DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: keberoxu
Date: 21 Apr 24 - 03:56 PM

I was thinking of Eliza/Senoufou and her gall bladder.

Has anyone else heard about the pulp in unfiltered apple juice?
The pulp contains pectin, which contains malic acid.
What I have learned is that these things
have a softening effect on the hardened deposits within a gall bladder.
They do NOT expel the deposits -- that's olive oil --
but pectin/malic acid make the deposits less painful.

Anyone else heard of this?

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Apr 24 - 09:03 PM

My 2013 Sony laptop computer is now running on a mobile hotspot on my phone (eating up the data mb quick!) and I put a halogen lamp in the kitchen to light the whole room. The phone is charging on the battery pack I usually carry in my handbag. Yes, I live in an urban area but am near a creek with lots of big trees and the power lines run along the right-of-way over the back of the lots and under said trees. Another one must have fallen. There is also a breaker that trips at the end of the line (my nextdoor neighbor can see when it has tripped on the pole just beyond the end of her driveway and she tells me it is in the tripped position now.)

I'm trying to reproduce work on my laptop that I already took care of in the desktop; some of that work is in Instagram but it isn't letting me logon without 2-factor authentication and isn't sending the code as requested. I may have to see if the UPS has enough juice to turn on the desktop, load the files I need into a thumb drive, then move them to the kitchen. I have a job and one night a week I absolutely need internet connectivity, and this is the night.

I have a couple of lights set to turn on when the power resumes and we're close to when it should resume (meaning they usually would have it up by now, they try to beat those projected times). The price I pay to live in an urban area that feels rural. Today has been a real soaker that would have been a lovely day to work on things in the house if only I'd had power.

My friend did have success mid-afternoon, when a guy came by and bought a couple of the bigger items she's set out in the carport. But it was so cool and clammy and traffic so slow it wasn't worth hanging out longer to see if anyone came by. Goodwill was the winner today.

Maybe I'll unplug the lamp and plug in the TV. Watch something on PBS (I already missed the mystery I enjoy that they restarted a couple of weeks ago. Darn!)

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 20 Apr 24 - 08:26 PM

or do you have very old & decrepit power lines?

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 20 Apr 24 - 04:58 PM

I just listed the Instant Pot and its accessories on Facebook Marketplace. The three-section IKEA shelving unit in the basement main space is now half empty, and I have moved the stuff I intend to keep into the Glory Hole shelving cleared since Christmas. I would like to dispose of the three-bay unit, but it’s the only thing long enough to hold a rolled-up 9- by 11-foot Bokhara carpet that I mos’ def’ do not wish to part with, so I guess its tenancy is extended.

Maggie, I can’t believe how much trouble you have with electricity supply. Isn’t your house in a suburb of a big city?

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Apr 24 - 03:24 PM

I applaud both of you! Patty, those storms headed your way are here now and my power has been out since mid-morning. I just paired a portable Bluetooth keyboard with my phone to check in here since the Wifi and Internet are out. Data for a little while this afternoon won't hurt my phone bill.

Charmion, I did wince a little but walked away from one of those "core pieces" this afternoon; I loaded stuff in the SUV and after disconnecting the motor on the garage door was able to open it manually and leave for a few hours. I've parked in the driveway for now but may reverse that move and park indoors in case any hail is headed here. Anyway, I had a wooden antique-ish sewing cabinet from my Mom's house. My brother delivered it or sister mailed it, I don't remember for sure, but it has bounced around here as something from my mom to my daughter. Except she doesn't need it and it stinks like my Mom's house. All of these years later still smells like stale cigarette smoke (I'm pretty sure I wiped it down with a disenfectant when it came into the house). Her house was also mildew musty, and there is a bouquet of that as well. This rain drove off most garage sale folks so upon returning home I stopped Goodwill and gave them a few things I didn't want to take back into the house or ever bother with on Freecycle. So the Goodwill has a bonafide antique for a little while.

I still have my down bags and thermarest pads; I put a stack of the pads in my closet 3 years ago during our 4 day sub-freezing outage and slept in the down bag. Now I have a cotton sleeping bag that my daughter doesn't need (that I took to a commercial laundromat last fall) to use if such an even happens again. Down was ok but the mummy bags are harder to get in and out of and in the house the dacron bag is sufficient.

I made $7 at the sale today and came home with some stuff my friend had set aside for me, so I guess I came out ahead. My feet are still wet and without power I had a bowl of cereal for lunch and put the milk back in the fridge quickly. The neighbors went out for lunch but when they get back home they'll run a line across the fence from their generator. The power company predicts repairs by 8pm.

There is a tinny-sounding transistor radio playing the classical station (Mendelssohn) and I have a Stanley power pack to run a small lamp for now. So many electronic things like the phone, tablet (I would use the phone as the hot spot for it) and keyboard let me have a little connectivity. I have a couple of battery packs for charging if necessary and regular D-cell batteries for a boombox if I want to fool with it. I tested the little Sterno stove this morning (a robust steel frame from Coghlan's that is far better to the little aluminum ring that fit on a can that I used during the big outage.) I'll run my electric Kettle on the Stanley battery and brew some tea. I have a good butane Coleman stove now and lots of flashlights around the house. The laptop in the kitchen could work on the phone Hotspot. I can go sit in the car and do all sorts of electronic things, or go to a friend's house where the power is on. When the generator is set up I think I'll move the sewing machine into the kitchen and do some quilt blocks from the crumb basket.

The generator just started up so I tossed the male end of the line over the back fence and ran the female end in here. I also muscled the garage door open and parked the SUV inside. Looks like a quiet afternoon except for the dull roar of the gas generator.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 20 Apr 24 - 09:46 AM

Four 1.5 cu boxes packed with plain and fancy kitchenware have gone to the church, along with Edmund’s huge down-filled sleeping bag and Thermarest air mattress. I have no clue why I didn’t rehome those last items long ago. The six-foot work table in the basement is now bare.

For my next trick, I shall clear the storage shelving of large plastic food-storage containers. They can go to Goodwill in a bin-liner bag.

