BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering

Subject: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Apr 09 - 06:25 PM

I posted to the March thread just now, but I'll cut and paste that here also:

It's Wednesday evening, but it has all of the feel of a Friday. I've had so many meetings and appointments to cover. I still have a couple of projects to work on, but I may take off a day just to do something about the appliances that are all turning up their toes.

I'll run a load of laundry over to the laundromat this evening, after I mow. I am feeling inspired to work on my office some more--I really do want to organize books and CDs and figure how how to store all of these wonderful new ones. I still find myself amazed that I ended up with so many high end fabulous recordings (my son's music teacher last night laughed when I told him about lugging in that box, saying "and you even got a new bin!") I drove home from work this evening listening to Glenn Gould playing the Bach's Goldberg Variations. :)

I have this feeling of connection to whomever collected all of this music, and such gratitude that I stumbled upon a way to buy them and hold the collection together. It's not like all of my Dad's music or something, not an emotional tie like that, but I can see a clear pattern of the informed listener, perhaps a teacher, in these disks. I respect that. If, on one hand, someone might suggest that he's turning in his grave because this valuable collection was donated to a garage sale and claimed for (pardon the pun) a song, I would want to deliver the message to that same unquiet grave to rest easy, they have arrived in a place where they are valued, understood, revered, and will be appreciated for years to come. Before my daughter heard about what was in it, just that I had it, she laughed and said "eBay, here I come," but this isn't something for eBay. This is something for me, something I never could have afforded, piecemeal, that are a wonderful windfall.

So shelving is near the top of my list of things to do soon.

Here's the old March 2009 thread, retired but not forgotten. I'll post this link over there, also.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: maire-aine
Date: 01 Apr 09 - 10:25 PM

It's the result of good karma, Maggie, that's all. The cosmos knew it would end up in the right place, at the right time.

M

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: LilyFestre
Date: 01 Apr 09 - 10:43 PM

Today I cleaned out a corner in the kitchen where we have been stock piling construction stuff and finished painting it!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Apr 09 - 10:57 PM

She's right, Maggie...there'll be no turning over in the grave...someone is very happy it all went to you.

Great start to a new month's thread!

I brought clutter in...my brother gave me a gift certificate to a neat store here which carries incense, etc. I bought incense, but I also bought a beautiful black statue of Bast with gold accents in the way of one hoop earring and a scarab necklace as well as another gold neck-piece on her. She's really pretty, plus she goes with my other cat statues of various materials and poses, though I think I shall keep her on my sanctum with the candles and incense which are in my office so I will see her all day. I kept telling myself I didn't want any more dust collectors, but she is what *spoke* to me at the store.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: mouldy
Date: 01 Apr 09 - 11:56 PM

I have REALLY got to get moving on clearing all sorts next week when I'm back from the antipodes. I'm hoping what sunshine I have had here will have energised me - although the effect of about 30 hours flying, and overnight travel may take some shifting!

I have absolutely GOT to start prepping the house to go on sale in about 6 months or so's time.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Apr 09 - 12:16 AM

Thanks for the thoughts on the music! Have any of you, when you were organizing books and such, come across a database that loads all of the information based upon the UPC code alone? I could stand to organize these a little, but the thought of typing it all into a database is daunting.

The lawn is mowed, front and back. That took a while, but it looks nice. The dogs also got a long walk (I should add this to that accountability thread, lots of exercise) and the dishes are done. No laundry after all, I'll do that in the morning.

Andrea, I predict that it will be not only nice to return home but that for a while it will be easier to "see it through someone else's eyes" and see what needs to be done. Sometimes we get so used to looking at stuff that even though it is out of place it's like it is invisible.

Where are you going to store all of those sweaters? ;-D

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: mouldy
Date: 02 Apr 09 - 04:09 AM

I'm going to get rid of some acrylic ones (that turn me into a sweaty betty), as the merino are lovely lightweight ones, ideal for layering.

This means either the charity shop or the boot fair will be visited before too long. Probably the shop with the leftovers from the bootie. I am sure I can drum up a few bits and bobs to put on a stall.
Stage one comes tomorrow when I have to pack my bag. I have a stupid 20kg allowance, so let's hope the sweaters (and shoes too) weigh about the same as the stuff I brought out! I'd hate to have to pay excess, as I have always been within my limit in the past.

