed to turn on. I ordered new ones (that look like they are of this century.) H was practically inconsolable…he really thinks that once something is purchased it should never be replaced. You’d have thought I was getting rid of antique lamps created by Louis Tiffany himself. The new ones make me happy, however!
I had a medical procedure done this morning and am not allowed to drive/work until tomorrow, so I’m home today.
Oregon, I think that person who wanted to take your picture was rude. That said, I hope that you do allow your family to include you in photos. Years from now your kids and grandchild(ren) will want pictures. We have almost no pictures of H for several years as he is very camera shy, ironically he is extremely photogenic. A year ago June when S graduated HS, all 4 of the grandparents were able to attend and I took some pictures of them (and H’s aunt) with S. So glad I did as those are the last pictures we have of FIL Not trying to be morbid here, but after I pointed that out to H, he is much more willing to be photographed.
On a different note, that’s very cool about the glass fusion.
Congrats to CBB D and CBB. This weekend was very busy. Three separate dinners (with some interesting folks) plus yoga, massages, shopping for one of the dinners, shopping for glasses (ShawWife things I need contemporary edgier glasses rather than the frameless things I have had which are my first pair of glasses), a memorial ceremony for a friend’s mother (had to pick up ShawD for this as the deceased is the grandmother of her HS BFF), and hiking on some local conservation lands.
I am well known in my family for lack of photos although I like to take them I respect people who don’t want them. It is very rude to insist. I am not photogenic AT All.
Oregon glad you found your long sought after class.
FG hope you have a quick recovery.
have to go to a nutritionist my labs are off. I think it has to do with meds I am on.
I am with MP we built our house 14 years ago and H thinks things don’t need to be updated. I am going to do it anyway. I found a dining room table I want, H will not be happy. but…don’t know how to broach the subject with him.
Isis says it is going to target DC,
D2 is very sad, she is upset at my family who are very conservative and she is sad about the world and the future.
dt, hugs to your sensitive D.
I gained a bunch of weight suddenly last summer even though I was working out and hiking like a fiend.
Also, seriously suffering from muscle fatique.
Did my labs last week and my thyroid is a 10! gasp.
I never ever miss my morning dose. But at least there may be some cause and effect here.
See the doc on Thurs.
dt, hope your labs straighten out and hope the fix is great food and maybe some excellent wine.
I take the ugliest pictures. It hurts me to look at them as I do not think, and have no reason to think,
that that is what I look like in 3D.
Congrats, CBB on the exciting news!
oregon101, you are lovely in person so sorry if you’re not photogenic.
D finally got fed up with her job a while back and on a whim applied for a position at a different company. She’s been working 12 hour days, including weekends, for too long. They have been short staffed and she’s doing 3 jobs. Anyway, she has a FOURTH interview with the other company today. Today’s interview is with HR. She likes the company she’s currently working for, but her supervisor is difficult and demanding and she can’t keep up these hours.