Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jul 14 - 11:44 PM

Three batches of peaches done and at the height of processing most surfaces in the kitchen were sticky from the syrup. One batch left for tomorrow of a few peaches not quite ready today. I had to mop a couple of times as the floor got tacky. I've washed everything except a few items needed for tomorrow's peaches. I can do just one batch with fewer steps (I had a pot for blanching peaches separate from the processing pan, but since I'm doing just one batch I'll blanch and process in the same pot of water.

No huge windfall from the magazine covers, but all three lots sold and one of them was bid up a little bit. They'll be out of the house and I'll be a few dollars richer.

Busy weekend. Heading back to work to rest up. Boring boring job - heading back to work with a set of programs I've loaded into my list on Amazon Prime and others in the viewing list at NetFlix. It's the only way I can keep myself in the chair to get this boring scanning work done.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jul 14 - 01:36 PM

First of three of today's eBay items went for the opening amount at last second. Darn. Two more to go.

Peaches underway soon. Clearing counters, washing jars, getting lids and rings and bowls of ice and pans of water for blanching ready.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jul 14 - 12:09 AM

I blanched and ate one of my peaches from the 1/2 bushel - tasty! I asked for freestone, and it is and peeled easily. I think tomorrow will be the day for a lot of time on my feet in the kitchen as they get processed. I also need to mow. I left today's job till tomorrow so the lawn looks good during most of the week.

Next week has a chance of rain and the temperatures at the end of the week will be highs in the mid-80s with a substantial chance of rain. By then my next door neighbors will be home again so mowing tomorrow will keep their place looking lived in. Rain at the end of the week means I have to continue mowing this summer (usually by now much of the turf grass has gone dormant from the heat).

Several eBay sales end tomorrow. Fingers crossed that there is some interest.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 26 Jul 14 - 08:35 PM

City:
Went to the market for fruit. May have overdone it with half flat each of raspberries and strawberries. Yummy, though. And 13 ears of corn. Then I came home and had lunch and lost momentum. Ate cookies even though I know this does not help. Tried pulling weeds for a while. Finally realized a de-tox bath was needed to I went and did that. They always wipe me out but since I was already wiped out.... So I sat and read until I finally got a rush of energy and made celery soup, husked 4 ears of corn, washed the dishes, cleaned sofa and chair that seem to have contracted fleas - due to R sitting on sofas elsewhere and bringing fleas home.

After two weeks of him complaining about being bitten, we finally realized where it was happening --- "OUCH!" while sitting on said pieces of furniture and even the kitchen chair which has a woven reed seat. After a bit of research, I made a mix of tea tree oil and water and Dr. Bronner's tea tree oil soap. They are drying and tomorrow he can try them out and see if he still gets bitten. The probable cause - a tenant's cat - has also been addressed - DO NOT sit on that sofa!!!

All that stuff took less than an hour so I tried reading but the book was wordy and did not tell me anything necessary to me. Finished current novel. Here I am again.   Do not feel like going to pot so I shall next try the biography of Rabindranath Tagore I got at the library on Tuesday. Weather is changing to higher humidity in prep for rain tomorrow. MAybe I can go pull more weeds.

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Jul 14 - 07:03 PM

The dogs and I went for a lovely short walk this morning. Met a couple of new dogs in the neighborhood. One in it's yard, and one that charged up to us, but returned to his owner when called. Minor dog tangle on my end, but not bad.

I reached a point of produce critical mass in my refrigerator yesterday so this morning I pulled out all of the little bowls of Roma tomatoes to cut up and steam juice. Run the remainder through the food mill and there is the sauce. I have 10 jars (pint and half-pint) of juice and sauce. Since the peaches purchased yesterday aren't ready I have a day off before more canning. I may be able to can peaches tomorrow, it's warm and the box is open and they smell wonderful but are still too firm.

I have a large bowl of slicer tomatoes that I'll probably dice and can tomorrow. I have a few more ripening for sandwiches and salads. My feed store doesn't have any of the variety I like (Super Fantastic) but I'll check at the neighborhood garden center tomorrow. If I find the ones I want I'll pull several of the plants not producing much and use the green tomatoes for some relish. The new ones will be a hopefully healthy fall crop.

The eBay listings have watchers and I am watching them, hoping their presence leads to purchases. It feels like time for a few eBay garage sale listings. There are things in my donate box that might work.

Next: take a bucket of soapy water to the garden. With gloves and a sponge thingie to pick off big bugs (toss them into the water) and to use the sponge to brush any aphids off of the plants they have attacked.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 26 Jul 14 - 11:30 AM

City:
Gorgeous weather, cool, breezy, low humidity. Supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow.

Found a wonderful old wooden clothes drying rack at a thrift shop yesterday. I went in needing a plastic basin for the 5th tree but none this time. Now I can dry small loads of laundry in the back yard instead of the dryer.

This interesting article points out part of what I find helpful about this thread; it helps me keep track.

Went to the mill yesterday. Left early enough to get a loaf of that good nut bread on the way; there were two! but I left the second for someone else. Then the thrift shop, then the mill. I managed to trim the pots I made on Sunday and threw 3 lids but then went off to find Geri and show her my wonderful box - and the group of people having lunch at the restaurant. I had a bowl of soup, then went back to the mill to throw more lids. But I was still hungry so I had humous and corn chips - and 6 squares of choc; the first in a couple weeks. Then I was so sleepy I just sat and read and then computered for a couple hours. Meanwhile trying to figure out what had caused this sudden sleepiness as I have not had it for a while.

It was too late to do anything in the studio so I pulled weeds, picked peas, loaded car to go back to city and went to cafe. The noise was so loud it made my whole body hurt and I had to leave before I - literally - screamed. I sat in the car and recovered, phoned R to tell him I was coming back. We had agreed he would work all weekend to get stuff done before we leave for Ontario on Weds.

The cafe now serves beer and wine. This seems to make people noisier. We may not go back. Sad loss of our community of friends but I cannot cope with the noise.

There is at least a kiln load of pottery ready to fire - when dry - so I will go back on Sunday, after Quaker meeting, to do a bisque firing. Today: I will get off here shortly and go to pot! More lids and jars; if I make enough of each, eventually I will have some that fit each other. Measuring has not helped! I am sure other potters do not have this problem; I did not used to... I did catch myself reading the numbers wrong yesterday. A ruler with very large raised numbers????   

Oops - need to get some groceries first. Hoping the store will be less busy at lunch time.

