Anniversary Trip: Athens

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On our final full day on-board our cruise we had one last tour scheduled in the city of Athens, Greece.

Olympic stadium in Athens

Our ship was docked in Piraeus Port so we had about a 45-minute ride (with narration) to city center where we were destined to climb to the top of the Acropolis.  Our first stop, however, was Olympic Stadium where we met up with a “Greek soldier” who was very aggressive to have his photo taken with me.  Just as we were about to pose he asked for 5 euros.

This actor misrepresented his intentions — we left him to scout another sap.

I gathered back my hat and checked that I had not been pickpocketed.  Such a shady come on.

Our Viking guides managed all tickets and entries.

After a truncated bus tour while we were waiting for our timed tickets to Acropolis to be in effect, we followed our very proper guide.

Much of the Parthenon is under restorative reconstruction.

The walk from the main entrance at the Acropolis to the Parthenon takes about 15–20 minutes, including 80 steps.

Even with crowds of people we were able to get very close to the Greek Parthenon.

We did not go inside the structure a replica of which we had visited in Nashville, Tennessee earlier in the year.

The lovely ladies of the Erechtheion.

From the top of the Acropolis hill we could see all over Athens and had a good view of the remains of the Erechtheion which was a sacred temple dedicated to Greek Gods and Goddesses, including Athena.

I had taken a photo of the shuttle schedule before we left the ship.

We left our tour group after visiting the Acropolis and speaking to our guide because we wanted to go to the Archeological Museum.  Our guide suggested we take a taxi (which we did) and then return to this same area because Viking ran shuttles from the ship every hour.

Agamemnon’s solid gold mask is 12 inches tall and depicts a man with a wide forehead, long nose, and tightly closed lips.

When I plan museum tours with Charlie I stick to 3 highlights since I’m more of a museum person than he is. We stood in line which moved quickly to get tickets and entry. The first exhibit of interest to us was at the beginning of the museum rooms — the mask of Agamemnon.

The Worried Man from Delos bronze portrait of an unknown man combines a heroic demeanor with an expressive countenance.

My main objective in the Athens Museum was to see the  Worried Man of Delos.  He was so real and handsome in person.

The Jockey of Artemision is a large Hellenistic bronze statue of a young boy riding a horse, dated to around 150–140 BC.

Finally we saw the Boy on the Horse — life-size bronze.  It is a rare surviving original bronze statue from Ancient Greece and a rare example in Greek sculpture of a racehorse.

Museum food is both authentic and delicious. I had spanakopita.

We had a snack in the museum cafe before taking a cab back to the statue of Melina Mercouri (near the Acropolis) where we caught a shuttle bus provided by Viking to take us back to the ship.

One of the benefits of not being with a tour group (look behind the statue) is that we can be up close and personal with Poseidon.

I was happy to have seen everything I had hoped to see in Athens so that Charlie and I would be able to tour the Peloponnesian Peninsula on our own after we disembarked without having to return to Athens city center.

Jo

Anniversary Trip: Life Aboard Viking Sea

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The first seven days of our anniversary trip to Türkiye and Greece began with a cruise on the Viking Sea ocean vessel.

We received special leather tags which we never actually used.

I described our journey just to get to the port in Istanbul here.

We arrived at the ship after around 7 p.m. so we headed directly to the dining room and were served a beautiful dinner.

We were tired and hungry after traveling for about 24 hours.

A luscious raspberry mousse (easily enough for 6) and a bottle of bubbly had been left in our stateroom in honor of our anniversary.

Once aboard the ship we were free to use all the facilities available even though we had booked the lowest level cabin.

The view from our veranda.

Still our cabin was nicely laid out and had a veranda as did all the staterooms on the ship.

Everything was maintained shipshape by our steward.

The bathroom in our stateroom was spacious considering we were on a ship.

We enjoyed afternoon tea in the Wintergarden.

We used the swimming pools, hot tubs, and spa but mostly we ate.

I had more than one waffle for breakfast.

My favorite restaurant was Mamsen’s all the way forward on deck 7.  Most of the other eating was aft on 7 or 2 therefore Mamsen’s was less congested and much more relaxed.   Charlie enjoyed the fresh squeezed orange juice at Mamsen’s. You can have fresh juice in the other venues but must ask for it.

I discovered that the custard of the crème brûlée  comes ready made in cartons (something like milk) but the topping is brûléed  upon request.

I had my favorite crème brûlée  every night for dinner.

