Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: ranger1
Date: 04 May 15 - 06:11 PM

Not much decluttering going on at home, but I did get rid of a bunch of antique paper clutter and abandoned lost and found items from several years ago at work today. We have files and files of current interpretive programs and outlines dumped randomly in a box on the desk of the little porch office that no one ever uses (MINE NOW!) and several file drawers full of obsolete park records going back to the late 70s and early 80s. I emptied one out by dumping the entire contents of a huge expanding folder containing water quality records for our little corner of Casco Bay from the mid 80s. They were all copies, the original info long ago sent to The Friends of Casco Bay's Baykeeper program. Next rainy day we'll organize all the folders on the desk and put them in the drawer.

I also consolidated two boxes' worth of invasive insect handouts into one and culled all the firewood handouts to leave at one of the parks that has camping. We don't, and we don't allow wood fires in the grills, either, so no need for us to be holding onto things we'll never use. In the process, I laid claim to a copy paper box to help my organization efforts at home. Perfect size for storing my comic book collection, and that will free up a plastic stackable storage container to hopefully consolidate some of my cross stitch supplies.

On the fitness end, went for a run this AM for the first time in two months. Felt amazing afterwards and I'm already looking forward to my next run on Wednesday.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 May 15 - 10:59 PM

Tami, excellent work, and once you have cleared out that place make sure your name is on the desk so no one else appropriates it! It must be tempting to browse through some of the old records.

Susan, that is a very sound reason for deciding to collect now. It's one that has been discussed on the Suze Orman lectures on PBS, if you ever listen to those.

Linn, on a side street in a nearby neighborhood there is a house with shake siding and a Cape Cod saltbox roof. They have a split rail fence out front and it looks like it was picked up from the a rural property on the Cape and dropped here in Fort Worth. Clearly someone who couldn't leave behind their roots when they moved here!

Today I left work early enough to be able to trim and mow the front yard. With all of the rain we've had this spring, it needs to be mowed twice a week but I struggle to manage once. I also started on the back yard again, which has grown to jungle height.

How did the game go, Michelle? Does Jeremiah like T-ball? My kids didn't play that, but it is popular in the schools here.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: ranger1
Date: 04 May 15 - 11:31 PM

The desk isn't mine, Maggie. I'm claiming the whole office! I do a lot of the weekly and monthly reports and things can get noisy in the main part of the cabin when we're all up there. Too many distractions and voila! the income report suddenly doesn't match the deposit and that's never good. Or I get 3/4 of the way through adding up the monthly public use and someone talks to me and I have to start all over because I can't remember if I added that day or not. No one else seems to want to take up residence out there (I suspect because there's no computer), so I figure I might as well.

And yes, the some of the old records are interesting. Most of them are telephone logs and reimbursement requests and other boring minutia from a not terribly well liked interpretive specialist who hasn't worked there since the late 1970s, though.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 May 15 - 10:21 AM

Last night I went for my first extended scooter ride, up our road. It was fun.... but I kept having the bizarre physical sensation that I might now be beyond "just scootering."

LAST year, it was finding that I was "beyond" aquajogging-- my body just WOULD not go to the pool. Not ready to hop on a bike this year, but maybe that walker has to move to the front porch, to go walkering up the road a little bit. It IS set up for that-- has an onboard backpack for water and a jacket.... hmmmm.... scootering some days, walkering others?

So the spontaneous morning walk was to walk the scooter up our long driveway and up onto the front porch, fitting a new piece to the front storage, then up the ramp to find I'd forgotten to leave the front door unlocked for myself-- so back around the whole long way back to the back door, with a pause at "my" "new" car to swap visor pockets. Especially enjoyed NOT having any issues with walking on uneven ground-- this bodes well for more walking everywhere!

Long time coming... didn't know I'd ever get to this phase!!!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 May 15 - 12:53 PM

Rain forecast here for the rest of the week. My front yard looked lovely as I drove away this morning, and next time it's dry enough to mow it will be ankle deep again. In the spring it's easily possible to mow twice a week, a great workout for the "fitness" component of this thread.

The bag of shoes has made it to the back seat of the car, so they are one less bit of clutter in the house. I passed an interesting-looking thrift store I hadn't noticed before on my drive home yesterday. Some of them give you a discount on your shopping if you donate something so the shoes might come in handy.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: GUEST,wysiwyg corrupt cookie
Date: 05 May 15 - 09:43 PM

I decluttered an SD card's worth of memory off my fone and gained a new lease on fone life with a complete reset.

