debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 28, 2022 5:47:24 GMT -5
I hope everyone had a good Christmas!
By miracle, my niece and her kids made it despite so many cancelled flights. We had a lovely Christmas but it's been extremely hectic here.
Niece is in Paris now instead of in an AirBnB down the street.
Unfortunately, DS1 has Covid. I'm really hoping the rest of us don't get it. But at least we didn't have to cancel like we did last year.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 23, 2022 16:52:27 GMT -5
Debthaven: 23 Dec 2022 19,500 euros (Goal 17,000 euros)
I had an amazing salary from Job 1 this month, paid early. It included a retirement bonus.
PS For now we have managed to cash flow Christmas without using savings but we’ll see where we stand after everyone leaves on 30 Dec.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 23, 2022 16:41:33 GMT -5
What a fabulous looking pantry Chloe!
Yay for DD arriving Rukh!
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 23, 2022 8:36:27 GMT -5
Everyone went to the mall, I stayed behind to put in my marks (and also to enjoy the quiet lol). All done!!! I'm excited to have much less marking in the future! DS3's gift arrived a day late, but it arrived! Whew!
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 22, 2022 16:53:12 GMT -5
Thanks Iggy aka IG that’s very helpful! And it sounds like a lot of fun. 😊
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 22, 2022 8:55:36 GMT -5
I finished all my marking. 🥳 (I did it during naptime.)
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 21, 2022 18:37:06 GMT -5
Glad you're having a nice break TheOtherMe ! Iggy aka IG I'm guessing the all-in-one is a printer/scanner/photocopier? They are indeed a huge pain to set up. Last week I asked DH how he'd feel about doing Secret Santa for our family. DH said, absolutely out of the question!!! Today DS1 asked us the same question ... and DH asked him what a Secret Santa was!!! LOL Long story short, we all agreed to do that as of next Christmas. DS1 + DS2 also have to buy for my ex's family, DS1 has to buy for DDIL's family, DS3 has to buy for A's family ... etc etc etc. Apparently DDIL's family has been doing Secret Santa for years (for the adults). I'm very happy DS1 suggested it. I will probably "compensate" a bit for my kids'/their spouse's/partner's birthdays, but that's OK. I find it so stressful to have to find all these Christmas gifts all at the same time. (I know some people shop for Christmas all year, but alas, I've never been one of them.) Spouses and kids would be excluded, so you'd have your Secret Santa recipient but you'd also gift your spouse, and any children (E and I for now). Do any of you use this system? How do you find it? This week (maybe?)- mark 6 35 essays (I marked 4 more essays very late tonight.)
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 21, 2022 10:27:04 GMT -5
Whoo hoo@kkortlof ! Congrats on reaching your goal!
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 21, 2022 6:55:48 GMT -5
I FINALLY got my final exams. DH and DS3 did a huge grocery shop this morning and I marked 25/35 essays!!! DS1/DDIL/E/I arrive at 4 pm but now I have a raging headache so I'm stopping. Only 10 essays left! I feel much better about them now. They're not due till 6 Jan. But I just wanted a clear head, you know?
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 21, 2022 6:50:32 GMT -5
Oh that's fabulous finnime ! Congratulations! It looks beautiful! I would like to order one for DGD but it's not available here yet. There's time, I'll get it for her birthday in May.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 20, 2022 5:11:23 GMT -5
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 19, 2022 18:48:02 GMT -5
Ouch Rukh O'Rorke ! I use a heating cream but that sort of thing usually takes a few days. TheOtherMe once you've downloaded the Uber app and put in your card info you should find it pretty intuitive. Remember you can use it both for rides and food/restaurant deliveries. Iggy aka IG I'm so glad you had a great weekend! Thanks for the film suggestion! I will look for Stork to watch it with my grandson! Enjoy the more relaxed schedule moneysquirrel ! So good to see you back Knee Deep in Water Chloe . Tues- pick up package - get 2 more gifts for E and I (for Hanukah) I can't believe that the semester I'm retiring is literally the first semester I won't have finished my marking before Christmas lol. I'll do as much as I can on Wednesday before the kids arrive, then leave it until early Jan. I have about 7h of marking total, and I'm hoping to do half on Wednesday.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 19, 2022 18:43:40 GMT -5
Yikes nidena ! Maybe there's another option?! Or at least another estimate?!
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 19, 2022 3:53:31 GMT -5
That's a lot to carry on your own startsmart . I am now off for 2 weeks!!! Unfortunately I still have my Job 1 marking to do. I don't get those exams till Wednesday so I'll finish them in January.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 17, 2022 8:20:37 GMT -5
plugginaway22 he's retiring in May but he's self-employed and will continue working too. He can work from anywhere. I too am looking forward to weekends away!
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 16, 2022 20:17:43 GMT -5
I stayed up WAY too late to wrap gifts (except for the ones I bought at the department store today, the store did gift bags for those).
