End-of-the-Year Plans

We are home now from our 5 days away in Chapel Hill. No oncology appointments this time--that's coming on November 28th!  This was just the annual gathering with our best friends, and it was so pleasant and fun, although they'd literally moved into their new house *four days before we arrived.* We had a nice time catching up together and getting to know their new place, but it was wonderful to get home yesterday.  Does anyone else just love and crave Normal Life?  I do. There are always so many things to do at home that I enjoy: baking things, tidying up, laundry, reading books, checking out the flowerbeds (frosty now!).... I love these things. 

The first night in Chapel Hill I couldn't sleep and was awake until about 4:30 (very unusual for me).  I tossed, I turned, I tossed again....finally I decided to order reading glasses. I realized last year that when my vision is corrected by contact lenses or my glasses, I struggle to read up close.  When I'm wearing glasses, I just take them off to read, but when I'm wearing contacts, I need reading glasses! I bought an inexpensive pair ($1ish) at the dollar store in January in preparation for the trip I took with my sister, because I planned to wear contacts all the time, but I wanted to read lots of books.  I've used those off and on ever since, but decided it was time to up my game with cuter frames.  Peepers are cute!  They were having a buy one/get one sale and I wound up getting 4 pairs for about $11 each. Which seems excessive when I type it, but felt very logical at 3 a.m. I will have one pair at my desk, one in my handbag, one in my car.....I should not need to buy reading glasses again for a deacde.

Now that our trip is done I can turn my attention to The Rest of the Year.  What needs to be done? 

*Finish Christmas shopping. Start wrapping!

*Purge and organize in Finn's room. I started, but got sidelined. I'd like to finish this by Thanksgiving at the latest, because once Advent begins, I know I won't have time. 

*Wrap up a couple of work projects--by Thanksgiving, that's my goal!

*Get the outside spaces cleaned up a bit (raking, trimming, tidying)

*Lay off of flour and sugar to give my body a rest from these substances

*Sit down with the planner and a cup of coffee and make sure I've got some intentional things plugged into December.  Last year I didn't do anything, really; I was so, so sad about my Dad and so depressed that I did the bare minimum just to get through the holidays.  That's not normal for me, but it's what I needed during that hard season.  This year I'm happy to get back to some of our beloved traditions. 

*Maybe hosting a small group at our house next week.

*Finding a few more fall dresses/skirts to wear--Annie and I haven't started the challenge yet, but we may soon! I did buy 5 long tunic-type sweatshirts (mimicking my inimitable Aunt Mary, who wears this exact one from Walmart a lot--it comes down low with good coverage!) with some very cute and comfortable leggings. Good for at-home days of cleaning and cooking, with an apron! But I want a few winter skirts and dresses for streetwear.

...and then there are all the usual things: taking my children to many, many lessons and rehearsals and classes and performances and work, paying bills, making meals, trying to exercise and sleep!