I’m closing in on “core stuff” — family-associated items that I have winced away from in every previous purge. Not sure how to tackle them. I guess they can continue to wait — for now.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: pattyClink
Date: 20 Apr 24 - 09:40 AM

I had a to-the-walls house/garage sale when the house was sold, having already sold a lot of the good stuff on ebay, and made lots of donation runs. As you say, good for getting things people really need into a new home, especially bulky stuff. You get some chiselers and vultures, but it all works out.   One handy thing was; you can sell partial stuff that would be a no-no to donate. That shampoo you just didn't like, the too-big-a-box of bandaids you only used a few of, the extra 2 jars of cinnamon. In the garage I gathered all the small paints and stains and thinners and glues and marked them 'anything 50c' (might be a buck now with inflation!), great for the crafters who know what the markup is now on this stuff 'new'.

Made a big step yesterday, bought the covered cargo trailer which will be in next week. Also weighed another large batch of boxes. Definitely have enough to make up the first load while staying under the weight limit. I am in Mississippi and have had mostly outstanding weather to work in. Though lines of storms come through this weekend. Will spend a rainy day scanning and shredding, and looking for 'pull-through' sites at campgrounds heading west.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Apr 24 - 11:56 AM

That brand is sold fresh but is also out of stock on the website. It appears to be sold in supermarket chains in that area (in the cooler section); it confirms my thought that I should be making my own mayo. Their ingredients are all easily available:

Ingredients: Oils (oleic sunflower, extra virgin olive), water, pasteurized whole egg, pasteurized egg yolk, lemon juice, organic cider vinegar, sea salt, mustard seeds.

The nutrition facts say no carbs. So homemade or carefully selected down here should meet that standard without much difficulty. My recipe for tartar sauce includes pickles and capers and I think a little finely chopped onion, and for the acid, pickle juice and lemon juice.

I have a list on the fridge of the steps for cleaning the whole house in one day. I've never tried to do the whole thing at once but I'm thinking of giving it a try. My major goals are to tackle dust and clutter. Before that I can remove some clutter by adding to the garage sale stash and I need to look at my recent original purchase prices on a couple of items and for the rest see what the going price is at eBay. Garage sales are not meant to sell high-ticket items, they're good to clear out usable things that you don't need and price modestly. And for me, the things that are more work than I want to fool with on eBay. I've debated about things like the beer glasses - all nine could go as a set, but what are the chances someone will want just a few? Sell them in sets of 3?

Oh - and I have to go to the bank to get some small bills. A necessity, then not letting people clean out your change stash early in the morning. I even wonder about getting one of the marker pens to test 10s and 20s. Office Depot and Staples have them and other local retailers.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 19 Apr 24 - 08:48 AM

The mayonnaise comes from La Maison Orphée, a company based in Québec City. If it’s available in Texas I would be both shocked and pleased.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Apr 24 - 09:38 PM

Tell me, please, what is the mayonnaise you've discovered? I suppose I could make my own, I understand it is pretty easy if the day's humidity is at a good level (not to be made when thunderstorms are in the neighborhood). I always use the "real" variety versus the lite stuff, so chances are what is in the fridge is just fine.

Some weeds were pulled this afternoon as I determined the soil moisture in the garden; it's perfect right now for digging, weeding, and tilling. Tomorrow is the day to knock off the weeds and get things planted.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 18 Apr 24 - 09:08 PM

Yes, Maggie, I have indeed discovered the carb-free nature of whisky — which is why I’m sipping Glen Breton while watching history videos on YouTube. Much to my delight, I have identified several more carb-free delights, including aioli and the very best kind of mayonnaise. I am so grateful for those nutrition content labels!

Three one-cubic-foot boxes went to the church rummage sale today, stuffed with music CDs, movies on DVD, and novels. The kitchen traps will go on Saturday morning.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Apr 24 - 01:58 PM

Garage sale item accumulation continues. I'll empty the SUV (of boxes of useful stuff I rarely need to use) and put down the middle row seats and try to fill it up. This would rid the house of a couple of cubic yards of surplus.

The seasonal bedding shift is underway. Layers were removed this week as the humidity and temperatures rise. I don't keep the house super cool at night because I don't like the air conditioner blowing directly on me. At least it is still blowing, for now - the heat pump on the bedroom side of the house is 22 years old and will fail one of these days, making sleep on that side of the house very difficult until it is replaced. I'm racing to pay off the one installed in 2022 before that happens.

Pork sirloin is on sale this week so I got several packages to freeze. I buy them at a store that sells pork without the additives that became popular a dozen years ago or more. It's too salty and the meat is slippery. A butcher told me one time that it is supposed to keep the pork tender if people overcook it, but it also makes it so slick he said that butchers are more likely to cut themselves working with it. Ugg.

I need to pull out my tartar sauce recipe and figure out the nutritional stuff; catsup on my pan-fried potatoes adds carbs, the mayo in the sauce might not add as much. I like something with them versus eating them dry.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Apr 24 - 09:14 PM

I know - I always overpack, the best intentions to do otherwise never seem to win. Are you making a trip, Mrrzy?

Two bird feeders delivered to my daughter today for her partner who has been putting some up around the property. They hang from cup hooks in the ceiling joists in my garage, so I sent photos and took the ones she wants with me to my museum gig today (next door to where my daughter works). We had a short visit (got a couple of hugs - the best part; how, during COVID, did we survive no physical contact?) That leaves 3 for the garage sale, or two and one maybe to put up in the front yard occasionally.

Charmion, it seems that Scotch doesn't have carbs. It does have calories, so you have to count those, but compared to beer (high in carbs) or a dry wine (lower, but for me it has the sulphites I'm trying to avoid) it is ok on the Keto diet. :-) You're welcome!

Tomorrow I will spend the morning in the garden. My museum visit today resulted in scanning because the tour group was half the predicted size (four docents were scheduled). The other docents could handle the group so I headed to the archives. Thursday is normally a museum day, but this week I have a telemedicine appointment instead. Before that, the garden.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Mrrzy
Date: 17 Apr 24 - 05:08 PM

Got down to only the laundry chair. Am putting that off till I go through the suitcase closet, to figure out what I'm packing *in* - then, figure out what to pack. A lot of what's on the laundry chair has been set out to be thought about.

Then probably put about a third back out.

Then probably put a quarter of *that* back in ...

