De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)

Subject: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 11:53 AM

I'm trying out setting up a new tag for our threads, so folkies, don't rush to complain it belongs below the line. One of the clones will automatically move it.

Here's the last thread link.

Big changes under way here, a son moving two states away, so to answer ragdall's question last time, no, there won't be many weekends home. We'll try for big holidays.

My yard looks good, and maybe with the heat the grass will slow (after the rain it has been growing this summer). I have a push mower that I've wanted to use, and now is the time to use it on spots around the yard. I need to sharpen the blades and adjust them against the cutting surface, but I'll see what I can do today.

Yesterday I picked up clear plastic bins to pack stuff that will go to college in a couple of weeks. I'm sure we'll need more containers, but I'll go with existing boxes for some stuff, and if he can tolerate Mom helping him unpack when we get there, I'll stick around long enough to take out the extra boxes and put them in the pickup. We have a friend who lives in a tiny house about 30 minutes south of campus, and we might put one stack of bins in her storage shed, but I don't want to impose any of our stuff on her living space.

My decluttering right now is to finish sorting playbills, and when I get back home later in the month, to start in on the kid's room. He'll have to put away anything he doesn't want me disturbing, but I want to move furniture, clean underneath, and in general be sure there is nothing living in there. He'll enjoy his room more when he comes home for the holidays if we didn't just shut the door and let whatever is in there get dustier and musty.

Lots going on with everyone else. It may be slow motion during this hot month, but let's keep moving forward!

I have resolved to get the dogs out for more walks, probably at sunset, for exercise for me. They get a lot by running in the yard, but they enjoy leaving the yard also. If we ever get past the skunk smell on the catahoula, maybe I'll let them into the pickup and we'll drive to and walk in area parks.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 02:34 PM

I did a bunch of dishes from the past week, this morning. Also cleaned the cats' automatic watering dish and filled it with fresh water. They have a larger one they share with the dog which is always full and fresh, so the smaller one doesn't get done as often. It sits sort of out of the way and I forget about it.

I've cleared off my desk a bit, we stripped the bed this morning and I've got two other loads of wash, all of which are in the dryer or about to go on in it. Rog did the litter boxes and took the trash out. It rained almost all night; it was really nice, but would be better without the heat...dampish feeling sheets this morning reminded me of day of the Three Aitches: Hot, Hazy, and Humid from when we lived back East.:-)

We are taking it easy the rest of the day. I may go back in the office and put all of the cassette tapes back in the old wooden card catalogue which would be a nice bit of decluttering done. I am also loading some cassettes onto my hardrive via Audacity. Listening to a tape I found by my dad, some music, some reading of my granddad's poems, and some memories. Pretty neat and I haven't cried, yet.:-)

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 02:36 PM

I've finished the first rough sorting of the playbills. I have a couple of great big stacks of stuff and several smaller stacks. I'll sort individual stacks by dates and figure out how many of these are duplicates, and then get boxes.

I found a couple of playbills from local talent Betty Buckley and sent photos to Twitpic. :) Actually, there are several local folks, including Mary Martin, Ruta Lee, and Ginger Rogers.

On the domestic front, must clean the fridge a little since tomorrow is trash day.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 02:39 PM

We cross posted. Kat, that tape sounds wonderful! Isn't it nice to stumble upon those things?

I never heard the saying "3 Hs" but I know the feel exactly. Living in New York City in the summer was pretty darned uncomfortable because of the air quality (or lack of quality!) We get some of that here in Fort Worth, but not nearly so intense as in The City.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: LilyFestre
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 07:16 PM

Happy August!

The yard sale is over, the remainder donated to the annual church yard sale and now I'm motivated more than ever to continue getting rid of things we don't use.

This month I hope to continue in that trend as well as to keep up with the daily household chores that sometimes seem like a mountain to me. I am still struggling with being tired from the chemo and the life of a new mommy but I'm doing my best and learning to get things done when he sleeps and nap if I can.

I have a friend visiting from Honduras that is visiting on Wednesay. She hasn't been to (somewhat) decent shape. She might decide she just wants to go out to lunch.....no definite plans just yet. I thought I might stay home and clean tomorrow but Jeremiah is growing out of the clothes he has so I am thinking of going along with Pete tomorrow when he goes to work so I can visit my favorite consignment shop....we'll see.

My grass needs to be cut (but it keeps storming) and I need to spend some time in Jeremiah's room sorting out the clothes that are now to small...hard to believe but true! He now weighs 15.2 pounds and despite what MANY people feel the need to tell me (oh he is BIG, what a butterball, etc.), the doctor says he is just fine...in fact, he is in the 25th percentile meaning 24 babies his age are smaller than him and 75 are bigger than he is.....he is actually SMALL for is age!!! Anyway...I'm glad to know he is growing and is healthy!

As for me, I have been writing down what I eat and the points. Sounds like nothing but it's something I stink at and it really does help improve my weight loss efforts.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Eiseley
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 09:05 PM

Yes, Happy August!

I've been through a bit of a rough patch at work lately, so I took Thursday through Saturday off and went camping with the boys. Before I left I spent some time cleaning the laundry room and kitchen properly. What a joy it was to come home to only surface clutter and know the deep cleaning has been done. There are only twelve days left of school this semester, and I'm just thankful that I've been able to keep my head above water in my children's literature class. I've needed to read between 3 and 8 books per week, so most of my time has been spent with my nose in a book. But the boys have been great, and I've found some wonderful things to share with them.

Good luck with the skunks, SRS. I lost my head and posted the skunk scent elimination recipe to MOAB---but Mike's wife may find it comes in handy.

Eiseley

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 12:41 AM

I saw the skunk recipe. It's one I have, and if you don't have the enzyme stuff, it's the next best answer. I haven't had to use it so far, though Poppy may get a dose of that rather than regular shampoo when I make as much progress as I can with the enzymes.

My big news is that I paid off a personal loan this month. Since I had a bit of a payoff on one account, I used some of it to make two payments and that was the end of that 4 year loan. It was helpful, but it was very limiting (the interest was rolled in in advance, so there was no savings in paying it off early.) That's a big chunk of cash that is no longer tied up every month. But paying off a loan like that is probably good for the credit score, so I'm not complaining.

The kitchen is kind of a mess, because I did a fair amount of garden work today, staying mostly in the shade and coming in frequently to cool off (it hit 104). I'll take the kitchen trash to the curb after I clean up from dinner (my son came in late and is just now eating.)

That's about it. Skunks were front and center again. I blocked a gap in the fence where the gate is--I think that's how they were coming in.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 05:14 AM

Kat,
The tape of your dad must be wonderful to have.

SRS,
Good luck with keeping the skunks out. Your packing for college projects sounds very well organized.

None of my great plans for today were accomplished. I slept nine hours so much of the day had already past by the time I was ready to leave the house. Torrential rain put an end to thoughts about finishing mowing the back lawn and we got sidetracked after going to pick up an enlargement for the photo club display at our Fall Fair, next week, and didn't get home until around 9 pm - too late to work with a noisy drill outdoors.

I'm hoping I can get back on track tomorrow after having such a relaxing day today. My husband and I enjoyed our impromptu afternoon outing which began with a long drive in the country and ended with a walk in the woods and watching beavers swimming in a side channel of the river at dusk.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 08:26 AM

Yesterday was a 4 mile walk and an hours body pump class. Kitchen floor swept and washed. Washing done and dried. Today was a 4 mile walk and an hours spinning class. Got a phone call this morning to say that I have got the job I went for interview for last week. Looks like this year is going to be a good one, turn 30 in a couple of weeks, new job to start at the end of the month and getting married to a wonderful man in 8 and a half weeks. Life is Good!!

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Eiseley
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 08:28 AM

Congratulations on all fronts, Catherine Jayne!

Eiseley

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 10:43 AM

rags, that is a gorgeous picture! Good luck on the competition and thanks for sharing. I love Jays...they always look so smart and saucy.:-)

I spoke too soon...I did cry when I listened to more of the tape and, yes, it is a treasure. I thought it was just him reciting granddad's poems, but he told some family stories no there which I don't remember ever hearing before including a time when the KKK burned a cross across the road from my grandparents' ranch. My granddad was a commanding figure and as a natural course, in those days, always had a gun handy (it was the olde West after all.) He told them he guessed they could do so as long that once, but if they ever came back and tried it again, they could count on at least half of them never going back to where they came from. They never came back to burn any more crosses after that.

Now, I am off to get Morgan-the Grandson for swimming class!

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 12:33 PM

Great stories, Kat. No point probably in suggesting you transcribe them and think about publishing? You've probably already had that thought. I have an idea one of these days of doing three generations of stories, since I have some from my mother and her father.

Hand watered this morning, to be sure each area got the right amount. It's supposed to hit 105 today, 106 tomorrow. This may be weather to bring in the dogs in the afternoon, just like in the winter when it gets so cold. They're adapted, though, and have a lot of shade and water. The pit bull is in and out of her pool all day in this kind of weather. She gets in long enough to get wet, then rolls around letting the water evaporate.

Bill paying today, the regular stuff. Several times now I've merged things and am making my bill paying simpler. With that account paid off this weekend I'm down to just a handful. And for ages now I haven't written checks except for guitar lessons and my hairdresser. Last week I paid the last guitar lessons for a while (we may pick up on them during the breaks from school).

Gotta go see my mechanic, have him check out the pickup for the long drive. Be sure no belts or other diagnosable are ready to fail and to fix an oil leak.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 12:51 PM

Aha! Just had a call from the dealer in Austin who handles bear rugs. I could put it in his auction in October, or I can ship it to him and he'll make a bid. I need to send a notarized document that says where I got the rug, so if he sold it, that would accompany it. I told him about the letter that places my great uncle in Alaska, and I think that's where this came from. I'll send copies of those things. This would be a bulky thing out of here, and while I don't expect to make much on it, this thing has reached the point where there is too much fuss and bother to try selling it myself. Better off sending it to a dealer. That'll clear up a chair in my sun room!

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 01:29 PM

That sounds great, SRS!

I will be transcribing them and will add them in, somehow, to the fictionalized novel I've written, On Garfield Creek, which is based on my dad's oral history. There wasn't enough to make a book without my adding a whole lot more, so finally decided to go that route. What I may do is keep the contemporary stories, from my dad's time, in a special part of the book which gives the real life background for the novel, which will also include granddad's cowboy and love poems as well as some old photos. I had a neat vote of approval from a 98 year old friend of my parents' who read the first edited draft and really liked it. I was pleased as it meant I may have the voices and historical things accurate. (I did a lot of research whilst writing it.) Plus, for people who want it, I will also dad's recording of his oral history on CD, that way folks can hear the real deal...and that Western Colorado drawl.:-) (And, I *think* I will finish another novel of my series during NaNoWriMo this Nov.!)

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: maire-aine
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 03:20 PM

Sorry to hear about the skunk repeat; hope you all are recovered by now. Good news about the bear rug.

I shredded all of the small branches that had been scattered around the yard. The city collected the big one from the front of the house, but I had a bunch of smaller ones (plus the raspberry branches) piling up the the back. Now it can go in the yard waste for collection.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Eiseley
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 03:28 PM

So you'll have a bare spot now instead of a bear spot. Very nice, Stilly.

Kat, I was camping over the weekend with my extended family and as I was leaving, my brother-in-law handed me a CD he had made of an interview he did of my father some years ago. Yes, those things are treasures. Thank you for sharing yours with us!

Eiseley

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 07:28 PM

You're quite welcome, Eisely. It's fun to share. That's really neat about your BIL making the CD for you of your father.

Basically have finished the getting-the-cassettes back into the card catalogue. I took off all of the plastic boxes and just bound the liner notes with a rubber-band to each. That way I get more in each drawer and get rid of some old odours from a cat, years ago, which had marked it as his territory.

While doing that, I found a tape I'd made of my mom in 1995. Other than my brother interjecting too much and my trying to answer him and get him to shut up, it's a really neat tape. Can also hear my cockatiel in the background. He loved company. Some of my brother's input is worthwhile, too, as he is the oldest and was able to reminisce with her much more than I was able to, being the youngest. It is clear and her voice was strong, so I'll be able to transcribe it easily. She would be gone from us just four years later. Ah, mom...I still miss you so much.

kat

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 07:47 PM

If Rapaire was here right now I'd have him nudge you in the ribs for that one, Eiseley! :-D

The week is filling up with stuff at work, and my son's list is about finished for his computer.

It's so damned hot out that I hardly feel like moving, though, and the next 7 days are all supposed to be around 103 - 104. Ugg.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 08:44 PM

Well done, Catherine Jayne!

Kat, The novel sounds wonderful!

SRS, You did well finding someone to handle the bear for you. Whomever buys the it will be sure to appreciate it and you will have more space.

I've started cutting mounting boards to size and mounting the photos on them with double sided tape. I hope they will come off afterwards, but not during the contest at the Fair.

When it cools down a bit outside I'll try to go out and drill some holes in the playground equipment to be.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: LilyFestre
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 08:47 PM

Catherine,

   WOO HOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Life IS good!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 09:15 PM

Kat, that is great that you have tapes! I wish I had been able to record all the stories my mom and my dad would relate - must rely on my own memory of listening to them. What a treasure that you have them in his own voice.

I mounted some 4"x6" canvas panels to do my 'painting in a day' projects.

Here is the first new small painting, done today:
Uncle Jim Flynn, the 2/8/2010 painting


Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 11:31 PM

I really like your style, Alice. That is really neat.

As far as I know, this is the only tape of my mom. I wish I'd asked her to tape the lullabies she used to sing to us and I wish she'd talked more about herself and/or I had thought of the questions to ask. It just seemed as though we knew so much about her family, I felt an onus to get more of dad's history, esp. since he was an only child. At least I have my siblings' memories to draw on, too. I know the tapes I do have a treasures and I am grateful for them and for the new mediums we have for preserving them.

I did do some qi gong, tonight. Did the less strenuous one for 30 minutes and felt every bit of it.:-)

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 01:06 AM

It's a very powerful tiny painting, Alice.

Fifteen 8x10 photos are mounted ready for me to type labels. One 11x14 photo is matted.

Twenty-two dowel holes are drilled. Hopefully the dowels will fit into the holes. When I've assembled the three ladders I can sand and paint - what fun! That's on my list for Tuesday.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 02:26 AM

I also like those paintings, Alice.

Nothing so creative here, at least when it comes to paying bills and de-cluttering my wallet. I did manage to pay off two regular monthly bills this month so it's down to about seven distinct bills. Sounds like a lot even that way, doesn't it? Two credit cards, the mortgage, the electric, water, Internet (with phone), paying off the television purchase just to pay something on time (with no interest) and I think that's it. I really have made progress with simplifying my finances over the last few months.

This evening I didn't simplify in the kitchen, though. After finishing the dishes I took two eggplants from the garden and roasted them out on the patio in the convection oven. And I set up the bread machine on manual to mix and knead a half batch (two cups of flour - six pieces) of dough for pita bread. I made baba ganoush using my garden eggplants, garlic, and parsley. I didn't grow the sesame seeds or the lemons for juice, but it is so nice when some of your ingredients go into the dish.

My son ate three of the pita without the dip, I ate two, with, and have one left for tomorrow. I may make another batch, but it sure heats up the kitchen to use the pizza stone, though that is the best way to make them. The dip and bread were heavenly, and entirely worth the effort.

I have to be up and out of the house early tomorrow, but I'm still a bit wired from all of the cooking. Stay cool, everyone, and enjoy those family memories as they present themselves!

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 03:49 AM

Weigh in this morning....2lbs lost last week. Hopign to keep up the 2-3lbs a week and I should reach my target by next month.

Just heading off to the gym now for body pump class!

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 11:41 AM

Congrats, C J.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: maire-aine
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 02:35 PM

Well, the sewer repair guy just left, so that's all settled. He had to break up the cement around the drain, snake out from there to the main sewer connection, then re-build the drain. But, that will fix more than I expected. I had a drain that often went dry & I had to keep pouring water down it to seal the trap to prevent sewer odors. This fix will take care of that too. And for all of that work, the price didn't go over the estimate, so no money crisis.

Now that he's gone, I'll do some grocery shopping.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 02:45 PM

Trying to decide on what to do for the little painting today.

First need to go through some old documents from the job I had for the last four years. Don't even like to look at the reminders, but I have to find some things that need to be scanned and emailed.

Another reminder that I keep forgetting - change the oil in the car!


A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 06:40 PM

Okay, oil changed in car.

New painting is done and posted to blog (storm over wheat fields).

Still need to find and scan the old job docs. I would rather clean the toilet than think about that job again!
;-)
grumble, grumble, procrastinate


A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 07:11 PM

Catherine Jayne, congratulations on your loss.

All twenty-two dowels are installed in the holes I drilled last evening. The three "ladders" are assembled. It looks as if I'll need to do more sanding on the frames than I intended before I can paint. Can't get good lumber here in this mill town. I need to go buy some long screws to anchor the rungs as they are not as tight a fit as I had hoped. I'll do that when I go out (soon) to pick up some replacement 8x10 reprints for the display at the Fair.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 07:44 PM

I did the dishes, mid-week, instead of waiting for them to pile up to the weekend. It's starting to cool off a bit so I can stand to be in the kitchen in the late afternoon. This is all part of my psychological recovery from my years as an invalid.:-)

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 11:25 PM

qi gong - 30 minute routine

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 12:47 AM

Ragdall, do the dowel holes have to do with displaying photos? That linkage doesn't come through in the posts so far (or I missed something - this wouldn't be the first time).

I don't paint, I use the camera. Here's the latest project: identification. Mom is fast and secretive. Cardinal or phyrruloxia. I'll figure it out soon. I have a pair of binoculars and can settle in a chair back there and watch the nest. Too bad it's so hot. I worry about the chicks, but they are growing fast. Just a few days and they went from being bald to having lots of feathers in casings.

The kitchen is a mess. It'll get cleaned up tomorrow. I did part of the dishes, but didn't finish (dishwasher is where they air dry, and it is full).

Did some shopping for dorm life, got some towels, working on filling out a few forms still. And while I was shopping I did the grown up thing and got a nice looking watch. The one I wear is pretty tattered, no longer "jewelry" like in it's looks. And every year I sweat through the leather band. So I did replace that and I'll continue to wear it around the house and when working in the yard. But there is a pretty one now for work and going out and such.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: mouldy
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 05:00 AM

Due to the somewhat elusive internet connection while I have been away, I can't remember if I posted last week or not. Anyway, I had a text message last Thursday from Peter to tell me that the pipe was mended, carpet was down again, and the new light was fixed outside. I have come home from 2 weeks away to a silent heating system, and no more mess than there was before I went! Result!

I still have to unpack most of the gear from the car, but it's raining. I also had it in mind to finish off the jobs that need doing (mainly small painting jobs and window cleaning). I intend to contact agents on Tuesday and start getting valuations, whatever state it's in.

On the downside, I weighed myself this morning...another 2lbs back on. Better start behaving myself again. Two gorgeous pans of risotto with Parmesan melted through, plus brioches for snacks, have taken their toll. Sitting and reading most of the time didn't help either. However, I managed to avoid newspapers and the radio for 10 days or so. This helped last Friday when Ian's inquest was held (and adjourned) and it made national news. I think it's scheduled again for 15th September, so I may disappear again for a few days....

Andrea

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 05:45 PM

SRS,
The nest shot is fantastic! I'm so envious. I've never been able to photograph a nest other than hummingbird.

Ragdall, do the dowel holes have to do with displaying photos? That linkage doesn't come through in the posts so far (or I missed something - this wouldn't be the first time).

I don't know how many of posts you're referring to here? The most recent link I posted was this one: http://www.flickr.com/photos/diffuse/4216796165/ , a photo I had enlarged for the club display at the Fair.

Because I can't make myself stay at any one task long I have several on the go. One is an "Overhead ladder" for my son's children. It's progressing slowly because I'm here at my computer instead of being out there sanding and painting. The ladder has dowels (rungs). Another is the photo contest at next week's Fall Fair. (If you can access those links, there are several other images below the first ones.)

Last night I started sanding the ladder frame and made labels for the backs of the photo entries.   I also finished mowing the back lawn and re-mowed the part I'd mowed a few days ago so it will all need to be cut again at the same time.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 07:19 PM

Documents are scanned and emailed... I'd been dreading that chore for days, but now it is DONE! Yay!


A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 07:25 PM

Three cheers for Alice! Nice feeling, isn't it?

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 08:10 PM

rags, no, I didn't mean any link to something else, I just couldn't connect the dowels you mentioned to anything else you'd mentioned earlier. It felt like a couple of the pages were sticking together. :)

It's so hot. I was out longer than I should have been looking for the baby birds - they're not in the nest. They were growing remarkably quickly, but they aren't anywhere in sight, though I think I'm hearing something small cheeping in the yard, perhaps in the quince. I can't get close enough to triangulate on the sound before it stops. And of course the dogs are also interested in that tree, they've been hearing the babies, I think. So while I was away today who knows what drama unfolded. I once saw a baby owl that had fallen out of a nest simply climb the tree from where it landed on the ground. Those talons were like a pole-climber's spikes.

Anyway, it just drains the energy right out of me, and then if I take a nap and am tempted to sleep longer than my normal power nap then I also feel really tired. A light dinner this evening - I have a small pork chop, some rice, a salad, and a huge ripe mango.

I decluttered my garden this morning of a leggy cherry tomato that was completely blocking the path and leaning heavily on a couple of eggplant plants. (I have plenty of other plants left.) This was one of the volunteers and though I should have pulled it like a weed weeks ago, I didn't. So I decided to pick enough of the green tomatoes to make a batch of green tomato relish, and took them to a friend who wants to make some. He usually buys green tomatoes for about $3 a pound, he said, so this saved him about $12. That's good - he can use it toward the electric bill after boiling water in the house for hours with this heat outside. :-(

I must write my letter about the bear rug tonight, and then I'll get it notorized at work on Friday. And tonight also I must rig together soething that will let me inject Liquid Plummr into the drain pipe for the big air conditioner. It's leaving a puddle and getting into places where water doesn't belong.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 10:53 PM

Just finished the little painting of the day and uploaded it. Even though it is tiny, only 3"x2.5", these can be time consuming. I can see that I'll have to be careful of time management to actually get the idea, paint it, shoot it, upload & write the blog for it all in a day along with other work to be done.
The Old Depot

Turned the compost and found a new ants nest in it. The pile has decomposed so quickly, it has cooled down, so the ants moved back in.

I have a wish list for plexiglass sheets for next year to enclose the deck enough to protect the deck pots from hail. Our climate seems to have changed to these severe storms coming often with more wind than we've usually had before.


Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 01:00 AM

I'm not sure what day this is of 100+ weather, maybe 6 or 7, but we have another week of it ahead of us. It really wears you out, especially if it becomes very humid during the day.

