BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 17 Dec 08 - 10:41 AM

Harry 'helped' declutter my drawer with all my baking utensils etc in it! So...I have got rid of the old tins that I no longer use and tidied up the ones I do use. Next is the bread ingredients cupboard. I love having a kitchen big enough to fit everything in. The major decluttering of the kitchen will be next year once the extention is built.

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 17 Dec 08 - 09:54 AM

I made the cupboard... not my best work but I blame the dodgy plaster and the ridiculous amount of pipes I had to make cutouts for... at least they're hidden and the second hinge is happily de-rusting in a pot of oil.

Decluttered a lot of kitchen stuff, but now have no-where to put the foil and cling film dispensers... ho hum!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Dec 08 - 09:33 AM

Found a GREAT non-clutter prezzie for H yesterday, and have hidden it where I hope I will remember to get it out in sight on the day! :~)

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 17 Dec 08 - 03:26 AM

Having decluttered the kitchen to make space to replace the boiler, I now have to make a new pipe housing to hide the pipes, replace all the kitchen stuff and declutter the dining room... busy day today, so why am I here?!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Dec 08 - 12:47 AM

The few Christmas present packages and cards were taken to the post office today and sent on their way. I decluttered a few surfaces in the office and a bit of the kitchen table where I'd wrapped the gifts. I don't know if I'll get much done over the next few weeks as I may have Morgan for a good part of each day until mid-January or so. I will need to spend some good one-on-one time with him, but he also likes to help and earn money, so we'll see how it goes.:-)

Oh, my earlier post should have read a cane that slips etc...:-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: maire-aine
Date: 16 Dec 08 - 07:12 PM

You're most welcome. I worked today, so not much got done at home. But yesterday I baked a batch of Toll House cooky bars, and they came out just fine; the chocolate chips tasted like they were supposed to. The diningroom table is again the staging area for cooky baking, so it's full again, but that's only temporary. We're supposed to get 3 to 5 inches of snow overnight, so I'll be home all day tomorrow. I did re-organize one of my bookshelves to separate the books I've already read, and line up the next in line. Some will be going to the library after the holidays.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: maeve
Date: 16 Dec 08 - 06:53 PM

The washer is inside the kitchen. I came home from my mum's to find that my True Love had moved it in on his own. Days of work lie ahead before it can be hooked up, but progress!

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Dec 08 - 04:56 PM

The most lovely hankies arrived in the mail yesterday! I just now sat down to open a stack of mail and there they are--all of those great old fashioned embroidered pieces of very fine cotton and linen. Beautiful--thank you, Maryanne!

Meanwhile, catastrophe averted--I looked out this afternoon and saw yellow flags and paint across the front of my yard, but I'm not planning on digging anything up. I've tried the folks who own the flags--no call back from them yet, and I tried neighbors on each side. Nope. So, on a long shot, I called the house at 5912 (I'm 5812) and yup--they're putting in a new sewer. She raced off to call her plumber after we got off the phone.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Penny S.
Date: 16 Dec 08 - 04:34 PM

Cleared a part of the big storage thing and took a bag of old school resource books to Oxfam, putting some that have fallen to pieces in the recycling bag. Moved some folders and boxfiles to the bottom level. And some old Singing Together booklets to the Mudcat box. Strangely, despite having moved what I hazard to be the equivalent of a cubic foot elsewhere, there is not that amount of room in the cleared space. Apparently.

Also cleared some broth from the freezer. This is not exactly decluttering, but so I can put a couple of turkey drumsticks in it, ready for next week. I'm using one, with some breast meat, for a friend's visit, and the other for myself on the day. Family do's seem to have stopped with Dad's death. I need to find some more space for the leftover rabbit stew I did yesterday. That's the trouble with making stuff from the meat - I end up with more to freeze than I took out. Still, I've decluttered the rabbit, too much mashed potato (mine, not Delia cheat bought)(too much because all the cfrozen separately blobs had stuck together) two packs of homemade bolognese sauce and two packs of broth.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Dec 08 - 12:46 PM

Re-=cluttering. :~) New mouser due this week, her "territory" to equip (Hardi's job).

