DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Aug 24 - 10:52 AM

One trip to the doctor later, I have no more clarity on my foggy head-state. Still dizzy and tired when I get up, a tad better by supper-time, but definitely not my usual perky self.

Doc speculated that I might have come down with some passing virus and sent me for a whack of blood tests.

I guess my take-away from all this is no sharp movements, and always hang onto the rail when walking downstairs. Also, maybe aging ladies shouldn't do drugs, but that's a counsel of perfection; most of us have no choice.

Rain in the imminent forecast gives me a good reason to spend the rest of the day reading and keeping the cats happy. Dolce far niente!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Aug 24 - 12:10 PM

If this started since the new drug routine then read all of the side effects and interactions and go from there. Can you return to the old regimen? The doctor was no help and this sounds like a dangerous way to move around the house and world outside (dizzy and foggy) then you have to be your own advocate.

I'm working out a list of places to go today, that will start with dropping board games at the library and then volunteering at the museum and end with loading up on a particularly good 85% dark chocolate with dried cranberries at the gourmet last chance store. A couple of small squares of that are enough to satisfy the snack impulse and it is said that dark chocolate improves your mood. It doesn't hurt and they have a good markdown. Tomorrow I have a tour at that museum so today I'll also walk through quickly to see if they've moved anything since I was there last week.

A modern conundrum has just crossed my desktop: an email with my newly calculated credit score (it's robust) has key factors listed that affect my score:
1) too many accounts with balances (I only have two - the credit union loan for the heat pump and my mortgage) because the credit cards are paid off every month. But there are only three of them so

2) too few accounts with recent payment information. Meaning if I would spend more money on more accounts they'd better be able to rate my score? Technically I have an account with a large computer manufacturing company in my state but I only use it when I buy a computer or printer, so, not often.

I paid my car insurance directly from the bank but this serves as a reminder to pay the home warranty insurance through a credit card to give it a little more activity (then pay it off that month with money saved in the bank for the home warranty policy). This is a small game that can be played with the banking community when one isn't ever going to be rich, you can at least appear to be responsible.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Aug 24 - 04:30 PM

The bloodwork results are in: electrolyte imbalance -- low sodium. So I have added Gatorade Zero to my diet (blech). Its flavour is strongly reminiscent of understrength Kool-Aid, but it will at least do me no harm.

I was interested to read in Wikipedia that Gary Taubes's carbohydrate-insulin hypothesis has provoked emphatic professional push-back. That does not surprise me, or convince me that the low-carbohydrate diet is not worthwhile as long as it is helping me achieve my objectives and not making my life more difficult than it needs to be. (In other words, the same criteria I would apply to any special diet.)

I actively enjoy freedom from colitis effects and I don't miss gingivitis one damned bit, but it's kinda obvious that eating more vegetables and more fruit on the regular is a really good idea, With only four kilos to go, I figure I can start adding fruit maybe by Thanksgiving (the Canadian one).

But I intend to stay off sugar.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Aug 24 - 07:48 PM

I agree with you 100%, Charmion. As I read the Taubes book I realize that I need to look around for information about how much and what types of proteins are going to be best. Case in point, my nextdoor neighbor can only eat beef once a week due to kidney issues and he has to watch the high-oxalate vegetables and things like chocolate. I'm fond of fish and shrimp, and will build more of them into the diet that already has a fair amount of chicken and pork and lamb. This week's shopping included asparagus, spinach, celery (celery mostly for the dogs, but some for me in stir fry), nectarines, and pears. The latter two are going to be probably the only carb of the day when I eat them, since I am working on losing the last few pounds. I'm at 154, aiming for 150. That still gives me a bit of a "buffer" (for my height the weight I see suggested as "optimal" is about 144. I look like a scarecrow if I'm that light).

It looks like 60 grams of carbs a day is what some of the keto routines recommend; one talked about 30 grams a day to get started if you're losing weight then up to 60 grams regularly (that was Perlmutter in Grain Brain).

When we share shopping duties my ex and I are able to save trips (better he drive to my house to pick up stuff than make trips to a couple of stores). I pick up things for him at Costco and we split their large portions (today he took some of my nectarines and pears). Next time I buy a rotisserie chicken it will only be when I can send half of it home with him. It also means we are each the someone who is paying attention as far as each of our well-being. I keep track of his health issues, and I share my experiences, so while our daughter is the contact person for each of us, we also have that information amongst ourselves. He's trying to solve a dermatology-related issue right now and I'm getting over the statins.

Today I ran an errand for the friend who lives downtown and loves the dumpster diving she can do in this high-end building (there are great tax breaks for those buildings when they let in a few public assistance housing clients; she is one of those). Yesterday she asked if I'd take some luggage over to the night shelter and I didn't want to put it off; I've never been there before but a family member used to volunteer there, and more importantly, this friend has an apartment that is filling up with stuff she has found and is gradually giving away or selling. As I drove up the side street to the night shelter at about 4pm the curbs were lined with people sitting waiting for the facility to open for dinner and to let in those who had a bed or cot for the night. All of their worldly possessions are in the packs, suitcases, shopping carts, and rolling duffle bags they have with them. So when I backed into the donations-only parking space and caught someone's eye, I was ready to simply hand over Melissa's donation. The woman who brought the canvas cart out did a double-take when I opened the SUV back and unloaded two large rolling hardside suitcases and two large canvas duffle bags. These are pure gold at a shelter and they probably already are in the hands of new grateful owners. I will describe this dropoff to Melissa later so she will get the glow of having made a significant donation (she was homeless herself for a couple of years, she knows what people need).

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

What to eat that we can digest well, that feeds our brains and our hearts, that doesn't pile on fat or mess up our internal organs or trigger or feed cancer growth, that leaves our arteries supple and our brains clear through old age . . .

There is a conundrum when it comes to writing about the sciences - journalists and other types of writers generally do a better job of being clear and approachable than scientists who struggle to keep their writing free of jargon and not assume we all know a bunch of related science - links must be spelled out. When the writers aren't scientists they have to be careful and thorough and sure they understand the topic they address. Often with the help of scientists.

The books I've been reading lately are a mix, some by physicians, others by researchers who are writers, not scientists. I'm adding another author to my list to see what he can contribute to my goal of eating healthily. Michael Pollan has several well-received books on the subject and I've added Food Rules: An Eater's Manual and In Defense of Food to my reading list. If this opens correctly it should be an excerpt from Food Rules (you'll probably have to scroll down to "Review" then click "Read More" to open the whole thing). It appears to have been scanned and no one corrected the run-on words at each sentence break, but you can make sense of it. In particular:

He talks about "two important things you need to know about the links between health and diet. All the contending parties in the nutrition wars agree on them. And, even more important for our purposes, these facts are sturdy enough that we can build a sensible diet upon them."