I gave 4.5 lbs of green tomatoes to a friend so he can make green tomato relish and we went to lunch today at a local little catfish restaurant that has a specialty condiment of green tomato relish. He's the same friend who took me over to Schlotzkys to try their little pesto pizza when I was inquiring about his use of pesto. I love it that he has this catalog of specialty little dishes (and these places are all quite reasonable. I think lunch today was about $6.50 each). I'm a convert - green tomato relish is a great way to preserve the remainder of the crop if you have to pick it all fast before the first frost of the season. (The tomatoes came off of a plant that was a volunteer and was in my way and leaning too hard on my precious eggplant shrubs. So I trimmed it out and picked all of the fruit for relish.)

I've been working on my air conditioner this evening. I had some leftover tubing from hooking up the ice maker on the fridge, so I cut a length of that to push as far down the air conditioner drain as I could, then I used a big equine-sized syringe (I use it in the garden) to fill with chlorine bleach and inject into the drain. Hopefully it will dissolve whatever algal growth is in there and it will clear out. I hate the fact that I actually had a little extra cash this month and the possible need for a plumber arises. If nothing else, their sewer snake worms its way into the wallet and empties the extra resources. Is there a gremlin that sets this up?

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 01:13 AM

SRS,
Hopefully the work you did today on the air conditioner will take care of the problem and a plumber will not be necessary.

I realized today that I will need corner braces to keep the upright ladders at right angles to the overhead ladder. I used an 8 inch wide 8 foot long strip of plywood left over from when I redid the deck four years ago, so that has been decluttered. I managed to get the four pieces I needed cut from it with no waste. I also managed to get sawdust in my hair and down both the front and the back of my shirt. (Please excuse me while I scratch).

I've sanded the ladder frames and put a screw through the frames into each end of every dowel. I think I'm ready to start painting tomorrow, about three days later than I planned.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 11:40 AM

A brace for that ladder is probably a given. Are you drilling dowel holes all the way through those planks, or are they going to be partially drilled and chiseled out, to keep them from pushing out of the holes?

I am hoping the syringe of bleach is enough to have cleared out the drain. We're entering the time of day when the A/C is working harder, but I don't cool that side of the house during the day when I'm not in there, so evening is probably the time to truly get a reading on it.

Kitchen is cleaned up and I'm making progress with a couple of smallish stacks of paper on the dining table. Most will go into the recycle bin or shredder.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: maire-aine
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 12:27 PM

I had a pile of odds-ends on the front porch, so I took them to the church for their rummage sale. Will take a bunch of cardboard boxes to the recycling center this afternoon. The diningroom table has stayed empty all week.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 02:46 PM

Whoa. College bills arriving. Those will de-clutter the bank account big time. Must give them to the ex. He's the deep pockets around here.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 05:21 PM

Good thing, SRS. I was aghast at the cost of college as reported on NPR, yesterday!

I had a major brain declutter, today. Went back to my tech thread on formatting WORD headers and page numbers. With a printed out instruction page I did it! Now, I can get the mss ready to send out, finally!

Alice, I really love what you are doing and have so much respect for your commitment. Your style is unique and beautiful. Your one per day reminds me of a deal Capri Uni did one time, through LiveJournal, I think, where she had to create a piece of artwork each day, I think for one month.

rags, impressive!

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 05:41 PM

Kat, congrats on the progress getting the mss done. Yay!

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 06:10 PM

I've just learned that in a year my boss is stepping down, moving into the History Department (he's been teaching adjunct there since he arrived in the library, and is a historian by Ph.D. training), and the university will hire a library dean who has a library degree. I work for the best boss in the world, but I also realize that my job today is nothing like what it says in my job description, so I need to document everything I do every day from here on so this new person will know just what I do (since I work directly for the Dean!) I wish they had managed to audit my job before this, then I wouldn't find myself in this predicament, it would already be spelled out by the people I work for.

Since we're basically at the beginning of our year (getting our ducks lined up for the next academic year) I'm in a good position to get started taking those notes and keep it up.

Meanwhile, it's still very hot here. I ran a couple of errands earlier today, but am in for the evening, I think, unless I get a little yard work done near sunset.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 07:27 PM

Just finished uploading the little painting I did today.

It would be easier if I had a digital camera... I have to find the right lighting and angle to just take a shot using the laptop. A friend gave me a digital camera recently that is from 2003... unfortunately the software was not with it and I can't find it anywhere online. It was a camera he would never use that someone had given to him. He doesn't use computers, so he had no clue that the usb cord and software disc were missing from the box.

A friend of mine wants me to put these little paintings on her ebay site. I may do that. The "father" of this painting a day movement, Duane Keiser, has done these little paintings and auctioned them from his web site since about 2005.

It's amazing how therapeutic it is to go out to the garden and turn the compost pile!

A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 10:35 PM

Gave another quart bag of okra to the next door neighbor. Sprayed the garden because I'm starting to see some thrips or something similar turn up. The tomatoes that were crowding the eggplants are gone so they will probably become stronger just from that, but I'll help with the insecticidal soaps.

Several throw rugs are in the washer on an extra gentle cycle, set to pre-soak. It's time to sweep and vacuum, I'm finding enough spider droppings around that I know they've been left to their own devices in corners for too long.

I made arrangements for the trip to Arizona taking my son to school. He has a friend who lives five hours away; they moved a few years ago but the kids have stayed in touch. They usually get together for a few days each year. We'll break our trip at their house - it's on our route, so it's perfect, and it means about 1/3 of the drive will be the first day and we'll arrive in Tucson in early evening.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 11:13 PM

That sounds reasonable, SRS and nice to see friends on the way. Sheesh! I just realised Morgan and I have next week for swimming, then just one more week together, then he is off to school fulltime! Not in another State, but it will be different. My house may never get cleaned well, again.:-)

SRS, I thought you said something about documenting your job last year? Good luck with it, regardless. Lots of transitions going on these days.

Alice, thank you! I like that "stay safe in '65" too!

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Eiseley
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 11:24 PM

Alice, your paintings are beautiful! Such talent, and dedication. Thank you for letting us see them.

Oh SRS, change at work is difficult. I used to work for a GREAT boss, but now the interim person or actually his second in command is a very conservative somewhat micromanaging and stressed person. Thankfully it is just temporary. I like her, but it is not the easy understanding and sense of equality I had with my other boss. Good luck with the documentation and the transition.

I gave blood today, so lost a pound! :). We're having a little contest at work to see which of nine teams can walk the most steps in a ten-week period. So far I'm averaging about 12,000 steps a day. Maybe that will translate into more muscle tone, or maybe I'll just think I'm getting fitter. Either way, it's a good thing.

Eiseley

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 11:36 PM

Kat, they never got around to the audit that I was really hoping would happen--it's this fiscal crisis that has everyone pretty much frozen in their tracks. I had been writing down in general what tasks I did each day, but I think what I need to do now is break it into hours so I can show what percentage of my time is spent writing, designing publications, doing web design, etc. If no one else is going to do it, I need to do it.

Eiseley, giving blood is not considered a viable way of losing weight. You can count that as a good deed, but it isn't really weight loss, not of a durable sort. (You get points for being a smart-ass, though!)

Talked to the dear friend in Arizona who we'll stay with at least one night before moving my son into the dorm. Apparently my son or I changed one of her car radio stations in April, and after all of this time she still hasn't figured out how to reset it! I was describing the process to her this evening. I'll make sure they're set how she likes when we visit (though she'll be spending 4 months in Albuquerque this fall, so it won't do her any good for a while!)

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 05:09 AM

Alice,
   What sort of memory card does the camera use? Dollar stores often have computer accessories such as USB cords and they also have little card readers that you put the memory card into and plug into a USB port. Also, you may be able to fool your computer into thinking it's a different kind of camera if you can't find the correct driver.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: mouldy
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 05:57 AM

Am prevaricating here on the computer, but the driveway gate WILL be painted sometime today, and then, apart from the cleaning, there's just the garden and a couple of small painting jobs to do. I have made a decision to phone agents next week.

Scary!

Andrea

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 10:30 AM

Good luck, Andrea. Alice, I agree with raggs, your best bet may be to take the memory card out (SD is very common, in a couple of different sizes, but there are also some called "memory stick" from Sony, and Olympus has it's on XD cards. You should see sometime printed on the card, which typically will be released if you push it in a little. It should pop out far enough to grip and pull out.)

I never got on the ball on Bobert's camera. Oy. Different thread, though.

So much to do to get ready to send my son to school, and he's moving so slowly. It's all going to be expensive, I'm sure.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 12:09 PM

I already have found a memory stick that is for this card and a USB cord for the camera (on Amazon.com) but

... the software to download photos from the camera is only made by Canon and it is so old, 2003, so they only sell updates of that software now.
Without the software, no other image program recognizes the camera.

A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 12:20 PM

Eureka! I just found instructions on an obscure page of one of the manuals on how to download from the camera to my Mac without the Canon software. Can't download videos or large batches without the software that Canon wrote specifically for this camera, but at least I can download one still photo at a time.


A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 12:50 PM

You should be able to use whatever the Mac equivalent is of Windows Explorer and move the files without the Canon software. That software is rarely necessary to make the camera work, it's there for people who don't have other photo processing software, and most computers come with something. You could also use Picasa, a free Google program that will do what you tell it regarding any images it finds on your camera.

Don't fool with the cord if you can plug the stick or card into a cheap card reader. I bought one that works just fine for $7 at Fry's, it is an external card that plugs in by a USB cable.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 02:17 PM

Yes, I said I had both a usb cord and a card thumb drive for it that I bought from amazon.com.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 05:20 PM

Eiseley, at 12,000 steps per day you can't help but get fit! That's fantastic!

I did my qi gong last night; after my shower seems to work out to an okay time...I feel refreshed and motivated and there's still an hoour or two before bedtime, so I get more relaxed.

Had Morgan over for a bit today. We picked up stuff and put it away, plus he helped me scrub the bathroom, esp. the tub. Got himself almost as wet as the tub as I directed the shower spray to places he'd scrubbed. He had great fun and my bathroom is nice and cleaner.:-)

SRS, you are good at keeping records and noting everything. I am sure you will do a great job of documenting your work hours. My siblings all had financial aid in the way of scholarships, etc., but they all also worked part time jobs to help with expenses. Will your son be able to pick up a bit of spending money that way? Just a thought.:-)

Andrea, you are so courageous. I hope you do go out of town when the inquest comes up next. I was surprised there is still stuff going on with that after this time has passed. Good luck with the agents and don't be hard on yourself, okay? Big Transitions = Be Nice to Self time!:-)

kat

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 05:42 PM

Today finished up a painting commission and now that I have this digital camera working, was able to send a photo to the buyer today.

I also have a commission for one of the little 6"x4" to create today, so on with the brushes and canvas!

My compost is "cooked", so the next garden organizing is to move all of it to a flower bed that I cleared out earlier this summer. Maybe I'll get to it this weekend.

Onward!


Alice

PS, SRS, what is your son's major going to be?

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: maire-aine
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 07:01 PM

Took some time away from chores to go strolling thru the Ontario prairie. Photos on FB if you're interested.

Ojibway Prairie pix

Maryanne

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 07:07 PM

Nice prairie views, Maryanne. You have a lot of things in bloom there right now!


A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 12:09 AM

Alice,

I think the bit that went unspoken (unwritten) when you talked about getting the cable on Amazon is that with a camera that old, it's hardly worth spending more than a couple of dollars on a cable. The card reader is pretty universal and will work with lots of cards from then and now and into the future. The cable will likely only work with that camera.

Maryanne, you have some gorgeous flowers on that prairie. I had a nice swath of prairie near here up until a few years ago when they plowed it under and planted houses on it.

Kat, I'll have to stay inspired. I'll also ask my boss about doing a formal audit before he leaves. But I need to do this for his audit also.

I've been decluttering the fridge tonight. I have a lot of produce that got too old and is in the compost. I had a 1/2 jug of buttermilk that was 3 months past the shelf date. I have used it this old in the past, but it probably isn't the smartest thing to do, so I thinned it with some water and poured it into the very top center of the compost (hoping to get it down into the pile enough that the dogs leave it alone). Just about anything can go into the compost if I can get the dogs to ignore it!

There is a lovely casserole of bread pudding cooling (made with Splenda for fewer calories). I also had about a pint of syrup left from canning peaches (it was water and sugar and fruit fresh) that all of the peaches that were canned were simmered in it for a few minutes before they were packed in the jars then processed. I haven't canned any more peaches, so I did what my canning guru suggested and simmered it down to about 1/3 of the volume and will use it like a syrup over bowls of bread pudding. Peach melba, of sorts.

My regular pair of glasses just snapped in two at the bridge (I had taken them off to gently wipe off rain drops on the front of my shirt - nothing vigorous). I'll be visiting the ophthalmologist tomorrow to get the frames replaced. Thing is, I'm almost due for my eye exam anyway. I'll have to see how is the best way to get these frames replaced. They guarantee their glasses for the year after you get them, so they should be replaced. But I'm not in love with this frame, so I'll see what I can work out.

We had a sudden and substantial rain storm come over the house tonight. I suppose that will dictate some work in the yard tomorrow, but also in the house. With the higher humidity I went to see if that A/C drain is working. So far no puddle in the bathroom.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 02:18 AM

Maryanne, Beautiful photos of the prairie! It must have been a lovely outing.

SRS, Good luck with finding the same frames again. It's amazing how many things you accomplish in one day. Makes me dizzy reading it. Great to see that you've solved the the air conditioner leak problem. You did a good job.

Andrea, Were you able to get the driveway gate painted?

Kat, Morgan sounds like a wonderful helper. Would you care to send him over here for a while? ;)

Alice, I'm glad that you were able to find a way to use the camera. The CDs I got with my old Canon cameras all seem to have photo editing software, not drivers for the camera. Maybe they don't mention the drivers but they are on there?   

The paint on my ladder frames is still sticky in spots. I posted asking for suggestions/help for making it dry.   

Since I couldn't paint I sewed the two duvet covers (made from thrift store sheets) that I'd pinned a few days ago. I'm in love with the sheet I used for the top of this one: http://www.flickr.com/photos/diffuse/4865107541/
I still need to figure out how to quilt a V-shaped piece into the space on the bottom of each side that was left when I opened a corner of each fitted sheet.

We went to the auto club this afternoon to renew my vehicle insurance which would have expired a week from Sunday. We removed "driving to/from work and changed the class to "retired". (That makes it official.) Also changed it on my husbands' car which sometimes needed to be used if my car was persnickedly. He'll get a $60 refund, he's happy.

I took the picture I'm submitting to the photo club display to the woman who will set up the display. I've punched a hole in each of the labels for my entries in the photo contest. Now I need to find some string or yarn to use to attach them to the backs of my photos. The photos are to be taken to the exhibition grounds on Sunday. I'm trying not to have anything left to do for it at the last minute.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 02:45 AM

The cable was one cent, the shipping was $2. I'm glad it's all working now.

Here is the painting I did on Friday. It's after midnight now, but I got started late in the day - now the photo of the painting is uploaded to the blog.


Sisters, oil, 4"x6"


Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 05:32 AM

Alice, the painting is adorable! The sisters will be thrilled.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 06:06 AM

Bleargh.

Am in the middle of decluttering (finally!) the computer room with an ulterior motive that might not happen.... but am being without ruth, and throwing away an awful lot of things that might otherwise have just stayed here gathering more crud.

Tour to Cornwall and Devon was a triumph as far as the singing was concerned - Buckfast Abbey has the most marvellous accoustic and I milked it for all I could! Truro Cathedral was a close second with our largest audience... Exeter Chapter house was cosy and pleasant, but we would have had a bigger audience had we been in the main body of the cathedral. Lanlivery parish church was a hoot - such a fantastic group of people and access to the finest Cornish Pasty I have eaten for many a long year. Managed a Devon cream tea and a Cornish cream tea. Devon won on the grounds that they were more generous with their cream and the jam was thick and fruity, not the nasty, thin, over-sweet stuff. I am happy to be taken back to Cornwall for a re-match.

Consequently, the accountability is minus several million points. I am seriously going to have to do something about it but my dear daughter has just presented me with some unsolicited toast... :D

LTS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 11:22 AM

Loved Buckfast Abbey! We went there when we went down for Fairy Penny's wedding last year. Glad the tour went well Liz.

Spinning class last night, legs bums and tums class and body pump class this morning, spinning class again tomorrow morning. I feel great hopefully the scales will show it too!

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 12:00 PM

I love that portrait, Alice! And it sounds like the right price for that cable.

I made progress in the fridge last night, but I still have a big bowl of peppers from the garden to slice and freeze. That'll clear up one shelf. There's just too much stuff in there and I end up throwing out things I'd have eaten if I'd remembered they were there. Gotta fix that bad habit! My kitchen is looking pretty good. All of the dishes are washed, the sinks scrubbed, the big central counter is cleared off again.

Yesterday I picked up the correct vinyl gloves for working around the kitchen, trying to keep the dermatitis at a minimum. I've had a bit of a flareup this week, and though I haven't kept the food diary for a few weeks I've kept an eye on my diet. The only thing I did diffrently last week was use some soy milk, so I'll lay off of that for a while and see if it might be an allergy culprit.

We had a heavy rain last night so though it is super hot and muggy, I'll do a little yard work just because this makes the soil so much easier to work in. But I think today is going to be one of those life-in-a-sauna kinds of days. The AC will get the workout that really tests it today with the extra humidity in the air. So far no puddle on the hall bathroom floor.

I'll make the usual rounds today, drop off recycling, but I'll also run by the public library and see about checking out some recorded books for the trip.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 12:38 PM

It was about midnight last night when I took the photo, yellow indoor light, so this morning I took it outside for natural light to get more accurate color.
I just updated the blog photo so you can see the original painting colors.


update of photo


Accountability!

Geez, this painting a day project really is a lesson in accountability! When I got started late yesterday, I could not go to bed until I had that painting finished. With lots of detail, it was slow going.

I may have to take a day off here and there but I still want to keep this up with small canvases that can be finished in a day. It's a challenge.


Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 02:10 PM

Alice, if you can look at the programming of that camera, find the white balance section and set it for the type of light in the room. When in doubt and taking a close shot, set it for flash and stay within about 10 feet of your subject.

Off to the optometrist. Don't know if I'll have to reschedule my regular checkup or what. I should get a good pair of sunglasses with bifocals. I have a pair without and they're a nuisance, I have to take them off any time I want to look at something close. Kind of defeats the reason for having sunglasses.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 07:55 PM

My glasses were purchased in June last year, but they're going to replace the frames for me. Probably means I'll end up with these frames again this year because they'll be so new. I'm not in love with how they look, but they're comfortable.

Did a lot of running and had to backtrack a little. Went through a couple of bottles of water (refilled along the way). Got a box to ship the bear skin rug in, got boxes to hold the playbills. Let's hope this evening I can finish some of that work without another Saturday night dog/skunk interlude.

I also have been stocking up on things for my son's dorm room. We have quite a bit that will be useful, because his sister lived in a dorm one year. They have stores in Tucson, of course, but it's nice to know we have most of what is needed when we leave here. And I think for someone heading to live away from home for the first time, it will be more comfortable to have some of his own old stuff with him.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 08:00 PM

Yup, skunky dogs can really throw a wrench into plans.

The skunks usually start coming through our neighborhood this time of year, digging grubs and robbing gardens.

Most summers I'd be able to smell them at dusk and be sure to get my dog inside.

When I was 9 months pregnant with Ryan and waiting to go into labor anytime, my dog was skunked at 11 o'clock at night. I only had my elderly neighbors across the street to call on for help. What a mess!

A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 09:48 PM

Here is the painting done today:

Click

I need to learn not to bite off more than I can chew with this daily project.


A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 11:40 PM

I love the sisters one, esp., Alice. Reminds me of big sister showing me how to work one of those pumps when I was about 8 or 9. You are amassing an impressive portfolio there.

If I could clone Morgan, I would send him for a visit round, but I have to brag a bit and say "He's mine, ALL mine!" (That's a little thing I used to do with him, hug him tight and say that, esp. when he was a toddler. Not too long ago he surprised me by saying "Do that, again, Mama, that 'all mine'."

I haven't had him on the weekends lately since we've been going to swim classes and he's been staying over all day, but his dad was off last week, so today when he called to ask to come over, I said yes. He and Rog have been missing each other, besides. Anyway, we picked him up on the way home from the grocery store and he did a real job of carrying in bags for us. He got all of them, but two which Rog brought in first thing. Then he ate up about half of them, it seemed like! I forgot how much growing boys/kids can eat and he just keeps getting taller.:-)

Did my 30 minute qi gong flow after my shower again, tonight. I have finally done it consistently enough to actually *feel* it in my legs, shoulders, etc. I am really excited about the legs because of problems with them and my feet over the past year. MUCH better now.

Love the prairie photos, too!

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 11:59 PM

I miss those days of having a "little buddy". Kids grow up too fast.



A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Aug 10 - 12:15 AM

I'd love to see Alice do a painting of Morgan. Any chance you two can get your heads together on that? If we had a mascot for this series of threads, that child would be it!

I ran Alice's links on my Twitter account, and since I also have a Wordpress account, I added you as a link in my blogroll. My visitors can usually be counted on one hand, so this won't cause a huge blip, but every little bit helps, as they say. (I think my favorite so far is the girl in front of the big old car with the dog underneath and behind her).

This evening at sunset I went out and pulled weeds out of about half of that new bed at the front curb. I'm going to get up early tomorrow to finish that and lay out the soaker hose. I'll put mulch over the hose so it isn't conspicuous to anyone walking or driving by right there. And I'll see if I can't get something planted in there now. It's late for the fall season, but I should still be able to get something to grow to maturity.

The kitchen is looking better, I sliced and froze a bowl full of peppers. I did a load of laundry this afternoon, and while I was out I stopped at the library and picked up some recorded books and some CDs of music to put in my mp3 player. I've been researching file size and quality this week. I found that when I first used Windows Media player with my old mp3 player I let it save them as WAV files, which are huge compared to mp3. Many of these are still in a "library" file on an external hard disk. I've figured out how to convert some of them to mp3, using a program in my Nero suite, but it may simply be easier to re-rip the disks into the smaller format. I'm doing this in preparation for the trip.

Our weather is supposed to stay hot, and spike at 105 late next week. It makes me wonder if even neighbors with the best of intentions can keep my veggies alive. I'll do a really heavy watering the night before we leave, and that will do for several days, but they'll still have to add some water before I get home.

Night, all!

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 08 Aug 10 - 02:39 AM

2 bags of papers shredded and recycled... 1 bag of general trash so far, but I had to go out to sing at a wedding.

Today is a slow start, but have already discovered boxes of fabric that can be consolidated and a pile of stuff that can go in the loft with the others of its kind (box files of magazines) thus freeing up a whole shelf!

The accountability didn't do too well last night, but weddings are like that... Trouble is, with Manitas away, I'm sleeping more, so losing decluttering time.... swings and roundabouts.

