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

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: 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
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: 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,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: 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 - 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: 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: 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,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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 - 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 - 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: wysiwyg
Date: 06 May 15 - 03:17 PM

I urgently need binders.

~S~

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 - 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: wysiwyg
Date: 04 May 15 - 06:01 PM

Yes SRS, I was aware of the SS being higher if I wait.

Since my longevity is not all that assured, we (me, Hardi, tax lady, & my son) decided I'd file today to attack credit card debt, and then fund Ohio house repairs until Hardi eventually retires. It's not like longterm investments that can be used up if you draw down too fast or too aggressively. I consider the early pay of this benefit to be a powerful incentive to keep this recipient kicking as long as possible, and before long this will be my garden fund!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 04 May 15 - 05:05 PM

There seems to -- finally! -- be green starting on almost every tree and bush. It's been a looong winter and I was starting to have my doubts, despite spring flowers being blooming and having seen a snowy egret last week in the Scarborough (Maine) marsh. We also just leaped from temperatures in the 40s (F.) to 80s. That's even warmer than the last warm teaser a couple weeks ago.

Yes, Maggie. Antique (meaning it was built in the 1700s or 1800s) Cape Cod-style house. In New England, we just refer to that style as "cape" -- there's a lot of them ranging from the 1700s to contemporary. Center chimney, regular roofline -- by "lopsided" are you referring to a saltbox where the rear roof is a shed roof going to the first floor? (Just googled "antique cape cod house" and one of the photos has a saltbox roof; most don't. Saltbox roof is more often seen on antique center door colonials.)

Did some raking earlier, but the slight breeze was proving problematic. Stopped working in that part of the interior of the turnaround and moved some branches and raked (with my hand) some of the succulents on the bank (the rockery). I'm going to go back out now and do a little bit of other raking and bring the rest of the groceries in from the car.

Linn

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: LilyFestre
Date: 04 May 15 - 03:22 PM

Had some water issues with the kitchen sink. It's almost working (no cold water yet) but it's working well enough to wash dishes of which I had a pile. ALL the silverware was waiting to be washed plus several dishes. It took me awhile today but they are done! Dinner is also done and in the fridge to warm up after a evening Tball game. Floors are swept, the chairs and table outside are in good shape (all washed up) so we can enjoy our coffee outside in the morning and listen to the birds sing. :) Two loads of laundry done today. I'm hoping to do one more small load tonight and then to throw the shower curtain and liner in to be washed and then will hang them back up wet to dry. :) Time to hop in the shower, pack the cooler and hit the road for our first away game!

Have a great night Everybody!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 May 15 - 01:57 PM

I just googled "antique cape" and came up with photos of shingled and clapboard houses. Some have the classic lop-sided roofline of the Cape Cod style. Is that what you meant? I couldn't visualize an antique garment (cape) holding everything you listed. :)

The job hunt has given me lots of opportunity to look back and see things I learned on-the-job, not formally, that are skills to market. Looking back to see where you've been does give useful insights like this.

I didn't mow yesterday after I got back from work, but I'll head home early enough this evening to mow (if it isn't raining). The back yard is a jungle again, but it is the front that needs the attention. And the weeds in the veggie garden - the soil was much drier for working in but with all of the rain the weeds have had a huge head start on me. I need to pace myself, do some of this every day, and I'll get to a fully planted garden before too much longer.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 04 May 15 - 01:38 PM

I have GOT to get back in the habit of checking here every day. Actually, I haven't been spending much time here at the desktop computer, but what I've done this morning in the past few minutes while sitting here is change my wall calendar to May and sort a pile of papers to my left that I KNEW needed to be filed in several other elsewheres (and put the ones that go upstairs to be filed by the stairs).

I got the cycle started in the dishwasher when I walked past to get here.

While sipping coffee and waiting for my hair to dry, I read down the pile of free papers so the remains can go out in tomorrow's trash, put the year on the pages of my calendar notations that will go into a separate binder for "quick" reference (a copy of the digital file is already filed in front of the annual binders of "The Archives"), and started clearing off the "library & communications" side of the bed so I can change the sheets later.

