July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 11:02 PM

Stair climbing! Vacay prep is HARD.

~S~

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: maire-aine
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 09:37 PM

Moved furniture around in the living room this afternoon, while I dusted the floor. Just kind of moved all the chairs a quarter turn around the room, but it changes the scene enough. Dusted the upstairs, too. Crossing my fingers that the electricity situation has settled down.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 02:07 PM

I haven't weighed myself for a while, but the mirror tells me plenty. Though my clothes aren't as tight as they were, there's still weight to be lost.

It's so hot that getting motivated to move around is a job in itself. I hung a load of laundry on the line out back, and have to mow the lawn this evening. I mowed part of it a few days ago before it started to rain, but I didn't get around under the clothes line so the tall grass tickles as I hang up wash.

The garden volunteers have revealed themselves: I think the tomatoes will be big cherry tomatoes. Soaker hose is running because it's hot and dry again, but this is preferable for many of my crops.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 12:57 PM

Weigh-in was this morning. Lost 2.4 lbs. Whoo-hoo!!

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 01:48 AM

I made a peach cobbler out of fresh local peaches, and put vanilla ice cream on my helping while the peaches were still hot.

Orgasmic. That's all I can say. As good as (and in many instances, better than) sex.

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 20 Jul 10 - 03:04 PM

It lasted less than 12 hours. Hello sleepless, my old friend....

LTS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Jul 10 - 01:43 AM

I'd forgotten about that site, Kat, thanks for the reminder.

My son pushed the thermostat setting way down on his bedroom side of the house, complaining that the house was too warm. And he nearly wiped out the bathroom flooring - it's so humid the thing was taking more water out of the air than it could drain as it ran constantly, and it was dripping all over next to the hall bathroom. I set it back up to the normal setting, replaced the sodden filter, mopped underneath in the cabinet, and told him when he's paying the bill, he can run the temperature wherever he wants.

My Internet bill went up $5 this month, with no visble reason why. I'll have to compare bills. They still owe me a refund I got tired of fighting about. I'll have to lay these bills side by side and see what sleight of hand they do. It's the taxes and charges where they bury things. At least I keep it all neatly in a file. That part of my house is organized.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 05:26 PM

Sounds like a lovely trip, Andrea!

I have been slowly going through the books Rog and I pulled off the shelves. Looking them up at addall.com, deciding which ones will go to friends or family, which to donate, and which to sell. It's a slow process, esp. in the heat. After the temp reaches a certain heat the swamp cooler doesn't do much to keep the temp down. It was 80 in the LR and probably a few degrees higher around the corner at my desk in the dining area. Fans help, but it's still a repair to the bedroom and the a/c in the late afternoon kind of weather, so not much is getting done.

Morgan had a bit of inspiration while I was on the computer for a little bit. He asked if it was okay if he wiped down the wall corner by the trash can and stove and also the front of the frig. What can I say? His mom is a good house-cleaner and he takes after her.:-) Of course, I said "sure!"

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 03:30 PM

The carpet's been rolled back in the living room and dining room (only about 4 feet) and it's all ready for whenever the plumber decides to make a start. I am in the process of sorting stuff to go camping, and as long as I can be away by 2pm tomorrow, I'll be off to Scotland for my annual getting rained on and book reading fortnight. I have a fair bit of stuff to sort, but most of the clothes are packed, and the tent and firewood for the bonfire are in the car, so that's a start.

Andrea

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 02:14 PM

Good for you, Liz!

It's so hot, I'm not sure what I'll get taken care of today. A neighbor brought over some peaches and I gave him some peppers and a jar of jelly. I saw my house through others' eyes as he came in - it's pretty messy again.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 12:46 PM

I ate, I drank, I paddled... and I don't care! I decluttered my brain of a few things, swept some cobwebs away and gave pleasure to people... I am bordering on sane for a while.

Make the most of it, it won't last long!

LTS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 08:52 AM

NFU water on board and sorting into household processes; FU containers almost all cleared out now.

Cold-puddle improvments have gone well; today I made a skimmer to take the dead bugs outta there. I clean it while IN it!

Re-purposed 1 of 4 faded LR sheers, freeing up the others to go in the car kit.