LTS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 08 Aug 10 - 08:06 AM

I decluttered my flowerbeds of the Maltese Cross stems that were finished blooming. In an effort to conserve fuel, I'm hoping to take the two rubbish bins of stems to the community compost tomorrow when I go to the Fair Grounds to drop off my photos for the contest.

Adding a second coat of paint to the gift for the children dropped down on my list today when my son phoned to say the family will be away from home for the next week. They'll be driving to the next province to spend time with one of his brothers and his family. Also, I'm waiting for the weather to get warmer and drier again as apparently paint doesn't dry well when it's humid.

I just made a 4:30 am trip downstairs to check laundry in the clothes dryer and had to declutter the landing of a large ugly spider. I have a very strong dislike for those. I took it for a long walk. I hope it won't come back. (Shudders) I removed two just like it two days ago. I don't know if this was one of them returning or number 3?

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Aug 10 - 01:21 PM

I trimmed out some tomato plants that never produced and trimmed back plants that had some fruit this spring. I'll be putting in new plants this week and may pull the rest of these out. I also spread the last of the dry molasses for fertilizer through the bed and watered it in. I'd kept it too long in the heat out there and it smelled like something other than molasses. But now that bag is out and hopefully the plants will get past struggling in the heat.

I spotted some unusual grass stems coming out of the bottom of several of the hollow tubes of my patio wind chimes. I pulled one apart and pushed out the bugs to see what they were. Not sure, but I left the rest there and will research this a little. No wonder I haven't been hearing them as much - when they're stuffed full of dry grass and dry mud they don't have much of a tone.

Those were morning tasks outside, and now it's too hot for any more of that. I will probably mow this evening near sunset.

So now come the boxes. The bear in one, and the playbills in the others, separated by venue.

The fridge continues to look better. I'll re-arrange what is left in there this afternoon after a late lunch.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 08 Aug 10 - 06:35 PM

Another bag of shreddings... slow day, been dozing a lot of it.

LTS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 08 Aug 10 - 08:09 PM

Painting done, photographed, uploaded to blog:
Click


A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: maire-aine
Date: 08 Aug 10 - 09:26 PM

Returned some styrofoam bowls & lids to the store, since they hadn't been opened, and the project I bought them for never materialized. Made blueberry waffles & froze enough for several more breakfasts. Went to the farmers market this afternoon.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 08 Aug 10 - 11:47 PM

Loaded three rubbish bins of yard waste into my car and took it to the community compost skip at the transfer station, then delivered my photos to the fairgrounds for the contest and stayed to help photo club members process entries and fasten them to the display boards.

I think there are about 300 entries. The function of my photos there will be to make the others look better.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Aug 10 - 12:10 AM

I thought about making a pie for dessert tonight, but just as well I didn't. My son is in building his computer (on his bed) and comes up for air every now and then. You need to be there for a meal to appreciate a labor-intensive dessert. He has some more research to do, but he has the basics of the hardware under way. Meals will happen whenever, I guess.

It's still so hot here, I just break out in a sweat when I think about it. I don't keep the house cool - it's about 78 - 80. Every room in the house except the bathrooms and the kitchen have ceiling fans and we make a lot of use of them.

Yup. Just counted. When I moved in the living room and each bedroom had fans. Only one I kept was the living room fan, which I modified because it was installed on the top beam 13' up and we couldn't do anything but turn it on and off at the switch. I put in a down rod so it is suspended in the middle of the room about 9' up and we can reach the chains or use a step-stool to reach the reverse switch. I put in nice Hunter fans in the 3 original bedrooms, then when we finished remodeling I put Hunter fans in the front room (like a living room, but smaller), my office (or 4th bedroom), and the sun room. This was a very good investment.

The bear rug is neatly packed in an 18" x 18" x 24" box and will be shipped tomorrow. Goodbye and good luck, Mr Bear! I can use the space it was taking up, and we'll see what the dealer offers for it. If the offer isn't sufficient, he'll ship it back and I'll put it in an auction in the fall.

I also put together four bankers boxes (on sale this week at Office Depot) for the playbills. I've filled three of the boxes and have enough to fill a fourth, but what I really need is some smaller boxes because there are four or five discrete sets of papers in the remaining stacks. All are interesting, but less charismatic. This will clear the table so my son can put his new computer and parts on it and sleep on his bed overnight. Assuming he goes to bed. Last time his bed was too cluttered he slept in his sister's room, but that bed has all of the bins with school stuff on them.

He finally went shopping today, not only for computer stuff, but for clothes, so I'll be washing and packing and getting my boy ready to meet the world in Arizona. This heat can lead to a lot of laundry and a lot of showers. At least the washer is one of the Energy Star ones that is programmable. I can set it to wash in the wee hours when there isn't so much power being consumed. Now that I have a "smart meter" on the house, that can make a difference.

On the subject of economy, I was thinking that if I'm out in AZ one of these days maybe a trip to see other 'catters would be good, since they're close by. But it turns out (according to Google maps) that the drive from Tucson to Kat's town is only 2 hours less than the drive from Fort Worth. Amazing.

Time for a shower then hit the hay.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Aug 10 - 12:12 AM

We cross posted. Rags, your photo is beautiful and will stand on its own merits just fine!

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 09 Aug 10 - 10:12 AM

I agree with SRS, rags. Don't sell you and your photos short.:-)

Yep, it's a long ways up from AZ to here. What about Albuquerque? Artbrooks and wife, Jen, are there. Your prep work and trip sound exciting!

As a sort of end of summer special thing, we are going to take Morgan to one of the old orchards here, next weekend, for an hour's ride through the orchards in a large horse-drawn wagon. I think it holds about 15 and has a canopy, so it should be okay even if it starts to get hot, esp. as they only do it at 9a and 10a before the high heat.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Aug 10 - 11:16 AM

Sounds like fun in that orchard! Can you pick apples while you're there? Take the camera!

My son constructed his new computer last night, and it awaits only an operating system. I'll check with his university to see what his options are. I think until the scholarship is in place he might not be able to retrieve the free software from the campus (a perk for currently enrolled students). Next week, most likely.

Anyway, I cleared 3/4 of the dining room table for him to put the computer on when he wanted to go to bed, and I see he retrieved an older Dell monitor from the cupboard, also a keyboard (one of my various attempts at finding a good board for a touch typist), and a mouse (from my laptop desk). Bits and pieces to see if it works, and we'll replace my spare parts with his newer bits. Also needs a good power supply/surge protector. It's nice to see he finally got to it.

Looks like shipping costs for the bear box are comparable between UPS and USPS. The UPS store is further away, but this box is too big for a drop box. I think UPS might handle the package a little more carefully than the USPS folks. I'll be sure I can get my letter notarized first, then I'll pay the shipping and deliver the box.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 09 Aug 10 - 11:47 AM

6 bags of shredded paper waiting for the bin men.... that's two shelves freed up but I've got to the stage where the only space I have to put anything down is the space I just made, so it's turned into one of those sliding box puzzles... and I just realised I put a load of stuff down and cannot find my cell phone!

Anyone want a load of empty cardboard magazine files?

LTS

(oh, and the oldest piece of paper shredded was:- a bank statement from 1992)!

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: mouldy
Date: 09 Aug 10 - 04:42 PM

Well the gate got painted, and so did the downstairs loo window frame, and a few other touch-ups. The table tops are partially visible, but I only had yesterday afternoon to work, and ended up at the garden centre getting a new basket liner and a couple of plants for the basket on the front of the house. I suddenly realised that dead plants don't make for kerb appeal!

I've had Freya till this evening, so today's not been a day of progress, but I am in all day tomorrow and will crack on. I hope to go and visit agents Thurs or Friday. There's such a lot of "stuff" to box up and put somewhere.

Andrea

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 09 Aug 10 - 06:41 PM

Good for you, Andrea!

SRS, peaches...we will be surrounded by peaches, peaches and more peaches with maybe a vineyard or two nearby. Apples come in later, but the better ones are from higher country than this hot, dry valley.:-) My family used to drive up to the town where my mom and dad were born and grew up, where mom's dad had a small apple orchard which helped feed everyone during the Depression, to get the best apples. I will take pix!:-)

Two small things, today: I had two Chinese windchimes, not very expensive, but really lovely sounding, which have needed restringing for a long while. Today, I got out the fishing twine, crimp beads, and crimp pliers and got them both redone. Feels good and motivates me to get the old office dug out so I can make some jewellery, again. It's been awhile.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Aug 10 - 09:16 PM

You can tell the role of semiotics in language with the last few posts here. The idea that if one person says "tree" that the listener person visualizes "tree" it will be two different trees. You said orchard, so my Washington state roots visualized to "apples." :)

I got home from work in time to stash the notarized letter into the box with the bear rug (at school the notary public said this was her first document about a bear skin rug!) and after fooling with the UPS software for too long I did get the box lugged out to my truck and over to the nearest UPS store. Unfortunately, a sign said "sorry to close early, but we have no A/C. Back at 8am tomorrow." As I was heading back home I passed a gas station with the brown UPS truck parked in the driveway, so I stopped and explained about the box and he said he could take it. Yes! That bear is finally out the door!

After fussing and squabbling and an answering email from the computer tech guys at his university, my son is setting up Ubuntu for now as his new computer OS. He has questions about partitions and adding Windows, and I can answer a few, some of them based upon answers I got earlier today on a thread I started. Mudcat is such a great networking place! Anyway, he has the machine up and the BIOS say everything seems to be operating and I just plugged in the last port on my modem router to go to the data plug near his computer in the living room. We have a few things to pick up so as soon as some software finishes downloading we'll run over and get a few cables. It's coming along.

It would be nice if my broken glasses are repaired by tomorrow, when I have some time to go pick them up. So much coming and going as we prepare to take this trip out West.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 09 Aug 10 - 09:34 PM

Ah, of course...lots of apples in Washington.:-)

Meant to mention to anyone who wears glasses, in the past year, I've bought two pair from Zenni Optical, both of them were $8 plus nominal shipping, so I've spent about $25 for both. They are good quality, single vision. They do bifocals, too, and they have prices which go up, but they've all been quite reasonable from what I've seen. I like to support locally, but at the prices they get, I just can't justify the expense. Anyway, FWIW.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 09 Aug 10 - 10:21 PM

I just uploaded the image of today's "painting in a day".
It is the 8th painting in a row.

This is not getting any easier! LOL


old camera

I had a visit today from an old friend who lives in Colorado now. She and her husband would like to move back to Bozeman. It was good to see them again. I don't have many long time friends who still live here.

I considered decluttering a bit in the garage today, but we had rain and hail (small sized) and lightning and wind storms today. A good day to stay in the house.

Speaking of trees... (ha!) I need to prune a Nanking cherry that is about 20 years old. I've pruned it some over the years, but it really needs to be shaped up before next year.


Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Aug 10 - 12:39 AM

Picked up a few computer odds and ends. A mouse for the kiddo (got mine back) and some cables. Never seem to have enough data cables these days. More laundry done, it'll go in the dryer before I head for bed.

It would be nice to have the house in decent shape before I leave so it's a pleasant place to walk into when I get back. At a bare minimum, to have the kitchen clean. :-)

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 10 Aug 10 - 03:00 AM

Alice, I love the painting! The blue shirt was a perfect background. I have a camera like that one. It used to belong to my grandperson.

Andrea, congratulations on getting the gate, window frame and touch ups painted.

Liz, Well done on the shredding! You're an inspiration, nudging me to do the same. I think I will outdo you on oldest paper as I know I've kept everything since early in 1982 when my ex left. I need to wrap my head around the concept that nobody is going to ask for an accounting now of how I spent child support payments in 1982. They won't, will they? I can account for every cent, you know?

Kat, Well done, getting the chimes restrung. The orchard drive sounds wonderful! One benefit of having a grandchild in tow is being able to do these things with them and relive the excitement through new eyes.

When we were babysitting a toddler grandson on a regular basis, my husband would take him to the airport and tell someone at the helicopter base or the water bomber base that his grandson would like to see the inside of the 'copter or plane. Of course Grandpa would have to go in with him. I don't think he fooled anyone about who really wanted to sit inside a plane, but they appreciated his enthusiasm and love of flying machines so they were happy to let him do it.

SRS, Great show of persistence getting the bear boxed, notarized and on the go. I hope that it will find an appreciative buyer there and you will not have to deal with it again. Congratulations on keeping your son on track with the computer assembly and on getting so much done or give away the empty boxes in which paper is shipped. These are easily cut down to whatever depth is required and the lid will still fit. I wonder if something such as those might work for your "discrete sets of papers"?

SRS and Kat, Thank you both for your kind comments about my photos. The Fair begins Wednesday. For my small efforts setting up photos on Sunday I was given a free one day pass. I won't have to wait until there is reduced price admission on Seniors' Day to find out if the Awards Fairy has left anything there for me. After seeing all of the other entries I'm not very hopeful.

I spent today researching paint options for the next coat on the ladders. I hope the gloss latex I bought will be able to adhere well to the paint I used in the first coat or the ladders may join unclutter at the city dump. It certainly uncluttered my wallet. I also went to two thrift stores looking for more sheets to use for duvet covers. I found two matching twin sheets that feel very thick and durable. When I bought them I planned to sew them together, but realize now that would be a waste. If I can find suitable backing for each of them, I will have matching covers for the two bunks!

I'm hoping that the weather will change for the better tomorrow and that I'll feel up to painting the frame and mowing at least the front lawn. Maybe I can go look for two more sheets and sew a couple of duvet covers too?   

If I can get all that done by the end of the week, I'll be doing well. Grandchildren will be staying here Friday night, it would be good to have everything finished by then.
rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Aug 10 - 10:39 AM

That's a lot to get done, rags. Good going!

Last night: qi gong 30 minutes

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Aug 10 - 12:36 PM

The bear arrived quickly, I had a call this morning already. The price he offered is nominal, but at the same time, I'm not going to try to sell it anywhere else so just having it out of the house is nice. I didn't want to be the one to cut apart the thing, and even then, I'd still be trying to sell bear parts. It's just difficult with the online auction world coming out of the state of California where they have stricter rules than anyplace else.

Have some unexpected running around to do today. My glasses are ready, that's good. Preparing for the trip involves quite a mix of stuff. Before I leave I need to wash the truck, get a couple of bottles of oil, put some extra water in, get out the cooler, etc.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 10 Aug 10 - 12:41 PM

rags, if I read your last post correctly, you plan to put a water base latex over the oil base coat on the ladder.

Sorry to say, but you can't paint water base paint (acrylic, latex), over an oil base paint.

You can paint oil base over water base, but not water base over oil base. The water base will not adhere and will eventually peel off.

Hope this project works out for you. You've put a lot of time into it!

A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 10 Aug 10 - 12:52 PM

rags, to clarify what I wrote....

The oil based paint should be very dry and will have to have a primer painted over it to prep it for the water based paint.


here's a link


A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 10 Aug 10 - 06:33 PM

Alice,
Thanks for the information.

I tried to buy the primer yesterday that goes with the paint I bought, but they don't seem to stock any of that so it looks as if I'm hooped? I can't even cut up the wood and burn it now that it's covered with oil-based paint. Oh well. It was a nice idea and thankfully the children don't know that I was working on this so they won't be disappointed.

I still haven't checked off anything on today's to do list. I noticed that somebody spilled something in the fridge so did some fridge drawer washing. Saw the two cucumbers I bought a few days ago. Peeled, sliced and salted those to be used in a cucumber salad after they've set.

Stepped out on the deck to get the compost pail for the cucumber peelings and noticed the damaged vinyl pool I scrounged from grandchildren to line my leaking concrete "bird pool". Measured the concrete pool and the children's pool to make sure it would be large enough for the job. Cut around the top of the bottom ring of the pool, swept debris out of the concrete pool, fitted the vinyl liner in the concrete pool and secured it with large rocks along the edges. Filled the pool with water and also filled two other "bird baths".   

I think I may be able to get to two thrift stores I didn't visit yesterday, before they close. I have 30 minutes.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Aug 10 - 10:56 PM

Phew, that sounds like a lot, anyway, rags. Shame about the wood, paint, etc.

I have been studying my desk space out here in the dining room ever since moving out here. It has gone through several stages and lots of clutter. Slowly, I was making some headway in how to arrange the dual cassette dubbing machine, scanner, printer, harddrive, laptop, monitor, keyboard and track ball. I have the latter four things on the library table with a cup of pens, a woven tray of polished and raw stones, some semi-precious, and a few other small things, plus a "baby blankie" for the Siamese, Kipling, who likes to toast himself under the floor lamp which I can direct every which way. The harddrive and printer are to the right on an old wooden typing stand with drop down leaves. I have it slotted in, lengthwise, between the wall and the l.table. The scanner sat on top of the dubbing machine to the left of the monitor and, because we had to pull out the drawer (of the table) to make a shelf for my keyboard for it to fit me, ergonomically, they were both quite a stretch for me to reach. I knew it wasn't going to work that way for long.

Tonight, I had an epiphany.:-) Rog helped me move the scanner and dubber over to the typing stand, flush up against the side of the hd and handy as all get out to my right hand where the lighting is good, both from the window and lamp. There is more room with stuff better arranged on the table now and the cat loves it! (So do I!)

That's solved...now for some sleep. Last night was sleepless.;-0 (big yawn)

kat

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Aug 10 - 01:04 AM

Kat, don't you just love it when one of those ideas comes along and works so well! I have a kind of hybrid workspace now that involves several lower levels and keeps me from filling the entire wall in front of the window. It happened in much the way you describe - an evolution that results in an epiphany.

Rags, a coat of a good primer on top of the oil paint would let your latex work on top of that. Three coats instead of two, but don't toss it all out! Here at my house someone painted over a high-gloss paint on some ornamental dowels (on top of a half-wall my contractor called a "pony wall") with a latex. The latex peeled off quite easily. I either have to peel the rest off or do something about it. I may paint it all over with a primer then put on a semi or flat latex paint.

In more adventurous news, I was headed up to visit my daughter this evening when I had a pretty impressive blowout on my rear driver-side tire. I was charging up the fast lane on the freeway this afternoon when I heard it, thought it sounded like a flat, but it didn't FEEL like a flat, until I started to brake. As it happened I was abreast an exit, so I kind of muscled my way across three lanes (having a pickup does have some advantages) and headed down the ramp to park on the side of the frontage road. I could have changed this tire myself, but it was very hot out and I pay AAA $75 a year for this kind of thing.

A very nice fellow arrived about 45 minutes later and tomorrow I'll go declutter my wallet and buy new tires. I did the math - these have just over 32,000 miles. I'm getting ready to make a trip. I could rent a new car and drive my son to school in that relative safety or I could put new tires on the truck and drive my son to school safely. Might as well do the thing that will benefit me longer.

When I got home tonight I took a hammer out and knocked the top slats off of that cedar box that used to hold the bear rug. A couple of slats had always been loose (taped in place with duct tape during moves), and a couple others were still nailed in place. It's a beautiful rustic box and has some nice supports inside. I stopped with taking the top off - maybe I can use this in a decorative manner in the house. This is such a strong dark red wood, it's too pretty to become kindling. :) I know, this is how we become pack rats.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: mouldy
Date: 11 Aug 10 - 03:34 AM

Most of the upstairs has been sorted out (ie: cupboards stuffed to bursting point) and there is just the bathroom to sort. Downstairs gets started on sometime today. I bit the bullet and donated my 1930s glass dressing table set to AgeUK yesterday. It has freed up a lot of space, as most of the pots were empty anyway.
I've still got some boxes to sort out in the spare double room, but I can't get them into the loft without another person to help. The ladder is quite steep, and the angle is awkward when you are trying to shove a heavy open box up it. The garage is getting full once more!

Today's first task is to sort all the cds again. There are piles of them all over. I may box up the non-folk ones that never get listened to, and that'll give more room in the rack. The main task is the kitchen: too much stuff, and surfaces cluttered. You would think that a lone-dweller like me would be needing less in the kitchen hardware line, but from time to time I feed larger numbers, and need the pans and stuff to cope! It's also difficult when you spent years feeding 4 or 5 on a daily basis, to downsize.

However, if I can get enough done by the end of tomorrow, it's agent-visiting on Friday! I need to know what sort of a budget I've got for my move. It's no good me guessing and getting all excited about houses that I have seen when they may be outside the budget...or maybe at the bottom end of it (wouldn't that be nice?)

Andrea

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 11 Aug 10 - 06:07 AM

Four in the morning here and I can't sleep.

Here is the little painting I did yesterday (Tuesday).

CLICK


A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 11 Aug 10 - 01:18 PM

SRS,
I'm glad that the blowout didn't cause you to lose control on the freeway. Maybe the high speed helped you stay on track? Buying new tires seems like the better option. You'll need to buy them soon anyway. You'll save the money that a rental would have cost and you'll be safer travelling in own vehicle because you're familiar with how it handles.

Thanks for the painting advice. I found a partially full 4L pail of primer for latex in the paint cupboard. I didn't look inside yet but when I shook it, it seemed to have liquid paint in it.

I managed to find two matching light blue/white geometric design sheets at the thrift store yesterday afternoon. They'll do nicely to sew together with the two matching patchwork pattern sheets I found the day before. This will yield two identical twin size duvet covers for children to use on the bunk bed.

When the temperature dropped in the evening I mowed both the lawns in preparation for applying fertilizer this evening.

This morning I nailed a shallow margarine container high up on the wall under a roof that keeps the steps down to the carport dry. I swept up the sunflower seeds that the birds knock onto the ground from the feeder and put them into the container. There is a little squirrel who comes to pick up seeds from the ground. I'm worried that the neighbour's cunning kitty will kill it and hope that it will find the seed filled container and dine safely up there instead.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: LilyFestre
Date: 11 Aug 10 - 01:44 PM

I have gotten just about nothing done lately! We were away for a few days and it's been so blaste hot that I just can't bring myself to do much of anything. I did make a batch of Dilly Green Beans last night to put up for this winter. Tonight I'll make another as well as cooking down tomatoes for sauce.

Had a visit with my Dr. today and my thyroid medication needs an adjustment....hopefully this will help with being so tired and give my weight loss efforts a little more satisfaction!

Off to the fair (where I will NOT be helping my weight loss efforts.....it only comes once a year and plan to ENJOY IT!).

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 11 Aug 10 - 04:34 PM

Keep the cedar box for winter coats and things - moths hate cedar.

Tried to be good today but someone brought a packet of jam sandwich biscuits (cookies with cream and red jelly in) which vanished rather rapidly.

Am off to bed now so further nibbling will be discouraged.

LTS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: maire-aine
Date: 11 Aug 10 - 04:34 PM

Went to our monthly lunch with the folks I used to work with. Good to see them again. We got a little rain-- not enough to really water anything, but just enough to ratchet up the humidity. Expecting more rain tonight, maybe.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: gnu
Date: 11 Aug 10 - 04:38 PM

SRS... 32,000 miles? The shop should come good for part of that tire!

