DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 18 Jul 24 - 09:40 PM

My favourite nuts are pecans, walnuts and almonds, in that order. I weigh out 30 grams in a dish and eat them for lunch. I also eat pignoli — pine nuts — but I like those toasted in vegetarian dishes such as spinach salad and sautéed greens with garlic. If your goal is avoiding carbohydrate, don’t eat cashews. The price of pecan halves is shocking, but I almost don’t care. I feel the same way about rib-eye steak, but I buy it anyway. Sunday dinner should be nice.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jul 24 - 06:35 PM

I picked up various types of glasses over the years at Goodwill - they don't all match exactly, but then, it took a while to accumulate what amounts to sets. I found the Duratuff glasses I'm selling at Goodwill. Their next owners will see "estate sale" in my listing (I always assume they're left over from such events), giving it a little more cachet than "thrift store."

As I strolled the aisles of Winco this afternoon I realized that nuts would probably meet my "crunch" requirement so picked up an assortment and photographed the bins each came out of for the dietary values. It'll only be a few at a time, but that is the way the chips are also supposed to be eaten.

This afternoon's main trip was to pick up a new dental night guard that will replace the current lower retainer I've used since the orthodontia was finished years ago. Hopefully this will help keep my jaw in place at night to prevent possible teeth grinding and let the creaky TMJ clear up, or at least not get worse.

I weighed myself this morning and am going to add intermittent fasting (like the alternate day fasting - lower calories some days) and in a way that there are 16-18 hours between meals once or twice a week as part of the blood sugar management I've read about.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 18 Jul 24 - 05:25 PM

As my fourth day of quarantine / house arrest draws to a close, I was thinking that I feel kinda guilty for having spent the last eight hours in the comfy chair — and then remembered with relief that I’m not allowed out until I stop sneezing and test negative! Legal idleness — how sweet it is.

The cough has not improved, though; I’m still hacking like a cat with a hairball.

I bought the glasses I was lusting for. They’re Waterford Marquis, their “Vintage”, pattern, like my red wine glasses. Funny; I used to think wine is wine and would taste the same whether you drank it from crystal or a Melmac cup, but now I find that the right glass makes a big difference, especially to high-tannin reds. I guess I’m a wine snob, now.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jul 24 - 04:07 PM

Continuing to read and this week I came across a discussion of how the different types of sugar are broken down in the body. The old dietitian line of "all sugar is alike" (calorie count) is not true. Calories are the least of it. Depending on if it heads to the liver or directly into the bloodstream, etc. For years I've avoided high-fructose corn syrup, and that spared me some weight and health issues. I also avoid most artificial sweeteners, again, they break down in unpleasant ways. But that doesn't mean I've avoided lots of other fast-metabolizing carbs. I'm approaching this because today I was thinking about snacks - and what might work. The irresistible crunch of chips, for example, is a long-time go-to for me. A crisp apple instead? The fruit sugar is broken down slowly and fiber and moisture accompany it. Corn chips, potato chips, in limited amounts with healthy dips?

I'll have to figure out a non-wheat bread for my occasional grilled cheese sandwiches (for now I have the frozen store brands to test). Non-wheat bread will still be a fast-digesting carb product (without gluten) so will be limited. I'm creeping ever closer to Keto, without quite adopting it. Some kind of high-protein low carb (of the healthier varieties) plan.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: pattyClink
Date: 18 Jul 24 - 03:49 PM

Thanks for the housewarming wishes, Charmion, Sandra, Stilly!! It is wonderful to have a place of my own. I have been on wheels for 7 years.

Yesterday hauled half of the locally stored items to the new home, and picked up a new-to-me bookcase. It was about 102 for the high, so while the original load-in to cargo trailer went well, the load out into the house was hot and slow. Trying to stick most of the boxes in their destined rooms as I go. Got exhausted, will hopefully move the remaining 40% over this weekend.

No furniture yet, so lunched in my lawn chair at the kitchen counter and had a lie-down on my sleeping-bag pad. Long enough to be sure that floor-sleeping will not be an option with achy joints from moving boxes.

Discovered the place stayed eerily cool for days after the A/C was last on, stucco construction is a great fit for this climate. 4 modern mini-split air handlers let me cool it further.

Well, except for the mud/storage/rock room, where there is a new large water heater on display, which heats up that room, the only room with no mini-split. Desperately needs an insulating blanket to keep the heat in the tank (it's already set as low as it can go). So add that to the list of to-gets.

Will work hard to get a bed in this week, shop for a sleeper sofa for maybe later, then get ready for a run east for the rest of my stuff in storage.

The RVing people I know tend to come through this area in winter, and the mineral people congregate in Socorro in November, so I'll be hosting visitors for sure. Hence shopping for a sleeper, and the yard has plenty of room for RVs to park. Have not upgraded the electric line for plugins, but I'll look into that. And I better start planning a housewarming for the locals for early fall.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jul 24 - 08:20 PM

What kind of iced beverage glasses are you looking at? I have some Libbey Duratuff glasses (the amethyst/purple color) iced tea 16oz goblets listed on eBay, and a number of other smaller colorful glasses yet to list.

Today I programmed the house thermostat higher; day and night are now 82^o on the larger heat pump (it was on 80 during the day), and in the room where I usually work it is set at 80, and I can adjust it up or down as humidity dictates. The electric bill for June was pretty high, and it'll just get worse for the next couple of months without this shift.

I spoke with a sibling today about his getting off of statins; we're opposites in how we're doing it. I'm closer to the Keto approach and he's on a low-fat vegetarian higher carb routine. We both get exercise, right now he's getting a lot more than I am (he has acreage to work on in a cooler climate).

Online defensive driving ahead. Not fun, but saves on my premium for the next three years.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 17 Jul 24 - 06:15 PM

My nose itches intolerably, I have no sense of taste or smell, and I get tired changing my mind. I’m obviously still contagious as hell — ACHOO! — so I can’t go anywhere except the mailbox, and there only if nobody else is on the street. I have to sneak to the mailbox in the dark!

