Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014

Subject: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 201
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Mar 14 - 01:08 PM

Here is the winter 2014 thread. Let's get a jump on spring a few days early. I see on facebook people are reporting success in clearing out bags of debris from indoors and out. Keep up the good work!

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 17 Mar 14 - 04:00 PM

COUNTRY:
Spring is still a future hope up here! However, I checked the forecast and we are to have most of a week above freezing after today - 18F and sunny! So today, instead of getting to the glazing that I had meant to do today, I drove 10 minutes to the "dahlia man" and found a marvellouos big greenhouse full of beautiful tropical plants - from mandevillia for the spring market to 6 foot banana trees! Such a treat for me! I LOVE greenhouses/plants....

He was at the Market on Sunday and said he has soil for planting so I went to fetch some for my heritage seeds. ending up with a huge bale of soil of which I have used a miniscule amount to start the pepper seeds - 5 varieties. He and his wife were delightful and seem such contented people- with their beautiful, thriving business -on line and at markets, and a lovely home in a very rural setting. Sunday, he handed out dahlia muffins and had a recipe for them! They also gave me flats in which to plant the seeds including mini greenhouse covers for them. The peppers are started now, in the sun room which is HOT today! Later I will start other plants. The flats have tiny cells for 8x16 plants so I still have room for lots more. If I need to pot them before good pepper weather, there are lots of small pots under the snow in the city.

On the way back to the mil, I dropped off a book at the library, pots at the cafe, picked up newspapers at Geri's - sick and not up for a visit - and a bag of stuff at the thrift shop. Also tried to convince a young fellow that looking suspicious while smoking next to the book drop was not a good idea. Not seeming to get through to him in English, I popped into the adjacent youth centre and explained my concern to the staff and let them deal with it.

Two hours before I need to leave to go back to city for dancing. May be time to do some work in studio. Plan to come back down tomorrow also as I really want to GET THINGS DONE! Right now conflicted between sitting on computer or work in studio.....

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: GUEST,Lilyfestre
Date: 17 Mar 14 - 06:16 PM

Ah yes. Spring cleaning! I think I'm feeling it! The sun was all shiny yesterday and I couldn't help myself...I puttered around the kitchen cleaning up small piles of stuff that were making me crazy. Three bags of Jeremiah's too small clothing, library books to go back, magazines to go the preschool (for cutting practice), a winter coat out to the car to head to the dry cleaner, bathroom decluttered, a few loads of laundry done, some organizational puttering in my sewing room and I'm about to go do some more stuff in the kitchen. I like the snow and I don't mind the cold temperatures too much but what I don't like is all the gray and now the mud. I am looking forward to the leaves coming back, the grass and the color of all the bulbs we have planted over the years. Yes...I miss the color and the sunshine....it clearly makes me feel much more energetic!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day Everybody!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 17 Mar 14 - 08:04 PM

After my counseling session with Edie at Hyder House, I'll drop off a couple bags at Goodwill. Today I picked up a Freecycled cannister vacuum cleaner, but it's not out of the car yet.

And some of those 1980s rubberstamp catalogues had to be pulled from the trash as a friend wants to send them to a friend of hers (because of the artwork, I guess).

And I just made a commitment to the Epilepsy Foundation for a bag of clothes at the end of the month -- the last few suits of Tom's left in the closet and I'll see what else I can scare up.

I swear baskets breed when I'm not watching. Where do they COME from?!? I keep getting rid of them, but there's always way more than I have use for.

Hey, Stilly, it's not spring here until the snow disappears! (And I see the first snowy egret.) And the temperature gets consistently out of the teens Fahrenheit.

I'm looking forward to snowdrops, winter aconite, daffodils...and May's ladyslippers. If a woodchuck eats off the flower heads this year, I will be really, really upset! (When the snow melts, I can, perhaps, spread around some more large carnivore urine.)

Linn

Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 17 Mar 14 - 08:38 PM

CITY:
Maybe, Linn, you could just pee on those plants. But ground hogs, I've had them walk over my feet as they ambled out of my garden! As for baskets! Breed they must!

I have seen bare ground - in patches but I am not sure we are through with snow.

I managed to unload the kiln and then washed the dishes and had a bite to eat, then it was time to leave. Was nice to leave the K clean! I plan to go back out tomorrow asap to work on glazing in a good block of time.

Folk dancing was a bust - too many had on fragrance; The mask is not quite adequate for that and my brain started to get angry. I only danced two dances. The second one the music was too loud and I had to dance by myself with my fingers in my ears. Next time I shall take ear plugs. But the fragrance did me in. Rather distressing after driving over an hour to get there. I really sat and thought about it before leaving the mill; did not want to leave but knew if I stayed I would just sit there on the computer until 10 pm. Well, I can fill water jugs to take back to the mill and get back down in the am.

I keep hoping for an email from the dance organizer so I can address the concern about fragrances. Tonight, I was amazed that I was clearly dancing behind the group with my fingers in my ears, the instructor did not have the decency to turn down the music. Very discouraging but there is no other place to dance.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 18 Mar 14 - 09:30 AM

Last spring/summer I emptied Tom's commode in the area. Alas, that was AFTER the woodchucks ate the ladyslippers... Will do what's necessary to prevent a repeat.

Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 18 Mar 14 - 11:17 AM

City:
The jugs are filled and waiting but I am not getting back to the mill today. The washing machine is arriving. Hopefully, the dry laundry as well. This will drive me to at least get laundry done and the laundry room stuff out of the LR. Hmmm, having written that, R finally got up to go show a machine to someone, "Then I'll pick up the laundry and then get the washing machine ----if Joe has moved his trailer..." (He did say noon a while ago but time has no meaning to R.)

I really need something good to happen. We agreed this morning that my sensitivity to chemicals seems to have worsened. I realized a few minutes ago that I cannot even feel happy about spring because in May the farmers will poison me again. I could weep.

R suggests we move to the Laurentians but our community of friends is in southern Quebec. Also the mill and all the work he needs to do there. OK, we cannot move to the L and that is good. Maybe go away for a week or so in May, somewhere there are no black flies? If no raccoons need to be fostered. OR... Can I give my life to kits when it is going to cost me 6-8 weeks of my life, of being sick, incapacitated, angry, powerless... A resounding, NO! R is going to visit the farmers in the vicinity of the mill to find out about the spray schedule and what it is. Based on the schedule, I really need to plan to be elsewhere. (That was me thinking "out loud", than you.)

So, I can go upstairs and get a bit of work done while I wait for the washing machine - maybe a lot of work done, the way R's concept of time operates. Waiting is one of my least favourite things; waiting is powerlessness. The dishes are washed and nothing else can be done down stairs so up is where I need to go - "Nowhere to go but up"!

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Mar 14 - 11:28 AM

I remember that episode with the woodchucks. Emptying the commode there doesn't make the garden sound very appealing.

Thursday is the first day of Spring (on the calendar) but my neighbor across the street swears that the best time to plant tomatoes is after Easter. That's too late for me this year, April 20, but I'll have the gardens worked and ready once it seems like the soil has warmed up enough.

Yesterday I picked up the three Lord of the Ring books at the library because my copies date back to when I was in college and they're falling apart. I read some Amazon reviews about the maps in some of the books - in the late-1980s or so a woman redrew the maps but LOTR purists complain that she got things wrong. On the way home I visited my half-price bookstore where they had several shelves of many volumes of the books so I compared the maps and editions. I settled on a single book with all three sections and with the clearest old maps. It seems to have trimmed a little off of Tolkien's original map of Mordor, but I can refer back to the older book (and they never actually travel that far south, which is probably why it was trimmed.)

Anyway, I now have the old set of the books on my library shelves and the newer book I'm reading. I pursued this edition because I'm rereading all of these books (and The Hobbit) before watching my Director's cut version of the LOTR films (they left a lot of stuff on the cutting room floor that was restored in each director's cut). And because I want to get back into the habit of regular reading in the evening, not just for a few minutes at bedtime. No surprise that something has to go to get that time, and that something will be facebook. I'm not reading it nearly as much now and I set up groups that I can glance at to follow the people I really want to know about.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Mar 14 - 12:02 PM

P.S. I have two copies (from my Dad's house) of the large fold-out map of Tolkien's Middle Earth, a faithful representation of his maps in the book. But with a large volume, the extra map, and a tablet with a bunch of multi-color tabs that I use to mark areas I think I might want to refer back to, this is getting to be a large reading project! I remember wanting to look back in previous readings, to clarify what someone said or who someone was, so I'm marking those likely spots with tabs. Just like in graduate school. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 18 Mar 14 - 08:49 PM

Not a garden, Stilly. Just the area up at the head of the driveway populated by wild flowers...pink ladyslippers, foam flower, star flowers, and false lily of the valley. Only the liquid from the commode since the cats are no longer outside cats which is probably what kept the woodchucks at bay all those years. (But the woodchucks got the liilies I planted when I tried to start a flower bed at the top of the turnaround. Every year just as they were ready to bloom, the buds were eaten. Until they died.)

I "watered" the hosta bed inside the turnaround from Tom's commode as well. To keep the deer at bay.

We're in the middle of the woods. And I have a composting toilet. You might say I've got my shit together. That compost as well as the kitchen compost gets used on either the flower beds or the potted edibles. This year I need to get some of the well composted goat manure from my neighbor up the hill.

Waste not, want not...

Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Mar 14 - 11:04 AM

Hump day. Spring-ish weather this week. Cold mornings (relatively) and nice afternoons and evenings. I need to get some seeds into the small 4" pots sitting beside the kitchen door.

Found a few more things to list on eBay, and I need to pack up some things that are going to Goodwill. Maybe I can do that on my way out this morning.

One item I listed on eBay is a sand cast aluminum frame that is very pretty but doesn't really go with anything else here. Got it for $3 at a thrift store and cleaned it up. I have been thinking about using it, but instead listed it with a high price on eBay. If it sells, I won't feel bad (and wouldn't you know, it has a watcher!)

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 19 Mar 14 - 04:43 PM

CITY:
TIME??? The washing machine arrived about 5 pm. I spent the day making celery soup, going to the Market for sausage which enhances the soup and a few other items. The soup is a real winner and this sausage, from a butcher who makes it right there in front of anyone who visits, is delicious mild Italian. He assured me there were no chemicals added. I also bought two Quebec grown chicken breasts.

Having done all that, the afternoon stretched ahead so, thinking I would be interrupted any minute, instead of potting, I FBed and other computer stuff. I am finding FB less interesting, hence, less time consuming but some good stuff on claybuddies, to learn and also to share.

So I helped wrestle the newer washer into the laundry room and fed R who proceeded to read for the next few hours. About 9 pm, I lamented that it would be good if he hooked it up; I could have been doing laundry for the last 3 hours! (There is LOTS to do!) So he went and -- came back informing me there was no cold water. Maybe Bruno forgot to reconnect the cold water after he did the hot water tanks.

THAT"S FOUR! Let me know if you do not know the story about "That's 3!" I wish I had enough money to hire my own workers. R suggests laundromat - which I detest. I suggest turning on the water at the mill as the weather is warming. There is an excellent washer there!

He did reconnect the dryer this morning and, after he left, I wrestled the washer closer to the dryer to make room for the recycling bin. Then I reorganized stuff that was in there so there was room for more so I have more room on the K shelves for better organization. Much improved. I am not going to mention that the old washer which I could only not use for a "large" load was far better than this one which is small and has no water choices. It is weird.

I did suggest a few days ago that we just put the old one back in place rather than go to the trouble of getting another one, since we are HOPEFULLY gearing up to moving to the apt in VSP, if Bruno ever finishes it, so the K here can be totally reno'd. I have moments of fearing I shall be living in that apt the rest of my life.

He did his bit, this morning, by, finally!, removing about 4 years of papers from the LR & K areas where I had stashed them in self defense - a banana box and another box went to the office where they can gather more dust. Now there is an empty book shelf, maybe two, and some paper even went in the recycling bin! I do feel moderately de-cluttered!

After my laundry room event, I had a nice lunch and took a hot bath. Then looked at the real estate site for a cheap place near the mill. At this point, I am looking at vacant land, cheap houses on not enough land, possibilities - desperation. Seriously need privacy for raccoons since I am illegal. But also need a legal place to live since we have been informed the mill is not. I am ready to settle for a camp in the woods. I am already carrying water! Only need off the grid toilet and grey water disposal. Roof, bed... Desperate is the word. Nothing popped out to me. I need to keep on top of it in case something new comes up.

Goat manure sounds great, Linn. I believe it is the best - domestically.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Charmion
Date: 19 Mar 14 - 07:06 PM

Today I am well into a large project to reduce the number of dust-catchers in the house: I am going through our very large collection of CDs one by one, and adding those that haven't been to our iTunes library. Although we have been using iTunes for the better part of seven years now -- how time flies! -- only about half the CDs have been ripped. This would not be a problem (like it's a problem ...), except we are now confirmed iPod users, and whatever isn't on iTunes doesn't get heard.

Besides, we have so many CDs that the collection is only genuinely accessible when packed into an MP3 player. Otherwise, we are tripping over the things, and they spread all over every piece of furniture.

Kinda like the books, which are another issue. Unlike the content of the CDs, most of our books have no electronic delivery system, so they get the shelf space.

Because I'm not acquiring any more bookcases. Really, I'm not.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Mar 14 - 10:06 PM

I'm using online music more now - Amazon gives me digital versions of most of the CDs I buy and at work it is easy enough to stream as I work. I have a huge CD changer I could set up at home, but I'd still have to keep the cases handy for information.

Today I had a lightbulb moment - decided that some of the extra coffee mugs can be taken to work and put in our pseudo kitchen area. I did that a couple of years ago, took them to the kitchen near that office. Time for another purge of the cupboard. I'll take them in tomorrow (they're sitting in a box on the counter right now.) I also have a lot of vintage cups from old Pacific NW folk festivals and events from my Dad. I wonder if there is an interest, or if every old folkie on the site has their own similar collection? :)

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 20 Mar 14 - 04:21 AM

Discovered a very motivating way of getting the house thoroughly Spring Cleaned. Invited an estate agent to come and value our tiny house. (We're not moving, but we wanted to know its worth.) That was a week ago and my word, we've had a real blitz! Husband went up the Municipal 'tip' with tons of stuff, both recyclable and non. (They have a little shop up there to sell your good stuff for charity) His car was loaded. Delved into all our drawers, cupboards, the attic, the greenhouse, the garage and it's amazing what you store and do NOT need. Then I got busy with hoovering, dusting, mopping, washing curtains, cushion covers; even cleaned the cooker. The cats were disgusted, they hate upheavals. Finally the house was unrecognisably smart. I'm usually clean and tidy, but this was something else. Lady came, and would you believe it, our house has gone up in value by £13,000!! Obviously not just because it's clean; house prices have really taken off. But we were so pleased. Hah! Feel real satisfaction - job done!

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Mar 14 - 10:30 AM

Good idea, Eliza! I've been meaning to invite a friend over for lunch, and I know if I do I'll be racing around picking up and vacuuming before she gets here. There is always the disclaimer that "my house is a work in progress," but it doesn't need to be a dusty work zone.

I'm making time for reading for an hour or so in the evening, but now I need to back it up a bit because I'm going to bed a bit later than I want. I created a reading zone that I also want to refine. It's a comfortable chair and lamp setup, but I need to move the chair and lamp to a more logical looking place. Right now it's smack in the middle of the front room.

I have wrapped and bagged a few mugs to take to work today, and there are a couple of others that my daughter needs to claim if she still wants them. I've been looking at some types of china online and will keep an eye out at estate sales so I can replace my much-dissipated Corelle set. They may be hard to break, but when they do, they shatter, and over time we've lost several pieces. I can move to a grownup set of china now, if I can find a nice looking set at a moderate price. If I bring in a new set I'll take out the old ones, make it an even exchange.   

I have to do my income taxes. The file and the blank forms are now on my dining room table where I need to make myself sit down and do the work. Something I should do now so I'm not up against the last-minute deadline in a few weeks. This is the first year in many I haven't had to fill out the FAFSA forms (for kids going to college).

Today is the first day of spring, calendar-wise, and it is a lovely sunny day here in Texas. My heavy-lifting declutter work will wait till the weekend. How does spring look for the rest of you? Sounds like Eliza had a great plan to get a jump on it. Charmion, have you conquered the dust?

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 20 Mar 14 - 03:04 PM

Isn't it funny Stilly, how mugs tend to multiply? We had far more than we needed, and they were among the stuff that went to the recycling tip. I do so feel for you with the Income Tax paperwork. I do the Tax returns for my husband, and it really does my head in! You're so wise to get ahead with it. Hope you can find some nice china that you'll enjoy and keep for years. My old Irish auntie took a great delight in fine china and linen, and I reckon I've inherited that interest. I feel very sorry for those of you still coping with snow. Ugh! Hate the stuff.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 20 Mar 14 - 03:36 PM

Eliza! What a great project and grand result!

Country:
R left early this morning to drive to country to pick up stuff he bought at Sunday's auction. "de-clutter" is not in his vocabulary, or anywhere is his concept of life. Charming small roll-top desk needing minor repair has been added to "how many desks DO you have!" OK, not my problem. Beautiful old medicine cabinet - if we ever have a place to put it for real. Good thing he has lots of storage space - 1000s of sf. Not sure if that is fortunate or unfortunate?

I came down also and we met in Huntingdon where a property had been erroneously listed - by a realtor I shall NEVER have anything to do with. Incorrect listing plus non-responsive to both email and phone.

But all was not lost. We stopped at the cafe Racine, where my pottery is nicely displayed. R had a wonderful lunch and we split a scrumptious strawberry tart. Vanessa gave me the remains of a choc mousse cake her dad made. We can have it on the weekend. Of course I bought a couple pastries. They are beyond wonderful. Surely I will settle down after I have had one of each!

The three of us talked a bit about buying a property together so I have spent some of the afternoon looking again. We do have similar requirements and we each have income and R offers a modest down payment. Could we LIVE together or find a place where we can live sort of separately? Possibilities. Dear Emily Dickinson. R went back to the city.

I did have a nice lunch and read a bit before going on line. Now I have two hours before writers' group and am wanting to do something useful. So off to the studio to see.

Smells like SPRING. Close to 40 F outside and thawing like mad! - for another couple days then cold again. Should be seeing some bare ground this weekend!!

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Mar 14 - 11:04 AM

Well, we've had our first (and I hope last) piece of spam in a declutter thread. Decluttered!

Today several eBay items will end. Something new to eBay is a button you can click to automatically relist three more times, but since some of these are clearance items I've unclicked them. In the old days you had to struggle to relist items more than once, and they charged for listings and used to give credits if you didn't sell and relisted. They've simplified their system and finally acknowledged that some things just need to run for a little while before the right buyer comes along.

I'm testing a new source of cloud storage. Mega.co.nz has 50GB of free space, and I tested it by uploading a file of photos (that I have stored in DropBox). They aren't terribly fast for the free accounts and after a while they throttle the upload speed. I just ran a test, I think it would work well for smallish general files. In this day and age Win8 devices are intended to use with Cloud Computing sites.

Yesterday was a kind of down day, I think the allergies were part of it, but also the prospect of continuing to work in a basement in a room where most of the staff vote to keep the overhead lights off and work in little pools of light in front of their computer screens and small desk lamps. Yesterday a job was listed in a nearby Dean's office and on the fifth floor with lots of lights and windows. I walked over to see where they are and said hello. I will be applying.

TGIF - I'm looking forward to a weekend of working in the yard. The energy level rises when the sun is bright and the temperatures comfortable.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 21 Mar 14 - 01:25 PM

Got a run of a couple really constructive days going...

Yesterday I made more inroads in making space on the bedroom floor. AND I consolidated a few wire baskets of papers, got them into boxes for easier accessibility, and got a lot of ephemera into page protectors and sorted into "dated", "undated" and "file elsewhere" piles -- and those piles into suitable binders or places.

Laundry and dishes done, too, and kitchen spiffified. (Some things are never actually finished...)

And, more importantly, I got signed up for ACA health insurance -- which I'll actually only need until Medicare kicks in on June 1st. But I'd been kind of stuck on a LOT of paperwork and odds and ends. Still feeling the PTSD from last year's debacle, plus having so much to fill out and file because of Tom's death, etc.

And went to the first meeting of the six-week grief group that I signed up for.

Now have to head to Portsmouth early to meet with a reporter doing a story on "Celtic" music sessions in the Seacoast area. He was unaware that the Press Room session has been going on for over 30 years -- decades before any other sessions showed up. Well before any of the pubs where the other sessions are held opened in the area. He also was unaware that in 1976 The Press Room became the first place north of Boston to serve Guinness on draught.

Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 21 Mar 14 - 01:33 PM

All that sorting and filing is therapeutic I expect, Linn. I hope the grief group is proving to be helpful. So sorry for your loss. Eliza x

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Mar 14 - 02:49 PM

Back in 2005 we had a burglary at the house. They got computers and other electronics. My neighbor interrupted them just as they were getting into my bedroom, no jewelry taken, but they'd opened a couple of drawers. Later that afternoon when I got home and walked behind the Sheriffs deputies into the room one said to the other "they really turned it over in here." I had to tell them that no, they hadn't. It was just that I had a lot of boxes of stuff piled in there to keep it out of the rest of the house. When I told friends and family this story they burst out laughing - but I decided it was time to get all of that junk out of my most personal space. I moved it around the house (and most of it is out of the house now) and arranged my room so it was comfortable and attractive. The best thing I could do for myself. I don't walk in at bedtime and see a bunch more work that I need to do some day.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Mar 14 - 06:46 PM

A co-worker is getting the gardening bug - she has grown things in pots previously but this year is putting in some raised beds. I've pointed her at a list of a few of the organic tips I use that will give her the most bang for her buck, and if she comes over to a place near me to get a couple of yards of top soil I'll have her over to see my garden. So much to do in my garden to get ready for this year's busy growing season, but there is a lot of year round herb-type activity to show off. I'll have to dust off a couple of my blog links and send them to her.

I need to take the pruning shears to a few shrubs that got hit bad over the winter. They'll look wretched with a few green limbs and the rest dead. They can come back from the roots or not at all, but I'm not leaving them the way they look now, like tumbleweeds, scattered around my landscape.

This might be the weekend to also level my greenhouse. The weather is nice, we had some rain to make the digging a bit easier, and I need to do it before the dogs completely drop the back side of it into a trench they have been digging. Once it's level I'll do more with it (because the doors will close properly and I can regulate the temperature better for spring use. In the summer it is like an oven).

On eBay things have relisted and/or ended today without any sales. A couple of items are due to go to Goodwill tomorrow. That big chandelier ends later and will probably relist rather than sell - they usually take a few weeks. (I'm offering eBay observations for Linn, but if any of you have specific questions go ahead and ask them here, find the old eBay thread where I posted more information, or send an email.)

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: GUEST,Lilyfestre
Date: 21 Mar 14 - 06:52 PM

I've been out of the house every day this week for the entire day...I have one more day before I can spend some time here!!! I am beat.

Michelle

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 21 Mar 14 - 06:53 PM

Oh my, SRS, Reminds me of when my flat in Montreal was broken into, circa 1971. Surely a drug addict - equipment left behind- and they did find a few things worth selling - my wedding band and engagement ring amongst others; I did not need them anymore but they were worth a few dollars. The worst was - my flat was well organized and very tidy, everything carefully stashed- but the everything had been pulled out of every drawer and closet so it was difficult to walk around. The police were unimpressed, "Why do you have so much stuff?" Even though foot prints went through the fresh snow into a building at the end of the block... Some family heirlooms and my "important papers" were left in boxes in the trash and employees at the businesses on the other side of the alley were kind enough to phone me so I could fetch them back!   --And as I stood looking at the mess, the cat-in-care vomited in my jewelry box!

Country:

This 2nd day of spring has turned right beautiful - crystal clear sky and sunshine, but already gone below freezing after a thawing two days. Smelling Spring in the air is a real joy!

Yesterday I did manage to wax pot bottoms in prep for glazing before dashing away. After the meeting, I succumbed to on line searches. Today, I did errands, drove by a house for sale, had a healthy lunch and convinced myself I would be happier if I got some work done in the studio.

I organized, added a couple more shelves and filled them, sorted and gathered glaze materials, mixed a large batch of yellow, and washed the complex glaze sieve in prep for next glaze making - midnight blue I think, and maybe a couple more tests toward a medium blue and a turquoise. Great sense of having DONE THINGS! And relegated two boxes of old copies of Ceramics Monthly to recycling - only because they had gotten wet and were useless. I had markers in most of them but could not turn the pages and - Oh well!

Now I shall dash away to the other cafe for music.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Mar 14 - 02:35 AM

One oddball item sold on eBay (a garage sale category piece) and if they pay early tomorrow I can hand it over to the mail carrier when he (hopefully) delivers an Amazon package. I found and ordered the type of veterinary shampoo I like to use on my dogs, and I'm going to give some to Susie (who adopted the three dogs from my co-worker who died of cancer last fall). One of those dogs has had skin issues and a good shampoo might help. So, one item out, two in, but the things coming in are replacements for things that are going away or were used up.

Dorothy, I've also tossed some magazines that I was keeping because of one article or recipe. I pulled out the articles and tossed the rest. A bunch of it will go to the recycle bin behind city hall tomorrow. And as far as our burglary, I think it is safe to say that dealing with the insurance company was like being robbed all over again. It took a couple of tries to get them to pay attention to the detailed claim I filed (I keep receipts and owners manuals, so I was able to reconstruct accurately what was stolen, but they ignored about half of the items listed on my inventory, probably hoping I wouldn't insist that they replace everything beyond my deductible). The worst thing those guys did was to steal the box of software. That's what really cost the insurance company.

