Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Jul 14 - 01:29 PM

In general it sounds like a good project and doesn't hurt to have someone urging you on - if only the urging doesn't spoil the fun of the project. I'm looking forward to photos of this project (no pressure! When you have time!)

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 10 Jul 14 - 12:49 PM

The quilt project has actually been around for a long time. I think it was back in the '90s that I sent them to my mother in Milwaukee. Then she ended up fretting and stewing about how to go about it and, despite advice from her sister (in California), she finally ended up deciding she didn't want to tackle it, so sent them all back to me.

Somewhere around ten years ago when I was visiting Milwaukee, a high school classmate of mine who quilts said, bring 'em out (I drove out a couple times with my cousin -- in a pickup truck, so there was space for a couple boxes of T-shirts) and we'll do it together.

Well...wouldn't you know, I never got back with enough time to be able to do the quilt.

So...my friend Carol in the next town over suggested we do it together because she wanted to learn how to do it (she's an experienced quilter) so she could make one for herself. So we got a start on it -- and then Tom was diagnosed with vocal cord cancer. And between work and Tom's treatment, the project got put on hold.

And stayed on hold throughout the rest of Tom's medical odyssey. About a month or so ago I told her I was ready to start work again and get the quilt made. We really can only work together on Tuesdays. She got upset when I had to cancel once because I hadn't had any sleep, but she just took three Tuesdays off to do other things. And now she's all in a hurry to GET IT DONE. She's now acting impatient and almost angry at me because it's not done already, so that's definitely adding to the pressure I'm feeling about everything else.

She's picking up more Pellon, but I took the squares and the Pellon squares that I cut out Tuesday home. On Tuesday she cut out the stripping that will go in between squares. But (other than picking up the interfacing) she won't work on it except when we're together. So I want to get as many of these squares prepped as possible. And I'll probably do a paper layout based on color, too, before next Tuesday. Then maybe she can start sewing, which will make her happy.

The T-shirts are all music festivals, pubs, beer or booze shirts. The Fishtraks recording studio shirt, which Tom and I each got the night we met, will be in the center, or close to the center.

I'd like to curl up in the fetal position and suck my thumb for awhile...but I've got way too many things to do, even not counting the quilt.

Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Jul 14 - 10:59 AM

My hose stand is so far working out - it gives me more control of the water pressure as I move the sprinkler around the yard (I turn it on at the faucet on the wall and I adjust it at the stand).

What is the story of this quilt, Linn? When is it to be constructed?

Michelle, how is it going with the garage sales?

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 10 Jul 14 - 09:33 AM

Oops. I'm starting to feel overwhelmed again. The press of...what? Today, there's just my morning list of things that it would be nice to accomplish today. Other than the email to Dennis about the socket for the stained glass lamp, nothing that HAS to be done by a certain time, or even today. All comparatively small tasks, too.

But I really wanted to eat breakfast on the deck, but found it was too wet from last night's surprise (to me) thunderstorm. Then, after comparing the ferry schedule and directions from Google maps, I came to the conclusion that I absolutely cannot go out to Squirrel Island after this month's Press Room shanty session. The last ferry is at 8:30 and it would take me at least two hours to get to Boothbay Harbor from Portsmouth. I'd have to cut the session much shorter than I'd even consider. The Squirrel Island foray would be with members of the memoir writers group that I'm part of. Our leader is writing a family memoir and a lot of it takes place in the family cottage on Squirrel Island. It would have been fun...but, I think, a different kind of stressful considering my schedule.

Should start ironing quilt squares and Pellon -- my friend is turning THAT project stressful despite it having been on hold for the past five years because of the demands of Tom's health.

Still, I hope to go to a movie at the Portsmouth library early this evening.

Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Jul 14 - 12:16 AM

I hope he has his own key, Dorothy, and doesn't wake you when he comes in.

I tried something today: I'm doing some work at work that is colossally boring. I took one of my NetFlix disks with me yesterday and watched it while I did the work on the side. It is somewhat of a distraction with some steps of one job, but a lifesaver (keeps me awake) with another. I guess I can make progress with my NetFlix queue this way. The reorganization at the library place a lot of people in absolutely stupid jobs. I got a master's in English to spend my days scanning? This is something they normally would hire undergraduate students to do.

A friend is coming over for dinner on Saturday, a get-together before she moves out of town to a new job (another library person who was moved out of her job). It gives me the incentive to do some picking-up around here in preparation. We're planning to make a pie (she wants to practice making one). I think it will probably be a lemon meringue pie, unless we decide to do something with fresh peaches. They're in season right now.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 09 Jul 14 - 08:23 PM

City:
I have been to the country and back again. Went after bf, stopping to let a friend with a shop have some more pots (loves the new glaze), then got to the mill and had a salad lunch. Got into studio just after 1 and worked 'til almost 5. Completed the trimming of pots and lids and constructing of 4 teapots. Almost 25 min each for the teapots. May not be a kiln load. I brought the portable wheel into the city house and will try to make more pots tomorrow and Friday.

Really tired. Was a beautiful breezy day with intermittent cloudiness and not too hot. I did not get the plants in but left them in containers with water.

Going to take a nap. R may not be home 'til ...??? Last night 2 am. I vaguely recall his arrival.

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jul 14 - 01:19 PM

I bought a whole bolt of that Pelon iron on interfacing when Hancock Fabric went out of business. I hadn't used it so recently I kept a couple of yards and sent the rest of the bolt with my costume-designer daughter to her house. I should have known something would come up soon after where I could find a use for it!

A friend from work is coming over for dinner on Saturday so I now have the motivation for getting some dusting and picking up done around here. This time of year I spend most of my weekends outside and it takes a lot to get me to look to the housework end of things. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 09 Jul 14 - 08:23 AM

Oh, there will be cotton strips in between the T-shirt squares.

Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 09 Jul 14 - 08:20 AM

Sort of winging it on the T-shirt quilt. Mine will be mostly festival, beer, Press Room, etc. shirts with the Fishtraks (recording studio) shirt in the middle -- Tom and I each got one at the party the night we met there.

My friend Carol is doing all the sewing, but I'm doing the cutting out (I'm using a plexiglass square that I had cut to size -- 14" square -- so I can see the design underneath; I draw around it with black or white marker then cut out the shirt), cutting of the fusable webbing, ironing that on, layout, etc.

She bought a pattern mostly for some hints as to sewing it -- she's using mine sort of as a practice one before doing one for herself.

