Spring Cleaning, Declutter & Fitness 2014

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.

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 - 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 - 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 - 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 - 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: 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: 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: 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 - 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 - 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: 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