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Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability)
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 12 Apr 10 - 10:27 AM Okay, we've done a little shopping. So we have to figure out how to cram our stuff into our existing luggage, or have one more carryon (we're allowed 2 each and we only brought 3). My son raided the Dove easter bunnies at Target yesterday and now wants to bring probably melted chocolate home with him. Still a kid in many ways. . . I bought a large broad brimmed hat at the museum. Not one to be crushed and stuffed. I may leave it here, but it won't fit my host, so we'll see. Stay healthy, everyone! SRS |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Catherine Jayne Date: 12 Apr 10 - 10:30 AM Morning work out helped along with the kids. Bread baked this morning, washing on line drying and a lovely few hours catching up with Liz and Phoebe. |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: katlaughing Date: 12 Apr 10 - 11:29 AM I guess I've been saving up for a few days before posting here.:-) Yesterday, we walked to Morgan's house and back...a BIG deal for me, plus I also did qi gong last night. In between, and the day before, we cleaned a bit of the front yard, well mostly Rog did. Also on Sat. Morgan came over for a short while to help me plant the marigolds and pansies my brother gave me for my b-day. They were looking pretty sad; now quite happy in their pots. Also found some volunteers in last year's annual pots...not sure what they are, yet, but decided not to declutter them until we know what they might be. Also, inside, we did some decluttering including Rog taking some stuff out, my getting a package almost ready to send out, dishes put away and several loads of laundry done. I also cleaned off the top of my desk, but it doesn't look like it this morning. Still a lot of energy being used up for family stuff, so taking it slow otherwise. Maggie, hope you both like what you see. Full-scholarship! Fantastic! |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 13 Apr 10 - 12:53 AM I have a great rolling pack that I picked up a few years ago at The Bay in Calgary that has once again proved it's worth (and it was so reasonably priced, also!). It has a zipper around the body so that if you need more room you undo that zipper and the thing is three inches deeper. Considering I'm carrying an extra pair of my son's shoes (long story) and some text books this time to make his duffel lighter (mine rolls, his doesn't) I think we'll be okay. I have a plastic water bottle they may not want to see (a souvenir from the university) so I may check the bag so they don't take the bottle. I have all of the electronics packed in the one I will carry on for sure. This packing, though. What a challenge, because you pick up little things along the way. Like this hat. I kind of like it, so I'll wear it home I guess. It's big, for gardening, or hiking around a desert museum. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: mouldy Date: 13 Apr 10 - 05:51 AM Offloaded the ginormous tent I bought a couple of years ago onto my daughter and son in law, so there's a bit more room in the shed to get at the rest of the camping gear now. The little bedroom is finished, all bar the curtain rail, and so i have made that into Freya's room. The bookshelves from the landing are now in there with the children's books unpacked thereon. I have another bedroom full of craft rubbish (ie rusty pastry cutters and other salt dough related tools) plus stuff I'm not sure what to do with yet...but I'm getting there. The kitchen needs another coat of paint (this afternoon) and then that's done. The loft hatch, which I had left hanging open for days, while I had the ladder down, fell off when I tried to close it up last weekend. It was MDF, and the screws were rather short. That's another thing for Peter to fix before the end of the week. He's then going on to another similar job for 2 weeks, before returning to do the hall, stairs and landing. This will give me a chance to do some more desperately needed sorting out. I have to tackle the front garden at some time too. I'm off to the Eurogathering in Iceland at the start of May, so maybe he can get all the work done while I am away. Andrea |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: mouldy Date: 13 Apr 10 - 05:52 AM ...and I'm not mentioning the 3lbs I put back on during the last 2 weeks, after losing 4.5 with a stomach bug (2 meals out last weekend didn't help!) Andrea |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: katlaughing Date: 13 Apr 10 - 11:52 AM Don't feel badly, Andrea. I didn't mention the several I've put on since a med change AND emotional eating which kicked in over the past couple of weeks. I am still within my points BUT it's been more of not the best food vs the better stuff, plus I just know my reason for eating is more emotional now than before this...so it seems psychological is more important than amounts, etc. as far as I am concerned. You sound as though you are doing great! |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: mouldy Date: 13 Apr 10 - 04:13 PM Unfortunately, I like food, and I went out for 2 restaurant