I listed an old favorite desk on FreeCycle.... sniff!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 May 15 - 01:06 PM

I have some excess sturdy binders to donate, none (so far) are as large as the ones I sent around a couple of years ago, no metal piano hinges so far. But if someone is needing some standard size (mostly about 2") 3-ring binders, there may be some available to send out. Let me know today, they are doing this work this week and every day stuff is sent to the recycler at the end of the day.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: ranger1
Date: 06 May 15 - 01:55 PM

We could use them at the park, Maggie. Especially now that any office supplies come out of our park's operations and maintenance budget.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 May 15 - 03:17 PM

I urgently need binders.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: GUEST,MAG at library
Date: 06 May 15 - 04:49 PM

'puter net connection worked for half a day and went down again. sigh.

thanks for the advice on the thank-yous, all.

I too have more oregano than i know what to do with most friends who garden also have a ton. sage seems to work well as a leafy veg when stewed w/ other stuff.

edibles box now has angelica; sorrel and chicory are going. i mix them w/ a box of store-bought greens; otherwise they are a bit too much as my salad. dandelions got a head start when i was incapacitated; will i ever catch up? did try eating a few; getting them young is the key. another front yard leafy green.

put down a 50 lb. bag of pool-grade diatomaceous earth last fall to get the ants under control. i had to quit putting seeds in the ground, they were so voracious. seems to have helped, but some are still there. anyone know where i can get bulk boric acid?

moles last year took out every scrap of green fennel; a mentioned to a friend that it got eaten and she gave me a bunch of bronze fennel (which is not the good kind); i sert the bag beside the driveway and the next morning every scrap was gone, right out of the bag. is this something i will never be able to plant again?

bit the bullet and bought a 50 lb. jug of sluggo for the slugs and got rid of a lot. and a few found refuge in some pots. more bulbs gone, leaving only slug trails.

anyone know about a kind of expanding concrete you can put in concrete cracks to help break it up? tree on patio needs to go; has done a number on the concrete.

if you have read this far, thank you ...

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 May 15 - 05:28 PM

Pool grade diatomaceous earth is dangerous, Maryann. It's full of impurities that can be dangerous to you. Only use the food grade when you're treating anything in the yard or garden, the pool stuff is only for the pool.

You want to break up the concrete more and eventually replace it? Maybe you could use some of it as recycled concrete pavers.

I found where something had been digging around my potato plants - dug so fast that it threw dirt up on the sunflower leaves nearby. Not sure what to make of that. Ants are a huge problem around here lately, and I'm using sugar and borax (simple syrup - 1 cup water, 2 cups sugar, 2 tablespoons 20 mule team borax). Put out little glossy cards and a puddle of the mix and the ants take it back to the nest and kill the others, but it is slow.

Do you have a dog, or someone who can provide dog hair? That's what I'm going to pack in around my potatoes to discourage digging (it might be squirrels).

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: ranger1
Date: 06 May 15 - 05:41 PM

The 2" and 3" binders would be perfect. Probably wouldn't use the others at the park.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 06 May 15 - 07:00 PM

Well, yesterday was mostly a lost day. I woke up way too early and couldn't get back to sleep. I was totally useless, brains mushy. Some things HAD to be done, though, so I got dressed and put my contacts in and bagged the stuff (and wrote the check) to leave at the head of the driveway for trash pickup. Then continued to the credit union and paid the mortgage. There! That was two biggies crossed off the list.

Tried to nap when I got home. No go. Ended up reading. By the end of the day (after again trying to nap) I'd finished "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed. Saw the film at the library a couple weeks ago.

Realized I'd be dangerous on the road, so emailed ahead that I was probably not coming to the grief group meeting last night. I'd realized, too, that the longer I was upright (at the computer) the less well I felt, so went to bed and read until 8 p.m. when I turned out the light and fell right to sleep.

Woke up rested today and feeling human again. Can't figure out why sometimes if I'm sleep deprived, I'm just fine, while other times I'm totally nonfunctional.

So I had to get a bunch of stuff done today to get more or less caught up. Made scalloped oysters with the oysters I'd put in the freezer when I got sick after Christmas. Bought them to make oyster stew, but figured scalloped oysters were better at this stage of the game. Then I finished the bread pudding I'd started (tore up the bread) on Monday. Got the shaved steak separated and put in the freezer. By then the kitchen was in total shambles. Sigh. But I'd gotten a lot of the dishes out of the dishwasher and put away.

