Tues. Nov. 28, 2023: Just Chugging Along
image courtesy of Miriam Müller via pixabay.comTuesday, November 28, 2023
Last Day of Full Moon
Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde
Sunny and cold, with clouds and snow coming in
Hope you had a great weekend.
Gemini Full Moon is not my friend.
Today’s episode is from Legerdemain:
Episode 141: Annoying Men Getting Annoyed
Shelley doesn’t have time to soothe fragile male egos when her city’s at risk.
Friday morning, I started by stripping down the mantel and a couple of shelves/tables in the living room and covering them in yuletide fabric. That took longer than expected, mostly because I was trying to figure out what to do with some of the stuff I stripped off, like books and magazines that are in the TBR pile. I’m going to have to figure out where to stash them.
I got some of the fabric swapped out in my office, and packed away some of the year-round items. We’re doing things a little differently each year, which is fun. It takes longer to do it, because you’re figuring stuff out, and often what you think works doesn’t so there’s rearranging going on, but the process is fun. It just takes some time.
Got the boxes out from under the guest beds that have garlands and non-breakables in them. Put some up; others were put where they will go, although I haven’t yet put them up. The hallway decorations require layering.
The wide scarfing ribbon I tried on the sewing room doors didn’t work; I have some softer scarfing on one glass door side, but I don’t have a matched set.
As I unpacked some of the ceramic ornaments, I found a bunch of Christmas mice I bought last year (I have a thing for Christmas mice). I forgot about them. I might give them their own space on top of the rolltop desk. Maybe the scarfing ribbon that didn’t work on the doors will work there.
The mantel is taking a lot more time this year, too, because we are being more elaborate. I hope, in the coming year, I can find the size and style of mirror I want for it.
Charlotte slept through most of the chaos. Tessa marched around after me letting me know she didn’t like that I used the Chewy box to pack things.
Accepted the new rental agreement, since we want to stay here, at least for now.
Did a couple of small coverages.
Started the garlands on the stairs, and wrapped the handrail and the top banister with lights. We’re using colorful lights this year instead of white ones.
Could feel the lifting and working in my back and the bad hip by the end of the day.
Leftover turkey dinner and then some reading. I read the fourth of the Elouise Norton series; it’s a good one. Rachel Howzell Hall is such a good writer.
Up early on Saturday. Puttered around bit, but we were out the door before 9 to drive down to Whitney’s in Cheshire for a wreath. Found a good one, right off, but they didn’t have small enough bunches of greens for which I hoped. Everything was either in ropes or big bunches.
We just bought the wreath, and that was an ordeal, because first the cashier overcharged me $6. When I pointed it out, she changed it, then double charged me for the wreath. I pointed that out and she refunded one. Hopefully, it all sorts through the bankcard properly. I will keep my eye on it. It wasn’t like it was busy; she wasn’t paying attention and didn’t care.
Stopped at another store on the way home to get more artificial garland for the empty spot on the top banister. Of course, the one I wanted was on the top shelf where I couldn’t reach it, so I had to hunt down an employee and ask them to get a ladder. I felt bad, since I only wanted one, and it was only $4, but they were very nice. AND, I found the Terry’s chocolate oranges, so I stocked up on those. Because last year, I didn’t buy enough my first or second time out, and they sold through.
Back, got everything unpacked, did two small coverages, then decorated the wreath and hung it on the door. It’s simpler this year than last, but I like it.
Decided to use the new garland all way along the top banister (because it fits). Took the other garland off and put it in Tessa’s room instead, on the bureau, where it looks good. The new garland is fine, but it was a PITA to redo the lights after I’d firmly fastened them and wound them. Then we decorated the top banister, and the section of banister that curves down. Last year, I used red ribbon and turned the rest of the white banister into a candy cane, but I’m not sure I want to do that again. Added decorations to the garlands.
Got the deer and the Nutcrackers unpacked and organized on the stairs. Some of the Nutcrackers need to visit Ornament Hospital this week. A lot of them have lost the bottoms of their boots over the years. I need to learn how to make them new boots.
I’d hoped to unpack the big Christmas closet in the sewing room and then repack it all before we put up the tree, but the most fragile ornaments are packed in a special bin at the bottom of the Christmas closet. So I unpacked what I could, moved a bunch of stuff into my office for the moment so we have room to put up the tree, and then I’ll rearrange things.
The tree sits in the doorway, framed by the glass doors partially opened, between the sewing room and the living room, so once it’s up, I have to take the long way around to the sewing room. Which is fine.
Unpacked the Santas and needed two staging areas because they don’t all fit on my big work table in my office. I have 43 Santas now (in a wide variety of sizes). And 35 Nutcrackers, also in all sizes. I haven’t counted the contents of the bin of stuffed animals, the Christmas mice, the elves, or the snowmen. There are quite a few of those, too.
I LOVE these decorations, and each one tells a story. The decorations are my personal history.
