Got the decorations down

I’m not sure if I’ve ever detailed what a trial that is for me every year. There have been years I didn’t even put them up because I didn’t want to deal with taking them down six weeks later. I don’t know why, probably something to do with my tendency towards depression, but I always feel this overwhelming sense of sadness when I start taking down the Christmas stuff. Most years it hits me when the first ornament comes off the tree, this year it didn’t hit until I had everything back in boxes and the ladder to the attic down. I guess that’s something. I’ve still got to get the huge wreath down of the front gable; it’s raining and frakking cold today and I don’t want to risk falling. I’ll get it later this week if it stops raining or possibly Monday when the rain stops. I don’t mind rain, and I don’t mind cold, but put them together and I’m staying off the twenty foot high ladder.

As much as I like decorating the guest room is always a bit of a mess the last quarter of the year since as I pull stuff out of the yard and start staging the next holiday I keep things stored in the guest room so I don’t block anything up in the attic. I have everything arranged to come down in the order I need it and to keep it that way I have to leave the Halloween boxes down in the living area until Christmas is struck and ready to be stored. Once I replace the insulation I may just put 1×6 planks down across the back side of the attic and I’ll be able to section things off, but getting the insulation replaced is going to be a project in itself. It’s not something most folks need to worry about but the house is sixty years old and the insulation is disintegrating.

I really like what the new RAM has done for the desktop, once I get a hard-wired network connection going again I think it’ll be even better. I had to pull the cable I had because the Roomba (I bought a used 600 series) kept getting caught in it, so I’m wireless right now. I’ve got to install some shelves on the wall where the computer is anyway so I’m just going to cut the drywall open and run the cable through the attic to the box in the wall behind the entertainment center, and from there I’ll use a patch cable to the switch.

I’m trying to get the laundry caught up and I’m down to four loads if you include the pillows. Honestly I may just buy new pillows tomorrow. I’ve been up since 0600 this morning doing chores, and in all my hustle and bustle I forgot to go get money for the dump so I’m stuck for another week until my next day off. It’s no big, there’s nothing nasty in it, mostly paper, plastic, and cardboard, I just don’t like having it around in the house because it tends to attract visitors who get all judgy, lol.

I’ve got to plan for an additional vehicle this year, probably a used pickup, and I’ve got to get at least the south side of the fence finished. I also need to get seeds ordered, get my planters moved, and find a good price on a chicken plucker that isn’t going to eat me up with shipping costs. I should probably get chickens ordered too, and see if my dad is going to be able to help process them this year. Come to think of it, I may not need to order seeds, I’ve got some from last year that I didn’t use. I’ll try them and see if they’re still viable before I spend more money.

And look at me making plans like I’m going to be living here full-time forever and not possibly moving to another state later in the year if I get that HQ job I’m working towards. I should probably build a sturdy shed for storing the chicken stuff so it’ll be out of the weather and away from prying eyes if a) I get the job and b) decide to rent the place out instead of letting it sit empty and paying one of the kids to mow the lawn.