BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 09 - 02:55 PM

Here's a new thread: Link.

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: maire-aine
Date: 01 Sep 09 - 02:36 PM

Took a break to visit the 160th annual Michigan State Fair , which may unfortunately be the last. Due to economic problems, it's been cut from next year's state budget.

I guess it's probably been 15 or 20 years since I've gone. I wanted to get a look at the canned pickles & preserves. I just love that stuff. The Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales are here. Man, are they huge up close!

So, enough goofing off. Back to work.

M

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 11:47 PM

I hit a "wall" today, as I switch out medications, from one that has been discontinued to a new type (for HRT). Clearly I must wean myself from the old one and start the new one staggered along. It meant today was pretty much lost. I'll pace myself for a few weeks. Looks like I'll be getting lots of sleep. |-|

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 11:17 AM

If there are ants you can spray something like insecticidal soap or a little orange oil in water and that should repel them.

Sinus and allergies are catching up (ragweed must be maturing) and the road work is front and center in the street outside my house. It isn't my best start to a week. I was going to hang out laundry, but I think the dust and diesel smell isn't nice on clean clothing. Into the dryer.

All of my son's video games have watchers on eBay and one has a bid. I won't keep the cash for these so I'd best put up something of my own to keep up the $$ momentum. I made a couple hundred dollars last month, enough to knock out a couple of bills. I have to donate more stuff to Goodwill, in order to knock out some of my tax burden for the year.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Penny S.
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 04:18 AM

I've got to do something with my compost. Only the bin has been colonised by ants, which I do not want to move to my new garden - no-one else has put compost in the bin, so it's mine! I'm getting a friend to help me remove the bin from the pile, and hope the ants migrate. Also the mouse. Then I can load it into bags for removal.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 06:06 PM

My truck is vacuumed and washed and I found the tape roller under the back seat; it's for cat hair (my son prefers to wear black and of course we have a white cat).

Moved the front compost pile to the back.

Gotta get some more done--it's a beautiful afternoon here in North Texas!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: maire-aine
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 06:02 PM

I got 14 pints of chili sauce. The recipe's posted in the "Pickles & Preserves" thread if anybody's interested. Half of the dishes (from the chopping vegetables portion of the project) are washed & put away. The dishes from the packing portion are still in the sink. I know they won't wash themselves, but I'm not in a rush to do them. I'm going to have a glass of wine and put my feet up first.

My pantry is now fully stocked (I canned chutney last fall and corn relish the year before), so I won't need to do this again for a while.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 05:26 PM

Rog carried some empty boxes, a doll bed my dad made, and a foot rest out to storage for me until we have a yard sale or give it away or whatever whenever he gets the time to organise it all with me. He's doing his usual prepare for the week cooking up batches of rice, goulash, potatoes, and boiled eggs. I pulled some stuff out (the stuff he took out) in the dining room and gave it a good sweeping which had been lacking. Also did more picking up of little bits which seem to abound when Morgan is around. I thought he'd gotten it all but, oh no, he's like a crumbly cookie...little bits fall off in his wake.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: LilyFestre
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 04:36 PM

If getting extra zucchini out of the garden counts as de-cluttering, then count me in! I found a great zucchini muffin recipe this morning, made some changes to make it more healthy and all I can say is YUM! Made an extra batch for the freezer and will be trying more recipes for the rest of the week. At this moment, I have two 5 gallon buckets FULL of zucchini and more coming it the garden. I am NOT going to let it go to waste!!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Penny S.
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 02:31 PM

I've also decluttered the bramble bushes in the back garden, which have said goodbye to me with a bumper crop. The icebox part of my new fridge is full, and I have taken up bottling as well. Two bushes are travelling to my new garden.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Penny S.
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 02:17 PM

My new house, version one, fell through, as the seller pulled out of his purchase, and I am nearly in version two, a town house with integral garage, and apart from that very similar to my present place, but without anyone under it. There's a room behind the garage which will be my studio for books, sewing, knitting machines and so on, and a utility room for the washing machine and freezer. There's no loft, but an extra bedroom which will have the loft function.

