Preliminaries!

I "told" myself that today would be the day that I would get underway with my decorating for Christmas. Yes, I know that it is early, but it takes me quite a while to do it and I don't want to be under pressure at the last minute to get it done. Plus, I really do love having the decorations around for a while so am happy to start seeing them in November and leave them up into January. I have sort of had to talk myself into decorating this year...at times I just don't feel up to it and then Woody is still having a lot of sciatic nerve pain and he is needed to help put the boxes puzzle back into the Christmas closet. He said that he could do it so...I decided that I could do it too! Today was a preparation day. I needed to get a top and leggings cut out for Abigail so I could take all sewing items out of the living room...the living room acts as our cutting station when the kids and/or I are creating. The only piece of sewing equipment that didn't get removed this morning was my cutting table. That stays there for me to put things on till they can be put away till after the holidays. As the photo shows I now have some empty shelves, table tops, and book case. The little bookcase will be transported to the top of the stairs and will hold Christmas treasures that the children will arrange (when I find said items!). Part of the preliminaries is cleaning...this is the time that I really clean since I pretty much clear everything off and put Christmas items in their places. So I have unearthed a lot of dust...so far I have only sneezed once. I decided that windows needed washing before the tree gets placed...that meant taking curtains down...and, if curtains are down then they should be fluffed in the drier...and the jobs just pile up! I managed to get the two windows at the far end of the living room completed today...two more to go in the living room...then it will be on to the dining room and the kitchen. The windows are so easy to clean now that we have the new windows...I feel sort of guilty not cleaning them at least once in a while...but it does mean taking curtains down...not the easiest of tasks...but so far so good! Last year my back went out the first day that I started decorating...another reason that I sort of hesitate in taking on this daunting task...but, again, so far so good. I try to sit frequently and rest...which means that the job takes just that much longer! Today some Christmas pillows got placed and the "let it snow" fleece throw took its place on the family room couch. Over the weekend I got out Mr. Snowman (5 ft. stuffed snowman) and placed him on the hearth of the fireplace...he makes a good draft dodger during the cold months...he will stay there till Spring sets in. Anyway...things are underway! Woody got up enough energy to blow some leaves today. As friends found out today...hard to get into our yard from the curb! And, that leaf pile will only grow higher as the leaves continue to come down. They have come down so much that we have great "drifts" of leaves in the gardens and on the driveway. One needs to walk with care as there is no telling where acorn might be hiding and they are rough underfoot! Also this afternoon Woody made a cranapple crisp. So far I have had dessert for supper...the crisp is best eaten right out of the oven with a nice big scoop of ice cream melting into it! I think that I will head down and have some chili and maybe a piece of cornbread that I made yesterday and nibble on that while I dance with the stars!