But I REALLY LIKE the new way I just anti-cathair-anticatscratch wrapped my couch and I am on firm (eye) doctor's orders to spend hours on it, today (only)!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Dec 08 - 11:18 AM

Slow going here. We got about another inch of snow last night. I won't get to the post office until later in the day when things melt down a bit, I hope. I don't like going out in icy conditions with the ortho boot on my foot and a can that slips on ice! When I do go, I'll mail off the Christmas stuff and that will empty the kitchen table.

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Dec 08 - 11:15 AM

Noisy (relatively) evening with those two on the floor in my room. They're out in their stall now, but there is a heater out there and I'll put the dog door in later on. Hoping a jigsaw can do the job. Otherwise, I'll have to borrow something from a neighbor.

How's the washer count-down coming along?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Dec 08 - 12:58 AM

I'm going to let the dogs in. That'll be interesting (they love it, but they are a little noisy to sleep with in the same room).

De-clutter tomorrow.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: maire-aine
Date: 16 Dec 08 - 12:27 AM

It went from 52 degrees this morning to 20 degrees tonight, but only scattered snow flurries are in the forecast until late Tuesday. Just bitterly cold. Supposed to get 2 or 3 inches of snow Tuesday night.

m

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 06:53 PM

Brrrr! Winter storm watch overnight. I suppose if tomorrow is a snow day I can get some work done around here.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 12:20 PM

Liz is having FAR TOO MUCH FUN!

fans self too cool off - Hot Flash?

I'm headed out the door in a minute. Just got a call from my neighbor and I guess I'll have to revisit that thread where we talked about watching your house while someone returns your phone. She left her purse in the lot at Walmart and someone just called to say they found it. I told her that they know where she lives so have someone watch the house while she goes to meet them someplace public like city hall.

She'll still need to change all of her cards and accounts. No fun at the holidays.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 12:10 PM

I have a place for everything, it's just that place is usually occupied by something else, or a cat or both.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 12:04 PM

She got her washer!!! Yea!!!

a place for everything...too right! That's the problem we have in this house...too small, nowhere to put the things we really want to keep and/or need!

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 09:38 AM

^!^!^!^ MAEVE ^!^!^!^

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 08:15 AM

I deknickered today. Enforced seclusion to the bedroom meant nothing else to do, so the socks are sorted, the bra drawer is next.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 07:54 AM

I actually sorted through my shoe collection (without hints being dropped!) so I could add the new pair of calf length boots I bought last week.

I have washed, ironed and packed up all the premeture baby clothes, the tiny baby clothes and the newborn baby clothes ready to go to the car boot sale with my mother in law next year. By the time the car boot comes round I should hopefully have the 0-3 month clothes ready for her too. Kids grow so fast but this time round they are getting more wear out of clothes than Harry did.

All presents have been wrapped and dropped off at the inlaws for the time being to stop an exploring toddler from finding them!

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Penny S.
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 07:39 AM

I am looking at a place to move to. It is full at the moment of a second person's property in boxes, so difficult to see the space on offer, but has a study for paperwork, and a weird second bedroom which would do for sewing and knitting machines, with a mezzanine floor/sleeping platform which would be good for storage. More space for stuff- is this a good idea? (Rhetorical question.) I can buy before selling, so decluttering becomes a moving process.

There is a strange distribution of storage, though. Two cupboards near the front door which looked suitable for coats turn out to house the gas boiler with pipe work which looks like intestines, and shelves - the adjacent space is full of washing machine and tumble dryer. MIght be room in the loo, though. Lovely big airing cupboard. Built in cupboards in main bedroom. Understairs cupboard doesn't have a side access, but at the end only - so the shallow bit will be difficult to reach. I had my eye on it for a larder, but the central heating pipes have been put up through it near the door. Wonder how well they can be lagged. There isn't enough space for food otherwise. There's power in the garage, so if it's big enough, a freezer could go out there.