I've been clearing the loft here, lots of stuff I hadn't remembered I still had, resources for teaching, old magazines... These are being sorted into recycling, keep, pass on to friend, tear out relevant articles and recycle. The wheelie bin is nearly full again.

Why I had put a dead kettle up there I cannot imagine. I had even taken the plug off. Possibly because there was no place to recycle it.

I have been boxing books. Unfortunately, the supermarkets now get their wine in sixes, not 12s. 12 bottle boxes were just the right size for books. Sixes are too small. The storage place's small boxes are too heavy when full. The floor is becoming invisible, and I feel like singing "Climbing over rocky mountains" from the Pirates as I move about.

When I have title to the new place, I'll clear the books across there, empty the boxes and come back for the next tranche. I won't get the removal men into until the small stuff has gone. And then I'll get the stuff from Dad's place as well.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 01:42 PM

Another important de-clutter: my email. Time flies, and it was last January I paid for an extra year of the email at the acccount I've used for years. I changed Internet providers but knew I'd never catch up with everyone in those email accounts, so I paid for a year and decided I'd keep paying if I didn't want to switch (it's fairly cheap, ~$50 a year). I like my gmail so I'm gradually shifting my email accounts away from Sprynet. Today some biggies: eBay and PayPal.

Yesterday I did a little networking in the neighborhood. My next door neighbor Jackie bought an energy star fridge to replace a 20-year-old spare fridge in her garage. It works fine, but runs all of the time. She asked if I needed another one, but I don't, I make good use of my fridge space now that I have my freezer organized. But the across the street neighbor John has been peeved at his niece for a few months: last year she moved somewhere where needed a fridge so he loaned her the spare from his backyard shed. He used it for extra ice and storage (and we all have gardens). She moved out of that place this spring and left his fridge behind! He loaned it to her not because it was extra but because her need seemed greater than his. So I called him and told him Jackie had one for the Goodwill unless someone nearby wanted it. He was very happy to take it off her hands and we helped him load it onto his pickup for the trip across the street yesterday morning. Don't you love it when everyone is happy and has exactly what they need? :)

It's lovely outside. I hope you're all having great weather for this last weekend of summer!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 12:12 PM

I emptied the front compost, hauling it to the big pile in back. I'm going to take Howard Garrett's advice (he's at http://www.dirtdoctor.com) for a repellent for the dogs re the compost: fill a bucket with scooped dog poop, pour on water and let it sit for a while, then pour it over the area. He said it usually discourages them from digging in that spot.

Three of six video games listed. The changes at eBay make it kind of squirrely these days. It's difficult to use one listing as a template for the next because it comes pre-loaded with the previous information. But I'm getting there.

I'll clean out the fridge some this afternoon; I have a bunch of tomatoes to make into sauce, I think. There aren't enough for juice and some of these are a little dry this time of year. I also have to vacuum the truck and I can wash it at the end of the day, when the 48 hours is up after the new windshield was installed.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: maire-aine
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 11:47 PM

Went to the farmers' market this morning & got tomatoes-peppers-onions to make chili sauce. Will do that on Sunday. It rained most of the morning, but dried up in the afternoon, so I was able to cut the grass, finally. Dead-headed all of the flowers. It's about time for me to harvest the herbs & freeze them.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 11:41 PM

You'd think after all of this time and effort our houses would be empty, wouldn't you? ;-D

eBay this evening.

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 10:19 PM

I filled two boxes with books and have them by the front door to be mailed to my sister and niece next payday. That got rid of clutter in the office. We also took 5-6 bags of clothes which were in the car to Goodwill, along with a few books and an autoharp which needs to be restrung and needs bars. Also, dropped off the collectible bottles and a light fixture from the dining room at Habitat for Humanity. Put away all of our clean clothes. Rog swept up enough dog hair for at least one spare dog and I picked up stuff in general. Rog also went to the grocery store. Still more, but it is noticeable.