Hey ho! Part of me IS looking forward to coming home.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: GUEST,LTS pretending to work
Date: 02 Apr 09 - 08:32 AM

Limpit starts her school holidays on Monday and Easter is soon upon us, so I've got 2 long weekends ahead... hopefully I'll get to finish the loft over Easter weekend and sort a bit of the garden out this weekend, unless the lovely sunny weather changes tomorrow in which case I'll swap.

Major office clearup required.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Apr 09 - 11:10 AM

SRS, it takes time, but if you play each on into your HD and choose to save it, it should automatically come up with the relevant data and store that, too. At least, that is what happened when I "saved" all of my music CDs to my HD. The only exceptions were the ones which were not encoded.

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Apr 09 - 12:31 PM

But we're talking about somewhere in the range of 500 CDs all together. I can't imagine saving them all onto a hard drive--what a huge hard drive! I'm thinking of something that will work like EndNote, a program for creating bibliographies. I think the new versions take the ISBN and generates an entry based on Library of Congress data. All you do is enter the ISBN, you wouldn't do the equivalent of scan in the book.

Windy today, I hope it doesn't blow over my flowers. I haven't taken my annual photo of the house with the irises in full bloom yet.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: LilyFestre
Date: 02 Apr 09 - 12:50 PM

Well, big news hit our house on Friday!! We have been preparing for a baby girl and SURPRISE, it's a boy!!!!! Well, umm...that's what they thought on Friday. And so Saturday we went out and shopped for baby boy clothes (the nursery is actually neutral). I came home, sorted all the baby girl clothing out according to where it needs to be returned with the receipts and just left the baby boy stuff in the bags for the rest of the weekend. So Monday rolls around and now the news is that they aren't quite sure if we have a boy or a girl!!! What the confusion is, I'm not sure. Anyway, I have spent this morning sorting out baby boy clothes according to size, fussing with the swing (yes, STILL FUSSING WITH THE SWING) and finally decided to call the store to see if they an assemble it (and if not, they can have it back). And you know what? For $5.00 they will assemble my swing. FIVE LOUSY BUCKS. LOL I think there are a few pieces missing and that there are 2 factory parts that are on the wrong sides and backwards. So...I'm going to pay my $5.00 and watch how they build it. I feel utterly stupid not being able to put this thing together (as I've assembled the crib, the changing table, the stroller, the high chair, the pack and play, etc) but my knuckles are bleeding and I've had enough!!
   Oh yeah, and I also scrubbed the hell out of our shower trying a new product to get the hard water stains out. CLR actually works. Smells to high hell and you have to wear gloves to clean with it but my shower is now white instead of orange. *HAPPY DANCE*

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Apr 09 - 01:42 PM

Have you found a high shelf with no climbing access for all of the chemical things that might until now have resided under your sink? You life really changes once you have to start putting everything out of reach and behind baby-proof doors!

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: maire-aine
Date: 02 Apr 09 - 04:15 PM

Finished weeding the raspberry patch. One of my principles of gardening is that, if something is growing where it doesn't belong, it's a weed. So, the sweet peas & lilies of the valley & violets had to go, at least out of the berry patch. Also removed some of the weaker plants & moved some in from outside the perimeter. Will weed again when I find out what survived.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Apr 09 - 06:29 PM

I went out and trimmed (kind of late I know, but I finally got to it) the vitex. It had some oddly straight limbs growing straight up through the branches, off if the older gnarled looking ones. Looked kind of odd. Now it looks a little more uniformly gnarled. I'll have to make a point of trimming the suckers when they're still small.

Off to do laundry, drop by the post office, and this evening I'll do some sorting around here. It's time to bail more stuff out of the house.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: MAG
Date: 02 Apr 09 - 07:09 PM

2 bags of clothes to the Women's Center at the Community College. They ASKED me if I wanted a receipt! So I got one. With this much stuff to get rid of, it seems worthwhile, I still have tons for my friend's yard sale.

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Apr 09 - 11:25 PM

You can see some significant tax savings if you not only take the receipt but keep basic records on what you took over there. Even if you simply "price" the donated items at thrift store prices, it adds up.

