Declutter & Accountability - January 2012

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Jan 12 - 01:11 AM

SRS, sounds like you have a full plate!

Today was probably the last day in the PT pool and it was a very good (long) session with HR where it is supposed to be, much encouragement from a variety of sources, and some fun peer talk with a fellow hard worker. We found a coiple of new baselines for my workoputs at my own pool and did some good planning for the dry clinic next week.

PTist concurs that any good land thing is better at this point than working out too much at home-- she's very good for slowing me to reasonable paces of progression. Some new step-up strategies to be sure I donpt hurt myself, etc.

Hardi and I have embarked on a new weekly (or oftener) activity, doing some silly kids; games during hockey intermissions. More about that next time. Good, gentle movement for muscles stiff from the day's PT tho. And FUN!

Brekky today was heavenly. We had Trucker's Brekky (steak and eggs, home fries, wheat toast), except that I had crab cakes instead of the steak, and the dippy eggs on top. OMG YUM! A smidge of tartar sauce.

Hardi ate his whole platefull, and I are one of the two crab cakes-- and some carbs because we were on the way to the PT appt. and I knew a hard aqua-run was ahead of me-- it turned out to be 38 minutes cardio on the aquatic treadmill.

After the PT appt I had half of the leftover crab cake, and then we did a long shopathon at WalMart (my oat bead on sale, YAY!). Then when we got back I polished off the other half of the crabcake. Dinner later was red cargo rice (a variety of brown), with stir-fried chicken and bok choy. The rice had been cooked about half and half with kale (or maybe collards), and spinach, and then stirred with a spoonful of fat free greek yogurt to cream it up. Deelish!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 14 Jan 12 - 08:50 AM

Yesterday I vacuumed, did dishes (how is it they pile up so quickly?!?!), cleaned off the kitchen table, balanced the checkbook, picked up all the toys from the day, filled our pill containers and have decided to talk to my doctor about getting rid of some of them that I don't think are necessary any more, recreated one of my favorite recipes that was about 15 points per serving down to 2 points (oh yes I did!!!) and had that with some tomato soup for a lovely lunch (Pete worked from home yesterday so it was nice to have some company) and then had a 5 hour nap. LOL. What can I say? It was a busy week and I was wiped out!!

Happy Saturday! We're off to pick up a double dresser...an online yard sale SCORE!!!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Jan 12 - 09:54 AM

This is the first weekend without kid stuff in a month, but it brings it's own issues nonetheless. Oven mitt in the middle of the kitchen floor tells me that one of the pointy-tailed elves patrolled house last night. :-)

My credit card consolidation went through this week. Now to pay off the one that is left. Taxes loom - as long as I have kids in college they need to be completed as soon as possible in the year because of the FAFSA. eBay will help with the card payoff so I need to get past all of the distractions and start listing stuff. The sun room is more clear since I recycled a bunch of the boxes in there.

It should be sunny and warmer this weekend, so there is some yard work to do. A friend on facebook remarked that she had a yard full of leaves and did any of us know someone who could come rake? Yes! A neighbor I've known almost since I moved in here. He and his wife take a walk at least once a day, across the bridge and up the hill past us. We talk every so often and have shared produce, plants from the garden, etc. He helped answer questions for Spanish speaking folks during our garage sale last fall and mentioned he was looking for some casual work to supplement his wife's income - he has had trouble getting work. When I first saw them on those walks he was wearing a huge back brace and walking with a walker - but still out every day. He'd broken his back at work, and had some surgeries. He can do the manual work now - and with maturity has the steady pace that compensates for swiftness. Two years ago he completely remodeled their house - new roof, siding, carpentry, painting. He keeps going, even if he can't get a job, so I was glad to recommend him. They arranged for the job on Monday. Nice to help both friends this way!

Better get moving.

SRS

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Jan 12 - 09:56 PM

At 3 PM this afternoon, we finished a 23 hour Morgan-thon! He came over yesterday afternoon, after school, and spent the night, and the morning, and part of the afternoon! We had a blast, though close to the end, Papa was in sore need of some quiet. :-)

Morgan has always slept on a cot in our room because the living room is so far away from our bedroom and it was a little scary for him. Now that he is eight years old and we have a kid-cuddly dog, he decided to try sleeping in the living room. Cot up against the sofa in case the dog pushed him off or vice a versa, with his sleeping bag and a spare blanket and of course the dog, we told him goodnight and left a nightlight on. He also knew where the flashlight was. He came into our room a couple of times before Roger was in there, telling me he wasn't quite sure and could he please watch some TV. I am of the opinion he watches too much TV at home and he knows that when he comes over here we usually don't watch any television. We might watch a movie on Netflix but no TV, usually. I told him no and asked if he'd like to hear some music. So, out came the Walkman CD player, he's tucked in with his pillow kind of on the dog's rump and that was the last I heard. I was up and down a couple of times, very quietly, and never heard a word. We were so proud of him. He slept the night through and said the dog never left him. One of the dogs at home always sleeps with him too so I'm sure that's part of the reason why he was able to be a big boy and sleep in the living room.