meals on 2 consecutive nights. Whereas you have a perfectly legitimate excuse, so have nothing whatsoever to beat yourself up over! At least my leader did no more than raise an eyebrow at me... Andrea |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: katlaughing Date: 14 Apr 10 - 12:21 AM I don't like having ANY excuses, though. Adding on just makes my Rog and I concerned for the extra heart load and I feel it too much, physically. Still, though, my ring is still slipping, my MedicAlert bracelet is still loose enough for 3 fingers under it, and I have not gone back up one size, so I guess as tomorrow is my weigh-in day, I'll start all over.:-) And, I have biofeedback tomorrow, so that will be nice! I recently was reminded of an affirmative prayer I like, posted it to Michelle's thread: I am a child of |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Apr 10 - 12:33 AM We're back from a great trip, and I'll be cleaning up the kitchen after dropping our stuff before I head to bed. Laundry, filing stuff away, etc. Very good trip, more complete than we might have originally imagined. Here's an account of my trip: MOAB thread. I stayed with a friend with a tiny house, and visited another friend with little bit a larger house but so beautifully furnished, not cluttered at all. She runs a bed and breakfast, with a small suite built onto the back of this house (she designed it this way) and I think what both homes highlighted is that I need to keep moving out furniture. I sold a futon a month ago, and I don't miss it at all. What is next? I have some extra antique bed frames, I have tons of old tables, chairs. Each one gone is more floor space and they're not going to be missed. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: JennieG Date: 14 Apr 10 - 01:49 AM I still check in on this thread from time to time although I don't post often. We have less than three weeks until we move house and I am almost at the stage where panic is setting in, but I refuse to give in to it! Doesn't help that I am suffering from my annual sinus/allergy/heavy coughing/feeling like crap thingy that comes regularly each autumn.....I love autumn, but it doesn't love me in return. The dust from sorting and packing isn't helping either. Never mind, it will get done - and anything we haven't organised ourselves we will take with us and sort it out when we get there. But the thought of packing up my sewing room is giving me the heeby-jeebies. I have less 'stuff' than many quilters I know, and more than some, but when it all has to be packed up there is far too much. Ah well......onward and upward......when we are in our lovely new house with views across the valley to distant mountains and a bird sanctuary over the back fence, it will all be worth it. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Apr 10 - 11:53 AM Jennie, I've wondered how you were doing in that operation, thanks for letting us know. You've moved so fast! I hope you're able to work the move of your sewing room so that when you arrive at the new house you can find what you need easily and not find years from now that it is all still in boxes. Perhaps treat yourself to some specialized shelves where you can immediately unpack and organize? I can imagine your absolute pleasure at being able to use those resources, seeing them at your fingertips. It's lovely weather today, and a neighbor is out removing the same cactus I took out last month (he's the one who gave me the starter plant). I saw a bunch in Arizona this weekend, and they do so much better (and grow more slowly) where the climate is dryer and warmer. My iris are spectacular. I'll be doing a lot of garden decluttering soon. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: wysiwyg Date: 14 Apr 10 - 01:17 PM Awhile ago I was asked to show Dog World Pix: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWziWsqBi1M Dog World is approx. 20 x 50 feet of grass, plus addl 20' x 30' space in 2" of river-rock gravel. DW is accessed from the house by a semi-enclosed, raised Dog Porch their kitchen corner opens into, and from the rear thru a 12' gate you can see in the video which allows dump truck access as needed, plus foot and lawn tractor traffic. The photo shows black/tan Faulkner ("The Dog"), and yellow Sadie ("Other-Dog"). The first picture was taken facing the southwest view of the property, and you can just see the big ole red barn in back. The second view faces north. Guess who tore up the cushion whose fluffy remains are showing? :~) Sadie, AKA "Her Royal Happiness." She's gonna learn to fetch it, to clean it back up. The pix are very skewed as to perspective, and winter cleanup is barely begun. But you can clearly see the ag panel and chainlink we used-- old stuff re-used, incl old wood posts plus new chainlink posts donated to us. The torn-up ground in the first view is due to be planted with low, hardy shrubs. The gravel you can glimpse is the area that used to be their run; the new, total space triples that space. The old plastic dog house shown (adjoining the gravel) is the thing they play run/chase/catch around. This provides a lovely opportunity for them to totally annihilate the NEW "luxury" grass area (aaaargghhh!). The second grass area (better