I had a teacher who used to go on about a place for everything and everything in its place - she never pointed out that the first part is as important as the second.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: maeve
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 05:12 AM

The washing machine has arrived at long last. It's waiting in the farm truck. My task today is to clear the last few things waiting just inside the kitchen door so we can bring the washer inside.

Then while TL is installing the plumbing I have the last push to remove all traces of our nursery, transforming the room into a guest room/laundry room.

I used the ice storm days to continue clearing out things in the kitchen and decluttered another long poem from my head.

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: mouldy
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 03:52 AM

I'll just de-clutter the image that last post created right out of my mind immediately!!

Andrea (who has got the cakes iced at last!)

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 03:47 AM

As my downstairs is full of workmen fiddling with my plumbing, I'm trapped upstairs. I should be using the time sensibly... decluttering the bedroom springs to mind...

but it's more fun here!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 12:18 AM

four printer cartridges later, I have ten copies of family history made, that's about 120 double-sided pages each, hole-punched, and in their folders and wrapped, ready for mailing envelopes tomorrow. That will clear out part of the office and kitchen table! We also put away all of our clean clothes, today!

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Dec 08 - 11:11 PM

Listed a big box of books on eBay; shipped a few things in the last couple of days. Today I pulled soaker and regular hoses from around the house and mowed the front lawn. Not because there was any grass growing but because my yard is full of my neighbors' leaves. I mulched them all into the turf. Dug the last couple of carrots (left the onions for now), pulled out the last of the peppers, left the eggplant roots to see if anything sprouts from the roots in the spring. (Curiosity) I've been chopping and freezing peppers every day and am down to the last couple of bowls to cut up soon.

Tons to do this week, baking almost finished for work tomorrow, though I have to make a batch of rolls before I head in, and I have to find a couple of boxes for white elephant things. I've washed several sinks full of dishes, but I have to say that by having cleared out the kitchen all of the cooking and clearing has been easier and food preparation has gone more quickly since I haven't had to relocate stuff that was in my way. There is a payoff to all of this work!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: LilyFestre
Date: 14 Dec 08 - 06:58 PM

Some serious progress was made in my office this weekend. Here's the thing...I have had no need for an office for the last 2 years..I have a classroom and do 99.9% of all my work AT work!!! So this room has become a catch all and sadly, what I have taken to doing is putting bags of stuff up there, at night...just open the door, set the bag down..without even turning on the light. Good God. It's no wonder I can't find anything! It's all up in my office!!!! Or should I say, WAS? *big smile* It's not finished by any stretch of the imagination but I can now walk all over the room and not trip over stuff. I have some things packed up and ready to deliver to our central yard sale storage area, got rid of literature/catalogs from a national conference I attended 3 years ago regarding curriculum kinds of things....got rid of lots of paper stuff...what the hell am I saving it all for??!?!? I saved the important things..letters from loved ones, photos, etc. I don't need all that stuff, what I need is room for our babies!!!!!!!!!!!
    I also made some headway in the kitchen today. I have been busy cooking all day long (LOVING IT TOO!!!!) and in between batches of cookies in the oven, I have started cleaning out cabinets. My work in progress is coming along nicely. :)

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Dec 08 - 08:41 AM

Did I mention I'd decluttered our BR? Really the whole upstairs is pretty not-cluttered. Now it's on to relationships. The people aren't the clutter, but the junk in the way of getting to them is. My son seems to have taught me that, and I am not sure he was even trying.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 14 Dec 08 - 04:45 AM

Why do husbands get so picky when you want to declutter their shoe collection? Imelda Marcos has nothing on Manitas when it comes to shoes... I know for a fact he hasn't worn his wooden soled dancing clogs for at least 8 years! Then there are the 3 different pairs of slippers, all in various stages of decay...