I'm up late, winding down from a meeting at the library. Lots of old friends there, some good networking, and an illustration of how the new library setup is still lacking and falls back on the old library setup. It never fails that if I turn up at these meetings with a camera in my hand the woman who runs them now is relieved because she doesn't have to do something about photos. I take the camera to add to my collection because I've photographed this group for almost 17 years. And if the photos can be used by the library, fine.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 22 Mar 14 - 12:51 PM

Ah, the things I learn from here! It would never have occurred to us back in 1971 to have insurance! Nor do we have any now! If I were to own a house, as I have at times, I would have insurance. Although I am not at all sure it would be worth it. Clearly for some people it is.

As for the magazines: These are keepers; if kept in good condition, they can be resold to other potters. Unfortunately, moving is hard on magazines, esp when stored in damp places!

Dog skin issues: a good dose of vitamin A might help, even heal. I had a dog with sebaceous gland cysts years ago. For big bucks, I had the vet remove them. By the time the hair grew back in so had the cysts! Finally, (no one would touch her!) I tried vitamins. Her fur was beautiful in a short time!
Country:
A bright day with snow showers! Below freezing but supposed to warm??? And then be cold again. Spring in the north country.

R stayed in the city to work. I thought of going in tonight but now it depends on the snow. I may drive the 3 km to the library to return a "new" book that someone else might want to read. I will avoid all Scandinavian authors in future! Had bf in bed this morning, finishing the excellent "creative non-fiction" Into the Blue by Andrea Curtis. Then spent time googling her until I found a way of letting her know how much I appreciated her book (on FB). Also wrote a longish email to a 40 year friend because the book reminded me of her and she is also very book oriented.

Beyond that, the morning has not been more than watching the snow fall, checking through emails and a bit of FB, posting articles of interest, checking the temp in the studio, deciding what I shall do when I start moving and watching the snow fall. I do love watching it - when I am in a warm place!

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Mar 14 - 01:41 PM

What vitamins did you use, and did they clear up the cyst as well? I spoke with Susie this morning, that is what her dog has on her eyelid.

Warmish, overcast and a little drizzly. I'll step out into the yard for a little while, then come work on dusting and mopping - things I haven't done much of for a while. I need to see about rearranging some of the equipment and furniture over by the television. I picked up a new and much-less-expensive Blu-ray player (thank you, Amazon!) to replace the one that doesn't play all Blu-ray disks and barely has any software working on it now. Samsung didn't update it much. The one I picked up will stream NetFlix and Amazon Prime - I don't want to watch all of their movies or programs only on the computer and I don't watch any of those on my phone. I have to look at the cables out already (some so I can play television broadcasts through the amp and house speakers) and add some so the DVD can plan through the amp also. I had some problems getting that to work before, but I also see I was short a set of cables in the setup.

Another device in there needs work before I can use it, and there's one I've never used. It may be time to declutter that part of the house.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Mar 14 - 07:27 PM

I pruned some freeze-damaged shrubs in the front yard, but it's a cool clammy day and wasn't tempting to stay out there. I've moved to working in the kitchen and am looking at cookbooks (where they should live) and some of the small appliances. They're all things I use occasionally, but I could probably put a couple in the new pantry.

Paying more attention to the laundry because I was too slow taking them out of the dryer last week and had to do some ironing, something I'd like to avoid if possible.

Waiting on an eBay payment - if they don't pay there is an automated system in place that kicks in after four days and reports the non-payment. When it resolves itself the buyer either pays or is penalized and I'm free to relist. There are still things about eBay that are annoying, but they do try to make it a fair and safe marketplace.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Mar 14 - 11:39 PM

I've walked past the stack of papers for the income taxes all day today. I think I need to do them tomorrow. This evening I finished raising the framework that supports the modem and router in the pantry. It was at shoulder height and I had trouble getting past it with my hands full. Now it is up near the ceiling. I've only intended to move those wires for about 10 years!

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Mar 14 - 12:30 PM

I'm really looking forward to the early-April trip to Camp Ridgebury:

. The housemate agreement is as firm as it can be till we meet to sign tge agreement negotiated, and if the chemistry is off there is time before I leave to run an ad and interview another.
. It's mud season here and not a thing I can do to ameliorate it but remove one person and one dog-- 6 mud-tracking feets-- and it's dry, at CR.
. The house here is mud-filthy but it's clean at CR. I can keep CR clean, and clean here when I get back!
. I found several music communities to join (and NOT organize) near CR whose song circles fit my travel sked, and here we have been working with a new band member we all love, to resume working with when I get back.
. I'm hosting an area group of peer-counselors at CR-- with someone else organizing and a different someone leading the evening, which is planned to result in a highly-skilled, ongoing support grp via face and fone-- while back here I'm still closely connected to a similar group in Rochester.
. The new dog needs a few weeks of being an only-dog and so does the old dog who is staying home while I take the travel dog to CR-- and just this AM they achieved being able to play together in the kitchen of all places.

And it's sunny as all get OUT!

♥♡♥

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Mar 14 - 01:38 PM

It may be spring here in North Texas, but this weekend has been heavy overcast and cool, though as I started to type a sunbeam broke through the clouds briefly. Tis the season of Benedryl and decongestants on top of my daily Zyrtec knockoff. The season of a yellow powder covering the car and most outdoor surfaces.

Today feels like a good day for cooking a batch of beans, but the stove was so crusty that it needed a cleanup before I started (I sometimes take a photo of the dish in progress, and didn't want to advertise my messy stovetop). Now they're soaking for an hour before I change water and cooking begins.

I think a nap is in order.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Mar 14 - 10:51 PM

City:
SRS: I used vitamin A which is good for skin and hair. The cysts cleared completely and her coat was shiny. Animals tend to respond well to vitamins.

Beautiful sunny day but cold today. Still, I hated to leave the country. I managed to work more on glazes and glazing and loaded the kiln but decided not to fire until the weather is warmer. The venting system is not in yet and I have to turn off the heater to use the kiln and open the windows to let the fumes out. So I need to be there to turn heater back on and close windows. I hope to get back down on Thurs and will fire that night. I look forward to seeing the new test glazes and a few new glaze effects.

Realizing 4 hours of work is all I managed each of last two days, in two hour blocks. Well, I AM retired, after all.

Made sure all the plants were watered in the sun room and the seed trays are moist. "Had" to finish latest novel; it was a fascinating combo of modern and ancient murders being solved and interconnecting. Getting faster at deleting emails and scrolling through FB, and more choosy about what I try to look at on the latter.   

Each departure entails clearing the frig of perishables and putting them in frig on arrival. I'm getting better at it. There is a great deal of a type of clutter involved in two "homes" - what is where and what needs to be taken or fetched back and how many days might I be gone factored into it.

Arriving in the city, there was no heat on and the K counter is covered with tools. The resident furry creature has made a mess of the place and is eating plants in places I did not think it could reach. Unhappy to see the creature come through the LR into the K where I finally saw that it is unmistakably a rat about 8 inches long, plus tail. I phoned R at work and reported. The live trap is on the roof - which is quite covered with snow. No wonder there has been such a mess. R thought it was a squirrel but now he is seriously concerned. Maybe he will DO something.

Apparently the tools were on the K table but he moved them to clean up the mess on the table. So maybe I can move them back to the table, hence de-cluttering the counter - food prep area - so we can eat. I tend to take umbrage at the places he puts tools as in "They should not be on the table; they should not be on the counter... You put them there; you move them!" But there is NO PLACE in this house for tools. The back shed needs to be torn down; it is full of junk; no place for tools. They are stashed in K cabinets and a defunct frig. Hopefully, the new K (in my lifetime?) will have a tool spot OR if he decides to add on a sunroom at the back, I suggested the blank wall have long row of lower cabinets and a counter for tools and workspace. With book shelves above! YEAH!

While I am dreaming: he assures me the apt in VSP is coming along nicely; no completion in sight but HOPE! This house is not pleasant to come "home" to. Even the mill with no running water is preferable. And far less cluttered. Because everything we are not using is stored "out there" in the rest of the 20,000 sf building! That's cheating!! I really am looking forward to the warmer weather so I can continue my work on "Stuff TO Go"!

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Mar 14 - 12:21 AM

I should try vitamin A for Zeke, to see if it remedies his itching. The antihistamine doesn't seem to be helping.

Kitchen clean, my boy's birthday banana bread baked. Laundry finished, and eBay parcel conspicuous on the kitchen counter so it gets mailed tomorrow. It's one of my "garage sale" items that could have as easily gone in the trash. You never know what some folks will buy.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Mar 14 - 01:22 PM

Mudcat is undergoing some programming discomfort this morning, I'm sending this partly as a test to see if it will go.

Lovely but a little cool still. I mailed an eBay package and a box of banana bread to my son for a belated birthday food.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 24 Mar 14 - 05:31 PM

City:
14 F and sunny! Hanging in for the coming thaw!

SRS: "A" should help itching. Certainly worth a try. The change in my dog's fur was spectacular, esp for a 13 year old. Another dog won some dog food in a mutt show; within a couple weeks his fur was dry and flaky. I returned to "Warehouse mix" - I think it was a mixture of bags that had broken in the warehouse - and in a week he was shiny again. Dogs react quickly to changes in diet.

R tried to connect the cold water today but it seems to be a major undertaking. If it was only disconnected to put in water heaters, why can't it just be re-connected? Apparently not that simple. Nothing in R's world is ever simple.

In VSP, Bruno did not put a light fixture where he was asked. Oh well. Isn't there a way to park inside that building? An equivocal answer. A lot of those today. My head aches and I still cannot wash clothes. Time to make an appointment with the friend, near the mill, who offered her washer - just one load of essentials, and a nice visit. Soon it will be warm enough to turn the water back on at the mill and use the good washer and clothesline.

Took a hot bath this morning and am recovering. Email to dance organizer about fragrance worn by one member elicited a positive response; she will speak with him. Some states and areas have laws re fragrances. Quebec wants to prohibit "religious symbols" as in Muslim garb! I hope the election next month changes the government here. Also hope the nice man at dancing is willing to stop wearing that dreadful stench.

Resting until time to leave for dancing.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Mar 14 - 09:59 PM

Dusted a cabinet and moved around some components so I can stream more online sources to my television. I needed to replace the old blu-ray player, but as I read up on this new Sony one, I remember now that they are the tight-ass company as far as playing media. I have the old Samsung there also for any personal copies of DVDs that might not make Mr. Sony happy. You know how it goes when you swap out appliances, it invariably involves a dust rag and flashlight, extra cables, and the vacuum cleaner. I've set it up but now I need to read the book and I'd prefer to read Tolkien, so I'll see about the new player tomorrow.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 25 Mar 14 - 09:57 AM

CITY:
SRS! I am chronically amazed by your ability with, and interest in, all those electronic devices. I admit to now missing the TV and VCR recorder that I gave away after not using them for 3 years on Whidbey. My life has changed substantially and, once again, I realize that sometimes getting rid of things/de-cluttering can come back to bite me at a different place in life.

Tactical error yesterday: Do NOT take a de-tox bath on day of Folk dancing. The de-toxing leads to increased sensitivity and last night I smelled stuff even with the mask. Left early but managed a few dances- almost an hour, I think. On my way out, I stopped for a lengthy conversation with a Serbian dance instructor. I love Serbian and Croatian dances so it was fun to meet him. I lamented the lack of International dancing in Montreal and he told me he is moving to Toronto for that reason. I had hoped he could inform me of more places to dance in Montreal! An interesting meeting, I hope he will carry through on friending me on FB.

Need to work on spending less time on FB. I am gradually eliminating places I go and scrolling faster and faster past trivia. OF course, it helps that I am feeling better and WANT to DO things rather than sit and stare at the screen.

BF is done and R out the door, after more productive conversation about upcoming renovations and where we might live. During BF, there was a loud CRACK! and my chair tilted in a rather startling manner. The dear old antique chair broke and I wish to have it repaired - even if we did find it in the trash, it is charming. The good part, aside from I did not fall, was that R thought I had gone through the floor! "Any day now." I said. No question, this reno must be done! I have to come to terms with the fact that it can drag on and on and ... Depending on where R "needs" Bruno.

I am now suggesting that we move upstairs with a frig, microwave and toaster oven. I can cook stuff at the mill and bring it back, but most things can be accomplished with those appliances. But, I said, not if it goes into cold weather next fall.

Take down the worse than useless concrete block shed in the back and the unused chimney that is a sore point in the K, Put in a double door between K and sunroom - yes, sunroom out of those nice big wood-framed windows he already has, new walls in the laundry room and cabinets and lots of cabinets on the windowless wall of the sunroom, with a counter - for tools and a work space. May as well do it all at once and get it DONE!

Then, hopefully, it will be tight enough to keep out furry critters. Everything R might have done here is now on hold until he gets a humungous machine out of the ice (where it has sat 10 years), cleaned up and painted. Someone flying in from Guatemala on Monday to buy it!!!! That is de-cluttering of the best sort - like Stilly's E-bay stuff!

OK, gotta go pot! Want to have another kiln load to fire on the weekend.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 25 Mar 14 - 10:10 AM

Just been to the garden centre and selected my plants for three hanging baskets and six tubs. Colour scheme is scarlet and purple in front of the house (trailing surfinias, geraniums, verbena and petunias, with trailing bits of ivy) and in the back garden, peach and white to go with the absolutely ghastly orangey-painted fence. Also six bags of special compost, two tins of water-retaining gel and one large pot of granular slow-release feed pellets. Phew! Then, six bags of forest bark to put around the raised veggie beds. Keeps the weeds down a treat. But our greenhouse is now stuffed full. Daren't put these plants outside until all frosts are over, and there was a stiff one last night. I was a Very Good Girl at the garden centre, as the temptations are enormous. They had a whole new consignment of gorgeous jigsaws on country themes, farmyards, ploughing and canal boats etc. How I resisted I'll never know! Bit sad because there were loads and loads of Mothers' Day cards and presents, and my mum passed away years ago, and I'm not a mum myself. Never mind, it's only one day a year and I have many blessings in my life.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Mar 14 - 12:54 PM

Eliza, if I had been with you in the garden center you'd have come home with a much healthier mix of planting and fertilizing medium! That special compost is probably mushroom, and that has been shown to be very unhealthy for organic gardens, plus it is expensive. If you can simply buy a couple of bags of cow manure compost (pay a little more and get a brand, like Black Kow, or Moo Poo) you'll do yourself much more good. And take the gel back and bring home six of bags of shredded hardwood mulch. Not the colored stuff (that's full of chemicals also), just hardwood, or the baldcypress no-float is even much better, to keep the moisture in. The pine bark mulch floats away in rain and it doesn't break down like mulch should to become part of the soil in the next year or two. The organic approach is just plain healthier for you. Okay, off my soap box.

Dorothy, I used to do a lot of folk dancing in my undergraduate college days. I loved the Eastern European dances also. Fast and vigorous with some wonderful footwork. As for others, I never could quite get the Scandinavian Hambo, but I loved the schottisches and polkas and such.

I forgot to take my antihistamine at bedtime last night so today I'm feeling the pollen today, mostly sneezing. I've taken the zyrtec now but I'll have to supplement with sudafed or a benedryl. I have a little pharmacy of cold, sinus, and cough medications in a file drawer at work. :-(

The new player is one that is set up to stream the various services I pay for. Most of them have NetFlix, but not many of them stream the Amazon Prime features. If I set up my laptop next to the television and stream it I don't get a full screen, I see the computer screen duplicated. I've thought about trying Hulu or a couple of others, and it seems the planned obsolescence of the players is in the software, not the hardware. While researching the new one I learned a few things about the old Samsung player, so it isn't out of the house, it has more life yet.

Now related to nothing else in this thread, here is a great video about modifying toy cars for disabled kids. They've put in features that inspire kids to strengthen weak areas (by where they put the switches, etc.).

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 25 Mar 14 - 02:12 PM

Hello Stilly! The compost is non-peat based and made from composted recycled green waste stuff, so I expect it's okay. (I used to make my own compost, but it got a bit too much for me.) The gel granules are only for the hanging baskets, and I mix them and the feed pellets in with the compost so it doesn't dry out hanging in the wind. The 'forest bark' for around the veggie beds is from local timber felling of pine trees. It isn't artificially coloured, and it actually does break down to make nice soil, which the weeds love, so I have to replace it every 3 years or so.
I do feel for you with the hay fever. My husband seems to be allergic to rapeseed pollen, and this year the farmers seem to have sown the wretched stuff in every field around our village. The recent warm weather has got it flowering early and he's doped up with Piriton.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Mar 14 - 03:39 PM

If you're a former composter then you have the routine down - and hanging baskets are difficult to keep moist enough (and if they are, often the nutrients wash out). Around here putting things in pots is about as difficult has hanging baskets because its a lot climate and they dry out and bake the roots. Is the pine bark ground up? The stuff they sell around here in bags are huge mosaic discs off of the Ponderosa pine that come in to lumber yards. They take forever to break down.

The thing with allergies is to be enough on top of them with medication that you can move through the day, and not drug yourself so much that all you want to do is sleep. Rapeseed - do they make canola oil in your area?

It was a pretty drive in today, and I stopped for a quick pizza at a little place that plays CNN in their dining area. There was broadcast a long interview with a fellow from Darrington, Washington, the town that is cut off now because of the big mudslide in Oso. The Darrington folks will have to drive north to the Skagit River drainage and drive out to Sedro Woolley to get back down to the other side of the slide. I grew up west of there and drove that road many dozens of times (I worked in Darrington for several summers), and took each of my kids up there last summer to visit my old office and show them my favorite old fashioned 4-square school building in Oso. Now that enough aerial views are being posted I can compare the places I remember with where the slide hit. For all of my adult years there I was a first responder to fires and mountain rescues up in that region. I imagine friends are working there now, and I imagine I probably lost friends or acquaintances in that slide, but haven't read the obituaries yet. This is the time when having cable television at home would be useful.

Not exactly staying on topic today, am I?

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 25 Mar 14 - 04:39 PM

City:
6 and a half hours later, I am still on line with a break for a reading lunch. This is absurd! However, it was mostly not FB. I investigated family history and found our book totally on line! and 1001 pots, a major pottery event in the Laurentians, and Fusion, the Ontario Assoc of clay and glass artists and a few other things. Each was time-consuming and edifying, as in "Not that", "maybe this", "emailed about that", bookmarked this and this and... Still time to make pots today if I get to it. I do not feel it was time wasted. I also searched for some templates - for business cards and family crest, to no avail. MAybe in the country.

Stilly, or anyone: Almost every small plant I purchased at home depot recently has died. With plenty of water, the leaves dried out and fell off - one primrose out of three has survived and one foliage begonia out of three is still OK. The campanula has also succumbed - after furry critter ate all the blossoms but not the leaves. The two tropical foliage plants, purchased about a month earlier, with more leathery leaves are doing just fine. I was blaming it all on furry critter and certainly they have been partly eaten, esp the flowers, but for the leaves to dry from the tips inward??

Emails are gone, but a couple responses needed - later!

Now, try again to get upstairs!

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Mar 14 - 04:50 PM

I doubt it bears on the problem, Dorothy, but Home Depot seems to have been selling plants that contain lots of neonicotinoids. Something maybe to look into.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Mar 14 - 05:24 PM

Another problem with the plants in a Big Box store is that they probably come from a different region entirely. If you plant in Canada plants that were raised in Florida, you may find they're not happy and will die. If you "harden them off" by exposing them to the weather before planting, keeping them cool but protected from the worst of the cold, that helps them adjust. Hardening off tips - I don't know about the wilting one, but I do the protected near the house method and bring them in if it gets really cold.

Starting seeds yourself is the best way to know if they're being raised in an organic way - I assume plants I buy at nurseries aren't organic, but as soon as I get them I treat them that way and as they grow they have the benefit of healthy soil, organic fertilizing and pest control and the results are going to be healthy.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Mar 14 - 06:15 PM

OK, so I got a new thermometer to try to track basal (AM) temps as a way of trying to spot when my thyroid levels are slipping (doc's suggestion).

The first thing I realized is that tracking one's basal temp for any purpose requires a certain stabilty of lifestyle that I do not have. Sigh... so have dialed back on even MORE "usual" activities to try to establish THAT.

I'm also going to track (not sure how) when I have a day with actual energy. Like today. Something kicked in about 2PM that has been missing.... "Oh hi THERE you are...."

Frustrating? Understatement.

Also some nerves are trying to regenerate around surgical areas and the various complications, where I have a boatload of nerveless granulation tissue, so I'm "enjoying" phantom sensations and itching that has no skin sensation to go with it (again).

YUCK!!!

AFGO.

~S~

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 25 Mar 14 - 08:00 PM

Stilly: These are house plants!
Guest: you are correct and I realized after that this is not a good thing to do; we are supposed to be boycotting the HD plant dept. I was just desperate for some flowers; Guess I have been slapped down for shopping at HD!   

Did manage 2 hours of potting which went by really fast. I stopped when shoulders began to tire. Then I made a nice ratatouille with chicken. With any luck R will come home before midnight. I have learned to only cook foods that will keep/season on the stove/ still be fine tomorrow - or the next day. I will eat some when next I get hungry- before midnight!

Written during the commercials on Big Bang!

Subject: BTT
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Mar 14 - 10:27 AM

Before thyroid treatment (BTT), I stored a bag that USED to be my camping-toiletries bag: a complete shower set with all the bells and whistles I then needed to carry to the showerhouse (or on any overnight motel stop). It was colored differently than all my other bags (I love to containerize by function), so DH could always spot it if I needed it quickly. Like if nature called (IBS) and I answered it quicker than I dug the bag outta the van. (I recall one memorable emergency stop at an isolated construction outhouse.... nononono)

Well, back then I tossed it into my closet ready for "the next trip," where I have seen it daily for years. When life eventually got better, I started downsizing (and then downsizing further) the amount of gear I needed to carry to make travel work-- basically these were adaptive items most folks do not need.

Eventually I got to where I could take what I really needed for overnighters in my large purse (which is actually a soft camera bag Hardi gave me). So the Toiletries Bag sat and sat.

The last tine I had repacked it, a flannel travel towel had not quite fit inside the zipper. So the bag was closed, pretty flannel bulging out, with a carabiner clip.


Well. Today I was casting about for flannel to make a cover for a pillow that will perfectly fix a chair. The pretty flannel eventually swam up out of my subconscious, and of course it was right there in my uncluttered closet waiting for me. If the flannel had not been held down tight under that clip, I'd probably have hauled it out and left the bag.

BUT. Since I had to bring the bag to a work area to open it... I found:

. A favorite lightweight (quick-drying), pretty plaid shirt I'd missed
. TWO pairs of the BEST undies I've ever found-- the first pretty ones I'd ever bought-- from a set of three, the 3rd being in my daily closet and worn way too often
. An almost brand-new BRA (I had to toss several from the nursing home era that they had bleached to death)
. Bagged toiletries I need for next week's trip to Ohio, to exchange for the tiny toiletries bag I mistakenly thought I could leave there
. A large supply of a prescribed drug (not expired) people and dogs can take for pain relief
. Two pill sorters I had planned to buy which, now, I don't, which I'd have bought TODAY.
. The carabiner is a heavy kind that does not break, and I needed one to replace the one I took off my purse 2 weeks ago at the dog shelter to secure a wonky crate gate


What I can't figure out is what the heck I put into one of the airline-sized bottles. One bottle is labeled WITCH (of course that's witch hazel), but what did I label DOG? Of course I'll open it and smell that to remind myself what I was thinking.

~S~

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Mar 14 - 11:03 AM

Old friends re-discovered, Susan, how lucky! I have several soft camera bags, most of them I use for cameras, but one I've also used as a handbag. And my daughter has one I gave her as a purse that would also hold her netbook.

My slow-motion low-profile eBay garage sale is moving along. Another item sold last night and goes out the door this morning. It's a lot easier to snap a couple of photos and post a short description (with some boilerplate text I always use) than to go through the planning, sorting, pricing, and running of a garage sale. And you can use "garage sale" in the heading, people seem to look for them online also.

Rain in the forecast today, and my garden will welcome it.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 26 Mar 14 - 11:44 AM

Our little village held a mass garage sale last year. Lots of us opened our garages (or just set up stuff in the drive in front of the house) The organiser advertised it for the whole village and we paid him a small sum each, which went to the church roof repair fund. It wasn't tiring because we were at home and could makes endless cups of tea for ourselves and any 'customers'. Some people (including me) sold scones, cakes and refreshments as well as 'stuff', and we got to keep the takings for ourselves. What I liked was the chance to natter, and also (leaving my husband in charge of our things for a bit) going for a tour of the village myself and seeing what was on sale elsewhere. All in all it was absolutely magic. Got rid of unwanted clutter, met lots of nice folk, (they came from other villages too) and made a bit of money. Not to mention the church which gained from the donation.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Mar 14 - 11:47 AM

SRS, yes, and a total werdrobe change if needed because also:

. Generic-gray, longsleeved cotton tee and warm but lightweight stretch pants (trouser or PJ wear)

The camera bag is nice tough, black nylon which I sometimes dress up with a colorful scarf hung on it by a ring or carabiner. One of the things we love about these (DH has his original one, and got me mine when I asked him to give me his, LOL), is that one bag can serve for both of us and he doesn't look (or feel) silly carrying my "purse."

Mine is set up with bags inside to lend stiffness to make this also work as an armrest. (No armrest = massive shoulder pain.) Depending on the situation I either bring the bag into events or leave it in the car and just take the most essential small bag from it to carry (or slip into DH's bag).

~S~

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Mar 14 - 01:17 PM

Good idea, dressing up the bag with a scarf. I'll have to look in the closet and see what I have. Or even a costume jewelry pin on the front would work.