We did a lot of stuff with him last night and this morning, then just before lunchtime we went to the grocery store where I stocked up on fruits and vegetables. Morgan was a very big help bagging up the produce for me and finding stuff for me. After that we bought lunch, came home and ate it. After that he cleaned up all of the stuff he'd had out playing, coloring, etc. and packed up all of the things he brought with him. By the time his parents got here, Mama was ready for a kiss goodbye and a chance to just *stop*! I'm not complaining though. It really was very good time and he behaved so well, it was really neat.

I got in a lot of walking and lifting, doing all sorts of things yesterday and today and I'm pleased to say that, as of today, I have lost 3.4 pounds. That's since I started having the extracted juice I've been making since last Sunday. I'm pretty amazed. I haven't really changed what I have for meals, but my body can really feel the difference in the micro-nutrients which I'm getting. The doctor I saw Thursday was really glad to hear about it.

Ever since I was a little girl I've loved chocolate. I had been very ill as a baby and the doctors told my parents not give me milk, but give me lots more food because that's what I needed. Consequently I didn't like milk, but I loved chocolate. I remember dad coming home one time, when I was a little, with a brand-new product from the store. It was Nestlé's Quik. He said he was sure they could get me to drink milk if it was chocolate milk and he was right. All my life I've always had a little bit of chocolate nearly every day. There are times when I crave it greatly, especially when emotionally upset or or nervous about something.

The juice I made yesterday was not very tasty so I didn't have any made up this morning for my mid-morning sip. About 1p, it suddenly dawned on me that I was absolutely craving some juice. So I stopped prepping all the stuff we brought from the grocery store and whipped up a batch right away. This evening when I was drinking a bit more of it it dawned on me, I have not had any craving for chocolate in a week or two. I could still eat it, but I do not have to absolutely have it. Instead my body is craving the juice and, boy am I grateful. My whole outlook, moods, energy levels, and mindset have improved greatly.

Tomorrow, it's back to the usual Sunday chores: dishes, change the sheets, laundry, and vacuuming. Oh! And I have to do some dusting. It's really getting thick.

Oh, and I almost forgot: Friday morning I heard a kind of weird hissing sound, followed it down the hallway to where the furnace and hot water heater are. At first, I couldn't really see anything, so I turned off the furnace and called Roger. While I was on the phone with him I got a flashlight took another look and saw water running down the sides of the hot water heater. Roger rushed home from work, crawled under the house, getting entirely muddy in the process, and then left to go buy a new one. Isn't that the way? Seems our homes or cars always know when we have a little bit of extra cash. Roger had just done some freelance work for which he'd been paid. Half of it went to the hot water heater and the other half supplemented what we had for the house payment. *groan* Though we grumbled a bit, we both were very grateful that we were able to take care of things.

Any other time up to now, that would have caused me to call my daughter and tell her that we had to cancel our plans with Morgan but, because of the way I'm feeling, we were able to carry on.

I know this might seem like a long catch up, but I wanted to share the good news with you all. Thanks for listening,

kat

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Jan 12 - 10:22 PM

2 sets of step ups on the high stairs.

Got financial center moved back to attic dorm, sorted priority piles to prep for year-end summaries.

New plan for office shelf build just about set, have half the materials on hand now.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 14 Jan 12 - 11:55 PM

I can't remember if I said this or not but I plan to look for free rent in exchange for some office and housekeeping chores..not personal or pet care because I have to be able to move about on weekends etc...but it has been at least two years since I lost my second job and I have made absolutely no effort to replace it..partly because sometimes I have to put in extra hours at my main job and partly because I can get wiped out tired..I live in a charming little cabin on a beautiful oceanfront property, but I don't use the property or go through the swamps to the ocean and I hate being cold and not having a bathtub and I also want a dishwasher, washing machine and cable TV so I can watch my infomercials..I get mesmerized by the steam cleaner ones especially..Anyway, I have an ad in the paper and one flyer up but I nheed to do more..put something on Craig's list..

