BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Nov 08 - 10:35 PM

I got rid of one bag of stuff beside the back door--I planted all of the day lily bulbs a neighbor brought over a few weeks ago. They'll look lovely in the bed out front, where I have been trying to build up the supply of lilies.

I am assuming the "light housekeeping" ad was a setup?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Genie
Date: 22 Nov 08 - 05:35 PM

Think YOUR house needs de-cluttering?

Check out this "Best Of" Craigslist ad:
Light Housekeeping Needed

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Nov 08 - 03:06 PM

Sometimes it is nice to see that planning ahead really does work. Several years ago I had to repair a leak at the water meter and at the same time I replaced the old hard-to-turn faucet handle with a gate valve in the nearly household water shutoff vault. This morning I pulled the lid and remembered all of that previous work and expense as I reached in and easily moved the gate valve to "off."

I then disconnected the fridge water tubing, topped the brass pipe with the new brass cap and it worked perfectly. Water back on, no leak. I taped the tubing to the back of the fridge, and used a hairdryer to melt the ice. I'll reserve the top shelf for ice trays for filling the still-functional ice dispenser.

Now to get to the de-clutter work I actually had in mind for the weekend.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: GUEST,MAG posting from work
Date: 22 Nov 08 - 01:01 PM

Cat shut off the computer last night; he does that. Also jealous of the phone -- either one.

I'll try to post tomorrow during his outside stroll.

By then I hope to be working on the leaves; although it is pouring rain now and the one not in the carport will be wet.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 22 Nov 08 - 03:12 AM

I know the feeling too.. I fixed our boiler with a £1.48 fuse on Thursday, rather than the £140 an engineer would charge us for call out and a new pump!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Nov 08 - 01:21 AM

Ah! We can't have this dropping off the page! Tomorrow will be a day of lots of activity and getting stuff actually put away and not just piled up somewhere. Tonight I cleared out in the fridge, cutting up a bunch of peppers to freeze.

I have to redo the freezer (i.e., remove more glacier). It's the ice maker that is the problem, or at least the hose to it. But the tiny little faucet behind the fridge doesn't turn off, even in the "off" position, so I have to turn off the water to the house and come in and cap that fitting or replace the valve. The cap was $1.45, a plumber is probably $145. I know what my choice will be!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Penny S.
Date: 21 Nov 08 - 03:43 AM

SRS, I have some irregular amber beads I bought from a bric a brac stall made up as a bracelet, which I have restrung with some of those little cylindrical gold beads to make them go further to make a necklace. (I can't get the metal beads locally any more, but they are good for making a few good stones go a long way.)

Today I am moving out four sturdy cardboard boxes and a load of jiffy bags for ebaying to Dad's house, along with my fabric stash. I am also seeing if my sister wants, or knows someone who wants, a stack of music ms paper I rescued when the school threw it out. If she doesn't, do you think anyone could use it here? we are talking at least a ream.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: maire-aine
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 11:53 PM

Nice to hear about all the progress. I'm organizing the holiday decorations-- the staging area is in the upstairs hallway-- so I'll be able to "hit the ground running" next week. I'll put up the tree after Thanksgiving, but I'll need to clean the LR floor and move some furniture. I think I'll move the work computer and the printer into the spare room upstairs.

My cousin invited me for Thanksgiving dinner with her daughter/SIL & 2 grandchildren, so that should be fun. I won't have to cook.

On Tuesday, I mustered up my courage & did an open mic. Scared out of my wits, because I haven't done any solo vocals in years, and I'm not much of a guitar player. Turned out okay I guess; folks seemed to like it. There were a lot of folks there to perform, and a lot of really good musicians, so it was pretty intimidating. Gotta learn (at least refresh) 4 more songs before I go back again, probably the week after next.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 11:22 PM

I have a set like that, in a trunk. I don't think I'm ready to pull it out, but what an idea, maybe for next year.

We've begun the process of pooling resources and rounding up the usual suspects to come over for our always enjoyable and always eclectic evening for Thanksgiving. And while the house isn't finished, I think it will be a lot easier to get ready this year.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 11:04 PM

Good for you, Penny and Cami-Su...sounds as though you have both done really well. I agree on giving yourself time with the ghosts, Cami-Su. Penny it's nice to see you in here!