I used to overpack, but then again, there used to be porters.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Apr 24 - 04:30 PM

The trouble high fat and protein foods in general is the amount of sodium. I'm limiting that also (my blood pressure is just fine unless I eat too much salt). It looks like Keto diets say to aim at 30 grams of carbs while back in the day (decades ago) 60 grams of carbohydrate was the goal of low-carb diets. Before phone apps we kept track of carbohydrates with books that listed foods and various nutrient levels. Some foods I don't want to give up, but I will keep the amounts moderate (potatoes, for example, and oranges). I'll split the difference and aim at 45 grams per day. I'm learning about ADHD, but it does explain some of the sugar binges and the love of caffeine. I hope the focus on protein will short circuit the craving for sweets, I think that is something Dr. Amen says can happen (I heard it in the lecture on PBS but haven't read the details in the book yet).

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 17 Apr 24 - 02:17 PM

I think the problem with sugar is that it's a staple of our diet when it should be a very occasional treat, like honey before beekeeping equipment. When you have to risk the wrath of an entire hive of bees in order to sate your sweet tooth, you find it easier to tell yourself Not A Good Idea and move on.

My experience with weight-loss diets that restrict fats even harder than carbs is that, while following such a regimen, it's next to impossible to put food out of mind even for an instant. For a person with even a touch of ADHD, that must be downright disabling.

I think I'm through the carbohydrate-withdrawal phase some people call "keto flu" (it's a little hard to tell, as I still have some lingering effects of the Easter lung misery), and I'm struck by how unbothered I am by the munchies. There's teacakes in the freezer, and I'm not thinking about how much I would love to pop a couple in the toaster.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Apr 24 - 11:38 AM

More items present themselves for the garage sale on Saturday. Bird feeders, beer glasses, and I might make some mustang grape jelly to sell (since I have a lot of juice in the freezer). Several years ago the state laws changed so you can sell food items made in a home kitchen.

Continuing to undo some of the behaviors from when there was a Labrador retriever in the house. I've put one of the trash cans in the master bath on the floor to see if the other two leave it alone (they're rarely in there). And a damp washcloth is drying on the side of the tub; the Lab ate underwear, socks, dish towels, wash clothes, you name it. He was the only dog I've ever had who so consistently raided small textile objects. And soap.

An observation about shifting to a low-carb diet - it is easier to stay under my daily calorie limit (I set MyFitnessPal to 1200). On one visit to my GP I showed her the tracking I do in the app (primarily calcium and sodium) and she flipped over to the macros - "you sure like your carbs!" - something that has always been fairly high in my diet. So we shall see if intentionally reducing flour and sugar works. Losing 5 pounds is the goal; seeing if fewer carbs affect my mood is another consideration. I'm reading about the relationship between sugar and ADHD and brain health these days (in the latest book from Dr. Amen). I'm not jumping on his bandwagon beyond the book - anyone who sells their own brands of supplements must be considered to some degree suspect (in my opinion.)

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion's brother Andrew
Date: 17 Apr 24 - 09:05 AM

Bat Goddess, Canadian Blood Services (CBS) are very wary of liability after a "tainted blood inquiry" in the 1990s found the procedures followed by the Canadian blood system and the Red Cross wanting; in fact, the Red Cross got out of the blood bank business entirely and handed it off to the newly-established CBS.

I learned of their fear of being sued when I ran blood donor clinics at Canadian Forces Base Chatham. Besides organizing the show and drumming up donors, I also gave blood. A few weeks after what turned out to be my last donation, I received a letter from them saying that, since my donation had produced a _false_ positive result, they could no longer use my blood.

Like Charmion, I have run into the age stop, so it's moot now in my case, too.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Apr 24 - 09:51 PM

I'm pretty sure we're talking about different kinds of glass chimneys; mine doesn't go on a lamp, it rests on the tabletop. I put a couple of photos on the FB page.

The back yard has been mowed, but it was dark enough when I finished that I couldn't scoop the dog droppings (part of the reason I needed to mow - I couldn't find them in the tall grass). Tomorrow. It was a good workout.

Ten pounds of flour, a couple of bottles of sauces I'm not going to use, and some things from Costco given by a friend but too much to use by myself were dropped off at the donation fridge. I will think twice about donating there again, it was looking empty and forlorn today (I think that program, as laudable as it was, has run its course.) I found some cans of sardines way past their shelf dates that I'll open and put in the blender. That slurry is great to scoop into the bottom of holes where garden bedding plants are placed.

I've split the difference on the heat pumps here. One is set to cool and the other is still set to warm. Right now the temperatures outside are mild the house is comfortable so neither one has turned on for a couple of weeks.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 16 Apr 24 - 08:25 PM

Charmion, I gave blood for the first time in my life back in February of this year. I don’t know if there’s an age limit, but, at 74-damned-close-to-75, evident I’m still good to go. And they call me or email me often. They even wanted me to give platelets, but there’s only one location in the state to do that and no way in hell am I driving to a location I’ve never been to in Manchester which I know not at all. (The two times I’ve been somewhere in our state’s largest city, someone else was driving.)

My only excuse for never donating before this year was either the time or the location was inconvenient. But I’m more or less retired now and the location in February was literally just around the corner from me in Nottingham. I’d made an appointment to donate again (in Nottingham) a few weeks ago, but I woke up with a raging headache and felt like dogshit. The next time in Nottingham will be when I’m out of town but I intended to check the locations near me and the dates with my calendar, but then we had that heavy wet snow dumped on us and I was without power for four days. Checked the website Sunday night and found that there was a drive in Epping the next day, but I needed to wait until morning to schedule the appointment when I was on my desktop computer. And it had to be yesterday because all the other dates for the next couple months were conflicts for me.

Maggie, I’ll take a picture of the lamp tomorrow and convey it to you via Messenger. Along with the measurement requirements for the chimney.

Linn

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Apr 24 - 11:21 AM

Patty, I hope you find more pleasant hosts at the next campground! What state are you in for April? And yes, the fruit and veggies are the issue right now; I want to lose a few pounds. Stopping eating as many carbs now would keep my weight where it is; I still fit in the jeans I like, but they are snug.

