Keeping up that cleared-up downstairs is a funny thing. I see a mess begin and my mind goes right to "impossible, overwhelmed." But then I find that in about 5 minutes it's all done. The other day a friend we seldom see in person called to say she needed to drop something by, and by the time she (and her cute dog) arrived an hour later, I was all set-- could have taken the dust sheets off the pretty furniture too and would have if she had not been planning to bring in doggeh (who blessed my hitherto un-blessed rug).

It's the dust sheets that give the room the "I'm a mess" effect, it turns out. I happened to have a set of old white sheets no good for anything else, so that's what we used. The next round of yard sale prep may net me some prettier ones to use instead, or at least scarves to lay over them decoratively!!! The idea is a layer that can be whipped off for company/washing in between catching the dust and cathair-- one load of wash and no more. None to fold and find storage space for!

I cobbled up a little shelf to use a few extra square inches of bathroom storage-- a narrow spot between vanity and wall. A whole shelf in the large closet in there (which I use for undies, nighties, etc.) was emptied once I got THAT in. It's cardboard construction till Ade can build it in wood for me. I got tired of having to put on clothes to go look in another closet every time I was naked after a shower and wanted a nightgown!

After the big washing of linens I did in September, and the camper-unpack we finally almost finished last week, I had a few large items left. A sleeping bag whose mate is in use, which we do not need but might want to match back up with its mate later... and a kingsize comforter whose padding is good but the stitching is shot, from the camper. A lightbulb finally went on-- that new mattress pad I know we need but can't get right now.... The bag and comforter fit under old pad perfectly, old pad holds it on, bed now not only protected by a cushy comforter that can be thrown to the dogs if and when it is further worn (or we get that new pad). It means we are now sleeping on top of the last 5-6 years' vacations! :~)

Also unpacked from camper, "smellegrams" for a wolf friend from vacation. To mail next week... along with a GORGEOUS quilt we won from the church's Quilters, headed to sister to wrap her in prayer and stunning fall colors.

The friend I had hoped would come and help, just a leetle, with that yard sale is indeed coming, with partner, end of the month. Their young legs will bring down boxes-- stuff I will already have sorted that is now sitting "out of the way" in "their" room, and then we'll sit out on the front porch and price it all for a sale to be scheduled the weekend after their visit.

The trip to Chicago to explore sister's current and future caregiver needs is tentatively planned for late November-- a week with Hardi's mom first and then a week with sister-- and then back home before the worst of snow season, unless sister needs me to stay, as in STAY. Son and DIL are on the route back and forth for overnight sleepage.

Hm. I had felt that I wasn't doing much around here-- PT is so hard that altho I can now change a kingbed by myself including mattress flip, I'm in the chair as much as ever after some of these sessions. I guess I have gotten more done that I thought, TBTG.

Hopefully by the time I hit Chicago I can do stairs-- sister has a lot of them.

~Susan