Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Five Crazy Things: Lazy Days


Barbara: Seeing as the holidays are fast upon us and that many of you just enjoyed a Thanksgiving long weekend and that I just enjoyed an extended holiday because my daughter and her boyfriend are home, what are your 5 favourite ways to loll about doing (or not doing, as the case may be) when family and food are the main focus?
1. The long walk (even in the cold).
2. Playing games (which my immediate family hates, but my extended family loves—well, some of them—so the holidays are my only chance to partake).
3. Listening to music (this might sound odd as, of course, we can listen to music any time, but strangely I only really listen to music when I’m in the car or working out. But when people are staying over, the music comes on—oh, and especially the live music, guitars and piano!—that listening to music is almost a sense-memory connection with being around loved ones).
4. Eating junk food (maybe the only time I indulge in “bad for you” treats like chips and cookies).
5. And, of course, chatting. Catching up, challenging each other with conundrums (“What would you do if you knew the world was going to end in 5 days?”, etc), sharing accomplishments and fears, just chatting.

Deb: Lovely one, Barb. And because we have been together with our little nuclear family these last months, I have been living some of these and I love it!
1. Playing games after dinner! We have been doing this with girl and boy and having such fun!
2. Talking and laughing around dinner prep. Some interesting info always comes up.
3. Yes, walking. Winter walking. I love love love winter walking.
4. I have music on a lot especially during dinner and I love it.
5. Dinner at the table with boy and girl every night. Candles, fireplace, music!

38 comments:

  1. 1. Having a fire going constantly
    2. Having a big breakfast "Quebec Style"
    3. Long walks through the woods
    4. Everyone, including a slew of animals just hanging out in the living room by the fire chatting and laughing.
    5. All shoveling snow together and talking to the neighbors who are also shoveling.

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    1. Oh, sooo nice, Jo! Love the shoveling (for some reason I can't quite fathom)

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  2. OK, I'm going to take family out of that equation and substitute in friends and friends' family. But, with that dynamic established:

    1. Playing games: Scrabble (cut throat!), Dutch Blitz (full contact!), Give Me The Brain, Scattergories, Boggle, and more! We are game playing folks!

    2. Planning craft projects together and teaching each other crafty stuff

    3. Pieces of various flavors pies with lots of Cool Whip (a tradition at R's house)

    4. Just hanging out talking, getting sillier by the hour (e.g. planning yarn bombs)

    5. tending to animals: laughing at the dogs' antics, loving on the kitties, feeding the chickens and watching them be their gonzo poultry selves

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  3. I was going to write sleep x5 but then I reread the question. I am already spending alot of time with my family. Well my sister's family but whose counting. Just yesterday I was playing pillow/ jumping mat for my nephew. So to pick some in no specific order:
    Talking
    Watching a movie
    Baking
    Traveling
    Sauna!!

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    Replies
    1. Sleep x 5 is probably one many people would like to add.. But you sure found some good ones!

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  4. Loud discussions, loud laughter, loud stories, loudness all around.

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  5. 1. aimlessly browsing Pinterest/Facebook/Twitter, etc...but not for as long as I could.
    2. Going on a walk
    3. A cup of something hot and a movie/episode of a TV show
    4. Sleeping in!!!!
    5. Sitting in the living room w/ my sis and just talking. Kitty on lap optional.

    :)

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    Replies
    1. I do love watching movies too. You know, when it's dark and cold out and all cozy and dark in the house.

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  6. 1. Jumping from one loud conversation to the next without missing a beat!
    2. Way too much of the best food ever!
    3. Games. We get rather competative! Just over thanksgiving we took on the challenge of having to write down all 50 states without any help from online ect. I am not sure if this just adds to our american sterotypes but none of us got to 50. I won by getting to 47 :)
    4. Football on the TV
    5. Just getting to see the family : )

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    1. Aw, so nice! I like how "loud" is already a fun recurring theme here.

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  7. 1. sitting by my Christmas tree, when its lit up drinking coffee

    2. watching my Christmas movies

    3. I love to look at my picture window,
    and listen to music

    4. I love to play with my pets, underneath my Christmas tree

    5. I love to bake this time of year, baking would be my last thing.


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    1. Lovely, Lyndsie. Christmas lights - so special.