My kitchen is clean and a little rearranged today. Laundry is drying.

I watched Oprah (I rarely do that) when I realized Suze Orman was on. Boy, was that depressing. And you know what? After paying off my credit cards, Suze says you should keep some balance on them, because in this market some companies will see you pay off your card and then they'll cancel them. So I guess I'll keep a little traffic on them, pay them off every month or every other month. At least this way I can choose to keep a little on there, rather than struggling to draw down a larger balance.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: maire-aine
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 12:16 AM

I saw Oprah's show too. Pretty dismal. Fortunately I keep a very low balance on my credit cards.

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 01:04 AM

Morgan and I moved a couple of bins in the bedroom and moved the chair back in there which we took out a couple of weeks ago. Rog missed it for his clothes at night; I advertised it locally and didn't get one bite. I don't think folks are buying antique chairs much right now. It's okay. I wasn't really sure about getting rid of it anyway.

Tomorrow we are going to declutter the kitchen cupboards and make some winter squash/pine nut/golden raisins/with mozzarella and parmesan cheese whole wheat lasanga (only 6 points per big piece,) some chocolate chip muffins for Morgan to take home, and some WW peach cobbler (3 points!). Yum!

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 05:23 AM

The weather changed.. it's clearup time for the computer room and more stuff into the loft this weekend!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: maire-aine
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 09:40 AM

It rained all night and will probably continue all day and through the weekend. Of course it's great for the garden, but keeps me in the house.

The lasagna & the cobbler both sound yummy, Kat; if you'd care to post the recipes, I'd love to try 'em.

My fed refund arrived, so I took it over to the credit union & opened an account with it. I'll use most of it for property taxes this summer.

We played last night, and had a good time, altho we were a little thin with the melody instruments. And we've got to move to a different spot in the restaurant, because the acoustic tiles above us just sucked up the sound, esp. for the vocals. Even though it is an "acoustic" show...

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 09:41 AM

I was getting nowhere with the computer room, the weather brightened up and now there is a buddliea bush 9ft shorter and a garden full of branches.

I have more seeds in my hair than a Suttons catalogue and there are some very confused looking cats wondering why they have to climb a tree to sit on the table.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 09:49 AM

The moses baskets and stands are in the attic, a big box of curtains also went up there. Our bedroom is a bedroom and no longer looks like a nursery. All the clean dry washing is put away. I can't believe how tidy the house looks....well until the kids wake up from their afternoon nap and empty toy boxes again! Over the weekend we'll be up at our forest collecting and piling up the dead wood into the wood store.

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: LilyFestre
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 09:49 AM

I just finished cleaning the bathroom and I must say, it's SPECTACULAR in there!!!! There is also a new door going on one of the closets in the kitchen and some trim went up this morning in the corner where I painted the other day!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 01:25 PM

I did a little garage sale browsing this morning, and came home empty handed except for a couple of cards with names and phone numbers. It's a lovely day and I met some great folks! I stopped in the village at two sales, hoping to find a set of shelves for the CDs, but no luck. However, I found a fellow piano restoration candidate (she has one of those great rectangular box pianofortes from the early 1800s, my upright grand is from 1885 and has been in my family since they bought it new) and a gardener with a yard and such a spectacular view of our little creek. He lives on the other side of the creek and up a couple of blocks. His yard, in the two years he has been here, is a work of art. You know how it is, when gardeners get talking and puttering in the yard. :)

I am taking the day off, so I'm going out in my own garden this afternoon. I will have to look over the weekend for something to organize these CDs on. Meanwhile, wheelbarrow and spade fork, here I come!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: MAG
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 08:51 PM

I found a jillion berry branbles which will need digging (Sunday), and cane buds on my roses -- not all of them; some may be dead. But it's nice that a couple of my favorites are alive and well.

Haven't got to the shredding yet.

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 09:17 PM

The muffins came out really tasty even though I had to improvise...had no applesauce, so used peach juice, it worked!

Maryanne, here ya go: the lasagna is my own modification to 5 points instead of 6. I used almond milk instead of fat-free evaporated milk.)

POINTS® Value: 5
Servings: 8

Preparation Time: 30 min
Cooking Time: 33 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Course: side dishes         This hearty, fall-inspired meal is a wonderful change of pace from lasagna with red sauce.