seen from the rear gate photo with Sadie's big close-up) contains used lawn furniture waiting to be washed, and a tower of cinderblocks that will become an outdoor grooming stand. We are thinking of a temp gate/fence section to divide off that furnished section so they can't chew up THAT grass as well..... The gate Sadie is behind, BTW, is NOT skewed-- ag panel has its own structural strength when it is curved, as this single ag panel is slightly curved in place. Ag panel used this way requires no posts, and no gate structure at all. Tension it with a slight curve and, if it's on relatively level ground, it needs nothing more than attachment to a solid adjoining structure-- in this case, the solidly-concreted-in wooden posts. The sitting area is for company, hobbies, and dogs when invited; it's in total shade all morning. On the other side of the red house-addition you can just see is our Weight Room, with Mario's sleeping couch under the window. The MudDorm is above that, which overlooks the Dog World compound. Later updates to the montage will show more progress (and how DW fits into the property), as well as the small kennel we built to use when Dog World was under construction. A huge (to me) batch of composted garden soil has just been donated to us. As soon as we can pick it up next week, I'll start the container gardening project that is ready to begin. Thanks to Michelle for helping me learn How to Montage. The rest of you folks need to catch up! :~) Show us YOUR Mess to Magic! And it's easy. WysiwyG! ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Apr 10 - 02:36 PM Here's my blurb from the MOAB thread: You want to hear about serendipity at it's absolute finest? We were away for 3 1/2 days to Tucson to look at U of A, where he wants to study Computer Science. Tier 1 school, the best of two full rides offered. I realized that both coming and going we changed planes in Albuquerque, home of UNM, the other offer, and if I'd been thinking I'd have taken a few hours in town to let him visit that campus also. Not nearly so good, but still, a look would be useful. We get on ABQ to Dallas plane, I am in window seat ("Mom, you sit there, it doesn't recline,") he's in middle, a woman my age with interesting computer book sits beside him. We talk. Turns out, she is chair of the UNM Computer Science Department headed to a meeting. Really. We quickly realized this unique conversational opportunity, she with a potential student, one of those cream of the crop ones they all want, and it was a great opportunity for him to get the full-wattage discussion and attention of a professor who would love to have him in her classes. Want to know what else is serendipitous? We both grew up on Lake Whatcom in Washington. She was on the north east side, as far down that side of the lake as you could drive, and I lived on the south east side, at the end of the road there. No road all around the lake because the mountain on that side was too steep, there was a railroad trestle and we were never allowed to walk on it. Small world! |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: maire-aine Date: 14 Apr 10 - 08:05 PM Hi, folks. I haven't posted much since Easter, because I really haven't done much. Yesterday I did a fair amount of cleanup in the yard; yard waste pickup is Friday. Went to the music session last night-- I haven't played for almost a month-- and there was a good turnout. Had the guy from the construction company come over yesterday to talk about repaving my driveway. It'll be expensive, but it has to be done. I don't have a date yet, but they'll call me soon. Also had a guy come by to pick up my lawnmower to fix it up & get it going. In the meantime, I'll be using the manual push mower. Maryanne |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 15 Apr 10 - 12:11 AM I have a push mower I need to use more. Good idea, Maryanne! Tomorrow I'm going to go on part of the Scarsdale diet. Not the actual lose tons of weight diet, but the "maintenance" part he has you use in between the intense 2-weeks on the weight loss part. I lose weight on the maintenance one also, just not as quickly. For now, it feels like shifting to that, then in a week going on the full-fledged low-cal keytone-producing one will kick in as I'm working full-time on the garden. For a while I was occupied with school stuff and travel, but now I have time to pay attention to the diet. Laundry is finished, all hung up and put away. Bread baked, kitchen is clean. I wrote a letter and mailed back a dog collar (Invisible Fence) that has a lifetime warranty (my lifetime, not the dogs). And I had a few other fires to put out. In all, it was a good day. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: VirginiaTam Date: 15 Apr 10 - 07:19 AM Anybody know how to un trap a nerve? My hands, arms, head and neck and middle back are in constant achy throbbing pain. I keep getting up and walking around to relieve it and hoping it will move discs so as to stop pinching. On codydramol and amytriptylene which barely take the edge off pain. No guessing needed - I am not doing any decluttering or cleaning of any kind at the moment. |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: JennieG Date: 15 Apr 10 - 08:11 AM Maggie, meeting the professor was so lucky.....you couldn't have done it better if you had tried! I have sets of shelves which will be coming with us, and also two closed cupboards for fabric as the light here in Oz can fade fabrics quickly - so I will have plenty of space for my fabrics and books. It's just the thought of packing combined with the fact that I am feeling a little less than wonderful because of the allergy that has me in its grip at present, but it will pass. Today the thought occurred to me that we have some large suitcases that I can use to move fabric. We're trying to use as many of our own containers as we can, as remavalist's cartons will have to be disposed of when we have finished with them, so over the next few days I will see how much I can get into our large wheely cases. They can be wheeled if they are too heavy to be carried. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 15 Apr 10 - 02:20 PM Looking around for the "next big thing" to offer on Craig's List. Lots of tables around here, but they're all in use. Maybe the answer is to move one of the computer desks out and use a table in it's place. I have a modern office computer desk set up for sewing in the guest room. What I should do is pull together enough stuff for a garage sale. I have a lot of extra packs and luggage stuff that never seems to get used, not after the first time I bought it for something. Some of those could go in a garage sale, certainly more appropriate than trying to sell them on eBay. Earlier I mentioned the neighbor taking out a cactus. They occasionally do a garage sale, so next time he's out working on his cactus removal I'll ask, and maybe we can pool our stuff for a sale. He has better shade than I do for that kind of sale. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: VirginiaTam Date: 15 Apr 10 - 02:54 PM defo overdoing pain meds... just read Maggie's last post and got some weird image of her neighbour's talking cactus. |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 15 Apr 10 - 05:42 PM That wasn't the neatest sentence construction. I'd written more, realized I was repeating myself, so cut out a chunk. Sorry about that, Virginia. ;) Sinuses are a little wacko this afternoon. Spring and allergies converge. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 15 Apr 10 - 05:59 PM Maggie, that's a wonderful bit of synchronicity. Nothing to report- haven't done much upstairs but hang a few pictures and decided to donate some old Carol Loomis prints (local artist) to the local school auction. Downstairs is tidy due to our current trend of friends over to dinner a least once/week! And Hunt's inherited Moto-Guzzi motorcycle is being temporarily de-cluttered out of the shed, as the mechanic lives down the road and will be picking it up in a few minutes to take to work tomorrow to get it road worthy. |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: JennieG Date: 15 Apr 10 - 07:13 PM We have an expression that if something doesn't work it is said to be cactus......"the car was cactus so I couldn't go shopping".......adds a new idea to Maggie's and her neighbour's cactus! Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: mouldy Date: 16 Apr 10 - 04:50 AM Peter is off to another job for the next 2 weeks, so he's busy at the moment boarding out some more loft so that I can bung some more stuff out of the way up there. He's going to spend today tidying up little jobs like putting the clock and the notice board back into the kitchen, and possibly replacing the loft hatch. Plan A is to get rid of a lot more stuff while I have chance, before the hall/stairs/landing gets stripped and decorated. I'm off out with Eleanor and Freya in a bit. We are going to have lunch at a Buddhist centre where there are nice grounds to walk in, then maybe visit a nearby town where there's a dress shop that does Marks and Spencer end of lines. Got a couple of nice dresses there last year. I have only worn one of them so far, though, so my de-cluttering brain says I don't actually NEED to visit it. Oh well...supermarket it is, instead! Andrea |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: wysiwyg Date: 16 Apr 10 - 10:00 AM Pelvic ultrasound (internal type, ew) was last Fri. Tdy is echo and-- FUN-- Mammo. Need results on all three. News when I have it. Prayer appreciated. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: wysiwyg Date: 16 Apr 10 - 03:53 PM Got some great practitioners today, TBTG! ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: wysiwyg Date: 16 Apr 10 - 05:31 PM Today began the redemption of the back porch into an outdoor LR. Plans are beginning to shape up. We also unloaded the van for being able to pick up Earthboxes this week and deliver library materials to convocation parishes (hopefully Sunday AM). If I can get out to the one of the farflungs, I can take pix (it's the only ones whose pix I lack), and then I will have enough montage material to showcase the convocation-- not just our one parish. The last 16 years' dream-- on the verge. Close enough to feel it. The old, epic struggle-- life, or death? Live well, or die badly? Growth, or decay? Learning, or forgetting? Good? Or Evil? I PLAN TO WIN, TBTG. The prize is simply too great NOT to go for it. They say fat people, and hypertensive people, die. I'm betting against that, in favor of my past record of doing so MANY things "they" say can't be done. Cuz it usually turns out-- a'course they can! :~) ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: maire-aine Date: 16 Apr 10 - 09:28 PM I put all of the woolens & black/navy/gray clothes away in the spare room closet, and got out the light-weight cotton summer clothes. Now they tell me it will turn cold over the weekend. Pffft! I gathered up all of the clothes that needed mending, and did that this morning-- ten buttons attached, and a hem repaired. Took out four trash-cans of grass clippings & leaves for composting (the city picks them up beginning Apr 1st). I can get composted material (from last year) while supplies last at the recycling center. Maryanne |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: mouldy Date: 17 Apr 10 - 07:26 AM Went to the boot fair at York again. 2 LPs, some kids' clothes and a book for Freya, 2 more books for me, a tongue press (for if I ever cook one again) and a silk Edwardian (supposedly, but it's long and in good nick) dress. I WILL be selling my stuff there some time soon - promise! Andrea |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Bat Goddess Date: 17 Apr 10 - 12:11 PM De-cluttering is sometimes a "one step forward; two steps back" proposition -- as it has been the past couple weeks. Forgive me, Mother, for I have backslid... Yes, I HAVE deassessioned some books. But...I had to read a couple before making that decision and a fairly high percentage ended up as keepers: "Roald Dahl's "Switch Bitch" (adult stories), Morris West's "The Salamander" (although I've loaned it to a friend who wanted to re-read it, so at least it's temporarily out of the house), and Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game" in the special author's edition (and why, exactly haven't I read this one before?!?) And then on Thursday I was led astray by the bad influence of evil companions. I, who needs clothes like cats need wings, couldn't resist some of the extreme markdowns at Sears, especially coupled with my Sears discount (I work for USVision, but at Sears Optical), bought a couple classy jerseys and two sweaters. Over $132 worth of clothes for 10 bucks. That's even better than Goodwill prices and the stuff is brand new. I really have to concentrate on permanently removing more stuff. And the Nottingham Library Sale is coming up in May -- I need to make that pile of donated books higher and I don't have much time. |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 17 Apr 10 - 02:34 PM They say fat people, and hypertensive people, die. Darling friend, we ALL die. But you are an example of living life to the fullest, for as long as you/we can. I plan to hang out here for as long as I'm allowed, and kick up my heels as much as possible for the duration!! I did drop off the first of many bags to the local thrift shop. The good news is I de-accessioned one of the last of my late beloved Byron's items of clothing that I still clung to- his wonderful, now stained and shabby EMS fleece. (I did replace it with a smaller, more me-appropriate fleece on sale.) I also de-accessioned a buncha other clothes that have been hanging around. The bad news is I haven't touched the two seething garbage bags full of Hunt's old khakis and button-down shirts that NEED to get out of here! |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 17 Apr 10 - 04:14 PM Susan, let us know (if you want) if you need a place to vent on those results. Start a thread separately so we don't lose track if you end up with something that runs more than 1 month. Otherwise we'll confuse the heck out of anyone who is a casual reader here. I'm dealing with a sinus infection. Wasn't sure that was what it is for several days, but I think I've sorted it out now (and the pain has gotten so distinct it's hard to miss!). I've pulled out meds to address it, and today is much better than yesterday. Mailing stuff today, that which can be dropped in the box and is under 12 oz. Other stuff will go out on Monday. I've been so slow to send stuff that has piled up on my dining room table in the living room. That table where all of the college application work has been staged. I am happy to announce, after months of working toward this point, that after last week's visit and a few days of reflection, my son is going to go to the University of Arizona in Tucson (full ride). It's so beautiful there, and I think that in addition to the orientation, getting a chance to talk to a guitar student (recommended by the head of the guitar program) really helped tip the scales. He may major in engineering or computer science, but he really wants music to be a big part of his continuing education. With all of the AP classes he has taken, he has bought himself a lot of extra time to electives or guitar classes. I pack up a lot of the paper and documentation, and though we didn't get him into an Ivy League school (we needed a year and two months, not just two months) we learned a great deal. I think he has a view of how this works, and when it comes time for grad school, he'll be way ahead of the process for having applied