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  8. Ahhhh Love this, Barb! We have very similar lists!

    1. Listening to music

    2. Eating junk food (ordering a great pizza that bursts out cheese the moment you bite into it, fries, chocolate milkshake...mmmm!!)

    3. Playing games (Love them but I dont have anyone to play them with. So when I say games I mean Computer games, AGE OF EMPIRES, SKYRIM, SIMS 3!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE)

    4. Watch something...movies,sitcoms etc.

    5. Talking out loud to MYSELF (Yeah....like I wasnt weird BEFORE!!)

    6. Just sleeping.......with the air conditioning on... music playing in the background.

    7. Reading!!! OMG reading...I'm addicted to books right now.

    8. Chatting with my mom...talking to my darling FB Abrahamster friends. LOVE THEM!

    9. Putting on songs like (500 miles ;) ) and singing LOUDLY!! Yes...in my own little Scottish Accent....which doesnt sound ANYTHING LIKE a Scottish accent.

    10. And my favourite....Staring at my computer screen doing NOTHING and wondering "What am I staring at the screen for?" THE WHOLE TIME!!

    I so admire (and envy) y'all with your Sublime lists of fireplaces and your shoveling snow and the winter walks...... Oh...Just wait till I get there!! Then my list is gonna be even more delicious!!!! (Including making snow angels!)

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  9. P.S. HOW do you know EXACTLY when I come here to comment???? OMG you're here when I'm here... So is Deb. Its just.... AWESOME!!!!

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    1. You must have been commenting as I came because I didn't see this til now! Great great list!

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  10. 1. Playing games. Love it!
    2. Eating chocolate something, anything!
    3. Watching favorite movies.
    4. Curling up with a good book (or 3)!
    5. Doing crafts. Sometimes it can be peaceful. I also like making something personal for people for Christmas.

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  11. Ummmmmm... nothing. We just...don't, anymore.

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    1. Argh, I think I knew this, Dawn, but forgot. Do you miss it? Or is it too much hoopla/trouble?

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    2. I wish I could give you some of my lazy days! :) How about a hug until I figure that out! xo (Oh gosh....that is what you mean right? you said you didnt have lazy days on FB. If not.... So sorry... :P you can keep the hug though)

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    3. I miss some of it. Sarah was over this weekend and helped my parents decorate the living room. She posted that she had a ball with it. My thing is I have memories of what it USED to be and it's depressing to see what it's been cut down to. I should take a picture of our "Christmas tree" and post it. It just does NOT cut it.
      The holiday season is tough because so many people are all bubbly and happy. I KNOW, intelligently, that not everyone is getting a kick out of it all, but I only ever run across them in therapy groups. *wry smile*
      I don't want or mean to be a drag. This is just a tough time.

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    4. Ok...DEFINITELY SENDING BIG HUGS NOW!!! xx

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    5. Shalaka, I guess I phrased it incorrectly on Facebook. I have PLENTY of lazy days. Holidays just don't change that into anything special. As my dad puts it, "Every day's a holiday when you're not working."
      I can't go into this further. That's not what today's list is about, and I just don't have the strength today, anyway.

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    6. This is the first time I could check back here since this aft, Dawn -- maybe for the best as you're not up for "the chat" anyway :) But I totally get this. I also know that you've wrapped your head around what to do for yourself that's nice when you need it. It doesn't need to be a big deal. Or it can be. Whatever you decide. xoxo

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  12. 1. Cooking
    2. Reminiscing
    3. Walking with the dogs
    4. Playing games - cribbage, yahtzee, crossword puzzles, scrabble if I can convince my mother I won't win...
    5. Teasing each other

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    Replies
    1. Aw, so many game players out there! (love the teasing)

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  13. 1. PJ's/sweat pants and a hoodie
    2. Slippers (Hobbit ones are one right now)
    3. Movie or book
    4. Coffee!!!
    5. Sitting and enjoying the quiet of the day (I don't get too many lazy days)

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    1. #5 I think could be #1 for most people... not having enough quiet days.

