DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2026

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2026
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Mar 26 - 07:00 PM

An innocuous line in the standard income tax form asks for the number from another form I had ignored when I figured my taxes. Today an AARP video discussed an "additional deduction" and I hunted around to find that the innocuous line is about form A-1 that has an extra $6000 deduction for my demographic^*. I hadn't filed yet (waiting till this month because I was going to have to pay). Fortunes have been reversed with that extra deduction.

Lovely weather today after the storms cleared so the dogs and I will go for a walk. Oak trees are full of tassels so I may take along a disposable mask to keep pollen out of my sinuses.

*1. it's only temporary till 2028 and 2. it will hasten the drawing down of the Social Security fund if things aren't fixed in the next few years

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2026
From: pattyClink
Date: 08 Mar 26 - 08:57 PM

Here's a fun song I wish I had seen in time to learn for yesterday's time change.

Daylight Savings Time Green Day parody

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2026
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Mar 26 - 01:19 PM

Yes, the vehicle clock is sometimes a challenge. Last time it went pretty quickly, but I don't always remember which set of buttons will get me to the easy time change. The annual vehicle inspection is due (to renew the tags next month) and fortunately setting your clock correctly isn't on the inspection list. :)

Part two of insurance work coming up soon: I have a referral name for a painter to call this week. I need to ask him about a carpenter to do some work before painting. If I can bundle these two trades with the painter as the contractor I think I can get the back door to the garage replaced as part of the painting job, no one the wiser, it'll just be prep work.

Last fall I started painting the decorative iron on the house but stopped during the winter. Now we're into the season I'll get this finished before I have painters come over (I'd rather fool with this myself since it's easy enough to do than pay extra for it.) I should also knock down wasps' nests that will be in the way and wash off some of the mud daubers' handiwork on the porch.

Another batch of yogurt made last night and spooned into two sturdy commercial yogurt brand containers I'm reusing. And this morning is the first in months that I didn't take a Prednisone. This is the last week of 1mg, and I'm starting to alternate a bit ahead of the end. Now to keep Trump from living rent free in my head so I can stay off of it.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2026
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 10 Mar 26 - 02:45 PM

I used to reset the clock in Herself's car twice a year. Then I realised there's more days in British Summertime than Greenwich Mean Time each year, so now the clock stays an hour forward during the winter, and there ain't no change for the Summertime Car.

Subject: RE: BS: stay out of trouble thread (stay afloat)
From: Charmion
Date: 10 Mar 26 - 03:50 PM

Op KITCHEN will cross the start line tomorrow or Thursday, depending on the weather. Yes, the work will all happen indoors, but a huge sleet storm is coming toward us and Marc the contractor would rather not be on the road in that. He lives out in Osgoode Township, so I totally get that. I don’t want to be out in it either, even just to move my car out of the garage so Marc can plunk dead cabinetry in there until he's ready to load it up and haul it away.

The cats are expensively boarding at Cats’ Paradise until the tumult and shouting are over. I needed a walking stick to extract Watson from under the bed, but Isobel uncharacteristically allowed me to put the habeas grabbus on her without hardly a peep, let alone her usual demonstration of combat techniques.

At present I am taking a break from emptying the kitchen cupboards. Why, oh why, I ask myself, must I so indulge myself with stemware? Could I not make do with something that would be easier to stash in odd corners? The Waterford will spend the next couple of weeks in the study.

Okay, enough sitting about. Back at it!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2026
From: Charmion
Date: 11 Mar 26 - 11:03 AM

D-Day has been called on account of freezing rain — a large and very foul weather system has covered the Ottawa Valley from Pembroke to Hawkesbury. It’s also garbage day, and I expect a journey down the driveway that will look more like tightrope-walking than my usual progress to the street to recover my recycle box.

The contents of the kitchen cabinets are stacked on the dining table and a six-foot folding work table Brother Andrew helped me set up in the sitting room yesterday. (With a poncho liner draped over it, the load in the sitting room looks not unlike a body laid out for a wake.) The refrigerator has yet to be emptied, but that will take about five minutes. The immediate perishables will go to Andrew’s house, and the rest will be okay in a cooler.

SIL No 1 has generously agreed to give me breakfast and supper for the duration, and the pub will do for lunch. At least I can sleep in my own bed.

Speaking of sleep, I’ll have to set an alarm to wake me up as long as the cats are away. Today I didn’t even crack an eyelid until a quarter to eight. Watson would never let that happen.

The garbage truck has just passed. Wish me luck!

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2026
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Mar 26 - 12:37 PM

Charmion, having made the move back to Ottawa (after selling the house that had the completed kitchen) it's a good thing you're now near family who can easily assist as you re-do another kitchen.

As for trash/recycling day, stay safe! It's an embarrassment of riches around here with the new humongous bin; I had a sound large lidded Rubbermaid bin and an old one from the greenhouse (full of holes - drilled by me and chewed by the pitbull). And an ancient galvanized 30-gallon can from the previous owners. Since I can't seem to find my favorite 15-gallon white gardening bin (for carrying to the compost pile) I'll use the holey big bin (but will fill it only 1/2 way.)