Apart from that, I’m great. This variant does feel less dreadful than my last bout of COVID, but I’m still very wary of its potential to send me into bronchitis again. The lung misery I had at Easter was bad, and if it happens again so soon I can probably write off the rest of the summer.

My elder brother has allowed as how he would like our Dad’s set of Bohemian crystal wine glasses, so I have packed them to travel the next time I go to Ottawa. That leaves room in the cabinet for iced beverage glasses I have been ogling on Ebay — much more useful in the circles where I move these days.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jul 24 - 11:35 AM

I'll third those congratulations, Patty! How long were you officially a vagabond in the RV? Do you have friends from that community who you stay in touch with, who might swing by for a visit? And how many trips will it take to move the stored stuff? (Or is it too soon to know that? How many places do you have stuff stored?)

How are you feeling, Charmion? Is this variant milder (each one seems to be more contagious but also less virulent)? LA, San Francisco, Seattle, I'm seeing various municipalities report the COVID index in sewer water treatment plants is rising.

Looks like rain here today (a more than 50% chance). I have to drop off recycling and pick up some fabric (another project than the yard art) this morning. The bin is a lot heavier than usual with those textbooks. (While I'm at it I'll toss some of my son's college textbooks from his closet - they're way out of date now.)

I made only one purchase during this summer's Prime event - another Roku streaming device (half price) as I slowly replace Amazon Fire sticks. The Roku devices just work better, though the ones I'm getting are WiFi only. I have two Fire sticks wired to data ports for faster performance, I'd have to buy a larger Roku device to run on ethernet.

I finally finished the last batch of my zucchini casserole and it was about two meals too many in that batch. Next time I'll make a smaller amount.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 17 Jul 24 - 10:25 AM

I'll second that!!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 17 Jul 24 - 10:15 AM

Happy house-warming, Patty!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: pattyClink
Date: 17 Jul 24 - 08:38 AM

Got the key yesterday! Celebrated with friends, and took one out for a visit to the house last evening, first time there unsupervised by realtor etc. There is always a wonderful peaceful vibe in the house and back yard, stillness plus a few bird sounds.

Someone at the power company quietly fixed the database issue. So when I tried the website again, it did work and they did switch over the power.

Continued the search for a bedframe at the local antique 'mercantile', but there were few and very elaborate. But, they had a nice bookshelf, which will be loaded into the cargo trailer today along with some stuff from storage.

Off I go, to scoot over to storage before the sun gets too high above the horizon.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jul 24 - 06:12 PM

You're the third person I've heard of this month who caught it despite warm weather and more time spent out-of-doors. And Paxlovid is harder to find for those who are eligible and willing to use it. I was glad to see friends stepping up to offer to help over on FB.

This afternoon I set up the steam-juicer and put in about five pounds of Roma tomatoes. I have 1.5 quarts of juice now and will run the remaining solids through the food mill to separate seeds and skin from pulp. I've wanted to make some sauce and it's always best from fresh, even if I didn't grow these tomatoes myself.

I also boiled some eggs and will use one large tomato I set aside for a chef salad for dinner tonight. (In case this isn't a universally known recipe, it is a big plate of salad greens, I use a mix of Romaine and iceberg, topped with shredded cheese, slivers of types of meat, and quartered tomatoes around the outer rim, interspersed with two halved hard-boiled eggs. I sprinkle some nuts and seeds and use Italian dressing over the top. The meat will be roasted chicken and deli ham.)

You know it's July in Texas if you're in the low-100s outside and boiling pots of water in the kitchen for canning or making sauces. Today's batch was three pints, two of which are now in the freezer. It didn't take long but there were quite a few dishes in the sink before all was finished.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Jul 24 - 12:57 PM

Not much will get done this week because I have come down with COVID. It’s a messy cold with a barking cough, nasty headache, no olfactory function, and precious little energy.

Oh, well. I didn’t have any important plans …

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jul 24 - 08:48 PM

Two more listings up on eBay so far today. I have a couple of other things that need more information before I can list them (that somehow I didn't measure when photographing and before packing).

A few days ago I pulled out more craft things stashed out of sight in the sunroom that I intended to donate on Saturday, but that never made it to the donation box. I'll start a new box with this stuff and today I found a few things to add to it.

Charmion's lamb shanks sound wonderful. I have a small Romertopf baker I usually use for chicken, but that could be used for something like the lamb. (I find it amusing that the recipe's author has the last name "Capon.")

How's your scalp, keberoxu? How's your house, Dorothy?

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: keberoxu
Date: 15 Jul 24 - 07:16 PM

Pattyclink, I hope the house situation works out for the best,
whatever the best may be.

My incision, according to the nurses who examine it, is healing well.
At least it doesn't feel as tight as before.
And sleep is working out better than I feared,
I can still sleep on my back as I'm used to do.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 14 Jul 24 - 10:01 AM

I have achieved what feels like a workable compromise on the heirloom dohickeys spread out on the work table downstairs. After a careful triage, I put them in an ornamental box made by a Haida artist. The oddest things survived the sorting, such as a golden tress from Granddad’s first haircut, in a box labelled “The hair of the deep-dyed villain”, and a disc of leather with “First Prize Sharpshooter” and Granny’s name carved into it. The opera glasses, the Japanese pen case with its opium pipe, and the wine-bottle seal made the cut, along with a snuffbox made of the tip of a ram’s horn. I’ll find a way to dispose appropriately of the many sets of drawing instruments and the boxes of military junk jewellery.

Supper last night was an experiment: lamb shanks cooked in a small Römertopf clay pot. I love lamb shanks, but until now failed to figure out a way to prepare them for just myself. Using the flavourings from a NYT recipe by Robert Farrar Capon, I put two shanks in the pot with a sliced onion, two chopped Roma tomatoes, ground allspice and nutmeg, and oregano, salt and pepper. Lid on, it went into the oven for an hour at 425°F. The result was as delicious as the original version, and the only thing I’ll do differently next time is browning the shanks first. The second shank is for tonight, with another glass from the bottle of Bardolino I opened yesterday.