We're using Pellon fusable interfacing on the back of the t-shirt material to stabilize it. I brought that part of the project (ironing the Pellon to the squares) home to work on, perhaps, while Dennis is working on the bathroom. Carol is picking up more Pellon before next Tuesday when we'll again be working together.

She has the space to lay it out, which I don't at home. But I counted squares by color and may be able to do a rough layout on paper before I actually lay it out.

Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jul 14 - 07:13 PM

Linn, how are you making the t-shirt quilt? I have a bunch of folk festival shirts of my Dad's that I'm thinking I could use for something like that. Are you cutting the front off or using squares of front and back for strength (since jersey is pretty stretchy)?

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 08 Jul 14 - 07:10 PM

City:
Another breezy day, though very warm in the sun. Turned off the AC this am and let the breeze blow through while I did two loads of laundry and remade the bed - love clean sheets. Phone calls and time on the computer, a big salad for lunch and then off to visit friends who bought a few pots in the new glaze, the result of almost two years of "get a turquoise glaze!" Hannah is happy and encouraging me to make more for the September craft show - "They will love it!" I shall follow her directive.

Then drove an hour across the city to pick up ticket for vernissage of 1001 pots. On way home, stopped at a grocery and picked up 8 marked down plant: perennials, a euonymous and a white potentilla - for here and, mostly, the country - and a few groceries. Now thinking of healthy supper. SRS reminded me I have organic zukes so....   Yum!

I threw a whole bunch on Monday and need to go back tomorrow to trim them and put together 4 (hopefully) teapots. Hoping for a kiln load to dry over the week I am away.

Making arrangements to go back to Ontario on Monday and for R and I to go on 31st for the weekend. Car rental- done.

Time to concoct supper.

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 08 Jul 14 - 07:04 PM

Saturday I mostly slept. Got a decent night's sleep but I was still totally wiped from a busy and sleep deprived week. I'd get up, do stuff, take a nap, get up, do stuff, take a nap... Had a lovely morning with a friend on Sunday. I brought cinnamon rolls (and potato salad -- not at the same time) and she provided the coffee and dogs... Great conversation, dog petting and a chance to relax. AND she bought the iron pot rack I was going to put on Craig'sList.

Dropped off one of Tom's CD early this morning to a friend who used to teach with Tom. He wanted a copy to give to a friend. So that's another few bucks. Then got back to work on the T-shirt quilt at a friend's. This weather is obscene. Whenever I want to get work done, it's hot and the humidity is through the roof. The space was air conditioned, I wasn't moving much (cutting out fusable webbing), but I was still dripping.

Came home and got a few other things accomplished then watched "I Hear the Mermaids Singing" which I haven't seen in years. Lovely film!

Made some more of the cheese salad (grated cheddar, shallot, mixed with mayo) which got raves at Friday's party (in between early morning celebration and late afternoon and evening's session) and the plate was licked clean, so I didn't get any. Bought some pumpernickel pretzels to go with it for myself... Also made a fairly ambitious supper and then forgot entirely to grate up some Romano to put on top of it... Ah, well. There's leftovers.

Now I suppose I should go upstairs and take a shower and wash my hair. I don't think it's thundering much... (We've been having afternoon or nighttime thunderstorms for the past week.) Dennis will be here to continue work on the bathroom at 7:30. And the Driveway Patrol came on Saturday. Hmm...the anti-fatigue mat that was supposed to arrive yesterday hasn't, I think... We'll be using that under the new composting toilet to keep it from walking around on the slate floor. Guess I'll have to check on it...

Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jul 14 - 09:44 AM

Two more parcels ready to go to the post office. My eBay balance is slowly creeping upward.

Lots of veggies to cut up are now in the fridge. I have a few tomatoes on the window sill. This is a depressingly small crop for the number of plants in the yard.

New hose stand is looking good. I put two connected hoses on it, the outer one is a piece of crap that I bought last year - it looked good but there was a reason it was going for such a discount - it manages to kink several times in any watering session. I'll take it off and find a place where I can lay it out and leave it, let it do something useful once its in place and not have to fool with it. Maybe it can water the cannas at the side of the house.

A freelance job in May was never paid - their office assistant left and it wasn't completed, now the paperwork is missing. I have to reproduce it. Checking my files this morning.

The days are heating up for everyone now. Stay cool and comfortable. I am happy with my can of Gatorade powder, that helps a lot because I don't like to stop work just because it's hot. The closest Sam's Club where I bought it last weekend is closing tomorrow and moving to a new inconvenient location south of me. There are a couple of others I can go to on my way from work but are still out of my way. Costco is closer now, so perhaps this is time to make the change. My brother has friends in the company management - when I was visiting my siblings last summer my sister told us that "if Costco doesn't carry it he doesn't want it." They also have better employee policies. I got burned going into a store one time, though - some things they have to sell to the public by state law, regardless of membership status, but if you get an item that isn't on that list the clerk I dealt with got really nasty and confrontational.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Jul 14 - 11:53 AM

This is a Monday back at work when I can rest up from the weekend. The yard looks good so I hate to leave and not enjoy it. I used to be able to telecommute, and on mornings like this when the neighbor is out early mowing I'd take my cup of tea across the street to visit for a few minutes then head back to the house to work. No more.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Jul 14 - 10:54 PM

You did quite a bit of travelling and work over the weekend, Dorothy! Collapse at the end of the day seems to be something we have in common lately. I was in the yard a lot today and have taken a couple of aspirin as a preemptive strike. I can feel muscles stiffening up.

I weeded, I trimmed, I sawed up a couple of large limbs. Half of the stack of wood is at the curb for tomorrow's trash, the rest will go out for Thursday. I set up my hose rack and ran some initial tests.

My very late dinner needed a little cooling so I stepped in here to check what was up and then turn off the computer. Relatively early to bed tonight.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 06 Jul 14 - 09:39 PM

Country:
Too nice here to go back to city. A reasonable temp and breezy all day -two days. Yesterday I did the Farmers' Market and knew I was going to be wiped out so when a friend said she would like to go pick strawberries I offered to drive her ; better than sitting in a state of collapse for the rest of the day. So I packed up (only sold one pot!!!) and drove to mill where I offloaded enough to make room for the second human and picked her up for our little adventure.