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  14. Loving reading about all the cosy winter holiday activities- not too sure about the snow shovelling tho... I've only met snow once and we didn't really get along!
    Our Christmas holidays are all about the heat- lazy days in the pool or at the beach or river. There is nothing I like better than getting together for a bbq with my parents and siblings and our kids, trying to keep the chaos and noise to a minimum but failing every time. Next weekend I'm attempting to organise all 9 kids aged 1-8 to make and decorate christmas cookies... Not really expecting it to be a lazy day (I'm pretty sure I'll be cleaning up icing until next year) but I'm looking forward to it, and really looking forward to the nap afterwards.

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    1. Oh, that's lovely! I remember messy icing days. So sweet (pun intended). Snow may be an acquired taste, but I do love it around the holidays. Then it can go go go :)

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  15. 1. Staying up late and getting up whenever (Like now)
    2. Getting up early with a three year old grand daughter and starting to play immediately. (Gives the day a whole new perspective)
    3. Knit whenever you want. (All the gifts will be done so knit sans a deadline.)
    4. Cooking, walking, baking doing whatever you normally have to do but do it surrounded by peeps you love makes it more fun and puts a smile on your face.
    5. Having tea (or whatever) and chatting about all sorts of stuff other than the weather and the usual grind -whenever someone wants to. Don't have to wait for anything other than the water to boil.

    Dorothy

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    1. Great list, Dorothy! I've never gotten the hang of knitting, but it's one of those skills I covet. There's such a glow about people when they're knitting, looks so meditative.

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  16. 1. Reading. Always reading. To the point that my younger relatives plan elaborate schemes to steal my books whenever there's a family gathering. (None of them work, most involve ninja skills, and they've yet to figure out that I stop reading just to watch their convoluted attempts at sneakiness.)
    2. The nibble table. No matter who is there, there is always a nibble table, and by Jove, it must be the combined Gaelic/Polish blood because it is divinely good. Interesting conversations, exquisite food from vastly different palates. I bet you've never seen kielbasa on the same table as tiny muffins and Dubliner cheese.
    3. Tracing dominant family traits across the room. (Weirdly, the person I most resemble isn't related to me by blood at all.)
    4. That happy feeling when you're snuggled in a chair and listening to laughter. It's one of the best things in the world.
    5. Ever noticed that there's always one person who tells the horrendously bad jokes that make everyone laugh anyway?

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    1. Yes, yes, yes! Ack, this was fun! #1 is priceless. Although our nibble tables -- while maybe not of this combo -- are pretty eclectic: Lebanese, Egyptian, German, Jewish, and North American goodies. Should be a peace handbook photo :)

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  17. Souzan Rezai from Vancouver, BCNovember 30, 2012 at 6:10 PM

    Tee Hee!

    1. Being the Child; My brother and I always go home and stay with my parents for Christmas, and one of my favourite things is how quickly we regress to being 6 years old and 10 years old respectively. He and I have this rule for as long as I stopped automatically doing anything that he asked where if my parents ask us to do something-- but don't specify a name-- whoever shouts "dibs" first calls not being the one to do it. I look forward to shouting dibs well into my 80's...
    2. Group Naps; yes on my day to day life sometimes I'll take a nap if I need one, but when everyone is home for the holidays, post-lunch naps are wordlessly expected and executed by everyone. Awesomeness.
    3. Dance Parties; I actually have dance parties by myself 4-5 nights a week. I thought everyone did this, and was the main reason people strived to live in their own apartment, but realize now that it's not necessarily as common as flossing...However when I'm home with my parents, without fail after dinner, just as the last of the dishes are getting washed up, a funky dance party will commence. Then we floss.
    4. Candlelight dinners. When I'm by myslef at my place, I will sometimes light candles for a bath/movie/whatnot. But when I'm home at my parents, without fail there are candles lit for dinner. In all my life, I cannot recall a single dinner, even if it was just me and my mom and some watermelon slices, that that beautiful woman didn't light candles.
    5. This sounds awful but...having my laundry done by my parents. I swear I don't ask them to, but when we're home, it just...gets done. And folded. I know, I'm really spoiled, BUT I HELP IN LOTS OF WAYS. I swear. But it's just great being spoiled. Number 5 really should have just been "getting spoiled".

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  18. Wow, what a great list, Souzan!!! Made me laugh, made me think. Man, I love the dancing/flossing. No, I love all of it. Okay, except maybe the laundry bit in that being the mom who hosts her own kids, I'm not gonna be doing any laundry...

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