As for Mr T’s close call yesterday, I can’t stop myself wishing that he had been stood maybe six inches to his right.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Jul 24 - 10:22 PM

Art items dropped off during my donation appointment and while I was in the front shop (their fund-raiser area) I noticed a number of lengths of cloths for sale in a bin - that is easily how some of what I dropped off could be used if they don't actually put it in the warehouse for teachers. These items will be used one way or another. I added more of my surplus stuff to one of the boxes at the last minute.

Tonight while changing my bed linens I told the new Echo Dot to play MSNBC on SiriusXM. To my surprise, what came across that small speaker is that someone took a shot and nicked Trump. I've had the news off all day, so I was hearing this some hours after the event. I still think I'll listen to less news, it is generally repetitive and the next 24-48 hours even moreso. Meanwhile, the linens are changed, I've had a shower, a load of laundry is in the washer and I'll program it to wash during the wee hours when there is less demand on the power grid.

An online viewing discovery today is a YouTube account called "Midlife Stockman" who seems to do transformations on vacant lots, school bus stops, abandoned sidewalks, abandoned houses, etc. He puts in a LOT of manual labor and uses a time-lapse camera and drones to document it. Makes me think the changes of a good landscape refresh would be a nice thing to do in my yard. He has some great tools (including a Stihl Battery-Operated Cordless Pruning Saw to die for). He appears to be working in a northern tier state to do this all day long, I'd have to be out at 5am to start work here and stop before 9am.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 13 Jul 24 - 01:11 PM

Dupont:

I have been to the country and back again - went to B on Saturday - "I'm not sitting around in the heat all day again!" My car has A/C so I would be cool part of the day. So I threw the bare essentials in the car and drove to Beaver. Stopped at the Hidden Gold Mine about 3:30 and they made me a hawaiian panini to go and I got the very last muffin - our fav raisin/carrot! And I finished the trip, organized what was necessary and let Larry know I was back for a couple days. Good sleep.

Put the ready-to-fire pots in the kiln - about 2/3 load - and considered next step. Had a great visit with Larry on Sunday and neighbour Sue joined us. Then read,rested, thought. Bought 4 20 inch fans. Had a good sleep.

Monday: decided the next thing needed was change of address so I went to the post office and arranged that - for a year. (Who knows?) Left Beaver in good order and drove back to QC. Ate the muffin for lunch! The traffic was heavy at the food stops! Thankful for the muffin which got me home. Precooked -by me- food in frig and brought back from Beaver still keeping us going!

Trying to find the guts to go to the dreadful bureaucracy to change Driver's license and car registration. I'll try on Monday

Two rainy days were wonderful and R moved a large cabinet out of pottery room - so I have room! He also carried some clay up as I am still leery of carrying much weight, esp upstairs. One smallish cabinet that had been clutter for a few years has, thankfully disappeared! To the cellar, I guess. I don't go down there.

The large one was upstairs because it was the only place to put it when the folks I gave it to 45 years ago, returned it!! Visiting a friend here a few months ago, I was inspired to suggest the cabinet might fit nicely into the tiny old house she is restoring. She has agreed to take it as soon as she has time! So it sits in a side hall for now - just a little bit in the way but tolerable.

The reason I gave this lovely pine cabinet away 45 years ago: A bunch of buildings were being torn down in Montreal and the contents were for sale. We bought it for $10 and brought it to where we were living - in a 3rd floor flat. We could not get it up the stairs so we put it back in Tom's truck: Let's take it to Roger. They took it into their beautiful old home as a "mitten cabinet"! (88 inches tall, 32 wide and 17 deep!!) It lived with that family - from home to home to home. Parents died, no one else wanted it... We also were gifted an antique day bed which is just right in the upstairs hall - where one could nap/recline/read and look at at the big trees in the front yard. I may do that sometime! It's ready any time the weather is not too hot!

The landing at the foot of the stairs is now clear of stuff and my single box of albums is almost in their special new home - and someday we may be able to play them on the special machine we bought for $50 and have not - in several years taken the time to figure out. We were told it will convert the 33/3 to CDs. If my son visits, I will try a Tom Sawyer! There is a Dan Hill in the box! (that and Norm Hacking peaked out.)

(Had to go find Norm on line and play a song. Haven't listened in years but remembered it right off - Really liked his music!)

OK, so here I am on another HOT day. Pulled weeds for maybe 20 minutes until it started to hurt. Another bit and that area will be clear of the invasive weed with nice purple flowers! They have an area where they are allowed. Milk weed has taken over a big chunk of two "flower beds" but that's OK! Cute little pods are maturing. I have not seen any butterflies at all...

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 13 Jul 24 - 08:13 AM

Yesterday entailed a great deal of box-heaving as last season’s choir repertoire went back to storage. Next season’s music includes only three works we already own — “Messiah” (as usual), Vivaldi’s “Gloria”, and a setting of “Hope is a thing with feathers” — so we boxed those up and hauled them out. Consequently, my home library work table is clear and reduced to minimum size for the first time in weeks.

All that will change as the rest of next season's repertoire rolls in. Already I have two cartons from Faber Music in the UK to unpack, a process that will result in stacks of a Bach cantata. By mid-August the table will be at full stretch again with piles of scores to be stamped (“Property of …”) and numbered. Then Jane and Herb will return for an afternoon of twiddly work and uplifting conversation followed by a nice cold bottle.

My granny used to make quilts with a gang of church ladies. They worked in an upstairs room at Granny’s house that was probably the only indoor space in town that could hold a fully extended quilting frame and the work crew. (Granny’s house was built as an inn, and I think that room had once accommodated three or four beds.) Nowadays, when I settle down to an afternoon of music maintenance with my friends, I perceive the continuation of a well-established pattern of small town life for older folks. If it wasn’t the choir, I would have to join the garden coven, or finally learn to sew …!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jul 24 - 11:07 PM

The current owners can't provide the information to you? Or it hasn't occurred to them? Good luck with that!