About 25 minutes to the strawberry farm where, having bought a whole flat that morning, I found A) they are sprayed and B) they had a far superior type at the farm. G decided not to pick and we each bought a basket of the better berries. I ate a bunch while waiting for G who talks a LOT! Then we went to the superior bakery nearby and I bought a choc mousse cake- frozen; will be treats for at least a month. Then to an organic farm for a few veggies and back to drop her off and to the mill about 4:30. THEN I collapsed into a near stupor. read, dozed, ate cheese and crackers, read, dozed, and went to bed at 10.

Up by 6:30: weeded my little garden, eliminated as much purple loosestrife as I saw; will do it again and again, found curtains for the kitchen - this took some search and organize efforts, ate, read, and made it to the studio where I worked from about 2 - 5. Then went off to either buy apples or applesauce OR find Geri. Found Geri and we went to supper with another friend, a lengthy process. Came home and, in the cool of the eve, I cut most of the weeds in an area about 50x50 with the scythe. A great improvement as they were almost waist high!
I coughed most of the day but it was still a very good day!

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Jul 14 - 01:22 PM

More eBay listed.

Laundry was out overnight - must go retrieve it.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jul 14 - 07:55 PM

Front yard just about finished, hose assembly for a sound soaker system for the summer underway. One repair managed so far, and several other hoses need to be given new ends and then attached to siamese splitters for around the garden. Trimmed grass out from under some of the tomatoes. Several plants don't seem to be producing at all so I'll use the blossom set and see if I can get a few.

I put the new hose stand pipe into a bucket of concrete (it has a faucet and a hose support and will be hooked by hose to the front faucet on the house. Photos will follow). This way I can put the stand where I want. It's one part of the whole plan to keep the foundation watered (so it doesn't crack) and to keep the garden alive.

Must hang laundry before it gets mildewy. It ran this morning.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jul 14 - 11:24 AM

I had a thought last night as I was doing laundry - I think Dorothy (or maybe Maryanne?) mentioned losing weight but not losing any more (or I read it on facebook - so many discussion areas these days!) I'm at that same point. Much more fit than last year, fitting in my "fat pants" and wanting to lose the rest. Working on the momentum. I do the alternate fasting (500 cal days) about twice a week right now. I need to actually alternate to get the desired effect.

Clearing more old produce from the freezer. Since I have a lot of jalapeno peppers I'll sort the old sliced and diced peppers and freeze some of the new ones. Old will go into the compost, which is quite huge this year for some reason. That's good, more compost for a couple of years from now.

I walked the dogs this morning after several weeks of not walking them. They were so excited they were knocking each other over. My bad, I need to walk them every day.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Jul 14 - 10:06 PM

I did some running around this afternoon and with some coupons was able to replace three of the old D-cell flashlights with three efficient 27-LED lights. Three trips in to Harbor Freight to buy one thing and get the flashlight with a coupon. The bin in the kitchen is filling up with stuff for Goodwill.

The last few stops at grocery stores I've been reading the labels of various sports drinks without the ester of rosin. It's something I remember from Quench and Squirt - soft drinks from years ago - now in Gatorade and others. I finally remembered that it also comes as a powder in cans and headed over to Sam's Club. They only have a blue flavor now, but it'll work. I've been needing this for the last couple of weeks as it gets really hot.

The dogs are in. As I was finishing emptying the kitchen compost bin into the big pile I heard some substantial booms. They were okay when I was out there but they sure wanted in fast when I came in. Just now I made eye contact with Zeke and he got up to give me a kiss. :)

I looked around the house today and I still see things sitting out on every surface. Nothing is featured as special when things are sitting everywhere. Time to work more on the Goodwill bin and on the eBay listings. I have some cupboard space that can be allocated also. I think that will be my activity for this Fourth of July evening in.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 04 Jul 14 - 06:04 PM

Country:
Left later than I intended. Took an hour to get to the bridge and 10 min to cross! 90 min to Chateuguay which usually takes 20 min. So now it was 5 so I thought I would do something unique: I went into two small dress shops and looked. There was one interesting object - a dress that was $55@ half price. So I went on to the thrift shop in Mercier where I bought 2 pairs of pedal pushers and one nice cotton slacks and a summer sweater - for $3.50 @ half price! And two folding garden chairs - $4.00. Having killed some time and augmented my wardrobe quite adequately, I went to the cafe in St. Isidore for the music. Open mike was terrific and Bobby Dove was too. So was the supper and the company.

Drove very slowly toward the mill because it was "the raccoon time of night". Drove past two prop for sale but a little too far I think. Continued on the secondary roads and saw a realtor sign on one we had phoned about in the early spring. Instead of phoning us back, the owner listed it. And very recently as it is not on the web site yet.

R is upset about my tick bite which we are sure resulted from the prop we saw on Sat but there are ticks wherever there is tall grass and weeds. The spot is still a bit red but diminishing.

Still did not get pots made but did glazing and filled kiln which is now firing - all with the new turquoise and white combo. The last lot of pots, unloaded last night, are very nice. I unloaded and sorted stuff I brought down, spent a lot of time on FB, went to town to deal with overdue books, was told they were not overdue, asked about a book a friend had suggested on FB - Te Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker; Rory suggests it be required for HS students to give them hope. The book explores the decline of violence in the world and maintains humans are becoming less violent and kinder. A weighty tome of 698 pages plus notes and index, I hope I can manage some part of it. I also delivered four mugs to a woman who ordered them; she was delighted.

The good news is that, although I have not lost any more weight, I have not gained any either. And last night at the cafe I realized how good I was feeling; could not sit through the bouncy music and stood to dance in place. Good exercise for over an hour. Have not
worn the protective mask for a while.

Starting to make arrangements for trip to Gemboree. Need to rent a car so we can go in different directions. I am NOT a rockhound.

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jul 14 - 11:43 PM

If you sign up for Harbor Freight's email they have a coupon for 25% off of one item for Friday only (July 4). I guess I'll be using that for another chipper.

After the garden it will be NetFlix and eBay this evening. And Elementary.

I did a load of laundry, some needed to go in the dryer because it is work clothes, but some is out on the line overnight. It means the dryer didn't run as long. Hanging by the rechargeable Coleman lantern with the dogs milling around to help (every time you bend near the basket there is someone to offer a kiss) is interesting. I'll retrieve it in the morning. The dryer was stopped at the point when clothes were hot but not wrinkled and they're now hanging to finish drying.

