BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Apr 11 - 04:29 PM

3 sets as described upthread. Copy to doctor.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Apr 11 - 02:00 PM

Fingers are stiff and sore today, partly from allergic sensitivity breakout, partly from work in garden. This is so annoying!

I set my seed starter flats out on the bench in the sun and watered thoroughly, so I can pull plants from there for the garden in the next few days. They were in the house too long so some stuff has withered, but most is okay. I need to pace myself to get things planted and get enough mulch for the yard. Lots of meetings at work this week to plan around.

Good luck with the carport sale, Michelle! Those are always a lot of work, but are a great way to unload unneeded stuff, especially if there is the momentum of a bunch of sales going at once. (And again - happy birthday!)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: LilyFestre
Date: 17 Apr 11 - 11:36 AM

Vaccummed, laundry is going and I've got things to put away from my out of town trip.

A nearby town is having a community wide yard sale and someone has graciously given me permission to set up under their carport!!! That means I'll be busy gathering and pricing things this week. I have a ton of summer baby clothes that are ready to go and I plan to take at least an hour each day this week to pull things from each room that we no longer use. I've got 2 weeksto pull it all together.

Going out for my (belated) birthday party today! :)

Love to all,

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Apr 11 - 10:40 AM

That looks great, SRS. Can't wait to see it when they've really grown.

My ex called yesterday to see if we wanted a baby apricot tree. Do we! Yes, about 2 feet tall, we will put it near where Rog's grape vine flourishes each year. I love apricots!

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Penny S.
Date: 17 Apr 11 - 07:02 AM

Did a bit of light gardening this morning. Planted out lettuces and sowed spring onion (scallions?) and carrot in the bed the cat has no abandoned. Sowed beans peas and sunflower in a tray in the greenhouse, where I found one tomato plant has totally lost the contents of its stem near the soil. In faint hope I have poked it down so the first axil is under the earth in case it is up to making some new roots. I have cut back mint and lemon balm and put in a second parsley plant.

Now I'm off to a garden centre in search of more tomato and a corsican mint.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Apr 11 - 12:06 AM

It doesn't look like a lot, but I extended this vegetable garden several feet today and planted six Super Fantastic tomato plants. Five show up here.

April 2011 - the beginning.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Apr 11 - 09:02 PM

Yesterday when I handled the oregano to spread it out I wasn't wearing gloves, so my hands are very sore today. I was still sensitive from the chocolate episode and wasn't paying attention and the herb nailed me. It has been gloves all day today. I finished a lot of the digging I wanted to do and I planted six tomato plants. I still have more to do but I stopped to take the dogs for a walk and I'll take a motrin and kick back for the evening. I can do some of this tomorrow morning.

I took photos, if I get any into the computer tonight I'll send a view of the tomatoes. I spread them out; main obstacle to space out there will be the volunteers. I'll keep a few and move or pull the rest. I didn't last year, and it was a jungle.

One load of laundry is finished. Another to go, maybe run it tomorrow and hang it on the line. Today seemed pretty clear, but I didn't hang it out because we had so much smoke from the fires this week, I didn't want a wind shift and everything to smell like barbecue.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: LilyFestre
Date: 16 Apr 11 - 08:19 PM

Apri 15th: 6:00am Yoga

YUM!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Apr 11 - 05:46 PM

Something is working...me! Yesterday, we ran errands, I went to coumadin clinic and got a new CT scan; then, after lunch, I went with Rog to the grocery store...first time since Nov. or Dec. Did a whole hour. I never did take a nap which is really unusual.

Today, for the first time, we went to Morgan's soccer game. We weren't sure exactly which field to go to, so caught a ride on one of the go carts they had for that purpose, BUT when it was over, I was able to walk all the way out to the curbside so Rog could get the car and pick me up. Another new thing for me. The kids were so cute. It was a blast to watch them try so hard to make goals etc. It's really good for him.

We stopped and bought amendments for the Korean fir and Roger has begun the hole for it. We're about to go out and do some more. I hope we get it done, today, but Rog has been a trooper, so I am not going to push it.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Apr 11 - 02:18 PM

It's hot out there (not like summer, but it's still hot). Must pace myself, drink lots of water. In the house to bake bread and brew ice tea, then back out again.

A goal in the garden is to use up some of these bags of things that are sitting around the yard. That one objective will give a tidier look inside the garage and out. I love how wonderful and easy to reach my garage workbench is now. There are bags over there that need using also, though. Concrete (to put in a martin house), thinset, and grout. I'd love to finish all of those jobs this summer!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Apr 11 - 12:10 PM

Laundry under way, work in the yard coming up. I'll have to take some photos today.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Penny S.
Date: 16 Apr 11 - 04:24 AM

I had a friend round yesterday, and he managed to dig the hole for the water tank down a bit to the flint layer, which he says will need a mattock. The exercise produced enough clay soil to build up the new bed.
The hole is in the lowest part of the gsrden where water pooled after running off the flagged part, and is still damp, after the driest March and April, so the bees who use the clay to build their nests can still quarry from it.
It was intended to use this just as a rainwater reservoir for watering, with a cover over it - I picked up a round table top from someone at the dump - but looking at the garden, it seems to want a little stream down the side between the new bed and the hole, so I'm looking at the possibility of a solar pump, if I can get one which will manage the lift and the distance. Not sure where I will put the panels, though.
SRS, that was lucky with the slabs. I have a different problem. I've lifted a number, and there are more to come. Some have been broken, but most are complete, and I don't know what to do with them. I have had an idea of building dry stone walls round some of the beds with broken slabs, but I can't quite bring myself to break the whole ones! And the builders' merchants send back any that arrive there broken. I might make a seat out of the whole ones, two stacks with a board across the top.