1. The Western Diet isn't very good for us, because lots of processed foods and the ingredients we use help generate the "so-called Western diseases: obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer."

2. Populations that eat a wide range of "traditional diets" don't tend to have chronic diseases. "What this suggests is that there is no single ideal human diet but that the human omnivore is exquisitely adapted to a wide range of different foods. . . Except, that is, for one: The relatively new (in evolutionary terms) Western diet. . . what an extraordinary achievement for a civilization: to have developed the one diet that reliably makes its people sick!"

He also notes that people who get off of the Western diet see dramatic health improvements.

Meanwhile, back on the homestead, I'm working around the house (it's another hot one, nothing much going on in the yard today). I have several items posted on my local buy nothing list (my expensive pound of decaff earl grey tea turned out to be mislabeled fully-caffeinated "vanilla" that I don't like and can't drink. I got a refund but they don't want it back, so someone else will get a $30 bag of loose tea.) Plus other stuff.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 19 Aug 24 - 09:36 AM

60 grams of carbohydrate per day? I’ve been getting by on 20 or less since April. On 60 grams I could eat peaches.

“Traditional” diets include processed foods, too — polished rice, for example, and slaked corn. In fact, all grains require at least minimal processing to be edible at all. The substance consistently found far less in non-Western diets is sugar.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Aug 24 - 12:57 PM

I'm low carb these days, but I don't think I could manage 20 grams a day. I'm nearing my target weight as I choose healthy carbs and during this process making sure everything runs smoothly - enough fiber to feel good. Not eating what in the western world is considered breakfast - cereal, toast, bagels, etc. I had some lean lamb with a generous side of steamed asparagus this morning, and lunch will be a nectarine with plain whole-milk Greek yogurt (and some monkfruit drops to sweeten the yogurt). If I add 1/4 cup of my homemade nutty yogurt that pushes my carbs a bit outside my goal set on MyFitnessPal, but the gut is happy. And it still ends up about 20% of my daily intake being carbs. A piece of tilapia, a salad and a big tomato for dinner will round out the day.

The piecemeal approach to yard work continues. Before breakfast I spent 15 minutes in the front yard with the mower knocking down the tall grass around the big patches of groundcover. It's another heat advisory day, so pacing yourself is the way to go. Now to work my way down the list of online things I have to accomplish.

Dorothy, are you far enough north that the end of August is a bit cooler? How is your garden and do you still have a house full of plants?

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Aug 24 - 01:29 AM

I stayed up late to watch the speeches tonight at the DNC. I had a snack before bedtime to celebrate the speeches; both of these things go against my new health routine. It happens. (They were very good speeches!)

After planning to do it for a while the dogs got baths today. They were good girls and are so happy about how they feel now (even if neither was in love with the bath itself). And later I pampered myself by soaking my feet so I could scrub off the dry skin that builds up, and trimmed my nails. Summer is hard on my feet, I need to do this every so often this time of year.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Aug 24 - 12:39 PM

This is simply a guess, no science to it, but I realized this morning when I looked at my newly trimmed and polished toenails that the nail fungus that I've had on the middle toe of the right foot for ages - we're talking maybe 25 years - has gone. The toenail trimmed like a normal nail last night. Years ago I tried a special nail medication that was painted on and supposed to get rid of it - never worked. I soaked my feet, I tried tea tree oil. Never worked. I had this very thick nail with the odd consistency that I always carefully trimmed down but was always fatter and flakey and cloudy looking. In the past two months as that nail grew out the fungus part grew off and is gone as of last night's home pedicure. It's exactly two months since I stopped eating wheat, simultaneous with when I took myself off of the statins (I'd only been on those a couple of years, one thing I know is they weren't a cause.) My sugar intake is still very low, but not gone.

My fingernails are also stronger. I was thinking it was the higher amount of protein that was making the difference, and maybe it is what also helped the toenail. Or it is all from the lack of wheat. Or the low carbs. Or just dumb luck.

I shuffled around a lot of boxes last night and left a heap of packing materials in the doorway of the front room. I'll have to straighten that today, it was looking better in there until this dropping of materials any which way.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 21 Aug 24 - 11:36 AM

The light-headedness continues, though much reduced. It's worst in the morning, presumably because I haven't eaten or drunk anything for about 12 hours. So I move slowly and hang onto the bannister on the stairs.

For the record, Gatorade Zero will never be a favoured tipple.

My garage is neat again, after an orgy of box-flattening and disposal of packing material that I could neither recycle not re-use. The debris of the busted-up Waterford, plus the inadequate packing material that came with it, cost me a whole garbage tag. Not that I'm bitter ... okay, maybe a touch.

My brother Andrew proposes a drinking game for viewing the Democratic Party Convention: Every time somebody says "weird", down a shot. Your liver will not be happy.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Aug 24 - 12:41 PM

Light-headedness isn't something to ignore. Do you have a blood pressure measuring device and something for blood oxygen (the little pulse oximeter they put on your finger?) They're relatively inexpensive (read reviews - not all are created equal). Food diary, drink plenty of liquid (why did you choose Gatorade?) and probably don't Google symptoms because you can scare the bejeezus out of yourself that way. And think about that diet you're working on. Too little salt, too little of something else? Do you take supplements? Have you had bloodwork done lately? If you're feeling light-headed then your brain isn't happy for some reason.

It's a quiet week here, fewer appointments or volunteer gigs (though I see another last-minute tour opening on the weekend.) Still sweeping dog hair after the bath. Working on eBay things, and taking more time for the jigsaw puzzle. For a couple of weeks I've dabbled with a new 1000 piece puzzle from The Oatmeal; they're clever but not so difficult that they take forever. I'm finally moving the loose pieces toward the outer edges of the table as I get the edges in place (only half of it so far). And I put a fluffy bath mat on the floor in front of that table for when I'm barefoot (as I was today). And I was quickly joined by a dog lying next to my foot on that mat - I knew that would happen.

We have a slightly cooler day today and I'm going to get more mulch before hopping into the shower. Might as well finish the sweaty stuff before cleaning up. In the house that sewing machine isn't quite part of the sweaty stuff, but it does involve some heavy lifting. I've finished the photos and description and now I've rounded up boxes and tough scrap styrofoam for lining a sturdy case for shipping. Once I have it packed I can weigh and measure and list - chances are the shipping is going to cost about half as much as the listing price. There is no free shipping of cast iron sewing machines.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 21 Aug 24 - 02:20 PM

The light-headedness is from low blood sodium — hyponatraemia. I went to the doctor and she ordered a whack of lab work, which is why I know sodium is the culprit. My blood pressure and blood gases are normal. I’ve kept a food diary for years.

