The last day of 2024. It's hard to believe it's almost a year now since my mom passed. I had a reminder of her yesterday - dh was in our upstairs hallway adding an outlet behind one of the bookcases, so I can plug in the lamp I bought (almost a year ago LOL). He had turned the power out in that area and then when he turned it back on reminded me that the alarm clock in the guest bedroom would need to be reset. I went in there and no alarm clock on the bedside table. I opened the drawer and it was in there and then I remembered why it got put in there - the last time my mom stayed overnight (which would have been Christmas 2 years ago) I realized (after having her Thanksgiving) that the clock was bothering her - she kept trying to change it, so I just hid it away in the drawer and totally forgot about it all this time.
The reason it took dh almost a year to add the outlet? Because he would have to open up the attic storage area that our Christmas trees and other big indoor Christmas items are stored in and he didn't want to have to haul it all back out, so he decided he'd wait until next Christmas when the area would be empty and easy to get back into.
This is the storage area
Inside it turns a bit to the left and goes back partway down that wall behind the bookcases.
Where those studs are on the left is where the first bookcase out in the hall is. He cut through the wall and the back of the bookcase to add the outlet
He's not done yet - he needs to go buy the outlet, but it's all ready to connect. Here is everything put back together. This whole area is still a bit of a work on progress. I still needs lots more books and more decor items here and there
One of these days we may put an actual door to that storage area, but so far this has worked fine. Dh just unscrews the screws holding the framed panel to remove it. Either way it will look odd - because it wouldn't be a normal sized door.
He got the lights cut out of the 12' tree. I'd say, in total, it took him about 7 hours over 2 days. I'll have to try to figure out how many lights/strings I will need to buy for next year. We're definitely going to buy the "commercial" kind that if one light goes out, the rest still stay on. All our our outdoor lights we bought commercial grade from a company called Christmas Lights Etc. They aren't cheap, but very good quality, and we see that they also have good quality indoor tree light strings. I think they usually have a sale in July, so I will look for some then. Hopefully I can remember, but I think they also send out a postcard type flyer in the mail about the sale.
I won't ring in the new year - I could blame it on being old, haha, but I've just rarely cared to stay up until midnight. Dh makes fun of me, but he stays up past midnight EVERY night, so it's no big deal to him. If he give me crap about it again tonight I'll tell him I'll make a deal with him - he has to get up tomorrow at 7am, when I get up then, and stay up.
I hope everyone enjoys their evening, if they do celebrate to ring in the New Year!
It is a rare night that I go to bed before midnight. We won't be doing anything special except making sausage balls. I make them once a year. We will be in most of today, too.
ReplyDeleteI thought it had been more than a year since your mother died.
The new outlet will be handy. It had been a long time since I had seen that room and furnishings.
Will there be noise to disturb Amos?
it seems like all the people I know who do not go to bed before midnight have really crappy sleep and chronic sleep problems, and health problems, my dh included.
DeleteSounds about right. My mom always said, "The best sleep is the sleep before midnight".
DeleteDid you ever consider that having sleep problems is the reason people do not go to sleep before midnight?
DeleteI remember a friend of ours, in his 50's at the time, would constantly complain that he couldn't sleep, etc. I so wanted to say to him - well then stop drinking alcohol every day! I think there's probably always a root cause causing someone not to be able to sleep, but I also think it turns into a catch-22 - the constant chronic poor sleep leads to more health issues.
DeleteHere's the thing. I work night shift in the steel industry. By hand, i will left betwern 5000 and 10000 lbs of steel per shift. I also have 14 children that I home school. I have own organic poultry, vegetable, and fruit business on the side. I have also have rentals. Plus of course, taking care of my household. During the week when I work, I sleep max 2-3 hours when I get home in the morning. I never, ever have trouble falling asleep. Quite honestly, I think if we get plenty of hard exercise and fresh air, we should have no trouble sleeping.
DeleteHoly cow! You are one busy lady. I got tired just reading all that. Hats off to you!
DeleteI've never gone to bed before midnight, even when I was working. When I was working, since I didn't get home till about 7 pm, I always felt like I had no time whatsoever to myself - hence going to bed late. Even now though, midnight is still my norm, although I get up between 7 and 8 am so I'm probably not going to change at this point. Happy new year to you both - oh and did you ever consider hiring your hubbie out? Put me first on the list if you do!
ReplyDeleteit sounds like you have good consistent sleep though and are getting your 7-8 hours (and not sleeping until noon!) I'll send hubby right over - he does have a passport now ;)
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