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: mouldy
Date: 16 Apr 11 - 03:49 AM

Leaky roof fixed, and cracks in the annexe wall filled up. The builder (Ali - not Asian, however, I suspect he's an Alistair) who is doing the rebuild came round for copies of some of the paperwork. He has been talking to the excise people, and depending on how the job is interpreted, it might be tax-free...or only 5% anyway, with the building being listed. Whatever they decide, he was told it would not be the full 20%. I suspect the plumber and electrician's work will be subject to that, but we'll see.

Got 4 more boxes of packing paper to the tip today. 2 more to go, and also the ones in the annexe and shed that still need unpacking. Shoulder permiting, I may have a go at some more today.

Popped the crab apple into the garden yesterday. The soil is very good, so we'll see how it does. It did look like it might be trying to put out new feeder roots when I took it out of the pot. It was quite pot-bound. There's not a lot else that I can do in the garden, really, given that it'll be hidden under building material before long.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Apr 11 - 12:27 AM

Back from a photo shoot and some nice mingling with friends. No chocolate, as tempting as some of those brownies in the reception are.

Tomorrow is supposed to be nice so I'm making a push to plant a bunch of stuff in the garden. I moved the chicken wire fence along the back edge so it is now just inside the raised beds next to the planks. This means I can use my weed trimmer to knock all of the grass down along the outside of the edging planks (or use my vinegar spray to kill it and keep it from growing under and into the garden). If I can keep the weeds out early it might help later on.

We'll see how much I can get done in the house after dark tomorrow, but this time of year the garden holds all of the charm.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Apr 11 - 04:10 PM

The fridge is gone! Long live the fridge!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Apr 11 - 03:02 PM

Remember I mentioned on Wednesday about the broken concrete and gravel patio design I'd seen on Nate Berkus? I'd been thinking about how to get the concrete chunks - buy faux stones at Home Depot, or even mix my own concrete in a lumber mold, then break it up? Providence answered this puzzle in the form of my next door neighbors, who are having a patio extension put in the back of their house. This morning I heard jack hammers breaking up the previous patio. They'll pour an entire new slab, so I called and asked if I could have some of the chunks. I have about 12 - 15 of them in a neat stack beside the driveway. I still need to scrape up the grass and prepare the area, and then I'll have to buy some gravel. Might as well get it in bulk, it would be less expensive than buying it by the bag.

Busy weekend, hardly any time off, because I photograph a meeting tonight then a ceremony on Sunday. I'll clean up the house some before I leave today so it looks nice when I come it. A treat for myself.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Apr 11 - 02:33 PM

During the previous trial of the increased Toprol dosage (last summer vacay), we established a way of quantifying the exercise that is possible while taking it. That is a handy nomenclature now that I am back up to that dosage.

Basically, one "set" (a unit just like tennis or weights), is the amount of exertion that one can stand while very short of breath (as in Perceived Exertion Scale lingo), and when one is no longer able to talk but not yet dead-- a 7 or 8 on that PE scale. The set is as long as the day's state of fitness allows, and is therefore not time specific.

The set ends when one must sit or lie down to recover breath, muscle effectiveness, and pain level to a level that one can start the next set. The pace of the set is governed by aerobic factors-- one does not want to pass out but does want to stress the heart enough for building that muscle, and/or lung function.

The number of reps (like weights) is governed by recovery time needed and soreness, to avoid over-stressing the muscles faster than they can hel from the "training stress."

So these are ways of defining and quantifying-- and reporting on-- activity levels. Later today I will also get a pedometer to count the number of steps, but for now, it's 3 reps of these sets, a long rest, and probably another 3 reps before bed.

The idea is that in training, one increases the number of reps before increasing the intensity of the sets (duration or pace).

Vacation-level is usually 2 reps per day at the start of vacay and more like a total of 10 by the end of the vacay (CAMPING), which is calculated to produce a fitness result. The hard part has always been maintaining ANY of that during the ensuing year. This year, due to all the efforts involved in working on that attic room, and keep also an upstairs-office schedule, I held onto a whole lot more if it. My lower back muscles are always the first to go and the worst to hurt. I'll be changing pain management/meds for that, this year.

Today I got the van ready to reload the scooter and also be able to switch back to sleeper mode when that new cot arrives for my trip on the 30th. The rest of the week will be porch-restoration-- a lot of crap got dumped there during the winter, which will afford many steps and bends, but also comfortable seating to rest up between sets.