Not decluttering, but speaking of old family things, for the first time in probably 10-15 years, we are having a traditional Tksgiving dinner at our house using my grandma's wedding china. It's tucked away in a closet and it will feel so good to get it out and use it. Working on the book in which she is a character has brought it to mind...ghosts walking through my mind as I write about them.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 08:09 PM

Wow! While I was out some really desperate characters posted here! Welcome to this menagerie, Penny, many of us are here with estates we're trying to sort out and thin. CamiSu, it looks like you're getting your second wind.

I think ghosts are part of the reason why we end up with this stuff, waiting for emotions to settle as we try to find the "clear margin" between where the precious items distinctly tied to loved ones end and all of the extra clutter begins.

Penny, there are some lovely yellow glass beads that I'll simply restring, there are enough for that, but the reddish dark brown beads are a partial strand that someone salvaged and put on a cord with the clasp tied to the ends. I'll do a little research before I figure out what these are. Thanks for the brine hint. They are a lopsided graduated set so I'll have to use them in a couple of places if I want to use all of them.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Penny S.
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 06:33 PM

Maggie, if the beads are nice, you don't want to test them destructively. I found some tests for amber (which is a natural plastic with a resiny smell if you warm it gently in your hands) on the internet when a friend found a piece on the beach. As I was trying to tell it from pebble, the floating it in brine test was useful - but plastics might do that as well.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 06:13 PM

Possibilities are always a good thing CamiSu - I had that feeling when I found the table up here!

Sometimes it takes a while for the ghosts to settle, but I'm sure they will soon. Take it easy and don't rush yourself.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: CamiSu
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 06:07 PM

Two friends from church came up to help in general decluttering, and we attacked the two bedrooms upstairs. One has still my daughter's stuff she has not taken with her, as well as Ben's overlay for the years he has been camping in there (5-since the fire) and the other was trying to get finished for Ben so I could turn Wavestar's into a guest room and ...

Well, I need to move an exchange student in there so WS can be in "his" space as she is actually 2 when you count her husband. They were unbelievable. Fabio had been in there and wondered just *where* he was going to actually sleep. They now are clean!!!! I think we were at it for about 4-5 hours. AND my office is approachable, so I may get moved back up there this winter! (I moved down to the Living Room last winter just to sort of recharge. David had spent most of his last year in the LR, but the office seemed to have more ghosts, and I just could NOT get warm, and so retreated to the LR)

I feel like I have possibilities!

CamiSu

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Penny S.
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 05:51 PM

And that's leaving out the time I haven't had to read the books that I need to read before purging them.

And to find the books of songs I had promised to send people, and do that.

Today I got rid of a set of panpipes and a penny whistle.

Earlier I got rid of an autoharp, which, now I am singing from the floor at a couple of clubs, I am regretting.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Penny S.
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 05:48 PM

I might as well join in here. I started the year with a nice little day pattern including decluttering. Last year I stopped teaching, and so had stuff around the house connected with the job - if you know about teaching you will know the sort of stuff. I also had the stuff I brought back from the cleared classroom.

First thing in the morning, befor getting up, I went into the spare room, aka store room, and went through a few things. Once a week, I would go off to Oxfam with a bag or two of stuff - I was purging the wardrobes, too. Gradually I cleared the piles of books on the stairs, put old worksheets in recycling, made some progress.

Then, in April, my Dad died very suddenly. Half each week was spent at his house with my sister. We still haven't finished there, and there have been delays due to my having a couple of car prangs and a fall.

More recently, a friend's mother suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning. Did you know that people got that from sitting by a gas cooker to keep warm, with the windows shut? We had to do some decluttering there. A major task which prevented me from doing either my own or Dad's clearing. It also prevented me reading the newspaper, so there are piles of those at home. I had to put up the friend in the spare room, still aka store room, putting some of the stored stuff in my bedroom.

My sister is allowing me to store some of it temporarily at Dad's, and I'm aiming to put bootsale or ebay stuff there so that we can operate from one address. I have made a set of empty cardboard boxes to take down for Dad's books. There's no point in rushing to sell the house at the moment.

This week I have been clearing a lot of space in the spare room, so that the horizontal space aka bedside table can serve as a place for the lamp, some suitable reading matter, water and tissues. My sister has given me a mattress she wanted a good home for, so I have been able to throw out the rubbishy old one on the folding bed. we've both done some decluttering there.