One of the effects of ketosis is a change in the body’s tendency to retain water — in short, you urinate more. So electrolyte replenishment has to be part of the plan. Hence the Gatorade.

Come to think about it, I’d rather drink Gatorade than take salt tablets, which is what we did back in my military youth.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Aug 24 - 04:16 PM

Good you have that answer then! Sorry to nag about it here, but you're too far away to run over and check on. I had a bottle of salt tablets in my climbing gear to combat leg cramps that could make life difficult on long climbs. Those things last forever; I haven't looked in the backpack in years - I wonder what is still in there? It's probably full of mud dauber nests - they build on anything, including fabric.

I cluttered the garage with several burlap bags of mulch picked up from the free compost bunker nearby. I had to drive a convoluted route to get there as highway construction intrudes on entrance and exit ramps in my area.

Online work this afternoon then sewing this evening. Since it's Wednesday, one of my allowed watering days, I'll also set a timer and run out several times after 5pm to move the sprinkler around, focusing on the areas I want to weed and mulch. The soil is rock hard these days, there's no pulling out roots of weeds unless I water.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Aug 24 - 11:12 AM

Decluttered wallet of annual home warranty payment. Two years ago it paid to repair the dryer, this year was smaller, it helped with the roto rooter of the house line. I am getting close to paying off the new heat pump but there's an old one that I hope keeps going for a long time, but can't count on and they will be a big participant in the replacement.

I also wrote a check. Amazing that. The new checks were ordered after I got rid of the PO Box address last year, and it's the first one out of the packet to be written. (The dentist miscalculated a copay.) I used to write a check for my hairdresser who prefers not to take credit cards, but mostly I just give her cash. The last time I saw her I apologized for including about $10 in ones, but her now-seven-year-old daughter seems to prefer folding money to the dollar coins she used to love in plastic Easter eggs. She does chores and gets paid bills and is saving up for a specific toy. Good to know - I still have an envelope of about $50 in ones from setup for a garage sale that never happened. (And I can do a happy dance this month - for the first year in about 25 I'm not paying the post office for the box! It was $250 last year.)

Back to working the styrofoam for the sewing machine. It is coming along. Last year I ordered a heavy-duty paper cutter for my daughter (who makes custom books as a hobby) and the box had "HEAVY" stickers on a couple of sides. I'll have to print something like that to tape on this box. And if it goes in the mail, help carry it to the truck with my mail carrier who is a tiny Vietnamese man who would blow away in a high wind.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Aug 24 - 04:50 PM

This afternoon I suspended other activities and made myself stay put and finish reading the Taubes book. It's dense and I read slowly, and the book now has upwards of three dozen post-it notes poking out from pages so I can find topics I might want to revisit.

This paragraph precedes a list of 10 conclusions:

Throughout this research, I tried to follow the facts wherever they led. In writing the book, I have tried to let the science and the evidence speak for themselves. When I began my research, I had no idea that I would come to believe that obesity in not caused by eating too much, or that exercise is not a means of prevention. Nor did I believe that diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's could possibly be caused by the consumption of refined carbohydrates and sugars. I had no idea that I would find the quality of the research on nutrition, obesity, and chronic disease to be so inadequate; that so much of the conventional wisdom would be founded on so little substantial evidence; and that, once it was, the researchers and the public-health authorities who funded the research would no longer see any reason to challenge this conventional wisdom and so to test its validity.

It's a good idea to read this book through; the list of conclusions is a nice summary after reading, but I wouldn't have picked up most of the details I found helpful. Things I've heard but didn't have the full information. He discussed the classic Pavlovian research on dogs - for humans hunger can hit with the smell of food. When you smell something good there is "a reflexive release of insulin"(443). That clears out whatever blood sugar or fats your system was using for energy. Depending on what you eat, the insulin subsides or it increases. If you eat carbs, you end up with a lot more insulin in your system and it messes up how you use the existing metabolic fats. Low carb eating means the meats and fats you ingest fuel your system without the insulin.

If you eat processed carbs they hit the bloodstream and brain fast. If you eat fruits and vegetables and whole grains they offer fiber and liquid and break down so slowly by comparison they don't cause as much of an insulin hit. Also - I learned why artificial sweeteners can be a problem - not just because they are chemicals. It's because when you taste something sweet you end up with that same metabolic insulin rush. See me being more careful with those monkfruit drops - enough to take the tart out of the yogurt, not so much to make it taste like a sweet dessert. The extra insulin isn't good for you. It's why I'm also going to take the evening Scotch out of the diet again. The enzymes that break down alcohol have a similar effect as insulin and sugar; the oxidation effect can add up if anything else is awry.   

There's still a little of the business day left. Let's see if I can get a couple of things taken care of before the official start of the weekend.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 23 Aug 24 - 09:07 PM

Today, for the first time in a while, I feel clear of head and steady on my feet — or at least as steady as I normally do. I guess the Gatorade is kicking in.

I’m sorry you feel compelled to suspend your evening tot, Stilly. I’m no toper, but I would feel excessively deprived if I had to give up my occasional glass of wine or slug of hard stuff. It doesn’t kick me out of ketosis, and I continue to feel digestively fine with no cravings or other forms of disordered eating behaviour, so I’ll just stick with the routine I’ve established.

I have only 3.4 Kg to go on the weight-loss front and my innards are behaving better than they have in years, so I’ll soon resume eating some of the higher-carb foods I’ve been avoiding — milk first, then more veg and fruit. I have missed peach season this year (*sob*).

On the declutter front, I’m just about ready to square up to what remains of our 30-year accumulation of CDs. The classical music is gone, and the pop and rock stuff that Edmund’s brother likes, so now it’s down to the hard-core folk and the truly weird stuff. I have boxes and tape, and I’m not afraid to use them!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Aug 24 - 07:20 PM

In the literature it looks like the keto diet folks have a glass of wine in the "allowed" carbs category, and when I weigh the options of no carbs in Scotch or some in a single glass of wine, I think wine is a better choice when few and far between to avoid much reaction to sulfites. Wine blends in with meals, where as the Scotch (for me) is timed differently, usually not with food, but before or after. The pushback against how spirits are metabolized and how they hit your gut flora is something I came across in my most recent foray into the science of it.

Meanwhile, in another section of the kitchen, not all proteins are alike and I am looking at the sodium levels as important markers regarding the problems of processed foods. Cheese has a lot of sodium, but when compared to things like dry Italian salami (I have loved it on pizzas or sandwiches or plain - a snack plate of salami and dill pickles and a side of cheese . . . mmm!) the salami is so processed it does more bodily harm, joining the list of foods that will be purchased infrequently.

I finished the last of the nectarines and tomatoes today. I'm sorry you had to exclude peaches for your diet, they're such a great part of summer! I have to head to the store this evening, and the main thing while there is to not get carried away in the produce section. The size of servings is the main thing that lets a variety of fruits and vegetables stay in the diet. (Though I do load up on produce for the dogs also.)