~S~

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: LilyFestre
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 08:10 AM

Got the hallway and living room empied of stuff that we are sending to the yard sale. Made a good sized dent in the kitchen too, then wiped out the cupboards and reorganized a little bit. I still have a few shelves to go so that's where I'll spend most of today.

Michelle

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 12:18 AM

Doesn't that just bug you to pieces, Maryanne? And it's amazing how many things around the house are blinking and waiting to be restarted or reset.

It was very hot again here today, topped off by some brief (but noisy) thundershowers. Now it's muggy as hell outside. I could hear it coming so hurried the mower out to finish the front I started this morning, then did a couple of big swaths in the back, hoping it would stay away. I did have to concede and quit as the lightning got quite close.

When it's this hot it's hard to feel motivated to get much done. I did finish the kitchen, took all of the seeds and skins from the grapes out to the compost bin. Yesterday I did some weeding in the worst of about three square yards of a front bed. This afternoon when I got ready to bundle up and throw away an old torn up plastic drop cloth I decided to use one of the bags some mulch came in, except the mulch was still in it. As hot as it was I didn't want to start a huge project, but taking enough newspaper and the bag of mulch to the front I was able to paper and then mulch over a section of the bed where I usually lay the circled up hose, and step through to reach the faucet. It is now a very tidy area between some pink amaryllis and some lovely dark red and green canna stalks, both given to me by my next door neighbor. And now that old drop cloth is at the curb (I'd used it when picking grapes, partly to catch grapes, partly to keep me out of the poison ivy. But that means it has the oil on it.) Some days these small tasks are enough to stand in for what you eventually want to finish.

Also today, a little virtual housekeeping. Since I installed the converter plug for the monitor I am planning to set up a slide show of great images, large enough to display fully on this screen, and I'll set it up as a screen saver slide show. I've been collecting a few images at reliable sites, like NASA. Love those star clusters and nebula shots!

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: maire-aine
Date: 18 Jul 10 - 12:27 PM

Power is not completely restored in the n'hood. We got back on Friday afternoon, but were out for about 10 minutes yesterday-- just long enough to make you have to run around and re-set the clocks. The folks across the street are out now, and there are still lots of utility trucks rumbling thru the n'hood.

I'm catching up on laundry today. Bought some peaches at the farmers market, so I'm making peach crisp this afternoon.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: LilyFestre
Date: 18 Jul 10 - 09:52 AM

SRS,

   You should have come over and we could have had a cleaning party together. I was up until 3amish. We were having some large thunder and since Jeremiah startles easily, I kept him downstairs in his pack and play where I could keep an eye and ear on him until the thunder passed. While he slept (never did wake up to the thunder), I cleaned.

    Turns out the yard sale is THIS weekend! I thought I had another extra week to clear things out. I'd better get BUSY! Today I will do the living room and kitchen.

    On a completely different note, I lost 3 pounds this week. Yesterday for activity, I picked blueberries and walked a mile or so.

Michelle

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jul 10 - 02:10 AM

Juice is cooling in the fridge, at least three quarts of it. Jelly --- Mmmmmm!

I did most of the dishes, and used some leftover chicken for burritos. I'll put in a load of laundry to wash overnight, but I'm done for the day.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jul 10 - 09:32 PM

Dean handed over his steam juicer so I guess I'll turn the kitchen into a sauna later.

I just discovered The Philadelphia Story, one of my favorites. The remake was okay, but this is the best.

I am running a smallish allergy test. I haven't eaten chocolate for weeks, but I ate a small bag of chocolate peanuts this afternoon. I've been using hydrocortisone cream on my hands and they have about cleared up, so this may reveal if it is a culprit or not. This wasn't a great quality of chocolate, but it should do the trick (or not).

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 17 Jul 10 - 05:16 PM

Got £20 for the stamps, which was about what I thought (they were nothing special). However, I did bend the budget at the boot fair with a kiddy sized djembe and some other toys for Freya, and then I came across a stall selling unwanted merchandise and trappings from Longley Old Hall near Huddersfield (origins in 14thC). They had some pottery made by John Hudson, a Huddersfield area potter whose work I like. He reproduces wares from the middle ages onwards, using the old firing and glazing methods. I got several pieces (I already have some). Then I got a (used) reproduction of a very ingenious 17th century candle holder, and a slightly oxidised looking beeswax candle to fit it. It looks great on my fireplace.