Tomorrow is the craft supply drop-off, but I didn't end up picking up stuff from my friend; he felt like he could round up a lot more stuff given a bit more time, so I'll get his donation for my next batch to Welman. I'm sure there will be more. I found a bin full of pencils (regular lead, art, and colored) that have been added to the box, along with some ancient paper doilies and several pads of paper. I also looked in my bookshelves for anything superfluous to the work I do these days; one design book for the donation box and I dropped several 20+ year old computer web html books straight into the recycle bin.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: pattyClink
Date: 12 Jul 24 - 06:14 PM

Stilly, if these sellers actually vacate and we actually have closing on Monday, I will pm a link for the location.   If they do not, then I'm done with this whole circus.

No, it's not a remote location at all. We just have a too-big, unresponsive utility that has stored the service address in their database as "N of town", which will not allow me to start service at the correct address (or under the meter number), until someone presents whatever they consider suitable documentation that the meter is at that address. Utter stupidity.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jul 24 - 01:59 PM

Oy, Patty, your hair! And I thought it was awful last spring when the sleep study tech covered my head with extremely greasy sticky pads to apply electrodes. So much scrubbing when I got home.

Many furniture items can be purchased online and delivered, but I suppose extremely remote addresses test the limits of those services. Can you deploy any Google map GPS information regarding the devices on that property for the utilities in question? In this day and age pulling up map coordinates is something any motivated property owner can do. Or maybe there is a county or state or FEMA or Corps of Engineers (etc.) overlay map you can access. I visualize you spending time in a library if you have one nearby.

Good luck! And PM me your address if you've a mind to, I'd like to look at the property (Zillow) and send a card once you get moved in!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jul 24 - 01:43 PM

Keb, I hope you're able to get a comfortable position to sleep if that cyst was in an inconvenient spot on your head.

This morning I let the Alexa app have access to my phone contacts after I picked up one more Echo dot device. Last month I realized how lucky my friend was, the one who fell during the night and broke his hip, that he was able to have his Alexa device call his next door neighbor for help. It won't call 911 but it can call numbers in your contacts. A fall, phone in hand, would allow easy access to help, but the scenario of getting up in the night and falling on the way to the bathroom is commonplace. Now to declutter the list of the ones that are deceased or no longer used. This device in a part of the house where I spend a fair amount of time.

That same friend is rounding up art supplies he doesn't use and will add them to the stash I'm donating to the non-profit that provides art materials to local teachers. I'll swing by later to pick them up and do a couple of other errands at the same time (drop off more puzzles at the thrift store or library, and while I'm thinking of it, I have some boxed games that we never use that I can donate to my library.

The kitchen stove overhead exhaust fan started making a terrible racket lately; I cleaned the screens that cover it but next I need to disassemble to clean and graphite the moving parts. There may be enough grease buildup on the fan blades that it goes off-balance so that is the main objective for now. This has been in place for years and it may be time for a new one.

Outside the house it's time to start regular watering in the areas I need to soak to keep the foundation in place and a few plants that aren't completely established. I'm using my gray water bucket (rinse water in the kitchen sink) to carry out to pour on targeted areas and that helps reduce the need to sprinkle entire areas. Several buckets a day keep all of the potted plants happy also.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: pattyClink
Date: 12 Jul 24 - 12:02 PM

Yikes keboroxu, that sounds un-fun! I had some scalp cutting done last summer, not something I want to repeat. Worst part was assistant #5 for the day decided it would be good to spray-glue a chapel veil of bandage material onto the entire top of my head. With water-insoluble epoxy. What was she thinking? After unsuccessful shampoos, had to work a hundred little hanks clean with acetone.

Just checking in with no good news from New Mexico. Miserable weather, very hot days punctuated by violent storms and a few power outages.

Foot-dragging by every firm associated with the house closing, 'not sure if it will be funded on closing day'.   

Cannot request electric service because 'address not in service area', because no one ever bothered putting an actual address in the database for the meter (keep in mind the property changed hands one year ago), and the comcast-like utility requires documents to prove their meter goes with this address which is 'not in their system'. Have requested help from the people who can/should help, no reply.

Thought I could at least go buy a bedstead at a nice used furniture store I scouted a month ago. Drove 60 miles to find it locked up on an 'open' day, during 'open' hours. Then while in the city found a good mattress on sale, but not in stock. I could give them money right then, or pay 30% more next week after sale is over, and make another trip to get it. Well, what's the point. I might find a bed at a garage sale that is a different size anyway. And may need to buy a mattress from a store that doesn't overcharge in the first place.

Sorry to vent, but that's what's up around here. Hoping this feeling of uneasiness lets up soon.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: keberoxu
Date: 11 Jul 24 - 02:35 PM

Well, my scalp is decluttered.

My position made things awkward.
Because of where the cyst was on my scalp,
the procedure could not be done with me lying down.
So they had me sitting up with no back support,
my legs dangling over the side,
and the nurse leaning right into me to keep me,
I suppose, from jumping off the table and running away.
I was more nervous and anxious than I needed to be, it was very brief.

So now I have to be careful how I lie on it in my sleep,
and otherwise leave it alone and wait until the sutures come out.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Jul 24 - 11:30 AM

I hope that procedure went well, Keb. And after a couple of days of feeling tender that spot will be pleasantly un-bumpy.

This morning I spent a little time in the yard cutting down dead branches (with the reciprocating saw) then dropped pieces in the trash can. I've kept the branches the size I can run through my little electric wood chipper. I had such a small bag of trash today that it felt silly putting a parcel the size of a shoebox at the curb, so that's why the branches were used to bulk up the offering (I've meant to do that trimming for ages). After that I walked the dogs around the block and we stayed on the shady side of the street. I may take the long Fiskars lopper out and reach some more dead branches (several feet above my head) ahead of the next trash pickup.

I'd marked my calendar for 2 weeks out from stopping statins, and today is the third week. I feel more clear-headed and get good sleep; the difference between last week and this is that I was just noticing last week, this week every day feels good. Since I've stopped eating wheat it might be a combination of things I'm feeling.