My dad had a pair of shoes for everyday, a pair of 'best' shoes, a pair of slippers and a pair of army boots. That's all a man ever needs.

OK, so I will admit to having 4 pairs of sandals; best, everyday, gardening and concert; some army boots, a pair of trainers that are refusing to die, a pair of trainers that are uncomfortable but new and a pair of heeled boots for that extra long pair of trousers that I can't wear with sandals... Oh, and the wellies with chocolate pictures on them.... but I have worn every pair of them at least once this year!

Ho hum... decluttering the bedroom is last on the list I'm afraid.. we have to childproof the sitting room before next Saturday. Got a toddler coming to dinner.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Dec 08 - 12:41 PM

My bedroom has actually been one of the neatest and least cluttered rooms for a while now. But there is a reason.

Four years ago we had a burglary. At the time I had lots of spare furnishings and boxes of stuff lined up in there (it's a large room, I wasn't using all of it for my bedroom furniture, so I kept stuff out of the way of some of the rest of the house). When the sheriff walked through the house with one of the detectives I was behind them, and he commented "they really clobbered this room." I had to say "actually, no, they didn't touch it."

We all thought that was really funny, but you know, you sometimes have to read the writing on the wall.

Enjoy your de-cluttered bedroom!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: GUEST,MAG at work
Date: 12 Dec 08 - 06:41 PM

Clutter in the bedroom is discouraged for insomniacs; we are supposed to make our sleep environment as nice as possible -- so decluttering the bedroom is next.

It isn't nearly so bad as the rest of the house, so I was putting it off for last.

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Dec 08 - 06:15 PM

Sometimes files can be retrieved even after a format. The formatting simply marks all of the existing files in a way to show the computer that they can be written over (versus writing on new spaces on the disk). You might ask around.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Penny S.
Date: 12 Dec 08 - 04:24 PM

I managed to declutter (the font, meantime is courier, and back) the 16Gb SD card which serves as a documents folder on my diddy laptop. I was trying to reformat the SD card from my camera, which was playing up, and got them mixed up. I don't even know the whole of what I've lost. Photographs, but just art ones. A file of expenses to do with Dad's death - I have hard copy. Screen grabs of bank accounts - can redo. And most of the needed stuff is on an external hard drive. I am kicking myself.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: GUEST,MAG at work
Date: 12 Dec 08 - 01:20 PM

I posted yesterday that I got my 'frig clenaed out on Sunday, but it looks like it didn't make it to the thread.

The abandoned Mama cat I had spayed hasn't been around; I hope she's OK. The 3 kittens (1 femlae - spayed) are very much here and very put out they can't come inside. They know, from sneaking in, that's where the good stuff is. and also heat.

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Dec 08 - 08:47 AM

slaps forehead

I should have known our expert Liz would have the answer! I take back my "ewww!"

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 12 Dec 08 - 08:40 AM

Chocolate is edible for decades if kept in an airtight container. There are bars of chocolate still around from the Boer War (1899 - 1902, South Africa) that are perfectly edible because they were kept in the souvenir Queen Victoria tins.

It may have gone a bit pale and chalky looking if it's got warm, but as long as it hasn't melted, settled out into cocoa butter and other stuff, then reset, it'll be fine. You'll know if it has, the chips will be grainy and greasy.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: CamiSu
Date: 12 Dec 08 - 01:20 AM

Taste one. I have used them to melt to make chocolate sauce (2 parts chocolate to 1 part butter, put it in a jar. heat before putting on ice cream. It turns hard on the ice cream and is fantastic) Used a many year old chocolate bar and it was wonderful.