Wrote the thank you letter and the sympathy note and wrapped them in cards which I'll mail tomorrow. A friend called and that took care of a PMFF email I'd needed to send. Verified his emceeing duties (different from last year) for this year's festival by phone rather than email, and then had a very productive conversation on several other festival-related matters. (One more thing crossed off the list.) Changed the pillow cases -- I can work on moving stuff off the bed and changing the sheets tomorrow. Decluttered a couple magazines while waiting for my hair to dry. Then, late in the afternoon, went to the store and found out what a lovely day it had been weather-wise. I didn't get ANYTHING done outside today and there's lots of work to be done.

Got another long email reply to write...and the other emailing (another long chatty, plus sending some requested information to several people) will have to wait until tomorrow. Oh, and I've got to do the online paperwork for my tooth extraction in a couple weeks.

And the day is almost over. I'll get that email written, feed the cats, and head upstairs to read by 8 p.m., I hope.

Linn

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 May 15 - 12:05 AM

Linn, I think today more than made up for anything that didn't get finished yesterday! And getting enough sleep is critical to feeling good. I keep reminding myself of that as I sit up late watching or reading, using those activities as escape from unhappy days at work. Not the best solution.

The next few days all have substantial chances for rain, so I'll plan to work around the house more. Maybe it's time for a project again. Painting a room, perhaps, or tearing up the ugly bathroom vinyl flooring.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 May 15 - 08:55 AM

Cleaning out the dead van resulted in so many CDs and cassettes that the last week has involved plugging away to sort them. Some go to new car for Hardi, some stay in "my" car for long road trips (incl .cda audiobooks), some go to Ohio where there's no live TV (just DVD), so the boombox that plays MP3 discs as well as cassettes is going to Ohio to augment ear entertainment there.

I'm considering doing AirBnB in Ohio a few times during the longer Fall visit. (A good friend is having fabulously happy times hosting people thru that program, and has let me know everything I need to know ahead of time.) There should be a lot of road cyclists wanting to be on the area's very long bike path, and I know how to feed 'em cuz I live with one. I already have the perfect sign to use as my ad-- a dog riding a bicycle-- cuz they can bring a dog as well. A bed we had planned to take there anyway will cushy up the available room, and I have a half-bath I can use to give the guest first dibs at the loo. The place is ready and so am I.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 07 May 15 - 08:55 AM

I'm sitting here in tears, devastated. Just found out that my very trusted, very competent, and nearby handyman retired over the winter. Leaving me with a pile of small but very necessary jobs that I can't do myself but MUST get accomplished.

Linn

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 May 15 - 09:28 AM

So.... ask him for a referral? Via a thank-you note?

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 May 15 - 10:16 AM

Linn, did he tell you he retired? Perhaps he still will do a few jobs for friends, off the books, to supplement social security?

I'll take a large tote bag to work with me today to bring home more of those binders. The faster I move them out the better.

I've made myself keep the kitchen tidy for the last couple of weeks, and am trying to not simply stack things a little further away, but actually file, recycle, or store whatever as it is in the house. The hidden threat to the house looking good resides with eight of the 12 canine feet that live here. Two of the dogs have heavy coats that are going to start shedding big time any day now. The pitbull loves to be brushed and feels left out if I only work on the other two, so after holding them in place and using the furminator on them I use a simple brush to go over Cinnamon's skin (while she leans against me and wags happily).

SRS

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: ranger1
Date: 07 May 15 - 11:12 AM

Linn, you have friends with skills. We work cheap and it makes us feel good to be able to help you. All ya gotta do is ask.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 May 15 - 12:08 PM

But it's also important to grieve the loss of a trusted man who got you through tough times. Grief is grief.

-----

In addition to three FreeCycle drops tomorrow-- microwave, plastic cups, egg cartons-- today I surveyed the boxes accumulating up in the old MudDorm. I prefer not to break them down flat cuz it's easier to pick the right size if they're just stacked intelligently. A big one also went up today. There's lots of room to hold more as long as I keep them organized.

I'm saving newsprint, too. I found a flat box to catch them, opened flat, as the free Pennysaver arrives each week. I've also kept the unprinted stuff from Goodwill buys, and clean chart paper from workshop-scribing, for the packing layers my hands will touch when I start using all this paper-- ink, uck! But I love being pennywise, and using the money these packing materials would cost, for ice cream cones! We kept the boxes that moved us here for a long time before giving them away... it's great to know so far ahead, now, that I can just accumulate them as we go, several years before Hardi retires! (It's very healing of chaotic childhood moves.)