The highlight of the week’s food for me was lobster night perfectly grilled on the rear deck.

There was more food than I need all presented beautifully and served by a busy but agreeable staff.

I learned a little something to take with me into every port.

Well, enough about food (I could go on an on). Entertainment in the theatre was presented nightly but I more enjoyed the destination lectures by a very engaging professor.

We mostly caught the tour buses early in the morning — afternoons were really too hot.

On a daily basis we either walked into town with our tour or caught one of a fleet of tour buses that waited at the port.  The tours were informative but not really our jam; we often cruised off on our own.

A view down into the atrium from our deck — #3. (That’s a grand piano down there.)

One interesting item for me was that passports were handed in upon entry to the ship. A stub for retrieval was given so we could pick up the documents at end of cruise.  When we picked them up they had been stamped with exit from Türkiye in Kusadasi and entry into Greece in Rhodes.

It only rained one day which we hardly noticed.

To sum it up — love cruising, don’t care for large tours, expensive.

Jo

Keeping Busy

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I keep telling Charlie I don’t believe that multitasking is a thing and to that end I don’t multitask but I do keep busy while I’m waiting for heavy equipment to be moved and for paint to dry.

All outlet covers and screwheads are painted before replacing on the wall.

So this weekend I “worked” on the following projects in a sort of helter-skelter manner.

  1.  Laid out the tile for the front of the hearth.

    I’ve selected tile for the front of the hearth that I think will work.

  2.  Painted the dining room wall with 2 coats of Alabaster by Sherwin Williams.

    There is really only one wall in the open plan dining room.

  3.  Laid out and shampooed the dining room rug (that was transported from the main bedroom of The Glade).

    I have always loved this carpet that my mother bought at auction then lugged to me in her suitcase.

  4.  Painted most of the living rooms walls with 2 coats of paint.

    I held off painting the wall over the fireplace until someone else put up the ladder which I was able to slide left and right on my own.

  5.  Took down the lighting fixture in the dining room.

    This fixture is down and banished.

  6.  Wrapped Christmas gifts.

    Sticking with blue and white this year.

  7.   Accepted delivery of the mantelpiece.

    A modern mantel — 72″ x 5.5″ x 9″

  8.  Watched the sun go down over the bay.

    I know when to stop!

Some things I’m thinking about:

  1.  Tile for the downstairs bathroom.

    Outrageous possibilities.

  2.  Flooring for the kitchen. (See square tile directly above.)
  3.  Replacement vanities  in all the bathrooms.

    A possible vanity.

  4.  Painting the high walls in the living room with a yummy color.

    The upper wall might need a fun color.

And that’s what I did.

Jo

Anniversary Trip: Crete

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After Rhodes our next port of call was Heraklion on the Greek Island of Crete.

Even by today’s standards the jewelry is stunning.

First we went to the museum with our guide.  While Charlie took photos of ancient jewelry .  .  .

Notice how nicely the real gold handles hold up.

and weapons (everything with gold on it),

I’m going to add some dolphin art to our house on the bay.

I was enchanted by paintings of dolphins .  .  .

I was interested to see a “talent” which I had previously heard about in the Bible — each weighs about 75 pounds.

and money.  The large metal tablets (about 12″ by 18″) pictured above are “talents”.  When used as a unit of currency it was worth about 6,000 denarii (one denarius was the typical payment for a day’s work). This meant that a talent was worth 20 years of labor, assuming a 6-day work week.

I photographed these ancient clay figures because they reminded me of our Dashie — dachshunds on Crete?

Once again we cut out on the tour early to have a Greek coffee in the museum’s cafe.

The shops are au courant with outfits that would look good on Charlie.

After the museum we were let loose on the town where Charlie and I walked through the marketplace chatting with vendors and getting a feel for the pride of Cretans.

Jo

Fireplace Makeover: Part Two of Three

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In Part 1 of the fireplace makeover I painted the black and brass insert totally black.

The black paint was messy — I just threw the paintbrush away after finishing.

After removing the tape and cleaning up I was happy with the outcome.  Phew!  It’s difficult to reverse the process once it’s painted black.

I used painters’ tape to mask the freshly painted black fireplace insert.

Painting the black part of the fireplace black was not so daring as what I was going to do next.

Truly the point of no return.

Using Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 primer as suggested by this website I started painting the terracotta tiles with a paint brush using a crosshatch technique.

The difference between the first (right) and second (left) coats was encouraging but indicative that much more painting would be needed.