Ingredients
        1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
        2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
        1/3 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese
        1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
        1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
        10 oz dry lasagna noodles, cooked al dente (about 12 noodles)
        10 oz cooked winter squash, thawed if frozen
        1 cup(s) part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
        3/4 cup(s) golden raisins
        2 tbsp pine nuts, chopped
        2 1/2 serving(s) Almond Breeze almond milk

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place flour in a small saucepan and very gradually whisk in milk and garlic. Warm over low heat, stirring constantly, until sauce simmers and is thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
Spread 1/4 cup of cheese sauce over bottom of a 9 X 13-inch glass or metal pan and cover with 3 lasagna noodles; top with 1/3 of squash and 1/2 cup of cheese sauce. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of raisins. Cover with 3 more lasagna noodles and spread with 1/3 of remaining squash and 1/2 cup of cheese sauce; sprinkle with 1/4 cup of raisins. Cover with 3 more lasagna noodles and top with remaining squash and raisins; cover with last 3 lasagna noodles, pressing sheets firmly down. Top with remaining cheese sauce; sprinkle with pine nuts and remaining mozzarella cheese
Bake until lasagna bubbles around edges and is browned on top, about 30 minutes. Slice into 8 pieces and serve.

Kat here, again, the only thing that gets me about the above is a lasagna pan naturally divides into 9 even pieces.:-)

Here's the cobbler:

Was POINTS® Value: 7
Now POINTS® Value: 3
Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 18 min
Cooking Time: 26 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Take advantage of sweet summer peaches with our delicious cobbler. It's even more flavorful when made with white-variety peaches.

Ingredients
        6 medium peach(es), peeled, pitted and sliced
        6 1/3 tbsp sugar, divided
        1 tbsp cornstarch
        1 tsp fresh lemon juice
        1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
        1 cup(s) all-purpose flour
        1 1/2 tsp baking powder
        1/2 tsp table salt
        3 tbsp reduced-calorie margarine
        1/2 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
Instructions

    * Preheat oven to 375ºF.

    * In a large saucepan, combine peaches, 1/3 cup of sugar (5 1/3 tablespoons), cornstarch, lemon juice and cinnamon; toss to coat peaches. Set pan over medium heat and bring to a boil; cook until mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; transfer mixture to an 8-inch square baking pan.

    * To make topping, combine flour, remaining tablespoon of sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Work in margarine with a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add milk; stir until flour mixture is evenly moistened.

    * Drop 8 tablespoons of topping mixture over peach mixture. Bake until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces and serve.

Notes

    * You can enhance the peach flavor of this recipe by swapping 1 teaspoon of almond extract for the lemon juice. And stir 2 tablespoons of sliced almonds into the topping, if desired (does not affect POINTS value).

Kat, again. Have fun and enjoy!!

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 10:39 PM

Geez. Food and Recipes. Now we're in trouble. . . ;-D

I've done yard work today, and I may have to de-clutter the yard of an ailing redbud tree. It nearly got knocked over in a wind storm about four years ago, and I got a good response from the "sick tree treatment" developed on an organic site I belong to. But it is ailing again, dead limbs and peeling bark. I may have bought some time before, but it still may not make it. I'll try some surgical trimming and see if I can get the healthy part to separate from the broken part and recover.

After a bath to wash off the yard debris I'll putter around with the book shelves and do some more organizing. I suspect this weekend will be a mix of heavy lifting outdoors and dusty moving indoors. We'll see if there is an allergy component to this work.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: maire-aine
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 11:04 PM

Thank you, Kat. They both sound delicious. I'll let you know how they turn out.

M

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 11:48 PM

You're most welcome. I haven't tried the cobbler, yet, but the lasagna is really delicious, I think. I forgot to say I use twice the amount of frozen squash, thawed of course.:-) It fills it more and doesn't add points. The lasagna lasts forever. It's one of the make it on the weekend, eat it all week recipes they offer online.

Maggie, good luck with your redbud tree. The little one we planted last year put out tiny flower buds almost two weeks ago and keeps getting snowed on with low night temps to boot. So far, they are hanging in there. I hope it makes it and fully blooms, soon.