to some of these schools already. Actually, if we hadn't (I know, I insisted) done any of that Ivy League stuff he'd still be where he is now, but I still think it was worth a shot. Better odds than the lottery. Time to run to the store, and then I'm going to be doing laundry and cleaning the bathrooms this evening. How exciting! SRS |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: katlaughing Date: 18 Apr 10 - 12:16 AM Congratulations, SRS. I hope he understands just what a Force you have been in his success!:-) I did some dishes for the first time in a couple of weeks. We just kept rewashing the few we were using. Our son, Colin, emptied the driveway of the last of family stuff which should have been hauled off last summer. He has one more pile of boxes and paper/books in the backyard, ruined by the weather, to load up and take to the dump on Monday. It looks so much better. I've been doing laundry all along and a bunch of daily stuff to help him with his recovery...lots of baby steps toward lasting sobriety, work, etc. In between Morgan has been over and helped with small things. |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: maeve Date: 18 Apr 10 - 12:22 AM It was a pleasure to be in Sinsull's tidy, greatly decluttered house tonight. The queen of outrageously silly gifts has begun to create an oasis of space and happiness. maeve |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 Apr 10 - 02:32 AM Sounds like there is a story there, maeve! Should Sinsull be telling us her de-clutter secrets? I have been dusting the shelves in the living room and for now, re-filling (rearranging) the shelves with like items. All clear crystal, or antique toys, or cameras, or Indian baskets or art glass. When I get things sorted better (they did get kind of mixed) then I'll decide how many to put away (I have cupboards down below also) and rotate the collection. Prior to this I cleared off the dining room table next to the shelves of all of the papers from college applications, and relocated the expanding file that is holding this stuff. (I'll take the non-active application stuff out of that file and put them together in an envelope for now, and label a few of the file slots for the things my son will need at school.) I set up a file like this for my daughter when she was getting ready to go to college also, so she'd have copies of all of the important papers at her fingertips at school. So much better than having to call home to have Mom look it up for her! Also, I've figured out one way to compress a little more stuff into less space: I have a couple of antique trunks that don't have much in them, and some of that stuff is old towels and blankets. I'm going to wash the towels and put those in plastic trash bags to store in one of the trunks. For now, I'll take the plastic bin from beside the back door that holds dog toys and packs and such and set it inside one of these empty trunks and put leave it over near the back door. It will look attractively rustic, but it will in fact be holding the dog stuff and keeping it out of sight. Every time I can move something out so I have a few more square feet of floor space, I enjoy the slightly less cluttered look in the room. Kat, my son did all of the work that got him into the U of AZ. I worked with him on applications simply to get them filled out, but he wrote all of the essays. I pushed him to try for the other schools that didn't pan out--one result of that Common Appliation work is that he has all sorts of left-over short essays he can use on any scholarship forms that come our way. There will still be expenses above and beyond tuition and room and board, and we've applied for a couple. I have a list of others to work on, if I get time before the deadlines. It's late. I also cleaned the hall bathroom, including spraying stuff on the soap scum on the tiles and applying the elbow grease that helps it work (though it says you don't have to, I always find I need to). I've come to a logical stopping point in the living room, so I'm off to bed. More tomorrow (and I'll throw a load of stuff in the washer as I head to bed). SRS |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: VirginiaTam Date: 18 Apr 10 - 10:55 AM My hands and arms are back to normal. One trapped nerve now must be untrapped. My back is almost there thanks to making myself get up and move around quite often. Kitchen is almost clean. Must clean out microwave and sweep floor. Caravan chest is outside with last coat of white paint drying on it. Looks so much better. One load of laundry outside drying too. About to do the last caravan curtain. I have ordered the curtain heading tape so will I stitch on as soon as it arrives. Plan to make two big pillows with leftover caravan fabric and load with beans from unwanted beanbag. These will provide me some adjustable cushioning against tender points when sleeping in the van. May have just enough fabric left over for a table cloth. Spare room will be decluttered of one small white desk by Crow Sister tomorrow evening. Ironing and vacuuming shall be done tonight before I shower. |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 Apr 10 - 02:55 PM I've scrubbed the pretty Mexican tile surrounds in both