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jul 14 - 08:55 PM

One batch of laundry hanging on the line, another in the wash, and some beans soaking for a dish tomorrow. I have a chicken on the grill to use for meals for the next few days. The kitchen is clean after preparing breakfast for my son and a friend this morning. Kitchen stuff rearranged (pasta, rice, dried goods in attractive jars) - my goal is to have a few bare surfaces so the room doesn't look so busy.

It's everything I would have taken care of on a Saturday. And tomorrow is another Saturday. I'll probably mow tomorrow morning (my next door neighbors are away for 10 days so I'll mow their front lawn also.) :)

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jul 14 - 03:21 PM

So the room where your knitting machine is set up, is it now all clear of clutter, or did you just move everything out of the middle of the room?

I am about to run a load of laundry (to dry on the line later this afternoon) and do some shopping - including picking up a couple of Japanese beetle traps. I think I'm seeing them in the garden this year. They have evidently moved into the area. I need to get out there with gloves and a bucket of soapy water and dispatch a bunch of pests, then try the flour or the kaolin clay to see if it discourages grasshoppers.

Lots of watchers on my eBay items, but that is no guarantee of a sale. I'll look around for other items to list this weekend to keep the forward momentum on clearing the sun room. It would be marvelous to ship out everything that is listed for sale right now. There is some major bulk involved with that chandelier that is listed.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Rumncoke
Date: 25 Jul 14 - 08:04 AM

Set up the big Passap knitting machine in the newly uncovered space on the carpet, tested that all my equipment was working so as to be able to fault find on a lock/carriage sent for repair.

Lock is working perfectly. I do hate it when that happens - there is just nothing I can do to it. The owner has spent loads of money to get a machine she can use - so far she has bought three machines and sold one, spent out for spares and servicing and only has one machine working.

Ah well - a bit more sweeping and sorting and then I might be able to do some preparation for my trip to the folk festival - sewing a kilt or crocheting the black lambswool hat - or even both.

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 24 Jul 14 - 09:24 PM

City:
Got R off to work full of Potato Latkes, from a mix. Very tasty. And cherries. Then I got on computer. made pots, computer, lunch, read, make pots, supper, read, trim pots - six cute little creamers with handles, Big Bang Theory, check bowls but not dry enough to trim so have left light on so I won't forget to trim or wrap and close doors before bed. Had phone call from someone in country wanting a large bowl for a wedding present - for Sat! oh well! She had seen some of my work in a shop down near the mill.

Lovely cool day with breeze so I had the back and front doors open. Went into the kitchen and disturbed a squirrel trying to make off with a small loaf of bread. Rescued the bread but it had already made off with its mate. The s was not very disturbed and, had I turned my back, it would have been back in. It sat about 15 feet away and ate. Later I went out and found bits of the stolen bread scattered about. I closed the back door. We have no screen door.

The lad who brings the bag of flyers rang my doorbell when he left them! I emailed Brittany to thank her for the delightful message, and found music I had been looking for on line. I wanted "Dandylion" by Humphrey and the Dumptrucks, circa 1973, to go with the pic of a lovely sculpture on FB. Do enjoy their music.

Now I am making up for my cookie fast. I should feel sickish soon. Tomorrow is another day.

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Jul 14 - 03:50 PM

Sounds like a cheerful afternoon, Dorothy! Jeff Bezos has yet to send a personal note in any of my Amazon parcels.

I'm going to have to learn to live with this ultra-sensitive tooth for the time-being. A drink of cold water at lunch today had me seeing stars again.

Three days off in a row - I find it feels best to look at it as if I have two Saturdays every week. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Jul 14 - 10:45 PM

City:

All my life I have avoided sun like the plague and never used sunscreen even when I was exposed for some reason. I just find it totally enervating and prefer to have some energy.

Yesterday I checked the tracking for a package and it was due to be delivered today. I went off to the country after a stop to regain my own cellphone with strict instructions to use only the charger with which it came. I asked about that the last time I went to visit Koodoo - I now know most of their names! I was told the others I use were fine. Too bad they are not adequately trained.

On the way to the country, my bro phoned and he sounded really upset about his wife's health. I went to see friend Geri; his call stressed me out totally. After talking to Geri, I went on to the mill and emailed my niece to get the real goods. I managed to unload the pottery into the studio and not much else. Went to writers' group but left early and niece phoned when I was on the bridge. I asked her to phone after I got home as I still had not figured out how to get the bluetooth re-connected.

Jen says her mom is going to be fine but her BP is high due to stress mainly caused by her attitude toward a couple things which appear to be the fault of my bro. However, I talked with him later in the eve and - Well, the bottom line is that he cannot be himself and satisfy his wife so he has to "change" or at least pretend to because she is not going to. Well, that was that for Tuesday>

Of course when I got home from the country, Fed-ex had come so I had to phone and ask them to come today. Today started with a lovely storm then a breezy low humidity day and I sat here waiting for a bloomin' package. I could not even go upstairs to pot for fear of missing. No doorbell so I remembered that I had bought a wireless one and went and found it! But it needed two batteries and there were none so I was no further ahead.

I computered, emailed Geri with new info, washed the dishes, stripped the bed and did laundry, remade the bed, started a pot of chickpeas. When the package arrived, about 3, I went to buy batteries and groceries, parked in a good spot, put the door bell together, walked to another grocery for lemons, eggs and plain yogurt (YAY, I walked 8 blocks!) and came back to make 2 quarts of humous and a pot of cauliflower soup. The upstairs should still be cool in the am and maybe then I can make some pots.

I have to tell you: the company that sends me supplements must not have enough business. Today's package was a total delight. Upon opening it: In black marker on the flaps--"Thank you! Dorothy (smiley face) Follow the yellow brick road to happiness! (drawing of a curvy brick road!) much (heart shape) Vitasave sending good happy thoughts to you! Brittany @vitasave.ca." The enclosed bill had a short message from "Karen". And one flap of the box is actually printed with a heart shape made of the word "happiness" followed by a long curve of repetitions of "is" leading to"something that we decide ourselves. There are a lot of reasons to be unhappy but we choose to be happy BECAUSE it makes us feel ALIVE" What a total delight! The box is a keepsake!

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Rumncoke
Date: 23 Jul 14 - 07:41 PM

There are recycling 'bins' in places, but they want clothing which can be reused - and I don't think mine would be considered suitable.