We all have to start (or restart) somewhere. I'm picking up where I left off, TBTG, about last November. I guess I could say I took the winter off, while I dealt with being way too damn cold every damn day.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Apr 11 - 12:55 PM

Van merch starting to arrive. Cot yet to come, but gear lockers here, so re-pack and re-config of van under way. Hope cot comes in time for April 30 trip heating up-- a one-nighter just became a 4-nighter.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Apr 11 - 01:35 AM

You bet, SRS! He's done toasted cheese sandwiches with Rog and one of these days we'll have to do French toast, too. Have to get real maple syrup first though.:-)

Those were both great links, thanks! Hadn't seen Max's. It's great, so simple and clean looking. I know I need to do more with my website. I had decided it was too busy with all of my stuff on there, so I took the jewellery off and a couple of other pages. I hardly ever do anything with it. I'll have to do some thinking on it while I work through the rest of the health stuff.

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Apr 11 - 01:18 AM

Well, the storm missed us. Not a drop of rain. I had one more thing I wanted to add, and Penny's post reminds me of it. Kat, I bet that if Morgan likes to make fried eggs, he'd love making either grilled cheese sandwiches or French toast. Both are great comfort foods, and if he can cook eggs, sandwiches, and eggy bread, the kid is set!

I spread just a little butter on the outside of the slices of bread then layer in the cheese for my sandwiches. Surely spreading butter and slicing cheese are kid-friendly. Same with breaking open and beating an egg. Just a thought!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Apr 11 - 11:58 PM

Apple Employees did a very nice video for the "It Gets Better" campaign. I wonder if my workplace would ever be interested in something like this?

I went for a walk with my new friends Susie and Zeke, and then headed to a city council meeting tonight. I'll be working on park stuff for the next several months, at the very least.

I'm thinking about pulling my various writing enterprises under one umbrella. Decluttering the web. Working up a web site and setting up a web hosting arrangement. I have blogs and photos here and there, maybe I should set up an account at about.me (like Max has done - but they're all so professional and showy) or simply set up a blog for my "polymath" interests (not as broad as Max, perhaps, but just as varied). I think I want a literary reference, but not too abstract. So many of the commonplace names that would describe my interests are taken. Maybe Seneca Doane's Garden (reference to the liberal thinker in one of my favorite novels, Babbitt,) or something like that? I'm so impressed with all of Max's interests, it's rather intimidating, but if I pulled all of my stuff together, and had different categories for each, it would make it a lot easier.

I hear thunder. Better send this and shut down the machinery.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Apr 11 - 01:11 PM

It's all relative, Penny. Sorry you had such trouble. Thanks for your comment. I continue to feel better. After paying bills, I went outside and did ten "laps" on the sidewalk, back and forth (about 18 steps total each lap, not much, but a start) and did ten up/downs on one stair.

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Penny S.
Date: 14 Apr 11 - 01:05 PM

I'm glad you're feeling better kat.

Yesterday I installed one of the bedheads as a fence, and started a border in front of it where the flags were. Unlike my herb bed, the soil under the flags and the sand beneath was horrible clay/flint subsoil. I had some clay from where I dug steps, two bags of something called topsoil, but more like compost, and some of the mushroom compost, mixed with the sand. I transplanted hyacinths and crocuses, which had been growing in tight clumps where I plan to put veggies, to this new space.

Went inside and had a bath and then toasted cheese (my shopping had given me a taste for this with a sample of rarebit on hot cross bun). And that led to a bout of migraine aura, a disturbed night, and a day feeling vaguely nauseous and heady, cancelling a friend's visit which needs me to drive, and more sleep. Fortunately I no longer get the full half head hammering and sickness, but it's bit of a downer. While fully acknowledging it to be trivial compared to what some of you are dealing with.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Apr 11 - 11:25 AM

Thanks, SRS! Despite being awake from 3-4a, I must've still slept well. Had enough energy to put me first with meditation and 25 minutes of qi gong. I have missed both so much!

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: LilyFestre
Date: 14 Apr 11 - 09:13 AM

6:00am Yoga!!!! What a beautiful way to start the day!!!! My body is most happy!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Apr 11 - 01:15 AM

I'm so glad you're finally able to sleep well, Kat! It is a wonder, I suppose, if you haven't had that luxury for a while. I've been remembering bits of dreams lately, I usually don't, but I heard a detailed description of what to do if you want to recall your dreams. I find this interesting (she said to stay still, when you wake, and think about it for a few minutes, then write it down if that is what you want to do.) Anyway, my main goal is to get to bed earlier than I do.

When I took out the trash this evening my neighbor was out watering, so I walked the watches across the street. I had tucked in the research sheets, and I told him that I thought he probably expected them to be worth more than I'd found, so he ought to think about it. If he wants to sell them later, next time they do a garage sale, that would be a good time. They'd get more on eBay, but the good thing (for me) is that they would have to be in accord on this.

