Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: pattyClink Date: 13 Jan 25 - 11:15 AM Made a little headway on the clutter backlog, unpacked a few more boxes, and broke down shipping boxes that had been piling up; cut up some airpocket material for a million little rock-collecting bags. Found some sentimental items, a baking pan, as well as the doorstops that I knew were somewhere. Power was out most of the day and then on into the freezing evening, really aggravating because the local power company apparently lies about when power will be restored. Apparently they automatically announce 2 hours as their estimate, then extend every 2 hours, it was more like 9. Apparently the issue was up in the Gila national forest, they know darn well it takes time just to get up in there, never mind the time it takes to do a fix. Work continued on the porch, with a generator adding to the aggravation. Yes, it was wise to replace the roof and patch the concrete, no it's not going to be any more usable or pleasant than it was. It was worth the promised 2 weeks of disruption, not the several it has turned into. Retreated to the motorhome at sunset, and just as had my gear moved out and settled in for the night, power came back on. Now it's back to computer work. Reservations, insurance stuff, escrow suddenly changed, and the Illinois Tollway tells me they will close my account if I don't call them to ask to keep it. All that stuff they think it's nice to throw at people 'after the first of the year'. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 13 Jan 25 - 11:42 AM Power outages - after 2021's long cold one we're all a bit punchy. My computer UPS devices can charge small stuff and my sister recommended one of the Stanley portable power stations. The one I got has been helpful, but I should have read the description more closely because I had to buy an adapter to shift the 12-volt plug to AC plugs (lamp, radio, etc.) You were more than prepared with the RV in the driveway! My neighbors are leaving for two weeks (cruise in the East Caribbean - nice time of year to go) and we discussed the possibilities if the power goes out. Since they won't be here the generator won't be in use (she apologized in advance, if that happens) but she has children who live in the area, so I'm to give one of them a call if power is out for a couple of days so they can come retrieve items from the freezer while it's still frozen in case power is out for a long long time. The side of my fridge hosts a list of alarm codes, family phone numbers, and house keys for them. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Jan 25 - 01:06 AM Going through more craft room items. Some embroidery hoops going to my son's partner, a dozen in various sizes. I think they were to frame finished projects I never got around to. (I'll keep a couple for use in projects that might call for embroidery). I spoke with him this evening so what they don't want is donated. Some of the associated vintage items, like the first edition DMC floss color card, has 330 colors, but research shows me that the most recent card has 489. eBay gets that. Books on rug and quilt crafts that don't interest me, gone to a better place. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Charmion Date: 14 Jan 25 - 11:29 AM To Kitchener this morning for my monthly shot of Xolair (asthma drug). The weather is treacherous — snowing heavily, lousy visibility — so I took Highway 7/8 instead of the shorter but riskier route by the county roads. For a wonder, everyone seemed to have just received a stern safety brief: no speeding, no dangerous passing, no tail-gating, no going through intersections “on the pink”. It was downright relaxing. The imminent painting project in the music room has me stressing a bit. In the small hours of yesterday morning I woke up worrying about where to put all the books and sheet music while the bookcases are under drop-cloths in the middle of the room. Not a good sign. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Jan 25 - 11:49 AM More materials soon on the way to my son, including his four high school annuals. I intentionally bought them for each kid. Neither was excited at the time, but they didn't realize that years from now those might be interesting references (if for no other reason than if, like me, they read the hometown obits and go looking for the faces that go with the names from decades ago.) They weigh about five pounds each (it was a large school) so it's good thing media mail is priced low for this kind of parcel. A few more tidbits from the sewing room, and I found a large durable plastic bin that matches those I'm using in the freezer for like items. I'll see if it fits. It might help me organize all of the types of flour in there, or maybe a home for all of the packages of frozen fish. We're getting an idea about the extent of the next Arctic air - Saturday through the following Wednesday, way cold overnight and 30s high each day. I'll be feeding my friend's cats again so I'll be out in it. I love that the SUV has a remote start feature so I can warm it up before trips. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Jan 25 - 03:06 PM It's cold out but the sun is so bright that I've given my mood and immune system a boost just for being out in it for a while. Craft items dropped off; when I explained that the box had bags full of clean scraps and yardage from costume design the volunteer receiving them showed a little thrill of excitement. Perhaps an interest of hers also? Dog food picked up and then I browsed the dog toys and came home with two nylon chew toys. Cookie ran all over the yard with one of them, I probably need to go find it. Pepper is still chewing one on the bed that she typically drags sticks to from the yard then chews to pieces. I wish I could say this is the start of a trend for her. Potted plants in the garage need to be moved into the sunshine and this week I can start the bed where I'll plant potatoes. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: pattyClink Date: 14 Jan 25 - 09:16 PM Making progress on the organization front. I made a 'desk' in the library/office room using old planks,a 2 drawer file cabinet and the extremely heavy-duty box the mattress came rolled up in. Some artful draping with tablecloths and at least I have a place to spread out and work a bit (the little desk/table is busy with the microscope etc.) Unpacked a couple more boxes. Still cluttery, but feels a lot better. In tidying that area, was moved to wash a bunch of rocks from the last field trip during the warmer afternoon hours -- I always do that the day after a trip, but let myself get distracted this time. And this evening I'm labeling the sides of all my various little boxes of treasure in the rock room / work room, so at least I know what I have, and where on the shelves it is. Need to fish out some stuff for the Albuquerque stop on the trip. Air in the water lines has returned. So frustrating to know they just wasted my time with a band-aid. Maybe a better well company can come out here, take a look, and train me on winterizing before I have to leave Monday morning. Maybe not. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 15 Jan 25 - 12:17 AM Good luck with the lines. Sounds like the first crew didn't want to bother to look for the leak? Hoped to get lucky with that bandaid. Can any plumber also do that, or does it have to be a specialized well company (or are those one and the same out there?) The second desk in my office is similar to what you described. A leftover piece of furniture grade plywood (I finished the edges with a strip of iron-on oak veneer you find in rolls at Home Depot, etc., so it looks like solid wood.) It sits atop two two-drawer filing cabinets spread apart to give me a kneehole. Solid. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Charmion's brother Andrew Date: 15 Jan 25 - 07:58 AM Charmion: "In the small hours of yesterday morning I woke up worrying about where to put all the books and sheet music while the bookcases are under drop-cloths in the middle of the room. Not a good sign." Not a good sign? Well, given that your concern is about as First World as it gets, it's not a bad sign, either. "Painter, more drop-cloths for that heap of printed matter!" ;) |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Mrrzy Date: 15 Jan 25 - 04:38 PM I'm going to paint my house's insides soon. Paint makes a lot less mess than drywall work, I'll say that. Meanwhile have acquired a lot of counter space by consolidating my toaster oven and microwave into a single unit, air fryer/microwave. It can make toast, too. But it added a lot of counter space, and extra sides to stick magnets to, too. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 15 Jan 25 - 11:26 PM Sounds good, Mrrzy. Though I've read that magnets on appliances (including refrigerators) isn't necessarily good for them. I would never do that on the convection oven because it gets too hot. What about your new device? Does the outside stay cool during use? Going through old email this evening I came across a class-action thing in the spam. It actually has to do with a business I did use in the past, so I've filled it out. Perhaps in seven years I'll get a check for $35 after all of the fees and lawyers have been paid. This makes two of these things now. I have a file for these and every year or two I check up on the cases. I've picked up the two repaired Sarouk Persian rugs and will get them to the kids soon. I asked him what value they should list them as for insurance purposes and he said $2250 each. They spent the first 100+ years on the floor, perhaps the next 100 years they should be on the wall. I need the same repair on the ends of the bigger one in my room, but I'll wait till warmer weather, it's the rug I stand on beside the bed and the tile floor is cold this time of year. I experimented with some King Arthur Measure-for-Measure gluten free flour and a couple of pieces of gluten free bread from the freezer. I toasted the bread, broke it into the little food processor, and finally put it in a fine grinder to make bread crumbs. Add an egg and some chicken breast to roll through all of it and I had the makings for a few chicken strips. Making a very small batch involves about the amount of one of carbs as one of the the slices of bread and a tablespoon of flour. I used some of the corn oil I still have here, but it isn't a keto-friendly oil, so will get very little use and won't be replaced when it runs out. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: pattyClink Date: 16 Jan 25 - 10:49 AM Someone will come out Monday to look at the well and supervising draining of pipes 'winterizing'. Then I'll travel a shorter distance than I had planned, probably stay in Truth or Consequences, and hit Albuquerque the next day. Reassured in a way by the women in the well service office; but in a way unnerved because one immediately jumped to the conclusion the well is sucking air because the water table dropped. I don't think so, but what if the tech also jumps to that conclusion? I guess I'll get a second opinion before rebuilding the well. Ripped the end-cover off my awning while pulling away from the house where I parked too close in order to load recycling directly from the porch, yet another humiliation in front of the neighbors. Got to the enormous transfer station; there was a bin the size of a chest freezer, stuffed full of cardboard, nowhere else to put the stuff. And I had a chest freezer's worth to drop. Unattended shoddy operation. Went into town where I had spotted big recycling containers. GONE. In the corner of the lot remained a tiny bin marked 'tin cans' and a regular dumpster. Put all my stuff in there, cardboard, trash, and all. I had already dumped the scrap metal at the transfer station. Just getting a lot of 'nothing works any more' vibes everywhere I go. The bank transfer facility that should work, doesn't, no recourse, no one to call and get things working. The lumber I paid HD extra to have delivered, and waited 10 days for--was delivered to the wrong address, then carpenter had them bring it here and received it, weeks ago. As he builds the roof, finds, tucked inside, a colossally warped timber, had to be replaced. Even he of even temper has become frustrated. the RV park well failed, and they were sold 2 non-working pumps, so went thru installation process 3 times. No one cares if they waste buckets of your time because of their carelessness or poor quality. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 16 Jan 25 - 12:24 PM It does feel like everyone is giving up. Let's see, why could that be? (We all need to send a message to Merrick Garland to for heaven's sake drop the charges on the other two in the Maralago documents case—because Trump will anyway—and release the report. We want to see it, not have it buried.) That rotten plank stunt is so stinky, and they had to know what they were doing when it was in there. Childish trick. The lumber these days comes from rapidly grown young trees (better than cutting old growth, I'm not arguing for that) and isn't as strong. When I pick out my own 2x4s sometimes they'll be in a batch where everything is warped. It isn't being handled and dried as well at the mill. A good argument for not doing demolition with a bulldozer, but disassembling buildings that need to be replaced and reusing as much of that material as possible. It isn't just about rescuing fancy trim, windows, and old fireplaces any more. The recycling bins are emptied two days a week here and I have to keep track of those days to get in right behind them, because bins fill quickly when people don't flatten their boxes and put in bulky non-recycling things. Back when I had a travel trailer I remember a couple of embarrassing sideswipes or things dropping off. They're handy, but there are so many moving parts to keep track of! Another eBay item sold and will go in the mail today. One item is left in the listings, so I have to get more up there. And I have to finish a large box to my son; I'll take that that and the box of high school yearbooks to the post office. Turning inward this year. More audiobooks, more work that doesn't involve listening to the news. Putting in the garden as a really serious source of food, because in addition to the climate change I think the broad distribution of solid waste "fertilizer" embedded with PFAS has probably damaged our food supply in a serious way. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Mary G Date: 16 Jan 25 - 09:45 PM hope this is not too far off topic, but i am not working quite enough hours right now. I need to work from home or in nearby community.. I have a car but it is unreliable and mechanics can not figure it out, so it has to either be on bus route or walking distance, two miles or so. Are there any reliable places to start looking for online at least? Any recommendations? High wages are not expected. Thanks. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 17 Jan 25 - 12:24 AM You were previously MG on the 'cat, correct? Are you in a city now? Last I remember you were moving from a small town on the coast, but I don't remember where you were headed. There are lots of job scams out there these days, sites with offers but that suck people in for various nefarious reasons. That said, be careful about uploading your resume, but at some point you're going to have to have one ready to go. Indeed.com seems to be the winner in online job searches, if you enter your keywords. There were a couple of others I used a few years ago, when I was seriously looking, but this one rises to the top now. Linked-in works for networking and you can use it free or for a fee. Getting the connections in place so you can look at their workplaces or use them as references takes a bit of work. Your university connections would be a great place to start. Sometimes the site can't see the linkages you know exist and won't let you request a connection. Do you have particular jobs in mind? Freelance? Contract work? Regular part-time hours? All packages mailed and other things delivered in person. Several items listed on Freecycle. Trying to stay busy as the world prepares to implode. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 17 Jan 25 - 12:37 PM The dining table is set up in the den now with one leaf and the photo cube and lights in place. After the holiday move of equipment into the front room I decided I wasn't going to try to photograph and work on eBay items in there, it's too cramped. Success breeds success - selling a number of items in the last two weeks inspires me to get more listed. I'll start with small and easily described items to build back the inventory. The next cat sitting gig happens while an Arctic front is moving through, and though the chance of precipitation is low, it's not nil. I have a route I can drive that involves no bridges in snow or ice. Last year at this time I had new tires put on because I'd be cat sitting in similar weather; this afternoon I've scheduled a free tire rotation since I'm sure I've gone the 6-8000 miles they suggest is a good interval. I'm also looking at what I have on hand here, regarding events of the 45 administration. I ordered a box of KN95 masks to go along with my home-sewn 3-layer cloth masks. My garden will be going in gradually in the next couple of months, and I don't think there's anything I need there. The import things I use are generally food items like avocados and fruit, and I'll have to keep shopping at the discount gourmet grocery and hope we're not hit too hard over there. If immigrants who work in the meat packing plants are in fear of deportation then meat costs will rise. Buying larger pieces, whole chickens or turkeys, may be part of the answer. That's all I have in my crystal ball* for now. I'm getting a lot of mail from non-profits and charitable organizations as everyone scrambles to try to bolster their operations against what is ahead. The spreadsheet helps keep track of what I'm already supporting or subscriptions to renew. I need to look into the postal list to reduce junk mail, if there still is one. *One glimmer of hope in our Texas government - the MAGA supported candidate for the Speaker of the House in the Texas legislature that meets again this year lost to a Republican member who challenged him and was supported by Democrats. He doesn't roll over and do what MAGA wants. The house, senate, and governor are all GOP, but there are still a few rational people out there. No knowing where all of this will go, but there will be some pushback. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Charmion Date: 17 Jan 25 - 04:53 PM I'm having my annual "How long to stay in Stratford?" crisis. Part winter blues, part post-Christmas slump, but mostly awareness of how much I miss my brothers and sisters-in-law, and my old friends. Not that I don't have friends here, but they are new friends, nice folks but they didn't know me back in the day, and they never knew Edmund. So I did some housework. That usually perks me up. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 Jan 25 - 11:27 AM That "where to live" inner dialogue is a constant companion here as well. Complicated by one brother moving to the east coast and one estranged, the remainder of family are six, three elsewhere and three here. But here is gawdawful hot in the summer and horrible politics. There it's about 3X as expensive to buy a home in. Tornadoes and hurricanes here, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions there. It's insurance policy renewal time. Rates are calculated by state, and Texas hasn't had a disaster for a few years so it shouldn't go up too much. I'd hate to live in California in the next few years. I've solved the dishwasher pod problem. It turns out those pod covers are dissolvable plastic and end up polluting the water and the treatment plant has trouble with it. I stopped using the Platinum pods with liquid contents because they don't clean any better than the less expensive stuff. The ones I'm using now are a powder in the pod, so I cut the cover off and threw it away. Dishes washed just fine. When the laundry detergent runs out I'll switch over to powder in a cardboard box (the current laundry sheets are embedded with dissolving plastic to hold their shape). First world problems. I'm getting requests for the spider lily bulbs I put on the free places, but not for the rest of the stuff so far. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 Jan 25 - 07:43 PM Everything is gone via the donation route except the halogen lights. And I scored a case of a dozen heat pump air filters that I'll pick up tomorrow. That's a nice cost savings. Today was one of those days in which my ex has had technological issues all day long. I tried calling last night and today, no answer. No response to texts. Finally got a call and he came over for our shopping trip, and realized he'd put his phone on Do Not Disturb yesterday. We got back to my house after shopping and he couldn't find his phone. I found it slipped down beside his seat in my SUV (ringing, since I called it.) And then when he got ready to leave realized he'd locked his keys in the trunk of his car. So I drove him to his house and let him in (with the copy of his housekey on my keyring) and he got his spare car key and we returned to my driveway. I told him that getting all of those goofs over with in one day was one way to do it. Today's trip let me get organic blueberries at $3.99 a pint; at Aldi's this week they had 6oz clamshell packs of organic blueberries for $4.26. I picked up a case of 12 and they'll go into the freezer. They're one of the fruits that have a lot of residual stuff on them if they aren't organic. The Arctic blast arrives overnight. I think we're set. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 18 Jan 25 - 09:35 PM Dupont: Did not fall asleep on purpose! Never did that before! I had burners turned down very low and one set to go off automatically. But still!! That rotten piece of wood! reminds me of when our family cottage was built - 60 years ago! Old Mr. Heller cut oak trees on our side of the mountain, took the logs over the hill to his sawmill and made rough planks which were then used (green) to build! Dad asked the govt bureau what sort of preservative??? They wrote back- nothing! That will outlast you! So I lost this last week: on Monday, I got up about 4 am because I couldn't sleep so might as well. Made delicious blueberry buckwheat cakes and ate two. Made a phone call to find a doctor to fill out a form for Driver's Licence. YAY! THEN: I was hit with the worst GI disturbance of my life - sitting on toilet with plastic bucket on lap, I wretched and screamed... The vomiting was excruciating and went on forever - scary! When R found me, still in the bathroom, he had already eaten two of the cakes! NO effect on him so it wasn't them. But I have done nothing but lie in bed with the hots and colds all week - until this morning. I finally feel OK - barely. Mystery bug, I guess. I stayed home from Chateaugrass today. freezing rain was part of decision. I did do a carrot soup and porridge. And clocked hours on computer! Someone scientifically minded (SRS?) might check out this woman on internet. Dr. Beata Halassy, ---VERY interesting and sounds sensible. A woman from the grief group, whom I really like, is coming by on Monday - I'm skipping the group; looking forward to a real visit with Valerie. Would like to find out what she thinks about the group --and life in general! And just finished The Choice by Edith Eva Eger- Holocaust survivor/psycholgist- PTSD and more- VERY Good! Nice to hear there is something OK politically in Texas!! |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 Jan 25 - 10:37 PM Aww, Dorothy, that sounds so miserable. Isn't the Norovirus making the rounds? That sounds a lot like how it has been described. Though I've only experienced that kind of virus a couple of times in my life, it was memorable, in all the worst ways. As to the politics down here I wouldn't say it is ok, just less bad for now. The cold is descending, and my last trip to feed cats tonight was in a down vest. Tomorrow I'll be out in the full-on winter parka and gear. I have another museum tour, though chances are it won't make with the weather. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: pattyClink Date: 19 Jan 25 - 10:25 AM This morning while it was still freezing, dashed out in my jammies and robe to test the Thermo Cube thermostatic outlet. I had made a trip into town last night to exchange the wobbly junky walmart heater for a name brand. Plugged it in, nothing happens. Come inside to test the heater inside, works fine. Try it again out at the pumphouse; unplugged the extension and tried the cube and heater combo out there. Not only didn't work, the connection is so tight on these things, it broke off the prong from my heavy duty extension cord, rendering it useless. So now I'm panicking, because now there's no heat out there. Couldn't get the rig close enough to help position power close enough. Finally added a shorter extension cord from the house, was able to get enough distance and keep some heat out there. Glad the other cord on hand was a 40', I debated on what length to get. Looked up reviews online, on Tractor Supply site they have 62 reviews, and 6 of them are 'just doesn't work'. So apparently the company is fine with shipping stuff that maybe 10% of the plugs don't actually work, but it seems like if a store has one bad plug, they have a batch of them. Couple guys report exchanging and trying multiple ones, all failed. If there was ever a product that needs testing at the factory, this one is it. Home Depot of course has an alternate brand, with 100 they can ship, but not a one actually in a local store in the winter. Not that I have time to make a long buying trip today. I guess I'm back to the drain-everything plan instead of keeping some heat going in house and pumphouse, though I'm not sure there won't be water trapped if I do that. Hope the guy coming tomorrow morning is knowledgeable and helpful. Well, back to packing, and getting ready for the online Burns Night at noon here. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Donuel Date: 19 Jan 25 - 11:44 AM There is no defense against Norovirus by means of cleanliness or hygiene. For example Lysol is effective to kill 99.99% of viruses and bacteria but Norovirus is in the 100th of 1% that is immune to Lysol. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 19 Jan 25 - 01:00 PM I have both the white thermocube and a yellow Frost King cube, but they were purchased at least a dozen years ago. The yellow one is from HD. They both work. The air in the space does need to be below a certain threshold before they kick in, so you're sure it was below about 37o when you tested? Using those devices you have to be careful that everything is in the On position even though it only comes on intermittently, and usually when you're asleep. (My friend with the cats set up the Freeze Miser on her faucet and on her last trip I checked it and the water was turned off. It only works if the faucet is on so it can drip when the temperature reaches 37 or lower.) It is goofy that those things aren't in the store. I looked at my local HD - they could ship one to the house by Wednesday or I could pick one up in the store starting Feb. 3. Really? Porch pickup was a zero this morning, she forgot to leave it on the porch. I texted, it's there now and I'll go by before my next cat/museum run in a little while. She has a great landmark in the front yard, one of those Little Library boxes on a post. I have a book to add to it, A Return to Common Sense by Leigh McGowan. I read the first few chapters and found it to be clear an accurate description of how US government is set up and how the amendments work, etc., but it's stuff I already learned in school (and should still be taught now). I've wondered what to do with it. Putting it "out there" to do some heavy lifting seems appropriate. It's cold and clear, very bright today. Fingers crossed it stays this way, no snow because I have too much coming and going to do to fuss with slithery side roads. I'm halfway through freezing those organic blueberries. There are 12 avocados ripening on the kitchen counter to be made into guacamole and frozen. Yesterday Town Talk was particularly full, even as late in the day as we usually go over, and I think everyone had the same thing in mind - getting produce to freeze or can, and other stuff to stockpile in case things go pear-shaped in a hurry after tomorrow. We had to queue in line to reach the checkout for about twenty minutes and had a good conversation with the guy behind us, an inspector with the local office of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. He is concerned about the threat to downsize the federal workforce. I'm working my way through those crispy pecans I made a couple of weeks ago (I've also gifted a bunch of them). I weigh out a ounce at a time and find that the sharp flavor of the crunchy nuts is just what I need for a healthy snack. I also found another good very dark chocolate bar yesterday, that I'll pick up more of tomorrow (because it will go away fast, waiting a week or two doesn't work at that store.) |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Charmion Date: 20 Jan 25 - 08:05 AM Another full-height bookcase, this one equipped with shelf inserts for CD storage, has left the building, given away on Facebook Marketplace. I definitely need to stop moving large furniture up and down stairs. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: pattyClink Date: 20 Jan 25 - 09:40 AM Wow, was not expecting 'you probably did something wrong'. For the record, I tested outdoors, with the knob turned to lo then hi heat, at 26 degrees. Then I tested at another connection, where it failed, and upon removing it, broke a prong off my extension cord because the receptacle holes are too tight. It is a brilliant idea and I was glad to find it. I'm not accusing the product line of being bad, I'm saying I got a bad one and there are bad ones out there. Perhaps whoever was in charge of quality control retired and was not replaced, or was replaced by an incompetent. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Jan 25 - 12:57 PM No, I wasn't saying you did something wrong, and I understood about the broken prong. But those cubes are kind of counter-intuitive, so it was more just of a "triple check to see if it's really set up the way you think you set it up" before some guy comes along and points out a snag in the setup. Including the outlet you have the extension cord plugged into. You're ready for the guy who might suggest something was done wrong. (I hope that helps!) I've been on the receiving end of that repair guy smugness a time or two - it's not so bad with the conversation in person when I explained the problem, but a few minutes later when I look over at the truck they arrived in and the guys are sitting there laughing. Running around this week, making the cat trips the bookends around other stuff to save driving. This morning's bookend trip was back to Town Talk, where I found a really good type of dark chocolate on Saturday so bought a whole bunch today, and it was marked way down below what I thought it would be. I may go back for more tomorrow, and truly have a lifetime supply. It's the low amount of sugar per serving that works for me; dark chocolate from places like Aldi's still have more sugar than I want. I may have to take the little cat to the vet. He's not eating much at all today, and has had the trots. This morning I gave him the medication she indicated. Yesterday he got into a small jar of babyfood I accidentally left out on the counter, and must have eaten most of the jar. That may be what is upsetting his system (she uses it in small dabs to give various medications to the cats.) So letting it clear out and see how things progress. It's not like she's somewhere else in the state and can drive back home early to deal with this, she's scuba diving off the coast of Honduras for a week. If he's dying at this point I'll sit with him if I need to. This cat has used all 9 and several spare lives at this point. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Jan 25 - 10:28 PM Long afternoon at the vet with cat - it seems he is having a bad reaction to diabetes medication. He was such a mess, I was sure he was sliding toward the rainbow bridge. He'll be there for several days and feeding cats at her house just became a lot easier. I'm working on a new web page (it will be a file that lives on my desktop but opens in any browser) with the links to places I want access to as far as writing to representatives about votes they are considering. Today I wore the LL Bean flannel-lined jeans and they felt great. I found a kleenex in the pocket so know I wore these before and aired then put them back in the closet. After this wearing they will go in the wash, as will my hoodie jacket - even with a veterinary waterproof pad under him, I had the cat in my lap at the vet and he was a stinky little guy. My friend asked if he was in my lap and I described his state - he was getting petted but was on the exam table. "There's worse than cat urine on your clothes" was the answer. And if it had been his last trip to the vet, a cuddle was needed, so I scooped up all of it. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 21 Jan 25 - 11:25 AM I've made progress on the personal web page, looking up sites I want to include (meaning I don't need to keep a bunch of bookmarks). Still super cold today, and I get my haircut midday. I don't do anything fussy, no drying or combout or anything, but she usually does that if it's this cold. I'll take along a bag of my crispy pecans as a thank you. The little cat has much perked up, my friend spoke to the doctor on the next shift. She's grateful I acted yesterday, I think the little guy would have died overnight otherwise. I'll be taking a box of his preferred food over to the vet this afternoon, a kitty care package. Who knew pet sitting could be so dramatic. (She's going to be poking his ear and taking daily blood sugar readings after this, plus twice a day insulin shots - so life did just get more complicated.) Another cuppa tea then hit the road. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Charmion Date: 21 Jan 25 - 04:38 PM This year's "Where to live?" crisis has resolved into a decision to move back to Ottawa this year. What's more, I have told the family and tonight I tell the choir. And I contacted the real estate agent who sold us the house back in 2017. When she gets back from Mexico, this shit gets real. The Brothers (and sisters-in-law) are thrilled. The choir won't be. So it goes. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 21 Jan 25 - 05:08 PM WOW! And congratulations on making the decision. You've done so much downsizing hopefully it is easier moving out of the house than moving in was. (You also did a lot of remodeling, as I recall.) Does this mean you'll be doing more painting or repairs now getting ready to list? |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 22 Jan 25 - 12:41 PM Still cold, and today it's windy enough to make it feel even worse. Overnight tonight will also be frigid, but then it's supposed to move out of the area. Day three this week of medical stuff. Monday the vet, last night my ex called, he'd somehow bit his tongue (eating salad!) and it wouldn't stop bleeding. He might need a ride to an emergency clinic. He never had the icemaker plumbed to his fridge and doesn't keep an ice cube tray so my first move was to get a bunch of my ice and take it over. After about 20 minutes of a cube wrapped in gauze (and dampened so it didn't stick) the bleeding stopped. It actually became kind of funny - I snapped a photo of him with the gauze in his mouth and sent it to the kids in a group conversation. This morning was my blood draw in advance of next week's checkup and after six months of no statins but the changed diet I am curious to see what shows up. I'm going to take Taubes' Good Calories, Bad Calories with me to the exam. Patty, were you able to get everything worked on early in the week in time to do the travel you were packing for? I do apologize if my remarks were inappropriate regarding the work you're doing. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 22 Jan 25 - 10:00 PM Dupont: Finally back to feeling reasonably good. Whatever that was, was a doozy! At least R did not need to deal with it or with me having it; I just mostly stayed in bed with book and computer. Now R's bro (80) was in hospital yesterday with something nasty wrong. I am hoping R will be home tonight or let me know. They are partners in the business and the load is already too much for R; if bro cannot help, I fear for R's mental health. I sent off a treatise of the 66 years of my so called "marriage" to #2 son. Sent it to #1 a few months ago after he browbeat me and triggered PTSD. I decided they are old enough to have a clue what I have been through with their "DT clone" of a father. DTclone is the most polite way I can refer to him. Had a wonderful visit this week with a woman I met at the grief group. My first friend in this burg! Charmion! Sounds like a great decision! Wonderful to have family happy to have you back! |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 23 Jan 25 - 01:02 PM Dorothy, I hope Robin's brother recovers quickly. And it sounds like the "treatise" you sent the sons needed writing. Getting it out of your system, making clear to others who needed to know your side of the story, that lets it be set aside. (I had a particularly toxic friend like that once - I wrote it out then burned the pages and buried them in the garden, and remarkably, that let me put it behind me.) Still darned cold here, and the faucets have been dripping every night for a week. Tomorrow it looks like things finally warm, and then we're into a rainy spell. All week has been one for layers and chapstick. I am working to maintain forward momentum these days despite retrograde developments in the US. Progress on eBay listings, and setting aside more household craft things for the next donation for city teachers. I'm also getting back to after-school tutoring; I tutored for a couple of years in the town where I was working until I retired (it was long drive for a couple of hours a week.) I'll find a program here; I sent a note to the friend at the university who works with groups that do tutoring and teacher service-learning to get a recommendation of where to start. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: pattyClink Date: 23 Jan 25 - 09:45 PM Hi from the road, wishing everyone well with their changes and upheavals. SRS, glad your devotion to the friend's cat had a happy ending! Worked very hard to get everything loaded for travel, and still managed to pack 5 hairbrushes but no hand lenses, but whaddya gonna do. Did use several well-thought-out lists but just too many moving pieces to juggle. Drained all the pipes, winterized, with questionable help from a well guy. I gotta find a decent water well driller, maybe there's one in Silver City. Had a great visit with the micro collectors in ABQ, then pressed on, stopping overnight at Homolovi State Park, which was a serene little place not far from the interstate. Got in a hike and learned a few things from the ruins and exhibits. Stopped a night in the wide spot in the road called Wikieup, Arizona, at a true oasis of an rv park-cum-pie-cafe. Lovely, and much warmer than the high country was, while hitting 8-10 at night. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 Jan 25 - 12:30 AM That's a nice looking little park, Patty. I've been through the area a number of times but never made it to that one. A recommendation came through on a good tutoring program so I'll investigate their options. This is will build on the number of things I'm doing to help others but also make myself feel better. It's clear that federal money to schools is probably going to drop, and in this state the legislature plans to divert dollars to vouchers, further harming public schools. This is my small thing to help. There was an essay published that is making the rounds on Facebook (lots of copy paste, but here is the original: Do I Dare Disturb My Doomscrolling?) "You can’t identify what needs to be done next if you aren’t doing the simple things that can be done now." |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: keberoxu Date: 24 Jan 25 - 06:44 PM A most unexpected form of de-clutter in the last day or two. My taxes are prepared by an accountant, a very nice one, who is part of a large nationwide firm. The firm in question just informed its people that all accounts below a certain dollar figure are going to be terminated. That includes me, and according to the accountant, about fourteen clients of hers. She fortunately thought of a remedy. I've been with this firm long enough to have gone through a series of accountants there. One of them left the firm to become a partner in a smaller business, and he is accepting clients as lowly as myself. So today he and I agreed to resume our accountant/client relationship at his newer, smaller firm. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 Jan 25 - 11:13 PM Keb, that worked out rather well! I've only had my taxes prepared professionally a couple of times, when estates were involved. I still manage to make a few mistakes and it gets rejected by the IRS free file software until I fix it. I never use the commercial products; those companies use well-paid lobbyists to pester the government to keep the income tax code so complicated that no one can do them easily so they can stay in business. This evening listing easy to describe and ship eBay things. Small and non-breakable like Tupperware and sewing stuff, to build up the inventory. The weekend is fully subscribed; cat sitting will finish Saturday evening and I need to clear the kitchen counters and table for our university group lunch on Sunday. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: pattyClink Date: 25 Jan 25 - 09:51 AM Keb, I am so glad there was a way to slide over to a new firm. My fervent hope is that some day a lot of business will move over from the giant chains back to real people running small businesses. We can't afford the overhead and excessive profits of these big chains. Only reason they can often charge less is they are allowed to bully suppliers into sweetheart deals. That policy, once illegal, was up for review by the government recently, I forget if it's FTC or Justice. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Charmion Date: 25 Jan 25 - 11:27 AM Sitting here in snowy Stratford, doing my best to stop stressing and get on with life. Marco the painter will start work next week, so I have been preoccupied with planning his access to the walls of the music room. I have to shift six full-height bookcases — and their contents — into the middle of the room. I think the neatest way to accomplish this task is to unload each bookcase onto the work table, move the empty bookcase, then load the books back in. When Marco has finished, I will simply — but not without considerable effort! — reverse the process. Yes, labour-intensive. But that’s what I have to do if I am to get that room redecorated without spreading stacks of books all over the house, which would take just as much work and make the place unlivable for a week. And no, I’m not prepared to “just get rid of” the books, as many people would advise. Not people who hang out here, I hasten to add. Barbara the real estate agent will return from her holiday next week. She suggested looking at the house in the first week of February. With any luck, I’ll have the music room back to rights by then. Meanwhile, my level of anxiety bobs about the threshold of intolerable, which is very distracting. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 25 Jan 25 - 12:24 PM Charmion, you made a big decision that isn't set in stone yet, and I imagine you're viewing a bunch of related parts of the move as one whole huge task. There is a drill - start making lists and put the discrete parts of it in such a way that you don't have to do all of it at once. Feel good about each accomplishment. So what is the first step? Getting this house ready? Starting the house search in Ottawa or nearby? I imagine your family is going to be a big help during the relocation. Meanwhile, lift with your legs and get a good workout moving all of those books. Bonus - squats are good for the pelvic floor. Anxiety here in the US is through the roof - it's dry January and probably needs to stay a dry four years because it would be too tempting to self-medicate the entire time. Better to let the anxiety push us toward resistance. I found Dr. Amen's chapter 10 (Happy Nutraceuticals) in You, Happier to be helpful, and have added GABA and L-Tyrosine to my supplements, as needed. L-Tyrosine is found in green tea, so simply drinking more of that can help your mood. I heard this morning that there is an early election of some sort scheduled in Ontario because of the tariff issues threatened by Trump. Green tea for everyone. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Jan 25 - 11:19 AM Yesterday I bought three cases of sparkling water at Costco, and was careful as I loaded them into the cart, into the SUV, and then into the garage. They're heavy enough that I was feeling it this morning in the abdominal muscles. Tylenol to the rescue. I'm preparing for friends over for lunch so don't need to be struggling with everything I need to do. One of the eBay items listed on Friday sold on Saturday so will leave the house on Monday. Nice! Last week was freeze, this week is rain, so more indoor activities. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 26 Jan 25 - 08:34 PM Dupont: Charmion! The path ahead is fraught with many mini-obstacles. You have made the big decision and made yourself and others happy! When I think of all the stuff you have moved in the last few years - this looks like a piece of cake! Of course the impending election is ... interesting? I hope we can get someone who is not a DT clone this time. Moving books one more time is a big job but not insurmountable. That nice pic on FB, depicts - a foldable bookcase over by the window? I have the twin next to my chair! And that rocking chair! - mine is a memory. Too many moves...too much panic of divesting too much stuff! Bro is a bit better; he did one of those incredibly stupid things - ignoring a pain in his toe, resulting in a day or two in hospital as the swelling was reduced so he can stand. Walking is still almost impossible. It seems that friends are taking turns helping out but R was not home for two days. But, today, he brought in the rest of the winter's wood after I moved the dry wood from hallway into Den, near wood stove - which was pouring out welcome heat while the outside door was open to bring in cold wood! The temp was just about freezing and the sun bright! Hoping for a bit more energy tomorrow. Going to be about freezing - with light snow - yuck! |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 27 Jan 25 - 01:09 AM Funny you should notice that folding bookshelf, Dorothy (I had looked at the whisky wistfully, I'm off of it for at least January, but didn't look at the room). I have several of those collapsible bookshelves around here. They're practical. I'm glad to read R's brother is better. Those brothers do seem to neglect their health at times, don't they? Lunch with friends today was great. A lot of pent-up stuff added to the animated conversations. (Lunch was homemade mac and cheese, fruit, and chocolate. Hot tea to wash it down.) One had a signal on the dash that a tire was low so I got out the portable compressor from the car and added air. I could have used the fancy Stanley one I keep inside the sunroom door but realized I didn't know how to run the compressor part of it (power supply, car battery cables/jumper, and compressor). Must get out the instructions. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 27 Jan 25 - 04:28 PM I pulled up a draft blog essay from last fall and after editing I dropped it into my Wordpress account, just to see how it works now. I think a lot of people will be going back to blogs instead of sharing everything on Facebook. The place I used to host photos messed up a lot of my images so if I want to revive this seriously I need to restore what went missing. And probably pay for the blog to have more functionality. Still kind of feeling the effects of lifting heavy boxes on Saturday. To save your back when lifting it helps to clench the abs, but I seem to have been over-exuberant with the compensation. The den is back to full-strength forest floor after mud, hair, and chewed sticks have built up in the last couple of weeks. The kitchen was looking great for guests yesterday, but I left the lights off and the curtains closed in the den. Keeping track of simple things (harking back to the essay I linked to on the 24th) I find will be helpful in improving my mood. I subscribed to Snopes.com yesterday after being a user for years. And I used it in one of the fact check activities I pledged to do more of. For today I will remind friends around Texas who like to vote absentee that they need to send in the request form every year now (because the GOP Lege wants to make it more difficult to vote.) These are things I can do. |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 27 Jan 25 - 08:56 PM Dupont: The bros do very little self care. R has me kicking and screaming - take your supplements; Did you drink water today? clean clothes would help! -Bro, I ignore; only see him on rare family occasions. He actually behaves reasonably at the cousin's home. They are the "headquarters". I will not have him in our house; R agrees. He is over 80 now but he has always been a horror. The bit of wood I moved yesterday was enough! Back is complaining slightly but I dredged up enough energy to make a pot of chick/veggie stew for a couple days. Later in the week, I will go to the bakery and Little Green Library (books due), visit Geri, maybe a couple other friends down near the border. Between snows! Signed up for friend Jessie's farm thingie for this summer. I do not envision being able to spend much time at Beaver (sadly). |
Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2025 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 28 Jan 25 - 06:50 PM The afternoon went to composing a letter to both US Senators and the US Representative of my district. A folder is set up with templates for future letters and printed mailing labels along with brightly colored envelopes. I mailed the first batch, and will see about the online message system for each of these folks later. When I tried in the past they didn't let formatting or even paragraph breaks show up so reading a message isn't easy, hence the printed mailed letters. I also mailed my request for all of this year's absentee ballots. Addressing the impulsive illegal acts of 47 is going to waste a lot of time, but we can't ignore this crap. Other things this week: the potted plants put in the garage for the week of hard freezes are out now and will get rained on tomorrow. I need to set up pots with soil and start veggie seeds for the garden this spring. Doctor and dentist check-ups this week. And soon I'll go back to the friend's house and dig up the almond verbena to transplant here (they're a glorious smelling shrub and attract loads of bees). |
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