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 08:59 PM

Several more things are off of my list. I picked up a case of roasted mild Hatch chiles and packed them into freezer bags a pound at a time. They're all put away except a couple to have with dinner tonight.

My licence tag is ready to go on the new clear windshield. Tomorrow I'll vacuum and wash the truck and load it with the few things my son thinks are essential, like a couple of dishtowels to keep from dropping crumbs on himself (because he waits to the last minute and eats on the fly as I drive to the bus). He also wants his tape roller for cat hair. Will do!

Tonight I'll find something to keep me busy, to keep up the momentum. I have some eBay stuff to list for my son. Might as well do it, shouldn't be complicated--unopened PlayStation 2 games.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 03:23 PM

TODY

made massive advances on the papers piling up waiting to be filed or shredded

master bedroom clean to every corner

lounge shaping up during rearranging

started clearing stuff out of the car getting ready for the new(er) one arriving next week

TOMORROW

truckload of ironing

start clearing wardrobe in spare room of unneeded junk

now a shower and fresh line dried sheets

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 02:02 PM

After researching the options, it looks like I'll be again freezing my peppers. I don't have the pressure canner needed to put them in jars. I see canners online in the $100 range. Tempting to make this the point in time when I make this move. I could poke around a couple of places before deciding to can or freeze. See if someone has one on sale (who doesn't know what it is.) I think getting lucky like that only happens when you're not shopping for the item and weren't planning on buying anything. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: mouldy
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 02:01 PM

I haven't got the full use of the kitchen at the moment. Anyway, all I have to do is prep it, and load up the machine I bought last year. I've only done apples so far, (which is what I bought it for), but it'll be easier to store dried than bottled or canned veg. I quite fancy making my own dried tomatoes.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 10:51 AM

I've told my Rog what I would like for us to get done, today. Here's hoping we box up old bottles to donate; put all of our clean clothes away; go through some books to box up and send to my niece; clean up and sweep the front "stoop" and steps; and whatever else catches my eye!

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 10:33 AM

Andrea, do you do any canning? It would go a lot faster to spend an afternoon doing that than the time for all of that fruit to dry, don't you think?

The Kennedy funeral is on, and I have to decide if I'm going to the funeral in a little while for a co-worker's mother. So much to do today.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: mouldy
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 10:24 AM

Just got back from Whitby and my washer, dryer and dishwasher have been de-cluttered to under the gazebo, and I have 2 foot high lengths of bare brickwork to match my concrete flooring! Going off in a few minutes to get the animals from the boarding kennels. Heaven only knows what they will make of it all!

At least I have a time scale for selling the house: once the walls are done, they can't be decorated for 6 months at least. So I'll be putting the house up in the spring.

I also came back to a rush of ripe tomatoes and beans. So I am going to see about using my dehydrator to preserve them, as I only have a small freezer at present.

I'd better see about getting the sofa etc sold, and then I'll have room in the garage to store more stuff!

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Aug 09 - 08:58 PM

Busy day today. My pickup is okay, it always was. That "service vehicle soon" light is something that apparently finally decided to stay lit because of a sensor in my gas tank that has been on the fritz for years. Sometimes I get a "low fuel" readout on the message panel, and this little check engine light came on about 2 months ago. Six weeks ago I took the truck in for it's 100,000 mile checkup, but this light was still on. For $45 today they diagnosed the problem as coming from that gas tank censor. Since I knew it was an expensive repair I've never planned to have it fixed (~$550). So they turned off that sensor and now the light is off. Good thing, or I'd never know if something else was needing attention.