Dishes finished, chamomile tea drunk. Good night, good night, good night!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Apr 11 - 11:11 PM

Well, goodness. Seems after one night on the BiPap, I have more energy, even though I was still up to the bathroom several times. I worked at my desk until about 1030a, thought I'd go lie down for a short nap as I have been doing. Got there and realised I was wide awake, NOT tired, and decided it would be nice to work outside. So I went out and swept the front steps and sidewalk leading to the drive-way. Had to do it in small increments, but it is extraordinary that I even felt like doing it. I also actually watered my perennials and some shrubs and trees. Usually I wouldn't do that at all without Roger's help; the ground is uneven and treacherous for me and I have to drag my O2 line around, but it worked today. I did it!

I did have to take a short nap about 2p, but was able to say "yes" to Morgan coming over about 4p and staying for supper. He's so funny. We let him fry eggs over here, with supervision, so that's what he always wants for dinner.:-)

This morning's work included some high stress gathering of info for a financial assistance app. for one of the hospitals. I feel appalled at the personal info (copies of Soc. Sec. card, Driver's License, bank statements, etc., etc.) they demand and, because of the anti-immigration health care brouhaha, can demand, legally, to prove one is an American citizen. And that is with insurance and us being in their system for over eight years. Unreal. At least I am almost done with it.

Here's to another night of good sleep...I'd forgotten the wonders of it.

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Apr 11 - 09:00 PM

Back from walking the dog - Susie wasn't home yet so we didn't get to meet Zeke, but Cinnamon insisted on heading straight for the front walk at their house as we walked up the street. She has clearly imprinted on him as a friend.

I scored some important park documents from Fort Worth Parks and Community Services today, very helpful plans and studies that we can adapt for our village. Had a good talk with the woman who is a planner for the department. They don't create any clutter though, she downloaded them onto my flash drive. :)

Lovely evening. I need to finish shopping I started earlier, but then I'll putter here. Does anyone else do this--I need gas and I decided a long time ago that I'll treat my personal vehicle like we did in the Forest Service - have it ready to go at the end of the day. If I need to make a trip, i.e., head up to my daughter's house late at night for some reason, I don't want to have to go get gas, or worse, forget I needed it and run out on the way. I always want enough gas in the tank so I can make that round trip if I need to.

In the design planning department today, Nate Berkus had a great tip for a patio "makeover" that answers the question to one section of the yard where I don't want to pave it but I don't like having patchy grass there. The answer was broken concrete and gravel. Looks great, and it would be perfect for the corner between the patio and the gate that the dogs tear up.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: mouldy
Date: 13 Apr 11 - 02:44 PM

Thanks for the advice about the tree. I wasn't going to plant it out until after the build, but I could heel it in somewhere. I haven't been in the garden today as I have been out most of the time.

However - I went into Berwick en route to taking more boxes and paper to the tip, and I decided to get some lunch in a place called Cafe Curio. It is run by an American lady chef from Florida, and is furnished with random odd old tables and chairs, and lots of curios. It also sells a small amount of antiques. Well, the goats cheese and walnut salad with raspberry dressing (which included locally grown blue potatoes in the salad) was superb...and I managed to get a little desk-style table for my landing book area. It's the size of a toddler's table, with a hinged lid, is limed oak, and has been fitted out for a pipe-smoker. Result!

(Just need to rest my shoulder a reast now, as that has flared up again. Seeing my masseuse tomorrow, anyway).

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Apr 11 - 01:23 PM

This morning I seem to have clobbered myself with dusty allergens. I had a box full of small limbs trimmed from my rosemary bush. It was sufficiently dried out so I used gloves and twisted and gently knocked the needles/leaves off of each twig. I should have worn a dust mask as well. I'll sift and get the dust out of the herb before I package it, and those stages won't be so dusty. I have to get more herbs this week also, while they are growing robustly but haven't put on flowers yet.

I packed up my neighbors' items with the printouts from eBay showing idential items and their recent valuations, so if they decide to sell them, I can help, but I won't do it for just one or the other of them. Too dicey.

I've been reading the procrastination book again, and the part that seems most telling is the discussion of perfectionism. I think there is a big portion of that to work on - if it can't be perfect, getting around to doing the job is difficult - it's easy to postpone. Getting to the point of understanding that "pretty good is close enough" (my words) is a way to move forward with the de-clutter or finishing projects started and abandoned. That book was in the exhibit at the reception I photographed yesterday, one of many faculty books and creative projects finished in 2010. I'll have to see what I can finish in 2011.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Apr 11 - 09:55 AM

SRS, sounds as if you just avoided a sticky "triangulation" situation. Good for you. I was alarmed when you said you might hear gunshots. If there is real concern in that respect, maybe a call to authorities? But, then again, that requires a lot of involvement on your part. Good luck.

We're still working out new meds and their effects, plus I've had a bout of too rapid heart beat, so things have been slow here since Monday. Hope to have it all sorted by the weekend. Did get my new BiPap machine and it is wonderful to sleep with it on.