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: maire-aine
Date: 11 Aug 10 - 08:32 PM

I did manage to get three loads of laundry done today.

M

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 11 Aug 10 - 08:43 PM

I made a large pan of lasagna and uploaded a LOL of a happy cheese grater who was happy to have some of the mozzarella!

Happy Grater Has Cheez


(Now I'm seeing faces in inanimate objects everywhere).

Did a small oil painting and uploaded to the blog.
CLICK

Just thinking about tires for the car makes me dread the coming winter. It won't be long before I'll have to switch to the studded snow tires and the long, cold tunnel will begin.

Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Aug 10 - 10:26 PM

Gnu, you have it right. I started this afternoon by going by my Goodyear place (I get oil changes there) and priced tires there. The tech said that the tire had a flaw, you could see where a bubble had formed inside the tire and it blew straight out the side. This was like getting my second opinion first. Their tires would have been up around $780 if I bought five (my spare was 10 years old, so though relatively unused it was going to have some drying out or cracking issues).

When I went to the place where I bought the tires I was in their system. I always buy 50,000 or 60,000 mile tires, and these clearly hadn't made it. They gave me a credit of $178 and I bought five tires and the protection plan for $575 this way. Well worth it for the peace of mind on the trip. I agree with ragdall--while I always look at my options when planning a trip like this, it just made sense to put tires on the truck instead of paying money to borrow a car and still have a truck with old tires.

They ran me ragged at work today taking photos for a September Banned Books project. We have a dynamo of a librarian spearheading the project. I'll do the processing as far as correcting color balance and give them to her group to choose and crop and set up their slide show.

Headed to bed early, planning to get up early to walk the dogs and get a little yard work done before the heat sets in.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Aug 10 - 10:47 PM

qi gong - 35 minutes

My body is getting used to this to the point where it's actually demanding it.:-)

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Aug 10 - 12:04 PM

Kind of in a funk today. So much to do, so little money to do it with. Things are going along as usual, in other words. :-/

For today I think I need some short term goals, easy things to finish to feel like I'm making progress. My hands in general are better but several fingertips are tender with little crack/cuts, making some of the jobs difficult because they make my hands more tender. I finally figured out how to buy white cotton gloves. They aren't in drug stores, they're on the list of archival work supplies. I'll order a few pair today.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Aug 10 - 03:22 PM

Morgan says to tell you all that we are going to go clean my office! He is so sure of this, while I think it is rather hot for it.

SRS, hope today perks up for you. Good that you're are getting the gloves you need. If you can afford it, I would highly recommend some Amerigel. My doc said it was a "miracle" the way it healed an open wound on my leg.

The other thing which works wonders is Snout Soother which is an all natural product for cracked dog noses, but people use it, too. LOL. We have some for Merlee and it really is great stuff for healing cracks.

I know what you mean about a lot to do and not as much money. Somehow it would be great for the two to balance out, wouldn't it?

Well, here I go...off into the hinterlands of the office with my intrepid leader, Morgan the Grandson! You should have seen him on his last day of swim class, today. He went off the diving board, for the first time, with no flotation device, several times, and did a great job.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Aug 10 - 09:02 PM

Good luck on that office!

Kat, those sound like interesting products. And I could use the snout soother on my dogs - Poppy gets a kind of chapped rash on her top lip, and Cinnamon has several spots that could use a little soothing treatment. This all in addition to my fingertips.

I have 200+ photos to process this evening and tomorrow morning. I'll take a disk to work with all of them and the folks there can choose the ones they want to use. I'll adjust for white balance and crop or straighten any that need a few tweeks, but I want to give them a lot of variety to work with (though sometimes too many choices is difficult).

Tonight I need to fold laundry. The couch and a chair are covered with it, and then I'll start packing some of these clothes and sheets in bins. The lawn needs to be mowed, but I think I'll save that till I'm close enough to the trip so it doesn't look to scraggly by the time I get home again. The bear bucks arrived today so my bank account is a little happier, and except for my parking fee, I didn't spend any money today. Have you ever noticed how hard it is to go through a day, let alone a string of them, without spending some money? (I used my PayPal balance for the gloves, so I wasn't counting that, but I suppose I should.)

I have recorded books to rip and store on my mp3 player. It's nice to have the new player to get back to listening to books again.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Aug 10 - 09:31 PM

Thanks, SRS. You can get a small tin of the Snout Soother for under five bucks including shipping, if I remember correctly. I didn't know what was wrong with Merlee's nose, all crusty and obviously itchy, until I googled it. Came to their site which explained it's kind of like chapped lips. The nose gets dry and itchy, they lick it which makes it worse, etc. It's great stuff and they have tons of testimonials. The Amerigel is all natural, but 20 bucks for a tube...some serious money, but a tiny dab does a lot.

We made a great dent in the office. Morgan kept me "on task" and moved some boxes, etc. for me plus carried one out to the LR. I found a box of stuff I'd set aside for ebay. May try to get them all listed after he starts school.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 12 Aug 10 - 09:43 PM

I wasn't sure if I'd get a painting done today, but I did.

I woke up with a chipped front tooth... I do this in my sleep. It's about the 6th time in 15 years that I've chipped my top front tooth in my sleep. I can't wear a night guard, but I'm going to try what the dentist suggested today, chewing gum during the day and some exercises he gave me.

So... unexpected trip to the dentist, but I DID get a small painting done from start to finish:


A Dog And His Boy


Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Aug 10 - 11:09 PM

Love that, Alice, esp. the dog's expression!

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 12:22 AM

One small task completed, the truck has been washed. Nothing fancy, just a bucket of Dawn and warm water with an old rag wash cloth and a quick once-over around the entire thing. Tomorrow I'll empty the back seat (lots of store reusable grocery bags) and vacuum the whole thing. Clean the insides of the windows, have it ready for a trip.

Laundry mostly folded. Son doesn't pay attention when he clothing shops, then rips open packages without looking, so he has two brand-new size small t-shirts in there. [bangs forehead on computer desk]

Kat, I have some scar treatment stuff (Mederma) that might help with some of this dermatitis. I'll read the tube (another expensive one) and see what it says. It was great with huge scar from a cat bite several years ago.

This weekend I'm going to list a few things on eBay and postpone their start till during the week when I'm away. I'll make a note that questions may not be answered promptly because I'll be out of town for a couple of days, but it would be nice to have those in play when I come home.

My sun room (where I work on that eBay stuff) is so much more comfortable now that the bear is gone. It was in a big trash bag on a kitchen chair, and now that chair is (surprise!) in the kitchen. I moved stuff around and I might just get control back of that space soon. Amazing how one seemingly-immovable object can jam up an entire room.

More laundry in as I continue to pack stuff for school (there's one set of new sheets, now folded and packed, and a set his sister used in her 1 year in a dorm as his second set that is in the wash so they'll be fresh). I'm going to let him pick his favorite towels, and blankets and such. I think a bed that already smells "right" and towels that are familiar are the best way to give him visceral reminders of support from home (even if he thinks he doesn't need it, he does.)

Ripping CDs for my mp3 player. I know I've mentioned it several times - it's just so nice to have one again! I went to the library last weekend and right now I'm adding an African blues artist (I already own a couple of his) named Ali Farka Toure (I first heard him in an NPR story - his style is so distinctive).

Work tomorrow, but not at a set time. I'm working late tonight to finish some stuff, so I'll have only a few hours tomorrow. Then here comes one hectic and yet eclectic weekend.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 08:42 AM

Not really a "GUEST"...ragdall sans cookie
el joe clone

Went to the Fair and checked on my photos. In one category, there were only three entries. The other two photos placed first and second, mine didn't place at all. How bad was it that it couldn't place third out of three photos?

Came home and fitted the three ladders together loosely. Am not happy with how they fit together and am very unhappy with my paint job. http://www.flickr.com/photos/diffuse/4887886316/

Three grandchildren and their parents are due to arrive tomorrow for dinner and stay overnight. Tonight I finished two duvet covers http://www.flickr.com/photos/diffuse/4887886520/ and almost finished a mattress cover. http://www.flickr.com/photos/diffuse/4887997820/

If only I could find time to sleep too, life could be good.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: maeve
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 08:56 AM

Hey there, rags. Good judging is dependent upon good understanding of the criteria and the ability to evaluate within a category. Sometimes ribbons are awarded for poor reasons. It's fun to win, but winning doesn't necessarily indicate best quality. Your photographs are lovely and bring much pleasure to all who view them.

As for the ladder, ignore the paint job for now. It's the structural integrity, stability, and lack of splinters that matter here. Perhaps a supervised try-out with the grandkids will reveal what improvements are needed. A pint of good paint will be worth the investment after you are satisfied with the structure. You might also take a photo of it to your local lumber supplier. Many such places can help with design improvement on customers' home projects. Worth a try.

In admiration,

maeve

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 12:28 PM

I enjoy your photos, rags. As one of my art professors told me years ago, ignore the judges and do it for yourself.

You've been working hard on these projects!


A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 01:12 PM

Hey, ragdall, I like the space you have for building these things. I suspect the camera flash exaggerates uneven spots in the paint, but it has always been my rule of thumb that if one coat doesn't look good, paint on another. Didn't you say this goes over the top of a bunk bed? I think you'll find that once it is integrated into the room with furniture that it will look a lot different. Those duvets look great. I should see what I can find in the thrift store and make a couple for my down comforters. Do you put Velcro on the open end to hold the comforter inside the cover?

I've kind of fiddled this morning, but I need to do several hours of close work in Photoshop. Real eyestrain stuff. I'd better get started.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: mouldy
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 01:47 PM

Well, folks, I've gone and done it at long last - 2 agents coming on Tuesday, and one on Thursday! The house is as finished as it needs to be for now.
Hopefully the few days' grace I've got will enable me to tidy up the outside a bit more. If only it would stop raining!

It's so miserable, I've had to light the woodstove!

Andrea

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 01:49 PM

Andrea, good luck!

It started smelling like snow in the air this week.

Today it is raining like crazy and 50 degrees.


A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 04:40 PM

Give yourself a big pat on the back, Andrea!! We will have to have a virtual party when it sells and you have your new home. Good for you!!

I did a week's worth of dishes this morning, then went outside with Morgan and did some of my qi gong while he played on the swing set/monkey bars. Rags, I'd much rather he had something like you've built, rather than storebought. I think it looks great. How many grandkids can say their grandma built them something so grand? They aren't going to give a hoot about the paint job anyway. I'll bet they have a blast climbing and swinging on it.

It's been getting in the low to mid 50s here at night, but going back up in the day. I took Morgan to swim at 1p when they opened and in 30 minutes we had to leave as I couldn't stand to sit out in the heat any longer. He still had fun, though.

kat

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 06:21 PM

The little painting of the day is done and uploaded to the blog.
The subject is from my collection of old tins and kitchen things.


OXO can from Bill Sables


Not much could be done outside today... too cold and wet.

Tonight's forecast is near freezing temps! Some August this is!


A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 11:44 PM

Most of my recycling has been taken to the city bins or is in the pickup, waiting to be dropped off tomorrow. Taking all of that out was a huge help to the sun room.

When I came in I made another pass through the room and realized I still had a couple of light fixtures I'd taken down a while back sitting on top of the boxes new fixtures came in. Those boxes are flattened and the older fixtures will go out to the garage for a future garage sale.

Since fall and winter will arrive while he's at school I've gone through his closet to find a couple of sweat jacket (fleece) hoodies and a heavier jacket to wash and pack. I also found the packaging for the new too-small shirts so folded them and replaced them and will exchange them for the larger size. So they've been washed. They weren't worn, no harm done. :)

Most of the dishes are washed and put away. Less cooking for a couple of days to avoid leftovers. I'll make a loaf of bread the day before we leave and take peanut butter and homemade jelly for a sandwich or two on the road. Even a couple of meals away from restaurants will be welcome to the digestive tract and the pocketbook.

Lots of cleaning service ads appearing in the Google ads at the bottom of the page. Tough luck! We do it ourselves! :)

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 01:49 AM

Seems like the same story everywhere... not enough time or money, too much crap to clear!

My clearing ground to a halt as I went to work this week (3 consecutive days, I'm stunned I made it without killing someone!), but today should see a little ground clearance. It will involve unplugging the computer eventually, so we'll see what happens to that!

Today there will be moving of boxes to the loft. That'll be fun.

LTS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 02:43 AM

maeve, SRS, Alice, Kat,
Thanks.

The overhead ladder is a surprise (still, even though it's in the carport in plain sight -- best place to hide something) which I plan to deliver to the children's new home, (two hours drive from here), if I can get it assembled and painted well enough. It will live in their back yard for them to climb on. I built one of these for my children when they were little. Actually, I built two, I guess, in two sizes. Both were shorter and lower than this is, but my eldest was a toddler when I built the first one. The children used them for years.

I finished the mattress cover. I had a hard time remembering how to sew a mitred corner, but figured it out after a few wrong attempts. I didn't find the velcro that I thought I had in abundance, but I did find an ancient kit for assembling snap fasteners so it closes with three nice neat snaps.

I haven't put any fasteners on the duvet covers yet because I discovered that the comforters I'm substituting for duvets are all different lengths. I'm trying to decide if I want to be able to use the same cover on different comforters or make each cover fit only one comforter.

   After I finished the mattress cover, I vacuumed, stowed the pile of boxes under the pull out bed in the sofa, made that bed up for the parents, and spread out the "patchwork" duvets on the bunks so the children could see them before I folded them up because it's much too hot tonight to use them.

   rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 02:45 AM

Seems like the same story everywhere... not enough time or money, too much crap to clear!

LTS,
You sure got that right! Good luck with all the moving you have to do.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 11:40 AM

No expense this morning to re-pot an African violet from it's little store pot, and a pretty vine plant of some sort that I've had forever. It nearly died a couple of times and a few months ago I decided I needed to treat it better and trimmed off yards of dead vines. It has looked good ever since, and now it's in a larger pretty pot. This came about because the bear rug is gone and I can more easily reach the window seat where a plant stand is. I've tidied up the other violets, removing dry flowers and dead leaves, and it looks lovely.

I think the challenge to myself for the foreseeable future will be to finish things around here that don't require buying new parts. I have many projects in progress to choose from and I'll do myself a favor. Every time Andrea talks about some thing she fixes in her house getting it ready to sell reminds me that my own house would be more comfortable if I finished those same projects. I don't have any plans to sell, but I suppose if I'm looking to my future, I would like to end up back in the Northwest one of these days, so I should have the house in good shape if that opportunity arises in some way. And think about it - every time you see one of those cable television programs that cleans, repairs, and stages a house to put it on the real estate market you see a house that they might just as easily decide to stay in because it is so improved. We all need to aim at that kind of house, don't we, that could sell if needed but that is in good shape and just looks lovely to stay in?

For those of you who have moved into new homes in the last year, we haven't heard as much but an update would be wonderful!

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: mouldy
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 01:39 PM

If anyone wants to look at the finished product, as far as it's possible, there is a link to the Facebook album for non-FBookers (apparently).
www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=16986&id=78179038&l=5bbed5c4 It says it's to allow public viewing....

Otherwise, when it's up for sale, I'll put the link on here, as it will be online.

The weather picked up eventually this afternoon. I baked a couple of cakes (Windfall apple & Chocolate banana) then got a bit of weeding, lawn mowing and path sweeping done this afternoon. Got a rotten viral throat too - wish it would go away or turn into a cold or something!

There is only one trouble with having got the house into shape at last - I now have to keep it that way!!!

Andrea

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 02:00 PM

I can't get there. Are you in the Mudcatter's group in facebook? I was looking through the list (lots of us joined) but it bogged down and wouldn't advance any more. PM your facebook name (I have a guess, but I didn't find it yet) if you want. I would love to see those photos.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 02:19 PM

The covered duvets on the bunk beds in my very 70's "guest room":
http://www.flickr.com/photos/diffuse/4890397836/

The bunk bed, the chest of drawers and the sewing machine desk (at the foot of the bed) were all homemade. The Edison Amberola phonograph on the chest of drawers has been in my family since it was new. It still works well.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 03:23 PM

Whoa- that is a blast from the past! The beds look good.

My mop came apart so I need to see if they still make this refill sponge head. I've been washing the floor in the sunroom, a patchwork of spots where the cats threw up in between the boxes and stuff over the last couple of years. I have the vacuum in that room because it's closest to the driveway and I'll clean the truck today. Might as well do some of the house also.

In this heat I arrange my chores around showers. This sunroom work is messy and the yard trimming is sweaty (still haven't done it, but I will soon) and then I'll shower and go shop a little. I try not to shower more than once a day but sometimes you just can't stand the stickiness any more.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 06:59 PM

Not much accomplished today except the painting.


Hiking Trail


It already feels like autumn here. August used to be the
hot month. Not this year. I hope we don't get snow as
early as we did last year.

A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 07:03 PM

rags,

I have that same fake wood 1970's paneling in my big main floor room and in the basement large room! When I bought the house 23 years ago, I thought I'd eventually do something about it, but other expenses have taken priority over the years... leaking roof, wiring, plumbing, etc.

You have gotten a lot finished!

Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 07:51 PM

We had it on one wall in the kitchen. It was one of the first and easiest things we did to change the look. It came off easily and we painted the wall. Same wall was painted yet again a couple or so years ago, with help from Mudcatters in choosing a colour: bright yellowish gold.

Haven't really done anything today except the wagon ride through the orchards. Here are some pix. It was a lot of fun and Morgan definitely was surprised.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: maire-aine
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 09:09 PM

Keeping my fingers crossed that we get some rain overnight.

Andrea, I couldn't link to the FB pics either. I've gotten that message before when the url was incomplete. Can you check the link & the ablum and is if there's more to it?

Maryanne

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 15 Aug 10 - 01:25 AM

Yeah... that day didn't happen. Played cards with Limpit and real cards... tried to teach her how to play gin rummy but she got bored. I remember one summer it was practically all my mother, sister and I did, play gin rummy....

May get a little more done today, but I was sort of hoping to take my new camera out for a test drive in town seeing as how I forgot to take it to a friends' wedding last week.

LTS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 15 Aug 10 - 10:00 AM

You'll have to remember to bring it along to our wedding in 7 adn a bit weeks Liz

Been to the gym this morning for my spinning class. Had happy birthday sung to me way too loudly for 9am by 20 odd people on spinning bikes! Paul has worked out how much of the gooey chocolate cake I can have on the calories I have burned off this morning! Wore my new garmin training watch...even has GPS to tell me my pace and distance. Had a sneaky peak on the scales today and I've lost another 2lbs but will have to check on weigh in day on Tuesday. I have now lost a grand total of 6 stone (and 2lbs!) I can't tell you how great I feel.....I suppose being 30 isn't all that bad! LOL!

Got classes booked everyday next week apart from Monday.

Foundations for extension are looking good, hopefully I'll have a new kitchen and bigger dining room for christmas which is going to be a busy one with both my family and Paul's family coming for the festivities.

Paul has now finished all the jewwllery for the wedding and it's stunning....I am very lucky! He's just got to finish off the last of his buttons for his coat.

Veggies in the garden are doing well, we have had lots and have got lots of courgettes, runner beans, leeks, onions and spinach. We have got 3 enormous pumpkins too, the kids are going to love carving them at samhain!

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Aug 10 - 12:20 PM

I dawdled too long in the house this morning and now it's too hot to mow, so I'll do it at sunset. Probably better anyway, it is even closer to the departure date and means the lawn isn't likely to look like it needs mowing in the few days I'm away. I'll clean out the truck instead, get it ready to pack, and finish the sun room.

Last night I took the pills I usually take in the morning, forgetting that the Zyrtec is one of those antihistamines that keeps me awake. It's unusual for me to toss and turn, but I realized that must have been it. So I'll probably take a nap today to compensate. This is why I got up later than usual and missed my good mowing time.

On the good news front (until they find a mistake?) I received the electric bill, the first one since they put in that "smart meter" a few weeks ago, and it's about 20% of what I would expect it to be, based upon the last few year's summer bills. I'll watch this and keep in mind that the rest of the bill may catch up with me at some point in time. There may in fact be two bills, based upon the old meter and the new, with a double-whammy coming next month.

Busy day cleaning and packing and some work for work and shopping, so I'd better get going.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Aug 10 - 01:53 PM

Last night I got out the qi gong dvd for weight loss and did the beginner's first 30 minutes. It is quite vigorous, esp. compared to what I have been doing, but oh boy! It felt really good. So much of what I've been doing has been upper body because my feet hurt too much until recently. Now, I am able to stand for longer periods of time AND to move about with more ease. When I first looked at this dvd, I was about 30 lbs heavier and there was no way I could do it. Good to feel the hard work paying off.

Today, it wasn't what I was planning, but sometimes Rog and I just start moving about and it's like a symphony. We move in and out, sharing and dividing chores, helping and doing each according to our abilities. (We do holiday cooking this way and I love it.) Anyway, our frig has been in a corner for years and I hate trying to get into the freezer (it's a side-by-side) because the door hit the wall and wouldn't open all of the way. The top was cluttered with stuff that needed to go to the storage shed and the whole thing was filthy in back. Between the other side of it and Roger's two-drawer file cabinet, was where we kept the mop and broom, just sitting there within a metal laundry cloth bag frame which we used as a "corral" for them. Hated it, too. I cleaned out all of that...it was a black hole.:-) Mopped the floor and scrubbed that side of the frig, then Rog pulled the frig out. He vacuumed the back and wiped down the walls. Put the frig flush up against his cabinet. Then, I mopped where it had been in the corner. He took off the front grill plate for me to clean while he vacuumed more stuff out of the front, down low. Yuck! Now, I can get the freezer door open all the way, the frig is clean on top and sides and front, and the mop, bucket, broom and dustpan are all out of sight in the corner between the frig and wall. Yes!

Rog also swept and did the litter boxes, while I put stuff away, did some of the sweeping, and rearranged Morgan's easel and paints.

Oh, we also found a chalkboard I'd been missing. It was behind the frig! So, we put it up on the end of the wall which the frig is on, so it's kind of across from my table/desk. It's where Morgan can reach it, easily. Not sure if we will leave it there, but at least it's found. We moved a small hook hangar, cast metal dragonfly, to by the front door and it now holds my summer gardening hat the neighbour gave me. Rog also hung some wind-chimes outside the back door for me.

The books are still sitting there waiting to be sorted more and the office still needs more work, but it feels as though we accomplished a lot, today. Rog has to go into work a bit later, so I'm pleased he felt energetic and motivated enough to do so much this morning. And, it's not even noon yet!

kat

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: LilyFestre
Date: 15 Aug 10 - 03:19 PM

18 pints of Dilly Green Beans made and 30 pounds of Roma tomatoes are simmering on the stove soon to be strained and made into canned tomato sauce. A loaf of freshly baked Honey Oat bread is sitting on the kitchen counter and my house smells divine!!!   Mmmmm Mmmm GOOD! Best part? 90% of the dishes are all washed and put away, only the canning pot and utensils remain!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Aug 10 - 05:01 PM

Michelle, is it typical that when you're doing all of this cooking and canning that it is also 100 degrees out? That's my canning experience every year.