However, I have done about three quarters of the ironing tonight, and done the mending, so I have actually achieved something at home!

Andrea

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jul 10 - 04:08 PM

Picked a full bucket of mustang grapes this morning. I'm getting ready to head over to pick up a book at the university library (Interlibrary Loan) and will swing by his house and see if he has his steam juicer handy. I cooked the last batch down in the kettle and got great color, but it is a lot more work to filter it.

Did a little more filing. Not sure what else indoors, after the evening yard work. And I need to take the dogs for a walk when it's cooler.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jul 10 - 02:59 AM

Michelle, get your nap in when the baby is napping, if you need one. Otherwise you'll be a basket case. We all understand about messy houses and babies - it does get better over time. And just look at young Morgan! He's such a helper! You can turn that kind of cooperation into a great thing and enjoy each other's society. I'd wait a little yet, before you have Jeremiah start folding his own diapers, though. :)

Some filing taken care of. Some laundry folded, and more on the way. The kitchen is messy, but won't take too long. In the morning.

I weeded a bed out front that really got overgrown in the last couple of weeks. I'm so ticked off that I would get that stupid bladder infection. Not only did I not feel like that work for a couple of weeks, as I got better, I was supposed to be careful with sun and straining tendons. So now I'm still being careful, weeding when there is shade on that side of the house, but I'm reclaiming the front beds.

One more child support check coming next week. But I see each one as a gift - they will be finished any day now, as soon as the accounts are audited. I've earned enough to cash out this month at Mahalo, and will have to switch to a different kind of task if I want to keep earning cash there. I'll probably do it. The site is generally entertaining, though it doesn't set any high standards on most things. Kind of a poor man's Wikipedia. :-/

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 17 Jul 10 - 02:50 AM

Our Freya is terrified of the vacuum noise, so it only gets done while she's sleeping!

On the kitty front, far from it drying out as the vet hoped, he's cleaning it himself. To be honest, although I'm worried about him stopping it healing, it is looking nice and clean - if a little open. I have visions of him being fitted with a bucket collar, which will really hack him off, especially as he's off into the cattery on Tuesday!

I'm just having a quick post during my early morning cuppa, before heading off to York to visit the boot fair, and also to try and offload my dad's old stamp collection at a fair that's on in the racecourse grandstand. Might get a few quid for it...

Andrea

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: LilyFestre
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 07:58 PM

My kitchen, dining room and living room have been a disaster lately!!! OMGOSH!! No surface area to be found...not on the table, counter or side tables. What the heck happened? Oh yeah....been busy running around and then there's the baby!!! During naptime today I found all the missing space!!! Thank goodness...it sure feels better in here! I swept but still need to vacuum...gonna wait for Jeremiah to wake up first (I know people will say to do it while he's napping but the truth is, I'm beat and need a break too...I'm not going to do anything to wake him for the next 20 minutes or so!). Washing machine is running too. Happy Friday!

Michelle

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: maire-aine
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 06:54 PM

My earlier post disappeared somehow, but not a big deal. Sorry to hear about the troubles of all the dogs and cats.

Big storm came thru here yesterday evening, and knocked out our power about 8pm. Came back on about 3pm today. Thank you, Detroit Edison! I may lose a few things from the refrigerator, but they're mostly leftovers anyway. Lost a smallish tree branch in the front; lots of branches down all over the n'hood.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Eiseley
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 06:21 PM

I just came home from watching Middle Son win his robotics summer camp tournament. Yay Tom! We were going to go out to the range where a friend was going to let him practice aiming at a target, but I feel sick---maybe strep throat, maybe just a regular old sore throat. Ugh.

So instead, I'll go lie down and rest. There will be plenty of time for Tom to do target practice, but today will not be one of those times. Neither will I go to the farmers' market in the morning. That will be actually nice!

Eiseley

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 03:17 PM

My remark was very brief because I quickly scanned the previous entries while I was in the ER. That's all.

Haven't file the desk papers yet. But I will. Consultation appt is set for son, and we'll go with this and see what happens.

It's Friday. What do you all have planned for the weekend? Work on behalf of your houses and gardens, or getting out and recreating, or both?