There are a lot of retired people here who have cabins in the back of their main house and they are gone for months at a time..that would be my ideal situation...mg

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Jan 12 - 12:32 AM

mg, have you ever seen a copy of the Caretaker's Gazette? The have sample listings. They have all kinds of caretaking jobs all over the world listed and the subscription is not too high, imo. Might be a good place to look.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jan 12 - 02:17 AM

Kat, that sounds like a wonderful visit from Morgan. He's such a treasure!

I ran errands this afternoon and stopped by to see Susie. She's very swollen from the trauma, they shaved her head (half had been shaved for the surgery and they asked her son - he said go ahead - it's easier to keep the area clean without hair.) She has a neck brace on until they can determine if her neck is broken and she's in traction for the broken hip and they'll do that surgery probably on Tuesday. After some of the metal hardware is gone they'd do MRIs for the neck and check on the brain swelling. She's not conscious but she does sometimes try to speak or respond.

Two of her children were there, and among other things, they worried that they should find someplace to take care of Zeke after a couple of weeks. I told them he's fine here for the duration - clearly none of them is set up to deal with him, and they're not thrilled at the idea, because they find him too rambunctious. We like him, he likes being with the dogs, the yard is large, and we have a history.

I need to get another dog bed - the two on top of the futon in the living room are firmly the property of my two dogs - I saw him looking at them and the girls curled up before he had a chance to claim on. I'll get one more and put up there - dogs CAN count, and I think they'll figure it out. :)

In other activity, I filed a lot of paper today and culled old documents from files (last year's policies for things, etc.) A load of laundry, dishes done, trash out. Counters clear - must keep this up to keep dogs in their places!

SRS

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Jan 12 - 08:05 AM

I need to get another dog bed A rolled up scatter rug stores nicely and makes a great spare dogbed. What was that song about the sleeping bag rolled up and stashed behind the couch?

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jan 12 - 11:25 AM

It's funny - these dogs can count. It isn't enough that they have a large futon to sleep on, they ALSO want the extra dog beds on top. He tried to get onto Cinnamon's bed and she scooted in first and curled up. These are about $20 at Big Lots. I am going to get some carpet scraps and use those to created dog places (in the winter they don't enjoy the tile floors as much as they do in the summer!)

Lots to do today. Nothing new in that, is there?

SRS

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 15 Jan 12 - 12:42 PM

we have snow on the ground here so today might be the day i take my geneology cards aand alphabetize them at a restaurant overlookoing the sea

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Jan 12 - 12:42 PM

SQUEAM ALERT

* Sister has successfully packed and departed apartment, and texted me this AM that she is on the road to Californy (has driver).

* Declut of the day: One Very Large Rat. (see rat thread FMI)

* Activity of the Day:
KidFit with Professor Bounce, have started looking for DVD of series.

* Most fun activity of the week:
Tie: campfire with friends and dog, string-walking stretches with Hardi.

* Office dig-out going very quickly, will be able to do work project on schedule. New shelves bought to hold up existing tall hutch shelf as legs, to create more stowage. Need long 2x12 next for base, and then up it all goes. In my sleep, I figured out how to customize the shelf-legs to the desired height!!!

* Decluttered some boundaries this week as well.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Jan 12 - 09:21 PM

45 minutes pool: BackHab, Ai Chi, 5 step-ups.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jan 12 - 11:31 PM

I set up the Gentle Leader dog walking collar on Zeke and though he wasn't sure at first, it took about 30 seconds for him to ignore it and walk beside me. We all four of us took a walk around the block and he was as good as gold. Also got the dog pillow and gave all three a run at the futon - and they each settled down on a cushion. They're so funny! If there wasn't a cushion there they'd just sleep anywhere. The low tonight is in the 50s so they don't need to come in.

All of the laundry is folded and put away. The dishes will be finished soon. Simple stuff. Tomorrow is a holiday, but I'll find more of this stuff to keep me busy.

SRS

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: maire-aine
Date: 16 Jan 12 - 12:11 PM

Something "funky" going on with my Internet Explorer for the last couple of days. I've been getting error messages & it's very slow. I go to my AOL email & it only loads emails in "basic" format. I go to FB and I can read everything, but can't "like" anything, nor can I post anything in "update status". Arghh! There were a couple of updates that ran a few days ago. Any thoughts, SRS?

Maryanne

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 16 Jan 12 - 12:41 PM

So far today the floors have been swept and laundry is going. I've also made arrangements to have our steer and pigs butchered as well as the trucking end of it.

Soon there will be stew in the crock pot, Jeremiah to the sitter, me off for a walk on this really cold day and then my WW meeting!

Tomorrow I am joining the Y and am sooo excited about it! YAY!!!