Kat, that sounds marvelous. I don't have any wiggle room where my fridge stands, the side by side is just always against the wall unless I pull it completely out past the doorway on the wall. I have thought about putting my upright freezer in that spot except that I wouldn't be able to run the water line to my regular fridge if it were anyplace else.

I washed out the back of the pickup of wooden chips of the free mulch I pick up several times a year. The plastic bin for stuff that usually goes in the back (tire changing stuff, battery jumping, extra oil, etc.) was so cracked that I discarded it and transferred stuff to a recycle bin that I have back there. I get these bins every so often from the curb or at the city drop off place, so I'll probably be able to just leave this stuff in there. They're much more durable and resistant to the sun's rays and heat.

The cab is vacuumed, though I didn't go so far as to wash mats and stuff. It's just too hot out there to do much more (I think the high today is 104).

I wish I had something exciting to add about weight loss or exercise, but it's just too hot, so the best I can do is not take in too many calories during the day, since chances are pretty good I won't be doing a lot to burn them off for a while yet.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 15 Aug 10 - 10:29 PM

De-cluttered a bit in the yard.

I removed the plastic that has been cooking the front flower bed for a number of weeks. I moved all the compost (it is now thoroughly decomposed) to the front flower bed and covered it with a layer of paper and cardboard, which is now soaking under a sprinkler. Eventually it will be covered with the pine needle mulch.

Here is today's little oil painting:

Garden Deck Wall


Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Aug 10 - 11:35 PM

A lot of "stuff" mentions in my last message. Gotta proof-read better.

Alice, I have a little pen and water-color cartoon that was in my Dad's house. He collected erotic art and it's a lovely little piece with a few lines. I'd scan it except I don't think photobucket would allow it. I wonder if I could put it in my picasa photos? See if this stays put: La Novia Del Pirata. In a few lines, it tells an entire story, doesn't it? (A rather saucy story, mind you, but a story none-the-less!)

Meanwhile, in the other end of the house, the guys seem to be enjoying themselves and are going back and forth between playing a game, working on the computer, and downloading songs that the visiting friend doesn't have in his mp3 player. I hope when they get together over the holidays that they have a lot to share and don't find themselves drifting apart. I can't say that I had many close friends in high school, so there wasn't a real test of friendships. I did end up going to college with a few of them, though, and we got to know each other much better there.

Back to Photoshop. Even just using keystrokes instead of the mouse, it's slow going, depending on the lighting in each room we took the photos in.

Oh - in the declutter category, I swept and mopped the kitchen (I had to trim the new mop sponge so it would fit the old holder - isn't that always the case? They don't keep getting the same sizes and if you're not resourceful you end up buying a new handle). The fridge is looking clearer, and I'll put a couple of cans at the curb tonight for tomorrow's trash pickup. I also have to deliver a big bag of recyclables.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 16 Aug 10 - 04:59 AM

SRS, Cute cartoon. Does the title mean "The Pirate's wife"? Well done making the mop fit. You're making such steady progress, you're an inspiration. So many things we do seem small tasks by themselves but when you look at a list of all that you do in a day, it's quite an accomplishment. Were you able to get a nap? Did you find time to mow the lawn when it was cooler? I used to mow mine after dark (there's a street lamp nearby).

Kat, you were lucky to have a paintable wall under the panelling. The wall under mine isn't finished at all. Added to that, my husband drove nails into it in many places to hang frames containing his prize ribbons. Before I can sell this house the panelling and the sheetroc under it will have to be torn out and replaced by someone who is good at working with sheetroc. The orchard ride must have been lovely. Morgan looks as if he enjoyed spending time with the horses. The kitchen must look so much better with the fridge and the mop holder in different places. Three cheer to Rog for helping so much with the project.

LTS, were you able to get out with the new camera? What sort of camera did you get?

Catherine Jayne, congratulations on the weight loss!

Michelle, Where do you get all the energy? What a lot to get done in one day!

Alice, I love the "Garden Deck Wall" painting. It's very lovely. It would be a good subject for a much larger painting someday.

Saturday, my birthday present from my son was a Birch tree pruning. I didn't feel like making a dump run on my birthday so I waited until this afternoon to load the Birch trunk and branches on top of my car. By the time I finally got that done and fastened down, the transfer station and dump were closing, there was no way that I could make it to either one of them in time. It's all ready to go first thing tomorrow. I cut back my white mallow stalks as it was mostly in seed already. Now my orange lilies are more visible. I also dusted and put away my birthday presents and tidied up some things

Monday, after visiting the community compost with the Birch cuttings, I must pick up my photos at the fairgrounds, bring them home, try to get them off the foam core boards and back into my album.

It's supposed to be 32ºC in the afternoon. We don't have air conditioners in our homes so I'm planning to pick up a couple of friends to go cool off in the river.

When I was at the river on Saturday evening three children had found an interesting way to have a lot of muddy fun. http://www.flickr.com/photos/diffuse/4893510114/. They cleaned up quickly by swimming in the river.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: mouldy
Date: 16 Aug 10 - 06:43 AM

Try this link. This is how it appears on the email they provide.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=16986

Good luck!

Andrea

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: gnu
Date: 16 Aug 10 - 02:01 PM

Great pic rags! As usual.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: maire-aine
Date: 16 Aug 10 - 02:43 PM

The temp and esp. the humidity are down a bit today, so I got some yard work done. Mowed the side yard and half of the back; may finish the rest when it's come around into the shade. Cut back/dug up some stray branches of my forsythia bush. Also moved a couple of plants in the sunny flower garden.

Took the comforter from my bedroom to the laundry (too big for my washing machine). It isn't too dirty, just needs to be freshened up.

Rags, your lilies are beautiful.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 16 Aug 10 - 03:21 PM

Beautiful tiger lilies, rags!!!

A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Aug 10 - 04:16 PM

I agree, beautiful, rags! Good luck with that wall, if and when.:-)

Everyone seems to be moving along nicely, a little here and a little there. Morgan called me last night to let me know he was folding his new school clothes. He said since he was going into first grade, he thought he ought to start doing his own laundry! we did a little review of writing letters and adding in his head. He's ready as can be. we were going to go swimming but his dad got off early due to huge thunder and rainstorms. The rain isn't constant, but it was a gully washer earlier and the lightening was too close. Pool isn't open, anyway..too close for comfort.

So...(pats self on back) I have finally printed out the letters and excerpts from my novel for the agents I'd picked out to query and have them ready in envelopes, ready to be mailed on Friday (payday>;).

Alice, everyday you are creating such beauty.

Andrea, still can't get the facebook piccy to work.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 16 Aug 10 - 07:04 PM

Kat, having it all ready to mail is a great success! Yay!

Not much energy to work on transplanting, but I hope to gradually get iris and tulips moved into that front flower bed.

Here is the painting created today.

Montana Apricots


Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 16 Aug 10 - 11:42 PM

Andrea,
The most recent link you posted forwards me to facebook.com. The original link yields:

This content is currently unavailable

The page you requested cannot be displayed at the moment. It may be temporarily unavailable, the link you clicked on may have expired, or you may not have permission to view this page.

    * Sign up for Facebook

I don't use facebook so I don't know if links expire? Maybe you could try to make a new link for us to view if that isn't too much trouble?

Alice,
The Montana Apricots are beautiful! The reflections look so real.

I've accomplished little today. The Birch branches were dumped into the community compost bin at the transfer station near the fairgrounds where I picked up my photos and the $10 prize money (for a net loss of $6 in entry fees).

We woke today to our town covered in smoke from the forest fires burning in the region. One of the women I planned to take swimming is in her mid seventies and has a heart condition so she decided to stay indoors at home. Another friend and I went down to the river and spent a lazy afternoon in and beside the cool water at the river. A Bald Eagle passed by several times, flying low over the water. A small stag emerged from an island, walked slowly across a gravel bar and disappeared into the trees on a larger island. The only other wildlife I encountered was a small leach stuck to my ankle. Interesting to see it but I would have preferred not to see it that way.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 17 Aug 10 - 12:54 AM

Rags, the eagle and stag make up for the leech, I hope!

After I took the photo of the apricot painting, the wind picked up the little piece of canvas and dumped it wet-paint side down on the deck.
I picked out the couple of bits bits of dirt and a wood sliver from the painting, and it didn't do too much harm. My heart sank when I saw it go face down in the dirt. Worse than buttered toast on the floor.

I hope the smoke clears for you. We have the smell of forest fire in the air here, but I have not heard of any specific fire spot.


A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Aug 10 - 12:58 AM

Oh - I hope the painting dries free of debris!

Long busy day here. Shopping for the last batch of computer stuff. I think we still forgot to get speakers. I think the monitor has some built in, though.

Oh, that sketch I posted, the "novia" is essentially "mistress" or "girlfriend," not wife.

It's still hot, and the threatening rain only brings humidity, no relief.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 17 Aug 10 - 01:08 AM

Just felt a bit of an earthquake tremor as the house popped and cracked.

Looked it up on USGS and there was a 4.3 that just happened south of us at Jackson, Wyoming.

Not really de-cluttering topic, but I do think about stuff on shelves that would come down if we get a big enough quake. Most of it is not breakable, but I may move a few old cameras to a more stable spot.


Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: mouldy
Date: 17 Aug 10 - 06:26 AM

Have put the pics on Flikr   

Try this - http://www.flickr.com/photos/53077050@N07/ as that's my page, and they are the only thing on there.

Alice - we very rarely get earthquakes here, but we had one a couple of years ago (I was out of the country) that rattled quite a lot, apparently. Quite often, people sleep through them!

Just waiting for the first of 2 agents coming today - he's running late, apparently. At least I am being graced with the area manager!

Andrea

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: maeve
Date: 17 Aug 10 - 07:20 AM

Andrea's Flickr link

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 17 Aug 10 - 01:10 PM

Andrea, I love that old claw foot tub and pedestal sink!
Great before and after photos.

I live close to Yellowstone, so I keep an eye on the USGS earthquake site. When we get swarms of Yellowstone quakes I keep track. But, we are so close, when the caldera blows up, so will we.

Not sure if I will get a painting done today. My son Ryan and I are going to take down the storm windows today so I can sand, prime and paint them.


Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Aug 10 - 01:50 PM

What a kitchen! That's a real eye-popper.

Cleaning house, laundry, garden watering, mowing. I'm bushed! Getting ready for do-it-yourself open heart surgery.

Alice, it hasn't been a great year for you up there, has it? I hope the pluses of living their outweigh all of the trauma to your garden and short summer!

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 17 Aug 10 - 02:22 PM

Looking at the veg garden today, I can see that all I will be able to harvest is potatoes, some beans, some peas, a few baby carrots.
Everything else was set back so much by hail storms and cold temps that I won't even get one zucchini! Now that's a first for zucchini, usually something TOO prolific.


Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Aug 10 - 02:54 PM

SRS, I don't recommend the heart surgery!**bg**

Andrea, I WANT your bathtub! Just like the one I grew up with at mom and dad's. You have done a lot of work. I also love the cat...a real focal point, for me, for that photo. Oh, and the decor of the newly opened stairway is beautiful...very peaceful and leads the eye well.

I don't have Morgan, today, but did take him to a couple of nearby stores looking for smallish mirrors for some feng shui stuff. Didn't find them, will have to drive into the "metropolis" which I just didn't feel like doing, so kept him through lunch, then sent him home. I had a weird-ish encounter with a new neighbour yesterday and I think my being uncomfortable about it and fretting over it sapped my energy. I am giving myself permission to take the afternoon off and shall lie down, read a book, just be lazy. But this evening, I plan to do my qi gong.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: mouldy
Date: 17 Aug 10 - 04:05 PM

Ah, folks - the tub is from pure modern resin! It is actually corner shaped at the other side, and designed to thus fit in a small space and have a shower safely over it!

The kitchen IS big, but I am now having to keep everything permanently tidy, which ain't in my nature! " agents today, and 2 wildly different valuations, £45k apart! #3 comes on Thursday afternoon, so let's see what they say.

One agent this afternoon said that it was just as it needed to be to market it. That was the point of all the work!

Andrea

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 17 Aug 10 - 06:58 PM

I discovered this Sunday night, but somehow managed to block it from my memory yesterday until I entered the bedroom again last night: http://www.flickr.com/photos/diffuse/4902794994/. There is a single wooden rod that runs the entire length of the closet (about 8 feet). The plastic rod holder at my end broke off around the screw that was holding it. I don't know which item was the last straw, but Mr. ragdall and I are both guilty of keeping far too many articles hanging there. Before I went to bed Monday night I installed a new rod holder, drilled a new hole for the centre support, which was ripped from the wall when the overburdened rod fell, rehung the rod and far too many clothes. Closet weeding is somewhere on that very long "to do" list. I think it will need to bump its way up nearer the top.

I've been lazy today, have been doing updates and maintenance on a couple of group websites I created. I scanned a photo of the overhead ladder set that I made for my children 30+ years ago. http://www.flickr.com/photos/diffuse/4893563786/ Looking at the scan has been motivating me to get back to finishing the one in progress, but I shouldn't work outside today because of the smoke.

I may try putting some of my photo display images into the freezer for a few minutes then using dental floss to remove the double-sided tape from the backs of them and their mounting boards. I wonder if it will work?

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 17 Aug 10 - 09:05 PM

rags, we called those "monkey bars" when we were kids.
I remember one built by an uncle we visited in northern California when I was about 7 years old. He had carved or wood-burned the names of his grand kids into the wood of the monkey bars set up under a walnut tree. It was all very intriguing to me, as we didn't have walnut trees in Montana, and to have your very own monkey bars seemed like a fantastic luxury!

Ryan did get most of the storm windows down today, but the ladder is broken, so must find another one to finish.

The painting of the day is

Mountain Ash Berries


Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Aug 10 - 09:35 PM

Mountain Ash/Rowan trees are some of my favourites, Alice. Lovely painting. I love it when they turn completely red..so cheery.

I had a bit of a meltdown this afternoon...anxiety like I haven't had in some months. I am okay, now, but I sure needed to get some things off my chest, so to speak. Thank goodness Rog didn't mind listening to me.

I did declutter my email by over 1,000 old emails from various political and other orgs. So many of them are doom and gloom, fear-mongering, just as the opposite side has been famous for...makes me think about unsubscribing, but I do like to sign the petitions and know what is going on, so probably will just be more diligent about deleting once I've read them.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: maire-aine
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 01:24 AM

I know what you mean about doom & gloom emails, Kat. I set up a separate email just for the political stuff. I only open it once a week or so, and only keep the stuff I really want. Everything else is "delete after reading". Keeps it from intruding on my "normal (?)" life.

M

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: mouldy
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 03:44 AM

I haven't gone as far as "delete after reading", but all read mails are hidden from view each time I open up the mail program. I haven't been doing it long, but it's nice to have a relatively clean page looking back at me each time.

I've just bought a miniature Rowan for the bed opposite my side window in the kitchen, along with a really dwarf Yew, which will get no more than 2 feet high, if the ticket is to be believed. I already have an Irish yew there in a large pot. I used to have a magnificent Rowan tree, but it had to come down to make way for an extension, many years ago. The berries made a marvellous jelly, for use with meats.

Hope you are feeling much more yourself today, Kat.

Andrea

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 05:38 AM

Alice, today's picture is another beauty! Well done getting most of the storm windows down. I hope that another ladder will be easily found.

Kat, Well done cleaning up the old emails. I hope that downloading your concerns to Roger will help to keep the anxiety at bay.

The dental floss worked well to remove my pictures from the double sided tape on the mounting/backing foam core boards. I found that the freezer wasn't helpful. The tape releases better when warm. Waxed floss worked better than unwaxed and was easier on my hands when pulling it.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 10:53 AM

Thanks, my friends. I feel better this morning. I was able to do the more vigorous qi gong routine last night which ends with a wonderful centering movement. That helped a lot, too.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 01:42 PM

Borrowed a ladder and a pad sander.

The forecast is for possible severe winds and hail this afternoon.
sigh



A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 01:45 PM

Same qi gong this late morning as last night. It is getting easier, but enough that I can still feel the pull in my legs, back, and feet. That's good!

I also woke to four freshly picked tomatoes and six cucumbers which my first ex dropped by in the wee hours of the morning. I will make a cucumber salad with vinegar, water and onions...then feast on those for the next few days. Yum!

Rags, I've never heard of the trick with floss; do you use it to scrape very hard across the surface? Seems ingenious!

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: maire-aine
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 06:21 PM

Pulled out the sewing machine & did all of the mending. That gets rid of a pile in the bedroom, plus it give me some more clothes to wear. Also did more laundry. Cooked up a bunch of vegetables & froze most of them.

I guess I must be chasing away all of my neighbors-- now the houses on both sides, and behind me, are all up for sale. The folks across the back are moving out of state, and the folks on my left just had their 3rd child and are looking for more room. I don't know what's going on with the house on my right. Maybe it's just the economy.

M

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 06:43 PM

Can't remember what sort of camera, but it's digital, Fujifilm and has a 18X zoom on it. It also doesn't leech the blue out of the pictures so of the couple dozen I've taken with it so far (mostly indoors, of cats or general clutter) some have been stunning. I will post them one day when I get to the computer downstairs and remember... they're all on there.

Decluttered colon today.... and not in a good way. Have given up sleep for Ramadan I think.

LTS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 08:35 PM

Painting of the day done:


Pasture Tree

You can click on the image to see more detail.

Not much else accomplished except I got a gallon of primer for painting the storm windows and trim.

A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 03:01 AM

Checking in, I've been away from the computer. Saw some amazing rain storms today. No de-cluttering at all.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: mouldy
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 04:39 AM

Wow, Alice, it's the first real chance I've had to look at your paintings - how you can accomplish them in a day beats me! I speak as someone who can draw a (little) bit, but who is totally ham-fisted with paint and used to have a tendency to overwork things. (And that after 4 years at art school!)

There's a lovely airiness to them, and great subtlety of colour.

Seeing work like this always makes me want to try again, but it somehow never happens!

Andrea

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 11:30 AM

Andrea, just work on a very small canvas, and it doesn't take too long.

Well, not sure if i will get a painting done today as I should take advantage of dry weather and sand and prime windows instead.

A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 11:31 AM

Body combat and body pump classes this morning...did spinning yesterday. Decorated the fruit cake I baked yesterday for Paul's aunts birthday tomorrow, have put photos up on my facebook page, will post a link here when I get them on flickr.

Going shopping on Sunday with a good friend. It'll be the last girly day we have before I start my new job on the 21st. I've got to buy some smart work clothes. Having been at home for 3 years with the kids I don't have anything suitable....got one suit! The rest were sent to the charity shop as they were far too big.

Picked lots of blackberries with the kids this afternoon too. There are enough to make some jam and a blackberry and apple pie...or crumble depending on if it's me or Paul making it!

Harvested more courgettes this morning. We have loads and have been giving them away to people! Beans are looking good and I'm just about to take Harry out to pick some spinach for dinner.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: mouldy
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 12:20 PM

Been and done it....the house is on the market, and the photos are being taken tomorrow morning. This before I drag bags etc out and get packing for Whitby Folk Week; also before 2 daughters, one partner, and a grandchild descend on me for the night, prior to us all setting off.

I had a female agent round today who actually took notes, asked lots of questions, and talked sensibly. She wanted to market it just a little higher than the lower price I'd been given, so I talked her up a little bit, but still keeping it below the threshold for the increase in stamp duty. This gives me more flexibility for bargaining.

OOh! Scary! When I get back from Whitby there will be a sale board outside it!

Andrea

....and Bill Sables phoned me today...the bugger's given me an irresistible price on a very pretty 1926 Gretch tenor banjo which I have fancied for ages. I can't play it, but it is a very "girly" banjo with pretty coloured mother of pearl flowers up its cream mother of pearl neck. I always said I'd buy it if I could learn to play one! So it looks like I have another task in hand!

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 12:43 PM

Andrea, say hi to Bill for me.

Having a new instrument to learn... best... task... EVER!


Alice in Montana

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 07:42 PM

Well, I did get a painting created today:


Birdhouse Under The Eaves


I sanded and scraped a couple of the most weathered windows.
More work yet to do.


Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 09:41 PM

Alice, The birdhouse is beautiful. It's another in my favourites of your paintings.

Andrea, good luck with the house sale and with learning the banjo.

Kat, I used pieces of double-sided tape to attach my 8x10 photos to 10x12 black foam core boards for mounting in a display. I cut a piece of waxed dental floss about 18" long, gently lifted one corner of a photo from the foam core, slipped the floss under then gently, but firmly, pulled the floss farther and farther under the photo until it either dislodged the photo from the tape or the tape from the foam core. When the photo and the foam core were separate, I carefully peeled pieces of tape off the back of the photo or the foam core, whichever they were stuck to.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 10:02 PM

Smoke from the many forest fires burning around us is still making it difficult to breathe so I'm mostly obeying the warnings for elderly to stay indoors and avoid strenuous activities. We were hoping that a change in weather and wind would clear our air but lightning started more fires and the wind seems to be bringing more smoke and ash into town.

When I went out for groceries, Wednesday, I took along my camera and snapped a few images. I also shed a little weight by donating blood. Unfortunately, my body soon replaced the fluid so the effect was short lived.

I spent several hours today looking at computers and Internet options with a friend who would like to start using both. Now I keep thinking of further questions that we should have asked to determine what additional charges and expenses she may be surprised with after she signs an agreement. Looking for that information on the local Internet provider's website and trying to contact then by phone are major exercises in frustration.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 10:24 PM

Good smoke photos, rags.
I can almost smell it in the air, just looking at them!

We've been spared by big forest fires so far this year.

Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: GUEST, Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 11:43 PM

De-cluttered a few storage containers from a dorm room. Kid spending the night there, trying to connect computer, and is supposed to call in the morning to let me know if he needs anything more.

Truck is looking tidier now. SRS is looking tireder now . . .

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 11:53 PM

Hope you get a good night's sleep, SRS!

Thanks for explaining, rags. Ingenious! Your photos are very dramatic and well-done. I always cry when I see fire photos, esp. out in nature.

qi gong - 26 minutes - vigorous style

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: mouldy
Date: 20 Aug 10 - 07:05 AM

Packing for Whitby...photos of house all taken...got a headache...

The trick is how to leave the house in a fit state for viewers when all bedrooms are in use tonight, and we are making an early start!

Andrea

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 20 Aug 10 - 07:28 PM

Painting created today:

The Old Birdhouse


Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Aug 10 - 12:20 AM

Andrea and Alice, glad you both got something done today! All I did was empty our back account and then spend a bit more. It was a fun day, but hard on the checkbook.