Recycling was dropped off today and dishes and laundry are ahead.

Dorothy, how is it going? Patty, did you get a good family visit and are you headed back west one of these days? Sandra, Jennie, what is up in your parts of the world? Jon, how are you these days? We haven't heard from Donuel in forever, I look to see if he has visited as a guest but nothing for a while. All of you - don't be strangers!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Aug 24 - 01:59 PM

I was playing with the non-AI access to the Google search this morning and decided to drop in a question about Keto diet - how much meat is enough or too much versus other foods.

I have no idea what this "Greatist" site is (part of the Healthline group of sites), but the answer seems to offer reasonable advice. 8 Mistakes Every Keto Beginner Makes (and How to Avoid Them). Topic 4 - Not staying salty - seems to address the problem Charmion was having.

I pulled up the article because after shopping yesterday I want to portion and freeze the chicken and pork I brought home. The fish I buy frozen is usually in ~ 5 to 6 ounce portions, so checking to see how much is best versus too much in these other protein sources. (I'll portion and freeze the meat then bag it instead of putting each portion in its own bag (that uses too much plastic.) It looks like the 4-5 ounce portion is fine, but the important part is that putting "enough" olive oil in to fry (a couple of teaspoons) is actually not the right answer - putting in a bit extra because the higher proportion of fat is what really does the heavy lifting in the diet.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Aug 24 - 06:01 PM

Cutting Styrofoam chunks into pieces to support parts of the sewing machine requires frequent going-over of the work area with the vacuum. The finished package won't be so large as any of the chandeliers I sold via eBay but it will be cumbersome. A box inside another padded box, to play it safe.

Trash day tomorrow and I still don't have a lot to go out (other than off-cuts of Styrofoam) so I'll step out to the front curb in a bit with the hand pruners and lop some of the woody things sprouting along the street that the code enforcement folks are going to complain about one of these days. I can tuck them into the can instead of tote them back to the compost.

A big birthday is coming up, but not THAT big, so it is heartbreaking to see that in the last couple of weeks three of my high school classmates passed away. When I was in high school I couldn't imagine how ancient I'd be by the year 2000, let alone all of these other decades later. Perspective and experience we gain along the way, and I don't know the stories of each of those folks, but still, I do know that they died too young.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 25 Aug 24 - 06:08 PM

Not *every* keto beginner makes all those mistakes, and my low-sodium problem showed up more than four months in.

The article missed two important mistakes — not using a macro tracker, and not weighing portions.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Aug 24 - 08:12 PM

Those things didn't occur to me - because I've been doing them for years, but you're right. If you don't read labels and weigh food you're in the dark. MyFitnessPal is free (yes, ignore the ads) and is a great tool. I started using it to track my calcium, and have shifted the settings over time to watch protein, carbs, and sodium also.

Out of curiosity this evening I sprinkled a little regular table salt over my piece of sockeye salmon - and it was way too salty. Had to rub off some of it. With the wheat and most of the sugar out of my diet I notice my blood pressure is lower. I'll measure it this evening to see if it shows up via higher levels. I do get salt in and on other foods and it doesn't seem to make a difference.

Come to think of it, it has been quite a while since I noticed any of the occasional side effects from the ADHD meds.

The ugly bulk around the sewing machine has grown, and as I add a new layers of Styrofoam and wrap it with my Uhaul cellophane it actually looks like it might ship ok.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Aug 24 - 11:05 PM

The ugly inner box is packed and padded and taped. A larger flattened box pulled from behind the upright grand piano will work as the outer box - once I figure how to pad inside it. It may involve several kinds of materials. This is to be expected. The box that my new sewing machine came in was gigantic—with fewer articles included with the antique machine, this is just huge.

Dorothy, have you had any help with boxes being moved for you, to sort out your books and pots and such? Did your pottery sale go well (I think you were going to send some to someone to sell?)

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Mrrzy
Date: 26 Aug 24 - 09:41 AM

Argh the people putting in my new ceiling plastic-sheeted the kitchen so it looked as if they could dismember bodies in it, and the plaster dust still got into closed cabinets and, for instance, filled my muffin tins.

Everything out of all cabinets. Clean cabinets. Clean everything. Put back. Well, a chance to reorganize...

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Aug 24 - 11:31 AM

Mrrzy, they did that before my new office ceiling maybe five years ago. Whatever tape they used to hold down those sheets has real sticking power - I still haven't scrubbed all of it off of the tiles in the hall. Maybe GooGone? Anyway, congratulations on the ceiling and you'll enjoy your organized cabinets.

In recent weeks the trash pickup has been early; I sometimes miss it if I only have a small bag to put out that morning. If I use the can it goes out the night before because coyotes and dogs don't bother it. This morning I got up early enough to cut and pull weed tree saplings from the iris beds to fill the mostly empty can. I'm cooling off now and I hear the trash truck approach. Win/win!

Last night I spoke with an old NPS friend; we met in New York City many years ago when we worked in New York Harbor - I at Ellis Island NM, she at Jersey City State Park. We've been rangering all over the country since then and settled 1200 miles apart, but when we get talking it's like picking up from the last time. One thing that has complicated contact with her is that she rarely uses email, and had an old flip phone, unreliable voicemail on her house phone, and never did texts or anything. But she finally got a smartphone! It was a good clear connection! After our call I texted her photos of a couple of the books we talked about. It's an occasion to celebrate when a friend joins the 21st century, and she has a remarkable stories to tell each time we visit. Who knows, maybe one of these days she'll get an app that lets us do video calls (she has an Apple phone, I have Android, so it will have to be Messenger or something - she isn't real conversant with all of the apps yet.) Instagram does video calls. Maybe she can start small with that. :)

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Aug 24 - 01:27 PM

The computer has been really sluggish lately, so I went in this morning and cleared the cache. The default browser is Chrome, and it got rid of several hundred megabytes of stuff (I left my cookies and history). But to see if it had a different result, I also went into Firefox and that browser had nearly a Gig of cache to dump (again, keeping history and cookies.) Hmmm. What other browsers should I clean out? I use several, but these two are the main ones.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 26 Aug 24 - 02:50 PM

Mac life is so much simpler: the browser is Safari. Period.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Aug 24 - 01:20 PM

The antique rotary sewing machine is listed. That was a big job, but for someone looking for a well-maintained solid old machine this one will be prized. After this project there will be fragments of Styrofoam floating around the kitchen and den for a while. The main packing box has styrofoam around the machine; that box is in turn set into a larger one and there I used lots of packing a friend provided; it's thick 12" x 12" corrugated sheets of the dissolvable cornstarch that are in plastic bags to keep them dry and used not just for packing but for insulation. She gets frozen cat food packed with these. The amount I used would have kept a couple of month's worth of cat meals frozen. This whole thing should ship as a stable and manageable parcel.

