The last month of 2015. I can’t believe it. Of course, I say that all the time about how fast stuff goes by. It’s been right back to work and after doing that show over the whole weekend and picking up where I left off with transcription on Monday – I seriously need a vacation. Just a couple more weeks and at least things might slow down a little. Right?? 

Last night we got a new artificial tree. I have been saying for years that I wanted a new tree because I didn’t really like the cheap old one we have had for many, many years. I kept saying “Let’s get one after Christmas when they are on sale” and then after Christmas comes and I don’t feel like spending the money or there isn’t anything I like. Then Christmas rolls around again and we still have the same old tree. This has to have been going on for 10 years, seriously. Finally – this year we got one. I had a coupon from our local garden center for 10% off a tree. This was a coupon I had saved from the flower show I attended back in March! On a side note, I can’t believe I actually found that coupon 9 months later. We spent a long time looking last night as they have a large selection (and a sale!!) and finally came home with this one:

It’s not decorated or anything yet. Just the lights. It’s one of those that the branches fold down on hinges. I guess tree technology has really changed over the years LOL! It came prelit. This one we couldn’t get without the lights, which we didn’t necessarily want because we have plenty of LED lights for our tree. I decided on the white rather than multicolor for a change and we figure when these burn out, we will put our other lights on it.  Not sure when it will actually get decorated, but at least it’s up 😀  Anyway, I am super happy with it. It looks so much more real than our other tree and hopefully we will have this for 20 years.

On to some plans for this month. Those goals. 

1. Keep on track with food. It’s so easy to really go off the rails at this time of year with the cookies and the egg nog and all that stuff. That’s fine for Christmas, but I don’t need to be going overboard before then.
2. Exercise an hour a day. To help mitigate those times when I do go overboard, I am committing to more exercise. It’s different now because we are not putting in hours and hours of cycling on weekends, so I need to be consistent just every day. That can be walking on the treadmill for 30 minutes in the morning and then in the evening. Or biking if I can. Still haven’t brought the bike in, although that time is fast approaching. I may not always get an hour and it doesn’t have to be huff and puff exercise all the time. Just extra.
3. Consistent practicing of my guitar. This is one thing that tends to get set aside when I am really busy, which is a shame because I enjoy it. 
4. Finish the first floor powder room. With John doing the reno on the basement bathroom, I have to finish the first floor bath so he can take those fixtures for his room. The vanity cabinet is refinished (and I love it!!), the vessel sink and faucet have arrived, so hopefully I can get that put together and work on that room. It has to be done by Christmas eve anyway for our usual party, but hopefully sooner than that. 

That’s a good set for December to keep me focused. Now that we have that treadmill, I’ve been doing a lot of walking with the biking. It is dreadfully boring, though. When I ride the trainer, I can read, which makes the time go by. I can’t read on the treadmill – or at least not well enough to make it useful. John got a TV and a used playstation to put in our exercise room and that has been wonderful to pass the time! Here is my game that I love to play.

Civilization Revolution. An hour on the treadmill goes by so fast when playing and I can actually play while walking, which is good. I just have to be careful not to put any English on it at times 😀  We need a higher perch for the TV for me. John said I can feel free find something to repurpose into an entertainment stand. Gotta love that man. Yay, another project!  The other project will be that wallpaper. By spring – that ripped leopard wallpaper will be gone. Gone!  This is the very last room to be done. We have the stairwell, hallway and this room to do and the wallpaper nightmare will finally be over.