Have you noticed the strange effect that as soon as you return from the charity shop, you find the beginning of the next collection? After taking the results of a ruthless clear of bric a brac given me by people I can't remember about, and items I bought because they might be useful (why I thought I would make filter coffee when I was camping, i don't know), I came back to search for a sweater and find a skirt exactly the same colour and fabric as one I bought recently as part of a suit.

Time for another clothes purge, I think.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 04:33 PM

I accidentally scared a bunny from where she was hanging out in the front yard. Not a good place, because I've let the dogs out to chase voles. I'll have to keep them away from that side of the yard.

Lots to do to get ready for next week. The holidays just got a little easier--that refund means I don't have my scanner, but I will have that cash. That card was paid off, so this goes in the bank. Square Trade was very easy to work with. Something to consider if you're buying something that you do actually want a warranty for (or have something from a store that is going out of business). I asked them to mail a check. They were going to credit my PayPal account, but PayPal has already had their cut out of that transaction, thank you very much.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: maeve
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 03:42 PM

8oo narcissus bulbs moved into the cellar to await potting up. They will provide our early spring income as forced bulbs.

The last of this year's kale has been cut and brought in for blanching and freezing. I'll dehydrate any big stems and powder them to use in soup stock.

Potatoes, bulk rolled oats, apples, and pears to the cellar. This will open up space in the kitchen and diningroom.

We have too much outside work to do for it to be this cold this early.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 01:03 PM

Nope, not sure where I found them. Maybe in one of the other online sources I check. It may have been at Journalism Jobs. I think it was, because at first I thought it was a bogus thing. After checking them out and receiving their writers' guidelines with payment schedule etc. and filling out the writer profile etc. they sent me a a congrats, here's your first assignment. It shouldn't be too difficult. The pay doesn't sound that exciting for 250 words, but if one can do four per hour it's at least above minimum wage and they do pay more depending on the project and word count. I had applied for editor which they don't need right now, but have me on the list as I would prefer it. Anyway, we'll see how it goes. It may be too boring!:-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 12:51 PM

Good news on the freelancing. Did you find them through Writer's Digest?

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 12:43 PM

That sounds like a really neat and meaningful record of things, Susan. Good for you!

I have met my goal of 30,000 words by today, in fact this morning I went over that to 31,048! Quite pleased with myself. I may even knock off and do some other things like list ebay items, the few I have ready or my books at my bookstore, or just go take a nap. I am off tonight to take Morgan to see Riders in the Sky, so a nap will be good.:-) Or, I might go play a mindless game on the computer first.

Oh, and I did the dishes before 8a this morning! Plus two loads of laundry yesterday.

I also got a job writing content for an English firm. Got my first assignment to write 20 articles of 250 words by Dec. 1oth on a specific subject. I suddenly feel rather busy, good busy, but busy.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 11:02 AM

1. I sent my MIL a packet yesterday, half of which she will bring back on her next visit to add to Hardi's memento box (or to start the next one). When she goes thru the existing 2 boxes (hasn't seen 'em yet), we can purge any that H doesn't want to keep "forever." She comes annually, so that can be a nice annual activity.

2. I started picking this year's Advent music the other day; our new Deacon is going to take a service for us so I needed to get her picks done ASAP anyway. This involved rotating the year ending out of my carry-all (I use an old, beat-up Bible case), putting in the new year's Musician's Handbook we use for planning, and today I labeled the binders holding the previous 3 years' worth.

===

That Handbook has become a sort of weekly snapshot-- no, textshot-- of the Sat. Svc.-- people, illnesses and recoveries, deaths, parish activities, music "learnings," etc.. At some time during each service, I jot in the attendance and anything notable that's going on. I'll also refer back as the 3 years in the liturgical cycle as they rotate-- "What did we play LAST time for this set of readings? Do we wanna do it again or is there something new we might like to try?" It's a good reference as well in case the seasonal packet of lesson inserts may not always come home from the parish office the day I decide to sit down to plan a block of services. Of course I could look up the scheduled readings online or in the Bible, but I like to have the printed version to scribble song ideas as they come, and those old copies offer that info previous info, as well as the song titles we actually used.

It's a simple and nifty system. :~) --> A new fella was going to join our band. So I offered him a planning resource; he retorted that he always prefers to just wing it without regard for the lessons the people are hearing. "The Spirit guides ME." I smiled a silver-haired smile and responded gently, "Guides me, too.... Never been in charge of a music program, right?"