Volunteering today at two places where I usually alternate days. This is the "get dressed in respectable clothes and make the trip once and work at two close-proximity places" experiment.

Patty, how is your travel progressing? Did you empty the storage unit in the Deep South and were you able to fit everything in the trailer smoothly or did it require some shoehorn work and general pushing hard on boxes?

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 27 Aug 24 - 04:31 PM

A stack of 11 large media-storage boxes sufficient to hold literally hundreds of CDs has gone off to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, where they were greeted with glad cries. That’s a relief — and another empty space in my basement.

My next task is fall and winter clothing to Goodwill. I’ll probably do that on Thursday.

On Sunday, I will leave Stratford with a car full of odds and ends for a visit with the kin-group in Ottawa. I turn 70 next week (as do you, Stilly), and The Brothers still like to make a fuss of birthdays. I have some family doohickeys and a box of CDs for Elder Bro.

There’s also a duvet filled with genuine goose down that’s far too warm for Stratford’s wussy winter; somebody in much chillier Ottawa will want it. Its absence will create useful space in the linen closet, and it can go packed in a large plastic trunk that’s been cluttering the box room for a while.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Aug 24 - 05:31 PM

I do? ;-D

Birthdays do cause some reflection, and I can see an arc of stuff (a shitload of an arc!) but find that in general things are doing well. At this point I wear the same size clothes I did when I was a senior in high school and some of my clothes are that old that I still wear (mostly outdoors stuff leftover from climbing and backpacking). In between there were a whole bunch of moves, jobs, two children, a bunch of pets, gardens, new skills learned, old skills revisited, and I'm back to my old habit of reading a lot more books (now that I'm turning off the computer way before bedtime.) Looking forward to the next 70 years.

In my mid-20s I was thinner during a very vigorous few years in park and forestry work and some of those clothes are still a bit snug, but I held onto a few of the favorites. One of these days I'll try them on and be surprised they fit or remake garments or finally give them away. Perhaps the birthday week is the time to take those down and evaluate.

This evening I'll be setting up more glassware on eBay. Smaller project, easier to list and pack than cast iron machines.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: pattyClink
Date: 27 Aug 24 - 06:33 PM

Well things have gone a bit off track in the journey. I did get back to Mississippi but it took an extra day, and then spent an extra day with relatives here. Today at last was a day to catch up and condense the cabinets. Tomorrow a doc visit, then the loading starts.

But no. The fridge decided last night would be a great time to fail, at a leafy park way off the beaten track.   

I consulted with my distant tech, and there is no quick fix, it'll likely be acquiring and replacing one of two 'boards' in the thing, and rather than spend time and money here and possibly not even get good results, or get delayed weeks by waiting on a part, I went out and got a cooler and some ice, and have saved the important stuff. So far the little freezer compartment is holding its own if I add more ice, but I'll gradually empty that.

So. Wishing I had kept the pan and the canned food on board for this trip! Will be regrouping on what I eat for the next 10 days. Will keep dairy stuff chilled, and rely on produce that doesn't need chilling. Perhaps in this hot weather it'd be best to just buy big fountain drinks and lunches on the road. For dinners, clever healthy ideas welcome.

"The best laid schemess of mice and men gang aft agley."

On the up side, I did reclaim an old all-metal-parts sewing machine my sis-in-law took off my hands in the Great Garage Sale of 2017. She since acquired her mom's and was ready to pass it back. I hope someone appreciates Stilly's venerable machine too.   I remember an aunt helping us get gowns ready for my wedding, using an old (treadle!) machine. Very easy to control, it would never 'run away with you'.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: pattyClink
Date: 27 Aug 24 - 06:34 PM

And Happy Birthday!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Aug 24 - 09:19 PM

Thank you, Patty!

Of course the fridge died in hot weather; the canned goods still wouldn't be terribly appetizing this time of year, but good save on the meat and dairy. Cans of tuna wouldn't be so bad if you can mix it up with mayo and pickles for salad or sandwiches. If you have a stove and some bread I imagine this is a time to start making grilled cheese sandwiches with fruit or veggies on the side, with ham or sausage or even cooked bacon added to the sandwich. Open face if you're avoiding carbs. (No pan? Do you have an oven? Toast bread then place it with cheese on foil and broil.) Otherwise, for uncooked meals I look at things like cheese and crackers, again topped with ham or whatever if it is handy. A cold beer or glass of wine with it makes it complete and elegant. And I love a side of fresh kosher pickles with cheese and sausage (if you have room in the cooler).

A tiny thunderstorm just passed over us; enough to make it muggy for the rest of the evening.

At dinner I realized I have just a small space on the table where I can put my plate since the rest of it is stacked with books and mail and boxes. Time to clear that out.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 28 Aug 24 - 08:36 PM

The guest room closet has been cleared and the contents packed and loaded into the car for donation tomorrow.

I had second thoughts about a few things: a fully lined woollen skirt (hard to get these days); a somewhat beat-up hunting-style jacket with six (count ‘em — six!) pockets; a greenish tweed jacket; Edmund’s civilian evening suit. I find it much harder to part with winter clothes that fit me even more-or-less — that woollen skirt will require a thick shirt if I don’t want the zipper floating around to the front (or back).

And I find that I don’t actually want to let go of any more of Edmund’s stuff. Not sure why.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Aug 24 - 10:47 PM

It sounds like you've pared down to the essentials, Charmion, the objects to serve you as prompts for stories and memories.

I made another batch of granola after running to the store for a couple of types of nuts, only to realize that I was almost out of oatmeal. I used just one cup (I've been using three) but added a half-cup of ground flax seed (I haven't tried it before). I reduced the amount of oil and honey, but it's still kind of damp. Tomorrow after another trip for oatmeal I may try toasting some and mixing it in. For now most of the batch is in the freezer and part is in a bin on the counter to see how it looks in the morning. It tastes good. Very low carb at this point.

The kitchen table is a little better after tossing old mail and papers into the recycling bin, but there is more to do. The books are for a care package to my son soon, so I suppose I could get a box and start loading it (someplace other than on the table).

Humid around here today; that rain all seems to have stayed suspended in the air, didn't soak into the yard.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 24 - 12:34 PM

Good news - overnight the oil was absorbed into the granola uniformly so it isn't soggy. It is good, and mostly seeds and nuts. It's a great source of fiber so I use a bit of it every day, trying to stay under 30 grams of carbs but about half the time landing in the 30-60 grams range. That's still way lower than the typical Western diet.

A note on an earlier conversation - some part of this new way of eating, whether the high protein or no-wheat part, does help my finger nails. They're much stronger now (in addition to the toe fungus nail cleared up).