For now I'll split the difference with the carbs - I have some bagged flour that I'll donate to the mutual aid fridge (there are a few other things in my pantry that can go also), and for the time being I'll cut out the other sources of wheat, and make a point of buying the lower-carb fruits and veggies as the existing supply drops. I could donate some of the veggies also, but prefer to simply step down. I won't go full-keto, but simply aim at a lower-carb routine. Years ago (high school) I lost weight that way with the simple process of keeping bread consumption to a couple of slices a day. I was a lot more active, then, walking to school (2 miles each way), etc. so I'll keep the walking and gym activity going. Meanwhile, I'll be eating my small portions of hummus with carrot sticks.

Linn, I totally agree with your concern about open flames; paper is a big part of the landscape here. And you sussed it correctly - I do have a hurricane chimney here. When I used the glass oil candles I would set one on a round mirror and then the tall chimney standing on the mirror around the candle. Yes, I can send it to you. This isn't the type of chimney that would fit the old fashioned kerosene lamp, it stands on the table. Is that what you were needing? I do have an antique chimney lamp I won't part with that is the vivid red ruby glass made with gold that came from my great aunt's house. It had a wider base (was one of the railroad lamps that became a famous part of "red light districts") that I sometimes set around a votive size candle.

Rain is forecast for Saturday so my friend will let me know if the neighborhood votes to postpone the community garage sale to another day. She has a large carport to set up under, but rain would reduce the shopper participation. I'll continue to collect things; if her garage sale doesn't happen perhaps I should bite the bullet and do my own. Once you start thinking about it the thing can happen (though they are a lot of work. I have a friend with stuff in storage who could stand to bring items over here to sell.) In our village we can only do two of them a year, but one sale every few years is plenty for me.

It rained overnight (rainfall was heavy enough to wake me) so no more mowing for a couple of days.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Apr 24 - 11:00 AM

Linn, I'm surprised the outfit where you donate blood hasn't cut you off long ago. In Canada, one is typically thanked for one's services to society and told never to come back at the age of 65 or even younger, depending on haemoglobin level and rarity of blood type. My Dad, an O Negative with a robust red cell count, was cheered off the blood-donation stage at 65 -- but told not to forget how, just in case of horrible things. As an asthmatic with a marginal haemoglobin level, I haven't given blood since I was about 50.

In Ontario, lamp chimneys are sold in areas with unreliable electricity supply (in fact, rather a lot of the province), and near Mennonite and Amish communities. I still have a kerosene lamp ready for use because power failures are a thing in Perth County, and every winter can be counted on to bring at least one nasty surprise. I lived through the ice storm of January 1998 that wiped out power distribution through eastern Ontario and most of Quebec.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 16 Apr 24 - 09:37 AM

Maggie, I lost (it broke) a glass chimney for an antique oil lamp a couple years ago. It was a conventional-looking glass chimney except for a ring of decorative glass balls around the upper rim.

Hardware stores don't seem to carry lamp chimneys anymore... If you're deaccesioning a similar chimney (plain is perfectly okay) I can pay for it and shipping...

I no longer use oil lamps or candles around the house for safety reasons — there's lots of paper fuel around and I have a totally unpredictable cat.

I love the diffused room light of a solar/rechargeable lantern like the LuminAid. LuminAID Lantern Tested it out with this last 4-day power outage. Best reading light for power outages I've ever had. It lit my bedroom pretty much the same as my everyday bedside lamp. (I'm pretty certain I didn't pay the price shown or anywhere near it.)

I have a couple other small rechargeable camping lanterns, too, and an emergency lightbulb in the hall that will light up (when I turn on the switch) when the power fails.

I tried to do too much yesterday. I had an afternoon appointment to donate blood in Epping, the next town over to the south. After I drank juice and water and had some snacks, I got in the car to drive about 20+ minutes north to my optometrist's office to pick up my eyeglass prescription, then drove home. That errand to pick up the Rx was just a little bit too much; I was totally knackered by the time I got home. I fed Rufus and managed a little later to get some protein into me, but I was drained... Fine this morning, of course, after rest and a good night's sleep. I hadn't expected that such a simple thing as picking up a prescription was one thing too much after the blood donation.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: pattyClink
Date: 16 Apr 24 - 08:34 AM

Hoo-rah on the clearing out and the diet, Charmion!

SRS, it is annoying how high in carbs some veggies and fruits can be. I have to emphasize berries and melon,and for citrus go with smaller servings like the little clementines. It's hard to use up the heavier stuff before it goes bad. Luckily bananas and pineapples and grapes can freeze to be used sparingly later on.

Made good progress the last two days on sorting, filing, a little purging, repacking. Feels good to start getting things the way I want them. Today another big push, and then relocate camp. I tried a campground very close to storage because it supposedly had improved so much, but ridiculous fees and rude 'host' rule it out.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Apr 24 - 11:04 PM

The husband of the woman who asked for the grill stopped by on his way home from work, and the 48" tall grill slid into the exactly 48" wide SUV that he was driving. He said he's always wanted a gas grill but they're so expensive (don't I know! I'm on my second free reconditioned grill). This one is old but still works and will give him a new outlet for his grilling. I visualize a cookout in their yard next weekend, and am pleased to have contributed to that event. A gift that keeps on giving.

I mowed the front lawn while waiting for him to arrive. The irises (yellow - dusky and bright, blue, and white) are gorgeous right now so having the lawn trim is a good backdrop for them. This is the time of year when the yard looks its best.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Apr 24 - 06:33 PM

Good work all around, Charmion! I pulled up MyFitnessPal and looked at the carb settings in there, and a couple of lists of keto recommended fruits and vegetables. Most of my fresh produce isn't on that list. I made a zucchini casserole this afternoon that would fit, but shifting a controlled calorie intake to reduce carbs looks like a gradual process. The oranges and apples and grapes in the fridge will be eaten. Bread is in the freezer so it isn't going bad, and it isn't eaten that often, but were I to adopt such a diet right now a lot of food would go to waste.

There's another twit on our FB buy nothing group. They don't want to bother coordinating a pickup with someone in the group so they put a fridge at the street and say come get it if it's still there as anyone else driving by could stop and pick it up in the meantime. They're going to kick me out for complaining one of these days, but that is so rude of the person making the offer. (My grill will be picked up in a couple of hours and we coordinated the time between us. One of the moderators is picking it up.) I guess I'm wearing my Ms Manners hat this month.