Eliza, when they're underway they're usually interesting, but setting up a garage sale on your own is a lot of work - that "whole village" garage sale is wonderful, but no one here has done that (though I live in a small village surrounded by a much larger city). I get socializing in when I visit neighbors holding their own garage sales, and sometimes if a neighbor has one they will let me know and I'll take a few things up and set up my own table. I also would have a cooler with cold drinks for a nominal price.

Dorothy, your "houseplants" have been in buildings that are probably cold beyond belief for most houseplants, haven't they? They still may have been shocked by the overnight or weekend lows while you were between locations, don't you think?

I have added more and more houseplants since the last of the cats died. They were very hard on plants and I always had to be careful not to have anything toxic they might chomp. My sunroom is botanically opulent now with the bay window filled with blooming xmas cactus (still!), blooming African violets, the red top on a poinsettia (brought home from a meeting in 2012 and not expected to live more than a few months). Orchids - I bought a blooming orchid on impulse at the grocery store and after the blooms dropped transplanted it on the instructions of a friend who used to grow some. Another one was rescued from a retiring co-worker's office and is now putting out a new leaf, and the one I bought has sent out new blossom buds on the old stems. The idea that house plants would stay where I put them and I could put them where they need to be for light is something that was not part of a cat-owning household.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: LilyFestre
Date: 26 Mar 14 - 03:25 PM

A local nearby town will be having their bi-annual town wide yard sale at the end of next month and I have permission to use a carport and set up shop! Perfect timing to get rid of so many baby toys, out grown clothes etc that seem to be multiplying and taking over our home!

Bathroom floor was recently scrubbed on my hands and knees....it's been a long, painful winter for our bathroom with all this cold...things froze for long periods of time...but that all seems to have passed so I did some major cleaning in there. :) My sewing room is organized once again (which I'm sure will need lots up tweaking from time to time) and I spent all day the day before yesterday and then had someone over for lunch and a tour yesterday. There is much interest in my sewing room for whatever reason. At the moment I am working on a Disappearing Nine Patch...photos on FB for anyone who wants to see. The kitchen is clean although the floor could use a good mopping. The living room is orderly (which is a giant step up...if you could have only seen it before..talk about your TOYS R US explosions!) and the rug vacuumed courtesy of my lovely husband who had words with our cranky vacuum cleaner and got her to work!

There was about an inch, maybe more, of snow on our hilltop this morning and local roads, both back and paved, were a bit dicey but now all is clear.

I had a trip to the endocrinologist this morning and we are checking into a few things regarding my thyroid and diabetes...I think some positive things are going to be happening very soon. YAY.

Let's hope this is the last of the winter ick....c'mon Spring...we miss you!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 26 Mar 14 - 05:14 PM

Well it's been a bit of a roller coaster ride since I last posted here -- mostly didn't have the energy to post both at Facebook and here.

Last Friday was a truly lovely day. Not only did I get a lot accomplished (as reported here), but it was a really good session as well. I was interviewed before the session by a reporter from one of the local free papers for an article on traditional (or "Celtic" as he referred to it) music in the Seacoast area. He stayed for the entire session, recording both audio and visual and taking stills. He was very obviously enjoying himself.

It was a very good session, a good mix of musicians and singers and the energy kept up right up until the close despite a couple of the stronger performers having left an hour or so early. The biggie for me was that someone who has been sitting on the periphery for the past year or so, and who has been occasionally been lured into singing a song, actually brought his guitar AND sang three or four songs. I ended up saying to myself on my way home, "I'm doing it right. I'm carrying on the session the way Tom would want me to. I'm doing it right..." and feeling pretty good about it. I also emailed more information later about a question asked about a song I sang and was it related to another song. I'd partially answered the question at the session about the song I sang, but I had been unsure of the origins of the other song, so I checked. This, too, is in the tradition of Tom being the "authority" on history and how the songs relate to historical matters.

No good day goes unpunished. On Saturday I was basically non-functional. It was all I could do to get out of bed and be alert enough not to drown while taking a shower and washing my hair. I just couldn't go to the house concert at Sinsull's that night despite having looked forward to it for some time. The next two days were somewhat iffy as well, but I could (and did) spend a lot of time on the phone with friends. Fortunately, I'd been warned at grief group that I could very well have days like this, so, other than being annoying, I wasn't worried about it.

Tuesday was another good day. I had an appointment with a counselor at the hospice where Tom died and we had a really good two hour talk. And a bunch of people made a point of thanking me for the thank you note I had delivered last week when I'd originally had the appointment but she had gone home with a migraine. Then I drove to Dover to drop off a couple bags at Goodwill, but I stopped at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital first and walked the labyrinth that I'd been wanting to walk since I found out about it last November. And THAT was good... But I didn't just drop the bags at Goodwill. I bought a pair of shoes and a light/mid-weight jacket which I needed (and some books which I need like cats need wings...).

Today I got my passport application finally filled out, and a bunch of other paperwork accomplished and made a really nice boiled dinner. In about an hour I'll head to Portsmouth for a talk on the life of 18th century sailors at the Portsmouth Athenaeum.

Moving right along...again.

Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Mar 14 - 06:13 PM

Sounds like progress to me! And reminds me, my passport expired ages ago, I need to get a new one.

Turned in another job application, this one has the "vibration" about it that I think I'll at least get a call. I made sure to apply before the fifth day ended because in theory they can close after five business days. One really good one did, darn it!

Working a bit late tonight because the day after my official "late night" it's difficult to get out of the house early. On paper I barely have time to get 8 hours sleep before I turn around and come back to work, so I tend to work my late night, followed by a non-so-late night. :) I'm making time in the evening to read, and I'm going to keep this up because it is something I have missed. Too much time wasted on facebook lately. I always have something around to read, and read in small spurts, but this is intentional time, not just a few minutes before going to sleep.

Michelle, your sewing room sounds wonderful, I'd love a tour one of these days! Just have to get to PA first. :) If we did tours, I suppose I'd offer a tour of the yard before the house, that's where I really enjoy myself. But there are places in the house (that is a work in progress) that are interesting. The sewing room is also my daughter's bedroom and we have both piled a lot of stuff in there.

Speaking of daughters, mine is inducted into an academic honor society tomorrow, Phi Kappa Phi, and I'm planning to drive up to watch. Good girl, Moonglow!

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 26 Mar 14 - 07:23 PM

CITY:
SRS: Conversing with local friends this aft, we are blaming the plant problem on ill treatment prior to purchase. No more from HD. No more until we have a tight abode lacking in furry, plant eating critters! Upstairs plants are fine - plumbago and bougainvillea getting ready for spring - which is coming in a couple days - supposed to go up to 46 F on the weekend!!!!! The plants in the sunroom at the country are fine; none came from HD. Now that I look at the big picture, none of the plants I have bought there have survived except these two tropical foliage plants.

Eliza: What a great way to have local yard sales. There is an event like that in the country twice a year and we love it. Unfortunately no where near us. We shall have to do our own, she says, hopefully!! The mill is on the highway and lots of parking.

BIG news! the fourth load is in the washer and the third in the dryer. Two more to go!! R managed to get the water connected this morning. YAY!

I also went up town and visited with my friends - the mom with Parkinson's is much worse. It is a matter of hanging in to the end point and may take a long time. So hard on the family. But she was glad to see me. I talked with them for a couple hours, then came back to my laundry. Faithful purchasers of pots, the dad immediately showed me a small bowl - four more like this! I thought I might throw them this aft but not today. Energy not there and need to trim yesterday's yet today or early in the morning.

OK, been through the emails and mucho FB that I wanted to peruse. Ready to quit this thing and watch some TV with laundry in the interstices(commercials)!

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 27 Mar 14 - 04:13 PM

Feeling very fragile today and I don't have a clue as to why. Too many people last night? Ach! I have plans to do things (such as the Archie Fisher and Garnet Rogers concert next week) that I don't want this crazy roller coaster to mess up!

Been doing some research on a couple climbers Tom and I used to know in North Conway, NH in the early '80s and have a couple queries out. Got the rest of the stuff out of the closet and into a bag for pickup tomorrow morning by Epilepsy NH. Did my "homework" for grief group which I have to leave for in about an hour. And started getting the clutter in the corner of the kitchen sorted into bankers boxes. Better organized (and safely packed) for selling some of it, and definitely looking less cluttered.

Did some serious cat cuddling earlier. At least I wasn't yelling at them. (Rufus's name should be "Leave It Alone"...)

Had a parade of about 30 wild turkeys traipse past the window an hour or so ago. Rufus was enthralled... He's not allowed outside. Besides, the turkeys are two or three times bigger than his chunky self.

Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Mar 14 - 04:37 PM

I've gone through episodes of depression - most people have. Something I learned during a particularly difficult time was that if I had a plan, not just what I was going to do tomorrow or next week, but a long-range plan for weeks or months, a goal, that really helped. It had to be manageable over that space of time, and I could see progress. It really helped. Can you think of something you have wanted to do, whether there at the house or in the community, or perhaps a new job, a creative project, or writing an article or a book that would serve for this purpose? I know you have things you have been working on and are goals, but something modified or new might be the ticket.

I need to follow my own advice and get out of the slump I've been in at work. The combination of being reassigned to odd job and glorified data entry clerk, working in a basement with no windows and no phone or radio reception all really close me off from the normal world.

Another online garage sale item sold this afternoon. That lovely little "ca-ching!" noise came across on the phone via the eBay app.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 27 Mar 14 - 09:20 PM

Country!

Ah, Linn, I have those fragile days as well and for less reason than you have currently, but we each respond to our own reasons. I decided - for me - many years ago that these sorts of days/"depression", perhaps? are ways of giving our inner selves space to heal. That freed me from being worried about my "depression" and, for me, that helped a great deal. I don't know this Archie but I would consider Garnet something to look forward to. A light to guide me into the next piece of future.

Did one more load of laundry today after feeding R and getting him off to work. Also spent 2.5 hours on the phone with my friend/health consultant in PA; a wonderful catching up and sharing of ideas on many subjects. Finally got on the road just in time to get to the country, stop by the Cafe Racine for the grand opening, and get to the writers group - where I understood so little of the spoken language that when I made a comment I was informed, "That's what they were just saying."

It is very hard to determine how much is failure on the part of the brain to process and how much could be a hearing deficit. Up until recently, it seemed clearly a brain dysfunction but tonight seemed different Once I get my health card, I shall see about a hearing assessment. I was close to tears tonight, so frustrating not to understand and to feel left out.

Going to have an early night. Supposed to be above freezing for next few days!!! May see some bare ground up here soon.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Mar 14 - 12:17 AM

Caught up on my recorded programs for The Good Wife. They did drop a bombshell last week. This after a long drive to watch the tag end of the induction into an honor society that my daughter was invited to join. We went out for dinner, then a fast drive back home. It took two hours to drive up, normally (without heavy traffic or construction) it would take about 1 hour. I need a personal helicopter for those trips.

Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 28 Mar 14 - 09:15 AM

Got slammed with a piece of bad news at the beginning of the grief group meeting -- Hyder Family Hospice House, owned by Amedisys is closing.

Hyder House

I cannot explain how incredibly caring, respectful, and sensitive they were to Tom...and to me and our friends. They are amazing and special people. I'm devastated. They helped to make a complicated time into a life affirming and sacred experience.

I likened what they do to what a good instrumental accompanist does…the audience is barely aware of it, but everything, every note, is to enhance the performer. The accompanist is almost invisible…but without the accompanist, everything falls apart.

Everyone showed so much CARING and respect and sensitivity. What strong people they are to do this every day for so many patients transitioning to the next stage of the cycle of life – which we call death. And for their family and friends.

I couldn't have done any of that alone and at home. I am just gobsmacked that the parent company is closing this less than seven-year-old facility that does so very much good.

Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Mar 14 - 10:34 AM

Linn, it looks like it's time to speak out to the parent company and offer some pushback to the decision. It can't hurt and it might help. How much profit do they need to make in a business such as this?

I conclude this morning as I pull on a snug pair of jeans for casual Friday that my weight has been at a plateau for most of the winter. We're now to warm weather and I need to spend a vigorous weekend in the garden, so I hope to shift back to losing the rest of this weight. Twenty pounds or so to go.

There is a container of asparagus in my fridge for dinner tonight. It came out of the garden. Mmmmm!

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Claire M
Date: 28 Mar 14 - 02:08 PM

Hiya,

Flatshare:

Good day despite x-ray on bad hips, for new seating. No word yet but the man who did them was great; he was about 40-50, offered to throw me on bench rather than hoist (afraid of manual ones anyway) reassured me that I wouldn't fall off said bench & said "if yeh do yeh can come across the room & get 'old of my body" (read in DI Bacchus' accent -- OOH Matron)

I've a real thing for Northern men -- love their accent. I'm the author of a blues song for a well-known detective (sadly fictional). Said thing is well known in said share, & the lady w/ me was in fits. He reminded me of a carer I dearly miss.

Mum loved her card w/ angel cards I gave her in. 1 said FREE. Cos she is. She's been looking after me for 30 yrs & doesn't have to do it anymore.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: LilyFestre
Date: 28 Mar 14 - 06:34 PM

My dishes are all washed, a few pans remain soaking in the sink...the table is picked up, my calendar is up to date with various sewing dates and doctors appointments, the counter is clean and the table is fairly clear with the exception of a few papers. Today I went through Jeremiah's mountain of artwork and did some weeding, if you will. I kept about half and put the rest in a box which I will label later tonight. It was a beautiful day so I took Jeremiah to the park after school where he had lots of fun running and going down the big slides.

I had an appointment with my endocrinologist earlier this week. My thyroid medication has been upped considerably as has my Vitamin D. An insulin change is also in the works....I'm hoping that these things will give my energy levels a boost...I've been dragging for a bit...should be feeling better in 2 weeks or so. :)

Tomorrow I am taking a class at a quilting studio to learn how to use a particular ruler...I'm excited about it!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 28 Mar 14 - 06:52 PM

Linn: Could rallying support for the hospice be a good project for you? or not? You seem to have plenty on your plate but sometimes a new direction, unrelated to any others can feel good.
Country:
Meanwhile, I have been awke since 5:30 am; bf, reading, computering and actively doing. Started kiln at 7:25 with open windows - venting system not in place yet. BUT needs to be soon! Sitting in LR, 50 feet and two walls from kiln, my brain syuddenly announced, "Something is wrong!" Realized I had a mild headache and slightly blurred vision even though the odour was only perceptible if I focussed. This was nearing 10:30 am so I put on respirator and went to studio, realized the prevailing wind, coming in the window must be forcing some of the odour into the rest of the building. I opened the front door, put a large fan in the door to pull the air out, cooperating with the wind - in the window and out the door. Then I left for a few hours. Above freezing today!

Went to get my hair cut by a marvellous student , part of writers' group. It took her a very long time - this was practice for her! She did a marvellous job, the first haircut I have ever had that followed the natural bend of my hair, using it to make the style. We had time for lots of good conversation; she will need to be able to do it in a quarter the time! But her teacher and I were delighted. (We both like raccoons!)

Then I wended my way back to the mill, seriously de-cluttering my wallet at the IGA - only essentials, checking out the thrift shop and spending $6 on four dinner plates and four B&B plates - hand made with a lovely cheery glaze (I cannot name the colour! Not orange which I dislike and not brown or even tan but in there somewhere, with speckles and a bit of texture is a sunny feeling; I found a spot in the cupboard with glass door for them easily accessible because they are not light! Also 2 cookie sheets and a grating thingy which seems a very useful object. Also a stop at the organic butcher for a pork loin roast and small packet of bacon. Expensive treats.

The air was almost clear on my return. The kiln off. I left the fan on and will turn it off and close the door shortly, before leaving for music. Hopefully I shall be able to unload in the morning to see how the tests came out. Glaze firings are always iffy - like Christmas morning - what will I get this time??!!

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Mar 14 - 08:53 PM

I've been feeling the urge to undergo some retail therapy - on this Friday morning the garage sales were beginning in earnest here in North Texas. I passed signs for an estate sale and my car nearly steered itself there, and I drove past a favorite consignment store and almost pulled into their parking lot. Maybe after the first of the month I can visit a few garage sales and that will take care of it. Has anyone done a study of the flip side of the spring cleaning impulse? The yin and yang of clutter and purge.

Lots to do around here, projects all over the house staring me in the face. Time to get started, after feeding the dogs and myself.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Mar 14 - 03:20 PM

I feel like grilling this evening - it's a pretty day out - so I have a couple of things thawing for later and I'm going to clean up the back patio, make it look more inviting. I've also been trying different week-killing approaches back there, I poured boiling water with vinegar on some weeds in the cracks of bricks and seem to have killed them. I'll give it another test this afternoon in a couple of other spots as well. The garden is stirring from the winter torpor - more weeds, and my raised beds need attention. I ate a serving of asparagus from my garden for dinner last night. :)

The usual chores await, and the shopping list is growing long. I conducted some online comparisons of chipper/shredders for the yard this morning, looking for positive reports of the more affordable models. That would save me time and effort in a number of ways in the yard.

A couple of more eBay items about to end, one will go in the recycle bin if it doesn't sell, the other, I'll probably relist, possibly lower the price. I have more to list here in my ongoing online garage sale.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 29 Mar 14 - 04:45 PM

Talked to a friend on the staff at Hyder House. Amedisys, the parent company, is not who to contact -- besides, they have no contact info on their website.

Strafford County owns the building and property. So the contact person to convince of Hyder House's importance to the community is the County Administrator, who is also in charge of the nursing home across the road.

Hyder House is the only free-standing hospice with 24 hour care in the area. The only options left after Hyder House closes are home hospice (with visiting RNs) or the hospital. No matter how good the hospital, that's NOT the atmosphere one would want for a dying loved one. Hyder House closing would really would be a huge loss to our area.

I didn't get the email to the county administrator written today, but will certainly tomorrow. And I've posted the information on Facebook and alerted a number of my friends who are nurses or working in the medical field. AND, of course, the friends and musicians who helped see Tom out of this life.

Yesterday was a pretty full day, so I've mostly been reading today, though I just put together a few more bankers boxes and sorted more stuff out of the jumble just outside the door of this room. And I also mixed up a batch of ant bait and put it out. (I consulted with my fiddle-playing, singing entomologist last night at the session.)

The car went into the shop yesterday morning to check out whether there was something else causing the misfires and hiccups other than having let the gas level get VERY low. (Crud from bottom of tank or moisture.) It was -- ignition coil, so that got replaced. And when I got in the car, I found my magnetic key holder in the front seat instead of in the hidden spot on the car's exterior. I got that after locking both my keys (car and house) AND my purse containing a spare set in the car a couple years ago. Matt said it had been falling off, so he put it inside the car. So I was a good kid and replaced the magnetic box on the way home and replaced it properly outside the car. Good thing. Later in the afternoon on my way to The Press Room, I stopped at the head of the driveway to get the mail. I had electronically opened ALL the doors while still sitting next to the house as I needed to put something in the back seat. When I went to the mailbox, I left the driver's door open...but it swung shut...AND locked all the doors! (As I've had happen at least once before.) This time, though, the keys were in the ignition, the car was running, and my purse was on the front seat. So...I retrieved the key from its hiding place and the day continued without crisis.

Had another good session...and then on my way home, just up around the corner (about a mile and a half up the road), I got pulled over by a Nottingham cop for what he said was a rolling stop at a 4-way stop at the Liberty Baptist Church intersection. I may very well have slowly rolled through...you have to go a bit forward of the invisible stop line in order to see if anyone is coming from the right...but it was late at night and there were no headlights coming in any direction. I should have been more careful -- I'd seen him lurking there in the shadow of the church another time within the past few weeks when I was coming home from the Press Room. He gave me a warning, and cautioned me against drunk drivers with their headlights off. I thanked him. I'll make sure from now on I come to a full stop.

Linn



Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 29 Mar 14 - 04:58 PM

Country:
I am thinking that looking forward to something and having it cancelled is worse than nothing to look forward to. All those groceries bought on Friday, thinking R was arriving Friday eve. He is stuck in the city AGAIN!

Then getting up early yesterday and doing all sorts of things right until 11 pm. Today has been a nothing day. The kiln load was not a happy occasion. I have been processing consciously and sub-consciously what to do next. Kiln shelves need cleaning - my least fav chore. Most of burgundy and white needs to be carefully re-fired; a very iffy project. Three tests are borderline to NG. Two pieces are really neat - a blue over yellow. I thought I would remember what I had done. So I am giving things times to perc and I think I remember now. Actually writing it has helped clarify.

But I have not had the energy to go at it today. R is not answering phone so I do not know whether he is coming down tonight or I can go to city. OK, finally got through. So I am going to the city very shortly and hope to come back with renewed energy on Tuesday, or sooner. Pack up groceries and go!

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Mar 14 - 11:17 PM

Sounds like yesterday went pretty well, snatching victory from the mouth of defeat several times, Linn!

I didn't do a lot, motivation has been hard to come by lately, but I did do some. I researched and then bought a chipper (it isn't a mulcher, no way to shove leaves into it, but I mow over those with my my mulching mower, and I'll have to continue to do that). It is a chipper that was on sale with a 25% off coupon at Harbor Freight. I'll have 90 days warranty period to see if the work I need to do will kill it or not.

Some laundry finished, another load going in soon. Right now I'm updating the computer in my son's room that hasn't been on since who knows when. I have a couple of things to do that are best in Windows XP with an old version of Nero that are on that machine - before they started dialing back to the mother ship to check the status of a disk being made into a personal copy (to share with my ex). Anyway, I've also been going through the sea of wires and cables around here and had to dig out a firewire only to find that the old computer doesn't have firewire (at least not on the front, I'll take a flashlight in to check out the back).

I'm going to check the contents of an old external hard drive and then see if it will work with my new BluRay player. I could load it with some of my movies that are on the computer and then watch them in the living room on the big TV instead of in my office in my computer chair. Win 7 doesn't play nice with that old Western Digital drive and I haven't tried it on the Win8 computer because I have a 1T drive to use there. But maybe I can adapt it to another use.

It's a pretty evening and I grilled a piece of salmon for dinner and a couple of chicken breasts to use this week. I resisted picking any more asparagus today, I'll give the bed a few days and pick another handful. My strawberries are blooming now and the chard is growing. All but one of the potato mounds has leaves pushing through. I need to make an effort to dig more beds tomorrow (and it is a fasting day so I may see some weight loss with the low calories and the gardening exertion).

Lurkers, thanks for the advice on equipment safety! Now to adjourn to my chair and pick up my book. Frodo and friends are in the mines of Moria. . .

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Mar 14 - 12:38 PM

My kitchen counters are looking great after completely clearing them. I've been discarding or finding new homes for much of what has been sitting out. My hot water/tea station is still in place next to the toaster and kettle. Various related items sit on a silver tray. It's such an inviting surface maybe I'll roll out a batch of cinnamon rolls tonight to take to work tomorrow.

Laundry finished. The rest of the day is out in the yard.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Charmion
Date: 30 Mar 14 - 02:09 PM

I spent two days last week helping my brother move house -- quite an evolution. He surprised us all by finally finding Ms Right at the age of 60, and now they are in the process of blending their households in the hope that the chaos will have more or less died down by their wedding day, scheduled for mid-August. It's going to take that long for them to dig out from under the avalanche of books, kitchen traps and heavy old-fashioned furniture.

Once again, I was taught a lesson in the unimportance of Stuff. It accumulates so easily, filling the corners of our living space, catching dust, and inviting mice, spiders and moths to move in and nest. My bachelor brother lived in that flat for 15 years and never once washed the curtains or cleaned the top of the kitchen cabinets -- yikes! During that time, he acquired hundreds of books, CDs, records and games of all kinds, and seems never to have parted with a thing until this winter.

After the movers had packed the material he's taking into the next phase of his life (about half of what was there, excluding furniture), it suddenly became a really good idea to shove everything salvageable of the remainder into bags and boxes for the Sally Army and consign the rest to construction-grade garbage bags. We did it without a backward glance.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Mar 14 - 05:10 PM

I've seen estate sales held to empty the contents of a house after someone moves out, not just dies. A neighbor up the street moved into an assisted living center and her household contents were sold for what probably added up to a nice nest egg for her.

The new shredder is assembled, I trimmed around the back yard and re-filled the trimmer for next time, and came in to get a drink of water and take a quick look at the 'cat. I'm going to mow and then drag a bunch of shrub trimmings from the front into the back and go over them with the mower and rake them onto the compost pile. It's a beautiful afternoon and I'm sure the vitamin D production has gone up tremendously.

This is a fasting day, so a small dinner is my main meal. I grilled some chicken yesterday and I'll make a Kung Pao chicken stir fry. The exercise and alternate fasting days are what contribute to the weight loss (I have about 20 pounds left). I'd like to be at my target by my birthday so I can do a Gloria Steinem routine and say "this is what 60 looks like" and feel really good about it!

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 30 Mar 14 - 07:17 PM

Charmion! what a great clean out for your bro! Wish I could do that with R but more books just keep arriving.

CITY: Talked to R and affirmed no hope of hi getting to the country last night so I came to the city. After arriving, I found myself so tired I felt drugged. In hindsight, it may have been the heaviness of the impending storm - another 4 or so inches of wet snow this morning!

I went to bed early after giving him a nice salad. Barely slept, coughed in the early am, said good bye when he rushed off about 7 and got up about 8:30 feeling fine. Realized the Quaker meeting was having a pot luck and discussion of something. Decided I could deal with it and made a pot of rice and a pan of ratatouille and dumped them into the slow cooker and went off.

Turned out to be a rewarding, useful time. R phoned and came late for some food and comments. An amazing young woman participated for over an hour before I realized she had never attended a Quaker meeting before. I am so often in the country, I am never sure who is new, or not. As someone began by wondering why our group is "in a slump"... I asked, "what is the most important thing about being a Quaker?" Everyone agreed that it is spiritual renewal and we went on from there. It was a lively discussion and brought out some points on what we need to do to help others who might want to be a part of it. I feel the need to have/write a better handout for first timers to help them recognize the diversity of both our group and the Quakers generally.