And I'm already planning to take the good glassware to Ohio this fall. We haven't used it since the kids moved out, here, but we have nine, there!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 May 15 - 12:35 PM

I would flatten those boxes, but by doing that I have probably ended up with way more than I need because they don't seem to take up so much space. I no longer keep gigantic boxes that come my way, I can buy the size I need if such an eBay need should arise. It's the smaller boxes of various sizes for eBay shipping that accumulate in flat stacks because I use them so often.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 May 15 - 01:18 PM

The giants are great for lampshades, or-- flattened-- they make great mirror boxes. And those smaller boxes are great to hold small items safely, inside larger boxes of similar items-- for example, A BOX FOR jewelry and accessories: Necklaces carefully folded, each, into paper to prevent tangles, together inside a small Amazon-size box; loose pins in another small box; the rack they are all on and will be on in Ohio; of that in one larger box labeled HOUSE: JEWELRY/ACC.

For books and files, I have a great local source for small-enough-to-carry but all uniformly sized. Since a lot of the eventually-moved stuff will be heavy and in those, I'll be able to label them like I did when we moved here, for easy finding of garaged stuff.

I already went thru some of the oldest of the older archived boxes I wrote about when these threads were young, but the remainder is destined for a garage spot; their labeling is already accurate. On top of those will be younger archived material-- to continue handling like the older archives.

Now, happily, I have a great fone app to list contents of each box when we get to that point-- the last move-- which I can email myself for a running inventory keyed to box-label number. With this system, the movers will know which boxes go into the house (and which room), and which ones go into the garage (and which wall). I moved us here that way, combining two large households and two large offices, into a house and a church. Only one box ever went missing, and this was due to a teenager who lied about a box in her room we never opened til she moved out-- missing deep dish pizza pan, voila!

When we leave here, a lot will be yard-saled and/or donated to the annual church yard sale... a lot of which is already designated. In Ohio, when the better stuff arrives there will be a yard sale there.

I love it that my S$S will pay me to "retire" Hardi, and move us. This is the sh*t I'm GOOD at!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 07 May 15 - 04:44 PM

What my handyman retired from is from his job (handyman) to supplement social security. He retired from his career job just before I did in 2012. Now he intends to get stuff done around his own house. I replied to him asking for recommendations for a replacement AND whether he'd consider doing a few simple odds and ends for me.

Interesting day. I ate lunch (salad and chicken) on the deck. Found a cheap replacement a couple weeks ago for the umbrella table that blew off in the windstorm, so actually had a place to do this. Then (because I can't look anywhere without seeing something that needs to be done) I dragged a couple good-sized branches off the side of the driveway and out of the way down the hill, and raked more leaf mulch out of the bank and then out of the center of the turnaround. Nice thing about this work is I can actually see what I'm doing. I'm far far from finished, but at least I can see progress.

Then I took the letters to the post office and, on my way home, stopped at the town offices to get an answer to a question.

Got back home to fill out the online forms for my tooth extraction by an oral surgeon later this month. One of those forms where I had to keep running back and forth to my purse for various information and upstairs to fill in the details of the few meds I'm on. Checked my email and got a message that the person who said she would be the volunteer coordinator for the PMFF had second thoughts. Ye gods! One. More. Thing. Just can't deal with it right now, but I emailed my former board member who was involved and asked to make a phone date with her.

Meanwhile, Sabine came up to my leg repeatedly and tried to climb (with her claws) into my lap. I kept shooing her away and she kept coming back. I lost it. I just lost it and screamed "No! No! No!" Just one thing too much today.

Then the phone rang. My former board member saying to ignore what the other person had said. Just put it out of my mind. And we have a phone date for Sunday night.

I'm an emotional wreck. I've been on a rollercoaster all day. And to think last week I came home relaxed and refreshed from a two-day vacation... Sigh.

I'll go to see "Mr. Turner" tonight at Portsmouth library.

Linn

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 May 15 - 04:55 PM

Maybe Sabine was trying to tell you that spending a few moments with a purring cat would be therapeutic? It sounds like you're getting a lot done, so there isn't a point where an outside observer can suggest anything more than to take a deep breath every so often.

Lunch at that deck table sounds wonderful!

SRS

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 07 May 15 - 08:36 PM

Mill:
Bummer! Last post went missing. Monday was a long driving day: I stopped at Lowe's and acquired a new Shop Vac and HEPA filter, finally! The small vac was on sale; the filter cost as much as the vac. Have not yet taken it out of the car to start that de-cluttering in each abode. Then an hour or so later, I stopped to pay for a nice screen door which we will pick up on the next truck trip. Spent a good half hour chatting with the gentle man who enthralled me with family history and more.