Yesterday I got the new mailing address of a friend so I can send her a sympathy note. I just found out (from her when I asked how Roy was) that her long-time partner died last December. In a lot of ways, I haven't been paying close attention to a lot of things this past year -- his obituary slipped by me and I hadn't seen either of them since last summer. And I have some thank yous to write -- one that's been neglected since last fall and the other from just a few days ago. (More on that in a bit.)

Tomorrow is the third meeting of my grief group and I'm again finding it helpful. Friends have been asking me what I mean when I say that I'm finding my second year of widowhood to be complicated. Actually, I'm still trying to sort that out myself and I think the group (and the exercises) are helping me to articulate that better so I can address it.

I need to get to work this week (decluttering and cleaning in the house and raking the leaf mulch out of the flower beds and driveway outside) because I went out for a lot of live music this past week and took a 2-day mini-vacation away from the guilt of not getting stuff done around the house. (But my sister commented on the phone that since I returned, my voice sounds a lot less stressed than before I took the two days off.)

The live music ranged from a jazz guitar concert at the Portsmouth library last Sunday to a Joyce Andersen concert yesterday at the UU church "around the corner" (less than 2 miles away) from me in Nottingham with the Friday session, of course, sandwiched in between.

The mini vacation was a run up Rte. 202 to Gray, Maine (about 2 hours away) to visit friends in an antique cape jam packed with maritime and historical stuff, cannons on the deck, and two macaws to punctuate our stimulating and constant conversation. Camaraderie plus intriguing surroundings that don't leave me feeling guilty about work left undone. Great combination. And only away from the cats for one overnight. It was also inspirational -- I now know you CAN have a bit of floorspace and artful organization amidst what looks like random (though fascinating) clutter.

A couple of my accomplishments of the past year and a half is on-the-job training in the management of a non-profit board of directors (I felt comfortable in my position as president of the PMFF board for the first time at the last meeting -- after recruiting two new board members and a volunteer coordinator as well as starting some other board development that had never been addressed before) and realizing what management skills I've developed as the leader of the two sessions I lead (traffic cop, diplomat, and shrink). These really ARE accomplishments (I'm saying this because I startled myself with the realization) and an education and I had to do it without Tom's advice and mentoring, just trusting my own skills and remembering how Tom handled things in the past (when I really wasn't paying as much attention as I should have been).

I keep pingponging between feeling I'm doing pretty well and accomplishing a lot and feeling totally overwhelmed and beleaguered at all that needs to be done.

Right now I think I need to eat lunch and then go out and do something physical (raking) where I can really SEE what I've accomplished.

Linn

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 May 15 - 11:44 PM

A few more bedding plants are in place in the garden and I'm continuing my weed-control experiment with water and vinegar. I found some relatively inexpensive ($1.98/gal) white vinegar and mixed some 50/50 with water, heated to boiling, then run through a coarse sieve to distribute around the area where I want to kill the weeds. A kettle every day or two around the garden ought to help keep some of the taller stuff away.

Banana bread is ready to take to work tomorrow since I haven't taken anything in lately. The fruit in this came out of the freezer at the same time I retrieved ingredients for lasagna. I put the finished casserole back in the freezer (since it was thoroughly cooked I don't think this counts as refreezing some of the ingredients). There's a small one in the fridge to take for lunch. I also made bread, and I think I'll get back to the bread baking habit.

Trash out, laundry finished, kitchen clean. I have a bag of shoes that are popular brands that still look good, but my son doesn't wear any more to drop off at Goodwill. The guest room is back in usable shape.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 03 May 15 - 07:55 PM

Bancroft:

A nice quiet "do nothing" day. I thought of visiting friends about an hour away but was unmotivated, so I phoned and talked with, mostly the wife, for almost 2 hours. Almost 3 very good hours on the phone with my "daughter". And over an hour with troubled friend - hoping we made a bit of progress this time.

Never left the premises. Carried in the remainder of the wood so it would not get wet; felt like rain all day but has not yet. Sorted out a bit in the shed, dug a bit around the "foundation" -almost non-existent sills (can stick the shovel into the wood!) resting on rocks some places and concrete others. Solution will not be fun but I knew this could happen.