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 16, 2022 16:36:25 GMT -5
I am indeed retiring as of 1 Jan. DH is having knee-replacement surgery in January, so we won't be able to travel for a while. So (surprise) I ended up accepting a bit more work. I'm reducing my hours by 33%. As many of you pointed out, the percentage is meaningless. The important thing is that I'll be at school 2 days/week (plus the occasional third day) instead of 3 days/week (plus the occasional fourth day). If we'd known about DH's surgery earlier, I probably would have opted to retire at the end of the school year. By the time we found out, it was too late to change my retirement date. So I'll be at Job 1 on Tuesdays, Job 2 on Wednesdays, and at home on Zoom on Thursdays for my professor/staff classes. I'll be off Mondays and Fridays. (I may have an occasional Zoom on Mondays.) I'm very happy with that! PS I plan to reduce further in the fall but I'm taking it one semester at a time.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 16, 2022 15:53:33 GMT -5
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 16, 2022 12:36:28 GMT -5
I hope you feel better TheOtherMe . DS3 and I had a very productive trip to the mall today! I got gifts for my niece, grandniece, grandnephew, DS1 and DS3's partner. I ordered DS2's gift online. DH and I got our first flu shots. I hope we don't have a reaction. And DS3 and I decorated the tree that DH and he bought this morning. I only need a gift for DS3 now ... just 1 person left out of 12! PS I gave up the rest of my summer term evening classes tonight. I really don't want to get home at 8 pm anymore. They were lovely about it.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 15, 2022 9:42:51 GMT -5
You can do it Rukh O'Rorke ! I got my schedule for Semester 2 ... it's fabulous! Tuesday mornings at Job 1, shorter Wednesdays at Job 2, and the professor/staff classes. WFH most Thursdays. Off Mondays and Fridays. I'm finally really cutting down!!!
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 15, 2022 7:51:38 GMT -5
Last full week before Christmas break done! I'm only working Monday (online), then I'm off for two weeks. DS3 arrives tonight. SO happy to not be a basket case anymore!
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 14, 2022 9:00:34 GMT -5
I'm sure the incertitude is difficult for them TheOtherMe . I'm rarely here on Wednesdays when the cleaner comes. So today we moved the couches to clean underneath. We found lots of nuts and marbles (courtesy of DGS lol). She'll do that extra hour next Wednesday which is fine.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 13, 2022 11:22:34 GMT -5
Good news! Today I got an emergency appt for my papers for early Jan (instead of early March). Last day at school till next semester! I'm on Zoom tomorrow and Thursday.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 12, 2022 16:54:00 GMT -5
Yes it gets better. But it takes a while. My lawyer told me it would take 2 years. (My ex wanted the divorce, I didn't.)
She was right.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 12, 2022 12:46:51 GMT -5
And work just outed me about leaving early next year --- so it's in the open.That's probably somewhat of a relief snapdragon . I'm glad you have an easier schedule for a while moneysquirrel , and that the craft fairs were a success. Rukh O'Rorke I'm missing something ... can't you just buy those picture ledges directly from Ikea? Why go through Amazon? Maybe if you post a photo or link here someone can make another suggestion where to find them at a more reasonable price?
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 12, 2022 11:59:26 GMT -5
azucena those are great ideas, but Rukh O'Rorke has adult kids. I'm not sure if one still lives at home or not but the other doesn't. My GP gave me a prescription for anti-anxiety meds. (I take Calcium/Vit D regularly.) I'm scared to take them and drive, I haven't taken any in over 30 years. I have to drive 40 min each way to go to Job 2 tomorrow so I may wait till Wed to start.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 11, 2022 16:22:09 GMT -5
We had a good day today. DS2 invited us to Paris to see a project he's been working on, and then we went out for lunch.
As much as I don't want to leave the house these days, I know staying at home refreshing my email constantly isn't doing me any good. When the kids ask us to do something, I go. And I go to work because I want the money and I don't want to lose my job.
Two out of 4 sets of bedding washed and put back on. I'll wash another set before the cleaner comes on Wednesday.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 11, 2022 16:14:36 GMT -5
azucena congrats to your DD for the improv! I can't help you with the pronouns. But co-ed sleepovers are pretty common here, and my kids all both hosted them and attended them. We're in France ... maybe things are generally more liberal here? At your DD's age, some parents called to make sure we'd be at home (we definitely were). My DS1 was a competitive horseback rider, as was his best friend throughout MS and HS. She often stayed overnight because their club is walking distance from our house. At first we offered for her to stay in DD's room (DD would have been thrilled lol) but she always opted to stay in DS1's room. After they graduated HS, I ran into her mom at the mall, and we had lunch together. I told her mom that at the time I had hesitated, I wondered whether I was right to let her choose to sleep in DS1's room. She hugged me and said, if I'd had a problem with that, I would have called you! I am so grateful to you for hosting her all those nights when her siblings were little and it would have been so difficult to get her to the club at 6 or 6.30 am. DS3's three best friends growing up were all girls, and same, he both went to and hosted sleepovers. DS3 is gay but he hadn't come out at the time. They are all 24 now and still incredibly close! My parents were SUPER conservative. I got up to all sorts of "trouble" ... without their knowing a thing, and during daytime hours LOL. Like you, DH and I always wanted to have an open house where our kids and their friends were welcome. Friends tell me they envy us our relationship with our (now adult) kids. Like one of my best friends in NY (a guy!) says, did our kids turn out all right BECAUSE of us or IN SPITE OF us?! LOL You are a wonderful, attentive, caring mom ... trust your instincts.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 11, 2022 4:36:08 GMT -5
Please don't quote.
I decided to see my GP since I'm really not managing. I took the first slot available, on 3 Jan. I asked to be notified in case of a cancellation. By miracle I got an appointment for tomorrow after work.
I have a relatively full week but will obviously cancel anything I need to if they give me a last-minute appointment for my papers.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Dec 10, 2022 6:46:10 GMT -5
finnime you mentioned once wanting to earn some income once you get settled in. My suburb has 2 Facebook groups and I often see people who have a home baking business posting on there. Maybe something to do in the new year (if you decide you want to do it of course!).
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