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: LilyFestre
Date: 12 Apr 11 - 11:43 PM

I came home to a house without power last night. New gas drilling and construction is going on near our house and they clipped the line. Again. Anyway, we had power this morning so I did lots of laundry, dishes, vaccuuming, bathing and cooking so that if the power were to go back out, we'd be all set. I even did some mopping! YAY ME! LOL Then it was back to my mom's house to take her to the doctor.

It's been a busy day but I got a lot accomplished.

Night Everybody!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Apr 11 - 11:27 PM

If you have an ailing tree, soak the roots in a compost tea, if you can find it, and unravel them. When you plant it, or if you have to "heel it in" (a temporary planting location) be sure that the "trunk swell" or the wider top of the roots is/are exposed. Too many nursery trees were too deep in the pot (they have few roots so the nurserymen throw in extra dirt so the plant looks more robust, but it is, in fact, suffocating).

Today was hectic, all at work. I have a couple of days before the next event, and I'll take some time tomorrow during the day to work here at the house. I poked around this evening and found another plank, one left over from when the garage was built, that is about 14" by 2" and maybe 2 1/2 to 3' long. I'll add it to the back wall of my garden and plan to dig more turf out and let this be the next garden extension. And my tomatoes will go in this newest area by next weekend.

One other thing. On Monday, I posted this:

Conversation with a neighbor today gave me the distaff view of a marriage that is of long duration but troubled. Dementia was diagnosed a few years ago but one partner refuses to take meds that would slow the progression. It has become adversarial in the home, but isn't visible to the outside. (The absence of a xmas tree last year and how late it was going up the year before were probably the only outward signs so far.) I'm so closeby that I've been hearing hints of some of this - it is so sad, I really like these two people. They have my number if they need help, but I will reserve the right to call 911 if I hear gunfire or fear gunfire. Enough said.

I've been thinking about this a lot. He is keeping secrets from her; in what seemed a casual request several weeks ago, he asked if I would research and sell a couple of things on eBay, but not mention it to his wife. I think he hoped these things were worth a lot (they're not, they're reproductions). I haven't listed them, and after talking to her, I think I'll walk them back across the street and tell him that I haven't had a chance and don't want to hold onto them if I can't get them listed. I'm afraid, now, that he may have tried to sell something that is community property, or worse, was hers, and hoped they were older and would bring in a lot of cash. I'm sorry we've had these conversations, yet relieved; I know that the "truth" is somewhere in between and I need to not be pulled into choosing sides, I love them both.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: mouldy
Date: 12 Apr 11 - 05:55 PM

I bought a dwarf crab apple from the "rescue me" section at the garden centre a couple of weeks ago, and suddenly all the bursting buds have died. I'll hang on to it and see if I can coax any life back into it, though. So far, everything else seems okay, given that a lot of it is potted until the work on the house is done, and I can reclaim my little garden. I re-potted a "Katy" apple tree this afternoon. Good job I did, because I found that the ants' nest I had unknowingly parked it on top of had decided it would make a very nice extension!

On the house front - bookshelves moved from one landing to another, and an oak chair from the dining room set up by them. I've collapsed a few more cardbord packing boxes, and bagged up some packing paper, so that lot will go to the tip tomorrow. At some point soon, I will see if I can manhandle my small freezer into the house from the outbuilding it's in at the moment.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 12 Apr 11 - 05:33 PM

Sleep is not wasted if one needs it! Outdoors would be nice but not in Montreal in April. I just googled Angelica. interesting herb but no fancy recipes on first page.

Went outside and found almost NO SNOW!!!! In shed, one box that had gotten wet in what I thought was a safe spot - put it out in the SUN!!! to dry. Not a great deal of energy today. Supposed to rain tomorrow so I will go out again shortly and retrieve what I put outside and maybe even prune the plants that did not get done last fall. And think about supper.

Hopefully, tomorrow will start earlier and I will get to the thrift shop and other early - before 11) shopping. Now, outside and then finish novel. After the news.

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Penny S.
Date: 12 Apr 11 - 01:58 PM

It is wasted if spent asleep indoors! I did manage to sweep the flags so things look neater. I had to water things in pots looking a bit tired, angelica looking flaccid, and a rose I brought from the last place which is looking as if it has caught something. This was the root stock of a neighbour's rose which had taken over, and was then destroyed, but I took cuttings, as it has clusters of creamy musky scented little flowers, gorgeous. They only last a week, but are lovely while they last. It is a very vigorous rambler. I might take some more cuttings back at the old place in case there's a problem. Possibly the angelica.

And if anyone knows a recipe for angelica, other than candying it, I'd be interested.

I finished varnishing, tidied up some old carrier bags ready to take to recycle, and found the propagation trays for the veggie seeds.

We were told it would rain. Proper useful rain. Ha.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 12 Apr 11 - 01:22 PM

Penny, A beautiful sunny day is not wasted. It heals and enlivens - and may remind us not to overdo it next time. But we probably will! wonderful to have all those heritage plants to remind you of your family!

Today, y'all remind me to go outside and see how much of the snow is left. Can I easily get around the shed to the sunny side of the yard? How much is coming up there? No strawberries, for sure!!! The crocuses out front are now rampant!