The rest of the day will involve picking up, dishes, seed selecting and getting things organized for all that. This homestead is going to be one organized well run machine by the time I am done!!! WOOO HOOO!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jan 12 - 01:35 PM

Maryanne, I would normally recommend Malwarebytes - but their site seems to be down. You can still download it at cnet and other places - but it looks like they're having an html issue. You can use it as a free program or you can buy a copy (best thing to start is to use it free and run a full scan.) Some of the free download sites have a lot of other ads trying to mimic the very thing you're downloading, so read carefully. C|Net does a pretty good job of keeping it clearer.

Otherwise, I'd say that IE has issues every so often. I use Chrome and Firefox more. I also have and use Safari. Seamonkey is pretty out of date, but Opera seems to be humming along. Try another browser and see how things look.

Here on the home front, I've decluttered myself of doggie-smelling-dogs. Yup. All three got a bath this afternoon. I'm still a little soggy, but they're happily drying in the yard and every time I took someone out the back they all got treats.

SRS

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Jan 12 - 03:57 PM

Be careful, SRS. Before you know it, Zeke won't want to go home! :-) Seriously, as I've said before, what a very good help and friend you are, especially to Susie. I feel sorry for her having been through so much with her husband and now this. I hope she has a safe and swift, as much as possible, recovery.

I had a ton of energy yesterday so we cleaned house. It still hasn't been dusted and I still need to put more stuff away, but we started about 9:30 AM and I was still doing stuff around three or 4 PM. We had a huge stack of dishes so we shared and did them together whilst listening to Prairie Home Companion. Roger swept all the floors, I mopped, though I still have a bit more to do, scrubbed the bathroom, and I prepped more fruits and vegetables, & made more juice. I also called my daughter, who does indeed have our old Electrolux floor buffer/rug shampooer. It was expensive and does a great job on wood floors as well as carpets. Our LR is hardwood and needs a good cleaning/polishing, so she is to return it sometime this week. (I thought she'd left it behind when she moved down here, so was delighted to find she still has it!)

My office space in the dining room has been bugging me. the rolling hanging file cart that I had, sat right over a heat register. We had a deflector on it but the papers and things still got too hot. I took it back to the old office where I will put the hanging files in a big file cabinet. In its place in the dining room, I commandeered one of those kitchen stands which has butcher block on the top and three slide out metal drawers underneath and is on wheels. We weren't using it much except as a spot to throw stuff which we didn't want put away into cupboards. So, I found places to put it all and, as a consequence, the kitchen looks a little also. The cart fit the LR space much better and allowed me to get stuff off my desk and into the drawers which makes everything look neater and gives the cats more space on my desk. LOL

By the end of the day my bum was dragging and I felt as though I had done really a full day's work, physical work, and it felt good.Today, I feel a little worn out, but I think it's more from emotional reaction last night from hearing that my dad's cousin, who I called my Aunt Helen, had passed away Sunday morning.

It was to be expected, she was old and had been in terrible pain from arthritis for years, plus she had lost her eyesight. It was just a few years ago she had to leave our area, move out of her home and into a care home closer to her daughter in Idaho, mostly because of her loss of sight. So I had not seen her in about five years or so, but we always talked on the phone and she was always the dearest, sweetest person to me.

It was she who lived with my dad and his parents for a time when she was growing up so she really was like a sister to him. He had no siblings, otherwise. She's also the one who gave me a huge photo of my grandparent's ranch which was taken back in the 1920s or so. She also gave me a set of kitchen towels embroidered by my grandma with a different "chore" noted for each day of the week. Another treasure was a little stuffed cloth doll my grandmother had made for Aunt Helen's daughter. And, when she left town, she called me one day and asked me to come over. She had a little box inside of which was a beautiful pin my grandparents gave her when she graduated from high school. My mom had one like it though in different colours. It's an early acrylic, I think, one with miniature roses caught inside, like an insect in amber. It is very precious to me as are the other items she gave me. I am going to really miss our visits. I'm so grateful we had a wonderful visit at Christmas time, the last time I spoke with her. I know my dad has one or two other cousins who are still alive, but I never knew them, so it feels as though I've lost the last contact with my dad through relatives of his generation. So, here's to my beloved Aunt Helen. I know she's in a better place, free and clear of all pain and I am grateful for her having been a part of my life.

Thanks for listening,

kat

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Jan 12 - 04:59 PM

The workout last night was a copy of the preceding week's workout, minus the deep-water, fast aquajogging-- and woke up this AM minus the soreness. Yay!