After the first coat I liked it but realized that it would take multiple coats to finish this project.

Five coats of paint is my initial limit — 3 primer, 2 topcoats of semi-gloss

And so I plodded on allowing a few days for the primer to cure before adding more primer and finally a 2 topcoats of my trim paint — White Mosaic by Clark and Kensington — which I brushed on and smoothed with a roller.

Before and after: Top before painting wood stove, fireplace surround, and wall. Bottom — after.

I also started painting the 2-story wall behind the fireplace with Alabaster by Sherwin Williams to be ready for the third and final step of this fireplace makeover.

Jo

Anniversary Trip: Rhodes

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Our first entry into Greece was the island of Rhodes famous for the Colossus, an ancient wonder of the world, which no longer exists.

Isle of Rhodes — Rodos in Greek

Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese islands of Greece and is their historical capital. In 1912 Rhodes was taken from Turkey by Italy. Under the Allied peace treaty with Italy in 1947, the island was awarded to Greece.

Fort?

We traveled back to medieval times and explored the old city of Rhodes  when the streets were ruled by crusaders known as the Knights of Saint John. In an effort to revive the island’s glory days, many of its stone buildings have been completely reconstructed.

guide

Charlie and I followed our guide up the stone cobbled streets.

We walked a long hill — some turned back at this point.

Our goal was the Archaeological Museum.

The Archeological Museum of Rhodes

From the moment you enter the courtyard of this 15th c. building – constructed by the Knights of St. John as their Hospital – you’re in another world, passing beneath vaulted ceilings, climbing stone staircases and perusing a vast arrangement of artifacts presented in numerous chambers.

After walking the hilly street I was finished with anything else that involved climbing up.

Inside we were presented with another set of steps.  Charlie and I left the tour at this point and did some shopping in the agora (marketplace).

I purchased my Greek pillow cover in Rhodes marketplace.

I wanted something for the house that would go with my colors — I found the perfect pillow cover which was well-priced and easy to pack.

A leather sandal store.

Then we hiked back to the ship which was walking distance from the town.

Jo

101 in 1001 #6: 2 Years In

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I posted my new 101 in 1001 list on November 4, 2022. I try to include something from this list on my monthly list. My first check-in is here with some details I have omitted in this post. Here is my progress to date — November 4, 2024 — 2 years (731 days) since beginning.

The pyramids and sphinx at Giza viewed from the roof terrace at our hotel.

I have been making 101 tasks in 1001 days lists since 2009.  I have never totally finished one but I have made more progress than I might have done without the list as a guide. This new list began November 4, 2022 and runs until August 1, 2025. My 5th list began February 6, 2020. It ended on November 3, 2022. Fourth list started May 10, 2017 (first list ended 11/13/2011, second list 8/11/2014, third list 5/9/2017) Completed items are in blue, black is the color for original post.  Pink items are plans.  Red items are cautions due to the situations out of my control.

  1. Retire from work. Complete! 1/31/2023  
  2. Start looking for house on the water. Requirements:  First floor bedroom and bathroom, 2 or 3 bedrooms, outbuildings, waterfront, dock, utility room. 

    How ’bout this view from the bedroom balcony??!!

  3.   Get new Global Entry. Complete! 6/6/2023  
  4. Get new passport.  I renewed my passport as soon as we returned from Egypt last November.  It took less than 4 weeks to receive my new document from the date I mailed the application.  Complete! 12/4/2023

    My new biometric passport.

  5. Find a new Primary Care Physician.  I’ve had the same PCP for about 40 years and he has recently retired.  Complete! 1/425/2024
  6. Find a new dentist.  I’ve had the same dentist for about 40 years.  When I move out of the area I’ll need to replace him as well.  I think I found him.
  7.  Find a new dermatologist. Complete! 9/26/2023
  8. Visit St. Louis, Nashville and Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Charlie and I visited Saint Louis and Nashville on our quest to see another solar eclipse.  Complete! 4/10/2024

    Charlie and I went to the top of the Gateway Arch in Saint Luis, MO.

  9. Solar eclipse in North America between Saint Louis, Mo and Nashville, TN.  Apparently we are umbraphiles.  Who knew? Complete! 4/8/2024

    The moon covers all but the sun’s corona in a total eclipse. (Taken with my iPhone.)

  10. Lead a Bible study or Book Club at home.  Led a Bible study in July, 2023.  Hosted a Book Club in July, 2024.  Complete! 8/1/2023

    We read and discussed The Alchemist in mixed company.