SRS

Subject: Sam
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 07:04 AM

SRS, I think you did not intend your post as it first struck me--

But just to clarify, we do not let our pets out loose either. Sam is semi-feral and had her own quarters to patrol and defend. By semi-feral I mean she had learned to beg, trip passersby, and wheedle, sometimes climbing a leg or a lap to make her wishes perfectly clear.

She learned to wait her turn for a discarded paper plate or an almost-emptied cup of milky tea. She never learned to be picked up without promptly dispatching one who would initiate a touch on her.


The weeks she spent in sick bay when I helped her with infected bites were the most miserable of her life, and she soon effected her escape.
OTOH when she needed help she was good at getting it-- like the horrific hind leg she shattered and trained Hardi to attend her self-managed recovery.


Sam was a great farm cat. She was also quite elderly when we received her several years ago. It was/is her time.

In comparing notes over the last day we saw her, we think a snake may have gotten her. She had gotten a little too feeble to nail the many rabbits here, and we saw a tiny baby snake dead on the porch where she had displayed her kills a few days before she vanished. (That one was not a rattler.)

The day we found her moribund I had seen her, tail a-twitch, stalking an odd spot in the yard. She was vividly alive and well, all predator working from head to tail-tip. I thought she was awaiting a mouse's exit from a drainpipe nearby, from the position she was in. Now I wonder if she surprised a young rattler, or it surprised her. From time to time one comes out from under the porch she was next to, and it's been an awfully dry summer-- grass daid in several spots.

In looking for her we have seen 5 or 6 shallow holes in cool places she may have dug for relief.

Needless to say we are always careful, ourselves, about snakes here.

I think Faulkner had hisseff a snaky kinda surprise out in the cold-puddle section of DW ydy, too. His reaction when he tried to play was so "big" that Sadie barked the intruder-alarm from her section 12 feet away.

~Susan

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 01:07 AM

This doctor agreed with our opinions, he wasn't getting appendicitis every few months. It's something higher in the torso, an we'll take today's lab work in for a checkup with a gastroenterologist specialist. I'll make the appointment tomorrow. The checkup may not be fun, may involve a camera tube being run down from above, but it needs to be done.

My desk is piled high with papers. I think tomorrow I'll need to do some filing. When I was digging around my various pieces of computer adapters and equipment I found a few things I didn't realize I had here, but I didn't have the cord adapter I needed to use my existing card and send the signal to the HDMI monitor. Yesterday I picked up a new card, thinking this one wouldn't do HD, because I bought this for the dual monitor use. Actually, I can still do dual monitor, but now I'm using for this big nice monitor and have it at it's highest setting. I don't know if it will make much difference unless I download NetFlix in here, or watch DVDs. I upgraded because I thought it might help with some of my graphics work. I will report back.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: LilyFestre
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 11:04 PM

SRS.....good thoughts and prayers headed your way. I hope they were able to give your son some relief and that he's ok.

(((((Hugs))))))))

Michelle

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 10:24 PM

I never let my cats out because we have coyotes and foxes around here.

I'm using my laptop in the ER. My son had his gut pain again, and we got him to use the laxative in case it was constipation. After it worked the pain was still there, so his dad took him down to the ER. After several hours his pain has finished, and we're about set to head home. More later.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: LilyFestre
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 10:19 PM

Jeremiah and I went grocery shopping today and hit up the farmer's market yesterday. My fridge is now full of disgustingly healthy food. I wanted junk tonight. There isn't any to be found. A bowl of apricots did the trick. ;)

Michelle

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 01:02 PM

Re: tinfoil, I always assumed our cats WERE the tinfoil helmets.

Re: papers surprising kittehs, I misread that to think it took a box of MATCHES to get it back...

Re: The amazing amount some of you are getting done. Goodonya. When F's condition warrants I'll even read all about it and cheer you on. Right now I'm busy in hell.


Now for the DAILY SQUEAM....

Re: Kitteh coming home safe, I don't think so.... I ran my hand over her on that mat and she jes' didn't feel right THEN. I don't believe she had the energy to drag herself off the mat. I think a fix or coyote took her... She was feral enough that actually, that would have been a good death for her-- quick.

SQUEAM OUT....

Love ya, gotta go--

~Susan

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 07:26 AM

I can't add to your cat stories - my last cat passed away last winter.