No car today, so 1 set of step-ups instead of pool work. PT dry clinic tomorrow. I'm taking them a motivator-plaque for the pool area.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jan 12 - 06:38 PM

Saved to post when Mudcat came back:

Kat, I'm sorry about your aunt. I didn't meet a lot of my older relatives until I was in college - my father had estranged himself from his mother, but I started writing in high school when my parents separated, and over the years her sisters got in touch. I made several trips east to meet them, and visited more often when I was working in NYC. They were interesting old ladies - it would have been nice to know them less old also. :-/

I saw Susie this afternoon - she's trying to talk a little, not completely coherent yet, but stringing together phrases and answering questions. As the swelling subsides I'm sure it will get better.

Did some laundry, policed the back yard a bit, and made myself take the time to research electric companies. I'm at the end of a year-long advertised special, so I have to find a new plan or accept a plan from this existing company. I have about 2 weeks left, but I don't want to wait till the last minute. Mainly, I don't want to be penalized for not letting them directly withdraw the monthly amount - I want to be able to dispute it if something is wrong, etc. I also don't want to be penalized if I pay with a credit card. So I'm comparing plans, see which gives me the most wiggle room at the best price.

SRS

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Jan 12 - 08:02 PM

75 minutes clinic PT today incl 3 minutes dry treadmill at 1.4 MPH. Good shoes! MP3 player was good but I sure had the wrong stuff on it! Longer next time.

PT-ist confirms mid-March is a good time to plan on discharge from PT, to land and water stuff on my own till next fall. Leg raises with 2-lb weights x 2 sets of 10. I learned a few new land stretches that will help with post-PT soreness, but one knee is in trouble anyway (arthur-osis).

I handled a Rite Aid errand this evening with no scooter, yay, TBTG for Aleve!

Shelf build for office sched for Friday. I did some good scheduling/planning for various work projects today including shifting one up the chain of command that now can handle it; a new responsibility/learning opportunity are coming my way, so I am trimming back some of the detail level on existing stuff and allocating schedule time and office space to the new thingie.

Sleeping schedule has been messed up but, thanks to alarms and TBTG, it's come back where I want it to be. The day started with slipper repair, so I now have a nice, warm pair for my tootsies in that cold office.

Sister's drive west has reached the Pecos, TX area. I was able to help her find a motel when she called up today with her plan sot to hell by road conditions, and then I sent her a YouTube video: Waltz Across Texas! :~)

~Susan

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jan 12 - 10:20 AM

Pecos is good. There is a "gap" from Van Horn to El Paso that you don't want to find your self in when it is stopping time. That is the zone very near the border that is policed and patrolled heavily and stopping by the road and sleeping in ones car isn't a good idea. At. All. Think NarcoWar.

The dogs spent a quiet night - I'm amazed at how easy it is to get Zeke to lie down and stay put if he simply has his own bed in with the others. They're already sleeping on a bed, but they have cushions on top of it. He knows it is his while he's part of the pack, and we'll make sure to send this home with him when the time comes.

Must make a push to have a few things in order by the end of the next weekend - Moonglow will have her tonsils out next Tuesday and I'll be ready in case she decides she wants to come here to recuperate instead of with her roommates up at school. She'll probably want to stay there, but I'll be set just in case. It's a Mom thing. . .

SRS

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Jan 12 - 01:26 PM

Thanks, SRS, have notified her and started a trip thread now as well.

===

PT also confirmed that our play activities are sound, PT-wise.

===

Tonight is Bills. :~|

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: maire-aine
Date: 18 Jan 12 - 01:36 PM

I updated to IE 9 and that solved my FB problems, but still have a few issues, mostly email & printing. Still working on it.

M

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 18 Jan 12 - 01:54 PM

Spent the morning with my baby, playing and doing some play learning as well. The rest of the day has been spent fussing with the insurance company.

F*CKERS.

That's all I have to say.

Michelle

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jan 12 - 04:46 PM

And you said it succinctly. Lucidly. Yup. I agree.

Susan, if she spent the night in Pecos then she'll be past the area I'm talking about by early afternoon.

Bleh. I've done filing, organizing, etc. but the paper keeps creeping back. Must try harder.

SRS

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Jan 12 - 12:22 AM

Spent most of yesterday working on my blog; adding to it since I parked my domain name, dumped my website, and have it pointed to the blog, now. I had a lot of frustrations with customising the template I chose. I still need to add more stuff and figure out a couple of other things, but at least it's there for people to see, now.