No fireworks noise tonight, but I expect tomorrow will be one with the dogs in the house from dusk on. They don't like the lights and popping of the local celebrations.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jul 14 - 05:52 PM

The chipper died 4 days after the 90 day warranty expired. I've built up a pile of branches to chip, so now I'll have to work this out. Probably the ol' stunt of buy a new one and take this back in a month for a refund. And hope the new one keeps working. All of the rest of the models out there are too big and way too heavy for what I need.

Went to lunch with a lot of friends who used to work at the library. Many left or retired because of the reorganization. It was nice to visit. One thing we didn't talk about much was work. On the way back I stopped at the feed store and picked up a few plants - my basil hedge is lacking this year so I'll add to it, and I have a couple of flowers for the patio pots, and a couple of things for a shady area.

I need to work on shade for the back patio to keep the afternoon sun from beating on my sliding glass door. I have a couple of ideas to research. Also, it's time to put up my back yard shower. The water through the lines warms up so much you can literally shower without additional hot water. With a private back yard, it's a nice summertime ritual.

I also do the copy before posting thing, but somehow it still managed to disappear. Perhaps someone else posted near the same time so when I saw the thread at the top of the page I assumed mine had gone through and didn't double check.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 03 Jul 14 - 12:39 PM

City - but not for long!
Thanks to Jeri and Linn for info. Definitely deer tick. Do not believe it was there 24 hours but the hole was oozing white stuff. R squeezed it hard and put tea tree oil on it before removal and after. He has been researching on line. I started taking extra Pau d'Arco for the antibiotic effect. The redness is less today. Will check in at hospital tomorrow. They had 74 cases in southern Quebec last year. The ticks are moving north with global warming.

Linn! You are making wonderful progress. It will be so nice, feel so good!

R brought home a nice little three tier corner shelf wood unit with turned legs. The first was a major moving day in Montreal and the piles of stuff left behind were daunting. I am grateful that is all he dragged home! A person could have gone around with a truck and furnished an entire house, including dishes, pots etc. Probably linens as well.

Woke up about 8 this morning (bed was after 12). Felt fine and did a small wash and dried R's one pair of shorts before he went off. Did his ragged winter jacket and put it outside to dry. Cool breeze blowing through the house and AC off! Distiller still outside, doing one more gallon before I leave for country. phoned a couple friends in Ontario re helping out at Art Gallery when I visit again. Thinking of next week - Monday - Friday, more or less. Will consult with R on Saturday. He is too busy with current crises.

Got no pots made this week. Having carried the portable wheel upstairs yesterday morning, now need to bring it down and load the car with a bunch of stuff to go to the country. Going mid aft to miss traffic on the bridge - one lane!

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Jeri
Date: 03 Jul 14 - 10:48 AM

Black legged tick is called a deer tick because it parasitizes deer, but it also likes mice, birds and people. Probably anything with a handy meal. I think that's why the shift is away from calling it that. If you have a rash, do go get seen. The tick's saliva can cause a reaction/rash, but it's better to be safe, because Lyme Disease is very easily treated early on.

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 03 Jul 14 - 07:54 AM

Stilly, I copy my post before I hit "Submit Message"...that way when it doesn't "take" (like just now), I can paste it back in and try again without having to try to reconstruct my post.

Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 03 Jul 14 - 07:52 AM

Dorothy, if that was a black-legged tick (often mistakenly called a deer tick) -- and they're the tiny ones -- it takes 24-36 hours of the tick being attached for the spirochetes to migrate into your body. I'm sort of a defacto "expert" on ticks and Lyme disease. New Hampshire has the highest rate of Lyme disease in the US. Rockingham (my county) and Strafford counties have the highest rate within New Hampshire, and Nottingham (my town), Lee, and Barrington have the highest rates within those two counties. Dr. Alan Eaton, an entomologist one of whose specialties is ticks, is a friend and session member (fiddle and vocals with Mudhook). Wish he'd record the amusing and informative "Tick Rap" which he wrote. (One night at the session after performing it, he passed out quizzes...) If a black-legged tick was attached for any length of time, see a doctor for antibiotics.

Stilly, I wish I could get that brand EV olive oil around here. Alas, while we have oriental markets, we don't have any Near Eastern markets. (Wish I could still get the Pakistani rose syrup I used to be able to buy.)

I woke up at 3 a.m. and couldn't get back to sleep. Can't even blame it on the heat and humidity (well, maybe...) because yesterday's thunderstorms brought the temperature down (but added, of course, to the humidity. Mostly my brain kicked in. Gave up around 4, turned on the light and read. And then it started to get light...and the alarm was set for 6...

Dennis is due in 15 minutes. Hope by tonight I'll have at least partial use of the bathroom back. I'll need to take a shower and wash my hair.

Using Tom's commode tucked discretely around the corner in the bedroom.

Before he left yesterday afternoon, I had Dennis (who was standing splay-legged with he feet on the edges where there were no tiles) hand me my BP meds, contacts stuff and a pair of earrings. Went to the session in Dover last night naked -- no make-up (couldn't stay on with the perspiration anyway) and no rings on my right hand.

He's here and he just promised I'll be able to take a shower and wash my hair tonight. Tomorrow is another early morning, but for fun -- West Nottingham's Fourth of July celebration starts at 7 a.m. at Demmon's Old Country Store. Free breakfast (eggs, toast, maybe homefries and a red, white & blue berry cup) at 7, from 8-9 we sit around and sing and play music (the core musicians are from the Press Room session), and then at 9 a.m. is the reading (from the porch of the country store) of the Declaration of Independence.

Oh, yesterday solved another little problem. I asked Dennis about the possibility of a doorbell because I can't hear anyone at the door even if I'm downstairs. And upstairs, forget it. The only time I can tell if someone is here is if I'm at the computer and I see them pull into the driveway. He suggested (and I bought on eBay) Driveway Patrol, so he'll install it when it gets here.

That just reminds me...I have to go upstairs (where my calendar is) and call the electrician back to schedule upgrading two outlets -- the one behind the composting toilet and the one in the laundry room.

Slowly, but surely, everything will get accomplished...

Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jul 14 - 11:14 PM

I went by my Middle Eastern grocery store this evening and picked up several types of flatbread for comparison. I like pita and naan when I can find it, but they also had some much larger (like pizza-size large) rounds of Iraqi bread that is stretchy and chewy. I had some with the last of my babaghanouj at dinner. Also a favorite bread that used to be sold as "Afghan bread" and is now labeled "Barbari" bread. From the same baker, the same size and packaging, but quite possibly politically a less hot-button name.