Let's see. Managed to leave the pump in the barn cistern running and decluttered ALL hte water to the corral and thence to the pasture. Thought it might make a good opportunity (since I'd messed up so bad) to get the pump put back on the switch,and called the electrician to do same and then figured to ask the fire department if they did not want to flush a pumper into my cistern (it fills from off the roof and I was not looking forward to much rain as it was bitter cold). Said electrician did not respond, so Tuesday my neighbor and I did the job, thus decluttering the barn of an underground splice kit(how I found THAT in the clutter in the barn was only prayer-no other way possible) and then 20 minutes later the electrician calls to say he's been out hunting and only just got the message. He was pleased that I' already done it as he could not get to it til yesterday when it POURED. So much for no more rain. And we did get 1000 liters from a neighbor, so we are OK now.

My friend the professional declutterer has been here twice and the jam is in the hall (which is being transformed into a storage area as we don't need it as a hall, and the living room is so close to losing an extra table! Very exciting. However, I have 3 shows underway (one opening tomorrow (strike Sunday) one opening next week and one in the planning stages (and one in the preplanning, but it is 2 shows in repertory, so a bigger deal) I may need to get my kids in on the decluttering act. It's just harder for exchange students who don't know the house very well yet....

AND we got the bottom of hte garage wall filled in today. It's only been waiting a year. and all the scraps are decluttering into the stove.

Whew!

Cami

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Dec 08 - 12:09 AM

Naw, you give the cookies to... certain people....

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Dec 08 - 11:58 PM

Baking for work bake sale tomorrow (banana nut bread). They came out beautiful. Lots of holiday events coming up, lots to do around here. De-cluttering is always a topic, but may not be the main topic for the time being.

Is anyone using Layaway this year? I listened to Terry Gross' Fresh Air and her guest made a remark that it is quite a good deal--no interest and the store simply holds it for you until you pay it off then pick it up. It's almost quaint, but I remember the Layaway desk at K-Mart was always a hopping place (when we had K-Mart in the area). Her main point was you pay for it before you take it home, not pay for it for months after you take it home.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Dec 08 - 04:36 PM

Ewww. I wouldn't use chips that old. I don't think chocolate improves with age. But don't throw them were animals can get into them. Cats or dogs, I don't remember which, aren't supposed to eat chocolate.

Just heard from my boss. Who heard from one of his bosses. We seem to have a toxic co-worker on campus who forwarded an email of mine that was read out of context by others. Fingers crossed she's a short-timer over there. I hate it when you have to tiptoe around someone like that.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Dec 08 - 02:59 PM

Old chips = Xmas Cookies to give away

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: maire-aine
Date: 11 Dec 08 - 02:43 PM

Got my car back-- some kind of computer chip thingee needed to be re-programmed. I don't know what that means, but it's supposed to be fixed now. We'll know in the morning.

Getting ready to do some Christmas cooky baking over the weekend. First I need to make a coordinated shopping list for Friday.

Looks like I'll be working a day or 2 next week.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: maire-aine
Date: 11 Dec 08 - 10:28 AM

I climbed up to the top shelf of the cupboard, and found a big plastic storage bag that has 4 12-oz. bags of chocolate chips. They've gotta be a dozen years old, because it was my mother that bought 'em, and the last time she went grocery shopping was in '96, maybe. She's been dead for 5 years, and home-bound for 5 years before that. They look ok, but is there ANY chance that they could be ok to use?

I threw out several old bottles of liquid flavorings (one was peppermint), and now the whole house smells of it. Unfortunate association with that smell, however. When I was a kid, the doctor would concoct a batch of paregoric (that's opium, for the younger crowd) medicine and flavor it with peppermint. So that's all I can think of is being sick with stomach "flu" and taking that chalky awful stuff. And it's too cold to open the windows.

About the recipe, the Mexicorn just adds some red & green peppers. I don't usually keep peppers on had, so this is convenient.

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Dec 08 - 01:00 AM

I love food threads. Heck with the de-cluttering. . .