Had a two month checkup with the kidney specialist today and it was grand! Last time I saw him, he was threatening iron tabs which I hate to take and advised me to eat more fish and chicken. I didn't want to do that mostly because I prefer to be a vegetarian. Over the next two months, I gained a few pounds during the holidays, but have been steadily losing, then came along the juicing plan.

Today, he looked at my blood-work and urinalysis and said everything looked stable and "excellent." He was happy with the rate of weight loss, we've managed to bring my blood pressure up to an acceptable low normal (it's been too low for about a year), and no anaemia, no anything else! He was a happy camper, but not as happy as I! I told him to expect ever better when I see him again near the end of March.

It's been a bit of a long haul since last summer, so this news was very welcome, today!

I've also been doing the usual: laundry, etc. Sunday, we had a huge cleanup. (Sorry if I'm repeating myself.)

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 19 Jan 12 - 08:09 AM

Down 1.6

Michelle

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Jan 12 - 11:30 AM

Good going, Michelle.

Meditation and qi gong this morning.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jan 12 - 11:51 AM

Great news, Kat! If you blood pressure needs to be higher, just keep fussing with that blog template. That should do it! :)

Michelle, I haven't been on a scale for a while. I guess I need to do that again one of these days.

SRS

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Jan 12 - 01:49 PM

Yesterday's pool time was approved by the PT and it did not relly inhibit the PT tiome today either-- a good mix. I learned how to copy/paste text msgs from the new fone to email, this AM, which will make keeping track AT the pool so simple-- I can email her a copy of the pool stats, and (DUH!) email it to the doc's office as well.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Jan 12 - 03:56 PM

Spent the morning making juice and also, for the first time in probably 20 years, made homemade soup and it was delicious, esp. with cornbread. I even invited my brother over to sample the juice and soup. He really liked them. I almost cannot believe what this represents for me, as far as mental changes go which translates into physical, too. Major, major changes.

Here's the recipe (I was out of onions, so I used scallions and also one less cup of water):

Vegetable Soup – makes 4 servings (save 2 for Day 4)
3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 large Onion, chopped
3 cloves Garlic, minced
3 medium Carrots, chopped
3 Celery Stalks, chopped
3 Tomatoes, chopped with juice reserved
1 medium Zucchini, cut into half moons
1 cup Green Beans, trimmed to 1 inch pieces
3-4 handfuls Kale or other leafy green such as Chard or Bok Choy, chopped into small pieces
6 cups water
3/4 Tbsp. fresh Thyme, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh Oregano, chopped (or 1/2 Tbsp. dried)
1 tsp. Sea Salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground Black Pepper

In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots and celery and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, zucchini, green beans, water, salt, pepper, thyme and oregano; stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the soup for 10 minutes. Add the chopped kale or other leafy greens and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.

Per serving:
Calories: 185
Protein: 4 g
Fiber: 5.5 g

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: ClaireBear
Date: 19 Jan 12 - 04:12 PM

Just checking in:

No progress on rebuilding the house, but I'm steeling myself to call contractors. One problem, I think, is that I don't really want to move back there -- I want to move ON. I should have seen that coming, I suppose.

My wuzband is not dealing with the fire insurance company at all well. I suppose I'll have to take that on, along with the more-than-full-time job and taking care of our child. My wuzband is retired and could so easily deal with this issue -- also he's much more confrontational than I am, which is a good thing when dealing with insurance -- but will he? No, he just says it looks like they're not going to give us anything for the contents of our house. Yeah, right.

But there's good news: Sometime in the last few weeks my weight got down to (I think) lower than it's been since my son was born in 2000. I'd still like to lose another 40 pounds and get back to what I weighed at about age 30, but I feel so much better for the 35 pounds that are gone so far! Hurray for the happiness diet.

Now if only I had time to take walks, which would I think improve my circulation, muscle tone, and blood pressure. Maybe I should institute a daily constitutional with the boychild -- only trouble is, I don't get home til after dark, and There Be Cougars. Hmmmm.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: Jeri
Date: 19 Jan 12 - 04:32 PM

I take it you're talking about feline cougars...

I went to the gym today and bought stew veggies. I already have chicken, potatoes and ...GARLIC. It's supposed to snow tonight (it's spitting right now) and I've got a big day planned. Stew making, laundry and maybe shoveling, and all in my... my friend calls them "fire pants". They aren't pajamas if they have a fly and pockets, and they go great with the lumberchick chique look that works so well in New England, although I need to wear my ear-flapped rabbit fur adorned hat to really pull it off. If you don't mind animal pelts, don't use rabbit fur on a hat. They shed even though they're long gone. Maybe getting hair into your mouth is their way of retaliating.