Came home about 3 and read a while. 80 min phone call with a friend in PA who needed to vent, share, feel supported, and cared for, etc. I will try to reach her more often. Now I am here, then going on to FB. R is back at work after returning for a sandwich about 6.

The snow is melting but very messy and may freeze tonight - 32F right now. I am glad to be in a warm place and no where to go!

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Mar 14 - 12:14 AM

Dorothy, what a complex and fulfilling life you lead! It takes my breath away.

My back yard looks wonderful. I put the dogs in the kennel while I tested the chipper (it can throw stuff and my dogs won't wear goggles, so they needed to be parked in a safe place). I spent a few minutes testing different types of vegetative matter going through it. The output is small (compact) compared to the piles of twigs and branches that are waiting to be mulched, but I think this will work.

The kitchen is spotless. I used bleach in water to soak the sink liners that keep pans from scratching or nicking the porcelain, and then scrubbed the sinks themselves. The counter is clear, the dishes all washed, and a crock pot of oatmeal is on for the morning.

Starting on decluttering the wallet for April bills. Thank you, gas royalty, for appearing on the last Friday as you do! There's cash left for dog food and veggies for humans tomorrow on the way home from work.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 31 Mar 14 - 10:16 AM

CITY:
Second load of laundry in washer - which is working just fine! Poor R noted yesterday there have been "some improvements"! Reminds me that while sitting on the commode this morning I decided to make a list of things to pay attention to during the upcoming - hopefully! - reno. The toilet needs to be turned a quarter turn so my knees do not hit the wall. The previous was a Victorian toilet which was further back.

Went and found paper and started list!

SRS: My back yard looks beautiful also! Pristine white! And my life takes my breath away at times also!

So this morning R rushed off to bf meeting and I had my toast and apple. The day stretches forth to dancing at 7:30. NO de-tox bath today! Hopefully I will throw and trim pots and get the cookie cutter animals ready - smooth the edges and put a hole in each for a ribbon. Some will be part of the Easter egg hunt at the Market on 13 April.

It feels really good to know that nothing else needs to be done, though I think it is time to give serious consideration to the possibility of living upstairs during the reno. I need to take a hard look at the where/how of setting up a mini but functional "kitchen". Is it tightly enough separated from down stairs to keep dust from filtering up???? That must be the deciding factor, now that I think of it. Corollary: Will the apt in VSP be tight enough to protect me from the renos in other parts of that building????

Amazing, is it not, how writing things out helps to bring clarity and new ideas.

Want to check FB and be upstairs working by 10! 30F with some sun; supposed to rise to 45 today!

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Mar 14 - 12:11 PM

I woke stiff and sore this morning after the yard activity yesterday - I should have taken aspirin at bedtime, it might have helped.

Executive decision time on the magazines. They all need to go somewhere. I can donate some to work (we have a lunchroom area) and I'll try offering a couple more consecutive months of the New Yorker magazines on eBay (I've seen them sell this way), but if no interest, I'll pull the covers off and sell them as a large lot of magazine covers only. And recycle the magazine contents. I can read it online, any back issue, I don't need to be held back by all of this paper.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Mar 14 - 03:21 PM

I think the most recent job I applied for must have been a pro forma advertisement for a job that they already had someone selected for. It was open briefly, on campus only, and took only a day to get a note back saying I wasn't selected. Darn.

Many years ago when I was sending (by mail) applications for federal park service jobs for myself and my spouse, I happened to send one in for a ranger job at Mammoth Cave NP that had only a three-day opening. The job fit everything my husband could do, plus he spoke Spanish and had veteran's preference, and got the job. We learned later that the application period was so time restricted because it was actually written for someone in the park. Only in Kentucky? It was written for the husband of a woman who was having an affair with the park's assistant supervisor, so they wouldn't move away from the park. My husband encountered some hostility and really odd reactions from people until someone finally spilled the beans. It was his veteran's preference that they couldn't set aside and had to choose him over the other guy.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Donuel
Date: 31 Mar 14 - 08:19 PM

Is it too early to plant morning glories?

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Mar 14 - 10:34 PM

Yes it's too early! I would never plant morning glories. Your mileage may vary. They were a huge perennial weed problem in my Seattle neighborhood when I was growing up, and though not as bad as kudzu, they had the same goal, to climb and cover everything. The flowers are interesting and pretty, but not worth the trouble. :)

I made the rounds shopping this evening. Got just about everything on my list. It's all put away, and I didn't have any dinner dishes because I got a Chipotle burrito while I was out. One of those is a meal in itself.

Time to turn off the computer and read. I feel an early night coming on, and the allergies are trying to overpower me. A benedryl at bedtimes helps.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 01 Apr 14 - 01:12 PM

City:
What to plant, when is terrifically dependent on where! Plants I struggled with in Ontario, grew beautifully in southern Pennsylvania and were weeds in the NW (Seattle area). Morning Glories were terrific in P. I actually paid $10 for one in a large pot in Montreal but it did not do great. Maybe I will start some seeds in small pots; they do not seem to transplant well.

Darn, a post from late yesterday may have gone missing.
Did not get energy to pot yesterday aft but did clean up the little cookie cutter critters for the Easter market, ready to fire. Did a couple more loads of laundry, went dancing and left after two dances. The mask does not protect me from men wearing gross fragrances; more than one this time and the organizer did not talk to either and certainly did not put it in email. So I came home and we had the freshly made cauliflower cheddar soup and shared a strawberry tart from the Cafe Racine. I made mediocre brownies but they were unneeded.

I was feeling quite nauseous and headachy from the fragrances and depressed by the lack of cooperation and the idea of not being able to dance any more. Maybe I can find a better mask, or put in two filters... Cannot dance with respirator. Went to lie down for a while. Got up for news, then R fell asleep. Bed time!

Porridge with cranberries and apples and split a chocolatine for bf. I deleted emails while R dealt with business and then went off to do things. I finished up with computer stuff then realized I had not voted in the Canada spring vote for fav musicians - Not the famous ones but ones who are less known, like those who play at the cafe. So I work my way through a list of 8 each day. How many days? ??? I will do it until it closes.

Have a pile of stuff ready to go to storage at the mill. Todays hope is to trim a few pots and leave to do a glaze firing and go to writers' group. Then come back. I can leave the window in studio open as the temp is going up - to 45F!!! next few days.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Apr 14 - 03:10 PM

This morning I mowed the front lawn and cleared the dry leaves from the neighborhood out of the curb gutter. They were unceremoniously dumped in a couple of piles and I ran over them with the mower. In a day or two I'll rake them into the nearby flower gardens after I weed.

Disappointing news yesterday, the job I felt I had a great shot at closed quickly and they sent out notices the next day to anyone who applied to say they weren't selected. I suspect this wasn't a real job opening, they had an applicant in mind apparently. I was hoping to get out of this dark basement in time to enjoy the spring in an office with a window.

The dogs and I took a walk before I fed them, and we all enjoyed getting out of the yard. They're digging holes again in the back so I know they're bored, and the walks usually take care of that. (If I could convince them to dig in my garden to clear out weeds then I'd let them go for it!)

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Apr 14 - 11:27 PM

Interesting drive home tonight - I could see the merest sliver of moon on the western horizon and nearby I was seeing flashes of lightning inside a thunderhead way to the west and slightly north of the moon. I couldn't see the sky or the clouds, just the moon and the lightning bursts.

It is easier to get into the alternate fasting now that the weather is nice. To make it work I have to take my lunch with me, and this year I'm going to gradually shift to smaller meals on my regular days, but keep them as complex (with good fats, like guacamole and butter and salmon, etc.) I have a week and five months until my birthday in which to lose the weight. Very do-able. And again, if someone lurking isn't familiar with this plan, visit http://vimeo.com/54089463 and see the program from the UK series "Horizons," in which Dr. Michael Mosley talks to different people about fasting. About 38 minutes into the program you'll find the approach that I have been using for a year exactly. I started in April last year and over the course of the year until winter I lost 35 pounds. I probably gained back at least five pounds over the winter because it is almost impossible to do the modified fast when your body is trying to stay warm. Now I'll resume the program and reach my target weight.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 02 Apr 14 - 02:11 PM

City:
That was a quick trip to the country. With a stop at a grocery store en route, I got to the mill in time to check out the situation re glazing, consider what I might do - but eat first. While eating - wonderful hazelnut bread and tahini - I looked at clock! Finished eating and dashed to group. Came back to city, fed us and went to bed.

( a couple hours later)
We have a bright cloudy day, about 38F! R was off to work and I needed to get ingredients for chili and go to library. So I hung out on computer until noonish as library does not open 'til 1 today. Then my #2 son remembered he has a mother - I posted on his wall yesterday for his birthday - and we talked quite a while!

Now, having ascertained R will not be looking for lunch, I shall be off to the errands.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Apr 14 - 03:26 PM

Thinking seriously now about how to use several 55+ gallon barrels to create a cistern. And getting a transfer pump in order to move shower or bath water (gray water only) into the tanks (situated outside the bathroom window). It looks like another drought year underway, but the water that goes down the drain would be sufficient to keep my vegetables going. It would put unused spare tanks to use. This project would also benefit from gutters on the back of the house to collect the rainwater in those tanks, so it isn't just shower water. I could put those up myself.

Dog sitting for a friend tonight and tomorrow morning, and on Friday planning to go to an art glass sale, taking a half-day off to do it.

Yesterday I spoke with a faculty member who worked with my department to set up an online scholarly journal. This was the only time we were doing the close reading and editing as part of the process, but she is going to need help again. I told her that I've done freelance work for people around campus (usually photography, but I do editing also). She has funds that aren't from campus so I wouldn't have to jump through all of the university hoops involving forms signed by many people (and that have dollar limitations as well).

It's another Wednesday afternoon, looking ahead to the weekend.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Apr 14 - 06:07 PM

SRS, home schoolers would love to get mags via Freecycle, even minus covers. Probably classroom or art teachers ditto.

~S~

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Apr 14 - 11:58 AM

Susan, I've thought about that. There aren't many photos in The New Yorker as there are in other publications. I have some Smithsonian I'm thinking about dropping off at a thrift store so they can use them for their groups.

Tiny amount of rain today, and a lot of wind. Fire danger is a real problem right now in the region. Not like I'd be burning brush or anything, but the smell of fires from many hundreds of miles away will be in the air.

Reworking my eBay listings in the next few days, listing more of my movable garage sale items. I'm about ready to chuck magazines and cardboard out the door. It's too easy to keep Amazon shipping boxes because they might work for things I want to ship in the future.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 03 Apr 14 - 07:58 PM

City:
SRS: water reclamation is excellent project and sorely needed down there, I suspect. I consider gutters with rain barrels essential anywhere; a shame to waste plus hate the water running off the roof making grooves. A series of barrels can be fairly easily connected. The water from the bathroom may take some re-plumbing of the sort a handy person could manage. We are planning to have two grey water spots at the mill- each a raised flower bed of concrete blocks, hopefully faced with something more attractive. One for the K sink, one for BR. Years of living w/out running water has me being very frugal with it.

Low energy last two days. Feeling very stressed. Did only computer and reading in latter part of yesterday. This morning we dashed away to get me to an appointment for 8:15. R drove me so I would not have the stress of parking and then fetched me when I was ready to go home. I walked a few blocks toward where he would be coming.

The appointment was the stressor- re my request for Canadian citizenship. I thought it was a step further on than it was. It was confusing and I was totally stressed before and after. But we were back home before 10 and I made bf and R dashed away. I went to library to sort out why I could not renew on line, then to Market for apples and cheese/eggs. The apple man was not there so will do without until in the country.

Came home, had lunch and a hot bath, went back to bed in a stupor and got up at 7, foggily functional. Not sure if it was the bath, the stress or the lunch! OR all 3.

While on line, I saw the SPCA needs a transport to Napanee, Ontario - about 4 hours - so I agreed to do this tomorrow. It means pick up two pigeons and a Jack Russell. The birds are going to a wildlife rehab centre which I shall enjoy seeing again and the dog to a foster home. I will then go to the mill - about 3 hours, in time for Friday music.

Meanwhile, the snow has melted off tiny front garden as of today. Back yard is still white all over.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Apr 14 - 12:08 AM

Dorothy, I would use a small submersible water transfer pump (like people use for aquariums) and move it straight out to the system outside the window. I would probably look a little odd with a hose across the room, but I could live with it in the summer months.

Taking the day off to run chores tomorrow and meet a couple of friends. A mental health day for decluttering the stress of the office.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Apr 14 - 02:08 PM

Lovely day today! I've already been over to the annual glass sale on campus and back home again. Now some time in the garden before heading out to dinner with a friend.

At the glass sale they have lots of newspapers and boxes for packing up what people buy. I need to remember next year that I should donate a bunch of my extra boxes to the cause.

I just emailed an answer in to my local NPR radio call in program "Anything You Ever Wanted to Know" that plays on Fridays at noon. People call in with questions and other people call in with the answers. Mine was kind of a late entry, but it just got read over the air as the last answer. I'm a regular caller but figured the phone lines would all be full, so sent an email with a drawing instead. I concluded with an affirmation that I liked his answer about mothballs - I've written in a couple of times a year for several years to remind them that there is no pest problem that is best solved by mothballs. He now regularly says that himself - and he noted that it's nice to have a good note to start the weekend. :)

Puttering and then out to dinner. I hope everyone has a pleasant day. This is a day to spend for me, it's my mom's birthday, she'd be in her 90s now. My great aunt was 94 when she died, and her mother died at 104. Those two were in my father's family, but they offer a goal to aim for - a healthy and mentally clear old age. If my mother hadn't been a heavy smoker most of her life she might still be with us and I know she would have enjoyed watching my kids grow and become interesting young adults, and seeing me work on all of my interests.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Apr 14 - 12:56 AM

Good evening out with an old friend. We came by the house and did a tour of the garden and some of the projects in the house. A work in progress where nothing productive accomplished at all.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 05 Apr 14 - 11:55 AM

Country:
Yesterday was a day. Today is a day of aching!

Left the house about 10 and drive 20 min to the SPCA to pick up my transportees: 2 pigeons and on Jack Russell. Waited around for them to be ready and left about 10:45. (I HATE waiting around!) Big thank you hug from "rescue coordinator"

Arrived at Rehab centre about 2:30 in a light rain. Passed off very upset Jack Russell to foster parents in carrier as he was thoroughly angry. Put the pigeons in the office. Someone appeared a fetched head lady Sue. I was able to ask about the raccoon we sent there in the fall and we are all delighted to hear he is fine and will be released later in the spring with a group of peers. Gave her small bowl for a fund raiser - she has lots of wonderful ones - and $20 donation. I am so grateful she is there and has this wonderful facility. Rehabbers are scarce; hard to get a license and expensive- dependent on donations.

Heading toward the mill, back on the highway, stopped for soup at Tim Horton's and a box of Timbits - sour cream without glaze. Then over a bridge into the USA, l think I took the bridge too soon. The trip was interminable but interesting as I could often see the St. Lawrence river and Canada on the other side. Very poor area, sparsely populated. In the rain, it went on forever. Stopped for gas and asked how to find the way back to Quebec.

Good directions and it is a good thing; there was no sign. I arrived at the cafe just at 7:30! A friend informed me the lack of sign is due to tobacco smugglers. Typical stupidity of bureaucrats. The smugglers know the area well; only people like me will miss the turn!

Did lots of thinking. Memories rose up driving the highway I have not driven in 10 years. Made a couple notes on things to do or write. Think it would be a good idea to have a log book in the car. I used to but lost the thread somewhere. A trip like this, there are times, mileage, sights that could be noted helpfully for future.

The drive was long; would have been nice to have company. Winter boots not good for a 9 hour drive; feet hurt. Could have planned better eats, too! Brownies, sunflower seeds, ginger/green tea in thermos was very helpful. And Timbits! Well, I did not eat all 40! Some left for today.

Fell into bed after getting home from cafe. So this am has been BF of porridge and fruit and share a wonderful pastry from Cafe Racine. Then sit and delete emails, respond to one from Sue, check out various things - wonderful article in a paper our friend gave R about a rescued border collie that has become a national agility champion and is heading for the Netherlands next month to try for international. Posted it on FB as we really try to encourage rescues over buying pets from pet stores, puppy mills or, even, breeders. TOO many dogs being bred irresponsibly; too many being killed. (cats too)

Darn, now its lunchtime... Salad might be good!

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Apr 14 - 01:05 PM

Slept in late this morning - felt good, but that rarely happens. The dogs finally reminded me I had a duty to feed them.

Yesterday's visit here with a friend was not bad - maybe because her house is almost empty and has a huge foundation problem and the smell of mildew from where a skylight leaked - we both have houses in transition. She moved out last fall and locked the door, and has been living in Florida. She's back to see about fixing the house up to sell. I think it will be worth the investment, she's in a very ritzy neighborhood.

Onward into the weekend.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Apr 14 - 08:03 PM

It started raining and is chilly, so I've worked on eBay stuff. I have items to list that I'll work on this evening. The next few days aren't any better, but I see nice days at the end of the week. By then the garden will be warm enough soil-wise to do some planting, so this week after work I'll be spending time in the yard.

Laundry is underway. I'm not planning to do much more - making plans one doesn't follow through on can be self-defeating. eBay and laundry are enough for now.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Apr 14 - 01:46 PM

This weekend there was a chance of rain, I think the last forecast said about 40%. What actually is happening is a running series of thunderstorms going over the top of us. Another deluge has just started pounding on the roof.

Baking today since it is kind of cool and clammy. Bread in the machine (on manual - I'll take it out after it kneads and put it in a regular pan) and a chicken breast in the oven. Maybe something else later.

Also, listing more eBay stuff, and I'm almost to the end of the Fellowship of the Ring so I'll make time to launch Frodo on the second leg of this long journey. It also seems like a good day for a hot bath.

I had some shopping to do but I'll save it for tomorrow on the way home from work. The car is in the garage in case of hail and there really isn't a good reason to head anywhere today.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 06 Apr 14 - 05:29 PM

eCountry:
Yesterday turned into a veg-out day for both of us. I napped and R read and we had a liht super after which I computered and he read - When Elephants Weep: the emotional lives of animals (1995). I shall put it in my pile to read.

Today BF was french toast and fruit. I muddled about organizing and finding and not finding but feeling that nothing shows much but I feel good about what has been done. Large plants that were in the sun room for warmth are now back in LR, freeing space in SR. Flats of pepper plants - sprouted ! - are on shelf rather than table so it is washed and useable for meals. Dishes are washed... and washed... and washed!

The solar gain enabled me to turn off heaters in both spaces for the day!

Most exciting of all - as I was out in the parking lot to get a good signal to phone friend in NYS, hundreds of snow geese flew over us, literally hundreds! R was out there also, clearing snow and ice. What an incredible sight - V after V of white birds against the pure blue sky!!

We conferred about two new properties for sale. R phoned about one but the owner has given the tenants until the end of April to come up with funding. We drove by the other and determined it was not for us. Stopped at a farm near the mill to see about a fork lift to do a big job in a week or so. No problem. Big farm; big equipment!

Beautiful thawing day.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Apr 14 - 11:41 PM

I spent this rainy day listing items on eBay and doing another load of laundry. I've been digging out packing materials and boxes and trying to leave everything in plain sight so I don't have to hunt for it if something sells.

I'll let the dogs in tonight, so I'll have to get out a towel to dry off the feet of the one that hops up on and sleeps curled at the foot of my bed. I don't want mud on the quilt.

I've just written another sharp rebuttal to a string of responses to a review I wrote at Amazon. There is a hyped up grass seed blend that sells for an exorbitant price and appears to be full of fertilizer and herbicide. There are lots of challenges "did you use this product" and such - I pointed out that if they discover that something is toxic would they still consume it before writing a review? I'm done with them, but it is interesting to see how these folks are probably getting approached by the grass company to write reviews counter to my own. How else would they even find my review? They don't say they used the product either.

Enough for now. Off to travel a little closer to Mordor with Frodo.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Apr 14 - 11:18 AM

It occurred to me (in the shower, of course, I'm surprised I remember it now to mention it!) that getting the eBay listings up is kind of a juggling act. Once they're in play it's easier to keep the unpurchased ones up, maybe tweak them price-wise. And it's easier to add one or two to the listings and keep it looking active than having to get started listing to a blank slate.

Lovely outside today, so of course I have to work in the dark basement again.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 07 Apr 14 - 11:41 AM

Country:
Sorely tempted to list something on Ebay. Found I have account when I looked for a book which, probably inadvertently, came with the kiln. I put a "watch" on it to see how it goes. Then, depending, I may have the guts to give it a try myself.

Kudos to SRS re the lawn poisons! "Ah, this is arsenic. Well, let's try it an make sure!" Phooey. My friend Connie lives in a development in PA and says she no longer dares garden - after studying organic methods and developing a wonderful veg garden. Her neighbours have poisoned her too much.

My potting friend has arrived so off I go.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Apr 14 - 10:28 PM

Some Mondays are just worse than others, and this one was a doozy.

On the up side, I realized (though too late to do anything today) that some friends came to town for the NCAA game tonight. I might be able to meet them for breakfast if they don't fly out too early. Kentucky is down right now, but making a push to come back. I'm sure I can hear Jan shrieking for her team from here, even with the sound down. :)

The evening has been rainy, the dogs are in, and I'm not doing anything more than turning off the computer and reading.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Apr 14 - 03:30 PM

Iris were ready to burst into bloom a few hours ago. Perhaps today is the day. I always try to mow and trim the front when they're in full bloom so I can take a photo of the house; the iris add a glorious look that isn't present for the rest of the year. I should be organized enough to plant big gaudy flowers like sunflowers and hollyhocks, but I never get around to it. Iris thrive with benign neglect.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 08 Apr 14 - 10:11 PM

City:
So I've been to the country and back again: Yesterday I cleaned kiln shelves, glazed, loaded a glaze firing and started it, drove to city for folk dancing, danced two wonderful hours, took a hot bath and computered until R came home about 12:30 am.

Today, we had bf, I loaded washer, washed dishes, put clothes in dryer and left for country at 11 am! Well, usual entrance to highway was closed so detour took me past a grocery store where I picked up a few marked down items and saw they had cedars for a very good price. As I was very close, I drove to the apt in progress in VSP and arrived just as Bruno was, so he insisted I come in for a tour. What did I think of it? Thank heavens it is temporary.

Then I phoned R re trees and he asked me to meet him there. So I went back and wandered around the store while I waited and... He phoned; he was at the wrong store even though I had told him which one. So I wandered ... We bought 5 of the 5 foot trees, went for lunch. Then I left for the country - about 2:30 pm.

Unloaded glaze firing, conferred with V re glazes. I had tested a bunch but still have mysteries. Did not find clues needed. MUST keep better records!!!! Beautiful blues - several but no idea which bucket is which for two of best and also no idea what recipe was used for which. "Robin's egg blue" still looks grey! But we have two nice browns (known) and a nice matt dk blue (known). Loaded bisque to be fired tomorrow when drier.

Went to writers' group and drove back to city in rain. Snow is melting; river is rising. Bare ground is appearing! Time for the news. Thankful for change of govt in Quebec due to yesterday's election.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: LilyFestre
Date: 09 Apr 14 - 07:30 AM

I haven't done much in the way of spring cleaning yet. I have way overextended myself in the realm of running around doing things for and with others. Today I am crabby, tired and not wanting to go anywhere or do anything BUT there is something I've had to postpone twice...so I'll go today but tomorrow....I'm hoping for a restful day. The day after, I have to go to my oncologist for a checkup. More running but hopefully, all will be well. :) I am not making plans to do anything with anyone for a while after Friday.

I. Am. Tired.

Michelle

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 Apr 14 - 09:39 AM

Briefly due to bandwidth shortage... my little cordless drill/driver has been humming in Ohio.

♥

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Apr 14 - 09:57 AM

How often are you going back and forth, Susan? And is your new roommate moved in? Dorothy, you and your mystery glaze! I hope you get them sorted out completely soon! They sound beautiful.

Michelle, you are astonishing and taking a quiet day is a good thing to recharge your batteries. You need to be up to speed - it's beginning to look like garage sale season around here - you need your strength for Friday morning!

Good talk last night, and another lecture at noon today. The rest of the time on campus is doing odd jobs and is disheartening. A fifth grader could to the "quality control" I'm having to do to check the scanning done by student employees. I am to leave the marked books needing work on the shelf - I'm tempted to rescan just to finish the jobs and be done with them.

Lovely springlike weather again today. Tomorrow I have an afternoon appointment so I'll be home in the morning and I'll finally do some work in the garden.

I have a stack of dozens of covers of The New Yorker that I'm going to itemize briefly and then list on eBay. This kind of cover art is popular and having this many, even with labels, is bound to attract a few hard-core collectors. And selling them will clear out another basket of stuff in my sun room.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Apr 14 - 10:07 PM

Iris have opened around the yard, blue almost completely open, a white ready to burst forth, and several yellow blossoms fully open. I'll get photos tomorrow morning.

The horsemen of Rohan are pulling me into their world - must go read some more of the Lord of the Rings. That Pippin, he is one clever hobbit!

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 10 Apr 14 - 10:24 AM

I, too, Maggie, have a huge pile of New Yorker covers -- I had planned (oh, about 20 years ago) to wallpaper the bedroom closet...

I'll be curious to see how they go on eBay. (Don't have time right now to check history there.)

Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Apr 14 - 02:18 PM

There are a few of the covers that are worth real money. One of them, that I had two copies of, was recycled before I thought to pull off the covers. Those were going around $100 a piece (the issue in which the story "Brokeback Mountain" was published).