Morgan woke me at 7a to ask if he could come over as his dad got called to work. My dau. brought him over along with three full bags of paperbacks to take to the used bookstore after I look through them. More clutter, yea! M was a trooper while I paid bills, even caught me for a waltz which he'd set on auto play on the electronic keyboard. It was a really special moment, esp. as I was able to keep up with him. We took his mom to lunch, ate it at a picnic table near her office, then we went shopping. I got a feng shui mirror for the front door to "repel" negative energies (pesky neighbours) AND even got the screw for it in the door all by myself which would not have been possible even a few months back. Just didn't have the oomph. Funny how small things can feel like such an accomplishment. Came home just in time for his dad to show up to take him home.

Picked Morgan up at 430p, went out to get envelopes for a SASE in one of the queries going out tomorrow, finally, to the lit. agent, and stopped at the POB. By the time I got home it was 530p and I was tired.

Rog and I have big plans for tomorrow; lots of errands and cleaning up some stuff in the front yard as well as put clean clothes away and do the dishes.

Andrea, I am sure you will all do fine when you wake up and put the house to rights. Have fun at Whitby!

Alice, I love the shadows. At first I thought some were tendrils of ribbons until I looked at the larger images. The grass shadow was esp. neat.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: GUEST, Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Aug 10 - 01:46 AM

Managed to get through the day with only a few private tears. Heck, he's just going to college, he's not going to war! Perspective is everything.

De-cluttered my friend's computer of a lot of annoying toolbars that had managed to insert themselves into her browsers. Fixed the settings on Word so she can find the formatting tools she actually uses in the place she expects to find them. Sounds small, but if you're working and everything is a jumble, it's annoying.

Kid got his computer running online after I took my laptop with me to meet him for lunch. After our pasta we went to Barnes and Noble where he logged on and finished the required setup and is happily facebooking and whatever. For the second time this month, Mom was collateral damage after he left his facebook logon info on someone else's computer and they thought it would be funny to change things like his dating preferences. I love him whatever, but I don't want to learn stuff like this on facebook! (The young women at U of AZ are in luck!) It sounds like his roommate came about the same distance he did (delivered by his parents from near San Francisco) and is a violinist. He also discovered the walls are thin and the doors are like paper. Conversations heard all around. It'll be different!

Nevada Barr will keep me company tomorrow.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 21 Aug 10 - 03:42 AM

Managed to shift a few redundant storage boxes, but acquired more fabric stash so that was a bit of a wasted effort. I hope to get more done but have been settling in a new kitty that we have on long loan. He belongs to Lady P, who is moving and hasn't actually got a permanent place to go yet. If she finds a suitable place that will allow kitties, he'll go back, but in the meantime, I have a delightful new tabby breezeblock (cinderblock?) to rub against me. I had just got used to not finding tabby hairs after Shadow's departure last year.... He's settling in reasonably well, hasn't peed anywhere he ought not to, and is doing all the things a cat usually does... mostly sleeping.

Anyway... a sinus infection has made me miserable (and look like a racoon on steroids) so the accountability has gone for a burton again. Ho hum.

Good luck to various house sales, painting projects and so on... you truly are an inspiration!

LTS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 21 Aug 10 - 08:40 AM

I'm trying to be patient waiting for the smoke to clear so I can catch up with outdoor projects. The prediction is the smoke will be with us at least another week. :-(

I've copied my 2010 photo files from January to July to an external hard drive, goodness knows, it would be a tragedy to lose any of the gazillions of them.

Thanks to my organized filing system and reluctance to part with anything, I managed to find the receipt for an air purifier that I purchased in September 2008 and never used. The air purifier will be returned to the shop where I bought it in hopes they can show me how to open it to "take the plastic bag off the filter before use". The mythical "finger grips" used for opening are nowhere to be found on it.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Aug 10 - 06:16 PM

I'm back. I'll go back and read the last week's posts later, I've logged on to get a few things taken care of, but the truck lag is catching up with me (I drove late last night and was up before dawn today to finish the drive before it got super hot). Arizona may have higher temps, but the humidity here makes ours more miserable.

Drive went well both ways. Son is installed in his dorm. He needs to unwind from the defensive 18-year-old who barely talks to Mom (they all go through this, but knowing that doesn't make it any easier). We hit an accord on the second day, when he drove for a while. High speeds on highways aren't something he's used to, so he didn't drive long, but he got a feel for it. Because you can't listen to earphones when you drive he used my little broadcast thing attached to his mp3 player to run his music through the truck radio. After I started driving I had him keep playing his music that way and I really enjoyed it. I think it was easier for both of us after that.

He's so ready to be independent, he can taste it, so it was a challenge to be sure he had everything he needed and to negotiate a few of the things I thought he should have that he didn't want to fool with (furnishings, etc.)

My house is a mess after the departure on Tuesday, so I'll be doing laundry and picking up. And his room will still look like his room but be a lot cleaner when he comes home over the holiday break.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 22 Aug 10 - 07:14 PM

Took my first break from the painting-a-day project to work outside this weekend.

De-cluttered garden and started new compost heap.
Moved pine needle mulch to front flower garden.


A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Aug 10 - 08:21 PM

Rog, Morgan and I worked on neatening up our front yard this morning. It was really fun. Rog helped me cut back the main patch of yarrow, then weed whacked in back, on the side and along the front by the road. About that time, Morgan showed up, cut back the other patch of yarrow and told me we really ought to bind them up in a bunch and dry them all, so we did. It's a huge bundle! He also helped me get everything off of the front stoop after Rog dumped a couple of pots of straggly annuals and I hosed the whole thing down as well as the sidewalk to the driveway. It looks a lot better out there, more welcoming. We've had a lovely, steady rain all afternoon, so Nature is doing its bit to help clean up, too, refreshing all of the leaves, washing the dust off. It's a day to be gratefull and I am.:-)

SRS, glad you are back safely. That barely speaking to mom thing is, I believe, one way they cope with leaving...helps them not to break down and get all "emotional" about being on their own for the first time. My daughter was that way, then picked a fight just before she moved out the first time.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 22 Aug 10 - 08:33 PM

I remember that teenage independent separation time.
It was hard to forever lose my little buddy.
I was told at the time by another mom that the closer kids are to mom, the more distance they put up in that first teen/leaving separation stage.


Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Aug 10 - 09:52 PM

No, it isn't a "not break down" thing, it's a teenager who thinks many grownups can be annoying and dense (as smart as he is, you'd think he knows better). This tends to clear as they get older and we get smarter again. :-) I believe 18 is when they perceive a low point in parental intelligence in comparison to their own.

I'm glad I've taken tomorrow off also. A good night's sleep in my own bed and on a regular schedule will help get re-oriented in the fairly empty house.

I just heard an item on the radio about metal allergies and how it is very hard on people's finger-tips. That describes me precisely. Chrome and nickel are big culprits. I'll have to see what all metal I'm handling. It got a lot worse this week, and I did handle a lot of coins, but also my keys, what else?

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Aug 10 - 11:39 PM

Ah, yes, I was forgetting the "old fogies don't know anything" and "we young'uns are brilliant." It's good for their confidence, at least.**bg**

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 22 Aug 10 - 11:52 PM

SRS,
I'm glad that you made it home safely.

Depositing a wannabe independent teen at college far away can leave a mom with mixed feelings. I found it was a relief when the first one left. -- No more struggles about how to do things. When the last one left, I felt very sad and empty until I went for a visit a couple of months later, saw his dorm room was a mess, just as his room at home had always been, and knew that not only would he be okay without me, I was glad to be free of the mess.   

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Aug 10 - 11:32 AM

His room here is a mess and will be a major de-clutter project this fall. I told him I'll make a point of boxing papers and items that look like they belong to something, but since he was in charge of cleaning his room, he never did it. Sheets are off, I'll also wash the mattress pad and the bedding so it's ready for the next visit. After that, I'll work my way through stuff and toss, file, put away, or rearrange.

He has an institutional folding table (3' x 6') that I gave him to use for all of his computer and gaming stuff. I'm going to clear that table and use it as my sewing table in the room next door that was his sister's room and is now my sewing room and guest room. His old computer will go on a smaller desk.

Supposed to hit 105 today. I may be bringing the dogs in for a while, though it's hard on them to be in too cool an environment then go back out in the heat again. I may have to leave the house pretty warm, just not was warm as outside.

The good news yesterday is that our NetFlix account will accommodate his being two states away. Since I pay for two DVDs at a time, it means two of us can simultaneously stream movies or programs from their site. He has his Wii and XBox360 and both of those will connect to NetFlix. Perhaps he and his roommate will find films or old programs they enjoy in common. As the parent with the lower income, it is valuable to me to be able to extend these kinds of perks without any additional expense. :)

Sorry to run long - I'll shift into a more economical reporting once the novelty of the empty house wears off. Sinuses are feeling a little touchy, the climate shift is probably responsible. Time for a decongestant and allergy tab and then address the dust.

Kat, I love your rain. Send some this way, please! I couldn't get those storms from West Texas to follow me.

I'm off to work on decluttering and eBay around here. My mess is my own, no one else to attribute it to. Must move forward.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Aug 10 - 12:24 PM

Nice pix, SRS, though I agree about the toilet seat! Yikes! Long, straight roads...how did you stay awake?! I just cannot do long trips any more without falling asleep, riding or driving. Wish some of that rain had come home with you.

Lots of mixed feelings here, today. I dropped off Morgan for first grade this morning. He was grumpy when he got here. His mom had to hurry to get to work early as she was opening the office, today. He apparently argued with her about everything this morning and was a slow poke. By the time I was done with him, though, he had a big grin on his face and so eager to go to school he wanted to leave 45 minutes early for a two minute trip. When we got there, his teacher was at the curb and his kindergarten teacher was up a ways and gave him a big hug. I was okay with letting him go, but oh my heart feels tender for him as he has no clue as to how really long the day is. They get dropped off anytime between 810-830a when the bell rings and are not let out until 350p. After only half days and lunch at my house most days, I think it may be a hard adjustment for him, BUT that could just be the grandma in me worrying a bit. I know he is young and FULL of energy, so maybe he won't notice too much.:-) I probably won't have him after school as his dad is usually off work by then.

I did come home with an "oh boy, lots to do and I *feel* like doing it" feeling, so have done the dishes and a load of wash. My house smells musty/dirty, so I plan to scrub the bathroom, too, then see if I might do a bit of sweeping and mopping. I think I am going to have lots more energy, myself, to do my own things, now; more than I realised was being diverted to Morgan. Won't that surprise Rog when he gets home.

It was wonderful to step out onto the front stoop and see a nice, neat yard in front of me and to each side. I love it when the evidence is so obvious.:-)

Oh, did declutter three bags of books on Sat. to the bookstore. Only came back with five they didn't want which I listed on paperbackswap.com and only bought one which I will pass on to my sisters.

Now to work! SRS, take it easy on yourself, esp. in that heat.

kat

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Aug 10 - 03:05 PM

Kat, it seems like yesterday that I was taking my kiddos to kindergarten. We didn't have any tears, it was something we were all looking forward to. And ironically, the departure for college had many of the same characteristics. Any tears were probably mine, shed briefly because of the long distance and separation over time from this child. But it's temporary and he's out doing what he needs to do. Morgan will get the hang of those long days quickly enough.

I remember my son's first day of the first year he attended College for Kids, when he was nine. Both my kids attended each summer--it was set up at the local community college for talented and gifted kids (they had to have a report card and teacher recommendation to get in). There were four 1 hour classes in the morning and again in the afternoon. Kids could go half day or all day, and they had to take a lunch and pace themselves between classes. The college had volunteers to help the kids (there were regular courses going on also and they helped keep the kids on track). The first day my son hadn't quite understood the whole thing and he got really hot and tired. He came home and put himself to bed as soon as he walked in the door, and I thought he might declare he wasn't going back. But the next day, after a long afternoon and night's sleep, he'd processed it all and went back and had a great time for the remaining three weeks.

I had my mp3 player for music when the stations were limited (I use a little thing to broadcast through the truck radio), and on the drive back I listened to most of Jack Kerouac's Big Sur. Great road book! I had a Nevada Barr mystery also, and listened to the first disk, but found it extremely grim and off-putting - it wasn't a park ranger one this time. Also, since Sprint coverage is pretty good along the interstate, on Saturday a friend here at home kept in touch - we exchanged photos and calls (his adopted son just moved out of his house, so he was also kind of blue for the day - it was a mutual distraction).

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Aug 10 - 06:55 PM

Apparently I came home from vacay to find myself in Declut Uni's post-grad course:

Packing, laundry, and new responsibilities have collided so that I am now having to sort and re-organize 3 living areas, 3 bedrooms, a full-stuffed boondocker with assorted kits on board also to wash/re-fashion..... and two new kitteh/doggeh alliances to manage via household gates and adjusted routines.

Plus the home office has been granted some new resources....


Oy! Mit strokebrain yet!

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Aug 10 - 07:18 PM

It hit 108 this afternoon here in Fort Worth, 109 in Dallas. Needless to say, my outside dogs were doing okay, but I brought them in for a few hours. They've been lying on the tile floor not doing much other than transfer heat out of their bodies.

Son is making a list of things we need to send. It begins - the care package service. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Aug 10 - 08:07 PM

You lost a son but gained a clutter recipient?

===

Oh frabjous joy-- Hardi sez we can go to all-paper bowls for daily cereal, like when we camp. (Who among us would not use paper diapers when we camp, hmmm, all you recyclers out there?) It will be a temp solution to a longterm problem as we gear our kitchen differently. Plates I do not mind washing, but the bowls are tearing up my old, rusty dishwasher racks. And the landlord cannot replace the DW on the rent we pay.

Our son and DIL do the reverse-- real bowls but paper plates. They go thru a LOT of paper!

NO styrofoam dishes, tho--- yyyccchhh!

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 23 Aug 10 - 08:09 PM

Here is the painting created today:


Birdbath



Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Aug 10 - 08:51 PM

That's very pretty, Alice. My favorites so far are the ones where you do faces, though.

What an afternoon. For the first time I heard the ex rant about the county child support office. Yes, I know they're brain dead down there. When you call the office they're non-responsive. Yup. Known that for YEARS. (And it turned out they shouldn't have been handling the payments anyway, they were supposed to have sent it to a different office in the state that handles federal employee payments. After nearly 10 years of torture they corrected it.) But the local office has to terminate the arrangement, and they didn't stop the withholding, that were deposited. So they're going to send me an overpayment notice. Oy. Somehow I knew they were going to get in one more lick, just for good measure.

Son has the wrong textbook for class, good thing I left the receipt with him. He has to exchange it and get an online book. It costs less, so we're a bit ahead on that transaction.

The dogs loved their afternoon in the house, but were happy to go out and eat on the porch, and they're out for the night. I have to run errands, and get ready to go back to work tomorrow. Today has in terms of productivity been very slow. A couple of loads of laundry, and I cleaned the hall bathroom. A nice long nap, getting caught up after the eye-straining two day drive home.

And cooking for one. Now there's a challenge.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 09:29 AM

THAW for one, cook for 9 and freeze in single portions.

===

Lot of catching up to do, folks, bear with me.

Alice-- the FACES, wow. All of the paintings, wonderful. Love the sizing. Gorgeous, evocative work. Please do not stop.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 10:36 AM

Last night - qi gong 30 minutes

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 12:05 PM

Kat, how was Morgan's first day? Did he go home full of chatter, or did he fade fast and go to bed early? The first few days of a new job (and school IS a job) are very tiring.

My hall bathroom is looking better. I've scrubbed the sink and washed the mirror, and hung up some pretty towels on the towel rod. Next I'll scrub the shower tile and the floor. I need to put tile on the floor one of these days, and I think that day is sooner rather than later now.

The kitchen is a work in progress. Lots of papers sitting around. I'm moving them over onto a little table next to my file cabinet, and I'll file it all before the bills come in. Also, I need to thin out those files, they're getting to be a bit snug. Time to move the older bank statements down below to the larger file.

I'm thawing a chicken. I bought all larger birds when my son was here, but now I'll look for the smaller ones, or at the very least I will cut them in half before I freeze them. A whole bird is going to mean a lot of meals with chicken this week. On the other hand, I'm also drawing down stuff in the freezer that are favorites for all of us. I had some nice wild salmon, for example. What I can do now is find the sales and freeze a few portions at a time, keeping in mind that when he comes home he'll be able to enjoy those also.

Buying portions for one is the most expensive way to do it, so I won't try. We did tend to eat on impulse, and that is more expensive. My cooking and eating is far more wide-reaching than my son's picky palette, so now I can cook a lot of things that I didn't make often because he wouldn't eat them.

On another note, I'm trying to pay attention to what I touch around the house. After hearing that story about people being allergic to metal and getting the dry cracked fingertips like I have, this sounds closest to my symptoms. People who handle coins (making change) are one of the groups who get this. I don't handle that much change, but what else metal do I touch?

Susan, how long were you away, and how long will it take to get unpacked and re-organized? And for the kitchen, have you thought about asking to buy a new dishwasher and have a little deducted off of the rent each month to help cover the cost? I think that's what happened with the stove that's in my house. When it was a rental, the old stove died so they negotiated with the owner and were able to take a few dollars off for several months. (I found the family that had lived in this house for 10 years before it was put on the market. That helped a lot in making an accurate bid.)

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 12:13 PM

SRS, we were away almost 4 weeks.

The landlord is a friend. The low rent we enjoy does not allow any wiggle room; we made a deal after the housefire (2000) to keep the low rent and fund appliance maintenance ourselves. (No victims here-- good deal all around.)

We're looking into biodegradable bowls made from sugarcane fiber.

Today I unloaded several more items from the van that need their contents cleaned and reorganized. I also disassemmbled a favorite sleeveless blouse in hopes of finding someone to make a copy and a pattern I can work from here with hand-sewing. It has the yoke and armholes that FIT, so I want to run up a pile of seersucker (and FLANNEL, yum) nighties from it, and more blouses.

~S~

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 12:31 PM

#2250 here is what I am going for: http://www.grandmashouse.ws/patterns/LadiesPlus.html

The sleeveless plaid one in the picture-- anyone want to work with me on this for a coupla bucks?

So far my plan is to purchase a pattern to guide me thru the steps, but make my own pattern from my old blouse which TBTG survived years of bleach and chlorine-pool swimming, being laid over dirty picnic tables to dry, being hung from bike racks to dry, being spread on the van's bug-splattered hood to dry.... and being stuffed into numerous bags still damp. Hated to cut it up, but decided to do that before it fell completely apart-- it has just enough body left in the fabric to lay it out to copy for a pattern.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 12:53 PM

A big project finished yesterday, as it was finally shipped to New York. A commissioned oil painting I created a few weeks ago similar to one I did years past:

Blackie & Pete in the Montana Rimrocks

The above jpeg doesn't show detail but you get the idea.


It's on its way to a new home by FedEx. (Big sigh of relief that it's done and shipped). The buyer commissioned it as a gift for her husband who has a little black dog that he loves very much. She found my web site of art, and saw the image of the first painting on aliceflynn.com. Her name is also Alice Flynn!


Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 01:16 PM

Here is a detail of Blackie & Pete.


A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 02:43 PM

Congratulations, Alice!! That's one of my favs. of yours. Neat sharing of names, too.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 04:42 PM

You do really nice work, Alice. Do you build your own frames and stretch the canvas and whatever?

The front room is looking a little better. I arranged some spare bed pillows that are in there to be used with the futon, put a crocheted throw from a friend over the back of that futon (in it's couch position), and took a few things out that don't really need to be in there. I have to find homes for some items, and again, figure out which ones to sell and decide the best method.

Work this week at work will pick up the pace, because the semester starts on Thursday. That's always exciting. Just don't try to get anywhere on time if you're going to campus. :) I can't believe I don't have to fool with the local school district. It's kind of strange. After 16 years, no more 8:20am school bus, etc.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 08:51 PM

Mowed the lawn and created the painting of the day:



The Station Master


I used to stretch my own canvases, but it was more work than necessary, as there are archival pre-stretched canvases on the market
in just about any size you'd want.

These very small ones are on primed artist canvas mounted on a thin piece of wood backing cut to the size of the canvas.

Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: gnu
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 08:55 PM

Cool stuff, Alice.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 09:44 PM

thanks, all, for viewing.

A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 12:17 AM

The mound of laundry in the living room is finally folded and put away. Many of the dishes are done, a few await in the sink for tomorrow. I have cleared some but not all of the papers on the table in the kitchen and the little table next to my file. More for tomorrow.

I keep stumbling across things that go to the computer my son built. Some he may need, so they're going in a pile for a box to go out one of these days. He finally has the operating system he wanted, and he's doing the troubleshooting with the setup now. When you buy a computer from a manufacturer, they've done all of that. He built this one, so he's struggling to get some things to display or work properly. It's good experience!

A smallish load of laundry goes in this evening. I'll be cleaning and washing and sorting for a while.

I picked out another item for eBay, it's a British knife my father picked up in Burma during WWII. It could be worth $30 or $300. I've found a place to poke around to find more information, but it is a totally disorganized forum. I'm making notes about what it is and what it isn't (it ISN'T a Bowie knife, for example, it doesn't have the correct point. It is a Sheffield steel blade that has a "drop point" and various good stamps to make it interesting. It scares me to have the thing in the house. It's beautiful in it's craftsmanship, but it is a heavy-duty hunting knife.

Our high today was 93 and we had some rain. What a great follow-up to yesterday's horrible hot day. I'm looking forward to the rest of the week being more comfortable.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 12:23 AM

I did some more laundry, today. Also, posted to the good day thread, but thought I'd share it here, too: had a great six month check-up with the kidney specialist. He's very happy with my blood work numbers and the fact that I've lost 10 pounds since seeing him last Feb. Considering all of the stuff I've been through since then, I am okay with that, too, though I wish it had been more. Still over two years it's about forty pounds and I can really feel the difference and am eager to feel even more as I continue to lose.

Also, love it.:-)

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 01:11 AM

That's good news, Kat!

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 02:29 AM

I went a couple of rounds on the phone with Fair Pharmacare, the government department that pays some prescription costs for seniors. After my husband's heart procedure in June he was put on some very expensive, very necessary medication. We've spent much more than our deductible for this year already but the government coverage hasn't kicked in.

Apparently my husband picked up two prescription for the same heart medication without waiting long enough between the two. This is the first time we were made aware of this rule, which is not in the literature which we were sent at the time we registered. The rule came into being after we were accepted into this program. Also some of the medications my husband and I use are not eligible unless our doctors submit a special authorization form.

The sadist I spoke with in the first round told me that I must collect all our prescription bottles and boxes, write down the product code number of each and call back so she could tell me which ones are not covered and why. When I called back the woman I spoke with didn't need the numbers at all, (what a waste of our time!). She was very kind and helpful, telling us exactly which ones we needed to get the doctors to authorize. She also informed us that we can't recover any money we already lost.