The rain chance is increasing and the temperature dropping this week. Our next few days are in the low-to-mid 90s, and next week maybe into the low-80s. That's very nice for early September. Extended forecast is higher again, but we'll take what we can get. I have some things to put in the garden to grow for fall and winter, and may finally have good conditions for it.

Yesterday was a replay of a sewing program on PBS that I really wanted a copy of, but can't find a way to get it online. So I recorded 17 minutes with my phone then uploaded to my Outlook account. Unfortunately the upload continued after I left the house WiFi to go to the store so my phone company alerted me that I've gone way over the amount I try to stay under. It's going to cost me an extra $12 on the phone bill this month, but the program was worth it. (I could buy the whole series on DVD for about $50, but this was the only bit so far I wanted.)

I revised a few eBay listings this week, each slightly downward by just a couple of dollars. Sometimes that's all it takes to finally nudge sales. The sewing machine is getting views (and on any of these things all it takes is one - the right one - to make the sale.)

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 24 - 01:46 PM

It's a week for cooking oil adventures. Rinsing a few dishes before heading out - the casserole with chicken grease provided quite a splash onto the knit top I was going to wear today. Grrrr. Have set that shirt to rest with spots of dish soap on the affected areas and am dressed again. No more dishes before heading out the door.

I missed the trash this morning, I had only a tiny bag to go but it has the wrapper from chicken - so - stinky soon. Out to the can it goes until early next week.

There are several things that need listing on the free groups, but I list them when I have a couple of days at home, it's easier to put stuff on the porch just ahead of arrival that way. Better than to tell someone where I live but I won't be home until whenever to put the items out.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 30 Aug 24 - 08:16 AM

I cleaned my bedroom yesterday, doing the full Monty — everything dusted, furniture out from the wall, baseboards and floor thoroughly mopped. Holy Dinah, the quantities of cat hair under the bed — !

The parlour and dining room are due for the same treatment today. When I finish, I shall have a lamb chop and a large glass of Médoc.

Why all this sudden flurry? I don’t want the cat visitor to think I’m a slob. Sweet are the appropriate uses of bourgeois pride.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Aug 24 - 12:01 PM

Congratulations on getting the cat hair from under the bed. I have underbed storage and some long wood side panels of antique bed frames under the modern beds in my house and any gaps between all of those things are probably caulked full with dog hair.

Pepper is shedding at a rate that seems impossible - how can one dog have that much hair? And it's summer! The Furminator worked on Zeke with his dense and complex Lab coat, but hers is patches of black shorter fine alternating with long merle guard hairs, and each color has a different density. Amazon has various brushes - I've searched for one best suited to her - brushing a wide swath with a bunch of little wires (tipped or no - that's one consideration for her tender skin) to be able to get a lot in the short amount of time she will tolerate my brushing her. Or one that she really likes and doesn't mind if I do it.

I could use a tape lint roller on Cookie if she needed a cleanup.

Two more games dropped off at the public library. They keep them on a shelf at the front desk and anyone can ask to use them - games stay there in the library, making it easier to keep track of parts and the sheet of rules.

I'm working my way through the Taubes Case for Keto and had a moment of philosophical inspiration on the current chapter. I've read enough of his descriptions of how the old thinking is incorrect but doctors and science keeps trying to follow that same path - calories in, calories out; eat less, lose weight - it's like how other things are done in our Western culture. Cities have congested highways so they add more lanes. More lanes won't make a difference, it's the same old thing. A different answer is to change how we get around. You see the correlation? The new lanes aren't working because the real problem is we must move more people with fewer resources. The science of how we process carbs makes a good case for dropping that part of the food pyramid or whatever shape de jour; the science of how to get all people to appreciate rapid transit (not just the segment of the population that can't afford cars). Paradigm shifts in both cases. (That kind of shift is also what is called for to remedy some of the US' political issues now, but I'll stop there.)

This weekend's overcast days are fine - it's cooler, and rain is predicted for the Monday holiday - that would be wonderful!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Charmion
Date: 31 Aug 24 - 07:21 PM

Yes, I get it, Stilly.

Both cases demonstrate a very common logic error known in philosophy circles as “begging the question”, which means assuming as necessary the very factor that should be questioned most closely. The diet case assumes that humans should eat a carb-heavy diet, and the highway case assumes that modern First World middle-class people should be encouraged to travel by personal car.

Of course, wide-spread abandonment of a life-style based on cheap carbs and personal motor vehicles would kick jeezly great holes in our economy.

The car is stuffed with stuff bound for the Ottawa-based branches of the family, and the refrigerator is down to food that keeps. I have completed all my various choir-related devoirs, and packed my bag. I still have to shove in the mandolin somewhere; there’s session I like within staggering distance of Elder Brother’s house.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Aug 24 - 07:41 PM

Safe travels to Ottawa and may your mandolin always be in tune!

Every so often I swap out the pocketbook/purse/shoulder pack I'm using, and today was that day. It lets me see what needs to be removed from the stash I lug around and what needs adding. It's also the time I take the battery backup I carry for mostly the phone or tablet and charge it. (I have on occasion pulled it out for friend of family to use for a quick charge when away from an electrical outlet. After someone did that favor for me.)

I'm testing another flavor of dog food for Pepper by introducing as an occasional treat a handful at a time. I'll do that for a couple of days then put it in her meal bowl and see if she likes it. She seems to have issues with the one I'm giving her now. I'm trying to stay grain-free (it seems the least I can do - if I'm not on gluten my dogs don't need it either.)

It's Saturday night and I was looking forward to some of the PBS mysteries, but damn - it's pledge break. Ancient rocker concerts are on the program guide tonight. Time for NetFlix.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 24 - 11:00 AM

Even with hot weather I can feel the changing of the seasons (the quality of the light this time of year) - I found myself charging a couple of other backup devices around the house. The Stanley Power Supply for lamps and a radio is now fully-charged, and I have a few other things around the house (a Thermos camping lantern, etc.) to round up and charge. Even with the nextdoor generator in the back yard and a cord run between us during outages it still pays to be ready. All it takes is for them to be out of town on a cruise and I'm back to square one.

The batch of purple Duratuff goblets I listed on eBay a few weeks ago are just about perfect - as close to new condition without being new as possible, so I'll leave them at a higher price. But the current set of small purple tumblers are smooth with a few scratches (they were probably stacked over the top of each other). More condition descriptions required for these puppies for a lower return, but they will clear some space when they go. That's my weekend project. I did revise one handbag listing; I did a search to see how many others of that brand are for sale and realized I'd buried the lede - the name of the maker was at the end of the list of attributes. Fixed that.