  11. Tour Bureau of Engraving and Printing  Recently reopened for visitors.
  12. Visit the National Archives  Closed except for timed tickets to the Rotunda.  Should be planned as an add-on to another DC activity.
  13. Visit Greece. Charlie and I cruised from Istanbul to Athens then made a 5-day tour of Greece in a rental car. Complete! October 1, 2024

    Charlie and Jo near the Parthenon on the Acropolis is Athens.

  14. Get rid of 50 books. Complete! 6/22/2024
  15. Host a swap meet. This will be challenging since we have moved houses.
  16. Host a dinner party for 6. Complete! 2/25/2023
  17. Learn to copyright (watermark) photos. Complete! 1/31/2024 

    I think I figured it out.

  18. Make a photo album of Mommie .

    Mother (left) and grandmother (right) in the 1940s.

  19. Increase net worth by 25%.
  20.  Adjust automatic reinvestments. Complete! 11/25/2022
  21. Paint landscapes/seascapes on canvas/wood.
  22. Make a household inventory with photos.  Since moving houses we are profoundly aware of everything we own/moved.  Still a visual list would be helpful.
  23. Design Etsy boutique packaging.
  24. Get rid of 5 big items from the house:  Cedar chest, Gold mirror, Saddle/horse gear, Dollhouse, Bird file cabinet,  Skittles game, Easel, Chandelier, Sleds  Complete! 7/7/2024

    This large (about 3′ by 5′) gilded wood mirror sold almost immediately on Facebook Marketplace.

  25. Design and print business cards.
  26. Attend 5 concerts.  Complete! 5/20/2023 

    Love the U.S. service bands.

  27. Paint all trim. Had to do it to sell the house Complete! 9/1/2024
  28. Repaint exterior parts of house that have weathered. Another project to sell the house. Complete! 9/1/2024

    Why is it always overhead and out of reach?

  29. Clean out car.  Complete! 5/13/2024 

    Vacuumed and ready for another trip with the pup. 

  30. Remove 10 boxes from the attic. Complete! 6/15/2024
  31. Build frame for full length mirror.
  32. Give 5 parties. Complete! 6/27/2023 

    At 2024 holiday party Both the Egyptian and non-Egyptian food were a hit.

  33. Paint green vanity.

    Clearing off the top was a good start.

  34. Refinish tall dresser.

    I use my grandmother’s dresser and might like to lighten it after we move.

  35. Clear out mudroom closet.  Complete! 9/2/2024  

    Always a challenge.

  36. Whiten my teeth. Complete! 8/16/2023
  37. Fast for 24 hours. Complete! 11/21/2022  This challenge has repeated multiple times.
  38. Work on side hustle.
  39. Teach Dash a new trick. Complete! 8/31/2023

    Dash lives up to his name when he obeys the “come” command.

  40. Zip line in tropical forest.
  41. See 50 movies. Conclave has been my favorite so far.  Complete! 4/10/2023  
  42. Read 50 books.  34 books so far.
  43. Parasail or hang-glide.
  44. Take a stargazer class or lesson.  Complete! 12/2/2022 

    The Big Dipper, part of Ursa Major Constellation (the Great Bear) was clearly visible outside the window of our Dune Shack in Massachusetts

  45. Learn to forage.  Complete! 11/12/2022

    Turkeytail mushroom on an oak log — just beautiful.

  46. Be part of a TV audience.
  47. Throw away/donate 30 things and do not replace them. Complete! 6/22/2024
  48. Drink 60 ounces of water each day for a week. Complete! 1/10/2023
  49. Try 5 new restaurants. Complete! 2/8/2023
  50. Build deck onto conservatory.
  51. Upgrade dollhouse castle.  Complete! 6/19/2024

    Ready for a new owner.

  52. Paver patio around fire pit.
  53. Clean up pond.
  54. Paint shore house sheds.

    The sheds at the shore house need a lick of paint.

  55. See 5 theatrical productions.  Complete! 5/3/2023
  56. Put outdoor shower at shore house.
  57. Install dual system — heating and air conditioning — in master bedroom in shore house.
  58. Get together with Sister.
  59. Maine whale watching.
  60. Visit Cylburn Arboretum. Complete! 5/17/2023

    We were inspired by the split bamboo structures in the garden.

  61. Egypt, pyramids, camel ride.  Complete! 11/6/2023

    Camels, pyramids and the Sahara Desert were included in our Egypt experience.