Read, computered and enjoyed looking out the window at the west hill, behind which the sun has already gone. Watched for beaver but no luck. Need binoculars. Washed my hair on the deck with water warmed in microwave. Arranged to pick up an on-sale shop vac at Lowe's tomorrow on my way, and a beautiful second hand screen door from Kijiji - I will pay for it and we can pick it up on the next truck trip.

I believe the new supplements are the reason I am much better today. And I managed to have 3 healthy and moderate meals.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 May 15 - 12:25 PM

Last night I did some cooking, creating lunches for the week and another brick of lasagna for some time in the future. I've done most of the dusting in a couple of rooms in the house and had a stuffy nose for the rest of the evening as a result.

Lots of yard work awaits, but I have to go into the office for a couple of hours as "flex time." Bummer.

Rum, you reminded me that I've been meaning to remove more of the mugs and such that I never use out of my cupboards. And I really ought to relocate the various Rx and general health-care items to a different place, they take up a lot of space in one kitchen cabinet.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Rumncoke
Date: 02 May 15 - 03:24 PM

I got the same shock when I found out that I could have had my pension several months earlier - I should have had a letter, I was told - no, no letter.

My cleaning up of the kitchen is ongoing and I have now opened up a cupboard, found space inside and have nothing needing to be put in it.

I must thin out the plates to those which have more than just a couple of the set left. I have too much of almost everything, but the decision to throw away has to be a considered one, so I end up with something better than I started with. I have disposed of cutlery as I had enough for a small cafeteria.

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 May 15 - 03:22 PM

Susan, the advice that I found most helpful about Social Security is looking into the benefits of waiting - you get a higher percentage each year you wait, up to about age 70. Another interesting approach that I heard about recently on an NPR program has to do with one person applying but putting on hold actually collecting their benefit. The percentage accrues that way, but meanwhile their spouse applies and can begin collecting the spouse benefit. I'm not sure if that can be done reciprocally for both partners, but it's worth looking into.

Today was shopping. I managed it on an empty stomach (yeah, I know, not the best idea, but I did okay). I had dance class and didn't want to eat first, and I left from there to shop. Four stops and I have most of it finished. I stopped at Walmart because I read they had Adams peanut butter, but this store didn't. I shopped at Winco and Aldi - and ended up buying the same brand of fresh mushrooms at both places. $1.48 didn't seem so bad at Winco, but Aldi had them for about 50 cents. Oh, well. It averages out to a dollar a pack. Not too bad.

The neighborhood is full of garage sales today, but I'm passing them up. I am sure I'd find things I'd like to buy, but not necessarily anything I actually need.

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

We got so much great financial advice when my mom passed. A lot of it involved various future dates around our birthdays. I still had a degree of thyroid-related brain fog going on in those days and I was pleased to follow the great guidance, and use my best instincts to make good decisions with Hardi about any longterm implications.

So somewhere, in my head, I had what felt like a REALLY long time to wait before I should file for Social Security. But yesterday I took an idle moment to see how LONG I'd need to wait, just on a whim.

And I'm still gobsmacked to have found that I qualify NOW and could have filed 3 months ago to see a check arrive THIS MONTH! I can't quite wrap my head around this new reality-- that I've prepaid myself to stay on the planet, and that what seems to this raised-poor gal like a lot of money for ONE month will arrive EVERY month-- as long as I take care of myself!

So I'm no longer unemployed. I'm retired, with a part-time job taking care of this geezerette and her favorite geezer. I don't have to do that anymore as a volunteer!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter (x-hoarders), Fitness Apr-June 2015
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 02 May 15 - 09:51 AM

Choices - is the name of one of the thrift shops here. It was the first one, I think, and raises money for health care. Posted on the wall as we enter is a chart telling how much has been raised and what it helped supply to the community - a great way to encourage donations. I took a few things there on Thurs.

I never paid much attention to the name or wondered why it was chosen. but it certainly is what we are about when we are trying to de-clutter.