We were very late up this am - I hate to say it - 10:15 when the phone moved us to notice! But yesterday we were awakened by a jack hammer about 8 am. Hopefully, they were doing something about the problem underground that caused our water to freeze this spring. But it sure shook us out of bed.

So lunch, then off to the backyard so see what is happening and maybe do some more sorting in the shed. Move is a four letter word and I am feeling it greatly today. I, too, seem to have overdone Saturday.

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Apr 11 - 12:17 PM

It's so pretty outside today, it's a shame to waste it at work! I cleared the way to a space where I'll put the lumber, but I'm not going to fool with it now. Too much potential for splinters, etc. and I have to get dressed up in a little while for today's photo shoot.

I planted my bright red geranium in a pretty blue pot. What else is there to say to paint a word picture about a lovely spring day?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Apr 11 - 10:43 AM

Last night I had occasion to be in the garage, and I find myself using each trip out there to find and hang more items on that new board. When the board is full, I'll compress related things into the existing shelving. The next big move out there is to consolidate the usable chunks of lumber that are kind of bulky and leaning up against things. I like having a few larger pieces so I can make and put up a shelf if I decide I want one, and have a box for scraps if I discover I need a little wedge or a shim, etc.

I'd like to start working on that table top (I'll use it for putting potted plants on) but it'll probably have to wait till tomorrow. I picked up a geranium yesterday that I'll go ahead and put in a pretty pot this morning.

I ate a handful of strawberries from my garden with my breakfast this morning. What a luxury! I'm going to harvest and dry oregano this week. I'll give the yard another day and then do some more digging up turf (we had at least an inch overnight on Sunday, so it is a sticky sloppy job if I don't wait a couple of days).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Penny S.
Date: 12 Apr 11 - 07:49 AM

I wore myself out, too! My wrists are complaining and my hands are swollen, so a nice sunny day gone to waste. Ginger was out at 6.30 today, but did not come in.

Photos not to be done yet - very much a work in progress, and I don't want the previous owner, who had lots of pretty shrubs, to see the between state. (I have rehomed the shrubs, and most are doing well. None of the geraniums have been dumped, but rehomed, though not so successfully. The vinca will be just right for the last place which has large areas which a crying out for uncontrollable ground cover.)

It's the green oxalis with pink flowers. There is a little brown with yellow flowers between the flags near the house. I'm going to put creeping thyme between the remaining flags, and hopefully corsican mint, but it's hard to get hold of.

Andrea, thanks for the offer of the cowslips - I am hoping to find another plant back at Dad's - does it sound ungracious to say that this particular plant is from my Mum, so I'd like to keep a clone going? (I might get back, though.) I've got my Grandad's mints, and Mum's honeysuckle, and Grandad's Albertine rose from a cutting from the people who now live in his old home. His honeysuckle didn't take, so I'll have to ask them again. Mum kept that going at all our homes until her last move, when she was too sick, and the purchasers of those homes have not maintained it. It's only the same as the stuff in hedges, but it's a link. I've Mum's two jasmines, winter and not winter, and I'm going to try for her fuschia (just the basic wild type) and philadelphus. Dad liked it because he grew up with one in his small plot back at a Brighton terrace. The one here has a very odd scent, lacking high notes, rather cloying. It flowers beautifully, covering the stems with small white flowers, rather like the habit of forsythia, but I can't breathe it for long.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: mouldy
Date: 12 Apr 11 - 03:02 AM

I will be doing "indoor camping" - I have a camping toilet, and there should still be a fully functioning one in the "annexe" down the garden (which is a converted stone shed). There's a laundrette in the village, I have a condenser dryer, and I also have the key to my sister in law's weekend cottage about 15 miles away - and she's got an electric shower! The dining room will become the kitchen. All washing up will be done in a bowl, and kettles boiled for hot water.

If you've lost your red cowslips, I would be able to let you have some later in the year, when mine have settled in and clumped a bit.
There was oxalis all round the front of my house at the last place. very pretty when it flowered, but a nightmare to get rid of! I take it yours is the basic green variety?

My landing by the bedroom is clear now that I had some help yesterday to shift a chest of drawers downstairs. So today's task is to get a basic tall and narrow bookcase and contents down 6 steps, then up another nine to the landing. There should also be room for a chair from the dining room to go up there after that. (I was very fortunate that a another local builder came to insulate my roof space yesterday, and he needed the chest moved to get his ladder in. He also found out why I got water dripping in a couple of weeks ago during a very severe, and windy, rain storm - there's a little hole in the roofing felt under the slates, and daylight can be seen, which means that one of the slates has probably slipped a bit. He couldn't understand the hole in the felt, though).

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: LilyFestre
Date: 11 Apr 11 - 11:29 PM

Spent the day doing laundry, dishes, running errands and cooking.....none of it for myself. A family member is in need of help. Tomorrow, add chauffer to the list! :) Sure feels great to be the one doing the helping instead of the one needing helping!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 11 Apr 11 - 08:50 PM

Some great gardening ideas. Penny's wore me out just reading. Andrea is getting on with her building! Good helpful hint from SRS.