I was just looking as some pieces of fabric suitable for kilts - I have a nice tartan which I hope to get sewn before my holiday - though I really need some new black clothes for when I am drumming for the morris dancers. I suspect that if I get the black things done then that is all I will get done and so I will be wearing the black all the time.

I had made a black crochet hat - but the silly thing has not felted, unlike the 'Flip side' one which seems just about perfect. I will just have to have another go and use a smaller hook and fewer stitches.

I have just over a week before the folk festival - I hope the weather cools down or there will be heat stroked people collapsing all over town.

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jul 14 - 04:54 PM

Goodwill not only takes working old CRT televisions and monitors, they have a lot of contracts with companies and government entities to take old technology pieces for recycling. You should be able to take it there free.

Enjoy that cool and orderly cellar! We don't have basements here in Texas in most modern houses. I'd love to have a cool place for storing produce from the garden.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 23 Jul 14 - 02:08 PM

I think going to the greenhouse today will be just one thing too much. So, in a couple hours I'll head over to my friend's house and we'll go to the free movie.

I've added to the pile for Harding Metals, put stuff in the trash, and found some more stuff to take to Goodwill tomorrow (when I'll also verify that I can take a computer monitor there without paying). Oh, and some more books to sell on Monday.

I think I'm just going to under-react in front of the fan for awhile before I head to Maine.

Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 23 Jul 14 - 11:20 AM

Good. House will now not collapse. The stressed joists in the cellar are splinted and there are two lally columns taking the pressure off. Slowly, every so slowly, we might get the crack to close. Then I can resurface the wall for cosmetic's sake.

Dennis also did the shelves so now, on these miserable hot and humid days, I can work on organizing the cellar and culling or photographing what needs to be sold. Oh, and also just plain cleaning and shovelling cat shit and cleaning that all out so I can put a litter box down there. I think I'm going down right now because there are some things I can put in the car immediately to take to Goodwill on Thursday.

Without trying, I found some more metal to add to the pile to sell to Harding Metals and I'll probably come up with some more right now.

Meanwhile, I sorted some more antique-ish stuff and found some early Portsmouth postcards (in sleeves) to store with the ephemera I want to sell. And old photographs, some of which are collectible. And another part of the Rover manual to put together with the actual manual and the MG manuals and take them to Brit Bits in Portsmouth to sell.

Got all of the last pressing of Tom's CD put together and into jewel cases, so that's decluttered from the table.

Got a lot of files out of the file cabinet to go into the bankers box for storage, but have to sort through those papers and also find where I put the plain vanilla manila folders so I can reclaim the pretty ones.

Later,
Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jul 14 - 10:31 AM

Rumncoke can you send all of the fabric (socks, old t-shirts, etc) to be recycled as fibre? Here in the states a lot of the thrift stores have contracts with recyclers and they send the non-wearable garments to be turned into paper or other recycled products.

Today we have an "ozone action day" - orange, I think - and the heat and humidity go with it. I mowed close to the house (the first 20 feet or so of the long back yard) last night so I wouldn't be contributing to the hydrocarbon stew this morning. And last night I covered a patch of the garden with clear plastic held down by rocks and bricks to "solarize" the stuff underneath. Ratty squash plants that are infested with squash bugs. I'm hoping to nuke most of the bugs and get the eggs in the soil. I also sprayed a mix of water with orange oil and spinosad to knock out both the squash bugs and a lot of the ants. All of this while I have been careful to inspect the zucchini and the cukes to keep the bugs from moving around the garden.

There are watchers on all of the items up on eBay, but that doesn't say a lot when there are only a few. It could be others selling the same thing watching to see if mine sells at this price. I do that sometimes. At least all of that stuff is finally listed.

At work early today so I can run a few errands this evening, including checking to see if there are good local peaches to be bought. I'd like a flat for canning. And I'll steam juice the grapes I picked yesterday (I have to pick up my friend's steam juicer after work). I have two large trays of peppers in the freezer to bag and then cut up some more. And I may can a couple of jars of tomatoes just to do it - I can't eat all of these by myself but there aren't enough for a large canning operation. Maybe I'll do half-pint jars.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 23 Jul 14 - 09:36 AM

Almost finished with "Sisters", a biography of the Mitford sisters. Less than 50 pages to go, but I have things to do.

Dennis is here with two lally columns to shore up the stressed joists in the cellar (and eventually close the crack in the wall above). I don't know if he's going to do the wall shelving today (when the house was tightened up a few years ago and the cellar insulated, the workers removed all of the shelves -- but some of them they cut out, so those have to be replaced completely, not just set back in) but when he does, I can start storing things properly in the cellar. I can also more easily sort the stuff (tools, table saw, grinder, etc.) that I want to sell.

It's hideously hot and humid again and would be a good day to work in the cellar, but I don't want to get in Dennis's way. So...I just made a new bankers box and I'm pulling out files from the file cabinet relating to Tom's medical bills, insurance, social security, Medicare, etc. to make room for mine. And get the papers off the table!

Got the kitchen mostly cleaned up, dishes out of the dishwasher and put away, even swept part of the floor. (In this house, I have to sweep before I vacuum out of respect for my vacuum cleaner.) I'm wandering between two fans and getting some non-aerobic work done in several places. Also need to go through some more books to take them to Portsmouth to sell on Monday.

Think I'll get the rest of Tom's CDs ("A Bottle Full for the Shantyman") into jewel cases with the inserts. I can do that while listening to NHPR and sitting in front of the fan.

This afternoon I'll go to Wentworth Greenhouses and use the $$$ coupons that can only be used in July. Then on to a friend for a light supper (considering the weather, probably a salad) out someplace moderately priced and then to see "Monuments Men" at the S. Berwick library.

I hate it when, well before 8 a.m., I'm sweating so much my eyebrows fail to keep the perspiration out of my eyes -- and all I was doing was zesting some limes that I'd used yesterday to make limeade!

Linn

Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Rumncoke
Date: 23 Jul 14 - 05:47 AM

Lurking under the table there were two long lengths of silicon rubber tubing - I can rig up a watering system for the poor plants in the south facing garden as they are parched. I will wait for evening or maybe go out early to rig it though - the full heat of the sun is more than I can stand. Working out in the sun - brave lady, Dorothy - I need factor 60 sunscreen to venture out in the sun or I turn lobster red and my skin falls off.

The council are going to change the bins so that we have a small size black one for general rubbish and a full size blue one for recycling - I had better get this clear out done before we lose the full size black bin.