It was Poppy barking to alert me that I'd probably overslept my snooze alarm this early morning, and I had. Someone put their eBay auction of a platter just like the one that broke in my antique set to end at 5:25am. I sometimes will get up for the last few minutes and bid, I don't use any of the sniping software. But that snooze button didn't fire off and I slept through it, so the first and only bid, already there, got the platter for $5.99. Darn. I always make sure my auctions end during the waking hours - I figure I'll get more last minute bids that way.

I reclaimed my kitchen yesterday, so it looked okay when I went to bed last night. I'm still filtering the juice but for now it's in the fridge settling. Most of those pots and sieves were for juice for grape jelly. Next time I'll go with my friend's steam juicer. I like the darker color from cooking the fruit all together in a pan so the skins color it, but I really like the ease of steam juicing and not having to filter at all.

I mowed about 1/3 of the front yard yesterday, and I took the trimmer around to get the straggling tendrils of grass that grew over the curb along the entire front yard. I'll finish mowing today (it got hot so I just stopped). We had two solid weeks of rain that ended Sunday, during which time the yard grew wildly, and then the short-sighted code enforcement officer comes around and posts citation warnings on the house three days after the last rain. I'd have waited for that curb inspection after the next weekend and then all of this would have been gone as people got out after lawns had a reasonable chance to dry (it always amazes me how people down here will mow the same day it rains). There is no fine, just extreme annoyance at the anal tendencies of some of these minor bureaucrats.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 06:02 AM

Bad week for kitties... I knocked a pile of papers over and buried poor snoozing kitty.. He shot straight up like a polaris missile and ran off to sulk in the garden. Took an hour and a box of munchies to get him back in, but he's still very skittish.

LTS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 04:54 AM

We had a good old thunderstorm yesterday evening, which cleared the air a bit.

His lordship is much happier today, and is eating a bit. He hasn't yet taken the hint that he is now not imprisoned, and the cat flap is unlocked. His problem is that he grumbles whenever you pick him up, so it's hard to tell if he's hurting a bit. Yesterday we were having real complaints, so he obviously wasn't happy. I did hear a cat fight late one night a couple of weeks back, and he was a bit antsi in the morning, so that was probably when he got bit. Trouble is, if he's fired up for a scrap he makes the same noises! His worst trait is his stoic attitude to pain. It must have been driving him mad to lick it over a few hours into such a state.

Wysiwyg, I hope your kitty comes back all safe!

Andrea

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 01:39 AM

Kitty sized Tin foil helmets.... sounds about right!

Cooler today and kitty is snoozing happily rather than rubbing his bum all over the monitor in a slightly distressing fashion...

Might actually get some decluttering done today. I live in hope!

LTS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Jul 10 - 11:06 PM

My girlfriend told me she heard a news report which said road rage and other acts of anger are the worst during July with the heat exacerbating the already frayed nerves of drivers, etc. Perhaps it happens to pets/animals, too? I know my cats are really enjoying a lie down in the room with the a/c after a morning lounging in the sun and they usually won't even come in there when the a/c is on.

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Eiseley
Date: 14 Jul 10 - 10:57 PM

I think there must be some odd signals coming from the cat planet or something. My kitty who is usually so kind and placid and friendly woke up four days ago afraid of everything and everyone. Instead of asking for her morning meal, she leapt out of the window and streaked who knows where. The next night she came in (finally) when I called and then growled at me and nipped under my son's bed. She would disappear during the day so I couldn't find her to take to the vet. I feared the worst---rabies or distemper or something. But then yesterday she seemed better and today she was back to her normal friendly self. Like I say, maybe there is some odd feline theta-ray coming from the sky.

Maybe we should all make our cats little tinfoil helmets.

Eiseley

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Jul 10 - 11:19 AM

Another squeam alert--

Yesterday, our outdoor-employee-kitteh Sam(antha) sought a cool, damp, shady spot to curl up in and go moribund. When it poured rainstorms last night and she didn't move to a dryer location, we moved her to a padded, dry, sheltered mat and encircled some of her wet fur loosely in a blankie, so she'd dry gradually and not freeze from evaporation.

She got off it in the night and is now missing.... probably took herself off to a spot we can't find... old smartypants.

Good thoughts are wanted to Hardi-- his employee.


(Squeam alert off)

OTOH-- she was catching and eating vermin just a few days ago, so maybe she will come back for the din-din she eschewed yesterday!