  62. Have large painting appraised.

    This painting should be valued by a pro.

  63. Visit Yellowstone.
  64. Visit Winterthur – Complete! 5/30/2023

    I was fascinated by the koi ponds — my favorite area of Winterthur gardens.

  65. Get rid of 101 item.  Complete! 8/4/2024

    Everything has been dispersed.

  66. Host a dinner party for 8 (actually 12). Complete! 7/14/2023

    When storms rolled through at party time we re-set up in the dining room.

  67. Visit Longwood Gardens.  Complete! 6/21/2023

    The conservatory was a haven.

  68. Go to the beach for a long weekend.  Complete! 6/1/2024 

    Cape Cod National Seashore in Massachusett

  69. Wash all the windows in the house.  Complete! 9/2/2024

    We have lots of windows.

  70. Maintain my personal weight goal. Complete! 6/17/2024
  71. Build a structure for trash cans and recycle bins.
  72. Clear out the basement.  Complete! 7/31/2024

    I’m leaving the new owners tile that matches installed tile, paint for exterior of the house, and a short ladder to access valves and crawlspace.

  73. Visit Vieques to see the luminescent bay Complete! 3/19/2023 

    A large Adirondack chair on the Malecon in Esperanza, Vieques, PR.

  74. Take 3 Bible studies. Complete! 6/4/2023
  75.  Renovate Treetops bedroom.  Complete! 6/20/2023

    The Treetops room is ready for guests.

  76. Celebrate 15th wedding anniversary Complete! 9/12/2024 

    We celebrated in Turkiye.

  77.  Have a yard sale. Complete! 6/22/2024 

    Glad that’s over!

  78.  Sort out all frames.  Complete! 10/11/2023
  79.  Go to dermatologist. Complete! 9/26/2023
  80. Visit New England.
  81. Work on genealogy family tree.  Complete! 11/15/2022  This is one of those items I work on from time to time — it will never be fully finished.
  82. Ride in a dog sled.
  83.  Stay in a remote place with few services – Dune Shack Complete! 6/1/2024

    The dune shacks at Cape Cod National Seashore are meant to be private places.

  84.  Unplug completely for a full day (no phone, no TV, no internet, no camera) Complete! 12/3/2023
  85. Go on a road trip.  Complete! 7/26/2023 

    A beautiful entrance hall in the French chateau style at Nemours. Over the fireplace “Aimer et Connaître” (to love and to know).

  86.  Declutter shed.  Complete! 9/2/2024

    I’ve been waiting a long time to see this counter cleared off.

  87.  Celebrate milestone birthday.  Complete! 2/24/2023

    We celebrated with a coffee morning get together.

  88.  Re-landscape front yard.  Complete! 11/7/2022

    A few tweaks and the foundation planting looks better

  89. Try archery.  Complete! 4/4/2023

    We all tried.

  90. Take an art history class. Complete! 12/8/2022 

    I learned about the valuable antiquities of Egypt, Greece, and Rome. (I saw Narmer Palette in Cairo.)

  91. Visit friends who can’t get out.
  92. Try tai chi. Complete! 11/17/2022 

    We even tai chied on vacation.

  93. Clear up/organize photos. So far I have just moved them to the new house.
  94. Eat vegetarian for a week.  Complete! 4/8/2023
  95. Free up 10 hangersin my clothing closet. Complete! 5/12/2023

    10 hangers ready for action

  96. Send 10 handwritten cards for no special reason.  Complete! 8/20/2023 
  97. Have ring appraised.
  98. Get rid of 5 pairs of shoes.  Complete! 3/9/2023

    Now some of the shoes on the floor can be stored in a shoe cubby.

  99. Go to a Chincoteague pony penning.
  100. Shred old files. And shred. And shred.  Complete! 7/19/2024
  101. Private

As more items are completed the most challenging remain.

Jo

4 Sconces Installed

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The wall sconces I ordered here came very quickly.

The old fixture was not properly installed.

I started with the sconce in the hall area of the main bedroom since the broken temporary fixture was hanging by its wires.

Not only the lighting fixture but also the wall plate, the light bulb, gloves to handle the bulb, screws and nuts, and extras of everything.

The new fixtures were well-packaged in multiple boxes with all the parts needed to hang them.

The plates that came with the fixtures are specific to the units — they will screw into the side arms.

First I sorted out the wires behind the wall and added Wago wire lever nuts to the black and the white wires. I screwed the plate to the electric box and fished the wires including the ground wire through the center hole.