A friend gave me a powdered mix for tortilla soup, and though it was too salty, there were some good flavor elements, and I'd like to repeat that. I stopped using taco mixes (for making tacos) a while back, I use the spices individually instead of a mix. I use what my ex calls the "vibration method" of cooking--shake the container until it feels like I've added enough seasoning. His mother cooks that way also, so I know this is a good thing. :-)

I have worked out what is in taco seasoning, and I'll take a look at the ingredients in the canned corn. I've seen those cans, and could use one to start with (first time I make a recipe I try to follow the recipe). I'm planning to plant corn next year, but I have some frozen right now that my neighbor gave me after she got the diagnosis of diabetes. For the time being, I have chard and onions in the garden, along with some sturdy oregano and a couple of left-over carrots.

And for a de-cluttering message in this post, I went through the fridge tonight and pulled out anything left over from Thanksgiving. We did the meal a day late, but that still was 2 weeks ago; this leftover leg meat is now too old. And the stock, cooked the same night as the turkey was roasted. So for the moment my fridge looks fairly organized this evening with the old turkey moved out.

As I cleaned the fridge, I de-cluttered the contents of a leftover bottle of wine, so if there are typos, that might explain it. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: maire-aine
Date: 11 Dec 08 - 12:22 AM

Hi, Maggie. Here's the soup recipe, altho it nothing special, really. Because I had 2 cooked chicken breast that I'd taken out of the freezer, I substituted chicken for beef, both meat and broth; I didn't use the cheese this time.

Beef (or Chicken) Taco Soup

1 ½ lbs stew beef, cut into smaller pieces
1 or 2 large onions, chopped in big pieces
1 envelop of taco seasoning (I use Old El Paso lower-sodium kind)
2 cans of Mexicorn (regular will do in a pinch)
1 box of chopped tomatoes ( or 14 oz. can)
2 cans of beef broth (I use Swanson's low-sodium)
A few dashes of hot sauce, to taste (optional)
Velveeta (or other easy-melting) cheese

Brown meat and onions. When meat is mostly done, drain off fat. Combine all ingredients in soup pot & cook at low heat for a half-hour or so. Just before serving, you can cut up some pieces of Velveeta Mexican cheese into the soup. Stir over low heat until the cheese has melted. Serve with corn chips, and, if desired, sour cream & chopped green onions.

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Dec 08 - 11:15 PM

My second was like that, too, Maggie. I went in at 9a on a Saturday and had her by 920a on the due date even. I just meant Andrea might want to be in the birthing room rather than stacking logs, but there's nothing like something to keep ya busy while you wait for things to get poppin'!:-)

Good for you, Susan!

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Dec 08 - 08:36 PM

I'm proud to say that the guest room bed was changed the same day the company left, and the used linens in the wash the next.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Dec 08 - 08:02 PM

Post that recipe, please!

I brought home some good smaller boxes from the library for eBay stuff, but I have to go run a couple of errands. Darn. I've been trying to get stuff described, packed, wieghed, and listed for several days.

Grandbabies add to the clutter. Goes with the territory. And stacking wood isn't necessarily incompatible with birthing babies--I was working at my neighborhood recycling program when I went into labor with my second. It was just one Saturday morning a month and it was a nice day. I got a little sunburned. I drove home, got a ride to the hospital at 3:30pm, and had him at 5pm. They were talking like I wasn't there at one point, commenting that I had a bit of a sunburn. "She was climbing in and out of recycling dumpsters" my spouse cheerfully announced. :-/ (I did not. I carried a few bags of really light stuff, like aluminum cans.)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-Cluttering De-Cember
From: maire-aine
Date: 10 Dec 08 - 06:00 PM

My car is at the dealership today (very hard to start in the morning), so I've been home most of the day. Got more decorations on the buffet, mostly silver and glass candlesticks and a wreath. The Advent candles will get changed to white on Christmas. I only light all the candles on Christmas Eve or when company comes. The diningroom table is 95% empty, and I'll get rid of the remaining 5% tonight.

Our music group played at our local hospital (in the lobby, mostly for staff and visitors) last Saturday, and we're going back again on Thursday evening.

Making Chicken-Taco soup tonight--almost like chili, but thinner-- good with corn chips.