I have watchers but no nibbles on the chandelier, so I'll probably order some new less expensive prisms and sell it with those, then sell the more expensive existing prisms individually on eBay.

Today I worked in the yard - I started weeding, then decided to use vinegar and orange oil on the winter weeds. I used a couple of gallons of vinegar, and poured maybe 1/4 cup of orange oil per gallon into the sprayer. I went over the vegetable beds that haven't been cleared yet. Maybe by the weekend there will be enough die-off that I can clear out the raised beds and have them ready to go and get stuff planted. I also went along some edges that I'd like to keep clear of grass and the grass growing in cracks in the driveway.

Mammogram this afternoon, then to work for a few hours. I remember reading Linn's accounts of how miserable work was at a couple of places, and thinking how lucky I was to have a well-rounded job. Now I'm in the position of trying to find a new job and suffering through the odd job I find myself in. Home is the place that keeps me human these days, so it's a really good thing that there is a lot to do in the garden.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 10 Apr 14 - 02:44 PM

Maggie, it's all fiction fodder!

I just had a delightful lunch with friends I've talked to but not actually seen in person for a very long time.

And one of the things we got talking about was writing. I truly miss having Tom to collaborate with because we were a great team, although we didn't do it anywhere near enough. I consider myself a lazy writer in that it takes a boot in the butt to get me going. So Tom, who was incredibly organized mentally because of his award-winning background in debate (his high school debate career is what got him his scholarship to Bates College) would basically outline the piece by dictating it to me (or typing it into Word when he could still see). But Tom had a tendency towards verbosity and the passive voice, so as I typed up his dictation, I'd start to edit -- slashing meaningless verbage and punching it up. I also discovered long ago that word limits are my friend. Every time I distilled extra words into harder hitting words, my writing improves overall.

One of my ideas is for The Great American Novel about the dysfunctional printing company. The company no longer exists, by the way. (Big surprise.) It had three owners, one primary and two subsidiary, who hated each other and did everything they could to sabotage the others. The primary was only in that position because mama bought the company for him to keep him out of trouble. I got my entire business education from that company...every last bit by negative example.

One of Tom's first teaching jobs was at a prep school in the Berkshires that catered to the underprivileged rich. The only admission requirement was daddy's ability to sign his name on a check. The school ended up being owned by the janitor. Tom never wrote the novel although I encouraged him to for thirty years. I hope I've kept enough notes for the bones of the story.

I've got to change clothes and go outside and rake some more leaves out of the hosta bed inside the turnaround. The sun is out, it's drying off, and it's in the 60s(F)...FINALLY! I can get some more work (which counts as exercise, too!) done before I have to leave for grief group tonight.

On my way to lunch I spotted a snowdrop blooming on the bank a long way from where snowdrops were planted. Yeehah! Maybe Spring HAS arrived! And the deep gold crocus that looked just about to pop yesterday when I uncovered it is still thinking about it. Soon, soon...

Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Apr 14 - 11:41 PM

One bottle of vinegar worked well this morning, the other didn't. Vinegar doesn't get old and lose its acidity, so I wonder if this was never as strong as the label said. I'll have to go over some of the area I sprayed again in the morning. I buy this in supermarkets in small towns out in the county, for some reason the city stores don't carry pickling vinegar. Looks like it's time for a trip soon, I'm down to my last 2 gallons.

Allergies are piling on. I'd like to stay up and read, but I think I'll take a full-dose of Benedryl and go to bed. Let it sort out the stuffy nose, itchy eyes and sneezing.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Apr 14 - 11:57 PM

SRS, frequency not set yet. Probably quarterly, sometimes w DH and sometimes on my own. Aug w DH but Sept for a training on my own. Housemate Ba moving in May 1. I'm painting her room, buying a lawnmower, doing sm projects and a little bidness.

♥♡♥

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Apr 14 - 02:10 PM

Writing a novel or even short story about someone unhappy at work - somehow it might just contribute to everyone else's unhappiness! But perhaps placing it in a picaresque setting, or magical realism and end up with something deeply sardonic or entirely satisfying, depending on the outcome.

This morning I sprayed more of my vinegar and orange oil mix. One of the jugs of vinegar I used yesterday wasn't up to strength, evidently. I have treated weeds in the garden area ahead of the weekend so I can speed up my work in getting the garden planted. Where I grew up you could just dig and turn over the soil a shovel-full at a time, but here if you do that the Bermuda grass will just spread. I'm going to use the vinegar a lot more heavily this year, to keep weeds down in the garden.

Income taxes this weekend. I'll join the masses sending it in right at the end.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: LilyFestre
Date: 11 Apr 14 - 06:35 PM

Tumor marker testing done today and I have the results already..usually have to wait 3 days! ALL IS WELL!!!! I had a solid 2 point drop which is GREAT!

I must say though, that I am just about on the edge of exhaustion so tonight I am cleaning off the table, getting most of the dishes done, counters cleaned and a decent dinner ready for my boys and I am going to bed early.

Tomorrow I am in a quilting challenge...wishing I hadn't signed up at this point.

I. Need. Sleep.

Even if I am whiny tired, I am absolutely thrilled with the tumor marker results. *Deep sigh of relief*

Michelle

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Apr 14 - 11:58 PM

Thank you for sharing the good news - I'm pretty sure it brings other things into perspective for all of us, not just for me.

The neti pot is out and I've added that to my evening routine. I discovered last year that pickling salt is pure, no anti-caking cornstarch or anything, and no iodine. That and a pinch of baking soda work for me. The allergies are a bit different every year, but if I start taking decongestants and using the pot early, it always helps.

eBay hasn't done much lately, even with the new listings. I let the chandelier expire and I'll look around for new prisms that will let me sell it for less, and sell the older unique prisms individually. I may run it for one week at a somewhat lower price, and take the buy it now listing off.

Mostly this weekend after the taxes are done it'll be garden work. Glorious garden work!

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Apr 14 - 10:36 AM

I've made a list of things to do today. There suddenly seems to be so much to do that I need a list to work through the chores in an orderly way.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Apr 14 - 02:49 PM

My hands smell like cilantro because I snipped off a handful beside the old compost pile after I dumped a bunch of weeds nearby on the newer compost pile. The herb is in the fridge to make into something later.

The garden digging goes more easily after I've dug it up a few times, and since we had a good rain several days ago. It isn't rock hard yet. I came in for a cool-down, now back to the digging.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: LilyFestre
Date: 12 Apr 14 - 10:46 PM

Ohhhh!! Cilantro....I LOVE cilantro!!!

Today I went to a Jellyroll Challenge and came home with a finished quilt top. I think it's ok...not my favorite, so I will pop some borders on it and put it up for sale as a quilt top with the option of having it quilted.

Then I came home and CRASHED. It was a 4 hour nap for me...it's been a long time coming and I feel SO MUCH BETTER!

Only 2 days of running next week...I'm looking forward to some time at home to sew, sort and clean!!!!

YAY!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Apr 14 - 12:02 PM

Michelle, I'm hoping to host tiger swallowtail butterflies in this patch. It has bolted, though there is still plenty to cut and use if I need it. It seems this is a host for that particular species of butterfly.

Rain and thunder today. Time to do the indoors work I put off yesterday. And I'm thinking about making a loaf of banana bread. I bought some bulk dates yesterday and I use them in pumpkin bread but I'm going to set up my crock pot with steel cut oats tonight and use chopped dates instead of raisins, to see how it turns out.

I need to send back my NetFlix movies also, they've been here a while, so I foresee a day of puttering around the living room and watching movies as I work.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Apr 14 - 10:55 PM

More magazines parted from their covers. The insides to go the recycle bin, the covers to the growing stacks on the dining room table.

I've cleared up the kitchen, stacked the paperwork from taxes, but since I just heard the forms were accepted, I can go ahead and file all of those pages.

Laundry finished, kitchen clean. Oatmeal in the crock pot for tomorrow morning. Now back to Helm's Deep!

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 Apr 14 - 11:09 PM

Before I could start painting I had to hold a mtg at the house that included one person with severe chem sensitivities, receive a check for supplies, and pick up a ladder I'd ordered. The day after the meeting TBTG the check arrived. Ladder and paint were duly gotten Saturday morning and then I started pulling old nails.

But as of today paint prep for housemate Ba's room began in earnest. It's quite liberating to have a ladder rated to hold me safely-- that only weighs ten pounds! Today off and on was scraping, filling, and sanding a billion nail holes (as well as previous occupants' misc dings and dents going back some 40 years!). The room is just beyond my limit-- just abt the right sz challenge. I chose a pale sandy taupe, flat.... very neutral.

Not painting ceiling or closet this round. May skip baseboards in favor of new ones Greg can cut and install-- like the cheesy window casings these homes have, the baseboards are very narrow and crusted with too many layers of paint, poorly applied. My stamina is not such that I can just have at it in one long day, but a little at a time also works and WILL build my stamina. It makes all the difference that this is OUR house, not a rental.

♥♥♥

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Apr 14 - 11:45 AM

Good choice about the trim around the bottom edge. Some of that can look bad, putting in a new type may make the room look a lot tidier.

Cold wind blowing over the region today. My declutter activities include mailing back all of my NetFlix DVDs and sending a thank you card to a friend. Small space and weight-wise, but necessary. I've managed over the last few weeks to generally leave the kitchen looking uncluttered. There are a couple of ongoing projects on the kitchen counter, but small and soon finished. I have another stack of magazines to separate from their covers and then I think I'm finished with about four cubic feet of paper that I'm tired of looking at.

This evening I'll order new prisms for the chandelier and pull the boxes of the old rare ones out of the case and prepare to sell those individually.

My morning oatmeal was marvelous - the chopped dates I bought in bulk last week were used. They chop the fruit then use oat flour to keep them from sticking to each other, so there is nothing in my oatmeal but oats, salt, and dates. I've been researching sulfites - and found a site with information about organic wines that may have less (it naturally occurs in dates, but most vintners also add it) http://organicwinefind.com/. I think I'm entering the next phase of this dermatitis puzzle - finding suitable substitutions.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 14 Apr 14 - 05:32 PM

Good news, Michelle.
Quick note as I have been so busy I am worn out. Have to leave shortly to go back to city for dancing - hopeful that it will be a good evening - fragrance free, or that the mask can cope with, or that I can cope with the new heavier duty mask. Ear plugs! Need to remember long enough to find some before I leave!

Still working on glazes. No sign of a recipe for that lovely blue yet. On going process. More testing needed. More shelves need cleaning - ARGHHH! Spent Fri and Sat putting shelves in place and organizing some of studio. Still a ways to go but what is done is terrific. Trimmed pots today that I threw last week plus 3 jars that have been sitting under damp towel and plastic for weeks! Two died under there. They were meant to be teapots but shall have to start again. Needs to be done with immediacy. These will be lidded jars - after I make lids to fit.

At the Market on Sunday, a woman walked up to me and said, assertively "Where's my teapot?" I found out which teapot-wanter she was and explained my months of environmental illness. An herbalist, she was very understanding - but she still wants a teapot! Neat lady! Hoping to be able to make teapots in next two weeks. Need a better seat for the (white clay) wheel; the one I jury-rigged was scary and I dismantled it.

Gotta get ready to leave. Rain imminent. River which was over the road has gone down. Exciting - there was foot thick ice everywhere - on lawns! "Once in ten years" levels.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Apr 14 - 08:32 PM

It got up to 25 degrees here today. In the event you haven't seen it, the Huntingdon ice jam was broken up by a backhoe and it's on Youtube I'm pretty sure. FYI

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Jeri
Date: 14 Apr 14 - 08:53 PM

Huntingdon ice jam whacking by backhoe

It's been warm enough here for summery clothes and open windows. This has caused a search trying to locate some summer clothes. I suspect I might have thought the ice age was here and I wouldn't need them again.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Apr 14 - 09:54 PM

Did a little decluttering here today - we don't need no stinkin' critics! Especially anonymous ones.

Where is "here," Huntington ice jam? Ah, I see - Quebec. Here is the ice jam breakup via backhoe bucket. Now that is A LOT of decluttering all at once!

I actually pulled up the thread this evening to give this link to everyone: http://mashable.com/2014/04/09/heartbleed-bug-websites-affected/ so you can go check out the places that are probably or were vulnerable to the "Heartbleed" bug. It's time to change passwords if you haven't already. Whether you use a generator or make up some complicated combinations, it seems to be time to up the security on a lot of these accounts.

This morning I pulled out a stack of The New Yorker magazines, and this evening I looked behind a table and found another stack. A couple of more cubic feet of magazines that were out of sight and out of mind, but that will be separated from their covers and the bulk of them recycled. This will make the sun room a nicer space because I can rearrange some of what is going to remain for a while longer.

I'm trying to do more reading, to not take forever to get through The Lord of the Rings. Since we're in for a cold night, I'll let the dogs in and they'll all lounge around my feet as I help Aragorn battle orks at Helm's Deep.

SRS

P.S. I walked away from the computer for a while, I see Jeri beat me to the ice floe show!

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Apr 14 - 12:38 PM

Thank you, ladies :-)

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Apr 14 - 12:38 PM

It's a beautiful sunny day and I see that two coworkers have called in sick. I've never seen so much sick leave consumed in the library as has been taken since the reorganization last summer. It's a job just dragging myself off of the property to head over there.

Last night's freeze was brief at most and I can take the towel off of my one large basil plant. Next weekend I'll be busy in the yard digging beds because I bought a flat of plants yesterday on my way home from work. They spent the night in the greenhouse. I put beneficial nematodes in the garden last month so these plants should be free of cutworms and such. I'll start cucumbers and zucchini from seed. Everything will get a spoonful of mackerel in the hole before a small scoop of dirt and then the plant or the seeds.

Taking a loaf of banana bread to work today. It's a wonder we don't all gain lots of weight with our comfort food in that unhappy place.

Linn of Kansas, if you check in, please rejoin our group if it will help you cope with all that you probably are coping with right now. I am sorry to have read of JohnInKansas' passing last week. Send me a PM and I can share another group with you that might be helpful, if you're on facebook.

Maggie

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Apr 14 - 12:49 AM

I finished pulling covers off of magazines. The next move is to make a list from each year, before listing on eBay. On my way to work tomorrow I'll swing by the recycle bins and drop off two boxes of periodical innards.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 16 Apr 14 - 11:50 AM

Haven't spent much time at Mudcat for the past couple weeks, not sure exactly why... Haven't gotten a lot accomplished, either. First the cold, then the dregs of the cold, then, I guess, just up and down days.

Did get a fair amount of raking done last week...getting the leaves off the flower beds so the crocuses, daffodils and scilla aren't smothered. Need to excavate the early tulips out back. Made the mistake of using bare hands to de-leaf around the irises and now have teeny tiny prickles embedded in my hands from the thorny vine that also inhabits (it's trespassing) that bed. But I was out there attending to another chore and it called, despite not having the little rake or a pair of gloves.

Woke up to the ground covered by white stuff this morning -- it's pretty much all gone now, but not what I wanted to see. And the temperature is half of what it was last week...or even the other day, when it was close to 80F.

Laundry in now, need to get away from the computer and get the clean dishes out of the dishwasher so I can start loading it again. Got the bed changed last night before I crawled into it. Made bread pudding yesterday, got the trash up to the road for pickup. (Feeling virtuous about that -- I walked it up instead of taking the car.) But yesterday had to force myself to do absolutely anything constructive, so mostly watched a movie ("Providence" directed by Alain Resnais) and got a start on the fourth season of "White Collar" so I can return it to my sister.

Need to get the vacuum cleaner (Freecycled) out of the car to make room for some directors chairs I need to bring up from the cellar, get into the car, and de-accession to a friend who needs them.

AND go to that session in Dover tonight for the first time in months -- weather, other cancellations, being sick, and just being unable to deal with people have all been getting in the way.

Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Apr 14 - 11:57 AM

The weather and the amount of daylight are finally working in my favor. I am back to the alternate day fasting but haven't had the exercise, but now I can mow the lawn after work. I'll do the front one evening and the back the next, and start losing the weight again. I've been on this plateau way too long.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Apr 14 - 12:40 PM

We cross-posted, Linn. Isn't that nice, being able to walk the trash up the driveway instead of drive through snow?! I didn't put the trash out overnight on Sunday because we were having high wind gusts and I didn't want it strewn all over. I'll give it a try tomorrow morning.

I moved the flat of bedding plants to the workbench beside the driveway door to catch my eye as I come and go this week. Next weekend is when a lot of important planting needs to happen for the garden.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 16 Apr 14 - 06:59 PM

I arrived in Huntingdon in time to watch the shovel but after the build up of ice against the bridge. It was still quite a sight. I was intrigued to see said ice nearing Ormstown the next day - all broken into manageable pieces and on Friday it had made it to St, Martine. I would have though it would have gone faster but it was so clearly the same ice.

CITY today:
The almost 3 hours of driving back and forth does take a toll - time and energy. But I managed to get some pots made yesterday (country) before going to my writer's group. Did manage to dance 2 hours on Monday night after getting back to city. Did a load of laundry yesterday, washed dishes today, fed us decent meals - and not much else. Today, plan to make pots here was lost in lack of energy. Computer and reading and, finally, making a nice pot of cauliflower/cheddar soup for tonight's supper. There will be salad also.

It is wonderful to see bare ground - almost - in the back yard and the cedars (3-4 feet) having made it through without damage, crocuses blooming in front.

I can deal with a tired day after a couple good weeks of energy but hope tomorrow is better.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 16 Apr 14 - 08:40 PM

Most of this morning's snow is long gone...but it's still there close to the house on the deck and steps. And I can't get rid of it until it melts (and for now it's too cold to do that). Tried to with the shovel, but it's hard granular white ice stuck tight to the deck and steps. Slippery, too.

Got a lot done today, though, including shipping off a box of Tom's wound dressing materials to be used by an aid organization in the Dominican Republic.

Got part way to the session tonight and turned around and went home. Don't know if I ate something that disagreed with me or what, but figured it was safer to go home to bed with a warm cat and a good book.

Ah, well...

Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 17 Apr 14 - 10:03 AM

City - but not for long!
Was going to get away by ten but need to do dishes first - maybe 10:30. Spent some time writing email about a pottery wheel for sale and then saw the pic and re-emailed that I was not interested. Too bad they did not post pic and price in the first place.

All emails for today, so far, are dealt with - mostly deleted, and moral support for a potter wondering about replacing worn out kiln elements.

Now to whip through the dishes, load up perishables from frig and leave.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Apr 14 - 11:45 AM

Non-recycling waste and shredded paper out in the trash this morning. Two boxes of magazine innards waiting to go to the recycle bin this evening. Pushed the mowing plans back a day because I did some essential shopping on the way home yesterday and I try not to mow after dark (though there is a street light at the corner of my lot).

Last night I figured out how to move some saved films around as digital files to watch on the television through the new BluRay player. They are loaded onto a flash drive plugged into the the player's USB port (versus watching them on the computer with a monitor). A good use of the 8 gig drive that used to seem huge but is now fairly small, used for movie loading and viewing. Using Windows Media player from the laptop to the television so far doesn't work completely - the picture displays but the sound only comes out of the computer, not the television, even though it is through a HD cable.

At bedtime I often just want to leave everything till the next day, but I've made a point of washing the few dishes in the sink so in the morning I walk into a pleasant and completely cleared kitchen counter and sink. I have a few projects for the weekend piling up on the counter, but I'll move those out ASAP on Saturday morning. Mostly to do with the magazine clearing.

This weekend is when more of the garden will be planted. So more of it will be dug. I have my garden boots, spade fork and mattock by the door.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Apr 14 - 10:17 PM

An unforseen (by me) rainstorm this afternoon put the kibosh on mowing. I shopped a little on my way home and loaded the recycling into the car when I got here.

I'm going to spend the evening trekking toward Mordor.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Apr 14 - 11:35 AM

Looks like tomorrow is the best day to plan yard work. High is 80, it'll be partly cloudy with light winds. Sunday has a 30% chance of thunderstorms, and it looks like overnight Saturday is when they might develop.

I have a pot of taco meat with beans simmering; I'll have some for my dinner today and then it's for leftovers during the week. I'm working to draw down my supplies of canned and frozen goods and this dish is excellent for that. Almost everything but the beef and the black beans came out of my garden (via the pantry or the freezer).

How are your gardens growing? I've seen a few of Alice's Montana pioneers posted. Liz, you've had work done in your yard over the last year or so, will you be able to plant and enjoy this year? And Andrea, are you still building out back or are you able to garden? Did you finish that pergola? Jeri, Linn, and Maryanne, has the snow cleared yet? How about some of our lurkers?

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 18 Apr 14 - 01:58 PM

The temperature is inching its way back up...from the 20s (F). Still only around 50° which is a long way from the close to 80F it was on Monday. And, alas, I still have a foot and a half wide strip of white, granular ice just outside the back door and on the half of the steps closest to the house (north side, of course).

It's just there to annoy me...

Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: LilyFestre
Date: 18 Apr 14 - 02:41 PM

There is a closet in my kitchen that has shelves from top to bottom inside. Pete claimed this some time ago and has been piling gardening stuff and random tools in there for years. I finally decided to talk to him about maybe moving the tools and such out into the mudroom where it is not heated, yet we store our home canned food out there along with paper goods. The thing is, the room is random chaos, it's difficult to get what I need and I am forever asking him to dig it out because the room is full and there is only light switch and of course, it's on the other side of the room. Anyway.....today I cleared the first shelf and have moved some food things into the closet. I am EXCITED! There are 4 other shelves and then space on the floor. So...one shelf is looking good but now my counter is covered with bags of bulbs and tools. LOL It will come together...it will!!!!   I'll see about getting some photos up on Facebook. I'm excited about the progress. I decided I'd do one shelf a day but I love the first empty shelf so much, I might just do another one!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Apr 14 - 03:23 PM

When my now ex would occasionally get into a down mood, I'd look around and find a project for him. I had him build shelves in the kitchen according to my design, I had shelves built under the sink, shelves in the garage, you get the idea. Maybe you need to give Pete an assignment and design the shelve, on which all of that gardening stuff can be store out in the mud room. Do you have a space or a section of wall where such a thing could go up? It sure sounds like the kitchen space should be used for canned goods and things that don't benefit from storage in unheated spaces.

Nowadays when I want shelves I have to build them myself. I do find they put me in a good mood when they're in place and in use!

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: LilyFestre
Date: 18 Apr 14 - 04:18 PM

Pete has his hands full around here and does not need me adding to the list of to do things....it's spring time on a farm...need I say more? :) However, in the mudroom, we have one of those giant metal racks that holds something like 800 pounds per shelf and it is maybe 8 feet long by 7 feet tall. There will be space on those shelves for his tools and all gardening gear with some rearranging. I sent Pete a note at work and told him what I had done and that the kitchen counters are not visible right now and I need his help sorting (since it is his stuff anyway..and then when he is looking for something maybe he will remember where it is because Lord knows I won't!)...I figure it should only take a couple of hours to have the closet completely emptied, cleaned out and refilled the way I want...HOORAY! He responded and said he'd be happy to help me with it tomorrow and to pick up some Chinese food for dinner so I don't have to mess with cooking with no counter space. Double HOORAY! Triple HOORAY as there is a new Chinese place in town that has great food!

I'm off to Walmart (don't judge...it's all we have available in this little town) to pick up some bins for organizing the above mentioned list!

Bonus? It's Friday night....Circus people come out to Walmart here on a Friday night...it's always a wild adventure and fun to people watch! ;)

Michelle

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Apr 14 - 06:08 PM

I get into Walmart maybe once a year, but I have a membership to shop at Sam's Club - there is a difference but there is also a contradiction that I haven't sorted out yet. :-/

Help and Chinese food for dinner (no cooking) sounds excellent!

I'm thinking about inviting a friend over on Sunday afternoon. I was talking with several women about a health care facility in my part of town, and they'll be over there on the weekend to see a relative of one of the women. I'll be in the garden tomorrow, but this would give me a lot of motivation to pick up around the house on Saturday night! She hasn't been over before, so it would involve the garden tour and the house tour. Yup, there is nothing that motivates cleaning more than bringing in another set of eyes to see the house.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 18 Apr 14 - 10:30 PM

Middle of this afternoon I was finally able to get a snow shovel under that strip of ice and leverage it into chunks and swept it off the deck. Ta dah!

Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Apr 14 - 11:42 AM

Dishes out of the sink, more recycling in the car for a quick trip. A load of laundry is going in the dryer. Swept up lots of dog hair, and there's a lot more where that came from, so it is time to start brushing the dogs. They may even get a bath this afternoon.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Apr 14 - 05:07 PM

Front lawn mowed, lots of weeds pulled. Dog droppings in the compost, now to mow the back yard, after a few minutes cool-down in the house. And I found a loose plank on my patio cover that I have to repair this afternoon before the next windy day drops it off the framework. A trip to Home Depot for the right type of decking screws to hold it in place better than the nails that were in it originally.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Apr 14 - 11:01 PM

Back lawn mowed after a loop around town for some shopping and recycling stops. I need to package and freeze some chicken and beef I picked up after drawing down my supply in the freezer this spring. I use a seal-a-meal and it works great.

Making plans for my son's graduation, looks like I'll be driving instead of flying. I miss my pickup, where everything could be loaded in the back, but with his Toyota, my HHR, and a friend's Subaru, we'll get everything back to Texas for the summer. He moves to Seattle to work later in the summer and that move is entirely up to him.

Human laundry is finished and tomorrow I start on dog beds. It takes at least two high capacity loads in the washer, and I split each of those into a couple of loads in the dryer because the lint filter gets really full of hair.

