Since my sibs have had recent health issues, I was very focused on staying in, and not drinking much. I hardly had a beer. I drank homeade wine a bit, but almost always added seltzer water. We cooked, and had Nono and Nona over... my BIL's Italian parents, such happy visits compared to restaurant meals where they're stuck at the table with a couple people, and can't hear any other conversations going on.
I got to hang with my sister, and watch TABOO. Such nice down time, bc the rest of the visit was full of hectic activity. Meal prep for a large group. Cleaning, and tidying after teens. We 3 sibs tag teamed, so no one was crushed under it.
About the Airbnb property we had for a week. It was a gingerbread cottage dream. I adored walking into the hall to find a fireplace set in old stone, with benches on either side for shoes beneath, plenty of room for boots and shoes of 20 people. How can that be? Not sure, but it was true. I placed candles in that fireplace, and it felt like there could be a Grandma baking ginger bread, first impression. It was magic.
There was a fire place in the room to the right, with a desk, or present wrapping station in this case, and place to put coats, or whatever was in your hands as you came in. I put candles in that one fp too, and on the mantle with roses.
The main fire place was on the left, as we came in. You could see them all from the front door. Really lovely, and unexpected, bc the host didn't provide pics of anything besides the bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, DR, LV and almost empty room with 2 lazy boy electric chairs. Very roomy. There was a second dining room with a round dark wood table. We had a big candelabra with roses and candles going, even though we didn't need the space. So much room!
I'm going to skip the housekeeping troubles, bc I'm sick to death of dealing with it, but there were issues, and I ruined fingernails cleaning, and trying to make things OK for everyone. I picked the place. I wanted it to be an OK choice. I felt obligated to clean, and the host showed up to help with brushes, and bleach. In some ways it was THE BEST place ever, and in other ways it was problematic. I tried to deal with Airbnb customer service, but I feel I let myself down. I have a hard time asking for things. I made it easy to be dismissed. I'm working on that too.
The kids are all teens now, and kept late night schedules, sleeping most of the days. They enjoyed Toronto's clubs, and went out till they were sick of going out. I think everyone, mostly, did exactly what they wanted to do. We were sad that BIL's brother wouldn't survive his cancer through the holiday, and there would be a funeral. As it was, the visit was lovely. Not a sad goodbye, which was what I feared it would be. It was an Italian seafood pranza, with the kids helping in the kitchen, or playing the piano, and singing. It was more visiting with Nono, and Nona, and joy, and laughter, and really good food.
My BIL enjoyed having us there to buffer the sadness and pain in several ways, since he's been helping his brother, and parents pretty much on his own. His parents, Nona and Nono, are aging, and dealing with alzheimer's for her, and bad knees for him. BIL visits them all the time, and is in charge of their care, solely, which means that he saw how much help they truly needed. When my sister was in charge, no one believed her, and she had no control. Now they see. Now they have help. It's good.
I had salads most mornings, bc I knew I'd feel a bit unwell later from eating things that weren't great for me. Not bad for me, but not good things for me. I think I didn't get enough sleep. One day I slept in, and lost so much in water weight through it. I think the inflammation does bring on water retention, and sleep is part of healing that inflammation.
My oldest dd began fasting for 72 hours. My youngest and I did that, for a bit, without oldest dd's participation. I wrote about it. We weren't big fans. Oldest dd's fast ends today, btw. She's leaning towards KETO she said, without discussing that with me either. I have such relief that she's focusing on her health now. One of her friends is in culinary school, and is likely having these discussion with DD.
Work on the cottage continued over the holiday, and I can honestly say that every zombie looking item on the list has been addressed. There are some cruddy things, but the really scary items are done. The last was the metal door on the guest cottage, which was replaced with the new white metal one. The old one had broken glass panes, covered on the inside with plywood, and so much rust. Scary in several ways, not just one. GONE GONE GONE! The old hurricane clips on that unit are just rust and rust stains.... the new ones are waiting to go in, or in. Not sure about that. The last of the hurricane shutters need to go in. I think the painting is finished.
The tops of the crappy pine trees, on the beach side of the cottage, are off. The trees are cut down to 6 feet or so trunks. Don't ask me why they're not shorter... for seating, or table use, as I requested. I don't know, and getting anything there done, much less the way you want it, is maddeningly difficult. That the beach around the house will be white sand, again, and not dirty looking pine straw, and painful little pine cone balls is a miracle. THAT's the amazing part, and I look forward to wiggling my toes in it.
That's that update. I have an unhappy thread to start next, and keep to itself.
Lighter