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 11:50 PM

Oops! Sorry about that...I just figured out I mixed up my threads! Meant to put the recipes in the accountability thread, not this one!

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Apr 09 - 12:12 AM

You mentioned the dishes here to begin with, so it wasn't exactly a non sequitur. And we seem to be able to discuss food at Mudcat regardless of the thread topic!

This redbud has barely bloomed this year. The blossoms are still on the branches, but no leaves are starting yet, and it's like the last gasp. I'll watch it a while longer, but a look at the bark around the base, and the heart rot on that one big limb tells me a lot.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 04 Apr 09 - 01:45 AM

Trouble with having no buddliea bush in the way, I can now see how horrible the makeshift bean trellis is that next door put up. It's made from found wood, most of which appears to have been painted white, so it practically glows at you in the half light of dawn.. I want to sneak out at night and push it off my fence (it's just balanced on the top of it) but that would be mean.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Apr 09 - 11:59 AM

Damn. Hit refresh instead of spell check and my post went away.

Liz, maybe you could surreptitiously paint the side of that trellis that faces you some neutral color.

Moonglow is coming by in a while. She and boyfriend are headed to Scarborough Fair, the local spring RenFaire, and they would like to eat here first (save money, of course!)

I have about half-finished a no-till mulch under that redbud. If it dies I'll use the space to grow veggies. I scalped the turf with the weedeater, then after wetting I put down layers of newspaper and mulch on top. I'll finish in a little while. This will give a more continuous look on the beds out there. I need to get some edging.

I moved the laptop to a desk in my bedroom for a while. I'm working on the desk where I have had it situated, it's the same one where I work on eBay stuff sometimes. I moved the computer out of harms way while I reorganize books from surrounding cases and then reorganize (and who knows, possibly move) that desk.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: maire-aine
Date: 04 Apr 09 - 03:41 PM

I took 2 bags of packing peanuts to a nearby mail store for recycling/re-use. Also did some grocery shopping, and bought 3-lbs of lean pork loin to make my own breakfast sausage. After I trim & grind the meat, all I add is onion and seasoning, so I know exactly what's in it.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Apr 09 - 04:31 PM

Well, I did get a printer ensconced up in the new home office, and the nukerator is hooked up in its perfect spot along with the other appliances. It looks like a freaking palace up there. Now I gotta go to work, just to justify all that prep! :~)

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: katlaughing
Date: 04 Apr 09 - 04:38 PM

One more recipe then, another of their make it and eat it all week series. Dead simple to make and very tasty:

POINTS® Value: 3
Servings: 6

Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 35 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Course: main meals         Have some leftover spaghetti? Then give our savory pasta pie a try.

Ingredients
        1 tsp olive oil
        1 small onion(s)
        3 medium portobello mushroom(s)
        12 oz canned tomato sauce
        6 oz firm tofu
        1 spray(s) cooking spray
        2 cup(s) cooked spaghetti
        3/4 cup(s) part-skim mozzarella cheese
Instructions

Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pepper, onion and mushroom; sauté until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and tofu (be sure to thoroughly drain the tofu before crumbling it up and adding it to the sauce). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer mixture, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, coat a 9-inch-deep pie plate with cooking spray. Arrange spaghetti in bottom and up sides of pie plate. Pour tofu mixture over spaghetti; sprinkle with cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing into 6 pieces.
This recipe is part of our Cook Once, Eat All Week series.

Kat here. This one is really fun around Halloween as the spaghetti coming out over the edges can look like a witches hair, all wild and wooly!

Decluttered the kitchen of pasta, etc. as I made the pine nut lasagna this morning.

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Apr 09 - 05:03 PM

I used all of the mulch from yesterday so will make a run for more, and at the same time haul all of my recycling to the drop off point.

I de-cluttered two pooches of a couple of months of yard and dog smell. We're all a bit moist at the moment. I waited until it was the warmest part of a sunny day to bathe them, so none of us is chilled from this experience.

I'm always amazed at the relative size of wet dogs. The catahoula is taller and she has a thick coat, so dry, she looks to be at least equal to the pit bull. But the pit bull has a thin one-layer coat and is 58 pounds of muscle while the catahoula is all hair and when she's wet you can see that she's whippet thin by comparison and weighs about 45 pounds.