Nice evening - I spoke to both of my children. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Apr 14 - 11:27 AM

I made a quick repair to my patio cover where one plank is pulling loose. This afternoon I'll climb up a ladder with the drill, some screws, and a few pieces of wood to support the planks where they have curled and created a gap.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Apr 14 - 04:10 PM

Talking to myself lately!

In for a cool-down after cutting and pulling a dwarf nandina out of the iris bed. It sat in it's little spot for years looking great, but last winter it decided to spread, and it went from ornamental -> weed in the process. I've dug out part of the raised beds also and am headed out for more in a minute. The neighbors have family over today, they're playing in their back yard so I'm glad I mowed mine yesterday. There is a park-like look back there.

Some of the dog beds done, another batch going in now.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 20 Apr 14 - 08:38 PM

Country: Did get away by 10:30 on thursday with clean sinks. Got to mill in good time, with quick stop at cafe to say hi to Vanessa but did not buy any goodies as I could smell gas. She must have dealt with it as I went back on Friday and bought goodies - no odour. Also took prospective seat for wheel to a welder - twice (not his fault). Still not quite right. Visiting the chimney sweep across the road, I found the young lad welding. I hope he will have time to come over and see if he can get the seat into a better position.

Threw six bodies and 4 spouts for teapots on Thurs; Finished them on Saturday - since one body decided to be a toad house and another a jar, 4 spouts were enough! Just as I was about to do the finish of dish washing on Friday, R phoned for me to come to Montreal and pick up 3 young folks. When I arrived, having rushed, there were only two and they could have come down with R in the truck. I told them they need to be more responsible about this - an unnecessary 80 mile round trip is no fun. Very nice young people - Tevin (19) and his cousin Princess (16) loved the music at the cafe and love being in the country.

Princess asked if she could fix up the ratty old trailer for a weekend place. R is right now taking them back to city and has the job of telling them we love to have them and are happy to let them use the trailer but they need to be self-sufficient and independent - bring their own food! We will run heavy extension cord to the trailer so they can have a frig, microwave and light. Bikes are provided and we are only 4 km from town. Princess reads voraciously and is helping Tevin with his reading. She is GOOD!

I stayed to finish pots on Sat but they went to auction and I met them there. R managed to buy another two truck loads of junk, then we had a pizza in the nearby village, dropped the young folk at the mill to survive as we went back to Montreal for a dinner party - exhausting! But rather fun. We relaxed in bed in the morning and wended our way back to the mill, stopping to have a look at the apt in Ville St. Pierre - beautiful floors! - and a nice visit with our former neighbours - next to the cabin.

Phone call alerted me that a friend with shop was stopping by to pick up some pots so we arrived almost simultaneously and R gave Dave a tour while Mary picked out pots. Tev and Princess went back to trailer from the sun room, for which I was thankful as I needed the quiet. I spent a quiet read and not read afternoon while R unloaded the truck. I made celery soup for supper and we ate about 6:30 and they left for the city about 7:45. Now I have peace and quiet and shall soon be asleep! No wonder I'm tired!

My pepper plants have second set of leaves! Broccoli and cauliflower are up. Hope I have a place to plant soon.

Still lots of organizing to do in studio as I have better idea of how I want/need it to be. Lots more room for shelves! I had put most of pots on shelves yesterday so Mary could see and pick her choices easily. Tomorrow: more pots, wash dishes, go to city for dancing.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 20 Apr 14 - 09:30 PM

Had a lovely pajama day today. Mostly read...and wrote. Started writing the book I've been threatening to write for the past 35 years. (One of them.)

Also got a cake baked (no, I hadn't planned to bake a cake, but I was craving something dessertish and I figured it would be better to bake it rather than spoon the mix out of the box), and the dishes in the sink dealt with, either into the dishwasher or washed and hung up or put away. And petted cats and provided a lap. Talked to my sister in Milwaukee.

Hope everyone else had as lovely a day.

Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Apr 14 - 10:38 PM

Good for you, Linn!

I did lots of laundry today, dog bedding. I finished digging a couple of more beds in the garden but came in as the thunder started and didn't get to do any planting. I'll do some of that tomorrow.

Several months ago Bill D sent me a small canister, and I've been waiting to open it. Today I scattered the small container of ashes from katlaughing into the creek behind my house. I wanted the right kind of day - a productive one in the garden, a day when the yard was looking lovely, and in the nice spring weather. Just before the storm I went out through the back gate and walked through the lovely lush undergrowth under tall slim trees then followed a game trail along the little bluff and scattered the ashes into the creek and down the bluff. A little of kat is at the edge of the yard, but most of this portion is racing through the year-round creek to the Trinity River then down to the Gulf of Mexico. It was lovely to have her here for a while, and to give her one more opportunity to visit a new place.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Apr 14 - 11:49 AM

The only time I buy steaks is when they're in the last chance bin at the grocery store, marked down by several dollars a pound. I bought a half-dozen steaks this weekend and cut each into two or three pieces and ran them through the seal a meal and into the freezer. It's going to be time to defrost and clear out the freezer pretty soon, I have some old produce that will soon be obsolete when new crops come in. This summer I'm going to try freezing some of the fresh items then bagging in seal a meal (trying seal a meal before they're frozen would mean they'd get smashed).

I woke to a general achiness this morning after all of that mowing and digging. We had a fair amount of rain last night and a 60% chance of it for today, so I won't be doing any more digging after work for a few days. It's good to let stiff muscles heal before you abuse them again.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: LilyFestre
Date: 21 Apr 14 - 06:01 PM

We are having steak tonight! Steak, baked potatoes, summer squash and a salad. YUM. We either have our own beef or some from a farmer friend that we purchased 1/4 of their beef cow earlier this year. It's a lot of meat at once but it works out to be about $2.99 a pound....can't beat it! YUM.

Today I worked on a quilt with a friend. We are making it for a mutual friend who lost her son not too long ago.

Michelle

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Apr 14 - 09:33 PM

I have friends who buy beef that way. It's a lot better tasting as well as economical. And the friends who hunt, I envy them their venison and moose meat in the freezer.

Sounds like a quilt that will have a lot of tears (as opposed to tears rips) in the cover. And sounds like a wonderful project.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Apr 14 - 11:59 AM

I found cans of mackerel at Dollar General for $1.39 a can so I brought home 10. These are to go into the garden as I put in bedding plants. They'll be used soon and the cans recycled. I've taken several loads over to the city recycle bins lately, and have donated clothes and household goods at the Goodwill. Both are nearby so convenient for my weekend clearing out activity.

I discovered yesterday at a thrift store near my workplace that if I donate these clothes and household goods over there I'll receive a 30% off coupon for a visit, so yesterday I'd have saved $10 when I picked out a few spring blouses. Each time I donate, I get another coupon. Looks like my donations will be going to work with me for drop-off on my way home when I want to shop.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 22 Apr 14 - 04:37 PM

Stilly, is that a Savers? That's what they do here -- and I like both the store layout and the selection better than Goodwill or Salvation Army.

Most of today was positive...

I got a start on my "homework" for grief group on Thursday (last meeting) then decided to go out and do a few errands.

But first...I decided now was as good a time as any to clamber down the slope below the house to retrieve two blue tarps. Had to bushwack across from the first to the second on very tricky footing, then had to haul my way back up the hill hand over hand. Didn't get too dirty.

Got in the car and went to get a couple ounces of St. John's wort to make a tincture since I'm running out. Then over to the hardware store where, for 23 bucks, I think I solved all my broom problems (I didn't really think I HAD broom problems) -- got a good stiff bristled replacement for my indoor broom (now the old one can live upstairs permanently) and a heavy duty straw broom for the deck, etc.

Now what to do with the wishy washy (not stiff enough bristles) broom I bought at the grocery store. Maybe Freecycle it to someone who doesn't have dusty, gritty floors...

Came home to discover some cat (bet it was Sabine) barfed all over a burner on the stove. Sigh.

Then, while prepping the tincture, I discovered that the vodka I bought last week is "Light", meaning only 45 proof. Not a problem for the tincture, but I'll have to use twice as much and dilute the tomato juice in my bloody marys... Bought it because it was cheaper than my usual choice. Well, with half the alcohol it's NOT cheaper!

Ah well...

Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 22 Apr 14 - 09:48 PM

City:
Monday I threw a nice bunch of pots and drove back to city in time to stop for some groceries on the way to dancing. When I arrived at the church, only one woman was waiting outside. we started chatting and were well into a great conversation of getting to know that we liked each other when the organizer came out of the church and informed us there was no dancing this week. she had "announced it" last week but neglected to put it in email. We both made it clear - obviously - that this was unacceptable. "I drove 40 miles for this!"

My new friend suggested I send my own email re the fragrance problem since F does not bcc; I could reply all! Good plan - before next week.

Then I went home and took hot bath. R worked so late he never came home so I took another really hot bath this morning and spent a few hours in recuperation. Then we had lunch at a vegan restaurant - terrific sweet potato/blackbean burger and lovely dal soup.

By the time I got the the country, there was only time to cover yesterday's pots so they do not dry out too much before Friday. Then writers' group which was good. I wrote a piece, and read it, about a friend who committed suicide. For about 20 years I have been furious that she did this to her two young daughters but when I read it, I choked up and could barely finish. I think it let go of the anger. Still feeling .... a sort of healing?

So, back in the city. Raining all day. Tomorrow: taxes and, if time, more pots to be made upstairs.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Apr 14 - 03:04 PM

Tired today because I read kind of late last night, but I'm now into The Return of the King. I like the Frodo in the books better than the Frodo in the films, he wasn't so dark, was more complex in the books.

Keeping the kitchen clean, the kitchen table is looking better than it was (the possible visit of a friend last weekend was enough to get me to clear out some stuff). She didn't make it, maybe one of these days.

Still working on the magazine covers for eBay, a little at a time. The dining room table is where I spread these out, but as I organize them they're stacked up and the table will soon be open for the next project.

Linn, I don't think this thrift store is part of a chain, but I notice a lot of sameness between how various thrift stores in the area work so I suspect there is some sort of organization that they belong to that helps set policy and determine how to price things and how to clear them out.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Apr 14 - 07:16 PM

City:
I do not know where today went! two hours on phone with one friend and one hour or more with another - another therapy session - for her! Small load of clothes washed and put away. A good lunch while reading, then reading some more. And some more. I thought I would go upstairs and throw pots and walk to the library and do income tax! Tomorrow??

Now finish deleting emails and watch Big Bang... Still could do some pots.... Maybe.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Apr 14 - 12:46 PM

Oak pollen has hit me in the face, I'm at home on Benedryl and motrin today. Hopefully the extra antihistamine can knock out some of the histamine response, but it looks like the next few days will be pretty rough. Oak always gets me. I'll putter around the house when I'm not knocked out by the Benedryl.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Apr 14 - 03:34 PM

Yesterday wasn't as bad as I expected so I did some work in the garden in the afternoon, but that was enough to tip me into a full-nose-clogged status by evening. It took a bit of everything - decongestant, antihistamine, and the neti pot to get me into shape to get to sleep last night.

Another small freelance job has come up for next week. That's two of them in the next week, one tomorrow, the new one next Friday. I don't advertise, this is all through word-of-mouth.

It feels like full-tilt spring cleaning weather. Open the windows, clear out stuff that accumulated in dark corners over the winter. Is everyone finally free of snow? Are we all now fully into spring?

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Apr 14 - 11:25 AM

Laundry almost finished this morning with an outfit I like. I head to a freelance job this afternoon and I'll dress like a work day, won't go in my scruffy photographer look. :)

I picked up some stakes for wire fences yesterday and am going to section off some of the garden so it doesn't crowd other parts. The asparagus is almost shading out the onions right now it's so droopy.

We're into the full-out growing season now and the lawn needs mowing. Rain is forecast for tomorrow afternoon so all of my yard work is compressed into the mornings this weekend.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 26 Apr 14 - 08:49 PM

Country:
left the city with dishes done and laundry caught up but no pots made. Did groceries, returned books to library, made celery soup, computered, read and not much else. We set live trap for rat to no avail. Left it set with food.

Thursday, there were doorknob thingies - a sheet of chits for $10 or more off at nearby businesses. One for the neat restaurant we went to the other day. It went in my wallet and the rest in the recycling with most of the days fliers. When I came back from the shopping, there was another on the sidewalk. SO, I took a walk around the block and collected about 6, then a walk around the next block and ended up with 10! We will share with folks who might also enjoy this vegan eatery. At least I walked 8 blocks!

Had a leisurely trip down on Friday. I stopped by the apt in VSP and was totally disgusted with the whole thing- black kitchen with brown counters - bamboo which would be beautiful elsewhere, ugly bathroom sink, ugly electric fireplace and bathtub? "Later." Then, with all the horror of the past year and the need to use a tub to de-tox, I lost it. Bruno takes it personally. Don't know how his wife stands him. R got it full on from me and then had to calm Bruno down. Why would you hire someone who does not listen, does not do what he is asked and then has to have his hand held. Phooey. I would not hire him to put in a light bulb.

I picked up special birthday treat for R at the Cafe. Trimmed some pots and well covered the 12 mugs as I did not feel like making and affixing handles. Property across the street is for sale - $489.000! Might be worth half that. Terrific music at cafe and R made it for some of the main act. But Adrien was just as good, if not better.

Quiet Sat morn as we sorted out our respective frustrations and furies. R agreed that those things were ugly but they are not for us long term and they were on sale. Also agreed that I can help design future Ks. I am just so sick of living in sub standard housing; I was hoping for something nicer for a change. We still miss the cabin.

We had French toast out of cheese bread. Very yummy, with chicken sausage and local maple syrup, and then went to look at a house for sale. Certainly not what I would prefer - not in the woods but close by; about 1.25A; surrounded by cornfields but good area for veg garden and fruit trees; near, but not too near, railroad tracks (we like RRs); at the conjunction of two very quiet roads, one of which ends just past the tracks; old but in not bad shape; moderately interesting and plenty big but not too big; fallen down shed with lots of barn board for projects; not in a swamp; high enough to be dry with views of distant Quebec hills, as well as acres and acres of cornfields! but not the wretched wind turbines in NYS; and less than 15 min from the mill.   

So R phoned realtor and we have an appointment tomorrow am. The stress of knowing we cannot legally live at the mill is getting to me; also the lack of privacy in case of orphaned raccoons. A place where they can live privately until old enough and then be released to a nearby woods is important to my mental health.

We left there and drove along the road, not seeing another car at all for several miles, picked up a just hit-by-car wild turkey which R is taking to his brother in Montreal. Their chef tenant will help bro deal with it. I phoned a country friend about it but she informed me she already has a hbc beaver in her freezer!

But before R left for city, we went to terrific country music event for a couple hours at a lovely little church; I really wanted R to see the church. I "sang my song" by request and it was well received; The Frozen Logger is amusing and lively. R says I am off-key some of the time but he accuses almost everyone of that. One of the farmer/musicians gave us good info re the spraying of the fields in May, a major cause of illness for me! That alone was worth the trip.

We had lots of the homemade treats then came home to enjoy an incredible, soft French cheese with muesli bread toasted, while R researched the cheese on line! Very yum! He went off to city and I took over the computer and here I sit gaining weight as pots need trimming, dishes need washing and I need to go to sleep. Manana! That was a full day!

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Apr 14 - 12:37 PM

Must mow today, but it's moist (not sure if we had rain or fog or what) so I'll let the lawn dry out a bit. Maybe this afternoon.

Dog hair needs to be addressed. In many forms - in the house, and on the dogs. And that which is falling off of the dogs at a rapid rate. Other things to do today include some cooking for the week, considering what items are for eBay and what go straight to the thrift store. I have a couple of items that didn't go on eBay so are now in the thrift store donation box.

Planning a shady area small bed in the front yard is also in the cards for today. I want to work on some zones. When I first moved in the house had an ugly hedge running along the face of the stone front and Bermuda grass. Now it is a complex mix of shrubs in the yard (none against the house), trees, established beds, and a berm. There is finally enough shade for some true understory plantings. Only took a dozen years. :)

Dorothy, I wouldn't go near a house surrounded by cornfields. So much of it is GMO corn these days, planted so they can hit it with glyphosphate (Roundup) and other toxic pesticide and herbicide chemicals. I'd inquire about the nature of the farming nearby before settling in.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Apr 14 - 10:19 PM

Big push in the yard today. I finished digging a couple of raised beds and planted peppers and tomatoes. This is with the mackerel in the hole before the bedding plant is put in place. There are more plants to put in the ground and more beds to dig, but I'm making progress and so far haven't had to hire anyone to do it for me, like last year.

I cut deadwood out of a rosemary in the back yard and ran all of those stems through the chipper. It added up to about a bin and a half (the bin is a ~20 gallon pail for mixing mud or paint left behind by my contractor). This was enough to almost cover a small bed in the front yard where I'm encouraging thyme to spread out as a groundcover in the space. Right now it has small thyme and onions (because why waste open garden when it isn't covered with herbs yet?) The chipper isn't speedy, but all things considered, it does what I need. I usually would have to send the rosemary branches to the landfill because they are too woody for the compost and then I'd have had to drive to Home Depot to buy a bag of mulch for that bed. The time it took to chip the limbs are probably about the same for a round-trip to Home Depot.

I haven't forgotten the fitness side of things - as it gets warmer it gets easier to do the alternate day fasting and these days I notice that my trousers aren't as snug as over the winter. I'll get to a point where I feel like I'm back to my low weight from last fall and I'll step on the scale again. No point in getting depressed by the dial on the scale until then.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 28 Apr 14 - 02:37 PM

Country:
SRS: Next step re this house is to check with the farmers and neighbours re toxins. However, this entire area is corn or soya fields. We have not found anything in the lovely wooded areas and even there one is within a half mile of -- Corn fields! We need more info from farmers. The farmer we talked with on Sat. thought the problem was a different crop that gets sprayed by air. R is going to continue to look into it.

Finished taxes ! Will mail when I go to town shortly to get tires changed and oil, too!

Now to move on to getting the latest forms sorted out for citizenship. Still pots that need finishing but ---Manana.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 28 Apr 14 - 04:14 PM

Exiled a spider to the outdoors today.
Looked at the messy back yard and decided that it can remain messy for another week or two.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Apr 14 - 11:37 PM

When spring arrives if we don't tackle the yard early it becomes a huge job to mow the first time - the mower lugs and stalls many times when the grass and weeds are tall and lush and juicy. I mowed the lawn on Jan 19, the Martin Luther King birthday holiday. We had many more freezes that might have slowed the weeds a bit, but I think that one mow made a difference. Mowing since then has been a lot easier.

Clearing up paper this evening, getting ready to pay bills. Same ol' same ol'.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Apr 14 - 11:41 AM

Speaking of tackling the yard, I must do so this morning before heading to work. The hard work of pushing the mower and digging in the garden generates endorphins, I can feel them when I finish. And the work isn't as difficult now, I'm in better shape after several weeks of mowing and digging.

The dogs and I walked around a few blocks and we passed a house for sale and where some guys were loading portable tables into a truck. Another estate sale in the neighborhood. I need to remember to check the paper for those, it's a way to learn a little more about the tastes of neighbors, and I like the quasi-geological process of moving objects from one property to another. Or maybe like ants moving seeds and twigs.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 29 Apr 14 - 06:54 PM

Finally got my posterior in gear this morning and started accomplishing (or making a good start) several things.

Made a hardware store run this morning to get wad-type brass polish so I could get the two brass map lamps looking decent again. And bought some seeds... (But it's still too early to seed the deck planters.) But when I went to tackle the lamp that's not on the post yet, the new polish didn't make a dent in the tarnish and dust of the ages so I ended up using the liquid, which is a lot messier. But it's almost done. Tomorrow I'll take down the other one, finish this one and put it up on my side of the bed (I think the feedthrough switch will be better situated than the other one), polish the other one and get it put up on the post on the other side of the bed and I'll be back to two lamps again. And if my neighbor and I can schedule some time together, I'll have new light bulbs in the (clean) overhead lamp again, too.

Consolidated some stuff in boxes and got them off the bedroom floor, found boxes for the books for the library sale and found that I can start taking them to the library right now. I'll miss the day of the sale this year, but I'll be able to hit the leftovers as soon as I get back from Connecticut.

The major thing today is I called the company that imports the composting toilet I want to buy to replace our current very outdated an inconvenient one. I had a couple questions and got them answered very favorably. First, it would be better for my situation to buy the standard size rather than the oversized one, so that saves me $1000. Then I asked how much the shipping would be and found it's included in the price. Yes!

I've got to consult with my handyman and see what his schedule is like and I also have to do the floor in the bathroom before it gets installed. If I have enough square gray slate tiles, I'll have Dennis do the floor installation. If I don't, I'll find a remnant piece of vinyl, pull up the old piece to use as a partial template (I've got to deconstruct the wooden cabinet of the current earth closet/composting toilet) and do the floor myself. But I'd really rather have a slate floor...

One more thing I need to do tonight is to call my plumber and set a date to fix the cellar shutoffs and the two outside faucets so I can have water outside this summer.

AND I got my hair cut...

Finally, an accomplished day.

Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Apr 14 - 08:54 PM

Housemate has moved in, YAY!

~S~

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Apr 14 - 01:28 AM

I ate some chocolate today, first time in months. I'll see if it triggers the dermatitis since I've eliminated so many other known causes. I revisit some of them to see if they still cause the rough skin - or not. Life's too short to go without chocolate if you can figure out a way to eat it and not have it bother you.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Apr 14 - 09:36 AM

Amen!

Returning from a powerful weekend workshop on Eliminating Racism and Building Diverse Communities, I had two big jobs to start upon my return:

1. I was the presenter's, Dr. Barbara J. Love, volunteer recordist, and was asked to split the workshop's segments up onto CDs. I came home with all the files on the laptop, and have backed them up on CD, plus a copy on flash ready to mail to Dr. Love ,. She has also asked me to transcribe the portion on "Historical Origins of Racism," which was a delightful survey of world history from the viewpoint that Racism had a beginning and therefore can and will have an end, just as have so many other movements in history.

2. I had a number of workshop participants to add to the mailing list for the monthly class that has been meeting on this topic. (I anticipate more requests from others who attended.) Today I got the 4 added that I already had on the list; while in the addybook I noted a naming convention to standardize, so I edited the existing 15 or so entries to comply with that naming convention. It was so neat to see again how many white folks are meeting monthly, in a committed way, to work on this stuff!

To keep my attention on the positive while doing this (I'm also giving up daytime TV), I'm running a Kru[unmlaut]ger Brothers CD.

~S~

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Apr 14 - 06:23 PM

Decluttering email today, deciding to unsubscribe from a lot of stuff I never get around to reading, and shifting some things over to a non-Gmail provider (business accounts). It's time.

Time to make a clean sweep of the paper buildup around the house. I think the taxes were a big contributor, but that was several weeks ago. Time to do some filing and shredding and make a run over to the village recycle bins again.

I'm walking the dogs more again, and I need to do some more dog-related chores. I've noticed a couple of wobbly spots on the fence that need stabilizing, and I'm thinking about running some chickenwire across the planks on a couple of sections of fence that, should any of them fall off, the dogs could push their way through and out into the front. The side fences go into closed neighbor's yards, though I keep an eye on those as well. It has been nine years since I put up the fences - I don't know their life expectancy, but I know that it's beginning to look like time to replace some cedar supports and use a few screws to hold slats in place.

Oh, and time to do some work in the attic while it's comfortable up there, but not an oven like later in the season.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 30 Apr 14 - 06:32 PM

City:
Car servicing (monday) took longer and I just drove to city, early enough to have a soup with R at Tim Horton's near the apt, where he was working. Then went dancing for 1.5 hours, leaving when they started a couples dance. We had a light super and an early sleep.

Tuesday I was still finishing the re-copy of tax forms. Then checking emails as I was going to visit friend in NYS. She gets up later than I but emailed that she was busy so we talked on phone and then I went to mail taxes and went to country. After a couple stops en route, I arrived at the mill and unloaded the car, sorted out food for two homes, checked stuff in studio, decided I did not feel like trimming mugs and wrapped them well to last to Friday.

Read and loaded the car; the writers' group was lively. Then back to city and R came home, tired and hungry at 9 but saying he needed to go back - after F fixes the (some sort of machine). It was close to midnight when F called but R, who had been half asleep for an hour said he would wait 'til morning. hurray! Bedtime!

This morning, after breakfast, finishing, folding and putting away two loads of laundry, dealing with emails - and unsubscribing a bunch! - I went for a detox bath about 11 am. It was a good one but did not wipe me out like last week so, after a bit of lunch, I was able to throw pots for a couple hours. Then I made a simple casserole and put it in the oven for when R comes home hungry. Now, the News.

Still too much time on computer. As energy level holds, I am impatient with it. Did find a neat glaze recipe today and I like to see what some people are posting on FB but it takes too long. Anticipating the move to the apt, I am sorting out and taking anything not really necessary down to the mill for storage; need to clear the house. We need to re-institute an area at mill for "things that are leaving". Delighted that R left the auction on Sunday without needing to bid on anything!

As much as I view "move" as a four letter word, it is a way to sort out life and see what can be gotten rid of. In this case, we will be moving to the apt while the house is reno'ed then back to the house - when it is eventually ready. A good time to separate the wheat from the chaff. Also a certain amount of exercise involved! I did gain 5 pounds, and feel it, so need to get back on the losing track.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Apr 14 - 10:10 PM

I was planning paperwork, but forgot I must finish a freelance project and take the disk to them tomorrow. Along with an invoice. One more freelance job on Friday, and that will probably be it for this semester, but every little bit helps!