Feeling a bit off today; possibly allergies, possibly the higher humidity and I'm not ready to turn on the air conditioning. I haven't done a COVID test for a while so I have one running now, but I'm pretty sure it will be negative. I walked the dogs yesterday and probably got a snootful of pollen making allergies the most likely explanation.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 15 Apr 24 - 12:03 PM

The first load for the spring rummage sale at the church will leave the building tomorrow. This group of desirable items includes two oven-to-table casseroles, a teapot, two soapdishes and a trinket box, all of the Wild Strawberry pattern from Wedgwood; five Mason Cash pudding basins of various sizes; a backpack-style picnic set; a dozen small bistro glasses; and two IKEA glass pitchers with plastic lids. I will also include a shoebox about half full of costume jewellery, mostly earrings, that I never wear. My objective is to clear the six-foot table in the basement by the end of the week.

In other news, I have completed one week of the ketogenic diet and I have lost 2.7 kilos. My jowls are almost gone -- no great loss -- and my largest trousers are a bit loose. I feel as good as person still convalescing from pneumonia can, in particular free of carb cravings. Sunday dinner was a rib steak and a large spinach salad garnished with pignoli and parmesan cheese!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Apr 24 - 11:33 AM

If I'd checked my messages last night the grill would already be gone; as it is, she'll come over this evening (the husband will help lift it after he gets home from work.)

More progress identifying garage sale objects; the things I purchased at the end of the old Labrador's life, bird feeders that aren't used now, maybe I should load some of the antique tools (homeowners in Victorian houses might enjoy yard art of this sort?)

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Apr 24 - 06:45 PM

The grill is listed in two places (free). I've picked a few more items to add to the garage sale offerings.

Time to walk the dogs.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Apr 24 - 03:25 PM

I know the rolls of paper you're talking about, we had one of those at our house when I was a kid, and Mom used to cut off chunks for us to color on and use it on tables, etc. This is a polyethylene-coated butcher paper, possibly roll ends but maybe the original size used in businesses that wrap meat, not the huge printing press monsters they use forklifts to move. A family was there buying all of the rest of the paper - they said they put it down to protect floors when painting. I'll keep that in mind if I paint.

I've begun culling items from cupboards that can go into the garage sale offerings. In the laundry room I had four paraffin oil lamps that I haven't used in years. I only use candles in glass jars now, not the exposed flames on top like these. The leftover fuel is probably worth more than the hand blown globes. But that can wait till this evening. This afternoon I'll move the old grill out of the garage and give it a cursory clean, give the grate a good cleaning, then photo and list it.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 14 Apr 24 - 01:40 PM

Maggie, printers that have web presses often have ends of paper rolls (36" wide) that they give away.

Back in 1982 when Tom and I got married, a friend got us a roll end of white paper. We used it (cut to length) to cover the tables at our potluck reception.

Forty-two years later, I haven't made a dent in the "end roll". I use it for wrapping paper (sometimes rubberstamped or covered with other art)and many other things.

But...I'd say you probably have no need of any more paper rolls right now. ;-)

Linn

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Apr 24 - 10:53 AM

This morning I'm processing (canning) a small batch of applesauce. I use it in baking to replace part of the oil in some of the quick bread recipes that otherwise are too greasy for words (pumpkin bread and zucchini bread, in particular.)

Made a run to the last chance grocery for the Saturday market for fruits and vegetables and one case of sparkling mineral water - fingers crossed it isn't flat, which is sometimes the situation; if a batch of the water is less-than perfect it ends up there. It's still ok to drink, but would be the reason it was discounted by about $5 a case.

And I may have bitten off more than I can chew—they had huge rolls of freezer paper that is great for making patterns for sewing. The coated side goes to the fabric and you iron it on and do your cutting, then it can be picked up and ironed on again and again for more cutting. I've never seen boxes of this like you would find waxed paper or aluminum foil, though I know it must be available. The roll is 36" wide and very long - I estimate it weighed over 50 pounds. I'll plan to roll smaller ~10' long pieces and give or sell them. It may be a lifetime supply (and it cost $8). This is the "one step back" part of frugally buying something (but be careful what you wish for.)

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: pattyClink
Date: 13 Apr 24 - 12:22 PM

What is in storage is belongings that are not traveling around with me. A very stripped down bunch of linens, kitchenware, memorabilia, a few heirlooms,'keeper' books, 4 small pieces of furniture, minerals, etc. What I really wanted to keep after purging the house via much selling/donating/junking.

So purging is not the main activity, though there is a bit to do. I always forget to weed down the pass-along books down to zero before I pull up to storage to do seasonal change-outs, so they've piled up. Already spoke to a librarian about bringing them to her used book sale room.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Apr 24 - 11:20 AM

Linn, in her teen years my daughter's room reached a point when you couldn't see any of the floor tiles because there was so much stuff covering them. I built a tall cabinet of cubbies - six up and five across. After we organized the stuff that went into them it looked good and we could see her room as I hoped. Years passed and I boxed her stuff and have my own sewing and craft items in the cubbies and that is my sewing studio. There are still a few of her things displayed on top that are out of reach unless I use a step-stool. I've managed to keep my bedroom clear and at the foot of the bed set up a carpet and yoga mats for exercise (to try it in the den would mean dogs in my face and underfoot). The rest of the house is a work in progress.

Patty, is this a collection you're curating in the storage locker? What kinds of things are you selling or donating?

Sandra, whenever I see the online photos for some of the estate sales going on in the county I've been known to send photos of the glass and china items to my kids and tell them to just shoot me if I ever try collecting like that again. I'm still downsizing, though beer steins aren't part of it (though I have some tall beer glasses and could include those in the garage sale items next weekend.)

Dorothy, keep resting and getting better. You sound more cheerful now.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: pattyClink
Date: 13 Apr 24 - 09:20 AM

The propane hunt took a while, wound up driving way too far to find the reliable people who actually have someone on hand to pump. On the way back, stopped and got a windshield ding tended to by good people with minimum fuss and cost.