I have decided to throw away all my short length shop bought socks - I can't remember the last time I wore any, and have a good clear out of clothing - some of my tee shirts are really long past their acceptable lifespan. I have everything I could possibly need to make more garments for myself and could walk around arrayed like Solomon in his glory. I should really sort out my shoes too - I wear sandals just about every day, I don't need all the sensible black lace ups, the heavy boots and definitely nothing with a heel.

Maybe when I hit my head on the edge of the roof when I was up on the scaffolding cleaning the windows it did something to my brain - I can't remember feeling like this about my possessions ever before.

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Jul 14 - 01:39 PM

Rumncoke, come back and report when you get a chance! And let us know how the knitting goes.

I took the day off and am making a push to clear out garden produce (things need dicing and freezing) and more stuff to the eBay area. And I'm going to pull some nearly-dead squash and put plastic over the area to "solarize" the soil and hopefully kill some of the squash bug eggs.

I picked mustang grapes this morning. Jelly season always comes when the weather is at its hottest.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jul 14 - 07:47 PM

Linn, one of my dogs loves to chew up cardboard. They graze in the yard on a lot of odd raw stuff, so cardboard is a processed snack. :)

Dorothy, I hope you can do that machinery auction sooner rather than later and be done with all of that. And I'm glad they put the tent up over you. Michelle, I see on facebook that you had a great weekend with the family. No decluttering required when you have a family weekend!

The permanent crown is in place now. And the reason for pain all month was there was adhesive from the temporary crown under my gumline. Apparently being fair-skinned makes me more sensitive to the compound. This procedure today downright hurt, but when he offered to numb the gum, I declined. No more needles for a while, please. The gums should heal now.

I dragged hoses around this afternoon, and made a point of giving the front yard bald cypress a long drink. Each year it tends to turn brown earlier than it needs to, and I think it has to do with ignoring it at sprinkling time. An occasional heavy watering should drive the roots deep, that might help it be happier. In other neighborhood news, it's too hot to pick grapes so I'll get up early and do that before I go to work.

So much to do around here, I'll find something this evening and work on it, I won't predict it now. And maybe I'll end the day with a book and a dog in the bedroom, though when the weather is hot and it's a work night she has to sleep on the floor. When it's hot she has a sleeping panting noise that is distracting. When she's on the floor (on her dog bed, of course) she's cooler. Not happier, but cooler. Saturday night she was on the bed and when I woke that pit bull was sprawled up the middle of the bed and I was hugging the edge.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 21 Jul 14 - 07:04 PM

Got a few other things done since I last posted (see Press Room Shanty Sing thread) AND I got the dishes running through.

Now all I have to do is mix up a new batch of margaritas for the fridge (disclaimer: I just drank one with supper) and I can retire to my bed with a cat, a book, and a drink. And call my sister to make sure she survived yesterday.

I'll tear up the box that needs to go out in tomorrow's trash tomorrow morning. That means Rufus can nibble at it all night. (I swear that cat has a celulose deficiency!)

Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 21 Jul 14 - 06:17 PM

A couple of amazing things happened this morning. First off, I got to bed at 10:30 last night and didn't wake up until 6:00 this morning -- no middle of the night needing to get up and go to the bathroom or deer setting off the driveway alert or Rufus just gently bopping my face to see if I'm awake ("Are you in there, Mom? Are you awake?")

Then I DID get up and go to the bathroom, but I went back to bed and slept until 8:30. I haven't slept that late since I worked second shift... Must have needed it.

And I woke up with lots of energy. Took a shower and washed my hair, called a plumber who was suggested to me (still need to get all the shutoffs including the main shutoff in the cellar replaced with ball valves), petted a cat, planned what to do with a couple small pieces of furniture, read further in "The Sisters" about the Mitford family, and got a return call from an old friend and we were able to get more or less caught up with each other. Also called another friend and discovered we won't be able to get together until next week. (Tomorrow I work on the T-shirt quilt, Wednesday my handyman is coming with two lally columns and some other materials to shore up the stressed joists in the cellar and start pushing the short wall on the first floor made of cinder blocks back into place so we can repair the crack, and Thursday, what fun, I'm having two quadrants of deep cleaning at my dentist. That's what I get for having not had enough money to go to the dentist for about five years.)

Then I went out to do errands. My third stop was groceries and there has recently been a hostile takeover of the local (Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine) chain and the employees are demonstrating (and calling for a boycott and keeping the store without their daily deliveries from the main warehouse. Since I'm very much in support of the employees, I guess I won't be shopping there for awhile. (And I had to go to go to Hannaford's 10 miles away to get the produce I needed and couldn't get at the farmer's market.) If you want to read more, see From Wikipedia and Portsmouth Herald or go to the Boston Globe or Boston.com and search.

Just got Saturday's Press Room shanty sing posted here at Mudcat and now I've got supper in the oven, and I've got most of the groceries put away. Paid a bill and I think I can run the dishes through. Still have to clean out two litter boxes and...and...what else? (My list is upstairs.)

Should work on PMFF corrections...maybe tomorrow after I get home from working on the quilt. Oh, AND I've got to pull the poison ivy and a bunch of thorn bushes and bag them for tomorrow's trash...well, maybe they won't get out in tomorrow's trash...

And eventually land back in bed with a cat in my lap and continue reading the book... R&R is good, too.

Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 21 Jul 14 - 02:16 PM

City:
rumncoke! What an amazing and enheartening project! I particularly like the reward of mint choc chip ice cream!

Yesterday's Farmer's Market - in St. Anicet by lake St. Francis - was quite a day. On a lawn about 100 feet from the water, I set up and got potting by 10, using a couple fabric placemats and straight pins to devise a hat. It was a beautiful HOT day. As I conjured up a pot, activity around me was happening. I was informed by one of the vendors, "We are putting a tent over you!" And, in spite of my expressed fears re the wind (was none) and my pots getting broken again, a tent they did erect. I told her later she may have saved my life. I was so focused on making pots, and talking to people - at least the ones who spoke English - that I might have just kept going in spite of the heat. I sold only 4, but one teapot and she wants a matching garlic pot.

When I finally got packed and back to the mill (3:30), I collapsed with lots of green tea and not much else. About 5:30, I had enough energy to take the shelves off the roof and head for Montreal. Had a salad, phoned R, took a hot bath and managed to stay awake, on the computer, until almost 11, when I gave up on him coming home "in an hour" and went to bed.