We call it "Liturgics," but any performing musician knows the difference between a set and a jam: even folk music in church benefits from planning a "set list"! :~)

===

Did I already post that I organized our players' binders into a new bench-shelf in the church? So handy to be able to easily stroll over during the service and grab a binder to swap in a different song if a requestor comes in after the serice has started. No longer hiding far away in a dusty room with shelves I can't reach. Prettily arranged, too; the bench came to us when we arrived, from my predecessor. A nice visual for me to meditate upon-- all the memories collected into that bench and those binders. Hardio fixed the bench-- by cutting off and retrimming the parts my predecessor's dogs had chewed up! :~)

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 10:58 AM

I've been trying to get set up to digitize a lot of my slides, and I bought a scanner on eBay last spring. It doesn't work and I sent it out for repair. The news from Sony is not good--they can't repair it. The good news is that I bought a warranty, so I have to send in the paperwork.

Publishing stuff at work is moving forward, I'm gradually getting caught up. This is very good news.

I have items ending today on eBay and more things to list, but I'll use the timed listing feature and set them so they start in a day or two. Anything listed today ends on Thanksgiving and I'm sure won't get the attention I want, so I'll let it run during the week and end when people turn to the computer to shop.

The weather forecast makes it sound like tomorrow is the end of the veggie gardening down here, so I'll trim back the eggplants (I'll leave roots and see what comes back next spring). Time to pull out the faucet covers, they'll be needed soon. Also time to get more hay for the dogs and winterize their stall. They really have the best of both worlds--they come and go at will in the yard or in their stall, and they have a cosy area with dog houses and hay under a tarp to help keep in heat inside the garage door.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 07:31 AM

Make that 3 envelopes!! A Good morning.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: maeve
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 06:45 AM

12 degrees F this morning. It will be a hard winter....

Thanks Susan.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 03:54 AM

Another envelope of photos scanned... one more thing saved for posterity on the external drive, and one more thing to put away.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 12:01 AM

Now comes a holiday push--plans have been made, Thanksgiving is here a week from tomorrow. The trick is to put things AWAY and not just shove them OUT OF THE WAY. That makes all of the difference the day after the holiday!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Nov 08 - 02:35 PM

And you are too, dear [said gently so as not to hurt the head]

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: maeve
Date: 19 Nov 08 - 12:46 PM

LOL Susan.

I've been drying crimini (portabella) mushrooms. 5 pounds fresh dehydrates to about 3 quarts dry.

It's bitter cold with a strong wind today. Until I can rid myself of this migraine, I'll have to stay inside and try for little spots of clearing out.

Keep it up, one and all. You're making great progress.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Nov 08 - 10:28 AM

Oh, BEST tip yet...

Had added an extension-length of hose to our shower hose for dog-washing..... But MUCH more fun uising it to flush and blast-clean the toidy the plumber needs to visit! Hot, HOT water.... tho it sure felt funny to sit over the bowlful of hot water left behind, a few minutes later. (TMI Alert!!!) Steamed my ass! :~)

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Nov 08 - 09:58 AM

Declutting a pile of mementoes from a recent honor Hardi received, to mail to his mom. She'll bring the cards back, that he received, at her next visit, and I'll let her buy the next Memento Box to hold them-- the last two are full! :~) She'll enjoy going thru the older boxes on her next visit. Pic, cards, stories to share...

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 19 Nov 08 - 09:01 AM

Well, it's official -- I've de-cluttered 20 pounds since June. In between my early morning appointment with my surgeon (followup on last December's broken humerus), a mid-morning dental appointment (where I de-cluttered some $$$) and an early afternoon appointment with my primary care physician, I started pulling things out of the closet. (Gee...didn't I just DO this?!?)

Found a good-sized bag full to take over to a friend's to check out prior to sending the remainder to Goodwill.

We through some papers and magazines this morning. After Tom checks out the recipes, the magazines to to the same friend as above. And I actually threw out some of the clippings, etc.

