Decluttering and home maintenance

Fabbo @Smc, ahead of other years = something to celebrate.

Yeah @Former-Member, it's nice seeing the decorations looking all cheery.

We've got extra motivation this year- Younger Son's girlfriend is joining us Christmas Eve for dinner. Her first time here. I won't be able to have all the chaos sorted, but I said to our son that I want to actually get the house to where I've wanted it to be every Christmas. Not spotless, can't do that, but at least tidy enough that we have room to move and don't feel like there's clutter and disarray peering over our shoulders. Table cleared, stacks and plies tamed and reduced instead of boxfulls being stuffed out of the way into our bedroom before lunch... and having to come out again after everyone leaves so we can get in there to sleep!

Hope this isn't a "too close" question- how are you and your Mr. celebrating this year? I mean, a lot of us here know how hard it can be orgainsing celebrations when things are otherwise hard and sad.

At this stage it will be our usual quiet Christmas @Smc If we hear of any other 'Christmas orphans' (others who are without family on the day) we will ask them to our place - at this stage we have one girlfriend who plans on coming.

Procrastinating on painting the porch area, have had the paint for months. Think it is psychological, Mr D said when the job was done, he would be done too ☹️ so I haven't had the courage to finish the job.

@Former-Member.
We'll have a couple of extras Christmas afternoon, for board games and "leftovers" dinner. Friends who usually spend Christmas with family in the U.S. Not happening this year, funny that. I did want to invite them to lunch but Older Daughter was uneasy about extras making the place crowded, and our friend is in the "inner circle" about what's going on with her, so she's understanding about it.

Finally managed to dispatch an old chair to the dump today. Hqve been putting it off as I like it. It did need repairs. Sad to see it go but Santa is bringing me a new one so progress.

Darling was over the old one dropping bits so arranged the new one.

After that was removed and we were on a cleaning frenzy I had a look at a speaker (used for musical instruments) that has not been working right and diagnosed the problem. It had been a.bit hard to get to but had it all pulled out for cleaning. Going to the shop on Monday for repairs.

Hello @Clawde 😁

Are you in need of any gentle encouragement in the declutterering or home maintenance department?

Your name reminds me of a friend who once had a cat named Clawde Monet.