Pierogies, yogurt and raspberries for bf but not again. Too heavy. R went off to a meeting with the Ministry of Transport re a replacement for the building they expropriated. It sounds hopeful. (This has been going on for over 5 years.) If the M has its way, they are giving him a building close by and bigger to which he can move machinery from all the other buildings and "in about a year, I can have a big auction, scrap what is left and be out of the machinery business"!!!! We might have a life by the time I am 80!

We had a salad lunch while he reported and he went off again to do a temp fix on the roof on VSP. Quotes for a new roof are in the offing.

Back on track re no cookies, choc... I also had a reward of choc mint ice cream yesterday - in a cup not a bowl - while recovering. I think the scale was a titch below 160 yesterday; that is an incentive.

Spoke with CU this morning re finding a way to sell shares so I can have a down payment for a piece of woods in Ontario. She will get back to me. Cell phone quit again on Saturday but I simply do not feel like the trek to Koodoo AGAIN! Tomorrow.

Now to find the energy to bring in the portable wheel, carry it upstairs and make pots. It cannot be any hotter up there than at the lake!

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jul 14 - 12:09 PM

cough cough cough

I can feel the dust settling from all of that disturbance clear over here, Rumncoke! Keep up the good job - this kind of clearing out is great for producing endorphins.

Another eBay box mailed this morning. I got most of the way through a stack of dishes in the sink after getting started on some tomato sauce from frozen tomatoes last night. This is part of clearing room in the freezer for the current year's stuff.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Rumncoke
Date: 21 Jul 14 - 10:30 AM

I think I must have something of the hoarder in me - but this morning I had a rush of blood to the head - no doubt due to the heat, and as I had taken my big Passap knitting machine, and the stand and all the tools, yarn etc. to the workshop to give a lesson on Saturday, now it has to come back in.

I got the machine and things from the car to the front door first thing, then I began to go through boxes, tins and stuff just lying until I had access to the corner of the room behind the dining table. I stacked the chairs, I carried in four machines which have been blocking the hall for ages, set them upright in the corner, replaced chairs.

I have one of those soft buckets with two handles as a rubbish bin - that was filled and emptied three times, I found 15 year old paperwork to dump, songs to file - spiders ....

The table top is now piled with relieved looking stuff, under it huddles things yet unsorted, with an air of anxiety. There is visible carpet - well - visible in need of a good cleaning almost carpet, and space for the machine - maybe two machines to be set up.

Now I just need to move the ladders and tool box out of the way - my husband has been working on the outside of the house panting the rendered part, improving the seal on the windows, and now is stripping the many layers of paint off the metal parts of the porch to make the pattern clear again, in preparation for repainting.

As it is now 15:30 I need to sit in front of the fan to dry off, drink several pints of water - and maybe consume some mint chock chip ice cream. Then the machine can be brought in and set up again. I might even be able to think about doing some knitting for myself. Just not today.

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jul 14 - 12:19 AM

Laundry finished, front yard mowed. One soaker hose replaced after I realized it had sprung a leak. Dining room table dusted, and the two-level silver box that I bought in May (for $5 at a thrift store) is filled with spoons and other silver plate from a great aunt's estate. The plastic box the silver was in sat on the buffet for weeks. It has an old price sticker (no longer legible) on the face. Maybe 10 cents. Now the dozens of spoons are in an anti-tarnish environment. They'll probably go on eBay also. Who knows what will happen to the plastic case.

My three day weekend is over. Back to the salt mine in the morning.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Jul 14 - 04:07 PM

It took longer than I expected but all covers are listed on eBay and the dining room table is clear. I need to make a run to the recycle bins behind city hall and over to the thrift store. And I need to finish the laundry and mow the front lawn. And cook some tomato sauce and cut up peppers. . . where did the weekend go?

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Jul 14 - 12:53 AM

The magazine covers will go in three lots of 150 to 180 covers each. The first is nearly ready to list, but I'll finish it in the morning. I have to process a few photos to add with the auction. Some sellers list every cover artist, but I didn't keep the insides of the magazines and it is inside on the contents page. I'll name each date and add an asterisk if the label tore some of the page. I'll send all of them and let people decide what to do with the less-than-perfect ones. I'll start the auction low and let the market set the price.

One load of laundry is done, and some is on the line overnight. The rest is in the washer on the timer and will be finished early in the morning. Part of tonight's batch will go in the dryer, the rest out on the line. Most of tomorrow is going to be spent in the yard. Mowing, weeding, and trimming around the garden. I finished clearing the dining room table today, so it's ready

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 19 Jul 14 - 09:17 PM

Country:
After a bunch of stuff in the morning yesterday, I did get off for the country by 2 pm - so it only took an extra 20 minutes to get on the bridge. Stopped at garage to check on parts for tailgate but they are still on back order. The bungee cord is working but a bit inconvenient when the back is full of boxes as it will be tomorrow. Hmmm, need to google where I am headed tomorrow. Not far but in a dif direction.

A talk with R this am about life and my firmly not wanting to deal with any more crises - so please do not set yourself up to have any! I spent most of today on computer. Could not get in gear for potting. Watered those poor trees by putting them in defunct basins; they are in 12" D pots and very heavy. Only have 3 of 5 in water. Just found another container but too buggy out now. I can do it in the am before leaving for the market. It would be good to get them in the ground but it is more than I can deal with and R has not had time.

There are peas ready but the plants have created a mass that is difficult. Silly me thought they would grow straight up but I have four varieties all intertwined. It was too hot out today. Maybe in the am I can try to support them. AND load the car to get to site by 9....

The flower bed looks great; it must have gotten the best soil! Basil amongst the flowers is lovely. The veggies are doing OK.

I seem to have eaten everything in sight today. Sigh! Try again tomorrow. I will certainly get my exercise loading and unloading, loading and unloading about 8 boxes of pots as well as throwing some while I demo. Realizing it was best to save that energy for tomorrow.

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jul 14 - 03:43 PM

Today's New Yorker magazine listing exercise lets me see gaps in the collection so I went looking around. I found two boxes under a table in the sun room, so now there are more labels to remove and dates to catalog. And there are so many of them I'll break them down in to several very large groups.

Laundry needs doing, but it's fairly humid out for drying on the line. I may wait another day. And of course, it's time to mow again. Tomorrow will be a busy day.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jul 14 - 10:20 PM

A year ago I installed Microsoft Office 2013 on my laptop. Today it decided that it needed to be authenticated again and wouldn't accept any of the things it was asking for. Nothing would load. I called Microsoft (the branch in India) and had to turn my desktop over to the tech to look around, uninstall, then reinstall my Microsoft Office. She said had to set it up so the computer would log on as a Microsoft device (turn it on, log on with my hotmail password). She wasn't able to set up Outlook (no loss, I don't use it) and managed to kill my connection to my wifi in the process and I killed off the microsoft account and am back to my original logon for that computer, but the software works (I do logon to Word, but that is so it can save to the cloud, and I've been meaning to give that a try.) After research, wifi is back, and homegroup is back. That was four hours pretty much shot to hell.