I'm still figuring out carbs. There will be healthy fruits and vegetables, but I need to work out how much.

A yard sign arrived in today's mail from the League of Women Voters: "Vote Like Democracy Depended On It." This will go out in the yard when I have the banner ready.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: keberoxu
Date: 10 Jul 24 - 06:26 PM

"Reinforced-furniture stout" describes me all too well.

Tomorrow afternoon the surgeon will declutter me of a small cyst in my scalp. It is much better behaved after a round of antibiotics,
but it has to come out anyway.
It's day-patient surgery, I get to come straight home afterwards.

And with my luck it will be raining.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jul 24 - 07:16 PM

I inherited family stuff from my grandfather's sister. That great aunt was the youngest of 9 children and she lived in the house her parents bought in 1905 (in New England). My Irish great grandmother was 6' tall and slim, but her family, those I've seen photos of, were all stout. As in reinforced-furniture stout. Three didn't marry so lived at home with their mother. My great uncle was a talented carpenter and built the piano bench I brought back along with the Weber upright grand. The bench itself weighs like a small piano and is walnut with straight 2"x2" legs, braced, heavy lid, reinforced seat music compartment. With its straight lines it looks Mission style and doesn't match the piano, but it works well. (When facing a diagnosis of diabetes the great aunt, the only one of that family I knew, lost a lot of weight and lived to a healthy 94.)

After a trip to the dentist to have my teeth scanned for a night guard (the TMJ issue is more pronounced now) I ran by the craft store to pick up a small roll of Wonder Under, for appliqueing the banner together. Once assembled everything will be zigzag stitched around the edges. I saw a quilting program (PBS) this afternoon and it was perfect timing, they were making are pieces that involved this process, confirming my design will work.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 09 Jul 24 - 12:28 PM

The typical rotisserie chicken in southern Ontario supermarkets are fryers topping out at about a kilo in weight, but one easily provides four meals. I don’t go to Costco — it scares me, and the nearest one is 40 km away — and I’ve never seen a Sam’s Club on this side of the border, so I have no comparison there. Zehr’s, my usual source of rotisserie chickens, offers several seasoning finishes, but I always buy the plain so-called barbecue kind because — unlike real barbecue — the seasoning mix does not include sugar. Sodium isn’t an issue for me.

On Sunday I drove way down to the arse end of Oxford County to buy a piano bench that I saw advertised on FB Marketplace. It’s well made of local walnut and was lovingly refinished by the vendor’s now-deceased husband, and an excellent addition to my bedroom — it fits neatly at the foot of my bed and provides a spot for Watson to hop to on his way to his nightly slumbers. I have never liked putting a suitcase, laundry basket, or gym bag on the bed, and now I don’t have to.

Also last weekend, my friend Alden completed the first and (I hope) most agonizing phase of moving out of her spacious Victorian cottage in Stratford and into a tiny (750 square feet) granny flat in Guelph. When I picked her up at five o’clock on Friday, her son and grandson had the house mostly cleared and the movers were loading the bed and the kitchen table. Alden herself was more than tired; she was exhausted and perilously close to tears. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a human being so in need of a stiff drink, and by eight-thirty she was spark out in my guest room bed. I haven’t had any bulletins from Guelph yet, but I suspect that the drama is not over.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jul 24 - 11:45 AM

Rotisserie chickens at places like Costco and Sam's Club are always in the 4 to 4.5 pound range, and as a loss leader bring in so much traffic that it's worth it. I'm to the Sodium chapter in the Taubes book, and am continuing to do the math as far as my food choices. I've bought fewer rotisserie chickens since monitoring my sodium, but think I can add it back in without problems when doing a non-wheat low-sugar diet.

I've removed wheat and white rice from my diet but still have quite a few colorful fruits and vegetables, so am not at that superlow carb level, though it is much lower than before when bread was on the diet. It averages a third of my calories instead of 2/3 like it used to, and as time passes and the fruit and veggies I already have here run low, I'll choose lower-carb options and buy the higher carb stuff in lower quantities.

This morning I moved the wooden bench from the sunroom to beside the rail under the large case opening where the den and kitchen meet (and there is a 6" step down, so the rail runs along the edge for safety, with a 3' gap at the step.) This is moving a tile in that Chinese puzzle board, and it isn't necessarily where this bench is going to stay. The side entrance into the house is more open now.

I made a push yesterday to get ahead on the work for my part-time job so will spend more time on eBay listings, and I have several social events this week. I'm thinking it's still a good idea to wear the face masks; this month my son's partner and my sister both caught COVID when participating in group events. (My sister was at a family member's 50th wedding anniversary celebration that may have consequences - a lot of older folks attended. Fingers crossed that wasn't a super-spreader event.)

Dorothy, how are you feeling? Did you finish the address changes you were working on?

It's getting close to Patty moving into her new house. I hope there are some good stories ahead (of good news, not disasters!)

We haven't heard from Jon in a long time. How is everyone at your home? Are the care workers all keeping things humming for you and your family?

Who else is lurking?

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 09 Jul 24 - 10:45 AM

It's not Texas hot or Texas muggy, but Perth County is nevertheless not very comfortable today: hot and overcast with "risk of thunderstorms", and rain for sure tomorrow. I'm puttering about getting ready for an afternoon session of sorting last season's sheet music with a pair of fellow choristers. Before they arrive, I must put a nice bottle of chardonnay in the fridge. The Stratford Concert Choir library crew runs so much better with routine doses of chilled white wine.

Perrier for me, however. When you eat less than 25 net grams of carbohydrate per day, leafy green veggies (high in Vitamin A and iron) take priority. Tonight's menu is spinach salad with pine nuts, with enough cold rotisserie chicken to make up the protein quota.

My life has improved ever so much since I allowed myself to become a frequent flyer at the rotisserie chicken counter. They actually cost less than raw chickens that are not on special, with no pot to scrub. I can hear 40-year-old me sneering, but these days the alternative is likely to be fish from a can or a protein shake.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jul 24 - 11:04 PM

More stuff has left the front porch, offered via the buy nothing page on Facebook.

