Fri. Nov. 24, 2023: Yuletide Decorating Begins
image courtesy of wildhearts via pixabay.comFriday, November 24, 2023
Waxing Moon
Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde
Cloudy and raw
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, if you celebrated. If you did not, I hope it was a great Thursday.
The 2024 Questions to ponder are up on the Goals, Dreams, and Resolutions site.
Today’s serial episode is from Angel Hunt:
Episode 88: A Risky Attempt at Healing
Lianna determines to save Gaston’s life, no matter the odds.
Tomorrow’s serial episode is from Deadly Dramatics:
Episode 38: Nels Intervenes
A mysterious stranger urges Nina to run during a rest stop.
Wednesday, the weather was awful, and I was grateful to stay home. I cleaned the house, I made gingerbread. I felt like I was coming down with a cold, sort of, so I took it easy, and didn’t go to tarot circle, because, even if it’s not the plague, I don’t want to expose anyone to anything. The potential planning chaos for next autumn seems to be resolved (until I sign a contract, I will worry, but that’s me).
I finished detailing the big project, but it was too wet to put on the finishing spray. I hope to do that later this morning.
Made some notes on a novella that I may start drafting over the coming weeks for release next holiday season. I like to write them in-season, even though it’s then too late to submit them. I have a whole Process Muse post planned for that topic!
Somebody was trying to hack my Google mail/drive Wednesday night, claiming to be from Chase bank and that there was a problem. Honey, I stopped doing business with Chase more than a decade ago, and loathe Jamie Dimon more than any other human on the planet. I had to report it multiple times to Google before anything was done.
Up early on Thursday. I felt better, but tired. My mom wasn’t feeling well. I gave her some medicine, which helped.
Made the stuffing. We’ve had a lot of ciabatta lately, so that was the base for the stuffing, along with carrots, onion, celery, the last of the fresh herbs from the front porch, apple, currants, and butter. Got the bird in the oven a little before 9.
Set the table, climbed up to the high cupboards to get the serving dishes, got everything all set up, and then read while the turkey cooked, and noodled in my head on several projects in reading breaks.
Took out the garbage. Picked up the mail. Letter from the landlord: Happy Thanksgiving, your rent’s raised. It’s not that much and still do-able, and at least he hasn’t sold the building. Yet. But still a little depressing on Thanksgiving.
I finished re-reading John Gregory Dunne’s MONSTER, about screenwriting, and the 8-year process to get UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL on screen. The days when screenwriters were paid well. He’s very open about the fact that he and his wife, Joan Didion, wrote for screen for the money, the freedom the money gave them for other projects, and the health insurance.
Read the second Julia Phillips memoir, DRIVING UNDER THE AFFLUENCE. Most of it was a nonsensical word salad. When she researched a specific project, or talked about misogyny or politics, there was actually good material, but the rest of it was a hot mess.
The dinner was good. Even the gravy turned out (gravy is often my nemesis). The rest of the turkey was stripped from the bones and put away; dishes done; and stock made. By mid-afternoon, we were in a comfortable turkey coma. It was a nice, stress-free day.
Read a book that was highly recommended, but I found the writing mediocre and the characters whiny. Was annoyed that I’d wasted several hours with them. Started to read another book, also highly recommended, but it’s in present tense, so nope.
Slept pretty well. The winter holiday decorating begins today. I already brought out all the fabric (bless me for ironing it before I put it away last winter, so I don’t lose a half a day ironing). Already started stripping down the mantel, because I want to do something very different with it this year. Will strip the tables, etc. after breakfast, put the fabric down, and then rebuild all the displays/décor from there.
The tree probably won’t go up until Sunday. In the Cape house, the tree had to go up first and everything built around it. Here, it’s easier if the tree goes up last, because it’s in the doorway between the living room and the sewing room.
I’ll do what I can and not worry today. I have to take a break after lunch to turn around two small script coverages. I’d like to do some writing, but don’t think that’s going to happen.
Not doing Nano this year made my life much less stressful.
I don’t shop on Black Friday, although I do have to go to the grocery store later to get the basics: coffee, milk, bread.
Tomorrow, (Small Business Saturday), we go to Whitney’s for the wreath, and possibly some other greens. And do more decorating. Sunday’s all about the decorating, and it’s the First of Advent. But I hope to have the Advent table done by today, even if the mantel isn’t finished.
I’m taking the cats’ favorite Chewy box and packing the year-round decorations in it for the holidays. They won’t be happy about that, but they love the Christmas tree (and they’re really good with it).
I’ll be posting photos of the decorations on Instagram (@devonellingtonwork), which should cross-post on FB.
Have a great weekend!