It feels real now—the calendar page is turned to September. As a kid I was torn - any kind of birthday celebration was overshadowed by the end of the summer break from school. My birthday often coincided with the first day, at least the first week. It was too early in the year for the teacher to know and invite my Mom to supply cupcakes for the class to celebrate, like they did for others later. Then about 25 years ago I had a cancer diagnosis (and it was this time of year) that after a couple of surgeries was gone; I realized every year after that was a gift. So here comes 70, and it is what it is.

As a gift to myself and the kitchen I finally evicted the puny dying Pothos sprouts in a pot near the back kitchen window, stirred the soil then put in some water-rooted Spider Plants (also called Airplane plants for the sprouts they send out with new little plants on the end). These plants have been in a container on the window over the sink all summer and needed planting. There's one other Pothos in that area that is doing a bit better but I'll take it down and repot it for a boost.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: pattyClink
Date: 02 Sep 24 - 10:52 AM

This week has not gone well. Didn't feel well from some mild bug, then Doc removed a few basal cell cancers, storms, power outage, heat, humidity, and an old friend let me down. The only place that sold block ice shut down for a couple days, a machine I knew of and wasted time driving to was out of order, it's a whole project just lining up ice.   

Today and tomorrow are the last two packing days. Trying to squeeze half of the climate control stuff into the RV for safer transport. Getting the rest ready to put in cargo.

It's just tough weather for this; while the temp finally went down to 90 the humidity shot up. It's dripping-sweat weather.

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

Shame on that old friend! I'm sorry for the rough week, Patty, but it is a good thing you have someone to remove the basal cells (not intending to be Pollyanna here, just grateful you have good medical care!); I hope you get a reliable source of ice soon. No truck stops in the area you're staying? Are there Walmart or Home Depot in the area with small AC/DC fridges? Or is it all moot by Tuesday if you can get in for a repair or replacement?

We had some of your rain last night and the humidity today, it seems to come from a slow counter-clockwise circling thing off of the Gulf (our weather usually comes from the SW.)

I'm still working my way through Taubes' The Case for Keto and am glad to see that he distilled down the highly detailed material in Good Calories, Bad Calories. And while he doesn't offer recipes, his information helps inform shopping and cooking. I'm in the habit of buying lean meat and boneless skinless chicken breasts, but while protein is needed for our tissue growth and repair, too much lean protein

is composed of amino acids, and these can be converted to glucose in the liver and then stimulate insulin secretion. This is a slower process than eating refined grains or drinking sugary liquids, but the result is still likely to be at least some insulin secretion⁽¹⁸⁹⁾.

So the lean chicken and beef and pork in the freezer will be used in dishes that have oil in the sauces or cheese on top, to balance out the amount of fat consumed in conjunction to the meat portion. Too much lean meat is counter to the project. I'll be buying and baking more skin-on chicken leg quarters (my favorite parts when I buy rotisserie chickens).

One of our occasional members Lily Festre has been sharing from a Keto diet site on Facebook; while I don't believe I'll ever end up on a Keto diet, many of these recipes will keep the carbs down or out. (And in her photos shared she looks very healthy - it's working for her.) Today there was a kielbasa, cheese, and cauliflower soup that sounded very good (and you could easily swap out broccoli for a change.) I'm aiming at a low-carb diet with healthy fruits and vegetables, no wheat. I don't have a lot of weight to lose so just changing how I eat will manage to drop those pounds. Most of my life I was the "lean" description, it was after children that I gained, and even then it was still not obese. So I'll eat accordingly, assuming I can tolerate some carbohydrates.

Meanwhile in Declutter land, the trash was picked up and in it I got rid of a few things that were taking up space and not donatable. I have two more games to take over to my main library, puzzles to take to another library branch, and several things to list on the Buy Nothing page. I changed my mind about one game when I looked inside and saw lots of used scorecards. The kids played it a lot as teens so might enjoy it as adults also. I can see them with their spouses playing something like this on a holiday visit.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 02 Sep 24 - 03:08 PM

Dupont:

Too tired to ... I have done a couple five minute tasks on this lovely cool fall day! And R has done a terrific job of de-cluttering the front of the house: the rotting wooden porch and steps that someone placed over the ancient concrete steps is de-constructed and stacked on the front lawn! It is a secondary entrance This was a nuisance to me as it had become put-you-foot-through-it dangerous; I could no longer even sit on it and could not get out of the house by that door due to the railing. I innocently commented on wishing to be rid of it and LO! He gathered tools and Bye Bye! I wonder if it will occur to him that it needs a new platform just big enough for a chair or two on warmer days. The old concrete is pretty raggedy. It is on south side of house so there will be cool days when I can sit in the sun!

OK! been up 5 hours and going back to bed for a bit.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Sep 24 - 06:49 PM

Dorothy, you may need to also innocently remark about that new platform for the chair! Good work!

Charmion, has the light-headedness cleared up? And are you pretty close to your goal by now? It's September in Canada, so I suppose you've looked at the lined jeans and flannel shirts in the closet? Do they all fit?

Patty, when do you expect to be back in New Mexico? Will you have help unloading stuff at the house and do you have the various furnishings you need to have a comfortable new home for the foreseeable future? I'm so thrilled to think of you getting set up and settled in and figuring out all of the various community offerings.

September in Texas means it's usually in the 80s or 90s. With today's rain passing through the area it is a lovely 82^o right now. (Tomorrow's high is forecast to be "much cooler" at 78^o. I imprinted on what I consider reasonable temperatures when living in the Seattle area so I am not convinced that is "much cooler.") Anyway, this afternoon I dug up about a square yard of the bed beside the front walk and set aside more than a gallon of daffodil bulbs to use later. I worked until I filled a 20-gallon bin I use for weeds and dug to the edge of the patch of crinum lilies. I'll work more tomorrow, now that we've had rain and it's a little cooler. The goal for today was to clear a spot that would be behind my League of Women Voters sign that says "Vote as if Democracy Depends on It!" and it is in place.

I started the job using my new ('23?) spade fork and darned if the neck on the thing didn't bend! It's a Craftsman, but clearly not the kind of sturdy tool that Sears used to sell. This came from Lowes and I kept the "lifetime warranty" information so it will be returned later this week. Since I have a couple of other really old (but apparently more reliable) spade forks I got out one of those. There is one in the greenhouse for the back yard and one in the garage for use in the front yard, and one that has 3 of the four tines left that I often use to prop up things in the garden. I bought the new one when I was thinking of discarding the 3-tined one. Oh, well.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 03 Sep 24 - 10:35 AM

Dupont:

Ah yes! A platform! But we have agreed that the top step area will be a great place for this year's firewood! If I use the right words to encourage him to pick up a load in his pickup truck! The area inside that door is a hall with ceramic tile floor and close to the den/the wood stove. And it faces south so less snow, and quick and easy to grab wood and bring it the 15 feet to the Den. The back deck was always snow covered/north facing. And, since he parked a large travel trailer in the drive - hard to get in with a truck. NOW, a load of wood - soon! In the right tone of voice?