I also replaced the windshield--what a difference! I drove into the sunset for a while this evening and it was so much better on my eyes, without that horrible glare! The glass was intact and there weren't too many big chips or cracks, but it was pitted from time. I have to wait a couple of days before I can wash the truck and I have to leave a side window open to equalize pressure since there is an adhesive that has to set, but once I clean the inside and out it will feel as good as new!

I also was able to cross several other items off of a To-Do list I created yesterday. I still must move some stuff and pick up around the house, that's for this weekend. A funeral came up for tomorrow, so I'll try to run a couple of errands coming and going to make that time a little more efficient.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Aug 09 - 12:17 PM

Working my way through a list of things that need to be done. This morning I set up the rest of the truck maintenance that didn't get done last month. I can't just write a check, it'll go on a card, but if I don't get this done now, the repairs down the road will be a lot bigger and could mean being towed first.

Many other items need attention, several are kid-related.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Aug 09 - 10:45 PM

If a site changes a lot and you want the old content, or one goes away altogether, try the Wayback Machine (named after Rocky & Bullwinkle) at http://www.archive.org/index.php. Just enter the old URL into the form and see what it comes up with. Often there are several years and months represented in the results.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: maire-aine
Date: 26 Aug 09 - 10:21 PM

Thank you, friends, for you kind thoughts. I'm going to be okay, I guess. I've had several offers of new kittens, but I'm not even considering it yet. I've got some pent-up travelling to do. I have cousins in Pennsylvania & Maryland, and might even go down to Virginia. And now I'll be able to hit some music festivals that require overnight trips.

Nice to see all of the de-cluttering that's been done. I was beginning to think people were losing interest. I have 2 bags of clothes for charity; they'll pick them up on Monday. I had two small child-size chairs in the basement, so I put them out to the curb. When I looked out again, the 2 little kids from next door were sitting on them side by side. Their mother said they were playing "train". They were so cute. So they're keeping the chairs; both chairs are pretty dirty, so if they're left out in the rain, no harm done.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Aug 09 - 08:06 PM

(((maryann)))

===

A wide clutter-grabber on my LR computer desktop swapped places yesterday with a narrower one chairside-- upright file-folder holders. Both got sorted out and purged in the process, resulting in a large bagful of paper trash, a couple of key contacts entered into my cell phonebook, a ziploc-protected set of archived band soundfiles, a ziploc-protected stash of small notecards, and a larger readme/act-on-me department chairside at the "command center." The day beofre I had finally cleared my tray-table "inbox" of post-vacay reading and admininstratvia, so it was empty to do the clutter-grabbers and when they were done I left the tray table cleared, again.

Then today I decided that the newly setup rack of misc. printing materials-- blank labels and photo stock on the LR desktop-- actually belonged UPstairs next to my home OFFICE printer, which recently gained a pair of Goodwill speakers allowing me to process MP3s up THERE from now on. Once I got the label-rack up there, I sat down and polished off the long-pending band-songbook second-edition draft, which goes tomorrow (a week early) to the proofreading team at church.

While looking around on the upper puder's hard disks for edition-one files to update, I ALSO found an archive of a defunct website I thought I had not archived, which will facilitate updating my poolside water-resistant binders with material I teach verbally that also needs visuals to teach ITSELF. These binders allow me to focus on my own workout and not always be starting new folks who fail to sustain their own discipline (while distracting me from mine).

A poolside tote also Goodwilled in during vacay neatly holds ONE binder of choice per dayand the stock of 4-6 binders fits in the just-sorted (post-vacay) van in a tote cart thatr allows the whole stash to be brought poolside when interest warrants. (The newer tote happens to match a mesh tote I already had, that holds pool toiletries, in my particularly color-distinctive set of aquatic gear.)