I've worked out the design for the yard banner, now to create templates for three parts that I'll have to work with (applique onto it).

We had rain from Hurricane Beryl today, nothing worrisome, no wind up here. Mostly humidity.

A good long workout yesterday at the gym has me within an hour of finishing an audiobook that I've checked out several times. I usually listen at the gym and haven't gone much lately. My goal is to finish it this week, then locate a couple of others I started a while ago and get back into them.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Jul 24 - 11:21 AM

Yesterday my scheduled collection tour at the museum didn't have any takers until a group of four arrived. I asked if they would like a tour, and the older woman (the teacher) with the group of young adults hesitated, that maybe they'd be better browsing on their own. I realized this was a special needs group, and to be clear without advertising to the group itself, I told her "I've worked with this demographic." She smiled and accepted, and it was just the five of us.

It was a nice 45 minutes with a brief overview about the building location and history, then looking at mostly 3D pieces (how did they make this?) What do you see here? Answering lots of questions and building my tour on their remarks. After photos with the teacher's phone I left them at the gift shop. This was an adventurous day trip to town, having arrived by train and planning to leave a few hours later. I was glad to draw on my professional background, where effective interaction called for an extemporaneous tour.

The tour schedule opened up this weekend so I'm also doing one today (where I anticipate a more typical experience).

Back at the homestead, I have an item listed on the FB buy nothing page awaiting moderator approval. I looked back at all of my past offers on this group and it adds up - shoes, shoe rack, barbecue grill, craft items, old fence panels, old light bulbs, several small appliances, plus a few things given away for friends and family. Add in offers via Freecycle and it has been a good year of donations.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jul 24 - 10:11 PM

There is a four-foot wide Mexican bookshelf made of a sturdy pine that sits behind my sofa in the den. I was keeping my back in mind as I nudged it across a span of several feet because the bottom shelf is packed with vinyl LPs that, as any boomer knows, weigh a ton. So far so good.

I got the speakers programmed through the receiver and redid a couple of the plugs so the TV sound now goes through the speakers if I want. This work came after I moved the TV from in front of the blocked off fireplace so I either need to bring the large mirror back out of my bedroom (it sits at the end of my exercise space and is handy there) or find some other thing to set on the hearth to hide the pink panel of insulation that fills the opening. I moved the large brass vessel that has held dog toys for a dozen years; it was set up for Zeke, and now that he isn't here and Cookie makes a mad dash into the yard with any toy I can't keep toys in it, they're in the trunk with the food bin. I need to teach that dog to fetch so she'll play nicely (join in) when we throw toys for Pepper to fetch.

It rained today and is cooler, but of course, muggy. I hear the leftover fireworks beginning to go off in the neighborhood. Too bad the rain didn't stick around longer.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 05 Jul 24 - 08:36 AM

I felt great yesterday, so I cleaned the house. Now my back hurts again. Sigh.

It was probably the vacuum cleaner — not just hauling it downstairs and up again, but also the half-stooped posture required to operate it. Or it could have been the sheet music that arrived from England yesterday by UPS; the delivery person carefully ignored the table beside the front door to place two 5-Kg boxes on the doormat so I would have to achieve maximum bend-and-lift not once, but twice. So now I have that old, familiar toothache in the right-side lumbar region, evidence of an insulted piriformis muscle in spasm.

Buggery.

Off to the Y pool this morning for a session of waterborne physical jerks that should loosen things up a bit. I have another date with Physio Guy on Monday; he will tut, and possibly tsk.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 04 Jul 24 - 06:05 PM

My house seems to be doing its own collecting without my knowledge

YES!!!!!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Jul 24 - 05:51 PM

Yes it would!

Before starting that I thought I'd finish a small job - setting up two more speakers in the den - but that has grown to rearranging furniture (and some vacuuming) before positioning the speakers. I also read the manual and realized why some things sound quieter than others; all of the speakers positions are programmable so I'm probably getting results on my speakers from how the previous owner had the thing set up in their space, and why sometimes I hear nothing, like on some DVDs - surround sound is set to play things over speakers I don't have set up. I have to reprogram it. Setting everything in place for now will be enough, I can do the programming later. It meant a couple of deep dives into the front room to dig out more speakers.

But as I shifted boxes in that room I looked inside one—where on earth did a man's formal kilt come from? Finding it stopped the work, to examine it. I've set it aside for later. My house seems to be doing its own collecting without my knowledge.

The noise will probably start around dusk, so I have a few hours until Pepper is a drooling mess. If it wasn't so hot I'd take them for a walk (I was going to this morning but got sidetracked, and when it occurred to me again, it was already too hot.) Tomorrow is cooler and a chance of rain; too bad it didn't rain today.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 04 Jul 24 - 03:50 PM

Would that be a red circle with a bar through the crown?

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Jul 24 - 11:19 AM

At the fabric store I picked out all outdoor polyester non-fade materials and got small amounts of each. The woman cutting the fabric asked what I was working on and I said a yard banner, then explained about a crown and a red circle. She held up her hand for a congratulatory high five hand slap. There are Democrats in Texas, but often maintaining a low profile. :)

This is a less-is-more kind of project - since it has to be pieced together it needs to use the fewest pieces that convey the message so it is something I can finish this week, not work on for ages. I'm playing with the InDesign software to work out the look. I have a white and red background and with a swath of blue and a couple of white stars I can focus primarily on a crown and red circle to finish the look.

The trash truck just went by but I didn't put out anything at the curb, nor did the across the street neighbors. We know that they pickup on just about every holiday except xmas and Thanksgiving, but if we don't put anything out then they finish faster on these days. (Personally, I wish they'd let them have all of the federal holidays and I'll stagger my trash pickup on those weeks.)

Last night's batch of zucchini casserole came out great, letting me use up my few garden onions and a couple of things that had been in the freezer for a while. Last time I cooked a Parmesan rind in it for flavor, and didn't have one now, but I can grate Parm over the top of it when I serve it.