Now to go cut up veggies for the freezer. I had intended to work on eBay and I sorted New Yorker covers into date order and put them into envelopes while I watched my screen do various things. I'd originally turned on the laptop in order to work at that table and catalog the dates by year for an eBay listing. I'm tired of working in there now so I'll do that later. Or tomorrow.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jul 14 - 01:04 PM

Last night I finished removing the mailing labels from all off The New Yorker magazines spread on my dining table. My laptop is in there and I'll go through each stack by year to identify the volumes present and if the cover is perfect or has marks. I'm going going to photograph all of them, except clumps by year, and all are going up on eBay. It'll be nice to have the table back for eating. I'm expecting to have people over several times during the rest of the summer and they won't all be crammed into the kitchen.

Reading all of Linn's work in her house I'm tempted to tear up vinyl flooring in the bathrooms, but before spending money in the houses buying tile I really should replace a few fence panels. I can transport fence boards and support members in the car with the back seat folded down and setting planks diagonally from the back left to the front right. Nothing so simple as shoving it all into the back of my pickup, but it can be done.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 17 Jul 14 - 10:32 PM

City:
I have been in Ontario again - Monday after bf until arriving back about 1:30 pm today. Visited with friends, made a couple wonderful new ones, arranged to take pottery to the Maynooth Farmers Market on 2 Aug, etc. I have determined that I will spend at least one week/month there. I can have "a life" - volunteer at the art gallery and elsewhere, visit friends, breathe the air. Realized this morning that my cough has diminished greatly! Almost to nothing. I feel SO much better. Slept like a log on friends' very comfortable sofa, in the total silence of the woods.

I started to eat a piece of cheese this morning and stopped, wondering if no cheese for several days could have contributed to improved well being. Under consideration.

Robin and I are going up together in 2 weeks and we will get the spare bedroom! (The kittens have just moved out!) Nothing like great conversation with like-minded, enquiring, people to soothe the spirit. I feel it was a place of healing, even though I was away visiting in the community most of each day. I was so excited that I left early this morning rather than do more visiting - so I could finish the pots here and be rested for going to the country tomorrow to make more pots. 4 good events coming the end of August and beg September and I want to fit in another trip to Ontario in August. Need to make lots of pots.

In a sense this could be viewed as cluttering my life further but it is feeling so right. It is "home". I went to a realtor I have know long time, firstly to inform her that my good friend, who had been looking and looking for a place in the area, had died (12 years ago!). Her first question after greeting me - after my 15 year absence! - was "what happened to..." She did sell my home for me when I left 15 years ago. Maybe she can find me a quiet piece of woodland where I can have a small trailer or.... I will go to the credit union and see if I can get a a pre-approved mortgage for ????   

R is stuck in Quebec and really does not have a great deal of choice. I am sick of Quebec and want to be somewhere comfortable. He can choose to spend time in Ontario--- or not. It is an amazing and joyful thing to feel welcomed back into a community after so many years and feel as though I can just fit right back in.

I did not eat as much. I was too busy visiting. A lesson there. Tonight, after supper and still feeling hungry, I reminded myself that I did not eat after 7 pm any other evening this week... No cookies. No choc. no ice cream. I may not have lost an ounce but it shows me what I CAN do.

R just phoned. A building was broken into for the second time in 2 weeks. So he and bro are there with several police cars, many police, waiting for the dogs as the police think there may be someone still in the building.... Welcome home, he says! .........

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jul 14 - 09:54 PM

It was 72^o this evening when I left work. Truly amazing for the middle of July in Texas. I left the office a little early today to enjoy the drive home in daylight. It's so overcast and cool it feels more like May.

Working on eBay stuff tonight.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jul 14 - 09:45 AM

Long weekend starts soon - but heavy rain is in the forecast for today and overnight. A flash flood warning is in place until midday tomorrow. It looks like I'll have the leisure to work on eBay stuff. I still haven't finished the magazine covers that are stacked by year on my dining room table. And I should pull out all of those folk festival shirts of my father's and see how many I could make into a pattern. I am looking forward to photos of your quilt as it is assembled, Linn!

The fridge is filling with small tomatoes - I grew the "Roma" variety this year for making sauce. I'll have to use some of them and I can at least can those. Usually by now my kitchen would be full of canning jars cooling after processing whatever is ripe. Peaches, tomatoes, or making jelly from my grapes across the road. None of that so far. I need to check on the grapes.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jul 14 - 12:35 AM

There is a Hawaiian brand of macadamia nuts coated in chocolate that I adore - but don't eat now because of the chocolate allergies. I found them in places like Walgreens.

I have clothes that I save for mowing - but a couple of years ago was cured of keeping them too when a pair of those pants split and I didn't know until I was in Home Depot and someone kindly told me. :-(

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Jeri
Date: 16 Jul 14 - 06:34 PM

My cushion went last fall, when I had that house repair done. If you need any paint let me know. (I know, you can buy your own paint, but I have a load.)

I actually decluttered some stuff. Enough of the kitchen table got cleared off and cleaned so I could use it. I started throwing old clothes out. You know, those things that have served you well in the past, and you may want to wear sometime when you really, really need lawn-mowing garb with holes in it, because you just can find that shit in stores. (Yeah, that's self-directed sarcasm.) And got rid of some cardboard shoe boxes that I'd saved because you never know when you're going to find some crap you saved that you need to put in them.) Just wait until I get into the stuff that ISN'T crap (that I've been keeping because you never know when you might need those bits of cloth or china or ... you get the picture.)

But I ordered macadamia nuts on-line, which are the best macadamia nuts EVER. They'll arrive Friday, so I need to make room in my freezer.

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 16 Jul 14 - 06:14 PM

He also fixed the tub surround but I need to finish caulking it. I also have to paint the lower walls (which means all the walls...) around the new toilet because much more of the walls are exposed than in the previous two incarnations.

Made major inroads on ironing the Pellon onto the quilt squares in an air conditioned workshop. Alas, after we were in said workshop for awhile (say, fifteen minutes) it felt as hot and humid as outside, even though I knew it wasn't. I hate sweating inside AC!