I love these meta-de-clutters, when things rotate around to better uses/places and there's a big practical payoff in streamlifing, and I REALLY enjoyed the time in the upper office today, too. Very sunny, which promises to be a big help in the dark winters-- the huge window over the screen faces a pretty western sunset.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Aug 09 - 07:42 PM

I have to take a couple of days off to polish off my use-or-loose days, so I'm home Thursday and Friday. The new fiscal year starts next Tuesday. I have plans to get some of my paperwork and annoying calls (the bills that I have a dispute with--write a letter, make a call, whatever). And I have to get my son registered for the October SAT.

I cut down my cork stalks today and bundled them together with twine to dry in the corner of the yard. I could toss them in the compost now, but maybe there is a decorative aspect I can make use off first, out on the front porch.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Aug 09 - 10:56 AM

Maire-aine, that's a big and sad change after twenty years. I agree with Maggie, you made the right decision, but that doesn't make it any easier when they go. Here's a big {{{{HUG}}}} for you, esp., when it seems so lonely at night. I don't think I could manage without at least one, but preferably two at all times.

Hugs, again from kat, Trystan, Kipling and the dog, Merlee

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Aug 09 - 12:33 AM

Maryanne, it's a difficult choice, but if you know they're going to suffer, it's the kindest thing you can do for your beloved cat. We lost our calico in January; she was going downhill so fast, there was no pleasure in her life, she wanted to crawl into a corner and die. After she was euthanized, she looked so different than the recent weeks, relaxed, her old self and seemed much younger. At that time I could see how she bore her discomfort in her demeanor for so many weeks. It hurts regardless of how they die, but if their pain is shortened, then I think you made the right decision.

My calico always slept on my bed also, down at the foot on the far side. I miss having that cheerful lump there every night, purring and occasionally chirping at the other cat in their own form of communication. "You in here?" "Yup." "G'night"

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: maire-aine
Date: 24 Aug 09 - 06:38 PM

Sad news about my cat Little One. Didn't want to start a new thread about this, but I wanted to tell someone.

At first the vet thought it might be just a tooth problem, but no such luck. Her blood-work was very good for a 20-year-old. But he found a tumor under her tongue; that's why she wasn't able to swallow. And he said he wouldn't be able to remove it. Once he told me that, I told him to put her to sleep. I had prepared myself for that outcome all weekend, and I couldn't bear to postpone the inevitable.

I didn't usually see too much of her during the day. She was usually sleeping in a sunny bedroom window. In the winter she slept on top of the heat vent in the living-room. But she always came to bed with me at night. That's when I'll miss her most. This is the first time in 20 years that I've been without one or more cats. The house seems unusually quiet.
I packed up the unopened cat food and litter, and took it over to the animal shelter. They were glad to have it.

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Aug 09 - 04:44 PM

Drinking more water, also. I've been trying to do that this summer, and I'll keep it up.

School starts tomorrow for my son, it started today at my university, but I've been working on stuff here. I must spend much of tomorrow on campus.

I mailed an eBay package today, and need to keep this going. It has paid a couple of bills this month.

I wish they weren't making so much dust and racket in the street out front. I can't hang laundry when it'll get a patina of dust and the smell of diesel is so prevalent with all of this heavy equipment. (They put in new water and sewer lines, and now they're preparing to repave it.)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Aug 09 - 06:53 PM

eBay is perking along with these little sales, but currency doesn't take up much space, so to make it effective in a decluttering sense I need to add back some larger objects to the auction list.

Can't put on my fat pants this afternoon. Oh, dear. Time to pay attention to what I'm eating and get serious out walking the dogs more.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Aug 09 - 11:15 AM

Thanks, folks. Sounds as though you are all doing well. Dave, have fun with the new house.

SRS, yes, I am going to do NaNoWriMo again this year. I hope to either finish the last in the series I am doing OR write the third to come in it. I won't know until I actually sit down on Nov. 1st to do it.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: MAG
Date: 23 Aug 09 - 10:38 AM

I know you will enjoy the time with Morgan, Kat.


Did I say I shredded a large box of old bank statements and checks, and the recycle truck took the whole box? I didn't know if they would.