Lunch was nice. Moonglow de-cluttered my wallet a little for gas money. Hey, if it helps get her here more often to visit, it's worth it!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: katlaughing
Date: 04 Apr 09 - 06:19 PM

Sounds like a productive time, SRS.

We went to Habitat for Humanity looking for shelves of some kind for Morgan's toy corner. We came away having decided we need to get our baker's rack and collapsible bookcase back from his mom; she's not going to like it...I will make ROg call her about it!:-)

We did bring home a new fixture for the dining room which Rog calls the 'The Aboratum' as it has houseplants in it and we do not dine there. The fixture it has takes little tiny bulbs, like Christmas tree bulbs, and does nothing to illuminate. We found one which holds two regular bulbs for ten bucks which he will install. I am not crazy about it, but it will work for now.

I don't know if it is good or bad, but we did NOT come home with the very old baby grand piano which was only $200!! I asked if they would take less as it needs work, but it was already sold for the two hundred. Made me realise just how much I miss having a piano of my own and determined to get one. I have two chairs that can go to make room for one, esp. a baby grand and Morgan and I could have a blast with one. I used to use one for mental health...playing when bored, upset, etc. I really miss being able to do that. The fiddle and dulcimer just aren't the same, even though I love them.

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Apr 09 - 07:53 PM

Well, darn. Too bad you're up there. There was a nice sounding spinet for sale at a garage sale yesterday for $350. That was a good price for that instrument. It's an upright kind of piano so you don't have to necessarily get rid of chairs. Refurbishing old pianos is really expensive. I think my piano will be in the $7000 to $8000 range if I ever manage it.

I am back from errands, and I picked up a gryo and a beer at the corner gas station (for a gas station, they have great food! They cook a lot there.) Part of the beer goes in the gardener, but part of it goes in bowls in the garden for more snails.

When I pulled in at the compost spot there was a man with his car and some bags. He had gloves, but no shovel. I commented that I could help a little by giving him a piece of card board to shovel with, and I gave him a large bag (I pick up bags at our village aluminum recycle bins--they're not supposed to throw bags in, just cans, so I pull the bags out and empty the cans into the bin and reuse the bags). I also had two tools, a shovel and a Korean hook thing I use all of the time, so I loaned him my shovel. He said his wife had been talking to him when he left the house and he was distracted and forgot his shovel. (You know, my ex and any of my friends from New York City would be rolling their eyes about now--why was I talking to this stranger and how did I learn his life history?) He worked slower than I did (I was using this hand tool and filling a big bucket and dumping it in the back of my pickup bed). He was slow so I kept filling, figuring he'd eventually finish with his bags. I finally had so much (way more than I need) that I stopped and got my shovel. But before I left I handed him him that Korean hand tool to try--it really is very efficient. He was astonished--I suspect he'll be out buying one this evening. It's faster and takes a lot less space than a shovel.

Moonglow just called. They're on their way back over here. To eat again. I drank a beer so I'm not running to the store for anything, so it's whatever is in the house will go on the table. Or they can run to the store. Maybe I could mix up a batch of pizza dough and let them stop for some cheese.

I'm going to finish my no-till bed now, before dark, and when the kids get here we'll work out dinner.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Apr 09 - 11:06 PM

The mulch operation is finished, but I didn't plant my bedding plants yet. I still have to work some more on the other side of the garden before those go in. More tomatoes, eggplants, and some strawberries.

Beer is in the garden to catch some more snails. I went out and put it in place after dinner (cooked some flounder and veggies for Moonglow on the return trip). I'd had some of the beer, and was walking out with a bowl and the rest of the can, and slid a little on some mud on the driveway next to that bed. I told the kids that would have been hard to explain if I'd fallen, or worse, knocked myself out. There I'd be, sprawled out, probably have spilled the beer on myself, with a can and a bowl next to the garden. What would people think? Ha!

A little book organizing is underway now, and then it's early to bed. All of that lugging of mulch and digging and such wears you out. I could hardly stand myself by the time I got in the shower. Every bit of me had grit from the mulch, and it was under my watchband and in my waistband and in the crease of my elbows and between my toes. . . much more dirt and some of those plants could have taken root on me!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: MAG
Date: 04 Apr 09 - 11:27 PM

You've all been busy. I hope to get out to the yard tomorrow. Today was gorgeous but I was at work until 5:00; got home and weeded for maybe 20 minutes.