Re-read last year’s short holiday tale, “Comfort, then Joy” that was in the newsletter, and it’s kind of fun. Too short to be released on its own, but could be combined with a couple of other holiday tales for a Delectable Digital Delight volume. Probably next year. I have to look through the other Christmasy-stories I’ve created for the newsletter over the years to see if any can be combined into a holiday collection. There’s one, that takes place at a diner in a blizzard, that needs to be expanded and developed. I came up with an idea for a collection of very darkly comic holiday mystery shorts, but don’t know when I’ll get a chance to write them. Maybe sneak them in around other projects throughout the year?
Up early on Sunday. Wrote about 2600 words on a novella. Felt good to slide into the fiction again.
Spent the rest of the day decorating. We got the tree into the stand (the new one I bought last year, after I gave up on the one that came with the tree when I bought it at Pergament in 1990 or whenever it was). Got the lights on (my least favorite part). Tied off the tree to the hinges of the sewing room door with monofilament, so it can’t fall over.
Charlotte watched from a safe distance. Tessa supervised. We kept the branches a little higher than usual, so she can walk under the tree without smacking anything. She likes to go back and forth under the tree between the living room and the sewing room, knowing she can do it and humans can’t, while the tree is up. Willa visited now and again. I’ve nicknamed them the Tuna Artists. Although Charlotte prefers smoked salmon to tuna, which she thinks is for peasants.
We got most of the ornaments on the tree, but there’s still another shelf full of boxes in the pantry. And we unpacked a bunch of stuff that doesn’t go on the tree, but we’re not sure where to put it yet.
It’s a process.
Managed to get some reading done in the evening, Martha Wells’s latest Murderbot book, SYSTEM COLLAPSE. The voice in that series is so strong. It’s a lot of fun.
Slept pretty well into Monday. Had trouble getting going. The Gemini Full Moon is not my friend.
Plus, I felt like I hadn’t had a day off, so I’m tired. But I need to push hard to get things done this week and next week, before Mercury goes retrograde on the 13th. I want to finish the decorating, do a session of Ornament Hospital, get out the domestic cards and gifts, do the baking, make the cookie platter deliveries. Get some writing done. And do enough client work to keep the bills paid and have a little something-something extra for the holidays.
Once everything is done and Mercury goes Retrograde (until New Year’s Day, for crying out loud), the plan is to do as much of nothing but sit by the lit tree as possible, along with writing and client work. And creating next year’s business plan.
But there was still Monday to get through.
Ha.
Wrote a little over 1K on the novella. Tried to figure out how to get out of the corner I’ve written myself into in Legerdemain, because that has to be fixed this week. Dealt with some admin – someone keeps trying to hack the Devon Ellington Work website. I sent my editor information so I can be paid for the short story coming out in December. I did the episode graphics for this week’s episodes of Legerdemain, and also the episode videos for all the serials and got them uploaded/scheduled to TikTok. Did a round of promotions for “Just Jump in and Fly” one of my favorite shorts under the Ava Dunne name. Got my unlimited class pass for yoga for the next month – that takes care of the lower back clinic, the regular Thursday class, a couple of special classes, and I might see if I can start going on Monday evenings, too. I booked all the regular classes I take through the end of the year, and will make a decision about the Mondays the night before.
Did a drop-off/pick-up at the library. Had to sort out a Commonwealth Catalog book I returned last Monday, but was still on my record as checked out.
Turned around two medium coverages and a couple of score sheets. Have a bunch of stuff in the queue, but most of it is small, and I’m not sure I will make my nut this pay period. I’ll be okay, but not where I want to be. At the same time, it’s only just starting to ramp up again after the strike. I doubt I’ll be able to take the week between Christmas and New Year’s off from coverage work.
Got Wednesday’s Process Muse post polished, uploaded, scheduled. I would like to finish all of December’s this weekend and get them up and scheduled. I also have to write the social media wrap-up for Ink-Dipped Advice that needs to go up next week.
Didn’t get any decorating done or cards written, which stressed me out, but I was cooked by the end of the workday.
Didn’t sleep well. Woke up to a recruiter wanting me to interview for a position as a practical nurse. I shot back an email reminding said recruiter that I am a writer – why are they trying to pitch me as a nurse, which is not my profession? Also found out that Goddess Provisions charged me the monthly subscription – even though I cancelled it, and they had to help me get into the account to cancel it. So I went back in, re-cancelled it, reminded them of the exchange couple weeks back, and asked for a refund. Hopefully, we are not ending five years’ worth of customer relationship on such a sour note.
I didn’t go to the laundromat this morning, because it was supposed to be snowing. It hasn’t started yet; let’s hope it’s not snowing all the way through tomorrow morning, which is my backup laundromat day.
My Mercury is already Retrograde, and I am tired. And a little discouraged.
Hope your week’s off to a better start.