For the rest of the world, it is Thursday. Here, it is the day the insanity of the fireworks will be at its worst. There were some going off last night and at bedtime when I give the girls a treat I had to go looking for Pepper - she was hunkered down in the tub in the hall bathroom. Whatever makes her comfortable! When she's really unhappy she won't eat. Good thing dinner is well before dark (if it is storming at mealtime I keep the bowl to give her later. Nothing will keep Cookie from eating at mealtime.)

I bagged some more fabric for the donations boxes that I'm scheduled to drop off on the 13th, continuing to add is something I'll work on steadily until then.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jul 24 - 04:39 PM

Dorothy, I started filing address changes in April of last year, and after two months I caught most of them. This was because I planned to close my post office box in September and I didn't want important stuff going missing. I wasn't getting much mail by the end, but I still find the "billing address" part of online accounts and forms with the old PO Box.

I've cleared major horizontal surfaces in the kitchen, though there are two that need work (the counters beside the stove and the dishwasher). Additional fabric contributions from the friend whose kids took charge is bagged for the donation appointment that is now 10 days away.

Several small things have been added to the donation bin in the laundry room, and while doing that I jostled the recycle bin and can tell I need to make a trip to the village bins. When I buy sparkling water in glass bottles it gets heavy fast.

This morning I started a computer desktop folder of shapes and symbols in order to design a small banner for the little metal post my next door neighbor gave me. The original cheerful banner is about worn out; this new one will have enough red and white stripes and a blue field with white stars to be clear, but in the center of it will be a crown shape over which I will set the red circle with a line through it indicating "no." I'm headed now to the fabric store to see if I can find some outdoor fabrics less prone to fading. I'll publish my results. Widely. Can you imagine 45 ever uttering Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown? It needs to rest in jail. Anyway, this is the best use of my time over July 4 that I can think of.

Cooking later this afternoon, making more of my zucchini casserole with sausage (without pasta - I like it this way better). Some of my homegrown onions and garlic need to be used, for starters, and I have a couple of sausages thawed and ready to go. I find I can use the casserole by itself or add pieces of baked chicken or and add mozzarella to melt on top for a Chicken Parm vibe (without the breading for now.)

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 03 Jul 24 - 01:21 PM

Dupont:

So! All the time between last post and this was spent changing address on two cards and figuring out how to access My income tax account - round and round until I finally found the correct next step. Clear as mud! But done! I suppose I shall owe them more since I could not find this until they sent me... And until I figured out that they were not going to email me and I would have to go round and round. Now if I can save the instructions, and various ??? I guess I need a log book/file folder ... It was late by the time I rec'd the Code needed. The ultimate declutter would be to get rid of all the darn codes and passwords and go back to dealing with human beings.

FOOD!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 03 Jul 24 - 11:38 AM

Dupont:

"problems to resolve that get in the way of the things we intend to do." And I am so stressed over that I am, currently, immobile. Maybe a post here will help me get out of the rut.

Yesterday, after days of misery, I wrote an email to hearing aide provider telling them I want my money back - and why. of course. "That woman" (audiologist) told me I had a 60 day trial period. But nothing in writing. In fact a whole lot of nothing - but her blithering on and on without giving me any useful info. So now I am "waiting" for a response. ETC...

Lest I get even lower than a snake's belly, I am trying to convince myself that the world will not end - due to the political state of the USA. I have dual citizenship and CARE!

Next thing is address change and I am finding it DAUNTING! So many to change! Start with Driver's license and car registration? The most daunting of all! Dealing with the Francophone bureaucracy!? I wonder if I can pay someone to do it?

Argh! email re CC payment! I misplaced one - it is in this house somewhere. We each searched - in car and house! So requested new one but it has been sent to Beaver. So! I just changed the card for that company and - next: Change address on card! That should be easy? She says hopefully. NOW! so something useful will be done today!?

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jul 24 - 11:23 PM

The friend who moved downtown, who I've helped with things, just posted a photo on her FB page of a fridge full of food. It was discarded by three other apartments in her building, and she found it all when it was still cold. Prepared meals (via delivery services), frozen foods, etc. Astonishing what people throw away. She's on disability and has so little cash; I think maybe she would benefit from some eBay tips. This apartment is a new building with some subsidized housing but mostly high-end renters, way different than where she moved from.

I made progress around here today, clearing off horizontal surfaces. I also processed food I brought home yesterday; froze individual pork sirloin and chicken breasts (in FoodSaver bags). My hands smell like cilantro because I pulled the leaves off of the stems and put them into a freezer bag that was flattened, sealed, and is now in the freezer. Tomorrow I'll make another zucchini casserole with some stuff from the garden that need using.

Will I jinx us by saying it's quiet tonight? Last night was very noisy with firecrackers. None tonight. We'll take the quiet when it's here. The rest of the week is bound to be a misery for the blue heeler. (And just as I'm typing this, fireworks went off. Damn.)

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 02 Jul 24 - 03:34 PM

Another bin-liner bag of clothing has gone out the door to Goodwill.

The box room is looking airier — the shelves above the hanging rods are no longer packed tight with boxes and baskets. Some remain, of course, but I don’t need a shoe horn to move them around. The hanging rods, once nearly full of off-season and special-occasion clothes, are half-empty now.

Edmund’s mess dress uniform (very fancy) and barrister’s court suit and gown are still in there, however, and I have no idea what to do with them. Not urgent — I’ll dealwith that issue when I have to and not before.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jul 24 - 12:12 PM

The man who picked up the band saw and stand today said he wants to adapt the stand for another tool, and since I told him the saw itself was recalled he'll tell the friend who wanted to test it that they'll have to pass on that idea. He's learning carpentry from his father while his dad is still around to teach him. We also talked about the garden (such as it is this year) and I gave him some of this year's garlic to eat and corms for planting his own. Good visit (but hot!)

School supplies picked up by a new teacher who is accumulating materials for her first classroom. That is six inches deep of shelf space in the bookcase in my office; I've had that colored printer paper since my mom sent it decades ago. I can reorganize that entire shelf now (and will have a bunch of legal-size paper to give away soon.)

