June Week Ahead
Schools now out in our town and for all my family with kids. I hope to get summer ball schedules as that's a nice break to go watch a game on a perfect summer night. I have at least another grad party to attend, but it's not until July. This week, I'm focused on home. My house really has been in neglect with me being gone and before that being outside more than in. I'm having family bookclub/cards Saturday after we do our Adopt a Park cleaning, so that gives me motivation.
Yesterday was just a tidying day with dusting and vacuuming, nearly daily needs with pets and open windows. I got the back yard mowed after it dried out some from the overnight showers. Today is kitchen focused. I'm purging my storage container area, if it doesn't have a matching lid, it's gone. I'll also clean the coffee and toaster areas, and minimally get the bakers rack looking pristine. Windows and floor will get a better job than the usual. There's rain in the forecast so I'll need to walk the big dog more as running too much in back yard will just mean more mud spots created and tracked in. The muddy paw rug helps some but not the way he attracts it and he hates having his paws wiped. Maybe a dog park visit will help.
Tomorrow, Siobhan and I are meeting on Whatsapp to really start my (our) trip planning. Tentatively the loose plans are to start at hers in Bristol a few days, then a road trip south, around, and back up and over through Cornwall, Dorsett, the Cotswolds and back to hers. I might not have names of areas right but here's a map I did on Google. We'll have overnight stays during this leg in a couple different areas as the home base.
We'll get back to hers again for more localish adventures before heading for 6-7 days in London. My 60th birthday falls on that leg so thinking a special afternoon tea or maybe a West End show? I fly home Thursday, US Thanksgiving. This is still five months away, so back to now.
Grand pup will have his regular doggy daycare day Tuesday, and I think son has a free day so I'll use his help, without the help of the dog, to get behind the appliances missed Monday. I'll also have him load more boxed clutter in my car and hit the donation bins before getting the dog picked up.
That leaves three days to just keep on with the day to day stuff, laundry, dishes, mowing, weeding, and continued decluttering. I need to still download and read the book for Saturday. Trivia might be Wednesday or possibly trying The Letters Game trivia on Thursday (2nd Thursday of month) but will depend on friends schedules.
My youngest and her roommate are adopting another kitten and get him Thursday. Hers does do much better anxiety wise when he's here, having sons cat as a playmate. She's either working from home or roommate is for the next week so can slowly introduce them supervised. I'll need a trip to St Paul to see the baby. We truly are pet people. My son's already thinking he needs to get a second for Little Miss.
Not an exciting week, but a well needed home week.
I deep cleaned in my kitchen yesterday and still have a few things to do in there. I even pulled the refrigerator out, vacuumed the motor, and mopped underneath it. I found several utensils back there that had been missing too. Your trip sounds like it's going to be so much fun. I hope you have the best time when you go in November. I'm dropping off some donations today too. It feels so good to declutter items around the house. I need to weed eat my yard too, but the string has come off the weed eater and I haven't been very successful putting it back on, but Bailey has, so I need to get her to help me with that. It' so helpful when our children can help us with things like this like your son is helping you with the appliances. Getting a second cat helped ours from being lonely, it really is good for them to have a companion aka someone they can get in trouble with. LOL
ReplyDeleteI did not get as much done today as I hoped, darn headache, then took advantage of coolish day for a long walk but no excuses rest of the week. I can't wait to meet the kitten.
DeleteYour trip sounds so exciting! I can’t wait to hear all about it :) DD and I are both free Wednesday and standing room tickets are $9 for the Pittsburgh Pirates afternoon game so I think we’re going to do that after she gets her license renewed in the morning. We also planned our girls trip for July and she’s adding a day to her trip in August with her boyfriend. They are going to see The Weeknd in Landover MD. She also gets into Six Flags for free, a perk of her current job. Anyone have any restaurant or experiences in the area to recommend? JoAnn
ReplyDeleteI haven't been to a Twins game for two years. We're looking at getting tickets with a large family and friend group. I hope your daughter has a great time.
DeleteYour trip plans sound amazing. What a great thing to have to look forward to.
ReplyDeleteI am counting down days. Well, not quite but close!
DeleteI'm so excited about your trip and am very impressed that you've started planning already!
ReplyDeleteWhen I think back to how domesticated I was with my regular cleaning and daily gardening during lockdown it's like I was a different person. Our house is back to its usual pre-festival chaos. xxx
We'll have spontaneity too but to get a budget estimate will help me know if I should be more accepting of sub gigs, or just keep that for true fun money. I find more to do instead of cleaning.
DeleteIt is remarkable how gratifying it is to clear up 'storage containers', so i totally get that!! :-)
ReplyDeleteThought: sometimes I will read a Roads Scholar tour description to help me plan a trip.
Wishing you a terrific week of retirement and being in the moment.
It was a good feeling to drop those odds and misfits in the recycle bin.
DeleteYou're making me feel lazy with all your deep cleaning and decluttering. Love hearing about the cats and dogs in your life. They do change how you do things.
ReplyDeleteDon't feel like that...I'll pitter away time no doubt and did today.
DeleteYour trip is going to be everything and more. I hope the week at home is productive, Another kitten - exciting!
ReplyDeleteJust from pictures I'm in love with him.
DeleteI hope you can visit The Eden Project whilst you are in Cornwall. It's one of my favourite places to go.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that recommendation. There's so much in my list.
DeletePlanning a trip is part of the fun of going on one.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week and I hope you get all the things done that you want/need to this week. And if not put it all in a spare room and shut the door!
I whole heatedly agree. I love the research and planning, back up planning, and also prepping. I also agree that closed doors and extra rooms serve a great purpose.
DeleteYour trip looks great! Planning it out is a great way to keep costs reasonable and have a good time. Your pets are very fortunate to have been adopted into your family.
ReplyDeleteI want to not scrimp on important parts of the trip, but also be mindful that this is the first of many I want to do, so can't break my bank. I think we're the lucky humans.
DeleteI read about someone who washed two dogs' feet. They learned to wait patiently while their feet were washed. She gave them a treat afterward. It seems like it would be worth the trouble to teach them to stand still and get feet washed.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who has a dog that spends lots of time in yard. She uses carpet cleaner on her white carpet at least twice a week.
Too many allergies keep me from having a pet in the house. Plus, caring for one is beyond either of us.
This place is a pigsty. None of the sites people left me were of any use. Finally, I found a place to get help in cleaning. Since we are turning one bedroom into a bathroom, that means the room will have to be cleared, which means other bedrooms have to be cleared of junk, too. There is too much to do for a person the pick up and help me sort junk from good stuff! It is disheartening. I am glad you can sort and toss.
When I moved here, Tommy had dozens of large plastic containers that someone had given to him full of soup. We kept those until this last winter--five years. Finally, he relented with ease.
They will let me, just don't like it. When warm they step in a bucket with a towel handy, but it only controls most but not all. I think frozen stuff can easily be forgotten in freezer crevices.
DeleteThese containers were not in the freezer. There were several huge stacks, maybe three dozen containers in all, probably more. He did finally consent to tossing them.
DeleteThose few months will go very quickly. I hope you have a wonderful time when you visit us here in the UK and that you get to visit lots of places and make happy memories to take home.
ReplyDeleteI know I'll enjoy it. This is about trying to build my next chapter.
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