I had a great laugh at work today, and am still chuckling about it. You'll have to think back to January when I had to replace my pickup because to repair the front end would be too expensive on a 14-year-old pickup. I've only told a handful of people on campus about the reason I traded in the truck - I bumped into a signpost in the parking lot at work. A co-worker was complaining about how much we pay for parking each year (it's about $150) and I explained that it is an "Enterprise" system on campus, meaning the money we pay is what is used to pay for repairs, like to pave the lots" and without missing a beat she said "or to replace parking signs." It was so funny - suddenly the image of having already paid for a sign, though it didn't fall over, it's only a little crooked.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 May 14 - 01:38 PM

Planning this evening to heavily water the vegetable garden area that hasn't been dug yet. By Saturday it should be a consistency to work - right after a rain it's too gooey, but two days is good. So water tonight for digging on Saturday.

Final exams begin tomorrow and students will be graduating in a couple of weeks. We start the quieter summer session on campus. Last year it was hectic and horrible - my office had to relocate for the summer because the whole floor we worked on was getting a facelift (new sprinkler systems, new lighting, etc.). Then came the bizarre exercise called "Reorganization." This summer is the first when I haven't had the luxury of telecommuting - I could go out and work in my garden when it was cool then sit down at the computer to put in my 8 hours during the heat of the day. I may be able to stagger my work schedule, but it's disappointing to have to drive over every day. This isn't a university policy, it only is in my department. Many assume it is in place to make people miserable so more of us will leave.

Regardless of that shit, it's time to celebrate spring and make the most of the hours I can spend in the yard. I also need to make a big push to get rid of things that didn't sell recently on eBay - they are going to the thrift store, and a lot of the cardboard I've saved is going to the recycle bin behind city hall.

I'm seeing posts on facebook today about May Day and "Beltane" - from my friends in the UK. When I was a child May Day was when we used to hang a basket of flowers on the doorknob, then ring the bell and run away. What are some of the rest of you doing today?

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 01 May 14 - 06:12 PM

City:
Sent R off with a good bf; after yesterday's busy -ness when he had no lunch and came home at 11 pm - hungry! I went to move my car re parking restriction; R was doing it! So I deleted emails for a while, then went out hoping to obtain an electric tea kettle on sale. YAY! Now I have one in the city. It is so much more efficient than boiling water in a sauce pan or a cup at a time in microwave and the water stay warm for a long time. Went to the CT garden center, looking for geraniums on sale but - tomorrow. Had a lengthy conversation with the wonderful artist who is doing the garden centre for two months - her summer job. Planing to go back and visit again; we had a great chat.

Bought a few groceries and came home for lunch and then pot trimming. Watched cooking program, then trimmed some more. Now the news and then more trimming. Going well and I am actually feeling good energy. So wonderful after the nine months of environmental problems. I still wake up each morning hoping this will be a good day. Now realize April was a mostly good month. But I am still reveling in it and still wary of what might come next. R will be pursuing the agricultural problem - due in less than 3 weeks.

The little mask has been very helpful. It is adequate for some venues but not really bad ones - I felt my energy flagging as I shopped at Canadian Tire. When I was outside in the garden centre, I took of the mask but moved away from the open door - the air coming out of the building was gross.

Last night's casserole was yummy and we are having seconds tonight.

I guess it is spring in Quebec; the man across from the mill was mowing his lawn on Monday. I thought of SRS. But too cool to do much planting.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 May 14 - 11:39 PM

I did a search on eBay this evening for a couple of old electronics items from my Dad's house - they'll go to the recycle bin at work. A set of flannel sheets are worth listing for sale, as is a crock pot. Lots of flattened cardboard into the car to be dropped off at recycling. Another batch of stuff is going in the trash, there seems to be no market (but it's always worth checking, because it is astonishing what does sell on eBay).

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 May 14 - 05:35 PM

Forgot to take the cardboard to the bin this morning, I'll do that tomorrow. I'm doing a photoshoot tonight then picking up a take-out dinner afterwards.

I'm planning a stay-cation for this month, in which I can get a lot of work done around the yard and house. It's time to start lining up the ducks so I have everything I need. Trips to Home Depot for bags of hardwood chips, but first I'll head out back and trim the weedy trees and see how many of my own woodchips I can make. Also a major removal of dog hair, from the house and from the dogs. I've been brushing them every day or two and need to vacuum the entire house and then see about moving some furniture.

The house is in general looking better. I'm about to the point where I could toss it all out and forget the eBay end of things. Then I could do what I want, do the targeted garage and estate sale shopping for things I can sell on eBay. I stopped by an estate sale on my way to work today - but it wasn't really one, it was kind of the last leftover bit from somewhere else that was spread around a yard on tables. And from where I stood I could tell that the furniture all had a strong smell of cigarette smoke. Just as well I didn't buy anything and leave it in the car all day.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 May 14 - 11:23 PM

Pushing it back to the top for tomorrow morning.

The "toss it all out" meant the contents of the sun room, primarily. Not tossing the entire house!

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 02 May 14 - 11:56 PM

Thank you SRS.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

As Napolean said to Joephine as he exited their boudoir, " I shall return.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 May 14 - 02:07 PM

Linens change and laundry finished this morning and I've sorted a lot of recycling stuff to go to the bins later today. My cart that holds gardening stuff was filling up with things that I might use - I'm going to toss them because it's just as likely that I might NOT use them.

Papers filed this morning, and I'm going to toss some samples of things I produced - I have digital copies and that is sufficient these days. They were sitting around in the area where I keep business papers and will clear out that spot. More stuff for the bins.

SRS

P.S. I decided to offer up some clutter in a new thread - folkie souvenirs that others might want. I'll give our members a shot at them before they go to the Goodwill.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 May 14 - 10:03 PM

First batch of recycling delivered to bins. More stacked in the car to take to the thrift store next week. A few items identified for eBay, several more were put in the thrift store bags instead of going the eBay route. I can see some of the wood surface of the table in the sun room. This is progress!

Susie's birthday today and she's over in Dallas at her daughter's house. Her granddaughter called this afternoon and asked if I'd let the dogs out and feed them, it seems Susie wasn't feeling good this evening. That can spoil a birthday! But at least she won't have to drive home tonight.

I weeded around the potatoes today and piled some more soil around them so the potatoes don't emerge from the soil (that's not good for them). Oregano was transplanted and I spread some more of my home-made woodchip mulch in the thyme bed. It smells wonderful doing yard work around here!

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 May 14 - 04:12 PM

Transplanted some things from and to the garden, weeded and turned over another raised bed to plant later this evening. Pulled some way-too-old potatoes from the shelf in the pantry (whew!) and dropped into the compost bucket. A couple of them have good shoots started so I may plant them to see if I get any Russet potatoes. It's late for starting them, and I usually plant the red Lasota (a waxy one I don't peel), but I'll see what happens.

Headed out to get mulch and a few groceries. I may mow the back yard after dinner. It hit 95 each day this weekend. Welcome to Texas.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 04 May 14 - 05:33 PM

Country:
Fri and Sat were not good days: feeling tired, depressed and ill-tempered, a horrible feeling all round. I left the house early on Friday and picked up meat, apples and cheese at the Market, 10 red geraniums at CT, arrived at mill in time to unload a great deal of stuff - clearing the house in prep for reno - had snack and headed for NYS to lunch with my rehab friend.

Arrived early and checked out consignment shop where I found 3 small, useful items but had left my US money in the car. After our visit, I went back but the store - open until 5, had closed and it was only 4. Oh well. Went back to the mill and recovered from the stress of border crossing, then to cafe for terrific music.

Getting out of bed on Sat was a lengthy process. I felt like staying there forever but felt better after I was forced by nature to arise. It was so late and I was still only slightly functional so I suggested brunch at Cafe Racine. It was after 11 by now! We brunched, stopped at the thrift shop for a belt to hold up his jeans, stopped to visit a friend briefly, drove past a lot for sale and noted it is underwater!!. Scratch that! Went to the site of the auction of two weeks ago and picked up R's $5 barbeque which is actually nice looking. I have not barbequed anything in about 50 years so I guess it is up to him. Not really healthy.

Then we came back and I rested my miserable self for a few hours, wondering what had caused this malaise and hoping it would end ASAP, while R slept, read, computered. Nice chicken/feta salads for supper and more of doing next to nothing. I did wash the accumulation of dishes about 10 pm because I could not stand them being there any more.

This morning I was back to feeling good, very thankful- both of us. Nice omelette for bf, then I did some cleaning, some organizing, started a soup, and stewed apples, went to the grocery for a few things, had cauliflower soup and cheese bread toast for lunch and a shared yummy pastry. Now we are back to the reading, computering mode. R finally admitted to having breathed in some chemicals a few days ago. Arghhhh - Why didn't you tell me so we could start de-toxing! So now we have.

Agreed: need a place to put the items we do not want to keep. The where is undecided but the need is great. Life has moved on and the previously designated area has a new designation. Still too cool in the building, and outside, to do much. Warmer weather to start Tuesday... Rain to stop.

Big excitement for today: a little blue lobelia flower in one of last year's hanging baskets. The verbena bloomed all winter but the lobelia gave out when the sunroom got too cold for it one week. However, the little darlings are coming back up from the roots! Delight in the tenacity of this tiny plant.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 May 14 - 11:43 PM

Dorothy, too bad about that shop closing early, but I'm glad to see that you're feeling better. I have a love-seat sized bench that I bought a couple of years ago, and buying furniture is a rare thing for me because I inherited so much over the years. But when I saw this I immediately recognized how I would use it - this is a Mexican painted pine bench that sits beside the door to the driveway and is intended for seating when I'm coming and going - there is a low shoe rack under it with a couple of casual pairs of loafers plus several shoes and boots for the yard. I put a wooden "in" basket on one side to hold shoe socks, boot socks, bandannas for putting under my hat to keep sun off my neck, a shoe horn, and a couple of umbrellas. The location unfortunately lends itself to setting things that need to go out of the house, and they do pile up. I understand your need for a location for that kind of stuff. My bench fills quickly, but this weekend I put a couple of bags of that stuff into the car to drop off at a thrift store tomorrow.

It looks like we're going to be doing drought watering (2 days a week, restricted hours, and I never waste water on lawn, I water the house foundation to keep it from cracking and I hand water my garden, which I can do any time or any day). When this happens I revert to my bucket in the kitchen sink routine: wash dishes in a dishpan, rinse them under a gentle stream over the bucket, and when the bucket is nearly full, I take the slightly soapy water out and pour it into a needy part of the garden. Sometimes I pour the dish water onto the lawn itself, though mostly it needs to go down the drain because the food particles would attract pests. This reminds me that I need to sprinkle hair that I've brushed from the dogs around in the garden to repel mice and rats that want to burrow in my nice raised beds.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 May 14 - 01:22 PM

Working on another application this week. It's definitely beyond time to declutter the nonsense from last summer's "reorganization" - what fellow staff members refer to in acid tones as "52 pickup."

Dropped donation items at the thrift store yesterday and received the 30% off coupon, but apparently they request more information and fill out a form for you if you want a tax form for that donation. I'll do that when I am back and using the coupon, because I didn't have time for that yesterday.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 May 14 - 12:13 PM

Pacing myself this week by doing a little targeted shopping each day after work. I need to take care of the retail things needed before my upcoming short vacation (no details will be posted here, for obvious reasons) and still have some time in the evening to do some work in the yard.

Last night I transplanted some of the oregano in the bed near the kitchen door and am moving to a bed down by the curb. I have several established clumps there but want it to fill in faster. I'm going to put some dill in the spot where the oregano is now. When this garden is growing it smells fantastic - like a fancy restaurant with all of the seasoning smells wafting up when you walk through or past it. Once the dill gets established I'll probably be moving it around also.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 07 May 14 - 06:11 PM

City:
When I say "for things to go", I mean LOTS of things to go, PILES of things, boxes of things, objects large and small that have accumulated from yard sales and auctions and that R has finally realized he has WAY too much of! Not the box of recent novels that I took to the Little Green Library yesterday. That is the tiny tip of the iceberg. We need a large accessible area where we can each place those things, great and small - that R can bear to part with- accessible for possible yard sale.

Being mindful, of course, of this: Tom kept the tailgate from our red pick up truck for years after it fell off the second time I backed into something. Finally, he put it out in the trash. A week later, Jerry called and said, I could really use that.... Oh well! Does that mean we must never get rid of anything???

Well, I am moving forward with dishes, emails, bills and laundry caught up here. Some chores needs doing in the country - Friday for that as I forgot to fill the water bottles. We will soon be able to use the hose again - when R connects it but the water must not be used for glazes; clayart folks note the importance of water in glazes and orange water could be a serious problem. The washing machine is operative but the designated clothes line place is not a good one so needs to be moved. Maybe Sunday. A large machine, I shall use it for quilts when/if the season ends!

Yesterday, I got down there in time to have lunch, load the kiln (bisque) and trim and put handles on 12 mugs - finally! Need to get down early enough on Friday to glaze and fire before Market on Saturday. Writers' group was good, then drove back to city. R came in about 1:30 am. (3 am on monday night!)

Was not able to dance Monday; brain was not working well enough to get feet in right places. After three dances, I came home and took hot bath and went to bed. I could have been too toxin loaded before I got there or the over powering fragrance of one person might have put me over the edge. The mask was no help in this instance. I have instituted a policy where I only pay my $5 after I have been able to participate in at least 4 dances or half an hour. The organizer refuses to put the fragrance problem in an email and the season is almost over. If I am still able to dance in September, I shall do an email myself.

The apt is coming along. We need to consider logistics of air cleaner in place for a while, after it is ready but before we try to live there.

May have the energy to throw some pots after the news, she says hopefully.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 May 14 - 11:39 PM

Parking indoors in case there is any hail in the predicted storms overnight. Dogs will be in also. Spoiled beasts. :)

Dorothy, I envy you your dancing. I used to have places I could go for a wide range of folk dancing, but I haven't heard of any of that in this area.

Dishwasher emptied, dishes all washed. Kitchen tidy. And on impulse today when I was at Home Depot to get a roll of chicken wire I bought a set of burner liners for the stove. The old set in place had small pinholes and were completely rusted. The new polished steel set fits nicely. The last replacement set I tried didn't fit, so I was planning to keep my receipt in case I needed to take these back also, but they're in place and look great.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 May 14 - 07:29 PM

I earn enough vacation hours now that I always have "use or lose" vacation time to take off before the end of our fiscal year (August 31). As we get close to that date it's hard to get enough days off if everyone is doing the same thing. So I'm taking a spring vacation and working around the house and the yard, and making some short trips around the area. Details will follow the trips.

This is the end of the semester and all of the students are leaving - there are summer classes but they're sparsely attended. We were a little punch drunk in the office and one co-worker hummed a tune and asked what program it was from. That set us off, Googling tunes and quizzing each other with our computer speakers turned up high around the room. It was a giddy way to end the semester for those of us who have been given a lot to deal wtih lately. Our funny little pressure release was all the more fun because it involved music. :)

Looks like rain again this evening; we need it, and I'll work in the softened garden this weekend. Great timing! I could spend a fair amount of time just putting things away and hanging up clothes. And sweeping and vacuuming dog hair. They're still losing it in great big chunks.

I tried going a day without Zyrtec, planning to use Sudafed to deal with congestion, but that didn't work. By this evening I was feeling the allergies and the first thing I did when I got home was take the antihistamine. The rain hasn't washed away the allergens.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: GUEST,Bat Goddess
Date: 10 May 14 - 08:51 AM

Sorry I haven't been here for awhile.

Right now I'm away from home at a music gathering. Waiting for breakfast. Didn't get enough sleep last night. I think I managed to get dressed and decent without waking Jeri. And currently a bit frustrated because I'm on an alien computer and Facebook doesn't seem to want to recognize my password.

No cell service (or very sporadic here) and the only way for people to reach me if necessary (I hope it won't be necessary!) is by FB message. (Well, I could access my primary email at the server level.) Ah well...

Later,
Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 May 14 - 12:48 PM

Spring is a time for change, so I've decided to master some of the things I've been thinking about. I finally downloaded (and after a whole day of fussing) finally got both my phone and my laptop to sync to a VPN software to use in public areas. My phone plan is very low data because I'm usually in WiFi areas, but some of those WiFi areas have the hazard of fake networks that are there just to harvest the data from naive users. Turning on the VPN keeps anyone surveying the phones and devices in the area from seeing what I'm working on.

And last winter I bought a new radio. It had a car attached. I've finally figured out how to get my mp3 player to easily play through the aux plug. Now I can listen to books on my way to and from work. I like National Public Radio but I tend to leave it on around the house and at work so I hear some of the news stories a couple of times a day. Now at least in the car I'll be catching up on my reading and I've just synced three long novels into my mp3 player. (I could also put them in my phone and use the same plug.)

Back out to the yard to mow. And ponder again why the healthiest Bermuda grass is that which grows in the garden, not that which grows in the lawn.

Linn, I don't try any more to use facebook on other computers since I've set up the two-stage authentication process. Facebook asks me to give a code that comes through my phone to show that it is really me logging on to the new computer. This is good for security, but makes for setup anywhere but home or work more trouble than it is worth.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 May 14 - 10:58 AM

Made progress in the garden, three more raised beds to dig and I'm finished. And maybe the keyhole garden. I got half-way through the back yard (I had to stop to go get gas) before it got too dark to see where I had been. It seems to have rained a bit overnight so I'll let it dry a little and finish that this afternoon. We had about 3" of rain last Thursday so this is the time to finish digging, while the soil is moist but not sodden - it is almost what you might call "fluffy."

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 May 14 - 09:52 PM

Today I raced the weather to finish mowing and decided to get out the trimmer as well. I used that to hit the tall grass in the keyhole garden so it isn't quite such a conspicuous mess. I finished planting three of the tomato plants but didn't have time to spread mulch or put out the cages before the sky opened and proceeded to be a line of storms sliding across us. Though the storms were moving toward the Northeast, the line itself did a "train car" routine,staying over the top of us and each hot spot in the string hit us in sequence for about five hours of thunder and downpours. I'd guess we got 3-4 inches of rain easily. I guess I won't have to water again this week!

I moved indoors and started doing chores I've put off. Dusting, a load of laundry, and putting away lots of stuff. I could do that for the entire week of vacation.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 14 May 14 - 05:20 PM

My password problems Saturday morning was because I was punching in two alternate digits instead of the real ones. I really hadn't had enough sleep...

Arrived home late afternoon on Monday and spent yesterday mostly under-reacting. Went to the post-library-sale sale and, well, I took home more books than I had donated, so I guess I lost (but I've got some great reading ahead of me).

Was totally exhausted by the time I got back home. Tried unsuccessfully to nap and, since I couldn't concentrate enough to read, I watched a couple films. Started out with "Robin and Marian" since I'd finished reading James Goldman's screenplay yesterday morning. Hadn't watched the film for decades -- remembered it as a really good film, and it was better than I had remembered it. Then I watched "The Oxford Murders" which I had acquired last week at Goodwill. Another very enjoyable film.

The sun was out when I got up, but by the time my bagel was toasted and tea brewed, it had hidden behind the clouds. I ate breakfast on the deck anyway. There's so much yard work to be done, though, that gazing out on the flower beds just instills guilt. Well, it's win win...I can not only get back in shape (gardening is the best exercise there is!), but I can SEE what I'm accomplishing. Later I went out and worked on the compost pile and raked leaves. Well, not so much raking as transferring the leaf piles to a tarp and dragging them to the compost pile or dumping them over the bank.

Then I did one of the harder things I've had to do lately: rewrite my PMFF bio as a solo performer for the website and send Babs a new photo to use. Actually, I sent her a couple options including one of both Tom and me, but one of the others would probably be more appropriate.

I finally got unpacked this morning, too, and brought in the books from yesterday and the bottles of fizzy water from yesterday's grocery shopping foray. I think I've gotten just about everything on this morning's list accomplished.

Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 15 May 14 - 12:03 PM

City:
Glad to hear about rain in Texas! We have been doing pretty well. The spring flooding of the river has subsided so the next rains may not raise it too much. The farmers are late with crops as the fields were under water or just too soaked.

Yet another possible property is no longer available; we never even got to see it but drive by was interesting. Still considering the one we saw a couple weeks ago and I shall drive by a new one on way to mill tomorrow.

Getting closer to the apt being ready and I am gradually taking non-essentials to the mill for storage to get the house ready for reno. This morning I expressed hope that a central vac be part of reno. Positive response was hopeful. My dust allergy is a major factor. I cannot vacuum unless I wear a respirator AND plan to leave the house for a few hours so the stirred up dust can settle.

Strangely, for the first time in my life I am having outdoor type allergy symptoms. David Suzuki Foundation sent out an email on this a few days ago: more people seem to be dealing with that type of allergy - sneezing, running nose, itchy eyes... This adds insult to the injury of my other environmental sensitivities.

Finally found time/energy to visit friend Vanessa's dad on Monday; a retired homeopathic physician, he offered free consult. He gave me some tiny pills to take, nux vomica, for toxicity. I am trying to ascertain whether I am "merely" having "very good days" or if it is making a difference. A two week trial. The "very good days" - 3 so far - have been very nice. On Sunday I ached all over, was wobbly, and could barely lift 25 pounds of clay. On Tuesday I had no aches at all, felt strong and steady, and could lift 50 pounds of clay.

Attended house concert, in country, on Monday - very enjoyable group, nice folks too - Landroth Bros, embarking on Canada/USA tour. Considered catching them again in Montreal on Tuesday but did not get back in time after writers' group.

Everything is caught up but for work in the yard. R put wood frames in place for raised beds at the mill on Monday and put soil in some. I planted some perennials and some seedlings of broccoli and cauliflower. Need more soil. Will consult with my friend who has commercial greenhouses on the way down tomorrow. (Just added that to my "to do" list!)

Always more pots to be made but it has not happened this week although I trimmed the remainder from the last week. Lots drying on the racks. Good comments, at Farm Market on Sat., re larger bowls, "make them in more colours!" So that is on the agenda. I LOVE making bowls.

Had my first professional massage yesterday (that's something I want to check on their site). I was thinking it would be nice every day! Fortunate the folks who could afford that! Wondering if there will be any long term effect but do not feel any different today.

Did groceries this am, then snack, then computer. Now lunch. Celery soup from big batch made yesterday. Want to go through a section of computer and delete some more stuff. Then visit friends to deliver small bowl order.

Long weekend here. Music Fri and Sat. Hope R has some time for R&R.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 May 14 - 11:34 AM

Decluttering my transmission of shards of first and second gear this week. Ignominious is the word I would use to describe the event. With no transport I am cooling my heels with friends, and going to spend the day taking photos and writing. I guess I'm forced to take a vacation since I can't get to work. Probably the best thing that could happen right now. Doing the "close to vest" routine right now. I may finally put the first entry on a blog about my grandfather.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 19 May 14 - 10:22 PM

Country:
Oh dear, SRS! The vehicle recently acquired!!

Seems there is much to do and I am spending much less time on computer. Wended my way from city to country on Friday with stops for good bread, three separate stops for small perennials, drive past a house for sale - in the middle of a swamp, again!, stopped by greenhouse full of neat plants but no one was there, and finally arrived at mill where I unloaded stuff from city for storage and the frig contents and plants, and pots which were still there from weekend. Then lunch and organizing until time to go to cafe for GREAT music.

Sat: nice pancake breakfast with last of maple syrup. We considered the Ormstown yard sale weekend but thought the rain on Friday might continue. Then an email from Ad, "We have to go to Adrien's!" The whole day... We acquired a hoosier kitchen cupboard - which I have wanted for 50 years and a thingy for making CDs from LPs which I have wanted for 5 years, a nice park bench, a very good bike, a large aquarium for a friend whose very large turtles will now enjoy more space, and some small useful or decorative items.

Barely time for a light supper and back to town for another marvellous music event. Then bed in exhaustion... after a visit from the provincial police. R insisted on driving his truck so he could pick up the large items - never mind that it was late and people might not appreciate it. But he could not remember where they were and drove around both before and after the concert looking for them! By the time he was driving back to the mill, he was too tired and someone reported a "drunk driver", and the destination. As I was getting a snack ready, I saw a vehicle pull in and went to the door to welcome two female officers who, after ascertaining he clearly had not been drinking, firmly suggested he not drive when tired. I hope he was suitably impressed. This means the local detachment will have an eye out for him.

We went out on Sunday and found the items, stopped by the auction where we bumped into a good friend so we three went to lunch and had a nice visit before we came back to the mill and unloaded what stays here - the cupboard for the house we do not have (I said pointedly). R spent time researching it with great interest.

Today, R went back to the city and I planted perennials, finished my app for citizenship - took all afternoon, finished current novel, printed out new cards, and notices for our open reading (writers' group), dealt with emails and now - bed!

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 May 14 - 02:34 AM

Yes, that's the annoying part Dorothy. If I'd know this was a possibility I'd have spent the money on fixing the pickup instead. It probably had another 50,000 miles on that engine.

Internet access is sporadic this week. We're taking turns, and I have plenty to listen to, but I decided to download a couple of documentaries overnight. It's set up and now to bed.

Doing a little puttering at this house, laundry (from the washer to drying on the line), and if I can find a rake I'll clear a path of the chunky rocks to that line that will allow comfortable transit in sandals. With limited wardrobe choices I'm doing laundry every couple of days. Glad I had a comfortable pair of walking shoes. Michelle, these friends are quilters. If I get any photos I'll share with you. There is a large machine for the actual quilting involved.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 20 May 14 - 08:22 AM

Yesterday had Jeri over for supper to help eat the puttanesca and (especially) the pistachio cake (which I "accidentally" served with "too much" whipped cream). Cooking (and especially shopping) for one is taking some getting used to... Then we went to the Nottingham library for friend Dr. Alan Eaton's talk on ticks and Lyme disease. (I hadn't known before I read the description of the talk that NH has the highest rate of Lyme disease in the country...and then found out that Rockingham County has one of the higher rates within the state, and Nottingham and a couple surrounding towns, the highest rates within Rockingham and Strafford counties.) Very informative and entertaining talk...plus we talked Alan into singing his "Tick Rap" since he had a ready-trained chorus.