Have some more squares to finish at home AND I'll have to buy some more Pellon on Friday on my way to the session.

I'd done a color layout (and indicated that the Fishtraks tee should be in the center, so Carol got a start on sewing the strips in between a few of the squares.

Right now I need to put clothes on and my contacts back in so I can go to a singing session in Dover. It's not only the last thing I want to do right now, but is also something I REALLY want to do right now... The weather is such that I really wish I could be assured everyone would turn up naked... I REALLY don't want to put clothes on... Sigh.

Though I just started building a pasta salad, it's not ready to eat right now. So I think I'll stop and get a malt on the way. Being an adult means you can have ice cream for supper every once in awhile. I had a good breakfast and a good lunch.

Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 16 Jul 14 - 10:25 AM

Current round of home improvements finished and handyman paid. (This is getting scary -- I'm watching my "cushion" fall rapidly.)

Done -- bedroom bookcase (so I can free up floorspace and get the books back into the bookcase; oh, and sell a few of them), bathroom floor done, Biolet installed and working, outdoor faucet working (and a new shutoff put in there), back door screen fixed so I can actually USE the screen door without Rufus getting out...and it fixed so my tush won't go through it when I'm trying to open the inside door, and I now have a lot more light in the kitchen -- he fixed the hanging stained glass lamp and put a new light up aimed at the stove and countertop. I still have to find some inexpensive fixtures to replace the black cannister lights, but not immediately.

I still need to get someone up on the roof to recaulke flashing around chimney and put the screen over the the Biolet vent pipe. And what I had thought was a cosmetic problem with a crack in a wall, upon further investigation turns out to be a lot of stress on a couple joists, so that will be the next focus.

Gotta run,

Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jul 14 - 09:34 AM

How are all of those projects coming along, Linn? Are most of them finished now? Lights, doors, bookcases - all things that will make life easier, and bring a pleasant feeling every time you use and admire them in the future. I used a cash windfall one time to have the electrician come in and move a couple of outlets and put up a ceiling fan with a separate switch for both light and fan. They're gifts to myself that I use all of the time.

Note to self: this is ant season, so it isn't good enough to simply leave last night's dishes sitting propped in dishwater in the sink. They'll find a way. In this case, quite a convoluted path past the compost bowl, around a dishtowel, onto a cutting board and into the sink where a plate evidently had a little bit of maple syrup on it from yesterday's breakfast for dinner. I wiped out hoards of the things before I retook the counter tops.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 15 Jul 14 - 09:59 AM

Have been too busy to get to the squares, but I HAVE to today to have something in hand tomorrow with my friend.

My handyman is here today finishing several projects -- kitchen lighting, back door repair, bathtub surround and bedroom built-in bookcase repair so I can get all those books OFF THE FLOOR!

Finally got the Biolet set up yesterday and in use. All I had to do was put in the initial amount of special mulch and plug it in and get the mulch levelled, etc., but I just didn't have any time until yesterday after I got home from my memoir writers group and some errands.

Sunday I worked on PMFF flyers, handouts, and badges (initial) and got the bios and Welcome text written for the program. Plus laundry and kitchen cleaning and miscellaneous dreary tasks (including transferring a bunch of stuff from the old computer to the computer that will soon BE my old computer...) instead of going to the festivities at the John Paul Jones House in Portsmouth. I just had way too much stuff that needed to be done and I needed to DO it instead of having fun.

Friday's session turned out to be an amazing session. I'd contacted a lot of people to who hadn't been for awhile to remind them of the session because a lot of my stronger singers had gigs or were out of town. Then I got an email from Andy Lamy who is with the New Jersey Symphony and plays Celtic clarinet. He was going to be in town and was planning on coming. I had been afraid it was going to be a sparse session but it turned out to be a fairly highly populated and high energy session. Andy is amazing!

I finally realized about 1:30 on Thursday that it was a grief day. Duh! Sometimes it takes me awhile to figure it out.

Have to keep moving ahead...or at least not going backwards.

Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Jul 14 - 10:14 AM

Yesterday I finished hauling hoses and setting the water pressure on a faucet-based watering system. Battery operated with four outlets. It came with two electronic connectors and I could buy two more, but I think the original two are enough. I have a 75' hose running past the garage door into the long veggie garden and it has 2 lengths of soakers weaving through the garden. I have a small plastic sprinkler on the end of a second hose to water the garden and along the foundation next to the side door. Programmed to water every other day in the morning.

The new hose stand is in the front yard and there is a soaker hose extended around the foundation. Those both operate off of the faucet on the front of the house in plain sight of the street, so I don't want it to look interesting for anyone doing a five-finger discount through the neighborhood. At night anyone approaching that spot will trigger the sensor for the porch light, but most theft happens in the middle of the day. Ask me how I know . . .

I mowed everything over the weekend and for the moment it looks lovely. The lawn is going to start going dormant in the heat, though rain is predicted later in the week so I'll probably have more mowing through July. And since I'm watering the gardens the grass will grow boldly in those beds.

One of the callers to my favorite organic gardening radio program reminded us this weekend that self-rising flour is found helpful in fighting grasshoppers. It is thought that the baking powder in the mix causes them to burst. The caller said he has treated his tomatoes and found a lot of dead grasshoppers on the ground. I'll share this with the rest of you gardeners and report any benefit from using it. I sprinkled some on parts of the garden last night. And if this doesn't work, I have the kaolin clay mix called Surround WP that is mixed up and literally spray painted onto the garden.

Didn't do much in the house. I did make a lemon meringue pie and I'm taking most of it to work today.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 13 Jul 14 - 11:57 AM

Country:

Nice bf of ricotta/strawberry crepes. Then I got the trees off the truck and watered them some. Now I am siting here watching the torrents fall out of the sky. YAY!

Went to studio and found the green teapot and only one mug to take to my friend in Ontario. Mugs in every other glaze! "Make green mugs." Gathered other things to take with me tomorrow on return trip to see more friends in Ontario.

Still a bit weary from Friday. Weighed myself: have not lost, nor gained. I will hang onto the good news.

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Jul 14 - 11:06 AM

Cutting up peppers this morning, and installing a watering system in the back yard. I find it easier to use back there where it's out of sight of traffic on the road (I don't want this thing to go walkabout). I'll run soaker hoses into the garden on both sides of the driveway and set them on the timer.