I was composting all the shredded paper but it just got to be too much compost piles everywhere I could stick them.

I still have tons of yard cleanup but I have someone coming over today to help with it, as my shoulder is still out from last weekend.

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Aug 09 - 10:16 AM

You'll also spend a lot of time looking for things you know you brought along. :-/

I ate several pieces of ice cream cake yesterday so I'll have to do the full-strength antihistamines and decongestant today as I mow, or I'll end up real stuffy. I've been cutting all of the non-cultured dairy out of my diet again; this backslide was due to birthdays.

Kat, good to see you back. Are you going to write a novel in a month again this year?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Darowyn
Date: 23 Aug 09 - 04:16 AM

One day to go before we move, and there's just time for one more trip to the dump (or "recycling centre" as it prefers to be called.)
The foot spa and the peculiar clip on bath swoosher went on Friday.
The new house has a proper spa bath- I keep imagining us bouncing about on a jet of water like a ping-pong ball at a shooting gallery!
Don't think about it, you won't enjoy the thought.
It's nearly all wood this time- shortish lengths that I was keeping in case they came in useful for something. They recycle that to make chipboard and such. All the good stuff is bundled up and going with us.
I'm finally throwing away the strongest Keyboard stand I've ever seen. We found it in the garage of a house we moved into three moves ago- and apart from using is as a stand for things while I'm spray painting them, it's just been stored under the bench since then.
The thing that niggles at my mind about all this, is that I just know, that although we've been through, and made lots of ruthless decisions about getting rid of stuff, we will be spending considerable time at the new house next week saying, "What on earth did we bring this for?"
Funny, isn't it?
Cheers
Dave

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Aug 09 - 01:52 AM

My kitchen is looking good after being full of people and lots of food for a birthday lunch. Lots of fun!

I have another eBay item selling, and need to list something else.

I took stuff over to the recycling center today, and I commented when I drove in that they needed a lot more recycle bins--that people are dumping a lot of recyclable stuff in the 30-yard bins. I decided it was time for a blog, so I pulled out the camera and took some photos. One of the guys came over and asked me "why all of the photos?" I don't want them to think I'm upset with any of them--I told him I have a blog and will post remarks about how people don't recycle very well (as evidenced by all of the cardboard in the trash instead of the recycling). But they really do need to educate people and insist that they do it right. Seattle does, Fort Worth can.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: maire-aine
Date: 23 Aug 09 - 12:50 AM

Good to have you back, Kat.

I did the Alzheimer's Memory Walk this morning. It was a little drizzly at the beginning, but it cleared up nicely. Took a trunkful of cardboard boxes to the recycling center in the afternoon.

I'm concerned about my cat Little One. She hasn't been eating well for a couple days. I have a vet appointment for her on Monday.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Aug 09 - 11:26 PM

I'm back. :-) Didn't do much in decluttering, except my mind and that's good!

Morgan did come over last weekend and helped me move the sofa, two chairs and a heavy old trunk. We rearranged the living room and it looks much neater, cleaner and more inviting. He kept his area in the corner and it is actually neater and more accessible which is good because it looks as though I will be having him for 2-3 hours per day starting next week, after kindergarten classes!

I still will not be posting as much, at least for awhile. I seem to do better by not, but I will keep track of what I do, here and enjoy reading along with what the rest of you are accomplishing.

Thanks,

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Aug 09 - 10:47 PM

I'm going to have to clean house tomorrow. We've decided to do an impromptu birthday party this weekend. My daughter turns 21 next weekend but she'll be back in school and at work then and it's easier for her to come down to town now. Not much time to clean, though. My birthday is a week later (she was my early birthday present--she was actually due the day before my birthday) so we're billing this as the "21 and over-21" party. ;)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: mouldy
Date: 20 Aug 09 - 06:42 PM

Score!