I wonder how many other seniors are spending buckets of money needlessly because they are not aware and neither their doctors nor their pharmacists, who all must know about these things, bother to take the necessary steps or to inform them? I'm doing my best to wean off my blood pressure medication now so I can at least save us that money.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 11:01 AM

I think the idea of weaning yourself off of blood pressure meds at any time, but particularly when you're under this stress is NOT a good idea, rags. We want you around for a lot longer posting photos of your handiwork.

Slowly making headway withe kitchen counter clutter. Filed some stuff, with more to do. Going through the ads and coupons that come via mail. Sears offers replacements energy efficient windows. I've watched them replace them on This Old House, I think I can do it myself. I need to replace the one in my bedroom first, and could use that as my test. Hmmmm. I have a dozen windows that could stand replacing, plus a sliding glass door. Not a project to take on any time soon, or at least, not all at once. To get the tax credit, though, I'd need to do it all at once.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 12:12 PM

I think the idea of weaning yourself off of blood pressure meds at any time, but particularly when you're under this stress is NOT a good idea, rags. We want you around for a lot longer posting photos of your handiwork.

I second that, very strongly! Also, I don't know if you can do this in Canada or not, but here sometimes the drug companies will help pay the cost of providing them for a much lower cost. I looked into one program for my sister in which she would pay a small amount, I think it was $10 for a prescription to be sent to her via the program when it normally would have cost her much, much more.

Alice, thanks. My last sentence in that posting was supposed to say "ALICE, love it!" (Referring to your painting.) Not sure where the "Also" came from!

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 01:55 PM

qi gong - 32 minutes - vigorous style

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 03:37 PM

kat, that's just Palin speak, you know, also, too.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: LilyFestre
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 06:55 PM

Journaling what I eat.

Around the house: Cleaned, cut up & cooked 40 pounds of Roma tomatoes from the garden, made a loaf of honey oat bread, dishes, one load of laundry, swept downstairs, mopped bathroom and hallway, dusted in the living room, tended to a health insurance snafu, cleared the table and tended to my beautiful baby boy who is teething and less than happy. More dishes to do and dinner to make yet this evening.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 07:50 PM

Only finished two things today, getting a rosacea prescription correctly re-written so the pharmacy could fill it (lots of running around and I can't be out in the sun). I was first told the prescription would be $200 and have to be ordered, so finally went back to the doc's office and had it changed to something in stock at the pharmacy that is $40. Health care costs in the US suck.

and the painting of the day:

Outstanding In His Field


Have not been able to work on the storm windows, so that is the big project yet to finish.

Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 07:53 PM

Lucky you with all of those tomatoes, Michelle! My tomatoes were bust this year. I am going to make some pita bread and roast an eggplant to make baba ghanouj, though. Mmmmmm!

Researching an eBay item this evening, after a short walk with the dogs. It's nice weather and they haven't been out of the yard for a while, but I have a touch of tendinitis behind my knee and don't want to make it worse.

So quiet here.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 05:12 AM

Alice, I'm adding "Outstanding In His Field" to my favourites in your daily paintings. I'm sorry that I don't have the Art vocabulary to be able to express why I like it.

SRS and Kat, thank you for the warnings about cutting back on the BP meds. Cost is only one reason I've been cutting back. I think that I shouldn't be on them, or at least not the amount that was prescribed by my old doctor. My BP readings have always been low, except when that doctor tested it. My current doctor thinks the low BP may be what is causing the dizziness.

I gave up my plans to work on the ladder again to try to continue to help a friend set up Internet and a new computer. After 5 hours on the phone with the service provider tech support people, we were no farther ahead. They will send someone to her house tomorrow.   

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 11:26 AM

Have your doctor supervise any weaning from the meds, then, don't freelance.

Yesterday was a gift, temps barely into the mid-80s. Today the predicted high is 93. The dogs and I went for a walk last night and we all enjoyed not sweating up a storm or panting the whole way. :)

The main culprit in the kitchen and living room is once again paper. I've been organizing it, recycling what I can, and identifying the pieces that I no longer need for school planning for my son. My daughter probably gets most of her paper at her house now, I get a few duplicates of things. I have files for both kids and will keep them up to date, and if they need anything, can look in one place.

A friend lives in a cute little Frank Lloyd Wright style bungalow (designed by one of his students) and is working on it so he can put it on the market. He's had too many financial hits to keep it, he thinks, so now that the roommates who contributed nothing to the enterprise have moved out, he, like me, can make his way through and it will stay clean behind him.

I'm not planning to sell or move any time soon, but I can say that it makes a lot of sense (especially after seeing what several of you have been doing for the last year) to have the house in the kind of shape that if I decide to sell, I can just list it. I need to not only clean, but to finish the projects that I started, and think about those television programs for people trying to sell their houses: several times I've thought the houses looked so good they ought to stay.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 01:35 PM

I just finished running the mower out of gas and then finishing up what was left of the long grass with the weed eater. It may be the last time the lawn is mowed before winter.

Rags, I'm planning to do a painting of the farmer's wife (the farmer from yesterday) if I can get to it today! Will post link later.

Oh, the house projects... so many things over the years un-done. It would be nice to make headway on those. Takes time and money... right now only have the time.

Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 04:06 PM

Alice, yer killin' me! :) We have to mow probably into November.

I've cleared the center island, did that at lunch waiting for my hard boiled eggs to cool (have to resist cooking too many at once. My son isn't here to devour them 2 or 3 at a time). Trouble is, most of the paper was just relocated. I did recycle one knockoff yellow pages and find a better place for that stack of tiny print (I keep an 8 x 10" magnification sheet with the phone books so I can read the damned things!)

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: maire-aine
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 05:43 PM

Well, I made the first move toward remodelling my kitchen yesterday. I went out and bought new light fixtures. The two "schoolhouse" fixtures for the ceiling were on sale, and I also ordered a similar 2-light sconce for over the sink. Once the sconce arrives, I'll have an electrician install them, plus do all of the other things on my "electrical stuff" list.

Spent the day re-arranging kitchen cupboards and countertops, and got a little more workspace near the sink. I think it looks a little better. It's a work in progress.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 06:04 PM

Maryanne, I actually did the wiring, including the rheostats, on my new lights in the kitchen and dining area. If you're careful (turn off the power!) and follow the instructions, it isn't difficult, and electricians can be expensive. I have more difficult jobs for the electricians to come do. :)

Alice, a new follower on my Twitter account is this one: http://twitter.com/skeldesign. You'll see if you look on her info on the top righthand side that her web site is her weblog, just like you have. Have you set up a twitter account? It's not difficult to learn to find a few places to follow, and to attract followers interested in design or art topics. I think it would be the perfect place to post a link to your daily painting (like you do on facebook, but it can go a lot farther a lot faster on twitter). I'm not sure how this person found me, probably searching on a term that I used today. I don't always follow back, and they usually drop off after a while. But if it looks like someone who shares similar interests or has something new to offer, I do follow. Food for thought, anyway.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: gnu
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 06:08 PM

204. 20 under the day I got married in 1985. Soon gonna have to buy new pants.

Tomorrow, I tackle the basement library shelves. All the engineering product binders go out the door and make shelf room for canned veggies and fruit. As the new crops are coming in, old stock is on sale.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 07:09 PM

I have a twitter account, but I don't want to use it for my art business.

Here is the painting done today:

The Farmer's Wife

click on the image to see a larger file that shows more detail.

Not much else done... it takes me 3 or 4 hours to do these paintings and get them online.

Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 07:38 PM

I have two twitter accounts I manage. One for myself, one for work.

Nice sunny evening out, not too hot, though, so we need another walk before dinner.

More laundry was washed today, awaits folding, and a few more things got put away around the house. Mostly work work, but this evening I'll mix computer work with yard work, to get out a little more. I should mow soon, since we had rain yesterday. And this weekend I'm tending the veggie garden.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 11:32 PM

Alice, I love it. I still have a smock-type apron my grandma made for me and several others she made.

Load of laundry done. Did some decluttering on the computer...looked at the attempt I made at NaNoWriMo last Nov. when I was so depressed. It didn't start out too badly, but I was obviously getting desperate and not doing a good job of anything by the time I gave it up at 22,000 words. Maybe I will finish it this Nov. or write something entirely new. I whittled it down to 14,000 or so, today.:-)

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 11:53 PM

I still have one of my mother's aprons. I can see her wearing it in my memory.

I think the Farmer's Wife is my fave of all these little blog paintings so far. I need to dream up a few more subjects with women and girls in the painting. It is fun to invent the buildings, landscape, etc., to go with the figures.

Really stymied by painful rosacea that I've had since mid-May, and didn't get a correct diagnosis until this week. It's disfiguring... will prob end up with scars from it.

So, putting off the work left outside because hats and sun screen are not protective enough.

Maybe tomorrow I'll de-clutter some file cabinet drawers.


Alice

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 11:56 PM

Regarding the paintings, the color and texture of the originals have so much more life than a digital image, it's always a bit frustrating that it can't be conveyed completely on a computer screen.

De-cluttering the computer. Good idea, kat. I need to work on that, too.


A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 27 Aug 10 - 05:48 AM

Alice, the wife is wonderful! She has so much personality.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 27 Aug 10 - 12:33 PM

Beautiful clear blue sky day, so could not resist a few minutes in the garden moving a strawberry plant from there up to a container on the deck.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Alice
Date: 27 Aug 10 - 11:17 PM

Well, in Montana the day is not yet over, and I just finished the painting for today:

The Farm Kids


A.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 27 Aug 10 - 11:20 PM

Alice, I love the theme your paintings are taking on...what a beautiful way to document a way of life in such wonderful surroundings.

Managed to get one load of laundry done. Had Morgan for all of thirty minutes, then took him home. About 7p, I got him to go for a desert, then decided to ask him over for the night. He was surprised and thrilled. We've been "making" music all evening, so no decluttering.:-)

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Aug 10 - 12:12 AM

Alice, I sincerely hope you're selling some of these wonderful little paintings!

Finished a web page, but it wasn't behaving when I tried to load to send it, so I simply sent a link. That was disappointing. The problem probably was in some of the changes I made, but I didn't have time to go back and read all of the code.

So, here's the weekend. My first one without anticipation of any kid activities next week. Let's see if I'm any more productive.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Aug 10 - 12:00 PM

Lovely day today. I got up and my computer had barely started a big system scan I set up. I think after the mouse didn't move for an hour it went to sleep. I'm using it lightly, mostly just moving the mouse every so often to keep it going. It's at 22% of the big system scan. When this finishes the computer will be thoroughly de-cluttered. Here is the scan site at Microsoft (go there via Internet Explorer to use it) and select your operating system. We can all have de-cluttered computers as part of our fall cleaning.

I must work around the house today. I've been out in the garden already, and I sat on the back porch and hung out with the dogs a little. They are their usual wagging cuddly selves. A little large to be lap dogs, but at least Poppy would always hop in my lap if I'd let her.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Aug 10 - 12:15 PM

Whoo hooo! Visit Michelle's "Life with Jeremiah" thread - yesterday the adoption was final! Full speed ahead!

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 Aug 10 - 02:43 PM

Oh, that's wonderful news!

After finally getting Morgan to go to sleep around 11p, after a few games of Reversi on the PC and making a lot of music with the fiddle, keyboard, and uke, I read until about midnight, then went to sleep.

At 5a, when I thought it was probably about 330a, I heard "Mama?" He was standing by the bed. Needed a drink of water and couldn't sleep. Apologised for waking me at "530a" which I thought was odd, but let it slide and told him no problem. (He'd looked at the clock, I hadn't. I was in denial. If it was before 5a, there was a good chance we might both get some more sleep.:-)Got up, made sure he turned out the lights and had to keep shushing him to not wake up Papa.

After we both settled down I saw it really was past 530a and knew, just knew, we'd neither one get back to sleep. Right, up and outta the bedroom by 6a, fed and watered him, he called his mom at 7a to go to work with her. In the meantime, he was going to play the Native American flute! Not, poor Papa needed his beauty sleep. We went outside to wait for his mom to pick him up at 730a at which point I came inside, wide awake.

Rog got up at 9a. I'd been awake for 4 hours, so fell asleep at the breakfast table. I thought I was going to sleep the whole day away, but we went for a small ride to the store and the long way home whihc provided a nice naptime and I am just about to go put away clean clothes and we are going to move the old wooden card catalogue with the cassette tapes in it, to the phonograph stand by the kitchen table, just across from me and the tape player so I can start transferring all of the tapes to the external hd. THEN I may take a nap!:-) OH, and I will also be able to start reclaiming my large desk in the office for the laptop and what have you.

Neat thing was, while we were out at 715a waiting for his mom to come, I had a bold hummingbird hovering not more than a foot from my face. It was precious!

Maggie, thanks for the declutter your PC link. I'll look into that.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: mouldy
Date: 28 Aug 10 - 03:14 PM

Back from Whitby today to find sale board outside the house. Went into Selby this afternoon to sign the details so that it could be posted online. It's on the agent's website now. when I know it's out on the property search sites, I'll post a link, as there will be nice estate agent-style pics!

Back to accountability....one week in Whitby = much walking up hills x much eating, especially of fish & chips + much visiting of pubs. I bought some WW ready meals that were on offer in the supermarket, while I was out today. I think it's time to take myself in hand again!

Andrea

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 02:23 AM

So I have this beautiful heavy old folder hunting knife of my Dad's that I decide to research and sell on eBay. I did list it with lots of photos (all saved at Photobucket, only to find that eBay is letting me load up to 12 photos free, at least for a while). Anyway, I did many searches trying to find a similar blade anywhere in the Internet. One turns up - small - on eBay in a guide. About replica knives. He talks about them being listed as "mint" and looking new, when they probably are simply new replicas. Who knows, my knife looks used. I know it comes from at least 1944. They talk about replicas from over the years, a lot of them from the 1950s and later. So I put it all in there, with lots of photos. Someone will come along and decide this is the real thing and bid on it. Those who think it isn't real won't.

It would be nice to have a windfall about now, but I won't hold my breath.

This item doesn't take up much space in the house, so in terms of clearing out, it's a minor bit of space. But my bank account can always use a little extra cash clutter. :-D

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 11:15 AM

Spent some time yesterday crying thru a few camper decluts. Hardi had to hep out to keep me level. (New meds for BP have some weird side effects I am told will stabilize "soon.") The whole house is in arrears while I try to reverse the ship mid-water, with only a little energy and a very small propeller, but I know if I can just get the flow reversed the ship WILL turn and follow a strong current. (Early winter cues is what Hardi and I decided it must be.)

So I skipped the Sat. svc last night in favor of not weeping thru it, and instead put some quality time into the upstairs office which had gone totally nuts on me. We've added a larger mini-fridge up there (seasonal-- from the camper) and the fourth or fifth table to hold it finally worked. I combed thru the stuff that had landed on the desk to make a more inviting return to work-oriented duties this week.

I usually do all camping laundry DURING the camping, but this time a last-minute couple of activities/opportunities pre-empted that chore so I dragged it all home-- NEVER AGAIN! The last of that was done and put away yesterday, in time to resume home laundry.

The van got totally emptied out Friday and reloaded with FreeCycled pallets for a building project; they are out now so we can vac out the sand, etc. in time for some scheduled Sept/Oct boondocking.

Hardi has been on a cleaning jag while I am not looking (best way really), focused it seems on the kitchen. ???

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 11:54 AM

Susan, it sounds like you're handling the change the best way - small steps until the medication stabilizes. I cleaned my pickup inside and out a couple of weeks ago, preparing to take my son to his university. It looks so good still, I guess I should do it more often!

Small declutter and decorating accomplishment here this weekend. A couple of years ago at a garage sale I bought a little 18" x 20" rough framed mirror made to look like a small window frame. At $1 it needed a little work, it had only a thin primer coat and some small gouges on one side of the frame. I put a smear of wood filler over that area, then didn't do anything except move this out of the way from one spot to another until now.

Yesterday morning I decided to address it, so I went through my paint cupboard (evicted one can that leaked onto the shelf) and found the can of a semi-gloss whitish paint I used on the cabinets I built in my daughter's room. After a couple of coats yesterday I scraped the paint off of the glass. This morning I measured and used a couple of drywall plastic things to put the screws in the wall (since it's going up between the studs) and pounded a couple of nail-free hangers on the frame. It is hanging between two ceramic hooks where we hang towels. It makes that wall look a lot more normal. Those two little hooks looked kind of spartan by themselves but now they compliment the mirror.

My eBay knife auction is set to start at 2pm my time. If I'm working on auctions late at night I postpone the starting time so when it comes close to ending people can discover it during the day and not have to get up in the wee hours if they're not into Snipe or one of the software programs that bids at the last minute.

Need my allergy eye drops this morning. It has been a long hot allergy-filled summer. It's getting cooler at night, though, and my calendar does tell me that September is near. I can hardly wait!

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 12:05 PM

Thanks, SRS. It's frustrating, because it's the second med change in two months and just the start of trying things to see what will actually WORK. OTOH I do have a great doc to work with, who is easily accessed by phone in case things are seriously cattywampus between appointments.

I'm just glad he moved BACK here. At least now I don't have to go to Philly to see him!

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 12:12 PM

Now that is a great thing!

I was at my doctor's office this week. She has a couple of nurse practitioners there to take care of the small things like I wanted to get checked, and that's fine with me. Her office is more approachable because if you have something that needs looking at now, they can fit you in, and bump you up the line to see the doctor if you need to.   

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: LilyFestre
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 12:35 PM

Around these parts, the gasline folks are working 7 days a week. Today I think they are covering up some of the pipeline that recently went in located in the field next to ours. This has allergens floating around like crazy and my nose is nothing but itchy and sneezy...eyes burning and red. I'll be glad when the first frost hits to level some of this stuff out!

Med changes can be tough and taking them when you know they make you weepy or feel icky before you feel better is harsh. Hope it all levels out for you soon Susan.

I have been having trouble sleeping at night so last night I made a list of things I want to accomplish this week and for today as well. I finally fell asleep (last time I looked at the clock it was 3:30am or so) and Pete let me sleep in (oh how I love that man of mine!!). When I finally did get up, he had changed, fed and played with the baby and put him down for his mid morning nap, did the dishes, washed, cut up and cooked up the latest 35 pounds of tomatoes....THANK YOU & AMEN! So now that I'm finally up and going, I've bathed the baby, played with him, got the laundry started, sorted out clothing that no longer fits Jeremiah (I think he is skipping the 6 month size entirely) and got a shower myself. And....for the first time in MONTHS, I had to brush my hair so it would lay the way I wanted it to!!! It's still super short but...well, it was laying all funky..LOL. Anyway...there's plenty to be done around here and I should get busy.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 01:04 PM

You guys are killing me, all of these tomatoes. Our entire crop was puny this year, the bulk of it coming in as cherry tomatoes. Last year was huge, this year, nothing.

I've been playing on the computer this morning, reading some longer essays, etc. Now I need to go get to work.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: mouldy
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 01:20 PM

I picked a handful of cherry tomatoes yesterday, and 2 today from the little greenhouse. Loads of runner beans, though!

The house has gone "national". Here's the link if you want to peek at my (unnaturally) tidy house....DON'T open any cupboards!

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-30904109.html

Andrea

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 03:24 PM

Andrea, it looks beautiful, all of it, but esp. your gardens. I love all of the green stuff anyway, but it just looks lovely the way you have it laid out, etc. I give thanks that it sells quickly and easily for you. Can't wait to hear about and *see* your next place/adventure.:-)

We stripped our bed this morning and I am just finishing up washing two top sheets and a fitted. At least two more loads of laundry to go. Rog swept and did the litter boxes while I scrubbed the bathroom. We both folded and put away or hung up clean clothes.

Morgan came over for about an hour and a half. He helped me take more cassette tapes out of their plastic, put rubber bands (elastics)around their inserts, and put them in the proper category drawers of the card catalogue which Rog moved yesterday. In the process, Morgan learned how to use the tape machine and listened to a couple of them. So, that decluttered a basket of tapes which had been sitting on top of the scanner right by my desk. Rog has a sore toe, so I think I will give him the rest of the day off.:-)

I may try to get some of the books on the library truck sorted out, but I'd like to have his help and know I would not have his full attention, so may just take the afternoon off myself.

SRS, that knife sounds very special. I hope it sells well. Are there knife/specialty forums on which you could posts a link to help with possible sale?

Oh, did qi gong last night.

kat

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 04:05 PM

Here is the link: Andrea's House for Sale

Here's a link to a view of that little mirror. Nothing special, but it is being put to use and the bathroom wall looks a lot nicer now. I'm going to repaint the bathroom, something not yellow. I think the green tile would do better to have more contrast.

This afternoon I'm going to go pull out some of the dead garden stuff and put all of the sunflower heads into a bucket for future use. I've seen the birds out there going through the huge plant pulling at the heads, so I'm sure they've seeded a lot into the bed already. I'll keep most of it to feed birds this winter and I'll be pulling up most of them next year.

See if this takes you to the knife listing.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 06:47 PM

Impressive, SRS. Fine research and write-up.

The mirror is beautiful!

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: LilyFestre
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 07:24 PM

Andrea, your house is BEAUTIFUL!!!! I'm sure it won't take long to sell!!! And SRS, your mirror is perfect there!!! :)

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 08:04 PM

That mirror is also nice up off the floor! I'll use that same paint to do the trim around the door and the floor trim after I repaint, and I need to tear up the vinyl and put down tile in that bathroom. I'd also like to

This afternoon I did a yard job that was long enough to work up a sweat (it's still pretty hot during the day, but it is finally cooling at night). I've deadheaded a bunch of the flowers from my sunflower and will use those as birdseed this winter. They've already been eating the flowers, and I have a bunch more drying.

This evening I'll do laundry, do some ironing, and work on the playbill collection while I play the Emmy's. Cooking dinner for tonight and working on a couple of things to use during the week. Some pizza crusts and such. This'll be a mixed bag of stuff, all calculated to do small tasks that need doing while I can keep an eye on the awards. Here's rooting for Julianna Margulies!

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 10:55 PM

Well! The knife is in play with it's first bid, and I've had a request to open shipping to worldwide. I was able to do that, but the postage went up a bit. I hope shipping a knife isn't against the postal code, I may have to research before I ship to the winner. I have quite a few watchers already, after only after a few hours.

Oh, I'm so pleased - the film about Temple Grandin just won the best made for television movie award. I've heard her several times on Fresh Air with Terry Gross and she is such a smart woman to hold up as an example at the Emmys. This is her TED talk. I think if you listen to this you'll have a few "slaps forehead" moments and wonder why it took so long for people to recognize these different ways of learning.

Damn. Mad Men won over The Good Wife. But maybe next year. . .

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: mouldy
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 04:15 AM

Thanks for the compliments, folks - today is to be a "let's try and keep it looking like that" and "hack down the overgrowth" day.