bathrooms. I'll need to go over it again one more time, but I got the lion's share of the soap scum off. A couple of loads of laundry have been washed, dried, and folded. I've also decided that since spring is the best time of year to start a diet that I'll keep going with this plan, but I also need to tweak my HRT again. Last fall you may recall I weaned myself off of the commercial product I'd been taking for a couple of years when that one was shown to be an unapproved use by FDA. The drug Rx plan I use stopped providing compounded formula through mail order, saying that there were commercial ones available that were much cheaper. But that commercial mix had too much methyl testosterone than I liked and I was feeling it. The trouble with dropping it altogether is that on estrogen only I'm turning into a dumpling with no muscle tone. I'm going to bite the bullet and pay for the monthly compounded Rx at my local pharmacy. The mix that was working just fine for me before the drug company got involved and over-ruled what doctor and patient had going. And I'm betting the pencil pusher who canceled the compounding service and sent the suggestion that I use the commercial one is not a doctor or a pharmacist. They ought to charge these folks with practicing medicine without a license. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: wysiwyg Date: 18 Apr 10 - 03:08 PM Susan, let us know (if you want) if you need a place to vent on those results. Start a thread separately so we don't lose track if you end up with something that runs more than 1 month. Otherwise we'll confuse the heck out of anyone who is a casual reader here. Thanks. I do not need to vent, but prayer support would be appreciated. People can PM for details. I was VERY fortunate to get the echo done by an experienced, brilliant, young, curious practitioner. She uses her ears as well as her eyes when she does an echocardiogram-- and how gifted she is! (She's also about to start to study to become a PA.) She pointed out all the anatomy as I requested, and told me what all the various sounds were. The one sound I heard that concerned ME was the one that goes with the enlarged heart that has, IMO, had a bad year and has worsened (with various symptoms asking for attention). I heard a groaning "help me" tone in that rhythm and sound-- so that's what I'm focusing prayer on, as I continue to focus on healthy behaviors on all the rest. The echo will be read this week to speak to the symptoms. Me, I figger I'll be around as long as I am "supposed" to be..... I said most of the important stuff a long time ago (some of it here), and now I'm having fun doing the work I have been given to do. (I prefer to talk about THAT!) I wake up every morning thankful to have another day to do it. :~) ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 Apr 10 - 04:14 PM Good luck with that. My sister and I both have heart murmurs that our physicians aren't concerned about but that others always mention. It always gives a moment's pause when someone mentions "you have a heart murmur" during an exam. Like, do I need to think more about it now? Rain seems to have stopped, but it is overcast. The yard had a nice long leisurely soaking gentle rain over the last three days. This week, let the gardening begin! SRS |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 Apr 10 - 08:30 PM Impromptu cleaning session in the kitchen cabinets this afternoon: a bag of kidney beans apparently had some kind of bean weevil or beetle that was spread around (once I started looking) into a couple of cupboards. I had to empty, clean, dump food, and vacuum. I think I got it, but I'll check the space closely for a few days. Now that there are no more beans in the cupboard, I think they'll die off if anyone is left. I also moved a trunk in the living room and am now looking at moving the contents and rearranging those shelves some more. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: wysiwyg Date: 18 Apr 10 - 10:44 PM Hope yer hearts are OK, SRS; not really what I have tho. I have an enlarged heart working too hard. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 Apr 10 - 11:29 PM Ours are okay, I just made the point that every time someone mentions it, I think it skips a beat until I remember that this is "normal" for us. :-/ Great dinner tonight, leftovers for lunch this week. Kitchen is clean already. If I work to keep it this way meal preparation goes so much faster! I brought a small antique table that I had stored away into my office. I missed having that big trunk there to put things on top of. I used it like a credenza, so now this table will do the same. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Liz the Squeak Date: 19 Apr 10 - 01:25 PM A day of gentle pottering in the garden resulted in the clearance of 4 bags of general rubbish and a clear space in the pond where the robins can bathe. Major decluttering of books required but I can't bring myself to get rid of them! LTS |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Alice Date: 19 Apr 10 - 01:36 PM Today I'm throwing away two file drawers full of old files from my former job. Previously cleared out my desks of the related job forms and paperwork, but now it's time to dump all the client files I had saved for each customer's past orders. It's a great feeling! |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: wysiwyg Date: 19 Apr 10 - 01:52 PM The process of getting Earthboxes here via FreeCyclers in our area is underway-- it started by our picking up a carload of cardboard boxes for them, ydy, from a source I have, to deliver tomorrow. GOOD boxes, uniform sizes, saved from going to a landfill. Before we did THAT I had to unload the back of the van Friday. This was after the tests, which were the first thing upon waking after the 3-hour drive back from Harrisburg the night before-- which was half of the round trip that had begun at 6AM. I almost have the front unloaded of stuff from the meeting.... where I decluttered a Diocesan process that had gotten FU-almost- BAR. Anyway-- when the boxes of dirt come I should have ennough for my immediate container-gardening needs. This includes the unkillable yucca I picked up via FC last fall, which never made it into the ground-- but has been stored in a loose bag behind the kennel. Sans dirt except what had clung to the roots when dug up. It's greening back up (of course), so I stuck it in a bucket of water till I can get a hole dug by Dog World. The back porch sitting area is shaping up, surrounded by nestlings, tho it is slowed down each day for some much-needed staring/sitting time. Each day I go out there, I do a few little things. Today it was setting up cushions the dogs had chewed last year in DW, on the chair I decided to move up to the porch for company. (That chair also moved Friday, as did one from the front porch.) Today's staring time also included thinking about who the "company" ought to be, and widening the circle a bit. The AM was spent decluttering the camera that had recorded some cool stuff yesterday at two outlying parishes, and others from a cool Diocesan meeting Thursday. Plus correspondence to the latter, to show them how a montage works, and to gain their OK to make one of the meeting. That led to the need to update a few of the recent montages so they can see a good sample of what the medium can do. I decluttered some other area parochial relationships yesterday and this AM as well-- major roadblocks vanished. I'm bushed, and I don't mean yucca! :~) Nyuk nyuk nyucca. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: mouldy Date: 19 Apr 10 - 05:24 PM I acquired a small (free) upright 4-drawer freezer today so I will have room to store stuff I grow...still waiting for seeds to germinate! Actually, I still have some from last year, but it's been very difficult to store it, along with the regular freezer contents, in the smallest size chest freezer (which was also free). Tomorrow afternoon I am going to take a deep breath and get rid of a large amount of my salt dough tackle (ie cutters). I have some quite detailed sugarcraft cutters, but over time they have become somewhat rusty due to exposure to the salt. I have hung onto them, knowing the high cost of replacements, but it will be quite a while before I do any more, and a lot will depend on what storage room I have when I eventually move. Andrea |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 19 Apr 10 - 07:10 PM Today I de-cluttered a handful of odd-denomination stamps in my desk. You know, the ones on envelopes that somehow never got sent, so you tore off the corner and dropped it in a drawer. I used to soak them off the backing, but now I just use a glue stick to apply them to what is shipping. Several of you will get a demonstration of this soon. I also started de-cluttering the stack of stuff that has been on the corner of that living room dining room table that was the staging area for all of the college applications. I put the application stuff away and now am mailing stuff I've been meaning to send for ages (see paragraph above). Kat, are you at the same P.O.B? SRS |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: katlaughing Date: 20 Apr 10 - 12:05 AM I am, SRS. I deleted the info you posted though as I'd just as soon not have a finger pointing.:-) I know anyone could find it, anyway, but I'd like to try not to help them. NOW, I am excited and will be watching the mail! Thanks! |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Apr 10 - 12:22 AM I haven't decided yet for you, so I'll be surprised also! :) There's a lot of stuff on that table. I'm working my way through it. I'll try to make it a good fit. Moved 2 trunks this evening, and I'll look at the new places for a couple of days and see if it works. The next book to read is An Enchanted April. And I'm headed off to read it. I had so much fun with Jane Austen that I'm trying to get back to the no-recorded-book no-television no-radio no-computer enjoyment of literature. Read a book. What a concept. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Apr '10 De-clutter(SpringCleaning! Accountability) From: Alice Date: 20 Apr 10 - 12:38 AM This afternoon I cleaned out the small pond, as the ice had finally melted. Pumped out the water, scooped out mud and dead leaves and gunk, refilled with clean water and set up the pump and the waterfall. It's nice to hear that waterfall running again. |
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