Our Sunday was amazing. The consideration of membership went swimmingly with no facilitation. There were enough seasoned Friends to answer the questions and concerns of the newer folks. And it ended in good time for our trip to the historical society meeting.

I opted out of the lectures on train history in southern Quebec and went up the street to talk with a couple people working on the new cafe venue. Then read for a while. Went back in time to hear a guitarist/singer doing train songs. Pretty good too.

At supper - quite good - we chose a table near the back door for fresh air. As we sat and talked with four others - the one couple started commenting on raccoons. We both immediately warned them against neg remarks about our sweeties! Then told everyone, at length, about our experiences. I finally engaged the woman across from me and mentioned my article and she was amazed - she read it, liked it and I was happy with the positive feedback.

R engaged with the couple to his left and found they are our new next door neighbours! We share a lane into the woods. Out of about 50 people at the dinner....????

Then we dropped a carload at the cabin and came home. A very good day!

Today, I put a load of stuff in the car to go to the thrift shop, hopefully, tomorrow. R stayed home all day, doing business on phone and computer and reading a book. This is a first. I fed him at intervals, read, computered and cooked a yummy dinner.

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Apr 11 - 08:44 PM

Dorothy, or anyone else, have you ever heard of this before? Amethyst BioMat.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Apr 11 - 07:00 PM

Thanks, SRS.

A friend or two got me into this. First Dharmabum would always insist on sleeping in his van when he came here for MudStuff. Had it set up for festivals. I thought he was nuts, when it got real cold, but as I got to know him better I knew he was NOT nuts, about ANYthing. I looked at his setup eventually and began to drool. Then recently another friend and I were on our way to a training, that had cost biggish hotel bucks to send us to it. He said that at his initial training it had been held at a church, and they had not minded when he simply unfolded a cot in the hallway and spread out his sleeping bag-- he's a a real SCA camping veteran. And then once I had an emergency need to sleep in that van myself when I happened to have a twin box and mattress in it-- heaven!!! But I always wished I could take peeps up on their nice house sleepover offers-- couch or floor offers. No can do couch or floor. Can do THIS tho, easy-peasy. More secure and stable than an inflatable, too! I expect it'll be like a sofa sleeper without the sofa. And I just spent a lovely night on a sofa sleeper without breaking it, so..... hey, it'll work. It's made for hunters heavier than me!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Apr 11 - 06:41 PM

Penny, you need a camera and a flickr account! It sounds lovely and interesting.

Since there is a common green area between your houses, could you go in and dig up some of the turf and make a spot where the cat would go? And would his activity in that area be less noticeable, or would it end up right under a window or something?

Susan, I have that cot, or one very much like it, that came from my Dad's house almost 15 years ago. He could put in the back of his tiny car to go to folk music events when he didn't want his sleeping bag on a floor. I'm sure the height made a difference, I know he had arthritis in his last few year. It is quite comfortable, having been used on many occasions around our house.

Andrea, good luck with all of your work. Are you going to camp out in part of your house for the duration?

I hung up a couple of more things in my garage this morning, and picked up some more topsoil and humate at Home Depot. I'm so glad I didn't put out seeds and seedlings this weekend or they'd have been scoured away by the heavy wind and rain that passed over us in the middle of the night. It was one of those thunderstorms that brings you bolt upright in bed with the first immense crack of thunder. The garden will be sodden right now, but in a day or two I'll get out there and add the new dirt and do some serious planting.

Conversation with a neighbor today gave me the distaff view of a marriage that is of long duration but troubled. Dementia was diagnosed a few years ago but one partner refuses to take meds that would slow the progression. It has become adversarial in the home, but isn't visible to the outside. (The absence of a xmas tree last year and how late it was going up the year before were probably the only outward signs so far.) I'm so closeby that I've been hearing hints of some of this - it is so sad, I really like these two people. They have my number if they need help, but I will reserve the right to call 911 if I hear gunfire or fear gunfire. Enough said.

Busy with special events tomorrow and Friday at work, and as the end of the semester gets closer, we'll be racing to do a number of things. I make every trip count since gas is going up. I didn't go anywhere yesterday but to pick up pots and lawn clippings in the neighborhood. My Home Depot trip today was on the heels of my six-month check at the dentist. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Penny S.
Date: 11 Apr 11 - 02:08 PM

Well, today I have put more varnish on the bedheads, and on an old chipboard table which is going to support strawberries. I have put in a third step at the change in level, and two small steps by the greenhouse, and shifted some soil to an area where I have moved eight flags. This area will become home to bulbs from the sunny part of the garden, where I will be making veggie beds. After eradicating the vinca.

So, picture the garden, the width of the house. My door opens on its left, onto a paved patio. In front of the door is one of those plastic boxes for storing tools, with next to it a fake stone bird bath from Dad's house, which doesn't have a permanent home yet. Behind it is the beginning of a hole which will house the old cold water tank for collecting rain from the flagged areas. (I'm going to have to change the fall on the patio for it.) Next to that is the herb bed, then a path with a shallow step then recently cleared soil with a rock collection which will be a rockery. It is currently home to violets, campanula, a small geranium from my mother and oxalis - where did that come from? Between the house and the rockery is a probably dead olive in a tub, and a stand with a lot of strawberry plants taken from runners last year, which are going to go into pocketed bags.