At least I have a couple of new cds to listen to while I'm doing it.

By the way, that IS a rather stylish mirror!

Andrea

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 09:28 AM

Animaterra,

[DEATH]|||||||||||||||||||||||||||[LIFE]

There is the continuum I'm trying to reverse. The "slider" button, if I inserted it into that continuum honestly, has been way left of center for several weeks. And as a result everything has felt like it was way off the track!

I had done really well all this past year at establishing some new life-supporting habits UPstairs in what I had come to call the "women and children first" room (my office). (Remember the O2-mask-instrux for mothers, on planes?) But when I tried to move these habits DOWNstairs in conjunction with some new goals, I didn't plan very well. Ooops! I merely left out a key ingredient I'd relied upon to to start my day really well no matter what goals I might have set for that particular day.

TBTG, this AM I spotted what that habit had been and immediately saw how easily it could move downstairs, and how in fact I had already taken some preparatory steps that would allow for it-- clearing off a unique slanted table (it had used to be my song-arranging space to hold autoharp and binders and more). In my office it has held the mini-fridge that I just replaced with a larger one set elsewhere in that office.... so now it is CLUTTER-forming space NONONO!

And it is the perfect height and width to serve two downstairs goals/habits/activities for the year. I'm taking back the full-sun spot in the LR for a study space, where I need room to lay out binders, books, and notepads-- and Hardi is planning to share time with me weekly to work on duets so I need an autoharp stand again down here.


So-- this is the last week I will try to pry myself off the puder and TV for study time out on the lovely back porch-- which is fast becoming too cold for much AM settin' time, so I'll just move the materials indoors to this full-sun spot, till real spring comes back.

This full-sun spot is where I started as an autoharper. At that time it was the only logical place for a semi-permanent autoharp set up (I play tabletop style), and I'd sit there hour after hour with sun pouring into my eyes, drenched in autoharp-sound glory, playing hymns I was learning and arranging.

That spot rekindles superb memories; it never did quite work as a magazine-reading spot (wrong chair), but as a sit-up-and-study chair it will be wonderful.

Yay! I win, I win!

~S~

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 11:58 AM

My knife is moving slowly, but it's early days, and one message from a viewer tells me it's a 1950s replica, but I know my Dad picked it up in Burma during WWII. His opinion with no substance is not helpful - I asked him to send a citation. Buyer beware is written all over that ad, but I'm not going to give it the kiss of death without some information beyond the opinion of a stranger. I told him when my Dad picked it up, we'll see if he responds back.

Regarding the mirror, I rearranged the magazine stand that is also in that bathroom, centered it under the mirror and towel rack, and it looks like it all belongs together. I think what those hooks were missing before was something logical to be grouped with. Now there is a more intentional symmetry in that room.

My kitchen is steadily improving. I'm slowly eating the stuff that was in the fridge before the trip. The last peach, almost finished a head of lettuce. I'm going to empty the fridge and clean it, and then try to keep a reasonable amount of food in there (not buying too much and letting it go to waste).

Last year put my Kitchenaid stand mixer on a cart to give myself a little more counter space, but this summer moved it back to a counter so I could use it more easily. Last night I ground some beef and made a pot of taco meat. Now that my picky eater son is not here I can go ahead and add beans to the meat for a healthier profile. Ever since last year when I read (again) about the e coli problems in ground beef I haven't bought any ground meat. I buy chuck roasts on sale, cut them into 1 pound chunks, and freeze them to grind as needed. I have the grinder attachment for the Kitchenaid and it is quick to use and easy to clean up. I am thinking about relocating the mixer to an intermediate spot, partly for the look, partly because it will again give me more counter space. It'll be set so I can use it in that location, I don't have to move it to use it like from the cart.

Small stuff, I know, but one way to continue to eat in a healthy way is to make it convenient as possible. And the way to save money is to not waste food.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: LilyFestre
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 01:01 PM

Breakfast made, lunches packed. Baby changed and fed. Playtime. Dishes done, laundry started. Reservations made for visiting family (yee gads....bring on the heavy duty cleaning and organizing...I've got 3 weeks to get it DONE). Walker built. Kitchen floor swept and mopped. Living room floor and stairs swept, upstairs hallway semi-mopped. Soon a picnic, then grocery shopping (quick stop) and post office. Back home to put laundry away, make dinner and hang out with my favorite boys. ;) Life is good.

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: mouldy
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 03:15 PM

Got today's tasks done, even the washing. However, the ironing is lurking in the cupboard under the stairs, until I feel like facing it!

Found some usable potatoes in a growing bag, dug up a turnip and an onion, plus a couple of small parsnips and baby carrots. Picked some runner beans and added a can of corn and a can of chopped tomatoes....dinner for about 3 days cos it made a big casserole-full!
Also baked a cake from windfall Bramleys. Trouble is, I've already eaten 3 pieces...

Andrea

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 04:01 PM

Well, I got the study table down, but I messed up the whole upstairs doing it and took apart all the puder hookups up there trying to swap tables around. But I did get to the grocery store today that I have not been able to get to all last week, and I did stock some fruit and other lunch-stuff up there in the larger mini-fridge. Some OJ because my gums are complaining again, some grapes.... poor Hardi will have to wrestle a chair for me that I could not get to go thru a tight door, and help me re-run all the puder cables.

Hm, I guess I been busy. Now to reassemble the study table... The new meds have had me so sleepy the first week on them, but it seems I can override that if I hit the wave at the right time and keep moving.... it is nice to know though that daytime naps will now be possible because I have been trying to synch our schedules for SO LONG...

Step by step does it.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 04:09 PM

Finished up the fifth load of laundry from yesterday and ALL of the laundry is put away! Did qi gong this morning. Have been working on redesigning my website...it is very time-consuming! Time for a nap.:-)

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: LilyFestre
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 07:08 PM

Ok. Somebody please tell me. Do I have a flashing neon sign on my back or forehead that says: COME TO MY HOUSE TO VISIT!!!

Seriously? Is there? It's not that I'm antisocial, we just don't have visitors very often...most likely because our house is in the middle of nowhere. No. Wait. That isn't it. We didn't have many visitors when we lived in town either. Well....we just don't get much company and truthfully, it makes both of us a little uncomfortable. Within the last 24 hours, I've had two requests...one for TOMORROW (which I said no to...any other day would be fine though) and one for the following week from one of Pete's family who we haven't seen in years...he says he wants directions to our *estate.* Ummmmmmmmmm. ROFLMAO.

We live in an old farm house that we bought 12 years ago and have been working on ever since. It's a work in progress.....very slow progress but progress nonetheless! Anyway, both of these people have very nice homes and all the trappings that go with it. It's not that our home isn't nice (we happen to love it here) but it's just not the same caliber as their houses.....so while I can clean like a maniac (and that has already started), the truth is no matter how much I clean or declutter, I feel like I almost need to warn them before they get here. The grass is tall, the garden has weeds, the front porch needs a new roof, the house needs to be stained, the driveway resembles a cow path with some pretty severe pot holes...blah blah blah, you get the idea.

I DO want to see these people but I'm feeling kinda not good enough....anybody understand what I'm trying to say? I keep telling myself they are coming to see US and NOT our home.....

ARG. I'm making myself crazy.

HELP!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 07:21 PM

Michelle, offer a chair and a reading lamp and push the pink book in their direction. Let them see that you've been a *tad* busy. :-) \

I don't know if my house will ever be up to anyone else's standards. It's not even up to MY standards. But it's where I live and what I have to work with. The basics are more than taken care of. Do you ever walk by the fancy decorating stores and wonder at the stuff in there? Yes, it's beautiful, some of it, but it is designed to make function follow fashion, and this leads to waste and planned obsolescence. If we have working chairs and beds and tables and lights and appliances, what they look like isn't important to 2/3 of the world's occupants, who would simply be happy to have a roof over their heads, clean running water and electricity.

A few errands run, but not all. I distracted myself because it seems like all of the traffic lights on this side of town are either blinking red or not lit at all. I took a few detours to miss the lights and forgot one of my stops.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: maeve
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 07:24 PM

Michelle- Our home (or lack thereof)is a more extreme example, but still I'll say to you what my wise husband says to me, "They are coming to see US."

m

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: LilyFestre
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 07:46 PM

Maeve and SRS,

   Thanks for putting things in perspective...it's what I needed. THANK YOU!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 08:10 PM

I used to feel that way, too, Michelle, until I realised it didn't matter what I did, it would never look like a fashion plate, so now folks who want to see me, I know want to see ME/US and really don't care if there are weeds, which there are a'plenty, the décor inside is shabby chic, with the accent on "shabby" and the linoleum needs to be replaced, etc., etc. Besides that, I'll bet they really want to see that baby and everyone knows a house with a baby is messy!

remember, was it Erma Bombeck who said nobody will ask if she kept a clean house when she died?

SRS and maeve are right about the perspective. Think of where you've been and it hasn't even been a year, yet!

luvyakat

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 08:43 PM

Our houses are our homes. They are our largest investment for most of us, they are the place we feel comfortable. Like Maeve says, when people come here, they come for us, not the house. A lot of the time here we end up outside puttering around in the yard anyway. That's what tends to interest me more, and a lot of my friends.

This latest eBay auction has been an education. Seems I've waded into a world of passionate collectors when it comes to knives. Here I thought I was fussy, waiting until I could find the right size of a Case knife to replace my Old Timer pocket knife that had gotten really loose in the hinges over the years. This one brought a remark from an expert that it wasn't what I thought it was, but after researching, I couldn't actually find a way to prove his claim either. I only found oblique references to a company from the UK that used to sell knock off or replicas. Now the only time I find the name is with historic handguns. I don't know if it is the same company in an earlier form.

I was candid in the revision I posted, named the expert, explained my process. I kind of thought the auction might come to a screeching halt, but I have had a favorable response since. Though it is only into the second day it now has a bunch of little nickel-and-dime bids and a whole bunch of watchers. So we shall see. It is my experience that auctions that cause an early flurry of bidding don't go that high. The ones that stay quiet and have a lot of bidding at the end are the ones you hope for - and that's why I try to post these so they'll end when most people are awake and at a computer.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 10:37 PM

Ah! Finally, a few exercise points for myself - I walked the dogs again. Actually, we've been out several times in the last week. I'll also be hiking around campus this week. The first couple of weeks mean parking is pretty crazy, so I'll park on the perimeter near a friend's house and take the campus shuttle from a point near there.

Making some pizza dough tonight, and I'll make all small personal sized crusts and bake them enough that they're set. They go in the freezer and come out for a lunch or dinner or take out a couple if I have company. Everyone gets the topping they want.

Sprinklers are running in the garden tonight. Since we had a good rain a week ago, I'll try to keep the ground somewhat hydrated by watering now. This is one of those summers that is ranked the 5th hottest or something and that hasn't done the garden any good.

I think I'll set up and do some ironing this evening. And run a load of laundry. If I wait for the basket to fill up for a "normal" load I'll run out of my favorite clothes. Clearly I'm into the zone of small meals, less shopping, small loads of laundry, etc.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 11:16 PM

SRS, I've been thinking about making up some pizza dough, too, in one-person sizes. Do you use small pans or just make several smallish circles and bake them on a full-sized pizza pan?

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 12:29 AM

Kat,

I have totally abandoned the old recipe I used to use for pizza dough (it was a modified version of one of my bread recipes) for the one I found last year in Martha Stewart Living. Bianco's Pizza Dough is the best recipe I've ever come across. I make it in a bread machine on manual setting, so the only adjustment I make is I use the dry yeast in the machine and I add a tablespoon or so of olive oil since it won't be rising in a bowl to get that oil flavor. Be sure to use regular flour, not bread flour.

I tip the dough onto the counter when it finishes in the machine and cut this into five portions. Each of these is rolled out (rolling pin) and then I pierce it liberally with a fork. The oven has the pizza stone in it and has been pre-heated to 500. The ones I'm going to freeze I bake for 4 minutes, and sometimes I have to pull it out for a minute and deflate the crust if it does a puff thing like pita bread. Tonight I made 4 extra crusts (they average 10 inches across) and I made one pizza a bit larger for dinner tonight and have a few slices left over for lunch.

My favorite pizza these days is a pesto chicken pizza. No tomato sauce. When I put the dough on the stone then I add the toppings and pop it in the oven for 5 minutes. Toppings are first to pour a little olive oil on and spread it around with my hand, then sprinkle on some garlic powder and a little salt. From there I take some Julienne cut basil and pretty much pave the thing with basil (there are a few gaps so I can see the crust, but I use a lot of basil leaves on this). On top of this I put some disks of chicken breast (I have gotten in the habit of pan sauteing a boneless chicken breast and I cut it into several pieces so it cooks through -- this is handy for so many things, pizza, salad, whatever) and on top of this add mozzarella. This is a recipe I developed after a friend took me to Schlotzky's for their pesto pizza, so if you want an idea of what this tastes like find one of those. I'm really enjoying pizza without the tomato sauce these days.

(A complete aside here: don't you miss the days when Rick Fielding started those great cooking threads? He was such a talented musician, but he also inspired so many Mudcat cooks!)

I scanned this pizza dough recipe and saved it in a document so if you would like I can email the document to you where I pasted it. That recipe has a few smudges because I kept that copy of the magazine in the kitchen for many months. :)

Okay now, Kat, think about this: next time Morgan visits, you could either make this dough and let him make his own pizza, or you could make these in advance and when he visits, pull out a Morgan-sized crust and ask what he wants on his pizza. In the bread machine I set it on turbo and it takes one hour before it finishes and I can shape, roll, and bake it. I'd love to see his expression! When I use the frozen crusts I let them defrost then I put them on a metal pizza pan and they bake at 450 for 3-4 minutes. Sometimes I put it in the oven for a minute before I put the toppings on so it dries out if there was any condensation from defrosting.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 11:42 AM

Michelle, wake up! :~) They are coming to see the BOY. They will not see you except as a new mom, and they will LOVE seeing you in that role. The house, the entertaining details, everything else-- nah. Not so much! :~) You only need to be momly.

Maybe we should borrow a baby when Hardi's mom visits? :~)

Let's all learn from this one-- for every awkward visit, we need to conveniently happen to have a new baby in the house!

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: mouldy
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 01:37 PM

Michelle - my house looks like it does because it's the regulation "look" for selling. I don't normally live like this! I have a friend who said she liked to visit because everywhere she looked there was something quirky to see. Well, it's been de-quirked. Heck, I would love an old farmhouse to grow into organically, and gradually make my own.

Anyway, as Susan says, they're coming to see your lad, then the two of you, and they probably won't even notice the house.

Andrea

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 03:29 PM

Thanks, SRS! I used to make pizza a lot when my kids were growing up. I told Rog, last night, I need to replenish our kitchen implements. I used to have a really neat pizza dough roller and a few other things. There is a pizza dough mix I get at the health food store which I really like, but haven't figured out the WW points, yet. Sure, please email me the recipe; I appreciate it.

Morgan size is just what I get at the store, right now and he loves them!:-)

kat

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 06:38 PM

This conversation of houses and babies reminds me that my visits with my mother became a lot easier after I had kids, because she was so fascinated with the kids that it took the pressure off of me. I think Susan is onto something. :)

We have another surge of heat before the cooler Labor Day weekend.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: LilyFestre
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 08:52 PM

Regarding our visitors....one is probably coming to see the baby but the other isn't as she has seen him numerous times. It is what it is.

Today included: Dishes, laundry, baking bread, reorganized a cupboard that has been screaming HELP for a few weeks now, lunch out with a friend, a trip to the library to pick up the new book for the book club meeting at the end of September and now a chance to relax!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: katlaughing
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 09:03 PM

Best I did today was a load of laundry, in the dryer now. Had a routine doc's appt. this morning, went to the bookstore and brought back two paperbacks which will go back out the door after I read them.:-) I think I have some ideas, finally, of what I want to do in the office now that we've whittled down the chaos in there a bit, so will probably work on it, tomorrow OR work on my website redesign.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 12:22 AM

Laundry is in, including a new shirt for a campus event tomorrow. I am turning a new leaf as far as work is concerned - I need to go there more because otherwise I'll be in this empty house for days at a time.

Hunting for a CD my son wants added to the box to ship - didn't find it where he said it might be, but did find a lot of other interesting stuff. I'll try again tomorrow.

SRS

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: ragdall
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 02:36 AM

I typed a post here a couple of days ago and it completely disappeared. I'll try again.

SRS, the mirror looks perfect there!

Andrea, your house and yard look picture perfect!

I managed to get both lawns mowed a couple of days ago in a dry spell between storms. Son's wife and three children stayed with us Saturday and Sunday nights. Sunday she took us old folks to Barkerville, "British Columbia's Gold Rush Town". We joined friends of hers there and spent the day enjoying the activities with them. There were 4 grandparents, 4 parents and 11 children -- lots of energy.

I went for my quarterly visit with the doctor today. My three month Blood Glucose level (A1C) was good, cholesterol is holding. The doctor told me I can quit taking the blood pressure medication so I'm doing a happy dance. The only daily prescription medication I'll have to use now will be the diuretic and it's not expensive.

rags

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: mouldy
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 04:19 AM

Ooh! I hope that day comes for me! At least they ain't upping mine - yet!

Andrea

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 09:09 AM

That's great, rags!

Yesterday I got a lead on who might be the perfect cleaning lady to come help us out occasionally. It will be hard to pry the bucks out of the grocery budget, but it's long overdue to have a little help dealing with this too-huge house.

For me, where it fits is this... my most functional, most productive time in life was in a neat little apartment my son and I had. It was on a scale I could DEAL with; the upstairs f our present rental house are real close to its size and I have done pretty well taking care of that. It gets about half the dust of the downstairs (which sits between gravel road dust and Dog World dirt/dust blowing in). It's so ironic-- seeing the old apartment in the upstairs-of-now, because the apartment was a garden apartment sunk about 6 steps down below the grass outside the windows. No walkout, no patio, but not a basement apartment, either. Just a few steps below grade, set in flat countryside. With enormous windows letting in a LOT of light. The scale and the light, here, have to be on the top floor of a high-ceilinged house, because the sunlight is hemmed in by mountain ridges snaking their way across all the landscapes.

Anyway, in that apartment, I had achieved non-clutter, and it was easy to keep it picked up. A great cleaning woman came twice a month and just did the finishing touches-- my job was pickup, and kitchen sanitation. Her job was to make it glow and smell pretty. And her regular visits made a structure within which I could stay on top of my part of the job.

Poor Hardi has been trying to keep the downstairs here under control, because he can do the heavier cleaning I still can't. But he is not cut out for "finish" dusting. It needs a girl's eye, and a woman's touch. I've decided to let it be someone else's eye and hands. Ministries are calling me OUT, and Hardi and I both need to come home to an orderly landing zone.

So-- friends who are moving have a lady who meets our requirements coming to them on the same schedule I want, and I hope to take their slot as soon as they leave it open!

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: LilyFestre
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 10:33 AM

Rags,

   That's GREAT news about your A1C, cholesterol and blood pressure!!!! Okay if I join in that happy dance with you?!?!?! :) WAY TO GO!! Keeping that stuff under control can be tough!

And Susan, a cleaning lady, huh? I used to be a nanny and the family I worked for had a cleaning lady too....not sure why as the house was always just so. I think the mama would clean before the cleaning lady came...but then again, it was a professional family with professional decorators, etc....in my opinion, it wasn't a house that was lived in, warm or loving. But anyway...cool beans for you!!! I wouldn't mind someone coming here to do the floors...which really would be better off if they were swept and mopped daily. I do sweep daily but the mopping...well, maybe once a week. I do have a friend who has been after me since I was diagnosed in December...she said she would come help with anything regarding organizing and cleaning...she loves to do it. I mean LOVES. I have yet to take her up on it, I suppose I just think it's my space and my mess, I need to tend to it. Speaking of which, today is laundry day here on the mountaintop. It's supposed to be 93 degrees by the end of the day so I'm doing bedding and hanging it all out on the line. AC and fans are on high, curtains have now been closed as the cooler morning air is now steamy and hot.
    I am going to yoga tonight and am way excited about it. It will be the first time in 3 weeks!!! So...I'm getting dinner around too so Pete will be able to eat when he gets home instead of waiting for me.
    Also, there is a chair sitting in my living room in the middle of the walkway. It's been there for maybe a month now with promises from DH to move it to the shed and later to the Salvation Army or local thrift shop. I am sick of looking at it and of it being in my way so I'm going to push it out to the front door and leave it on the porch. Maybe he'll see it then. I seriously think that he has the ability to NOT SEE things sometimes. It doesn't bother him so it's not there. I wish I could do that!!! I'm sure I do though as we all do....human nature I suppose. ;)
   Ramble. Ramble. Ramble. Time to get busy.
Later Gators!

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 11:27 AM

In the low-population rural environment, where one's water comes from mountaintop springs, groundwater can stand a little judicious disposal of unwanted pills.

So-- as of today I declutter my daily prescription & supplelments & OTC operation. In an effort to save pennies, I have at least four large Ziplocs full of pill bottles! I also have a small handful of loose pills found in various vacay bags I have been cleaning out. I am throwing out the loose pills-- flushing into the septic tank for earth filtering. The bottles are next-- expired items, almost-empties, etc etc etc-- sort and purge!

And no more splitting pills the doc decides he wants me to tinker with, to get 5's out of 10's, etc.. We have pretty good drug benefits-- best part of our bennies in fact. Try a new item? Scrip me for 14 days then, locally, and THEN if it works we'll do the 90 day by mail extra-cheap, cuz SHEESHE, this shite piles up!

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: LilyFestre
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 12:00 PM

Police departments will take unused prescriptions so even the rural ground water stays safe.

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 12:07 PM

Two vacay bags sorted and restocked, out on the porch to reload. One item left for today-- a drawer unit that sits behind driver's seat to hold necessary go-items such as pool bag. That will also go to the porch, shortly, all sorted and loaded-- after lunch: leftover basmati rice and salmon, with fruit.

Net-- a large mess cleverly placed behind a chair to screen it from view when in recliners, will be gone.

Then Hardi can vacuum out the van and we can load up for a short camping trip next week and the Sept/Oct boondockspeditions.

Next after all this, as heat rises, is some work/reflections up in the sleeping attic. I'm about to rent it out till spring, furnished-- to pay for the cleaning lady.

~Susan

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: LilyFestre
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 12:33 PM

Three loads of laundry done. Dishes are next and then some deep cleaning and ridding the living room of stuff we never use anymore. It's probably the cleanest room in the house so it won't take long. I decided to do the rooms we use the most, first...so the living room, kitchen and bathroom...that's my goal for the first two weeks of September. The bathroom was 80% decluttered last month with the exception of 2 shelves which I'll finish up after the living room is how I want it. :)

Michelle

Subject: RE: De-Clutter: Aug 2010 (w/ accountability)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 07:00 PM

Here's the Sept 2010 thread.