Peter says he'll take away the old TV table and carpet for me, and dump it! He's got the key, and I'll see what he's managed to do when I get back from Whitby. He says he's going to deal with the damp walls first and then clear the mess from the floors and deal with them last.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Aug 09 - 01:04 AM

My desk is still pretty darned cluttered. I've been scrambling all day, but have an appointment tomorrow that is going to slow me down. Arrggggh!

Lin and John In Kansas (remember, we happily dubbed him "JuNK" instead of "JinK" some months back?) are moving from a house with over 3,500 square feet to one with 1,100 square feet, and some hopeful looking storage sheds and a dry 3 car garage. Sounds like they have four storage lockers and their son's basement filled. They are going to be very very busy after they close on that house later this week.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Aug 09 - 03:16 PM

WYS, he does go through his closet, when I insist on it. I go through regularly and retrieve empty hangers, and if I see stuff in there that I haven't seen on his body on a long time I ask about it. The closet is getting kind of empty right now, so what we probably need to identify are clothes to purchase more than clothes to get rid of.

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: mouldy
Date: 19 Aug 09 - 02:34 PM

Well Peter's coming tomorrow morning to make a list of all the works that require doing. He's still tied up with the rather long path at Cowick church - I think it's so that the kids in the church school next door can have a more direct route. It must be about 50 yards long, and I bet he's having to lay slabs because it's a listed building.

Anyway

He's taking a key and doing the work next week. So I got 2 more cakes, (for the teas the church is doing on Sunday in the next village), baked this afternoon, plus another iced. I got my parish magazines distributed, and I outed the rather overpowering Ikea unit that the TV had been living on and replaced it with a rather nice Arts and Crafts style TV console I found whilst browsing round a local furniture store and looking at sofas. It looks really nice!
My back really hurts now, after hauling more furniture in and out.

The fun is going to come when eventually the rooms get put back together, and all the stuff I feel that I really CAN'T do without at the moment spoils the effect.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Aug 09 - 02:26 PM

I probably need to make a pass through his closet this week.

Might it be that you probably need to show HIM how to make a pass through HIS closet this week? Never too early (not too late) to start...

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: maire-aine
Date: 19 Aug 09 - 11:47 AM

Last night must have been a night for dreams. I had one that involved karioke (sp), but we won't go there. I made a jug of refrigerator dill pickles last night. This morning I baked a cherry pie-- pitted the cherries while watching Martha Stewart, but used a store-bought crust. Also hard-boiled some eggs. All the dishes are done. Put up some little hooks along the bottom of the cabinet over the stove, so I can hang some things that have been on the counter.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Aug 09 - 10:08 AM

Have you ever experienced the kind of day when you're so busy working on stuff that you literally dream about it overnight and wake up with it still on your mind, having worked through a number of tasks? Too bad they aren't on my desktop this morning! This is the rush before the new semester.

I'm managing to do dishes and laundry and very small de-clutter projects, like thinning out the shoes (mentioned above) and clearing junk out of the pickup in preparation for the daily drive to school for my son starting next week. I probably need to make a pass through his closet this week.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Those August de-clutterers (in 2009)
From: mouldy
Date: 19 Aug 09 - 04:29 AM

You would think that people who work with natural things would have at least a modicum of ability!

My dwarf pear tree has thrown up a shoot from the root stock, off one of the roots that was barely covered with soil. I have separated it and it's in water at the moment, as there were one or two tiny roots forming. I am going to pot it up when I think it will stand it, and see if it amounts to anything. It's quite a dwarf stock, so it may be happy in a planter. However, it is probably one chosen for strength over fruit production!

I hope I might get some de-cluttering of the garden done before I go off to Whitby, but the weather forecast for tomorrow and Friday isn't great. I have a couple of jobs to do today, and then I might get stuck in.

No sign of Peter. I have sent him a text, and I'll see what transpires. The most annoying thing is that I am paying for an extra week of kennels for the animals in order to keep them out of his way!

Andrea