Linn, the last time I had to have a plumber come out I went by the Ace hardware on my way home and I bought an assortment. The plumber said the ball valves are best (I think so - and so easy to use!) and it saved a trip because he didn't have any with him in the truck. I returned the ones I didn't need to Ace the next day.

We need to form our own little mutual support society for the colonoscopy. I need to go for the initial appointment and then schedule it when someone can give me a ride home. They won't let you drive yourself, it's a rule.

Alice posted a link on facebook to a page with various declutter ideas - lots of those popping up this time of year - and there is a photo of a huge closet. It seems like clutter would be less of a problem with a huge closet. My modest walk-in is under control, but I walked in yesterday morning to dress for both work and and evening event and had the thought that I should toss all of it and start over. I need to keep an eye on the sales at the Dillard's clearance outlet (a nice high-end department store in the US) and go in when their tops are on sale, get an array of new, and toss the various beginning-to-look-a-bit-worn tops. Then do it with pants. Get a couple of nice jackets or blazers to mix and match with tops and pants, etc. When they have a sale it is stupendous. Items that cost $200 are now $20, etc.

I'm not doing much of the alternate day fasting because I find the run of extremely cold weather has reset my internal clock and metabolism - I feel it more blood-sugar wise because my system is saying "eat carbs to stay warm." I stood in the morning sun for a few minutes and felt better - and I need to work in the yard today to see if I can't get past this cold-weather phase. I also need the exercise. This week I climbed the stairs at work several times a day (all six floors) to get started and I'll dig up the garden today for a general workout. And walk the dogs - poor things, they haven't been out of the yard for ages and they do love their walks.

Down to the last family phone on my cell plan, and today my son and I will meet to let him buy a new phone and set up a plan. I'll see how it goes - some of the big carriers offer a no-contract service, but the phones they couple with that plan are low-end. I want to know if I could buy a current phone (if I buy a quad core perhaps it will still operate after a couple of years - my most recent experience is that the dual core Android upgrades were pushed out to my single core phone until it was totally bogged down, then they stopped upgrading.) My son and I are on the same wavelength as far as how we want this to work, so I'll listen closely as he asks his questions today before we port out his number from my plan to one he pays for himself. I'm so ready for a change!

SRS