Eventually made it back to Montreal with too much help from Tim Horton's - stopped four times: large soup -good; chicken sandwich - good; 6 donuts and ate three in short order - suffered for it on Tuesday; dk hot choc- mild cramping by the time I pulled in. Addictions are a terrible thing and the excuse of driving, having to keep going?, has to stop.

The two things Wendy suggested I add to my regime have been very helpful but Tuesday I was back to - could hardly walk; I am totally thinking it was the donuts- wheat and sugar. I spent a good chunk of the day changing my address and phone number on credit cards and whatever else I could think of. Also did laundry and dishes.

Weds I was totally terrific. Cancelled land line and phone-based internet, a lengthy procedure! Then drove to the mill, had lunch with Geri, threw four tea pot bodies, then could not throw a spout AT ALL! Loaded bisque firing and started it. Got back to the city late.

Today, another good day, I drove to the pottery supplier for more clay, ouch to the wallet! Then down to the mill where I checked on pots that were, and still are, drying! Instead of trimming pots, I found summer clothes - suddenly much needed! And put some winter clothes in storage. There are finally leaves on trees!

Beautiful rosy glow in the sky just now!

SO, I reduced some expenses, de-cluttered the K table of phone and modem! Increased my cell to unlimited minutes and LD in Canada and USA - cost still offset by savings. Received a phone call from a wonderful Koodo person who explained about the use of internet on phone and assured me I would not go over the alloted amount, took the block off it and sent me an email explaining what constitutes one GB, with the assurance that if I go over, just refer to this email which states I will not be charged. NOW- I have no idea how to access anything! The reason I had it blocked was because when I first got this phone I was charged for it even though I had no idea I had used it! (They credited me.) I have a sense of freedom - WOW, I can PHONE people and not worry about the cost! What a sense of freedom!

The woman at Bell tried very hard to tell me that it would be better to keep both modems - If I go over on the portable it could cost $25 extra. But, gee whiz, I got rid of the one that cost $40/month so, the way I do math, I am still ahead. However, this did prompt me to wonder about using the phone for some stuff.

Tomorrow my student is arriving about 9 am (staying here tonight as I would never make it by 9 am!). She will motivate me to trim pots and glaze. Maybe I can even throw spouts tomorrow!

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 08 May 15 - 08:25 AM

Woke up this morning in really good spirits. Just a good, positive mindset and actually feeling more ambitious than dragged out. Especially after the emotional roller coaster of yesterday. And sort of what I wished for on the shooting star I saw last night on the drive home from Portsmouth.

"Mr. Turner" was a very well done film, painterly in composition, meaning every scene looked like a painting. Inspired me to look up more background about both Turner and the film even though I'd heard several interviews on NPR recently.

Came home to catch the last hour of Nick Noble's "The Folk Revival" WICN radio show. (Listening to far flung radio on my iPad has changed my life.) Nick had already played a song from Tom's CD (Outward Bound) which I missed but he then played "All For Me Grog". Nick does a great job of keeping Tom's voice alive.

Press Room session later today, of course.

Linn

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 May 15 - 11:02 AM

Spent this morning picking up after another thunderstorm. It didn't hit here till quite late, but it came through the region early enough to knock my favorite prime time entertainment programs off the air. Some channels here have a backup place to broadcast, but this one doesn't. So I watched the local folks chase tornadoes several counties away, then we got our own drenching at bedtime. It popped a few circuits (the gfci variety) that had to be reset.

I mentioned elsewhere that on Wednesday the main instructor for my dance class was absent and there were only two of us who turned up for class with the substitute. Variety is good, so I don't mind this. The other student, very new, made an offhand remark about my being there despite not being very good at it and that makes her feel good as she learns. Geez. I need to practice enough to master these steps and she'll have to work to keep up with me. She has suggested there is a club and I don't want to be a member! I have class again tomorrow. We're shimmying this week. ;-)

Sent a polite reminder about a freelance invoice I sent last week. That is always the hardest part of freelance work, asking people to pay afterward.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 May 15 - 11:37 PM

Aha! Incentive to clean and declutter! A friend called and asked if she and her sister can spend three nights here at my house in early June. They'll be on a road trip from Arizona to South Carolina, stopping here to see family. They are 80 and 82 respectively, and though I told Bette to warn her sister that they'll be "slumming" (her sister has always had a lovely large and elegant house) they will be welcome and comfortable. I think they're hoping for a family gathering as well, so I'll be busy in the next few weeks.