I also picked up my regular 3-liter bottle of Lebanese olive oil (when I bought a 1 pint bottle at the regular grocery it cost $8, this was $15 and it is so much better). The olive oil I bought the other day isn't a total waste - it's the first all American olive oil I've ever bought, cold pressed virgin. I'll compare them. This purchase and my haircut today are the last cash I plan to spend for a while.

Four days off. So much to do.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 02 Jul 14 - 08:51 PM

City:
SRS! hope another job comes along soon!

Did some laundry this morning. Finding things that can be washed and put away until after the reno. Left the upstairs doors open and no little visitors. Late bf this morning. At 10 am I thought I would go up and pot for two hours after I... Then it was 11 so I ended up on FB until it was time to go to dentist for cleaning. Stopped at Market for apples and got 3 avocados - very hard! R really does not like pork without applesauce!

Had a nice lunch of broccoli and celery soup with brie and a piece of Naan. Then could not keep eyes open so went for a lie down thinking 15 minutes of so. Almost 2 hours later R came home "for lunch" - about 6:30. I dragged myself up feeling drugged and very out of it. Gave him a salad while I cut up and nuked apples to go with pork; not as good as the apple sauce I had intended but it sufficed. This locally grown - in the country - pork roast melts in the mouth. An expensive treat.

Now we are concerned about Lyme disease. I found a tick on my thigh on Monday morning. That is, there was something there where I could not see it, just felt it. R investigated and very carefully removed a tiny tick (the worst sort) and drenched the, very red, area with tea tree oil. Checking on line, he finds that area, down in the country, has a high rate of Lyme - 74 last year. So I guess I will be going to the hospital down there on Friday for advice. I have a 1 pm appointment to get the tail gate mechanism repaired so that will be a good time to try for help.

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jul 14 - 11:33 AM

I posted last night but it didn't stick. The work you're doing on your bathroom makes any peeling up of linoleum and putting down tile on my part sound puny, Linn. Dorothy, it sounds like you had a great visit. Michelle, did you do that garage sale yet? How did it go?

Yesterday I caught up on a lot of stuff around the house including shredding old papers, filing, paying bills. Another item was listed on eBay. I mainly needed the day to sort out where things stand with the job opening I'm interested in. They are not meeting their deadlines as far as interviews and hiring but hope to make a decision this month. Fingers crossed.

I'm glad so many of us have access to fresh healthy vegetables. I was out last night examining the garden and came in with my t-shirt front (you know, pick up the hem and use it like an apron) full of peppers. I need to pick more tonight and start processing them. Some will be in pickles, others in the freezer. I picked several eggplant on Sunday and gave one to the next door neighbor yesterday (she never used to eat eggplant but she loves babaghanouj and makes it regularly). I have another one for my haircutter today. Tomorrow I'll have a couple more in the garden ready to pick, so the challenge is to stay ahead of them. And tomatoes are beginning to look like they'll ripen soon. There aren't a lot, but there are some big ones.

Four days off in a row this week. With the post-automatic-transmission-rebuild austerity I'm in it means that I need to actually finish projects I've already started instead of investing in new ones. This is a good thing as it tidies up a lot of loose ends. One of the first things to do over this long weekend is sort out all of my watering and soaker hoses around the yard. I have a watering thing (battery operated) that I bought last year and never set up. It's time to do that.

P.S. Got a call, didn't get that job. Darn. At least I got to the interview, so the process is getting more streamlined.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 02 Jul 14 - 09:55 AM

My handyman showed up right on time at 7:30 a.m. He's out right now getting the materials to do the floor and the fact that I couldn't scrub the floor completely is not a problem because he'll put luan over it. (Whew!)

We've discussed a few other things around here to make my life simpler. Some are little tasks that are beyond me but that he should be able to take care of in no time and minimal expense. And he'll get me quotes on a couple projects and options on some other less pressing things.

Right now I'm doing some online research on lighting fixtures to replace the innocuous (but cheap -- downside was they were never really installed properly plus they're difficult to replace bulbs) black can wall-type lighting fixtures scattered throughout the house. My handyman had tightened them up last year, but couldn't easily find replacements when he went to pick up other materials. I've not had time to look since then. The fixture that REALLY needs to be replaced is the one in the kitchen where the important side of the two lights is terminally broken. (So I have no good lighting over the stove.) Maybe temporarily one of the fixtures from the little office (which really only needed to be a single) could be used.

I'm getting discouraged trying to find something online. I think one of these days (soon) I'll go check out Rockingham Electric and ReStore in Portsmouth. And maybe Dennis can swap out those two for the time being and I can take the broken one with me to give sales people a better idea of what I'm looking for -- and size.

Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 01 Jul 14 - 04:52 PM

Cabinet for toilet taken apart and I've been schlepping it downstairs and outside to stack behind the deck.

Scraped 30 years' worth of peat moss dust (and lord knows what else) off the floor.

When I finally get all the framing and plywood and stuff outside, then I can try to scrub the floor as best I can. I hope my garden kneeler will help because I can't get down on my knees on the floor.

My handyman is going to have to bring the slate upstairs...I just can't.

Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 01 Jul 14 - 04:51 PM

Well, that took almost 15 minutes and was incredibly easy. Is it still Tuesday? I have to think of something else to do - in a cool part of the house.

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 01 Jul 14 - 04:04 PM

City:
HAH! Linn's project reminds me that I can now put the new filter in the air cleaner. Not a small job, or a BIG one but it will take figuring out, even reading the instructions! Happily, R installed the AC this morning. Guess he was hot also. I could barely breathe yesterday and spent the afternoon - tired of sitting but unable to move for the heat. Today, not enough energy to go up to the hot area and pot, even though I want to make pots. Tomorrow might be cooler. I did go up and open the front and back doors. It won't get cooler until the day does but it will not store up yet more heat. Must remember to close them tonight lest the raccoons move in. Heard one in the attic last week.

R doing the AC meant me finding, "tape measure?" "screwdriver?" "marker" ... The screwdriver lives in my car so I will know where it is. He was going to put it back but I asked him not to; it is here for my task.

I did get the recycling bin out this am and R brought it in. The AC is only for BR and LR. I closed off the kitchen and did my roast pork - in an old cast iron pot with lid as I recently broke the lid of my lovely 45 year old casserole, one of the first "big" things I bought after I came to Canada. The roast is done, oven off, distiller on back steps working away so the heat goes outside.

messaged/emailed a few people, and checked out FB, read and ate bigger salad, bread, cheese and strawberries. Now I am fed up with sitting. Will try doing the filter thing before the chair and I become one.