Today I'm going over to a friend's to pick up where I left off (in 2009 after Tom's diagnosis of vocal cord cancer) on a t-shirt quilt made up of festival, pub, and beer (mostly Guinness) t-shirts. The Fishtraks recording studio shirt I got the night I met Tom will be the center. I don't actually quilt, so I'm cutting it out, laying it out, putting on the stabilizing backing, and other non-sewing tasks while Carol will do the actual sewing.

Yesterday I transcribed a new-found tape from the 1995 Chowder Fest -- both Tom and David Behm in their prime -- which another friend will digitize. Still hunting for a 4- track cassette player to find out what's on the other 3 tapes. (I'm hoping St. Patrick's day at the Press Room 1995.)

This morning I also started planning a recording project (me) and figured out my Atheneum set for this year's PMFF in September.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 May 14 - 07:00 PM

Most of the pop-up camper's contents are moving to the vacay hse in August but a few things in it will stay here and a few things from the PA house are going to Ohio IN the camoer. It's becoming a nice chore a coupla times per week to go out to the recently - erected camper to sort these out and enjoy the memories. It will make great guest quarters for Ohio visitors and we'll still use 'er some too, eventually. So it makes decisions and allocations interestingly complex.

We made a neat imorovement this week to our settin' porch.... ran a polyprop overhead "cable" for dog tethers. Today for the first time both puppers were on it. This allowed ne to leave them safely entertained as I made trips out to the camper. Shouldda did it years ago! Cost about $2.

~S~

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 May 14 - 04:46 PM

Susan, isn't that how it works? The aha! moment that you wish had hit a lot earlier. And Linn, what a great idea - maybe instead of offering t-shirts to other Mudcatters I'll make a quilt topper with the folk festival shirts my Dad collected. Then it'll be a great reminder of him and a practical item to boot. I'll ask my quilting friend about it when I see her on Friday.

I have some nice wildlife photos this week, lots of deer in the yard this morning. I'm trying to tempt vultures close to the viewfinder with chicken bones tossed in the yard.

I hear some of the feral burros in the distance. It has been an interesting, if slow-paced, week.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 May 14 - 10:18 AM

I posted 3 photos of a cute cat enclosure on facebook. It's constructed of two wire hangers (completely untwisted), a large t-shirt, and a piece of cardboard. Very clever. Hold it together with a twist tie and duct tape and you have a charming hidey spot for the kitty.

I got some vulture photos, though I had to shoot them through the window of the door. As soon as I made any noise they were gone.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 May 14 - 03:07 AM

Finally home, and the dogs are lounging around the house with me. So good to walk in to a clean house, but it sure is musty. My car is still on the rack in Odessa, TX.

I hit something as I was exiting to get gas. It was about the size of a Kleenex box, the 120 tissue size, not the 250 or 360 box. It was just there in the dark, and as I got to the bottom of the ramp I thought I'd have to check my tire. But the car wouldn't move, the engine just revved. I put it in low and finally got it into the truck stop parking lot and ended up sleeping there till morning when I figured I could get it go to (it was like driving a standard without first or second gear). I got to Chevy (on a Saturday morning) but their transmission guy wasn't in. They said it was my transmission, but I told them I just hit something, wasn't it more likely a messed up brake or a line of some sort? No, they said. I called around and Aamco said they'd test, and he said my first and second gears were gone. They'd have to work on it the next week, maybe finished by Friday.

I called friends from the area - turns out they are 3+ hours away. He came up and picked me up, we shopped a little and headed to their second property in the Davis Mountains, the one that has a flush toilet and regular shower (they stay mostly on the other property but have no room for guests and use a composting toilet which they find some people don't figure out how to use very easily). They live a few miles away (as the crow flies) but it is about 30 miles by road. This was a huge favor they did me. We got together a few of the days, she works in Odessa and spends Friday evening through Monday afternoon there (works as a nurse night shift at the local hospital). I rode back to town with her today, and at Aamco the guy looked up from his desk "it isn't ready." I couldn't stay in the sticks any longer, I have dogs, a house, a job . . . I rented a car and drove the 7+ hours home tonight. Why didn't I fly or drive home before? The flights plus shuttles would be expensive and I didn't know how long I'd have to rent the car, so I gambled that it would be done in a week and I could just stay nearby. I hoped he might call earlier in the week and tell me it was ready. Didn't happen.

It seems that "there is something else wrong." When the transmission isn't connected to anything it works right, but when they connect up the wires, it doesn't work. There is something electronic wrong that made the transmission fail. "You mean like that thing on the road that I told you I hit?" Next week Aamco is going to have to consult with Chevy and do something about that electronic part that has been damaged. He said if they'd known this electronic thing was wrong Aamco wouldn't have touched it. Now they're stuck with it. The pricetag isn't going to be pretty.

I hit a small blockly object in the road as I was exiting in the dark where there was no overhead light to show the exit. This to me counts as "road hazard," and I hope my insurance company agrees. I asked the Aamco guy to document what he finds - I know what happened, but it needs to be shown on paper. And then I need to see if my policy covers this.

So that is my story. I left here on May 13 to see my son graduate in Tucson. Driving was going to be cheaper than flying and I could bring some of his stuff back with me and I planned to be home on May 17. Most of that stuff is still in the back of the car on it's rack and I rolled into the driveway early on May 24. I have to take this rental car back and get my car when it is finally finished sometime next week, I hope.

This was the slowest week I ever remember. The house was so remote that there was no cell phone (okay, I admit, I'm an addict and accustomed to being connected). They have one Internet plan for two houses so the Internet can't be up at both places at the same time. I got online enough at first to let people know what was going on and make sure my dogs were fed and my garden watered, but mostly I walked around, took photos, wrote, cooked, and slept. A couple of those walks were with the next door neighbor, we met on the road and started talking. He's a wildlife artist and definitely eccentric. The second evening I went out for a walk I think he was out waiting around - having someone to talk to who hasn't heard all of his stories was a real treat and I didn't mind being an interested listener.

It was good to have the downtime, but it's better to be able to "relax" by choice rather than by events beyond one's control. Staying with my friends saved me hundreds of dollars because there are no hotels to be had in the Permian Basin with the oil and gas boom. And those you do get (on the weekends when the guys head out of town) are inflated way above normal. Motel 6 usually comes in around $50 with taxes, but that one out there starts at $92 but they never have rooms.

These are good friends I stayed with, I enjoyed spending time catching up. I need to repay them for their kindness and their gasoline, for starters. I made a list of things that I can send out, and I'll send something for gas once the bills are paid for all of this.

Odessa is awful. It's flat and dusty and stinks of oil. Every bush along the highway is crusted with plastic grocery bags. The town is full of oil field workers who have come in from literally around the world to do the roughneck work on oil rigs. My friend is a nurse in the orthopedic department of the local hospital, and she said the roughnecks get paid, they get high or drunk, then they drive and kill people and kill or injure themselves. It's hard to get anything done in town (like auto repairs) because the businesses are swamped and they have a hard time keeping employees.

This afternoon my friend dropped me at the shop where my car was not finished. I called one car rental place and everything was rented for the holiday weekend. I called another, and asked if they could pick me up. She started to describe how to find them, and I said "you don't understand, I'm not from here, I don't know my way around, my car isn't fixed, and I have to get home." She closed the counter and came and got me - this whole trip I was so lucky to have generous people there to help. It was about 10 minutes away from the shop, but it was a world of help that she would do this. I signed the papers and handed her a $20 (the largest bill I had - if I'd had a $50, it would have been hers).

I drove home, my dogs were so glad to see me, and after a shower I will sleep in my own bed. I'm still kind of wired from the drive and the caffeine, but this is my story.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 May 14 - 01:23 AM

Couldn't mow because it started to rain, but I did get a new spark plug for the mower. I need to use some steel wool to clean off the little wire fitting that plugs onto it.

First full day back after away for 11. I have a guest who came over for the weekend, and has been remarked on elsewhere, having a guest motivates one to pick up. I'd left the house looking great before the long trip and there wasn't much chance to mess things up in the 18 hours I was home before she arrived. :)

We had dinner that included broccoli and potatoes from the garden. I'd like to set up the crock pot for in the morning but figure the lightning in the area might not do it any good if we have an outage.

How is summer shaping up for everyone else? May feels like summer here in Texas.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 May 14 - 01:18 PM

Me again. It rained overnight so the yard is quite soggy. I'll work on things I can reach from the edges (standing on the driveway). Laundry is finished, and after all of this time away it is finally a work day in the morning. I'm going to ask to flex my time and work four 10-hour days a week. The university allows it, lets see if the Dean allows it. She seems determined to make people as miserable as possible.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 26 May 14 - 03:34 PM

I did a 4-day/40-hr. week back in the early '80s. Saved me a commute a week (60 or more miles) and gave me a three day weekend. I loved it. There were times it would have worked less into my schedule, but at the time it was perfect.

I goofed off on Saturday, and really didn't do a lot yesterday except watch the extended version of "Buckaroo Bonzai"...needed the R&R.

But I did get a pocket watch sold and also a repro medieval sword. (A friend had just brought it back -- he thought one of his RenFaire friends might want it, but they needed a theatrical sword, not one that could actually hurt someone.)

Whatever ate last year's ladyslippers came back for a few bites -- I found six flowers missing yesterday despite the feline spoor around. (Well, it's been raining at some point during every day for the past few days.) So I sprayed hot pepper water on the survivors. That should surprise whoever's been nibbling. Suppose I have to do it again today since it rained again last night, too.

Mostly today I've been concentrating on the boxes in front of the hutch so I can clean out that section of the hutch...eventually. I'm putting all the stuff for sale in bankers boxes and stacking them...elsewhere for the time being. I feel as if everything in the house is in transition. Maybe it is...

Interspersed with that is filling the planters on the deck with freshly mixed potting soil. And raking leaves into piles. (It's a little too windy to pile them onto a tarp and dump them downhill.) I've still got to dig up some of the perennial euphorbia to take to a friend on Wednesday. And I've got a neighbor coming to help me cut down some limbs and open up the back flower beds to some more light (they used to be full sun and are now full shade) and get rid of all the small (smaller than 6" diameter) stuff out back on the slope and maybe a couple larger trees like the one at the downhill corner of the house. That's the "enabler"...the means for the flying squirrels get into the house.

Oh, and I took some stuff out of the freezer and put some stuff into the freezer... And made a bread pudding for breakfast for most of this week. (Tomorrow morning on my way over to work on the T-shirt quilt, I'll stop at the walk-in and get my fasting blood work done. One more thing checked off the list and it will make my doctor happy.)

Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 May 14 - 07:08 PM

Bread pudding - that sounds good! I might do that.

It finally warmed up and the sun came out so I dug up and transplanted more oregano, then transplanted two of the poblano peppers I heeled in for a few days 2 weeks ago. The extended vacation caused a change in some of my garden plans, but I can adapt. I moved some mystery plants from the compost (some kind of cucumber or squash or melon) to a bed in the front, and I harvested garlic, leaving behind those hard little corms so they come up again next year. I thinned the cilantro some more and transplanted a couple of errant basil seedlings.

I'd love to list some eBay stuff, but I have to take a day or two sometime soon and go get the car at the repair shop, so I'll wait till I have my car back first. I can write the listings and save them.

I'm looking into solar panels this year, I'll be doing that research this week.

I've had a bit of a rest from the garden, and I came in to get those vinyl miniblind slats that are extra to use to cut and stick in the dirt so I know what seeds are in each pot. I think Maryanne suggested that use a while back. The seeds are late, but they'll still have time for crops.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 27 May 14 - 10:04 AM

Country: TRouble accessing mudcat for a bit. Then no access to internet for a day or so. Weather, I think.

SRS: Such an adventure. Sounds like a slice of my life at some point!

Linn! Lots of interesting projects! Very inspiring!

I have been having some good days. Think the nux vomica is helping; I was not bothered by the odours at the cafe on the last two Fridays; did not need to put mask on. The weather took a turn for the better. Last Tuesday, I bought two "buckets" (of front loader) of soil to fill the raised frames. Ended up having to move about 10 wheel barrow loads - wore me out completely! Still need to do more, hopefully today as it is quite cool (about 50F).

Mostly, at the mill I have been puttering about looking for things, sorting things, finding things... I have put in a lot of time and energy but have to think hard to realize that progress is being made! Drapes on LR at mill on a nice wooden rod (yard sale); rods found for K and sun room windows to improve the blocking of sun on hot days - we have had some, sorting of bins into categories to improve organization of what is where. Still things avoid being found!

Sat eve, the writers' group held an "open mike" of poetry and prose at the Cafe. The owner was pleased with the turn out and invited us to do it each month so the next one is 28 June. Now we need to write more so we will have new stuff to read. I took to reading through my journal (1979 into late '80s) for ideas. Wrote two "poems". Also shared a social commentary piece based on Rapunzel. I thought it a bit "preachy" but it actually got a few laughs - delivery is so important!

Creative writing is not my forte, I prefer bare bones reporting of events. Last Tuesday, the chair assigned us to write with lots of description; I thought through that concept and many non-possibilities for an hour and finally decided I was falling asleep - from the wheelbarrow exercise - and went home, to the city, early.

Today I found the 3 spiral binders in which I logged weather and events during my 10 years in the wilds of Ontario - OH! and OH! etc but I tucked them away for later - where I can find them. That is the closest I have come to keeping a journal more recently -1989-99! Mostly weather, garden and events in brief.

Ah, the wheelbarrow beckons!

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 27 May 14 - 07:55 PM

Today I left the house early and then ended up having to wait 45 minutes to do the paperwork for the fasting blood work I wanted to get out of the way. By the time I got out of there, I was running late, but grabbed some quick McFill on the way to the post office to get a copy of Tom's CD and copy of Dave Hallowell's "Tom Hall - Musical Life, Musical Community" off to his classmates for their 50th reunion of their Bates College class of '64.

Called my friend and said I'd probably be late, but actually made it there on time. Dove into the T-shirt quilt project that had been on hiatus for 5 years...since Tom's vocal cord cancer diagnosis. Spent a bit of time trying to remember my system for cutting out the squares, but got them all cut out today.

Grocery shopping on the way home.

I'm beat. I have trouble standing for that length of time, even leaning on the work table. Between that and the work I did yesterday, I ache and am physically very very tired. But that's probably good...that much closer to getting into shape.

Retiring now with a book and a cat...and a gin & tonic. I think it will be an early night tonight. Got another jam packed day tomorrow.

Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: GUEST
Date: 27 May 14 - 10:09 PM

City:
Managed only a couple more loads with wheel barrow and gave up. Did more sorting and organizing. Realize that since the move last June, I have been sick - until mid march- so I am basically unpacking things that were packed in a hurry. All this would have been done last summer if I could have. Now it is warm enough in the building and most stuff is now in the more accessible and brighter area.

Made about a dozen bunch for small jars and two teapots - love making little jars, not keen on lids so it was a good feeling to finally get them made. Then rewarded myself by throwing two large bowls. Then packed up to come back to city after early supper and writers' group.

Load of laundry in and now to dryer.

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 May 14 - 10:52 PM

We know that was Dorothy, sans-a-cookie. :)

I figured out the label removal for the New Yorker covers. The dryer doesn't work very well but the iron, set at about "3" (below steam) does the job quickly. I wish I'd known this years ago before so many covers lost bits of their ink due to the old labels.

Two more people from my department have new jobs and will leave at the end of next week. I have inherited the job one of them was doing, but of course no pay or title change.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 May 14 - 09:08 AM

I was at work very early (for me) today and this week. Shifting to a summer schedule of longer days four days a week, without the official say so, to see if anyone even notices.

I started a new nighttime policy for the dogs: if they want to come into the house overnight they can, but when someone says they want out at 3am they're out for the rest of the night and will sleep in the garage. Zeke has been acting like there is a revolving door lately and I'm tired of being awakened two or three times. Cinnamon knows if she wants to stay put she has to hold it. Poppy has followed Zeke out a couple of times and been left outside. They can do the math, so it'll be interesting to see what evolves. :)

Poppy and Zeke are blowing their winter coats like I've never seen before. I brush and brush and next time I look Poppy, in particular, looks like an explosion of hair again. My declutter work needs to include a fine-tooth comb soon. The furminator thing works on Zeke but not on Poppy. I have to pull out the tufts from her coat my hand.

I'll be spending some evenings with the iron and the magazine labels this week. When that project is finished I'll have my dining room table back.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 28 May 14 - 04:40 PM

Don't know how I lost my cookie! Must have been that trouble on the weekend. Maybe next time I will remember that the separation of sections mean my cookie is lost. Too bad I don't lose the ones I keep eating!

City: Also lost the words - a bunch of lids for those small pots!

Late night last night as R did not get home 'til near midnight - hungry, of course. I was struggling to stay awake and about to give up. Then the house phone rang about 7:45 am. He forgot to plug in his cell. He had to rush off so I went for a de-tox bath. I keep hoping it will help my brain. Last night I understood no one at the group. The auditory processing disorder can be very frustrating. I hear but do not understand. Only since I was poisoned in 2000. Sometimes it is better than others but often it is like last night. Not life-threatening but ...

Talked with my friend/health consultant in PA for 2 hours after the bath. She helps many people with health issues - lyme disease, fibromyalgia and more. I wanted to inform her of the help I seem to be getting from the nux vomica as she might be able to help others with it. But she had no suggestion for my neurological problem. Neurons not working because toxins affect them. Before I was poisoned, I was a newspaper reporter and understood everything in any venue including meetings of 300 people. Last night I did not even understand the woman sitting next to me. Maybe I can try googling it again.

Now I have been on line most of afternoon although my goal was to make pots. Not happening. I found a few more glazes to test and lots of interesting other items. SOON, I need to weigh out and test some of these glazes! That is all set up in organized fashion at the mill.

Chilly, rainy day. I turned on small heater in LR and studio in hopes it would get me moving. Not yet!

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 May 14 - 10:59 AM

I still haven't managed to get to a grocery store this week, I've been drawing down stuff from the freezer and eating produce from the garden. I did get to the feed store for dog food and I mowed the front lawn and part of the back last night. The mower sounds and runs much better with the new spark plug.

This morning on my way out to work I swung by the city hall recycle bins and tossed in some paper and cardboard. I don't want to fill this rental full of stuff and mess it up, I'm waiting on news of my car; I don't think it will be ready by tomorrow so I won't be making a large round-trip in a day drive quite yet. The mechanic at the transmission place gives no news about when the work will be finished. I am assembling a care package to send to the friends I stayed with.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 29 May 14 - 12:47 PM

Thanks for the label removal tip, Stilly! I, too, could have really used that in the past. I'm sure I will still need it.

"Goofed off" yesterday. That was in my plans even if it hadn't been a rainy, cold (48F!!! end of MAY, fer-pete's-sake!) day. A friend just over in Maine is out on a workers comp injury, so we went to lunch at a really nice little breakfast and lunch spot in South Berwick. Then we went to Wentworth Greenhouses... And I had $$$ with me (from selling the pocket watch). Was a semi good kid. Bought two tomato plants for the deck (that's sort of the reason we went), but then also got a few of those twirly plant supports and an adjustable hand rake, a pair of gloves while not as strong and as much of a second skin as the ones I got from Smith & Hawken in 1986, these are closer to fitting that closely than anything else I've found. I hate wearing gloves and I really need them with all the rocks, roots and thorny growth I've got around here.

Could have stuck around with my friend for the rest of the day and gone to see "Seven Years a Slave" at the library, but didn't really want to be out all day and night. So I went home and later settled into reading. And then I wrote some poetry. The first in a long time and the first since Tom died. About grieving, of course. Turned out to be a really good night, though I cried a lot. Hard to explain that to anyone who hasn't been through it. Tears ARE good. I may cry often, but it's for very short periods of time. And it makes me feel, well, better, I guess. And closer to Tom.

Got a lot of today's work done already since it was phone calls. Plumber still won't call me back. And my handyman doesn't seem to have an answering machine. I'll try him later. Don't want to order the composting toilet until I've got it worked out with him.

Just made a spaghetti sauce that has fresh tomatoes in it but no tomato sauce. Lots of Italian sausage. Discovered I have no dried oregano or basil, so I have to make a short run over to the Mustard Seed a bit later. After I add that seasoning (it was okay for lunch but will be better after I add them), I'll put half of it in the freezer.

Also need to bring up some more pots from the cellar, mix the potting blend, and get the tomato plants and the lettuce and other herb seeds planted. Get rid of a few more piles of leaves. (Now that's a project that may well never be completely done...)

I've just done enough sitting around.

Later!
Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 May 14 - 02:20 PM

Linn, let me mail you some of my garden's oregano and basil. I dry it and have tons of it around right now. And if you need some thyme on your hands, I have some of that to dry later on this summer. The thyme bed is getting established this spring.

I also have some more seeds to plant. I mix up my own potting soil out of a good brand of bagged compost, a bag of topsoil (usually has a lot of sand), and mix in the usual soil amendments I always add to my garden. Sometimes I add a little peat moss to give it a nice consistency, but not much, because it isn't a "living" product, peat moss is generally sterile.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 29 May 14 - 06:09 PM

Thank you -- I'd love some of your oregano, basil and thyme. Until I get those tree limbs removed, I don't have a good spot anymore for herbs. Most of the room on the deck goes to tomatoes, lettuce, chives and nasturtiums. (Damn. I didn't get the tomato plants potted today...)

Last year I never got around to planting basil, but I got wonderful basil at the farmer's market. Didn't dry any of it, though. It all got made into pesto for the freezer.

I DID get a lot of leave mulch pulled out of the back beds and "lawn" today. And moved some more rocks around. And moved a few other things.

I ache. And I'm tired. So I'm not going to the short films at the Portsmouth library tonight. I need to finish changing the bed and then get into it. Finished one book this morning, so maybe I'll get to sleep early tonight. Who knows...

Linn

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 29 May 14 - 10:29 PM

City:
Finally a good day for yard work - dry and neither too hot nor too cool! Managed to replace a couple supports for the clematis. Still need two more good ones. Weeded flower beds and cut the grass with kitchen scissors! It was too long for the push mower which needs oiling anyway. I forgot the scythe in the country. There is not a great deal of grass but most of it is trimmed. Will try to finish in the morning. My back got tired! Rake, shovel and fork are in the country so on list to bring back so I can finish tidying up. Need to trim back more Virginia creeper! The flowers and rhubarb are doing well. Still hoping for reno this summer so a row of stella d'oro will need to be moved. May be room for some of the pepper plants I started also. Might have to move the small herb bed too- sage, oregano and one lavender; the other lavender and the thyme died this winter. Guess they took umbrage at being under 2 feet of snow.

Also cleaned up a section of the K that was bugging me and did two loads of laundry. Wanted to use the "umbrella" dryer but the tube for it to sit in has disappeared. Guess it will not happen this year. If all goes well - does it ever??? - a part of the back yard will become a sun room during the reno, she says hopefully.

Also deleted lots of emails, signed a few petitions, phoned a woman in Ontario re raccoons and read half a novel. Triaged more stuff to take to country to clear the house of non-essentials. A very good day!

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 May 14 - 08:19 PM

I went to campus for two hours this morning and took care of some stuff and had the rest of the day off. Grocery stores beckoned after being back in town for a week. I'd bought dog food but not people food (the freezer is full, so this isn't a problem). I'd run out of a vitamin D and K mix that I started taking a couple of months ago. Since then my hands have mostly cleared up. I've also been taking a higher dose of Vitamin D alone (about 10,000 I.U.) so it could be either thing making the difference.

After I started this I wandered off for a while to do some reading and comparison. I found more information about sensitivity to Sodium Lauryl (or Laurelth) Sulfate. And that it is in toothpaste. So I looked at my Colgate, and there it is. I've been so careful to avoid it everywhere else and here it is in my mouth several times a day. Sodium dodecyl sulfate is also from coconut, and several other detergent/surfactant products. (I've read that the Rembrandt toothpaste doesn't have SLS).

Vitamin K is mentioned in several instances to do with bone health (preventing or slowing Osteoporosis). Lots more reading to do, now that I've opened this can of worms, but the main thing I meant to share is that my hands appear to be clearing up, either from the higher doses of D or of the introduction of K. Oral Vitamin D May Help Prevent Some Skin Infections.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 May 14 - 10:03 AM

Lovely overcast day for gardening. Finish my cuppa tea then I'm into the yard for the day. I hope spring-like conditions are finally here for everyone north of the equator who reads this thread!

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 May 14 - 08:23 PM

The mower is cooling after I ran it out of gas. In a few minutes I'll turn it over and remove the blade for sharpening. Every couple of years I replace the blade (usually after hitting enough solid objects hidden in the lawn to mess up the edge), but I think this one will benefit from a few passes of a file.

Laundry is ready for the line and I think will dry in the hour or so before sunset. I tumble it in the dryer on air for a few minutes to fluff it up after the line. I ordered some heavy duty clothes pins when I got home (my friend out in West Texas had a great sturdy brand) and the ones that came were something else, just plain ol' clothespins. This is a company selling through Amazon that will give me a refund and pay back the shipping, so I'll try again and keep using the old pins until then.

I haven't done much clearing out lately but after I finish in the yard and have a late supper I'll declutter some more labels from the New Yorker covers. Still no word on when the car will be ready so I'm not listing anything on eBay until I get it back home. I don't want to have to leave just as something is ending and not be able to ship as soon as they pay. In the meantime, I have a care package under construction for the friends who I stayed with for a week.

SRS

Subject: RE: Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Jun 14 - 02:40 PM

Here is the next thread for summer 2014.