Finish it Fridays.*

*Yes, I realise it is no longer Friday anywhere in the world.

A couple of things have stopped me from posting:

1) I have no camera, still. Had I known it would be this long, I would have done my research on a digital SLR and probably have had it in hand by now. I am extremely frustrated.

2) We're completely time-shifted. Yes, again. My husband was on holidays the last week of November and we all got off track. Then, the kids and I just kept drifting. I wasn't in bed last night until 5:00 am. We're not awake until noon. It's a shame because it leaves me so little of the day--the sun sets at 4:30pm, now. I miss my sunshine!

I apologise profusely for not keeping up with you--if only for the fact that it makes for lengthy, rambling posts when I do decide to show up!


The Cure is over.

I think it was a huge mistake for Maxwell et al., to start so late. Having US Thanksgiving occur within the Cure --and especially so near the end-- just drained people, I think. It really doesn't matter whether people went anywhere or did anything: it's an emotional space and it marks beginnings and endings. Having the Cure extend past it was just too demanding--especially considering that folks tend to peter out near the end and need an infusion of energy to finish: not a leak! But that's just my theory. I know I got distracted by prepping for Christmas. In fact, I still have a few Cure projects incomplete which are nagging at me.

I am also quite involved with my Organizing for the Holidays course at Simplify 101. Part of it involves a private message board and gallery--and it has been immeasurably helpful to be part of the class this way. It does, however, consume quite a bit of my computer time. One component is called "Finish it Fridays." The idea is to make a small, doable list of niggling things and pledge to have them done by Monday. Our "weekend" consists of Sunday and Monday, but "Finish it Saturdays" just doesn't have the same ring. So, without further ado:

Projects I pledge to have completed by Tuesday:

1) Clean the upstairs hallway. Aurelia still has buckets of things she cleaned out from her room waiting to go into the donation box in the basement.

2) Finish painting a side table. It needs a third and final coat of white. (I took a photo of it unpainted while I was still adjusting to the fact that I was now using a film camera.)

My daughter puts her playhouse on top of it and uses the levels underneath to hold vehicles and extra furniture, etc. She misses it.

3) Wrap Scrap albums for my Mom.

4) Collect Stocking stuffers and assess whether more is needed (and for whom.) Nine year old girls are so easy to buy for! Twelve year old boys? Not so much.

5) Put away the summer curtains from the living room. No, I didn't finish ironing them. sigh.

I have a longer list in my head which would be great to get to, as well, but these are my priorities. There's just one more:

6) I'd also like to catch up with all of you this weekend, too.

I'll let you know how it goes.