I put food in the two bird feeders and moved the suet cage to where the furry, tree-pig (squirrel) can't eat ALL of it. The birds and I are ready.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: ClaireBear
Date: 19 Jan 12 - 05:02 PM

Yes, feline! LOL. I suppose I am a potential cougar, but I have no such urges. Well, I don't THINK I have such urges. How much younger does the cougee have to be than the cougar for it to count?

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: Jeri
Date: 19 Jan 12 - 05:09 PM

Feggetaboutit -- YOU have a few years to go before you can qualify!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: ClaireBear
Date: 19 Jan 12 - 05:20 PM

Jeri, that's about the nicest thing anyone's said to me all day! But surely, at 57, I qualify?

I used to have a coat with rabbit fur on the collar. That bunne exacted its revenge daily.

I'll be right over for some of that stew!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: Jeri
Date: 19 Jan 12 - 06:10 PM

I never would have guessed you were the same age as I!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jan 12 - 07:12 PM

That makes three of us.

The soup sounds good, Kat. I made a batch as well last night, but it was a bit more haphazard. I decided I wanted some soup, so I sauteed some frozen chicken necks and backbones (cut off whole birds I used earlier). Added ~ 3 cups water, simmered, then removed the bones. I added some diced veggies, what I had - onions, carrots, celery, potatoes. Then when it was humming along I poured in a quart of chicken stock I made a few days ago, and added a skinless boneless chicken breast to simmer until it was cooked (but not so long it became rubbery.) I took out the chicken to cool and cut up, and added 1 cup of home-canned tomato juice (left over from earlier in the week), several big grinds of black pepper, a sprig of thyme from the garden, salt, and a handful of whole wheat spaghetti broken into 1" pieces. I love the flavor of Balsamic vinegar so I added a couple of tablespoons, added back the meat, and a little sesame oil, and at the end, I put a large serving-worth into a small saucepan on another burner and poured in a beaten egg while stirring it to give it the eggdrop soup effect - and there it was. Came out pretty good. I'd rather add the egg to as much soup as I'm going to eat, not the whole pot.

In the declutter work, I've been cleaning, measuring, photographing and describing things for eBay. And for exercise, I took the dogs for a walk in the sunshine this afternoon. A few days ago with Zeke on the Gentle Leader we walked around one large block, and did two blocks the next time. This time we wandered around the neighborhood and did several blocks, and he started to protest at the thing on his face, rubbing on Cinnamon and on my pants at times. But he'll be better about it than Cinnamon, who simply refuses to walk anywhere with one of those on her face. :-(

SRS

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 10:56 AM

Friday! Even though it was a shorter work week for us here in the US, each day was a hard-fought zone, so the weekend is welcome!

SRS

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 12:23 PM

4 of us, roughly.

I re-cluttered in a CAT! Maybe two!

~Susan

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 02:52 PM

I've been working on quite a pile of launry today as well as tending to the baby and to Pete who is home and sick. The new dresser is in it's new space and I decided to use it for something a little untraditional. :) Shoe racks have been moved as well. Kitchen floor and hallway have been swept.

AND

I'm going to yoga in just a little bit!!!!! HOORAY!!!! I can't wait to melt into my mat!!! I'll be stiff and not able to do what I used to do but so what....gotta start somewhere!!!


Michelle

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 07:15 PM

Yoga was WONDERFUL!!!

We did some deep stretching and a few sun salutations. YUM
.
Michelle

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 07:50 PM

We've been busy most of the day. Went to the coumadin clinic and found that all of the leafy greens I've been doing lowered my INR, so we upped the dosage. It was to be expected.

Then went to hand therapy for my right thumb and left index finger. Elbow is much better, as is everything else but those two digits. Using Dragon has certainly helped.

I bought multi-coloured highlighters which I am going to use in my day book, which is really just a thin 5 X 8 calendar book with "week-at-a-glance" pages. I am using different colours for appts., when to pay certain bills, daily weight, etc. This way I will be able to go back and find data easily instead of reading all of my hen scratch to find one kernel!:-)

Also Rog went into Lowes and bought a new faucet for the kitchen sink. The water here, even the treated city water, has so many minerals in it, the spout on the one we put in about five years ago had sprung leaks all over, corroded from the inside out. I hope he has the time to put it in this weekend. He may have to do some freelance work.

Went to the store, had a good walk round stocking up for a week of juicing and made a new batch. Still tastes yummy. I told the nurse at the clinic about it; she's all set to start doing it, too!