Behind these is the flagged area which was originally 8 by 10 half metre flags, with the washing line pole in the centre. This is being reduced to 6 by 6, with the corner flags missing. On the left, in the shaded part, I have put honeysuckle from Dad's, a wild rose from the last place, primroses, some hybridised with a red cowslip (which seems to have been lost in transit, wild strawberry and white violets and an angelica plant, while attempting to reduce the montbretia and a very vigorous geranium. On the right is a juniper, a philadelphus (not the best scented version) and a potted dwarf peach I bought with a gift voucher from my sister. Also a couple of brambles I brought from the old place, where they did incredibly well producing a wonderfully sweet fruit. And more geranium.

Behind this is a step in level to a sloping area where I have built steps in the middle. To the left is a forsythia and a peony in the shaded part of the garden, plus vigorous London Pride and lavender, two compost bins, and the cold water tank soaking comfrey. To the right is the bird feeder, various bulbs, more brambles, vinca, vinca and vinca, forgetmenot, leeks from last year, comfrey, and the beginnings of my raised system. On the back fence is Virginia Creeper, and in the top right corner my little greenhouse. The soil here is particularly bad, clay-with-flints, and looks much as if it is subsoil, not topsoil. The best stuff seems to be under the flags near the house. Since the neighbour's garden beyond the path to the green space is abundant with plants, I suspect that during the construction of the flagged area the subsoil was turned over onto the raise part.

It is aligned to the north west, with a 3 storey terrace to the south east, so not as sunny as I would like, but I have put three wavy sided mirrors from IKEA which lurked in the bathroom to surpise the unwary stepping from the bath on the back fence to get a bit more morning light in, and have another one ready to join them. There is a gate to the communal green space opposite the back door. I need to find a way to secure the gate, while allowing the window cleaner access. It has a simple bolt near the top which can easily be undone from outside.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: mouldy
Date: 11 Apr 11 - 01:55 PM

What a good idea to use forsythia prunings for peas! I have one I shall be getting rid of in the future, and it will be nice to make some use of it. However, as my garden is destined to be a builders' yard this summer, it won't happen just yet. Got some chard seeds in, but like everything so far this year, it's just round the edge (apart from the front (floral) flowerbed. We are a tourist village, and the parish council is trying to encourage people to make the place look attractive (everything is made of grey stone).

It's quite amusing watching all the passers-by checking the progress of the plants out!

I've chosen the cheaper builder (who should be able to start earlier than the other guy too) and so I am moving stuff around now, ready for the back of my house disappearing!

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Apr 11 - 09:30 AM

Had a chance today finally to catch up on what y'alls have been up to here-- my goodness! What a bunch!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Spring Declutter & Exercise, April 2011
From: Penny S.
Date: 11 Apr 11 - 04:49 AM

I've only seen it once. I spent some time watching this morning, as it seemed to have been coming in shortly after being let out, but no sign of it yet. Only its housemate, the ginger and white cat, which has not been involved, as far as I know. This makes the squirting option a bit unrealistic. Unfortunately.

Its own garden is completely covered with plants, ponds, flagstones etc, and has no bare earth. It goes out under the hedge as soon as it gets out of the house into the shared green space between the houses, also short of bare earth. Not short of birds, though, but they always fly off. Its owners put out bird feeders round the front of their home on the trees by the public path there.

It's a pity. I'm a cat person myself, but am not quite ready to get my own, as I still have to go off and do stuff elsewhere at times, and it wouldn't do to get involved with that responsibility until my time is clear.

Meanwhile, I shall put the forsythia prunings I'm keeping for pea-sticks across any new tilth (as well as the lion poo), and keep watching.

I am varnishing the old bed heads with yacht varnish to make them resistant to weather. They have an open balustrade in them, and will look like fancy fencing. I'm putting them at the change in level in the garden, either side of the steps I have put in. The previous step was three loose foot square flags which slid down the clay. I have dug out space for two 18" flags, resting on bricks, but need to put in one more. I also need to put another step higher up to make it safe to get at the little plstic greenhouse.

Did I say that some of the level changes have been outlined with broken up concrete, some of which have been coated nicely with moss? I thought it was very odd, especially as it was treated with equal value as the very nice massive quartz pieces which were also there. fora while I planned to hide these, while looking at sources for local stone for the rockery. Kentish Rag is now tricky to get hold of, as the quarries are closed, and alternatives are very expensive, so I looked at making hypertufa. After reading up the complex process, and the warnings involved, it seemed to me that in the concrete I had something very similar, and that if I painted it with yoghurt to encourage algae, lichen and the moss, no-one would know what it was. I'm using some to surround raised beds, which is slightly different from the previous owner's use, which looked as though it had been surrounding a water feature, though it wasn't.

Penny