We don't think she got pyzened, BTW-- no interest in the water set beside her lair all day ydy.

Also BTW she's been helped before with exactly what mouldy just described-- and has not been asking for help. If she wanted us she would let us know...

~S~

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 14 Jul 10 - 10:42 AM

In case you are squeamish, I will just call it "aspirating" - a syringe and a half full of proof that Tigger's white blood cells have been doing their job. She said that was about the equivalent of a half pint or so in humans. He's had a couple of shots, and they want to see him again on Monday, before I go away. She said it was an old (couple of weeks or so) wound (looked like a bite) that had become infected, and that he had probably licked and pulled the fur off himself to get at it. He had licked so hard that he had abraided the skin, which is now dead. The vet said the best thing is for it to crack open and drain even more.

It's about time that stupid cat of mine realised that he can't take on all comers now that he's 12! And I thought he's be cheaper than the dog! At least he's eating a bit now, and the bill at £38 could have been worse, I suppose.

Consequently not a lot has been done, although I have organised keys for the plumber and Peter so that they can hopefully get all the floorage stuff sorted while I am away.

I suppose I could get on with some ironing.....

Andrea

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 14 Jul 10 - 04:50 AM

Seems to be the week for vet trips. Had to haul Raven kitty off last night, he picked up a tick on his recent 'holiday'... Now being my cat he can't get it on his belly or his chest which would be easy to reach and dispose of with the judicial application of vodka on a cotton bud (worked for my granfer for years, except he used granny's dandelion wine - similar alcohol content and astringent properties!) - no, he has to get his between his back toes... so deeply in that I'd've had to immerse his foot in voddy to get it out. So it's off to the vet with him. Now usually he's not too bad in his crate, but this time he howled and yowled and struggled like mad so I suspect his recent 'holiday' involved incarceration of some sort. The traffic also affected him badly. Consequently, he was in a foul mood when we got to the vets and made it know. Well, you can't say I didn't warn the vet... I tried my best to hold Raven kitty steady and still, but he's part Siamese and they're tougher than they look.... The tick was removed and the kitty annointed with Frontline pest control juice. We left after decluttering the wallet of a large amount of money (enough to buy 4 decent bottles of vodka) and the vet of a strip of skin off the back of his hand.

Still, at least we know Kitty's teeth are still OK.

LTS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 14 Jul 10 - 04:14 AM

By judicious re-stacking, and removal of a couple of big stew pans, I have a tidy cupboard again. I de-framed some old photos which would be better off in an album, and fitted a safety gate across Freya's bedroom door for when she tries to do a runner while I am sorting things out. Also for a month or two hence, when I try her out in a bed instead of the travel cot, which she will be too big for, before long.

I had planned another steady sorting out/ironing day today, around my 10am hair trim, but the cat has got himself hurt again, and so it's a trip to the vet for 11.30. I should be able to get there earlier than that, so hopefully will get seen quicker too. I would have taken an earlier one, and carted him with me via the hairdresser, but he hates car trips, and I'd have to take him in with me, where the dryers would freak him out. This time it doesn't look like another cat's had him. Can't work it out. There's a neatly removed area of hair around it, as if somebody has had a look at it. There is what appears to be a puncture mark at the top, and scraped off skin in a strip below (just the very top layer). I bathed it with antiseptic last night, but he's not wanting to move today, or eat and drink. I think he's gone sore and stiff. I wonder if a dog got him and the owner had a look. The receptionist at the vet says it's not a typical place for a cat fight wound (last time his throat was got).

Had a day out yesterday (Great Yorkshire Show) so nothing got done. I had to go to a meeting later too.

Andrea

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Jul 10 - 03:28 AM

Oh, Geez, you should see the kitchen.

Yeah, that bad.

I discovered the mustang grapes are beginning to be ready to pick and it is a lovely big crop this year. After about 20 minutes I came home with enough to cook down to 1 1/2 quarts of juice (for jelly) in my stock pot and have done some of the filtering. It's chilling and settling now in the fridge.