In the waning hours of the day, started weighing and measuring some boxes in storage, so I can appportion them into cargo-trailer loads. So far they average 13 pounds, and the ones over 20 lbs definitely need to be wrangled with a handcart and hoisted as little as possible if my back and I am to survive this process.

For some of them, may have to repackage into smaller/cleaner/sounder liquor boxes, and may look for a sale on half-height bins that can be more easily managed both during the move and after. I have gotten lucky in the past at an Ollie's and a now-defunct Fred's, perhaps Big Lots is worth a trek, perhaps not. Finally feeling well, I shudder at the prospect of entering a walmart full of the germs of 10,000 people a day.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 13 Apr 24 - 08:19 AM

well done!

One wall of my bedroom is covered by 2 huge bookcases almost to the ceiling (10 foot) but as I downsized my historic costume library last year it is no longer a library as only one shelf of books remains from another interest, & they can be whittled away by a number of visits to charity shops. The lowest shelf is empty, but other stuff is stored on vintage tray tables in front of the bookcase...

The shelves have been packed with some of my craft material, a mess of crafty stuff is still in my living room tho most of it would fit, if I got off my bum & moved stuff!! The rest would likely fit in several empty shelves elsewhere ...

sandra

Once upon a time I visited a charity shop that displayed a nicely homemade unit with 3 or 4 shelves of small beer glasses, each one had a decal/sticker from a different venue/town/country? Staff had added a sign saying they had 2000 more!! out the back, so I've ever since suggested to friends trying to find a home for a large collection, to take pieces to more than one shop!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 13 Apr 24 - 05:35 AM

Woke up from a recurring dream cycle at 4:30 this morning and my brain immediately snapped to attention, went into high gear, and refused to let me slip back into sleep. Sigh. But it’s just given me a few good decluttering ideas — what I optimistically call the guest room (well, there’s a bed in there someplace); the piles of photographs, books, and artwork in the living room; and the room I refer to as “The Room” (pronounced Thee Room”).

But first, an epiphany. If I refer to my bedroom as “my library”, I’ve immediately, for all practical purposes, decluttered it. There’s almost no floor space; it’s all taken up by piles of books, boxes of papers, stacks of magazines, letter files, the 60-odd plus 3-ring binders of The Archives, and tote bags and boxes of photographs, and the Bob Nilson drawings I’m cataloging…all more or less organized. It’s also got two walls of bookcases and several smaller bookcases. It’s majorly cluttered as a bedroom… But it’s more or less normal for a library.

So, as of right now, 5:34 a.m. on Saturday, April 13, 2024, I’m officially sleeping in my library.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Apr 24 - 07:10 PM

The initial test of the new-to-me BBQ was successful; I grilled a couple of chicken breasts. Now I need to start cleaning up the old grill and see if anyone wants it. It was sold in about 1998 and I can't find an online manual (I inherited this from the neighbors and rebuilt the insides). I'll clean it and hope to find someone who wants one they can drop off at a campsite or someone with no budget who wants a grill that works.

Good news this afternoon - the cat-sitting gig is over and she doesn't plan more trips for a while. She's participating in the neighborhood garage sale on the 20th and asked if I'd like to bring up stuff. Yes! I'll start looking around this evening. Whatever I can transport up there (and possibly have the friend with the truck make a run for me - I could offer an antique bed frame if he could take it there. But who wants antique bed frames?) Everyday I walk past stuff sitting out that has no use here—there's a lot of that. Ask low prices so it all goes.

I started some weeding this afternoon but the soil is still too wet from the rain on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tomorrow should start to be pretty good. My potatoes are sprouting in the one bed that has been planted. It is nice weather now and I'll take the dogs for a walk before I feed them.

More good news this afternoon - the mortgage bill/statement arrived today. Not only did they refund a lot of escrow last month for the coming year, they applied some of that overage to the account itself and the monthly payment has gone down by $150. (The skeptic in me feels the need to check to be sure someone didn't misplace a decimal and will come looking for it all back later . . . )

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Apr 24 - 11:50 AM

Patty, that kind of cold is the gift that keeps on giving isn't it? You get over the cold and then you have to get over getting over the cold. How far do you think you've gotten with clearing/organizing your storage locker at this point?

Propane is a topic I'm dealing with today; I transferred the tank from the old grill to the newer one, but to be prudent I'll take out a bowl of soapy water and a damp paper towel and do the "bubble" test - dab it on in the areas where a tank might leak and be sure it is still sound. Yesterday I used the wire brush drill attachment on the first cast iron grate and it looks much better, though it was getting dark as I finished and this morning I see I missed a few spots. The second grate has soaked in soapy water overnight before using the drill on it this morning. The cabinet wheels are kind of rough so I'll prop up the cart one end at a time and see if they need cleaning or replacement. I'm almost to the test fire point, and if it works I'll prepare the older grill for donation this weekend. I can't wait to clear out space in that part of the garage.

This morning the New York Times had a subscriber-only article about "Decuttering Sprints" to be done in 30 minutes or less. The first recommendation was to get rid of all of the old electronic power supplies, but mine are all in one place and are a handy resource to go with eBay sales, so nope, they stay.

Clear clutter from the car is the next, but I did that last week. She suggests wrangling all of the reusable shopping bags:

If you keep reusable shopping bags in your trunk, Pateras said, “the rule of thumb is to have as many as you use for your biggest grocery shopping trip.”

Ok, I do have an overflow of sizes and types of those. I wrangled the durable plastic heavy duty ones and some large cotton strong-handled ones and the rest are hanging in a bag on the closet door until I sort for donation. The crumbling basket on the SUV floor behind the front passenger seat that held Kleenex, vinyl gloves, a whisk broom, bottles of water, paper towels, etc. was emptied into a smaller cloth bin. The broken basket goes into the trash.

The third task in the article is digging stuff out from under the kitchen sink, but for some reason that area has never become the "shove-and-pile-zone" she suggests they can be. (Partly because I get mice in there sometimes and want to be able to set a trap.) I do intend to put in a new faucet one of these days and will have to move the current contents out briefly to crawl in to work, but it is organized.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: pattyClink
Date: 12 Apr 24 - 09:25 AM

Have had a remarkably tough and unproductive 11 days dealing with a bad head cold which apparently coincided with peak pollen-in-the-sinuses season. Thought I would never get over it.