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 01 Jul 14 - 03:13 PM

I've been kind of quiet the past couple days because I've been kind of BUSY the past couple days...

Last Thursday would have been Tom's and my 32nd wedding anniversary. I didn't go into it in as bad emotional shape as I did my birthday a couple weeks ago, but the day started out rather introspective and reminising. Then I got a call from the credit union who was about to pay the 6 months property tax and the difference made her panic. I knew Tom's elderly and blind exemptions were coming off as of April 1, but I did. not. expect. that jump (from $330 to $1744). That changed the whole emotional content of the day, believe me. I'm not eligible for the elderly exemption until next year, so I've got a year of having to pay full weight on the property taxes. But the good news is I could and DID pay it. And I can pay it for the rest of the year. When Mom died ten days after Tom, I thought her timing was pretty bad... Well, it turned out that it saved my posterior. But, quite honestly, I'm feeling...a bit shaky and less "safe" financially.

Friday was a lovely day which started out with a three hour lunch with a couple really great friends at an interesting new grill and pub with a lot of character. The food is really good and reasonably priced, too. They reminded me I needed to get to the Portsmouth Farmers' Market or to the Meadow's Mirth farm stand and start picking up my produce for my CSA share, which I'm sharing with them. Then at the Press Room session everything went just really really well, despite one of the stronger voices being in Utah and Idaho until August. Had a good talk with a friend I don't often get a chance to talk to, and, after the session got off to a somewhat slow start (too nice a day outside and too many gigs), another good strong singer whom we haven't seen for awhile came in and sang until we wrapped.

A group of young guys came in and sat over by the stairs. They looked like they might be a ZZ Top cover band, but when I sang "The Man Who Waters the Workers' Beer" they got really excited. So I went over and talked to them and told them the history of the session, etc. Turns out they were one of the opening acts upstairs and described their music as "Appalachian/Blues/Punk"...but we welcome just about everyone to our Anglo-Celtic trad session. I invited them to join us and two ran upstairs for their instruments...and Adam came down with a tiny banjo and his bandmate with a standup bass. They sang a Woody Guthrie union song, which, of course, led me to doing a couple union songs... We had a great time. Adam wanted me to join them later onstage to sing "The Man Who Waters the Workers' Beer" but I had promised a friend that I'd catch the last 45 minutes of her Greek gig at Café Nostimo. What a great night!

Then on Saturday I went to the Farmers' Market and Josh told me that actually I still had a credit left from last season. I'm eating free this week (and probably mostly free for some time). Took the scenic route on the way home and ended up sitting for awhile at a lovely little pocket park on the Lamprey River in Newmarket, NH -- overlooking Chick's Weir. And I talked to the mallards who seemed to enjoy the conversation. The backs of the mills are now so gentrified and cleaned up. Back in 1981 I worked at Newmarket Press and their loading dock was just up the river from where I was sitting. What a difference!

Had a huge amount of stuff on my list on Sunday, everything from laundry and making my homemade Italian dressing (and another batch of blue cheese dressing) to reading and critiquing all the writing for Monday's memoir writers group.

Yesterday the fellow came to pay me for the huge anvil in the cellar as well as the forge and the smaller anvils and a few tools. I really should have taken pictures... He got it out of the cellar, around the corner of the house, and up the slope to the driveway level on a sled -- pretty slick. Then, while winching it up to the truck bed, it slid off the sled. I called a neighbor with a little tractor but he was on his way to the airport. HE called another neighbor who came up and they got it into the truck.
So I got to meet a neighbor I had only waved to. (He refused payment or even a beer for helping out; said, "That's what neighbors do...help each other out.") So now I have some more space in the cellar and some space filled in the bank account.

Got the check deposited this morning and got aluminum foil at the store which I seem to keep forgetting. Got some other preliminary and peripheral tasks accomplished, too, but my primary focus is taking the old composting toilet apart and scrubbing down the subflooring in anticipation of my handyman coming at 7:30 tomorrow morning to do the bathroom floor. He might have to bring the boxes of slate upstairs by himself; not sure if I'll get to it. I DID bring up the replacement gray slate tiles to substitute for the red ones in the mix in the boxes.

Of course the weather today decided to be in the mid-90s (F)... and all I'd REALLY like to do is take a nap!

Well, I've got it partially apart, and I just grabbed the screwdrivers and flashlight so I have to go and attack the rest of it.

Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Jul 14 - 03:08 PM

Followed a friend's advice and called to ask about it. The job number doesn't matter, the application went in properly. They haven't been able to meet their deadlines but everyone is still in the running.

Exhale.

Filing around here today. I felt a bit under the weather this morning so kept whatever the bug is at home, but I'm not so down that I can't sort papers, file, and shred. My office looks much better.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jun 14 - 10:38 PM

Figured out that a job I'm interested in was re-advertised. Scrambling to get the paperwork in, revised to fit the new, larger description (more job requirements, but interestingly they fit what I described in my interview with them earlier this month).

I filled up the pump and sprayed a mix of compost tea and various good things on my garden. Tomorrow I'll do a more localized spraying and use some orange oil and spinosad to knock out some flea beetles hitting my eggplants and a couple of the chard plants. Now comes the strategic watering period of the year. Keeping things alive and growing without breaking the bank. I dug up the last three potato plants, pulled out the taters and then as a test I put a couple of the plants back into the ground and watered them in to see if they grow some more. Just curious.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 30 Jun 14 - 02:10 PM

City:
Happily used the push mower this morning - it stopped screeching after a couple minutes and cut the little bit of grass nicely in the back yard - the only yard. Then I went off to deal with the cell phone. Now I shall have to phone them for instructions as I cannot get any where with it.

After I got a, hopefully, working loaner, I went to the Restore and bought 4 nice metal trellises for the four clematis. The two half way decent old ones will go to the country and the two jury rigged will be deep-sixed. While I was out there, I pulled weeds and trimmed a few things. Not for long; it is too hot! Also acquired six nice geranium sized pots so I can repot the ones still in plastic.

Big salad for lunch but still hungry. Maybe I will try a bigger one. I did eat cookies last night and suffered cramps all night in spite of extra magnesium. Want to do a roast pork but it will heat up the house... R needs to re-install the AC; I don't want to mess up the new insulation (where a window should be) even though the reno (when ever?) needs to include new windows. Too hot to cook anything. I need cooked food. OK, broccoli in the microwave.