Curling the solid ground wire is always challenging for me.

Then I hooked the ground wire from the wall around the green screw.

The bulb that came with the unit has a 20,000 hour life.

I screwed the brass parts of the fixture together and connected the wires of the fixture to the wires in the wall.  I used small brass screws to hook the escutcheon to the wall plate and then screwed in the light bulb while wearing the white gloves that came in the packaging.

I tried the fixture in both directions — light up, light down — and decided to let it hang down.

After installing the first fixture I confidently moved on to the other three.

A second blue fixture is in the bathroom.

There were 2 for the primary bedroom.

The green globed lights look great.

The 3rd and 4th green fixtures are installed in the second bedroom hall and bathroom.

The green globed lights look white when lit.

I am impressed with the quality of these fairly inexpensive lighting fixtures.

Jo

Upgrading Smoke Detectors

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Just before we put The Glade on the market I changed out all the smoke detectors to 10-year sealed battery models.

The smoke detectors at The Glade are all ceiling mounted and hard-wired so when I changed them I used the same brand for compatibility.

That is the new standard in Maryland.  As a matter of fact Lowes won’t even ship to our address a new smoke detector with old technology.

In the back bedroom only a base is mounted on the wall — all the others at the bay house are wall-mounted as well.

As I walked through our new home on the Chesapeake Bay I noticed  4 potential smoke detectors — I say potential since one was only the base.

Check out the date circled in red.

Also when I took a closer look at the 3 that remained I discovered they were from 2011.

I was hoping the hard-wired units  would line up with the connector of the new unit.

As at The Glade I wanted to replace the smoke detectors with the same brand I was removing so the wall bases and hardwired connector would be compatible.  At the bay house the units were so out of date that companies had consolidated and changed names, etc. but I matched the shapes and finally came up with 2 hardwired units and 2 battery units that seemed like they might work.

Sealed battery smoke detectors

Not all brands are available at every store so I ordered KIDDE Firex Hardwired Smoke Detectors with Ionization Sensor from Home Depot and 2 First Alert BRK 10-Year Battery-operated Ionization Smoke Detectors Item #5473117, Model #1046857 from Lowes.  They were delivered a few days after I ordered them

One of the battery operated units hangs on the first floor above the piano and the other one is in the back bedroom over the garage.

I started with the battery operated models which did not fit the old bases so I took everything down and started again with all new parts.  I did, however, reuse the holes from the previous model.  These were not difficult install.

The hardwired smoke detector also has a replaceable battery.

Then I moved onto the hardwired units which were more challenging.  First I removed the old base and replaced it with the new one.

The hardwired units come with a pigtail that needs to be wired to the house electric.

I would like to say I switched off the power at the circuit  breaker panel but the smoke detectors are not marked so I carefully attached the black wire to the black wire, the white wire to the white wire (with Wago wire nuts), and left the red wire unattached since our smoke detectors are not wired together.

Protected again.

I marked the new installation date on each unit as well as the date when they should be changed again — November, 2034.  It’ll be here before you know it.

Jo

November, 2024: Do It

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We’re going into November still straddling our time between 2 houses.

I never get tired of this view.

Here’s the 10-point plan I have for the month of November:

  1.  Celebrate Thanksgiving.

    Hoping we’ll have a rug and some furniture in the dining room at the far end of this room by then.

  2.  Work on a project at the Bay House.

    Continue demolishing the downstairs bathrooms and closet to make a more useful space.

  3.  Bring down Christmas decorations to go with this year’s theme — Greek Christmas.

    Boats figure prominently in a Greek Christmas — we’ll try it Chesapeake style with crab scrapes and other local vessels.

  4.  Check all the smoke alarms at the Bay House and replace the outdated ones.

    The smoke detectors really need to be upgraded (like the one behind the light).

  5.  Read a book.  I may start a long classic novel.
  6.  Wrap and pack Christmas gifts to mail.

    Last year I got an early start — hoping to be as prepared this year.

  7.  Organize paint supplies and find a storage spot.  Right now I have paint supplies in 3 or 4 different places including the main bedroom??, the garage, the laundry room, etc.
  8. Learn how to use the Nest thermostat.  Apparently Nest learns our routine and preferences and sets up a schedule based on that.  So far it’s not working for us so we’ll have to figure out how to make it work for us. That’s what I don’t like about “smart” technology.
  9. Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: SPIRIT.
  10.  Write a goal list for December, 2024.

Jo