I lugged home the rest of the 3-ring binders this evening. Now to see what boxes I have handy.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 09 May 15 - 06:18 AM

Fitted the RS-232 thing into the alarm panel and am experimenting with it. I'm at a point where I know enough to be able to write an Android App that would Arm/Disarm and report some status but I still have a long way to go with both the protocol and more importantly, getting it clear in my mind what I really want to achieve. With these sort of things and ideas, the mind itself can be quite a clutter!

Other home projects are a bit delayed for one reason or other. ETA for my final sort out after all jobs done is probably late June now.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 May 15 - 10:42 AM

This morning in the shower I was mulling all of the things that should be done by the time my friends visit. I should put a grab bar in the shower. It would be nice to have the old vinyl off of the floor and tile down. Better still, have a new low-flo toilet in place. Maybe I can at least manage the grab bar. :) Clearing stuff in the guest rooms. One room won't be difficult, the other will have a lot of stuff lined up along one side of the room. My dining table has projects on it but should be cleared off (much of that goes in the cluttered second bedroom I just described). My work is cut out for me.

John, I've thought it might be handy to learn to write a couple of small apps for around the house. I have one that runs my blue ray player (downloaded from Sony) and another that runs the Fire TV stick (downloaded from Amazon). But there are other addressable devices around here, and one I'd like to add - a lamp that I could turn on remotely. If I'm getting home after dark and forgot to turn on the lights in one room I want to make it look like someone is already home. This would involve an addressable on-off plug in the wall with the lamp already plugged in and on.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: GUEST
Date: 09 May 15 - 07:09 PM

SRS, I guess there a few ways you could go. The old standard is probably X10 which sends signals down the power line but Iv'e found it slow and have had reliability problems with it. The "poshest" might be z wave (look it up, guest posts here bounce with more than 2 links) which works on a mesh type network. Then are are things that use your home wireless network but the ones I've looked at seem very tied in to you using their proprietary systems and sending data to them...

My own current choice as I think said above somewhere is lightwaverf which works with our LED "conversion" and (UK wise, US might be different) works on the 433mhz bandwidth. I think they do have an android app and controller in their range.

For me though the main device is probably an rfxtrx433. It talks to a lot of 433mhz devices so you can sort of "mix and match" your devices. (eg.Garden temp sensors here are Oregon, power sensor is OWL, and innside theres still some X10 and homeeasy). There is off the shelf software open source and propriatary that can use it. My own dabblings in python that speaks to one borrows heavily from the free open source domotiga   - that is written in a version of BASIC but it's a pretty simple "translation" from what they have worked out into python.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 09 May 15 - 09:02 PM

Oh and on the learning to write bit. Android code is mostly Java (there are ways beyond my ability to compile native code for speed but it's rarely needed).

From my own VERY LIMITED dabbling, I think the hardest bit I've encountered to get used to is its sort of asynchronous nature. You mustn't and in some cases can not tie up the UI. If a job (eg. my print program which was once on the play store, which does a few network tasks), you need to put things out to another thread or use AsyncTask. It's sort of start something going and wait to get notified it's happened rather than simple "straight line" and I find that can be difficult to get my own head round at times.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: LilyFestre
Date: 09 May 15 - 10:48 PM

We made a big decision today and have started a plan to get the house in order for a home study. Today we focused on the porch. I must say, we did a GREAT job. Team Lawrence works so well together!

*Big Smile*

Michelle

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 09 May 15 - 11:16 PM

Oh and agian, SRS. I'm not sure where you are with coding but my own preffered package for (non Android) Java is Netbeans. For Android though, you would probably want to look here my own Android set up atm is an earlier Eclipse based one.

It's all (at least with the ones I've used) very good free stuff. The only place I think a cost   becomes mandatory is to publish on the Play store. You have to pay for and sign up to some sort of developer licence for that.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 May 15 - 11:56 PM

I haven't done any coding, per se, but I have access to a lot of folks who do this at work, and plenty of online tutorials. It's still a thought, no more.

Michelle, what is a home study?

Clearing the dining table is a good starting place in preparation for visitors. (Easier said than done!) I'm finishing a comforter, and after that, there are beading projects to finish or put away. The sewing machine goes in one of the guest rooms so I need to organize it when things are put back in there.

