Last night I was so tired when I posted that I turned off the computer and went to bed early. This morning I realized that of course I was tired, I'd also mowed the back yard (the big one) and mixed a big batch of potting soil and filled several pots along with the other stuff on my list.

Liz, do you think that now you've discovered them you might put a few more of those knives into use? Before I give away something like that I will use it a time or two to see if it is more useful than I thought. I have a couple of knives from my Dad's house that look quite ornamental, they are handmade and in their own leather cases, but I almost got rid of them as too fussy. Finnish fish fillet knives. When testing them, they really are the best thing for filleting fish, and they are also the best knives around for filleting mangoes. :) Oh, it is also my experience that you can never have to many spatulas (if we're talking about the rubber-scraper variety).

Alice, good job! You'll simply have to pace yourself, or get a few neighbors to help share your trash. I had a stack of fence slats that I wanted to get rid of but it wasn't time for bulky waste yet, so I took portion of the pile to the curb each trash day. It took at least three weeks (Monday and Thursday pickups) to get rid of it all. Plus, we have a recycle center near us and bulky trash can also be dropped off. I live in Edgecliff and it serves Fort Worth, but since I have a Fort Worth mailing address I can use it. I have a copy of the ex-spouses water bill handy in case I need it.

Linn, my craft room is where I also do my eBay stuff, and it is getting pretty full again. If I hadn't been so tired last night I'd have sorted and maybe listed a couple of things. It's the yard work in heat that really takes it out of you--quiet pursuits like researching old plates made in Northern Alberta just doesn't keep me awake after a day of lugging bags of dirt and compost.

maeve, I have used a wringer washer a few times, and my hat is off to you. They're a lot of work. My mother used one at our lake cabin where I spent all of my summers until my early teens.

Susan, extension cords are scary. Two or three years ago the fire marshal at the university literally banned them (at the university library) and made us switch to power strips (got compliance by threatening to seize any equipment that was plugged in, like radios, etc.), so at home I've gotten rid of most of mine, unless they are used for one small item and only because they go to a plug hard to reach otherwise. You might want to upgrade to power strips that are rated to resist electrical storm events. Much less fire hazard.

SRS