I don't "see" ads - not on the computer or the newspaper or magazines! I have to make an effort to look at them. Talk about wearing blinders!! But it works for me - less clutter on the page.

"To reach for one you can't have your hands full of the other." Good thought, Susan. I will ponder that. In the meantime.... Sometimes those people get in the way of my picking up that which I feel I want/need/ ?? Not because I allow it but because I am not alone in making decisions - reaching for.... Hmmm, because my S.O. has not learned the strategies he needs to go forward without this impedance....?? Sometimes togetherness....
working on it.

I think the term "toxic" may stem from that book about toxic parents. Although I recognize that these people are not "bad people" they do counter-productive and hurtful things and are very capable of getting very much in the way if one has no strategies for avoiding them. If one has been trained from birth to accept their behaviour, it is hard to even see new ways of coping, even when one knows it is harmful to oneself and one's other relationships.

But Jeri, I am not "evil" and I hope I am not toxic to anyone. I realize I also use the word toxic because of environmental toxins - to which I am highly susceptible. A part of the reason I have so much trouble with this toxic person is that I am hyper-sensitive to loud noise to the point that it is physically painful as well as creating a brain dysfunction. Driving a vehicle with this person screaming in the back seat, after having been asked repeatedly to be quiet, reduces me to a quivering mass of protoplasm just as surely as a strong perfume puts my brain into anger mode in seconds. Noise is toxic. So is perfume. So is the person who screams and yells after many explanations of the effect this has. Strategy: He does NOT ride in my vehicle - unless there were an emergency.

A rather large part of my life has to be dedicated to avoiding toxins and de-toxing my body, which absorbs toxins like a sponge. Keeping a home that is as toxin free as possible means the air cleaners working, not bringing in toxic materials, insisting S.O. leave outer clothes outside of BR - because he works with dusts and other products of a toxic nature almost daily. It gets in his hair and beard so he often has to wash them before bedtime. He is so used to the dirt, he doesn't notice it. One might say that I clutter his life with my needs for a clean environment.

I tend to meet each day with queries: What must be done today?
    What is the best thing I can do today to make things better? or What do I FEEL like doing today that will improve things?

Since brekkie, I have laundered ALL the bedding, including two quilts - one is drying over the ladder back chairs in the K to avoid more dryer use. Come warm weather I want a clothes line or outdoor drying rack. I sorted out a double batch of chili, made yesterday, into potluck and storage - in yogurt containers (5 large) in freezer.

I made about three dozen turkeyballs - mixed the 3 lbs ground turkey with onion.garlic, sage, parsley and cayenne and two eggs, flatted the lot on the cookie sheet. cut it into small pieces, rounded them up a bit and broiled them, turning once. When cool, they will go in frig and then freezer to be used a half dozen at a time.

Thurs, at the Maxi, I found a treasure trove of organic cornmeal muffin mix at 50% and bought all ten. Would you believe, SRS, There is NO cornmeal in Quebec stores! At least not any of the big ones. I really wanted corn bread to go with my chili so...

But yesterday, the bottom element in the oven broke, literally! I did not even touch it. Rob may or may not bring home another one. He took the old one with him. Nope, I phoned him and the element store was closed; no cornbread tomorrow unless I can make it in the microwave? Hmmm...

OK, I joined a raccoon rescue group on line and that sent me to something called Goodreads which I also joined. Then I sat here wondering if I have time for this. Well, I will only give it as much as I feel able. I now need to complete my own raccoon story to send to the reporter and a couple other interested people. That is priority one - the next "most important thing" but I have to FEEL ready for it, hopefully today or tomorrow. I still have not heard from the Montreal rescue group which is bothersome as I would like its input for the newspaper.