Yesterday got stocked up on fresh foods, got frustrated trying to find someone who actually has someone available to pump propane, and called it a day. Today, the storage unit work resumes. With warmer weather hopefully the propane can wait til Monday.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Apr 24 - 04:33 PM

Don't lose sight of ample sources of good fiber. When the Atkins diet (akin to Keto) became all the rage the discussion of acute constipation arose.

I buy several avocados at a time and make guacamole then mound it into ice cube trays to freeze for portions. It's best to let defrost at room temperature or for ~ 20 seconds at a time in the microwave (so you don't cook it.)

Gorgeous day today. So much to do, but will I get anything done at all?

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 11 Apr 24 - 03:35 PM

I put away my laundry today, too.

Today I had lunch at the only restaurant I ever go to any more, where I shocked the cook by not ordering her (delicious) huevos rancheros. Instead, I had three scrambled eggs, four rashers, half an avocado, and black coffee. The world continues to revolve on its axis.

So far, going keto seems to be mostly about finding ways to add fat to the menu without resorting to ice cream.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Mrrzy
Date: 11 Apr 24 - 09:30 AM

Keto for 4+ years.

Finally put away my clean laundry. Found that one garment I'd forgotten I was looking for...

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Apr 24 - 11:53 PM

My cat-sitting gig will end earlier than planned, and has gone remarkably free of complications because the cat that needs the most attention has been at the vet this week. I suspect the next gig will be one for the record books with new steps for the sickest one and changes in food for all feline family members.

Canine drama here at 4am; I woke to frantic barking and sounds of a struggle in the yard. I pulled on clothes and shoes and headed out with a flashlight (after covering the dog door in case someone got skunked - they get treated outside before they are allowed indoors) but it had concluded. I found no bodies, no injured dogs or wild animals, but there were whiffs of skunk. Odd, but no one is talking about what happened.

Allergies are hitting hard with the layers of antihistamines (daily tablet, nasal spray, overnight Benadryl) fully deployed.

The Dremel tool I ordered would have been too small for the task I have in mind (the tiny wire brushes are cute) so I picked up an inexpensive pack of wire brushes to use with my regular drill. Tomorrow I'll put on safety glasses, drape a heavy plastic bag over pants and shoes and test the cleaning ability on the BBQ grill. This setup is also what I need to clean surfaces before I paint all of the decorative security bars on the house windows, though that requires a softer abrasive kind of brush to scour the bars. I can see a number of long-envisioned projects getting done this spring. And it will make the house look brighter (right now the bars are painted with the original ugly dark gray that used to be on other parts of the house).

Patty, are you still on the road or have you found a place to settle?

Dorothy, I'm so pleased to read about R's attention and help and being able to make a drive.

How is everyone else doing this spring?

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 10 Apr 24 - 08:02 PM

Forgot to mention my real score at Goodwill today — an Apple wireless keyboard for five bucks. Mine has been acting flakey lately, so tomorrow when I have more energy, I’ll put batteries in the new one and try it out.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 10 Apr 24 - 06:47 PM

Just finished making the sauce for peanut butter-sesame noodles. I'm knackered, but I figured I could get that mixed up, the pasta cooked, and the scallions chopped.

After my postponed from Sunday weekly phone call with a musician/ librarian/ teacher friend who winters near Pensacola, I got the box I forgot yesterday into the car, and packaged up those DVDs and books so I could stop at the post office on my way to Goodwill.

Stopped, too, at RiteAid to get multi vitamins. I don't go into many stores other than the grocery store because concrete floors are very painful for me. (At the grocery store I use the cart as a "walker" of sorts.) When I came out of the drugstore, I figured it would be one thing too many to go to Market Basket to get a couple more six-packs of one of Polar's limited edition seltzers — Jalapeño Citrus Margarita. I seldom drink sodas because they're too sweet. I avoid ones with HFCS, but even the craft sodas with cane sugar are too sweet, but I occasionally like a flavored seltzer. This flavor is really nice so I better stock up.

Took the box to Goodwill, then went inside to see if there was anything I couldn't live without. Spent $32, but also got a rally nice pashmina or oversize scarf that will go smashingly with several outfits I've got.

This morning started out sunny, but it clouded over before noon and spit annoyance rain (turn the wipers on, turn the wipers off, ad nauseum).

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 10 Apr 24 - 09:54 AM

So many customers couldn't understand why, if they used their insurance, the insurance company didn't get the sale price. I got into trouble, though, when I suggested to customers that, if their insurance was less than optimal, use the sale rather than their insurance.

I bought my RGP hard contact lenses online for DECADES. Better price than even the annual sale prices at the shops I worked at. Half the price of what an independent optometrist would charge me.

I'm still doing the daily version of intermittent fasting — I can eat from noon-1:00ish until 8:00 p.m. Then it's only water, black coffee or tea until noon-ish the next day. But, since the start of the pandemic, I cheat. Back in 2020-2021 it was compensation for so much else being taken away. Alas, I got into the habit of cheating and, while I've been trying to get back on track, it's still a struggle. If I get really pecking, though, late ate night while reading, I can "legally cheat" by snacking on something that is very very low on the glycemic scale, such as lettuce or greens, or (as I prefer) kimchee.

My use of intermittent fasting isn't so much to lose weight (although that's a nice benefit — I lost 40 pounds painlessly in seven months) — it's to avoid the diabetes that runs on my mother's side of the family.

My snack cravings go towards the salty and crunchy side rather than sweet. My favorite daytime snack is almonds — I mix "roasted with salt" and "roasted/no salt" to keep the sodium level down. I haven't eaten potato chips since 1992 when a friend and I had a consultation with "The Mad Russian" (Yefim G. Shubentsov) in Boston. (Tom had seen him for smoking cessation, but the Mad Russian also dealt in food issues.) I saw him to get rid of my urge to find the perfect food that would solve whatever problem or mood I was beset with. After explaining to me that my body shape is the preferred standard of beauty almost everywhere in the world, he asked that I give up one food. I chose potato chips because they weren't my favorite snack; I saw them mostly as a vehicle for dip.

Coffee's ready and I hope to have a postponed weekly phone conversation with a friend who winters in Florida.