More storms tonight. We've had an amazing amount of rain, the drought for now has cleared from this region.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: GUEST
Date: 10 May 15 - 05:14 AM

Michelle- Wow! Good for you! Best wishes heading your way.
Maeve

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 10 May 15 - 06:53 AM

Well good luck if you do give a go, SRS. If you do, one Internet resource that I think is excellent that you'd probably bump it to is StackExchange. It doesn't aim to be a tutorial but it can answer questions like "how might I say in Java display an integer as a hex string (base 16, eg 255 is FF in hex)" and "why is this failing on Android?"

It's maybe for a bit further down the line than just getting started and writing your first "hello world" program but I find it can save a lot of time. I usually find someone else has already asked my question and at least one other (and there can be more than one good solution) has answered it. I think the inexpert me has only provided one possible solution to a problem but the count of times it has helped me out runs to several hundred.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 10 May 15 - 07:56 AM

Had also meant to say form the little I know about you, I think you would do well - probably better than me. I could of course be way off but I think you might enjoy the challenge of a problem and following it through to a logical solution.

Me, I'm quite sporadic and very limited (eg. I'd never consider writing a spreadsheet let alone get involved with operating systems) but sometimes find the sort of "I'd like this, I want/need to go my way and yes, I believe I could do that".

It's that sort of drive and determination that keeps me going whether it was say doing the abc converter on folkinfo (now at mandolin tab), having our "windmill" run at a few speeds and change direction of rotation, Android printing to a CUPS server, etc.

I need the task I believe I can solve and the desire to see the (small) project through. For home stuff, I'm not that good at putting the finishing touches btw. I can loose interest after the sort of "yes it sort of works" stage.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 May 15 - 10:16 AM

The task of this week is to finish clearing out the attic stuff in the way of setting up my moving supplies up there. Yesterday I went thru the saved newsprint yesterday and have a large, flat box to store the newer papers as they arrive, and when that's full I'll stop saving it till I notice the level going down (as I use it now a little at a time). The full boxful should be plenty for the eventual Big Move.

Other packing materials often come my way-- such as bubble wrap-- an I'll designate a box to catch that kind of stuff. I decided NO PACKING PEANUTS. Yeah they're great for packing. They suck at unpacking!

Then I'll stack the remaining boxes by size, leaving room for more of each size to join them as they come along.

After that it'll be to hot to excavate my archived files, but I can start on clearing out more of my upstairs office stuff-- passing along items that go with jobs I no longer hold, and finishing emptying the long shelf in there that goes to Ohio in August.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 May 15 - 11:52 AM

I think Maeve has hinted more the direction I thought you might be going with a home study. Good luck with that - you'll sail through.

We've had a non-stop thunderstorm over us for about the last 12 hours, and it is heating up into tornado watches this morning. This is the Gulf of Mexico moisture being pulled toward the Rockies for that huge storm the weather service predicted for the weekend. I hoped it might mean activity further north or west - places that are still hurting for water. We are saturated.

Today I'll finish the comforter that last night I worked on to tidy the binding around the outer edge. Now the knotting with yarn and maybe I can put this in the mail next week. Meanwhile, I'm sure we're under flash flood warnings and though (knock wood) I've never had water in the house, this kind of weather is the sort that might make it happen. I need to be ready to move furniture out of the lowest level in the den.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: LilyFestre
Date: 10 May 15 - 08:24 PM

Yes! Maeve knows! We are hoping to add more little ones to our family. :) It takes time and we are at the beginning again....but the decision on our part has been made. :)

Today, however, we didn't do anything towards our goal. Today, Pete and Jeremiah spoiled me rotten and I mean ROTTEN. :) I loved every second of it! LOL Pete made my all time favorite breakfast of Eggs Benedict complete with asparagus from our garden which we ate on the porch surrounded by a beautiful bowl of purple pansies from Pete and a yellow lily from Jeremiah. Then we took a short trip to JoAnn Fabrics for a few things I need for an upcoming quilting retreat, a ride in the country, a stop for a little ice cream and then we picked up some Chinese food and had dinner on the porch. It was a BAD day for healthy eating but I thoroughly enjoyed it. :)

I did do a few chores...swept the porch, did some laundry, straightened up a little bit but mostly I enjoyed my family. I hope that all the moms here also had a wonderful day with their families.

Much love to you all!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 May 15 - 11:45 PM

Totally sodden day here today. The thunder has finally moved far enough away that we don't hear it now, but come Tuesday heavy weather is moving back in. We had several inches of rain today.