Gotta head out to work,
Linn

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Nov 08 - 12:30 AM

Not sure what we are doing, Maggie. If I just sit down and start typing I can do 2000 words in an hour or so...the stories are telling themselves, sometimes I can almost hear my dad telling them; fleshing them out and bringing in the everyday happenings has been fun. I'd like the kids to all come over and eat off of my grandma's china that came from the ranch, but it would require, first, all of them wanting to have that big of a deal, and second, borrowing a big enough table or putting two together and clearing out a big space in the LR. Not sure if any of us is up to it, but we'll see!:-) Still a week to go, I hope I am near to being finished by then and can use Sat and Sun to put on the finishing touches. (Sorry for the long, non-decluttering, sort of, post.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 10:17 PM

Work fast, I'm sure you have to get ahead so you don't lose time over the holiday. Or will your family have Thanksgiving around you as you peck away at the keyboard?

:-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 09:56 PM

I reached past the halfway mark! My mind has now been decluttered of over 25,000 words on one project!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 09:50 PM

I visited E. Arden also, but didn't think of just asking them.

I'm de-cluttering my garden of a few more snails this evening. I poured bowls of beer in the two gardens that have Swiss chard. I love it anyway, but I'm intending to eat it more often this year. I've been looking for more inexpensive yet nutritious things to use for quick meals, and more ways to use chard. We like quesadillas, and I found another possibility today when I had lunch at a little Mexican restaurant. In the appetizers list they had a spinach quesadilla, with spinach and monterrey jack cheese and served with guacamole and sour cream. I ordered that for lunch and they were wonderful. I could skip the cream and use my homemade (I freeze it) guacamole. Cook and drain the chard and it would work in these.

Today I pushed several print projects off of my desk. I'm almost caught up.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 03:16 PM

Maggie, the beads sound lovely! You can tell if they are plastic by sticking them with a hot needle. If it goes in and stinks, they are plastic. It won't work if they are amber.

Maybe someone at Elizabeth Arden could help; it must be a popular scent as they still sell it. Sorry about the other woman not being current.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: maire-aine
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 01:14 PM

I remember that my mother used to have a bottle of Blue Grass on her dresser. Don't remember what happened to it-- probably was pitched out one day. Who knew it'd be worth something one day.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 10:29 AM

I saw her list, but unfortunately she is no longer a registered eBay user and her freenet site is no longer up. I find the type listed but the only bottle I find looks a lot different. And unfortunately, searching the Internet for "Blue Grass" or "Bluegrass" brings up mostly music sites! ;-D

I wonder if this was some kind of specialty bottle that was filled and the label stuck on? It is in an Elizabeth Arden box, so I'd have to find who or how this was arranged.

I'll have to swing by a bookstore and browse the antique and collection books.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 10:14 AM

That's really pretty, Maggie. Here's a woman who has over 200 guides and reviews on perfume bottles etc. on ebay-she may be able to help: Click. She's got Blue Grass listed in 1934!

From what I am seeing, it's quite possible your bottle was by a well-known designer and will be the most valuable part as well as the original box. Someone wants $59.99 for an original bar of soap with box of the same fragrance!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 10:09 AM

In many contexts the idea of "watchers" can be creepy. Think of Henry James, Edgar Allen Poe, and probably Stephen King (I haven't read any of his, but with his reputation for creepy stuff, that must be part of it). And then there's eBay. Where you WANT watchers. . .

Finally seeing a little interest on one of my listed items.

On another front, I was going through a trunk and found a locked box that I'd forgotten about. I popped it open with a screw driver (didn't break it) and (of course) found the key inside. And a bunch of lovely beads that I will restring and wear. There is one set that I'm not sure if they're plastic or dark amber or what. I'll have to take them down to a local bead shop and ask. There aren't enough for a necklace, I'm imagining some were lost, but if they're something worth stringing, I can interpolate some other different beads between them. There are also a couple of intact little gold baubles on gold chains, and a lovely little green glass crystal with what look like the Czech style crystals down the chain. I'm sure the Swarovski beads were around, though I don't know if they were known by name back then. Who knew 70 years ago or so that the inexpensive but well-made costume jewelry would be just the right touch today? There are also some Richelieu faux pearls, quite lovely (they don't fetch much on eBay, but they are solid and are the type of faux pearls that don't peel apart. I wonder how they make them?)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 09:49 AM

Son and DIL coming in a few weeks-- good motivction to finish a couple of bedroom decluts to make them ready. Lot of pillowcases to match up to pillows-- both have been getting flung into the one BR for "later" and sdince I had the space for them and no need for the room I was fine about leaving them for later. In other words, projects like that waiting, but not really out-of-control rooms. Now it will be FUN to sort them out, and Faulkner can come up and keep me company.

