I am putting up at least one tree tonight.

Two days away has improved my headspace enough for me to know I will do that.

I took off Friday and drove the foster pup, Glenda Roux, down to her new home 5 hours away, then meet one set of cousins for dinner and a visit, spent the night with another set of cousins and had brunch with them and my aunt and uncle.

One the drive down I listened to one full Book on tape and on the way back I got about halfway through a much longer, but also much better Book on Tape (Americcanah).

Since I have been, I've vacuumed two rooms, got a load of laundry in, did dishes in sink and filled/started dishwasher, and have the second load of laundry to start. I'm walking all dog related items, dog bed covers, blankets, couch cover, toys - so that when the new temp fosters come tomorrow most of the Roux smell will be gone (hopefully).

I need to go pick up Bailey now-ish, but the sitters are not responding to my text, so I think they might be out. Maybe I'll get the tree out waiting for their text.

That all sounds good, msbelle!

I watched some shows and wrote lovely notes to my team, so I'm feeling better and less pressed. Everything will be fine! All I really have to do before 2 tomorrow is make devilled eggs and get up my tree (real or fake!). Cleaning would be nice, but that can wait.

Does laundry count as done if it's washed, dried, and in the basket out of the machines? Because I'm usually pretty good at follow through, but three out of four loads are sitting in the baskets in the living room, unfolded. Don' wanna.

Guys are in Arizona, heading west before they real sudden like, turn left (actually, they should be turning *right*) on the last leg home. H took a picture of StY Standin' on a corner in Winslow, AZ because that's the kind of people we are.

I *might* get the flowers and ribbons off the front door broom, replace them with pine branches and cones and holly leaves and berries and hung back on the door, and the electric candles in the front windows tomorrow. And until some brawny person comes home and can get the heavy boxes off the high shelf and out of the closet, that's it for decor.

I think I'm gonna avoid the dangerous salad and be indulgent tonight and have mac&cheese for supper. Just gotsta go boil noodles.

make devilled eggs and get up my tree

Easily done! And good things to do.

Mmmm, deviled eggs!!

I made shortbread cookies tonight but skipped a friend's birthday party. Which I feel bad about, but it was "leave houseguest on his own and don't really get to spend much time with him" (he's got other friends scheduled for time other days) or "see friends but spend $50-60 on Lyft because I can't drive" so...yeah. It was a wine tasting party and I can't drink right now. But I'm sure I still would've had fun.

That sounds like a reasonable choice, meara.

I am slightly less crabby today, and my mother offered to do my grocery shopping for me, which was nice. She's also taking my library books back, also nice! So I feel better about her, too.

I was going to help a friend with some things yesterday afternoon. But I walked out the door and found my car's left rear tire flat as a pancake. So instead I spent the afternoon waiting for AAA to swap out the tire for the donut spare, then waiting for the repair shop to figure out what had happened and fix it. It turned out that the air valve had gotten cracked, which was just a $15 fix. However, when the AAA guy was taking off the flat he pointed out some stuff that suggested it had been on there for over a year. Since I'd paid the shop to rotate my tires when I got an oil change a couple of weeks ago, I'm not entirely thrilled by this information. That's one shop off my list. Pity, because they're just across the street from an indy bookstore. But location isn't everything, and they may well have been responsible for my cracked valve and, thus, my wasted Saturday afternoon, too.

Oh, that sucks!

I went to the fancy tree place and spent $50 on a small tree and stand, which seems like a lot. But I do like it! I threw the lights right on, but I guess I should let it relax a little before putting ornaments on. I'm a little afraid the cat will pull it down, but fingers crossed!

I'm going to try and deal with the dozen or so containers with decorations and stuff. I'm trying to get all my stuff and all my mom's ornaments on my tree for a super densely populated tree. I don't know if it is possible, but I've added more every day for a week. If nothing else I'll empty all these containers and sort and organize the contents.

It seems silly to have all the ornamentation all over the house when I'm not doing any gatherings this year. We'll go to my brother and sister's side of the state Christmas Eve, then Christmas Day dinner will be at DH's brother's house. Maybe I'll host a Sunday brunch or something. If I don't make plans to have people over I won't finish organizing stuff.

Went to The Wiz last night. The cast was quite good, dancing so nice, but the sound was horrible. They are in a new venue and the sound hasn't been worked out at all. The orchestra was way too loud. The poor Tin Man's mic wasn't working. Just uneven and cutting in and out, and shudder worthy. It didn't distract DH as much as me. I expect they will get it together before my next visit. The Producers is next, but I just saw that last year. My One and Only, Ghost, and Thoroughly Modern Millie are following and I'll go to those.

Trying to support both the Lauderhill and Delray Beach theaters more.

Oh, Calli, what an annoyance.

Yay Jesse! Good to hear. Take a picture when you are finished. I tried to take some, but the tree is in front of a window which is problematic.