I cleared out a cupboard over the dishwasher, reorganizing some of the bottles (vitamins, OTC medications, cold remedies, fiber capsules, hand lotion, tubes of various ointments, poison ivy treatments, etc.) and making room above for storage. Not sure what will go there yet, but i needed to clear out old bottles, toss lots of empty Rx bottles, and more.

I've made stuff for lunch this week and today since it was Mother's Day I made a small apple pie. I also made a batch of pumpkin and rice flour dog treats. Most of the evening was on my feet but it paid off. Now to soak my feet and trim my nails. Relaxing before bed.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 11 May 15 - 12:30 AM

"today since it was Mother's Day I made a small apple pie."




Just curious on this. is it a US tradition?


For apples btw. Pip stews some of our own apples and puts it in the freezer. It later gets turned in to crumbles, pies, etc.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 May 15 - 01:14 AM

No, but since it is a greeting card holiday and my kids weren't here to do anything special with, or just for a visit, I pampered myself with an apple pie. My son did call and I spoke to my daughter yesterday, but we're in different towns/states these days.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 May 15 - 02:30 PM

Whew! It's orful hot up in the former housemate quarters which was the former summer master bedroom which was the former MudDorm! It sure doesn't look or feel like any of THOSE iterations any more!!! Ah but we have all the pictures.

Hardi took it over as part of his home gym, long ago. His heavy bag and boxing gloves are up there along with his Nordic Track ski-er and my Cardioglide with resistance cables (and Hardi's painting equipt.).

I took down my favorite curtains to wash and pack, with a coordinating antique quilt. I found and secured all the loose curtain rods. I set up a trash box for my next workday up there. I moved stuff away from the center of the room towards the walls, making a row of stuff I can sit to sort. A lot of it is $$ papers-- we used to have a household administration dept up there til I took the table to Ohio on the first trip!

There's about one box of stuff to gather, pack, and label. A few items to bring down to put away. About one small trash barrel's worth of trash. A bag of clothes to pack for Ohio. A clothing rack to allocate. A Band sign to foto and preserve. A print from Sorcha to allocate.

While I was up there with Faulkner keeping me company I was struck by the realization of how many Catters, friends, family, and parishioners I've survived. Eerie!

~Susan

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: LilyFestre
Date: 11 May 15 - 03:52 PM

Busy at home day. Jeremiah doesn't have school today so it's nice to not be running back and forth to town. He does, however, have a baseball game later IF the rain holds off.

Michelle

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 May 15 - 09:52 AM

Closet declut:

5 sundresses bought before surgery to stay as cool as was then possible-- straps too long now to cover bra straps now that I have a better bustline due to newer bras with better fit. Hardi is shortening these straps and then we will shorten them to shell length cuz I have one I already shortened and lovelovelove that one. All my cotton knit shells are too big and stained. I can pitch them even for housewear and have pretty AND cool summer tops YAY!

A recent insight thanks to sessions post-surgery: BEFORE the surgery, after thyroid treatment began, I lost about 20 pounds, spontaneously. About twice what I usually lose during vacay's increased activity level. I now lose at about that rate every time I go to Ohio. This means that I can look forward to an annual drop during my extended fall visit, of about 30 pounds just by increased activity plus a Leptin reset. It also means that with a modest increase in activity in PA, I should be able to continue a steady, slower loss. And SS will pay me to do it!

~Susan

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 May 15 - 11:33 AM

I always thrive from an increase in activity in the spring, but this year has been so wet I've been stuck indoors. I'm hoping by this afternoon it will be dry enough that I can mow, at least out front. The back is a huge job that will be mowed in stages.

eBay listings going up today. The first one went live last night. I may make a run down to the village recycle bins this afternoon because there is more cardboard here than I need.

Zeke the chocolate lab found and devoured a brand new bar of olive oil soap in my shower. The rat spent the night out in the garage because I didn't want to hear him salivating from an upset stomach. He'll probably be farting bubbles today. I need to find some kind of soap holder to suspend from the towel rack in each shower to prevent this. Last month he ate a new bar from the back bathroom. He just hops into the tub and grabs it. Grrrrr.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: ranger1
Date: 12 May 15 - 11:41 AM

SRS - sorry, can't help giggling over your misfortune. I hope Cinnamon gave him a severe and disapproving look.

Oh, and 200!

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: GUEST,LilyFestre
Date: 12 May 15 - 12:05 PM

Farting bubbles!!!! LOL!!!!

I am prepping for an upcoming quilting retreat. I am doing my best to not overpack!

Michelle