Making a pie, and maybe I'll roast a chicken.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Jul 14 - 12:31 AM

I had pizza dough ready when my friend arrived, and we made a number of small crusts, saving two for ourselves. And deciding we'd spent so much time looking at other things we opted to simply make the pie crust. She has had difficulty with that part, apparently, so I made a double crust and we each kept half for making a pie each tomorrow. Patience, leaving the butter (or shortening) in small pea-sized pieces, and not adding too much water or working it too much. Those are the keys.

Next week we're in for a treat as a cold front moves over the area bringing a good chance of rain (at least 50%) and the daily high temperatures mid-week will be around 85. Sounds wonderful!

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 12 Jul 14 - 11:40 PM

Country:
We came down in the truck, with trailer, as R needed to bring down a nice wood cabinet he got at a thrift shop.It has been riding around in the trailer for a few days and it may rain someday! Also brought a nice, large!, three part, hinged mirror that was bouncing around in my car a couple days after we found it on the sidewalk near by. And the five large cedars we bought, perhaps too long ago; I had not checked on them, thinking it was raining regularly but they were very dry. I watered them after we got here; hope they survive. Stopped on the way to pick up tiles to finish a project R is working on at the building in VSP.

Friday was not very productive, other than keeping myself sane by focusing on the computer. I was "waiting for R", hoping he would be home in early enough to miss rush hour to the Laurentians. We did not get off until almost 4:30 so it took us almost 3.5 hours for a one hour trip. However! We still had 2 hours to look at the hundreds of pots by 30-40 potters, beautifully displayed on a large lawn with natural amphitheatre, stage at bottom, just in time to hear a potter acquaintance, who had given us an invite to this opening, receive a reward for initiating "Empty Bowls", a fundraiser for hunger.

Then we looked at looked at pots until after 10 pm; there were 3 lighted areas. It was a fascinating event and we had a nice visit with two special people: I wore my T-shirt from the Ontario Association of Clay and Glass - very old but in good shape as it is saved for special events. It attracted a former board member and his companion, representative of Shimpo - my portable wheel is a Shimpo Aspire! And he used to work for the company from which I get my clay and was probably the wonderfully helpful tech support guy who helped me get set up in the NW! We had lively conversation! K Also, quite late, we found a potter friend whom we have visited here on the Island (of Montreal); it was nice to meet his wife and catch up.

We drove back to the city in states of exhaustion; After a stop at Tim Horton's for soup (our supper!) I drove; R slept. Home at midnight. It was worth the trip but the ordeal of getting there will not be forgotten. Need to leave by 2 pm to go to cottage country on a friday!

Late morning today. Then a trip to get my phone back and return loaner. Two hours later, the phone having failed again, I went back and, although the staff tried to give me a new phone, he was not permitted and I have the loaner again. Sat with blue tooth and phone and tried, to no avail to connect them.

We left about 3:30 and it took almost an hour to cross the bridge. A long line of vehicles sat interminably, turned off engines and WAITED! Got to the tile store just before it closed! Plants were half price and there were two nice yellow Canna but the plant person had already left.

So we got to the mill and I made salads and a pot of cauliflower soup and !!!!! cut two pieces of the choc mousse cake to thaw for dessert. Such a treat. My first in 6 days. I offloaded the trees and gave them some water. Then we sat here, me on FB and R reading. Time for bed!

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jul 14 - 05:32 PM

Mowed in front, dragged some of the soaker hoses around and have them in place for the season. A few more await (they'll be short sections hooked together with splitters so I can run several short hoses into targeted areas, not just weave one long one all around and water places that don't need it so much.

I put more items in the donation bin in the kitchen and cleared off a couple of of surfaces. It is looking less cluttered, but I mostly rearranged, didn't toss much.

Now for work in the house. The kitchen is ready for a friend's arrival - I'm going to show her how to make a lemon meringue pie. The dishwasher is empty and the sink is clean - I imagine we'll go through a few bowls with this project.

Linn, how are the quilt squares coming along?

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Jul 14 - 07:01 PM

The new chipper was assembled today and two bags of chips are the result of drawing down a bunch of limbs next to the compost. Now that it is evening I'll police the grounds and then mow the back yard. I also intend to finally transplant a patch of small decorative grass that has been lost in what was once a garden but is now just a patch of lawn near some rocks. It'll go out front in the new little shade garden.

Dorothy, I also get comments about things that mean people have been paying attention as they pass by. I was at an estate sale two doors up the hill from my house (on a street that intersects with my street right in front of my house) when a woman approached to say that the house had belonged to her parents and she wanted me to know that her mother just loved the giant zinnias that I planted around the house when I moved in. She would sit in the garage and look out across a couple of yards and she could see all of these "state fair" zinnias. This was a couple of years after the last batch of those was planted.

I had some chocolate about a week and a half ago (a test) and it seems to have had the old affect of drying and cracking the skin on my hands - or makes me more sensitive to things in the environment and then it happens. Whatever.

This evening in the kitchen I'm going to work on putting things away, organizing some of the canisters that have been sitting out, etc. I'm tired of every surface in the room being covered with stuff. I rearranged a couple of drawers and am probably going to confuse myself no end looking for things for a while. Hot pads and trivets into a drawer for now.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 10 Jul 14 - 10:12 PM

City:
Fresh peaches! Not around here until sometime in August and last year I was reminded that they need to be bought where they are grown. I have yet to buy a good peach in Quebec.

R usually comes in close to midnight.

Last night's nap lasted until this morning. I was really tired. But another delicious day and I moved the car, then moved it again when it was legal closer by. A woman and her son (10ish) were waiting at the bus stop and "That's YOUR car! We've been reading your bumper stickers for years!" We had a nice chat. Then as I walked back to the house, a woman, "You're the woman who had the two raccoons:" We had a nice chat. Did not realize the eyes that were on me! Then I had bf, pulled weeds, moved some bricks which were no longer in the "right place" (defining a veg bed which is no more), did a small load of laundry and hung it outside, did some work in the studio, had lunch, talked with my 88 year old friend in PA for over an hour, threw some pots, watched the 5 pm news, made more stewed apples, had supper, did some more work in the studio, watched Big Bang and David Suzuki, on Lyme disease in Canada - increasing!, and decided to do computering until the 10 pm news.

Not so tired tonight; yesterday's trip and work were intense.

I get a lot of exercise - getting up to adjust the antennae on the TV. Every couple minutes sometimes! It seems to be affected by weather and traffic.

This is my 4th day of no choc or choc cookies. I am breaking! I'll start again tomorrow.