Linn

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Apr 24 - 10:37 PM

You're right, I completely forgot about your working at the optical place. And please don't read my criticism of the optical store at my (last) optometrist's office as my view of the entire world of opticians. You're also right about the progressive lenses - those are different. I wore them for a little while and switched back to regular lenses with bifocals because I was tired of bobbing my head around to find the focal part I needed in the lenses at any given time. I typically ended up spending about $400 on a new pair of glasses because the insurance didn't pay for polycarbonate lenses and the frames that had nicer features (titanium, springy hinges, etc.) always cost more than the budget plastic pairs to choose from to stay under the plan allowance. We're creatures of habit, so I bought glasses at the doctor's office long before the online sites came along and it took a while to get comfortable with the idea of ordering online and switching.

I made the optical tech work out what my glasses would cost if I walked in without insurance. I would have been offered a "50% off" rate, and they came out (for sake of illustration) around $400. She then worked it out with my insurance: with insurance you're not offered the discount discount on any of the frames, lenses, etc., and it came out $395. Which told me they were getting a lot more out of me because I paid as much as the uninsured and the insurance company also gave them something. The last pair I bought from Zenni with a titanium frame, polycarbonate lenses (with the option I never paid for at the optometrist's - photo responsive lenses) cost $88. I learned about this place from our group participant LilyFestre. She said her agency used them when they had families needing glasses but with no budget. For lower-end plastic frames and lenses you can probably get a good pair of glasses for under $40.

Patty nailed it as far as our high-carbohydrate diets. I aim to have fruits and vegetables as much of my diet, so eating protein instead of wheat-based carbs or sugar is a good choice. I have a combination of commercial raisin bran cereal and a homemade granola (low sugar, high in nuts) that makes my gut happy, but eating that for breakfast can set me up for wanting more carbs during the day. I've started thawing a piece of fish overnight and having a piece of sauteed tilapia or sockeye salmon and a side of pan fried potatoes or a vegetable, and having the granola for lunch or even part of dinner. Mostly I have to get off of sugar snacks.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 09 Apr 24 - 08:02 PM

Maggie, you forget that I worked as an optical technician at Sears Optical and JCPenney Optical for five years (we were licensed businesses within the stores). I stopped wearing my RGP hard contacts about a year ago. I just didn't wear them often enough. I'm currently wearing a pair of progressives that are about 20 or more years old. I just found out that I actually have vision insurance for the first time in my life. It paid for my exam and substantially towards a new pair of progressives. If I hadn't had insurance, I would have gone directly to JCPenney Optical when they had one of the sales that worked best for me. I ordered the pair of progressives through my optometrist because I wanted a better lens (the three different progressive lenses sold by US Vision are adequate, but not the best available) than would be available at JCP Optical. I would order single vision glasses online, but would never consider ordering progressives. For correct placement of the lens in front of the eye, it takes someone actually measuring segment height. (I know my PD — pupillary distance.) And an online optician couldn't phyiscally fit the glasses — progressives usually need a little tweaking. (And I know of no optometrist's office that would fit a person with the glasses they bought online.)

I'm going to take my Rx, though, when the sale is right and buy a second pair (for fashion reasons as much as to have a good spare pair; my old prescription is just enough out of whack that I have a headache after driving for any length of time) at JCPenney Optical.

And I have multiple pairs of single vision glasses for back ups as well.

Back when I got that 20+ year old pair of progressives (which my then optometrist was insisting on), I could never get used to them because I wore my contacts 99% of the time. (I'm nearsighted, so the contacts were for distance; I used cheap readers for closeup.) But a few months ago the pair of single vision distance glasses I was wearing to drive got misplaced. I rummaged in my nightstand drawer and for some reason the only pair I could find was the progressives. I needed to go somewhere, so put them on not expecting much, but, voila! I could see both distance and closeup and everywhere in between with absolutely no problem whatsoever.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Apr 24 - 07:13 PM

Charmion, the champ of the Keto lifestyle is our fellow member LilyFestre. She posts mostly on FB these days. She walks most mornings along with the Keto diet for the family, and has worked off lot of weight. Right now her mother is ill and she hasn't walked as much (I saw a post about walking yesterday) but I suspect they're sticking to the diet as a matter of habit.

I'm shifting my diet to more protein in the morning and the carbs later and it does seem to curb the sugar cravings. Snacks lately are savory: I made another batch of the smoky gouda and pecans spread I discovered recently. I pick from a couple of recipes - mine ends up with shredded gouda, sour cream, finely chopped pecans, a little Worcestershire sauce and some powdered onion. I use tortilla and flax seed chips to pile a spoonful of the spread on. Meat in my diet is usually an ingredient in dishes, but I'm changing that. I eat more fish and chicken than beef, and lately have added back lamb; I cut up a leg of lamb and freeze portions. The MyFitnessPal is set to track carbs, protein and fat.

The alternate day fasting worked for me to lose weight two years ago and is what I'm doing to lose a few pounds now. I recently listened to a lecture about the problem of some of the forms of fasting - those in which the calories are eaten within an 8 hour period seem to be flagged as possibly associated with some health risk factors. I keep to 500 calories on the "fasting" days but I've never restricted it to within a few hours. It's unscientific but I find on the days when I eat 1200 calories I get enough of the foods that are treats that I don't feel deprived for a day when I eat less.

Linn, I stopped going to the optometrist's office for making glasses because they were always so expensive. Having insurance only let them gouge both me and the insurance company. I use Zenni, and have been happy with the quality and price, and I daresay if you entered your details into an order at Zenni you'd have new glasses in a couple of weeks. There's a learning curve to fill in the information from the printout Rx from the optometrist (you should ask for a copy), but once you figure it out, returning for new updated orders is easy.

Heavy rain forecast overnight and tomorrow. I worked in the garage today to scour off some baked-on grease at the front of the grill hood. I used a tool (no idea the original intent - it was from my Dad's stash) with a razor blade at an angle and slowly peeled back some of the grease (baked on like enamel) and scrubbed the rest with steel wool. This work has me eyeing the huge lump of the older grill under it's nylon cover (held in place with a bungee cord) - can hardly wait to downsize if the new one works well.