Ever since I started learning to edit html to tweak my blog, I've never been one to leave it alone for very long. Now that the template has been updated (yet again!), I've decided to add a few features that I had before...

along with a new one I've been waiting a long time for. I still need to work on the Expandable Post Summary coding a bit (and will do more reading on that soon), but it is once more part of my blog.

I also have added an archive calendar, a feature I've wanted from the very beginning. I actually found several archive calendars for Blogger (which is a big change from the days of "old" Blogger, where calendars were not supported. I chose this one because it is clean and elegant.

I have added a music playlist also...and I have deliberately set it so that it does not start automatically, since that annoys me no end. If you want to hear a song, click its title in the player window at the bottom of the screen.

We are not planning much in the way of a New Year's Eve. Quiet time is a good thing, though. I do plan to cook blackeyed peas, a traditional good luck dish for the new year. And the installer is here putting in our new home security monitoring system.

This summer, I decided to get better organized. I got tired of not being able to find my manuals and user guides for our appliances, few though they were. I got a few supplies together:

-- a large looseleaf binder
-- page protector sheets
-- a zippered pouch for pens and small items
-- dividers for the binder
-- lined paper for extra notes

Then I set to work. I gathered all of our aforementioned manuals and user guides and tucked each of them into sheet protectors. Now if I need to refer to one, I know just where to find it.

I also included some organizer forms:

-- for meal planning, menus, and shopping lists
-- for phone numbers and addresses
-- for the vet records for the cats
-- and more.

This notebook is so easy to use and keep updated. No more missing instructions for appliances, and it can be customized in any way needed. It was handy even before we bought the house, and now it is indispensable.

We have a master list set up on a legal pad, with sections for each room in the house, plus sections for the yards and the garage. We have made lists of items we plan to get for each room, and we will check them off as they are obtained.

I've also set up files for our mortgage, taxes and insurance information, and for bills needing to be paid, as well as for receipts. Should be helpful at tax time.

Today is the anniversary of my grandfather's death. He died on December 22, 1983, and his funeral was December 23. I still hear his voice in my mind, and I can hear him calling me "sister" as he used to do so often. I am thankful for the years I had with him, and that I could help care for him in the weeks before he passed away. I still miss him...but he is at rest, and I will see him again some day.

Today, we had two of the interior doors in our home widened by just a couple of inches each. This was something I had specifically asked the builder to do before construction on the house began. He declined. So we planned to have it done ourselves...then we were told that if we made any changes to the structure of the house, it would void the 1 year builder's warranty. We considered carefully, and decided that safer and easier access to ALL areas of the house would be worth losing the 1 year warranty.

A couple of people from our church came to the house this morning, and did the work in just a few hours. Now I have access to the master bathroom and to the room I use as a home office, without crunching the door, the wall, or my fingers every time I have to enter or exit. No more fear of falling in the bathroom! We also had the door from the kitchen to the laundry room removed, and it is stored in the garage. Now I have access to everything I need. Next is to have ramps built for exterior access.

My idea for a window covering for the front door is a big success. Jay got a magnetic cafe curtain rod, and a fabric shower curtain (a replica of the Texas State Flag). He hung the curtain rod at the top of the door on the inside, and I put the curtain on the rod, accordion style. It isn't a bit too long, and it covers the window quite well while still admitting some light. So now it feels more private and looks just fine. It is a plus too, that when the curtain gets dirty it can be washed easily and hung up again to dry. The whole project cost less than $30! I am quite happy with it. I just love finding creative and inexpensive ways to make our home comfortable.

Our front door has a beautiful oval glass that covers the center of the door. Since I do not care for the idea that people on the street could possibly look in on us without my awareness, I've been trying to figure out a way to cover the glass in a way that would not detract from the attractiveness of the house from either inside or outside. I don't sew, and do not own a sewing machine, nor do I have a lot of money. So I've been puzzling over this since we moved in.

Today, I had a brainstorm. The door is steel, so I'm going to buy two magnetic curtain rods and a fabric shower curtain in colors that complement or contrast. Then I will just thread the hooks of the curtain onto the top rod and make an opening in the hem of the shower curtain for the bottom rod to fit through. I will gather the curtain so that it is full; if it is too wide, I can cut it slightly, but I don't think I will need to cut it much if at all.

It should work really well, and it won't be too expensive.

Amidst all the activity of work, school and final exams, unpacking and life in general, it really is beginning to feel like Christmas. I have been reading Kim Komando's newsletters for some time, and I listen to her weekly radio show regularly. Kim's husband works with Mannheim Steamroller as a producer of the annual Christmas radio show. I plan to listen, and you can look for a station in your area if you'd like to hear it also.

Jay finishes his finals this week, and we do plan to put up a few Christmas decorations once school is over. Last night, we met the minister of a local church we will be visiting, and he is very easy to talk to. He's also a lot younger (mid-30's) than I'd expected. We will be making some modifications to two of our interior doors pretty soon, so I can have easier access with my wheelchair, and we will be having some ramps made for the exterior doors.

I do love this community! Everyone is so friendly, and neighbors look out for and help each other. It doesn't get much better.

I am so glad we got the new bed; I am sleeping a lot better, and I am having no more back pain or muscle pain. I was beginning to think the pain was going to be permanent.

We've made a fair amount of progress unpacking. The kitchen is put together, and we bought a cabinet for use as a pantry. We also bought a new bed today, (a new queen size mattress and box spring with frame I found on Craigslist...the owner is moving and needed to sell it, and we got a huge bargain) so sleeping will be more restful. We had our first company over for dinner last night -- our neighbors. We had homemade enchiladas, rice and salad. They have a new puppy, plus an outdoor cat. We had a good visit, and plan to get together again. We also rearranged the furniture in the living room to make better use of the space. I'm hoping to rest better tonight than I have been.

It really is nice having the house come together.