When I picked up peaches yesterday my daughter also handed over a dozen eggs laid by her chickens! Whoo hoo! I gave her a stack of egg boxes that had been stored in a cabinet from when the kids and I were decorating blown eggs. I kept them because I sometimes used the boxes to pack around heavy items I sold on eBay. Now they will return to their original purpose of protecting eggs.

When decluttering you can decide to chuck everything and shove it out to the dump, to the thrift store, to the curb. Or you can take time and learn something in the process. I've tried to move things on to people who can use them or places that will be able to find new homes. When I sell things from the family estates it means I've learned something about the era it came from, and I have notes and photos from the research, even if I'm not keeping the items. My house is so much more organized than when I moved in. Right now there are two rooms in particular that need work, and the garage can be reorganized. I resolved to never use off-site storage once I got moved into this house, and I resolved to park in my garage, and be able to easily get in and out of the vehicle, not have the space so full that pulling the car in was a fit like a glove. It needs work, but is useable.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Jul 24 - 11:07 AM

Good job, Charmion! My month was not so fruitful; after the first few pounds off I stayed at that level, though in the last four weeks managed a transformation in what I'm eating. Thanks for naming the author (Taubes) that reminded me of my previous food research (during 2016-2018 when I was being treated for PMR). I'm still wearing the exact same clothes as before, but that's ok. I've intended to stay in the size 10 and 12 zone, and the 12 are comfortable, not snug now. Medium t-shirts, etc.

This heat advisory is continuing - I don't remember them making such a fuss about hot weather before, I'm not sure if the humidity is making it seem more intense so they're issuing warnings, but this week will be hotter, with a chance of rain by Friday and the weekend. Too bad no rain on the 4th, it might reduce the number of fireworks.

My daughter brought me a bowl of peaches from the tree on their property and tells me "some of them should be eaten today." Mmmmm! I'll blanch and cut up and eat some and freeze the rest. I'll pick them up this afternoon after my dentist appointment.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 30 Jun 24 - 06:47 PM

Steak and pinot noir for supper. Urp.

This week, I really have to clean the house. It’s getting embarrassing.

In other news, I’m wearing my thin pants. They are not even snug. Soon I’ll have to — gulp — shop for new trousers.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: pattyClink
Date: 30 Jun 24 - 02:42 PM

Impressed with all the projects people are handling! Dealing with some very hot days. Way too hot to putter around in the storage unit after 9 a.m.

The house is supposed to close on July 15th, the realtor and banker seem confident that it will. The only utility I have to arrange to have continued is power. There is a well and new septic system. Phone and internet signal are good. The immediate neighbors are very nice, the others are very few in number, apparently they can be met if I catch them on daily walks.

Need to sit down and plan some moving-in tasks, but honestly I'm leery of doing much of anything til I have keys in my hand and sellers riding off into the sunset.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jun 24 - 11:27 AM

There's a high-end "farmer's market" store near me that carries lots of specialty ingredients, naturopath items, items for various diet types, and high end products in the "normal" range (the flour made by Bob's Red Mill, for example). I found some of the gluten free bread I was looking for and checkout is eye-watering. $10 and more a loaf. I picked up one loaf and it's in the freezer. I'll be near an HEB grocery store in the next county (across the street from my dentist, where I have a cleaning tomorrow) and will shop there; online they show up as carrying some of the same breads, but will probably be less expensive.

That said, I spent about $40 on a dozen of the non-wheat flours, and plan to look up some of the formulas for different mixes. While standard wheat flour is in yeast breads, quick breads, muffins, pancakes, etc., there are different mixes of the non-wheat flour to accomplish the different outcomes. And where gluten is absent, sometimes adding other items to approximate it. Xanthan gum, psyllium fiber, etc. I ran several of the airtight canisters (ex-pasta) through the dishwasher last night and as I take the flour out of the freezer will decant into these with the labels in each canister.

Patty, how close are you to closing on the new house? What have you learned about your new neighborhood? Does the house have the usual amenities - water, electric, phone? Is it on a well or a municipal water system? Septic tank? Solar panels, wind turbine, etc? Internet?

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jun 24 - 01:10 PM

I gave myself an hour in the heat this morning to trim gardens and lawn edges around the driveway (there was a lot to do). I'll sweep the dry grass and weeds this evening when it's cooler (and maybe during the day a nice breeze will blow it away first). I wore a facemask to spare my sinuses the dust (allergies are already keeping them unhappy.)

Pasta and bread are on the porch for pickup; the taker is someone who has already been here for an offer in the past, makes it easy.

Summer stuff. I'm working on using some parts of my house more efficiently. I pass through the den dozens of times a day, but haven't spent much time in there until I recently set the laptop on the library table, that got me thinking about what else I can improve. The setup of the den TV includes several connected devices, all through a Kenwood receiver that I found for a great price at Goodwill. My Dad's two big speakers are the only ones connected, I hadn't set up any extra surround sound speakers it can use, but I got some (from Goodwill). They've collected dust in the front room, so this weekend my goal is to set up some of those. (The overarching goal this summer is to clear the stuff in the front room such as the eBay electronic items and some family heirlooms no one wants or needs in order to make better use of that room.) This is another illustration of that Chinese puzzle with one space that Linn referred to recently. Finding that space to work with is a challenge!

Also along the lines of what Linn discussed about how things are plugged in, I set up a new Anker power strip next to the receiver and player electronics in my office, retiring the long heavy metal 1991 power strip that came from my Dad's house. It still works, but it has fewer plugs and they're not well spaced (in a world of wall warts and odd-shaped transformer plugs). Goodwill can have it.

I can't say that how I felt this week is the effect of getting better sleep, or of stopping the statins, or both, but I'm feeling more efficient, despite the debilitating hot weather. Getting things done. Starting small parts of bigger tasks and then finding it easier to go back and do more later. It has been a good week! (And looking forward to next - my daughter promises to bring me a bunch of the peaches that are now ripening in her yard - they're white peaches, my favorite!)