As I was leaving home this morning I discovered my neighbors across the street were setting up for a yard sale. At lunch I ran home and asked if they wanted to try and sell some of my stuff, for a 50/50 split. They did, so I ran and got one large box of shirts. They were packed up by the time I came home, but their sale in on for tomorrow too. It would be great if I could get more stuff out of the house NOW, although I have some causes now that will take usable stuff.

Tons of last fall's leaves that did not fit into the composter, and the leaf shredder jammed and I am not mechanical and cannot figure out what is wrong with it.

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: maire-aine
Date: 04 Apr 09 - 11:50 PM

Stayed up late to watch the Final Four. Great that MSU won. Big game on Monday, and a "blizzard" expected on Monday too. And I was planning to go to Ann Arbor for a concert on Monday night, but if it's snowing, the trip is off.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Apr 09 - 10:22 AM

A few more books moved, some piled on the floor while I think about creating a new category that will completely fill a shelf.

It's pretty but chilly this morning, so I'll putter inside a little while. Or I could move the truck out of the garage and work in there out of the wind. It could use some organizing help. The sides are creeping closer to the center again, crowding the truck a little.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: maeve
Date: 05 Apr 09 - 10:27 AM

I am going stir-crazy waiting to get this cast off and therapy underway so I can do my spring cleaning and resume major clearing of unwanted things.

Those of you who are still able to carry on with the clearing; consider yourselves to be enthusiastically encouraged!

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Apr 09 - 11:45 AM

I heard the sound of one hand clapping!**bg**

Thanks, maeve...your turn will come, soon.

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Apr 09 - 05:17 PM

You know how you are all set to do one thing, and find yourself doing something else instead?

I started straightening out those books and soon my head was spinning with the number of subjects that are related but don't all necessarily go together. Philosophy/Environmental Philosophy/Environmental Theory/Literary Criticism and Theory/Nature Writing. Reference. Oy.

I'm rearranging back and forth across the room and trying to end up with logical groupings. But I'd better stop and go wash a couple of loads of laundry and do a little shopping. I need to finish enough so I can sit down on my office chair again. It has a pile of books and I'm perched on the edge. I think I'll be putting together a bag of books for Half Price Books soon.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: maire-aine
Date: 05 Apr 09 - 05:57 PM

I understand completely. That's what happened to me when I took all the books off of the shelves when I had the house painted. I took them all off in (what I thought was) a systematic way. But they ran around and hopped from box to box overnight, so they were all dis-organized again by morning.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Apr 09 - 06:49 PM

This is terrible! I have so many books on so many subjects that are so difficult to group logically in the spaces where I thought they'd fit. And this is just this room. I wonder if I should alphabetise the house. Arrrgghh.

I am looking up at a set of books I accumulated when I was thinking about writing historical fiction (stay at home mom stuff, maybe writing in the spare time. There was no spare time.) I could take most of those off the shelf and never miss them. And I have multiple books on subjects that I'll rarely or never look at. Maybe I'll just list a few of these at Amazon and see what happens. I've had some listed there for quite a while without a nibble.

Time for a search at eBay, also, I think. Maybe I could sell some of these in lots. Other stay-at-home moms thinking about writing in their spare time might buy them . . .

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 05 Apr 09 - 07:07 PM

I went to the DIY store to buy cork boards for a choir notice board, and bought plants instead. I told myself that I was going to the store for plants and forgot about the boards... bad me. Still, if I get the old arse in gear tomorrow, I'll be planting out the lettuces I bought, with some very well rotted horse do-do.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Clean-sweep April 2009 de-cluttering
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Apr 09 - 09:59 PM

Liz, I was going to plant stuff today, but we have a freeze warning overnight. Later this week. I could put out the seeds now, but it's a cold wind out there.

I have an oversize milk crate style box filled with books for Half Price Books tomorrow. I have the laundry baskets in the hall with sorted laundry. Bread has baked, meat for dinner is thawing. I don't feel like I got a lot done--I messed it up so much in here that it isn't back quite as neat as it was when I started. But I have more space on the shelves to work with.

SRS