I'm going to try to do more de-clutttering, tomorrow.

kat

kat

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 08:40 PM

Walked a whole store with great breath resources.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 08:54 PM

I am pleased with how well Zeke is settling in and has calmed down - to a degree, anyway. It isn't enough to have human attention, this dog really craves other dogs so he's quite happy to share the garage and the futon with two others. We had another warm afternoon so took a walk, but I was trying to get the leashes all at a better length so cut this walk a bit short. We're tripping all over each other with loops tied in leashes - with the new head collar, Zeke's needed to be adjusted and it was tied too tight to fix on the walk.

I'm eating more produce also, Kat, but not juicing. And I'm combining more things (like a dish yesterday - Italian sausage, mushrooms, spaghetti sauce over whole wheat rotini, and to it I added a few cut up okra and a handful of cut up chart. The okra was a marginal success - I'll try soaking in in vinegar to remove the slime, like one cookbook directs, before I use it that way again.

I was going to see Susie this evening, but earlier today I did feel cold-like symptoms. They've cleared now, but I'll wait till tomorrow to be sure it was a small event, not a cold, before I go near someone as ill as she is in the hospital.

I hope Pete gets well soon, Michelle, and I'm glad to see the yoga still feels good.

SRS

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 01:22 AM

These dogs are so funny! Cinnamon has wanted to try out the new pillow, and I discovered that this evening when I found Zeke trying to make a spot on my living room sofa. "No! Down! Come with me!" and we headed back into the front room, to find an empty space on the bed, but not the one he wanted, which was occupied by Cinnamon. I scratched her ears and offered a great scratch and tickle session - she changed to her old bed and got a deep lower-ear massage (the kind that has them grinding their head into your hand). Along with this, her bed had an extra towel on it to make it more inviting, so Zeke hopped up and claimed his fluffy cushion.

Geez. They're like kindergartners. :-)

SRS

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 10:11 AM

Sunny and cool today, lots to do. Supposed to be in the 50s, warming into the 70s tomorrow. So I'll wait and do the gardening tomorrow.

eBay today, along with helping a neighbor (her modem and router have been a problem - I fixed the modem a few weeks ago, this weekend we'll replace the router.) And a visit to Susie.

SRS

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: maire-aine
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 10:32 AM

We got our first real snowfall of the season, and only about 2 inches at that. Can you believe SE Michigan with only 10" of snow since November, and all of that melted as soon as it fell? Anyway, my snowblower started, thank heavens. Pantry is well-stocked, so there's no need to go out. I guess there's nothing to do but do laundry.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: Declutter & Accountability - January 2012
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 12:46 PM

We added more fiber and flavor with a can of greens added to a weekly red-rice pot (cargo rice, a type of brown). We get plenty of vitamins from the raw veggies we have each evening with supper-- this is just green gravy and a scoop of this rice can then be mixed with a couple of chunks of chicken or tofu.

===

I fixed a broken pull-out drawer in the fridge today by swapping in a larger drawer-- a plastic pull-out one that will make lots of lunch items more easily findable, and make it less likely we'll reach for the crap food after a workout.

===

My pulse-oximeter arrived ydy which will make getting an accurate HR at the pool much simpler-- we used one in aquatic PT. You can watch your HR climb as you work, and stay out of trouble-- as well as correlate HR to how it feels, so you can watch your cardio fitness improve. These have gotten much more affordable and, for me, are more important now than a pedometer-- for that I've been going by the wisdom (SRS?) that if my legs ache, I got to my step goal and maybe a tad over it.

===

In the dry-clinic PT, we have settled into a good, workable routine that even works when the only aide available is the one I had trouble with. (She got some good direction from mgmt and I got better self-advocacy strategies.) I know the equipment better now too.

===

I am really liking the shape emerging for the weekly exercise plan, where I do a bangup Thursday PT and a land or water cardio activity Friday... and then let the body rest/heal for two days of regular, active household and church stuff. I plan to make Saturdays my sleep-in-a-tad-late day.

===

This AM I installed an inexpensive lamp with a good, hevay base in the chilly, under-keyboard slot Hardi insulated for me last week in the office. The larger oil-rad worked well in the LR last year for spot heat, but this is a much tighter space... it's safer than a space heater and can be left on in the bad cold spells. Kitteh approves.

===

The drawers left over from the install I did in the fridge will be great for holding office supplies, in a cabinet where they have been piling up.

===

In the office, an organization plan is shaping itself in my mind. We didn't get the new shelves in yet, but I can see how I want the workflow to move thru the storage system it will hold-- space planning. And even tho the office is still so cold, I am looking forward to nesting in there a couple of afternoons a week on my work stuff.

~Susan