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jun 14 - 12:29 PM

I pushed myself through garden chores yesterday in order to finish in time to fix an impromptu dinner for five (my daughter came to town with a friend and family came over to join us). I need to buy a case of Gatorade, I can still feel it from yesterday even though I drank a lot of water.

I did most of the transplanting into freshly dug beds (where the spring potatoes grew) and created a couple of new spots for the cucumbers home-seeded bedding plants that were planted late but at least did get planted. I have some potatoes do finish digging and then some other bedding plants will go in that spot.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 29 Jun 14 - 10:11 PM

City:
I have been doing catch up since coming back to the city on Thurs eve. I drove all the way back with an urge to turn around and go back, esp after getting into Quebec. So tired of dealing with French and the idiotic bureaucracy. YES! worse than anywhere else I have lived.

It was wonderful to catch up with dear friends and have a meal at my fav eatery, while also catching up with dear friend who is co-owner - for two hours! This after spending 3 hours with another friend and her artist husband in their art filled home on a small lake. After my long lunch, I had to rush to get to dinner almost an hour away, a wonderful time of conversation with a few friends. Then back a half hour to the concert in the park! The bandshell is made of hand squared timbers - done by the featured musician, father of my dinner host. I have known them 41 years! Tam and I hung out when she was about 11; now her daughter is 11. Daughters are Georgia (on my mind) and Sunny - for that song.

So I stayed at the hotel 3 nights. Quiet! And fresh air! On Thursday I had bf with my widowed friend in her beautiful, very secluded country home - full of art and antiques. She cried for two years but she is very busy in the community. "On the road again", I stopped at the School House Dining Room - just to see that it was still there!

I never caught up with the widower of my potting friend. My cell phone quit so if anyone tried to phone me... VERY frustrating.

I did feel better while I was there. R says that is only because I was away. I guess he has forgotten what real clean air is like.

Went to the mill on Friday. Did a bisque firing, went to cafe for music. We went to look at a house on Sat. I declared, "If you buy it, I will have nothing to do with it until it has a new roof, the trash has been collected into a dumpster and the weeds (chest high) have been cut." That is my absolute bottom line. It has good bones but ...........................Well, that's about all.

The trip away was good for me. Maybe not so great for the relationship. It was terrific to be among long time friends and feel part of a community where I could help out - in ENGLISH! I told R I want a pied a terre in Bancroft and he responds with, "Let's go look at the (house we went to see.)! I do want to be able to go back for a few days each month - until the snow flies. I shall start messaging friends in search of a place to rent - for less than the hotel.

R went back to the city on Sat and I rested, washed dishes, rested. Today, I did glazing and got a firing going. Almost all are white with the new dark turquoise glaze. Four blue/white mugs for an order. Also cut some weeds with scythe and weeded garden, parts of which are burgeoning! Loaded car and started to city with a lengthy stop at local restaurant where 3 friends were having a meal. I did not eat; I had two bowls of choc ice cream and strawberries at the mill - trying to cool off. So much for fitness, though I did work steadily for about 6 hours today. And I had a big bowl of lettuce and humus for lunch. And I have, so far, avoided eating lots of choc cookies, although the urge is strong and I may yet succumb. Also bought groceries on the way so I shan't have to do it tomorrow. NEed to go deal with cell phone problem - AGAIN!

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jun 14 - 10:20 AM

Foliar feeding in the garden this morning, then digging a bed to transplant some home-grown bedding plants. Zucchini and cucumber. And plant okra from seed.

I am about finished with the re-vamped chandelier listing for eBay. I have to take it out of the box and wrap it in a way to stabilize it for travel then repack and weigh it. I'll have to balance this huge box on top of the scale and have someone read the number.

And back to the top.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Jun 14 - 12:39 PM

The front yard looks lovely, an eBay box is in the mail. I found a place to hang an elegant Georgia O'Keefe poster, and the kitchen is looking pretty good. On the downside, it seems like dog hair is multiplying in an exponential fashion around here. Time to change the vacuum cleaner bag and make a major assault on the corners where it seems to be hiding.

It's good to finally be putting both fitness and declutter back into this thread - I mowed the entire yard yesterday which amounts to a 90-minute workout. I woke up this morning able to feel it, especially in my arms because I trimmed a lot of branches also.

eBay is moving along and I have a bin to put things in for local donation. I've been filing papers this morning and shredding others. Hellen Buttigieg (neat) says that "piled paper is decisions deferred" and I'm looking at a lot of things that need filing or finishing or abandonment.

First load of laundry finished and headed out to the clothesline. This has the towels and sheets and small things where wrinkles don't matter. I'll bring it all in and put the dry-plank-hard towels into the dryer and run them with the clothes that are worn to work and need to be wrinkle-free. Dry towels in with the wet stuff speeds drying and softens the towels.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jun 14 - 12:16 PM

It's overcast, there is a possibility of rain, but I'll get the front mowed (finally!) before anything blows through. I don't need to go anywhere today, don't need to spend any money (good thing, I need to start regrouping after the financial shock of a rebuilt transmission earlier this month).

I listed the chandelier on eBay a couple of months ago with no nibbles and I've re-worked the listing to run it again this weekend. That will clear out a few cubic feet a space to move that out of the front room.

There are several projects that were ready to start at the time of above-mentioned car debacle, and I'll move forward on a couple this weekend. The materials here and now I have the time.

Also, garden work. My basil has not reseeded itself well this year and I have a packet I'll plant out there. It isn't summer if I don't have a small hedge of basil in my garden! I also have to plant okra and a couple of things for fall crops. Yes, it's June, but I'll start bedding plants to put in the ground in mid-late July for fall crops.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Jun 14 - 12:17 PM

Linn, your talking about the slate for your bathroom floor has me itching to pull up the linoleum in my bathrooms and finally put down tile. It would make sense, on general principals, to finish up the inside work around the house. So many colleagues are moving to new jobs and selling homes in the process, it is a trend that is unmistakable in the conspicuous de-population of the university library.

I finished dicing my home-grown onions, all but a few to use this week have gone into the freezer on two more baking sheets. I'll have 2+ gallons in heavy duty bags. If I tried to keep them in peat moss over time they'd gradually shrivel, and a lot of them were small so they wouldn't last long. I'll still buy a few fresh onions as I need them, and plant more later in the year.