Once again, efforts toward health intersect-- walking and stairs are on the docket with the colder outside weather.


DECLUT TIP
Take advantage of special occasions to declut with motivation, and don't beat yourself up for putting them off till the day you can do them with a sense of love in your heart. There's nothing wrong with that, and it brings its own lessons!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Nov 08 - 11:49 PM

Does anyone here know anything about vintage perfume bottles? I've found one in a trunk that I can't for the life of me find on any of the antique sites.

Elizabeth Arden Blue Grass, 1/2 ounce and there isn't even a mention of this bottle on sites that have older bottles. The bottle even appears to be full. It's in it's original box with a pink cotton pad to hold it in place. Do any of you have a book (Kovels, etc.) that might list this? The perfume was first released in 1934. The cloth-covered blue box also says Coeur D'Amour.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: CamiSu
Date: 17 Nov 08 - 10:42 PM

I was going to ask if you had winter yet. I really need snow as my chickens have inexplicably decided that my yard (across US Route 5 from the barn) is a better place to be. Lost one of my pullets today. I hope her death serves a warning to the rest.

CamiSu

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: maire-aine
Date: 17 Nov 08 - 06:10 PM

We had snow this weekend, about an inch on the grass and trees. Mostly melted on the streets & sidewalks, but the roads got real slick on Sunday night. As for freezer de-cluttering, I took all the little bags of leftover rye bread (slices too small for a decent sandwich) and cut them into cubes; think I got about 5 or 6 cups. They're back in the freezer now and all ready to make stuffing. I also made rice pilaf to take to the potluck on Sunday, which got a trayful of ingredients off of the counter top. Our team came in second at the trivia quiz.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Nov 08 - 03:40 PM

"Car cleaning" and "weekly" don't go together in my vocabulary. My goal in the pickup is to have a couple of bottles of fresh water, the sticky tape garment roller (to remove cat hair) and a dish towel (to catch crumbs) for my son in the morning to get him to school every day. And a bunch of cloth grocery bags for my shopping runs. This time of year it also has an extra blanket for emergencies and when it gets really cold around here I'll add a down sleeping bag for "just in case" that I hope I never have to use. I washed and vacuumed the truck last month--that should last for the next six months at least.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: CamiSu
Date: 17 Nov 08 - 12:49 PM

I'm still trying to fathom the 'weekly car cleaning'. I am lucky to get it done once a year!

And if my chickens don't stay off the road I may be seriously decluttered of chickens!

CamiSu

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Nov 08 - 12:42 PM

It seems with the incredible drop-off of political threads that the Mudcat BS section is considerably de-cluttered!

I've been trimming large plants in the garden and am set to conduct a couple of experiments. I'm curious to see what comes back from the roots in the spring, so I'm trimming some but I won't pull them out completely.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Nov 08 - 12:56 AM

The freezer looks great, I have good leftovers for a few days, and I finished a kind of fussy listing on eBay. I had to take a lot of measurements to list that suit my Mom had made in China, since it didn't have a label or a size on it. And--fanfare please--after about 10 years of looking I found another Norwegian Nisse troll. I have one that Mom sent me probably 20 or 25 years ago.

Now before you get concerned, you're correct. Trolls are nasty pieces of work. But this isn't just ANY troll.

A Nisse Troll is about the ONLY decent troll there is around, but they're very shy. I'm sure they date back to pre-christian times in Norway, and their job is to find a place to hide but where they can still see the tree to guard it. Every year we enjoy finding some little nook or cranny, sometimes in a bookcase in the next room or down the hall, so she can see the tree or the gift area. And since I have two children, you can see the dilemma. I've been looking off and on, and yesterday when researching some Scandinavian things I'll be listing I just thought 'what the heck' and typed in Nisse Troll. Someone in Dallas had four from the same Norwegian company as mine, male and female, the same style. We like the look of the female better, since her hat hides her doll hair follicles and she looks more lifelike. For a troll. All four had at least one bid, one doll had three. I bid on one and got it for 50 cents over the listing price, so I guess the other bidder thought there wasn't much interest.

So--it was a good weekend.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Nov 08 - 03:28 PM

Yea, Maggie, hope that's all it is! I unclogged my brain this morning and managed to declutter 4700 words!! I am now over the 20,000 mark. 30,000 by Thursday sounds easier now!