My physical condition has deteriorated in the 3 weeks of the fancy med. I am keeping an eye on how I feel during this week off. Today is starting out OK.

Hearing aids are a real plus. Interestingly, visiting with a couple on Sunday, I understood Jim and his woman but had trouble with R! But they are an improvement.

I love this fall weather- crisp and cool.

I managed to make mashed potatoes, and gravy (from chicken drippings)last night then went to Bed about 7 and read until "pill time" (9:30) My travails with tech - somehow I have managed to get notifications operative! These "small" things make life feel more manageable.

Next Monday, blood tests and oncologist to find out how things are going.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Sep 24 - 11:45 AM

Chemo is one of those cures that is about as bad as the illness; one day at a time - I hope Monday's tests are stunningly good (and congratulations on the hearing aids and getting the pill notifications to work on the phone!)

Yesterday I pulled up a broken up piece of the base of a pine tree I had cut down a few years ago and found it riddled with termites. I'll have to keep an eye on them that they don't migrate to the house (also a reason for not piling the firewood on the porch of the house. But there are different types of termites, so the ground ones may not be the house ones.)

Keb, have you made progress on downsizing the apartment contents, and is the estate settling moving along (not at a Dickensian pace)?

Steady rain overnight and today - a perfect gift from the weather gods (so much more productive to have it soak in slowly than the hit-and-run effect of heavy thunderstorms). There's a lot of gardening weather remaining (two to three months) and this is perfect for softening of the soil and transition to fast-growing salad greens, chard, and beans and such. The house is very humid at the moment.

I pulled the blue wading pool in front of my office window, intending to add the little floating fountain. It's at the side of a tree and overnight the rain washed lots of green dust out of the tree into the water. I may decide to give up on that plan and put the pool away again. There's usually a grace period from when I fill it to when I have to start washing out algae; this may be a sign.

The batch of purple goblets sold on eBay this morning and the box is on the front porch (on a block against the porch wall to keep it out of any rain splash). I got them for .89 each (plus tax) so $45 for $7 of glasses is a nice profit.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Sep 24 - 10:41 PM

Success breeds success - things on eBay tend to sell in batches. Another item was purchased this afternoon and is ready to go in the mail tomorrow.

This evening I made a push to clean the kitchen. I ran the dishwasher and soaked the faucet/hose nozzle in vinegar to clear up the limestone crust. Each sink has a silicone pad thing to keep pans from chipping or scratching it and they benefit from a trip through the dishwasher. Sinks were scrubbed with cleanser as were the counters and stuff was put away. It will be an inviting space for my future self for the rest of the week (at least).

Two more games and two puzzles are in the car to be dropped off at libraries tomorrow, and an invitation was sent to an old friend to meet for lunch. That would be a treat - I haven't seen her in ages, we reconnected via email earlier this year through a mutual friend. The rest of the week has social and volunteering activity, something I've been kind of a slacker on this summer. I'm picking up the pace now that I have cleared the lethargy-inducing statins from my system.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: pattyClink
Date: 04 Sep 24 - 09:20 AM

Well done on the purple goblets!

Things continued to get worse as I spent a couple of scorching hours trying to get my hitch to work. Finally gave up but not before taking photos of the underside. Researched online, which has become so difficult since the crapification of search. But, finally realized, yes my coupler latch was not functioning correctly. The good news, an excellent hitch mechanic was less than ten miles from the issue.

Since the 'schedule' has been blown to bits, might as well drop into low gear and keep my health and sanity. So, got the engine serviced and tires double-checked, knocked out the laundry with the residual left on one of those stupid cards some places make you buy, and then went to see the trailer people.   I was advised to raise the latch handle and whack it with a hammer because the dealybob was jammed.

Anyway, happy ending to yesterday, I did get hitched up, though it still took forever because having to thread a tiny needle getting the ball in socket yet forward of the dealybob. Musta climbed in and out of that cab 30 times, and 50 the day before. On level ground I could have manhandled the thing into place, but not with trailer on a downslope, weight and gravity against me.

Reported back to the wonderful trailer shop, where they cheeerfully examined it and greased all the parts that needed it. Apparently I need to get a little pot of lithium grease.

I am off this morning to load, my back not feeling good because Igloo and Wal-mart think it's okay to sell a large cooler with no drain valve (no it never crossed my mind to check for this). So I've had to heft it over to the door to drain, and it's too much deal weight for me.   Last night I bailed it into a bucket instead. But hey, Igloo made an extra 50 cents profit by leaving out the pesky drain plug, so I hope their CEO is a little more comfortable in his Hampton beach house.

I should waste more time returning the thing, but then where does the stuff sit til I can accomplish that? Yes the mini-fridge would have been a better option, but I did not realize things would drag on so long and weirdly.   

I did find a great ice machine closer by, which has been a big help. It's funny, it is festooned with big signs saying 'don't leave your trash here', fancy graphics and all. People leave beer cases etc. Seems like installing a trash can would have been cheaper and more effective than the signs!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER *hoards *bad habits *toxic stuff - 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Sep 24 - 12:52 PM

Patty, my back aches just from reading that account! Did you know they make little battery power pumps that you can find at Harbor Freight, that will pump the liquid from the bottom of your cooler? I have one I used for a while with a rain barrel that had no hole on the side, I just pumped from the hole on top into a bucket to pour on my potted plants. Look up "transfer pump." I've had a couple of types - this kind works well. I see one under the "Jobar" brand at Walmart, $13. I just looked at Tractor Supply - waaaay overpriced.

I'm finishing some baking this morning, an acorn squash for meals this week and a small batch of almost sugar-free bread pudding. I used Stevia and Monkfruit drops, and a teaspoon of brown sugar just in case there is a chemical property that the sugar adds to make custards work. Next time I'll make it without entirely. The "bread" is a non-wheat half of a bagel (that was never very good at being a bagel consistency-wise.)

Headed out in a bit for an appointment then to drop off puzzles and games. And a parcel I forgot to have on the porch in time for the postal carrier this morning (unless he swings back by the house before I leave for the doctor; his route brings him past two more times after he delivers here.)

Clearly doing a low-carb diet means buying smaller quantities of some types of fruits and vegetables. I finished a Bartlett pear this morning from a Costco box, the last couple were very ripe because I've paced myself in how often I eat them. I had a largish bag of Costco asparagus that I was able to use it all before it was squishy. I'll be baking banana bread (with all of the usual ingredients) as a gift later this week when family gets together for a joint birthday lunch. I have frozen bananas and flour to use up and they're still eating all of the usual stuff. That's one way to clear it out.