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 25 Jun 14 - 07:58 PM

My new and improved birth certificate arrived day before yesterday from the State of Michigan. Why did I need to spend good money (and actually wait a month until I turned 65 so I could SAVE twenty bucks) on a new birth certificate when I already had one that has seen me through just about everything a birth certificate needs to see you through in 65 years? Because the original wasn't good enough to get a passport. I evidently was born in the days before raised seals making it officially official enough for a passport.

So today I finally got my posterior down to the post office to get photographed, submit the application and the necessary identification, and get the whole shebang in the works. Of course, the form I got last December wasn't good enough either -- they'd redesigned it and rearranged the positions of the information, so I had to fill out the new application. And write the checks. But, tah dah! it's done...except for the waiting for the actual passport and my birth certificate to arrive in the mail.

And then I may, at my leisure and during good weather, be able to visit a friend in Strathroy, Ontario, Canada. (Oh, and maybe some other friends, too.)

No, Canada does not require a passport for a US citizen to visit. But if I want MY country to let me back in so I can go home, I need the passport.

Bureaucracy!

I've been trying to figure out if the photo is better or worse than my recent driver's license photo... I think neither. I still look like my mother. (Not necessarily a good thing...)

Anyway, I did get a few other things done today, such as bringing slate tiles upstairs so the floor can be installed next week. And I got the old wheelbarrow up to the road with a FREE sign on it.

Now I'm going to feed the cats some wet food (treat!) and pour myself a weak G&T and maybe go out on the deck (it's almost dark) and see if there are any more lightning bugs. I don't think there will be any stars.

Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jun 14 - 03:12 PM

Looks like heavy weather is brewing again this afternoon. We need to enjoy it, starting in July it's supposed to be hot and dry again.

Giving this a boost to the top, I don't have much decluttering to add right now (though my desk could use a little filing and paper recycling).

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jun 14 - 12:09 AM

Those fireflies add magic to any location. There aren't any around here tonight after high winds blew through and knocked a bunch of limbs out of the neighbor's tree (they're scattered all over my yard) and toppled a couple of my native sunflowers. I'll see if the flowers can be propped in the morning. My backyard creek stayed in its banks and the dogs were fine in the garage. The front lawn didn't get mowed because of the rain, and there is potential for more for the next week. This is great for the drought but hard on short-term plans.

Instead of mowing I tried taking a brief nap when I got home - the dogs were in the house and I set a timer then stretched out on the leather recliner. That doesn't work - there was constant dog movement and quite a few sneaky kisses offered from the side of the chair and a couple of surprising kisses on my bare foot.

Kitchen is clean again after making a large batch of rice with chicken and mushrooms to use for lunch. I didn't finish seasoning my beans yet, maybe tomorrow, but when those are finished they'll be great with the rice. It'll be homemade lunch for the time being after the car transmission bill. Figuring a low average cost for lunch every day, it would take only about 3 years to save that much. :-(   

SRS

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 24 Jun 14 - 10:44 PM

And then tonight around 10:00 pm I felt a strong need to sit on the deck in the dark...barefoot, in my nightshirt. There were stars where I'd expected clouds...and a breeze to keep the mosquitoes away. And lightning bugs way up in the treetops. After a few minutes, some came down lower. One chased around above the rockery on the bank.

I love where I live in the middle of the woods. Spent a bit of time this afternoon on a lounge chair in the hemlock "room" on the bank out back behind the flower beds. I think there's another branch to come down, but I can do it. Sometime this summer. I read...and enjoyed the view of the sky between the tree tops. And my flower beds. And the woods down the slope.

Goodnight...

Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 24 Jun 14 - 01:30 PM

The Kubler-Ross quotation is, "The reality is that you will grieve forever. You will not 'get over' the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again but, you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same, nor would you want to."

I downloaded it (and put it into my "Tom" file alias on the desktop) when it showed up at Facebook. Definitely true. And definitely a reminder here six months into my first year of grief. Just had a couple hour phone conversation with a friend who has been a widow a couple months longer than I have. It's a great day for it because I just found out I have nothing else today that I HAVE to do (I don't have to go to a friend's to work on the T-shirt quilt) -- and had just come to the realization that I needed to take a day "off" just to be, to talk to friends and my sister (who called to say she's calling me back this afternoon), etc. Talked to Tom's 93-year-old cousin on Friday. She lost her husband shortly after Tom and I met, so it was probably 1981. She says, too, there are still some really down days. You never do "get over" the loss. It just changes. As the quotation says, you'll never be the same, but you don't WANT it to be the same.

A few months ago a friend sent me a great little book of daily meditations entitled "Healing After Loss" and yesterday's was even more appropriate than ever. About how some people don't want to mention the loss after, say, about six months, but how we widows still need to hear words of condolence. It doesn't bother US to shed a few tears...and crying can actually be an odd kind of enjoyable.

So, I got the rest of the vinyl pieces torn up, bagged, and into the trash. I sat on the steps outside and cut up the box and got it bagged, then I got the three bags of trash up to the road in time for pickup.

I just heated up the Bavarian Beef Soup for lunch and will now probably have the last of the strawberry shortcake for dessert. Then, maybe, I'll take the cordless phone out on the deck and wait for my sister to call.

That's it. That's my game plan for today. What counts for a day off, for a change. Maybe I'll bring some of those tiles upstairs...maybe I won't. I just cleaned up a box to hold CDs in the car. Maybe I'll take it out to the car...maybe I won't.

And maybe later I'll catch up with my friend in Seattle...or call my great aunt in Milwaukee -- she's not going to be around forever, either.

It's such a beautiful day out, though, I really feel I need to sit on the deck.

Linn

Subject: RE: Summer 2014 Exercise the right to declutter!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Jun 14 - 10:27 AM

I love how you always land on your feet, Dorothy - or at least don't damage anything when you come to rest. ;-)

Not a lot to report on the evenings when I work 10-hour days. The kitchen is clean and the dishes done. Yesterday started with a thunderstorm so I went into work later. Today dawned nice and I'm here early, leaving time this evening to mow the front lawn. That seems to be the thing I do the most of lately, cut the grass. Soon those days will be past and the earth will crack from the heat.

Linn, I expect that the mood swings will continue, but not as pronounced, and soon you'll spend more and more time in that middle comfortable zone, with the occasional relapse of sadness on various significant dates.

We haven't heard from Susan for a while. She must be moving trailers of furniture still, or painting, or building more ramps. Report in when you have a moment!

SRS