I'll clean the kitchen in the morning.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Jul 10 - 12:04 AM

Morgan and I got down on our hands and knees and scrubbed the bathroom floor really well, then went over it with the mop, too. Then he vacuumed the hall and parts of the LR and helped me mop the hall. I did the rest of the mopping. The heat has put a limit on how much I do during the hottest part of the day, but we managed that all right and it looks so much better. (The evaporative cooler on top of the roof blows down into the hallway, right in front of the bathroom. We don't let any of the pets in the bathroom, but that blower blows their hair in there under the door and also when we open it. So, there's a terrible build up of pet hair clinging all around the pedestal of the sink and around the commode. It looks terrible if I don't keep up with it.)

Not much else except keeping up with the laundry and swimming classes.:-)

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 Jul 10 - 01:24 PM

Puddle Day #2 shortly, with Faulkner in tow. Worked productively in home office 6AM- noon-thirty. Hot up there !

~S~

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: maeve
Date: 13 Jul 10 - 05:24 AM

Allison's dog adoption link

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 13 Jul 10 - 02:25 AM

Bleurgh.... That's about the best I can manage.

Had a fabulous day wandering about Kew Gardens with a couple of old friends on Saturday, Sunday was spent at a concert rehearsal/performance which was good but lots of bitty walking and the world's most uncomfortable chairs to sit on for 2 hours. Yesterday was a day of frazzlement, waiting for news of a friend in trouble (news was not good - not the worst we could have had, but not the best either, he's now back to square one healthwise and I'm a gibbering wreck), today I feel like I've been squeezed out of a tube of bilious yellow/green paint.

I have to find and learn a Christian song for a wedding in 3 weeks time, the person I'm singing it with is buggering off on holiday the day after tomorrow and has no ideas either, I have a choir tour to prepare for, a church meeting tonight and a whole heap of papers to put away after I ferreted them all out looking for a particular one last night. I haven't eaten at home with the whole family for a week now, and that's showing too... lots of discomfort and changing of trousers... MUST get back on some sort of track, preferably not the Scalextric one that just goes round (or, as it has felt this last week, loop de loop) but one that goes forward.

Whinge over.

LTS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Eiseley
Date: 12 Jul 10 - 11:31 PM

I suppose he is altitudinally challenged (or horizontally challenged if you're talking about beds). Quite Procrustean, actually, that dorm bed sounds.

I have to go buzz the middle son's hair now!

Eiseley

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jul 10 - 10:29 PM

Building a porch ought to keep you out of trouble for a while, Allison! And isn't it nice, after the guests leave, when you can fold up futons and the room is clean for you to enjoy now, not just for the needs of the visitor.

Working on more dorm plans. Add an inexpensive phone with answering machine to the list. All of these out of state kids arrive with their cell phones from home, and for anyone with an old fashioned phone or any of the campus services, this is a long distance call. They need a local callback phone so the campus has free phone service, but he needs to phone and answering machine.

Dishes are cleaned up, fridge is looking good. Kid turned his nose up at the salad (diced cucks and tomato, feta cheese, Italian dressing, I think I mentioned before - my fake Greek salad) but I have a cantaloupe so just delivered a large bowl of it to his room. We're going to start shopping for computer parts to build one for school. They have the low-priced software through a Microsoft agreement, like on my campus. Now if I could just find a subliminal software program to tell him "Eat your veggies. Eat your fruit."

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 12 Jul 10 - 09:30 PM

We hosted 3 contra dance musicians here on Sat. night (Tunescape). Small world department- I dabbled in the Society for Creative Anachronism when I was in my mid teens; turns out that one of the musicians was king of my region (I can't remember all the correct terms any more). I thought he was beautiful then ("Asbjorn, Asbjorn, King with Golden Hair..." and still a nice guy now).

As per usual, guests meant cleanup- and "Asbjorn" slept on the futon in the office, which meant lots of organizing happened in there! There are still 3 boxes of "to-be-filed" stuff, but it's shrinking.

And I finished arranging 2 songs to include bass singers- Animaterra the chorus is leading a workshop this weekend for 2 other choruses, both with men and women! A new experience!

AND- we submitted an adoption application to Potcake Place (http://www.potcakeplace.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 can't get the blickifier to work) - we hope to have a doggie friend by late September, after we get back from a week of camp in August and 5 days on a boat in Sept.

And the lumber arrived for the porch, but when we went to start the work this morning, we found that some of the lengths were incorrect. Luckily it's a good lumber yard, and they had a corrected delivery by mid-afternoon. So we'll start the building later this week.

Meanwhile, you are ALL inspiring!!