Another appliance may need attention. The frost-free upright freezer has an insulated copper line that runs to a small evaporative tank, but the insulation has deteriorated and there is water under the freezer (discovered when I ran a yardstick under to see how much dog hair had accumulated.) Research first—if I can replace the existing insulation with a new wrapping one, I'll do it. It's on tiny castors so can be moved to be reachable without unloading the freezer.

Cat gig coming up next week and a preview one-off this afternoon (while she's out of the house all day).

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2026
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Mar 26 - 12:24 AM

I made a three-ring binder when I moved into this house with the brochures about hardware and materials and paint samples and receipts and bids and whatnot from the renovations. When I had the house painted later (after a new roof was put on) I filed that paint brochure. My painter said the best paint, and where he could get a good discount, was Kelly-Moore, and they had an array of "stock colors" that were mixed at the factory. Those were the most durable of the offerings, and cost less as well as no concerns for getting the right color mixed for all cans. They're out of business, so I'm comparing companies and am down to Sherwin-Williams (has its own stores) and Benjamin Moore (sold at ACE Hardware). I'll visit tomorrow and find out about any stock colors (I doubt it) and contractor discounts. I want these answers before I call the painter. I don't know if I'll change the colors on the house now, but I need to see what's available.

Shopping locally today was kind of a bust. A Honda mower blade for the Honda mower (they carry "Universal" and Toro, mostly) and a soy amino sauce for my crispy pecan recipe (the sauce is absent in the usual stores). These products are in Home Depot or Walmart or Target but I'm avoiding them these days. Same with the paint shopping - not gonna get Behr or Valspar because of the big box stores with lousy DEI policies.

There's a bridge protest (a pedestrian crossing over the interstate highway) tomorrow afternoon and I have my gear packed and my sign ready.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2026
From: Charmion
Date: 12 Mar 26 - 11:35 AM

Demolition is under way. I’m hiding in my bedroom, where I have a comfy chair, but the periodic outbursts of power tool noise has me constantly on edge. The contractors say this phase will be finished today, but it feels like a very looooong day already.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2026
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Mar 26 - 09:59 PM

Are the evicted appliances being donated so someone else can put them to use? And are the cupboards demolished or going to a re-use site? (Not all cupboards are worth recycling). My sister has been living with no kitchen for months: the old garage at the back was demolished, a new foundation was extended and everything has shifted to the side to enlarge the existing kitchen and a couple of other rooms on the back. It sounds like she could build a new house in the time and resources going into this work. In my "if money were no object" imagination I think about putting a partial second story over the back of the house to have a room with a view over the creek and woods, but what a mess and fuss. Maybe build a treehouse in the hackberry in the back yard?

I learned a lot at paint stores today. ACE Hardware carries Benjamin Moore, but they have a fraction of what the actual paint (only) BM stores carry. And depending on how much the painter buys, he will have a few places with accounts to buy at a contractor rate. The paint guy at ACE thought I was getting ahead of myself, that I should ask the painter where he gets paint, but I have a reason for acquainting myself with these companies. It doesn't hurt to know at least some of the answers before asking the questions. Tomorrow I'll finish the research and call to see if the painter can do the work or recommend someone.

Despite my decluttering work around here the horizontal surfaces are once again covered. At least the fridge and kitchen are better than usual.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2026
From: Charmion
Date: 13 Mar 26 - 10:57 AM

The refrigerator has been spoken for by one of the cabinetmakers, but the crap dishwasher and even worse exhaust hood are bound for the dump, as is the crap cabinetry. Habitat for Humanity can do a lot to refurbish useful stuff, but they have to start with stuff that was of good quality when it was new.

Chaos reigns supreme on Inverkip Avenue, with contractors' trucks parked higgledy-piggledy all over the place. I am not the only resident with a reno project; the folks across the street have a table saw on the driveway and their own crew of guys in steel-toed boots.

With both bathroom sinks and the kitchen sink gone, I am left with only the sink in the loo by the front door; consequently, my toothbrush has decamped to Brother Andrew's house, along with the doohickey for recharging my Apple watch.

I was so tired and wired last night that I skipped choir practice and went to bed early after a small Scotch. Today I feel better, despite the mess.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2026
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Mar 26 - 11:11 AM

Is the proximity of the bathroom sinks to the kitchen the issue? All water in that area turned off while no sink is in residence and plumbed in the kitchen?

Is this your Syrian cabinetmaker who put dibs on the fridge? It might have some interesting story ahead as it enters an immigrant home or community (where so often people cook food from scratch and will have a lot of fresh ingredients. I see those cooks every time I visit the Halal market.)

Some running today, and I'll offer to take the across-the-street neighbor grocery shopping. I think he has officially stopped driving.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Sorting *Health *Progress - 2026
From: Charmion
Date: 13 Mar 26 - 11:32 AM

The bathroom cabinetry was also condemned and removed, so the sinks went with it. I am not going through another bout of carpentry mess when the bathroom plumbing gets its update, which won’t be until I have recovered from the current efforts,

Yes, all the cabinetmakers are Syrian. Waseem is from Damascus, and grew up in Dubai. The other guys are from all over the Syrian diaspora, but they all speak the same variant of Arabic. Waseem calls all of them “brother”, which is a Muslim thing. Soldiers do the same nowadays, I guess because their deployments are so often in majority-Muslim countries.