BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: LilyFestre
Date: 25 Nov 09 - 11:20 AM

I got a new set of cookware. Beautiful stainless steel, copper bottomed pots and pans. They are more curvy than traditional pots which makes them just pretty to see sitting on the stove. However.....before I could use them (I opened the box yesterday), each pot had to soak in baking soda and hot water for a bit to remove a clear coating of tarnish inhibitor from the copper. And then there were stickers on the inside center of each pan that were a total pain in the ass to remove. I spent hours on my new pots yesterday. Today they are in full use, prepping for Thanksgiving. We are keeping it small and very simple this year (in line with Core foods)....Roast Turkey, Butternut Squash (from our garden), Mashed Potatoes (from our garden....made with skim milk and no butter), Cranberry Sauce (sorry, full out sugar in this...Splenda just doesn't cut it) and Mom is bringing her famous German Stuffing. No breads. No appetizers. I'm not interested in any of that. I want to have a healthy, delicious meal with the people I love most and that is exactly what will be happeneing here. We'll probably play cards or something afterwards. Oh..and there will be pie. I make a pumpkin pie that my husband LOVES and he'll be making an apple pie (very low sugar, higher in spice). The pumpkin pie is very rich...I might have a piece or maybe I'll have had plenty of other stuff by the time desert is on. We'll see.

So....today I am cooking, mashing and prepping. Laundry is going, dishes are done, floors are swept, house has been dusted. Mopping will take place tomorrow morning so the dogs won't have a chance of mucking up the floors quite as much. My husband is home for the day and while we will both putter at stuff around the house, I imagine that we will spend a good deal of time just relaxing as well. :) It's going to be a great day!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Nov 09 - 01:45 AM

New monitor on desk--it's huge, but the screen is perfect and it's just one instead of two side-by-side with the need to move stuff to one side or the other. I can have many windows open on this. And my larger monitor that was still working fine has now been handed down to my son.

Emptied my pocketbook, to the extent that this basically takes care of christmas for me.

Turkey was in water this evening, back in fridge now. Brine tomorrow. Picked up one, maybe two extra dinner guests for Thanksgiving. One would have been home alone as her kids had other commitments (she was planning to spend a quiet holiday, but jumped quickly at the offer to come over here!) and another who hasn't had the usual invitation to dine with his kids and ex. We're the backup in case they don't come through. That's okay! You know how Thanksgiving dinners are--there is always enough food to stretch to more diners. The trick is to have enough chairs!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Nov 09 - 07:52 PM

I decluttered a REALLY big box today-- OUT. The box itself was quite small, but it contained a NEW SONGBOOK's cover stock and camera-ready originals-- it went to the print shop, is done by now, and ready for pickup Friday. And THAT means I can start printing the rest of the book (at church) for assembly, soon! (The smaller box containing those originals will go to my church cubby, tomorrow!)

HUGE amount of work to prep this-- numerous and major repagination "fun" stints.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Nov 09 - 05:16 PM

I suppose I ought to beat Terry to the number.

200

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Nov 09 - 05:07 PM

Mailed a big box--the contents cost $2 at a garage sale, the shipping was $20. Typical. But the contents will bring more than $20 worth of pleasure, I think.

One of my two monitors died (for web design I'm using a dual monitor setup), and I've been fussing with that instead of getting my work done. After guitar tonight we're going to go over to Fry's and look at monitors. I may do a switch - give my son my remaining monitor (it is larger than his now) and get a single bigger one for myself. I could take his older one and give him a newer one, but I'm afraid it won't match up with my monitor for brightness. Otherwise, I could get another one like the one that remains, but they'll spread all across the front of the desk--probably much wider than I need. We'll consider all of the options, and try come come up with something that involves purchasing only one monitor.

Turkey will go in the tub of water this afternoon to thaw for a while, and tomorrow it goes into brine in the evening. My fridge's icemaker has decided not to work after all, so I'm going to have to wait until next month and then call them back and see if they can fix it. I'll buy ice for the cooler (the brine container will be submerged in the ice-filled cooler).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Nov 09 - 11:50 AM

Does washing one's hair count as decluttering? :-> The new medicine is really doing weird things...we may change it tomorrow, but in the meantime, it took me about an hour to talk myself into just washing my hair! (I did and it feels much better.) And that is on one quarter the started dose...I needed to give it a few days to work through, but tomorrow is the last day, so we'll see. Some of the side effects seem to be lessening.

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Nov 09 - 09:22 AM

Hardi and I are each, separately, running Txgvg baskets all over the twin tiers, plus (me) an air conditioner to a lady who asked for it, yielded it to someone else due to time/travel issues, and then declined a Txgvg box for herself in favor of a needier person she named. It's a ThreeCycle-- multiple beneficiaries on all one trip, and another opportunity to spend a nice day with friend and road partner Ed.

The Dog World chainlink got some attention last night, by flashlight, as Hardi and I started a re-do of the hastily-tacked-up topline-- helpers didn't listen and as the light ebbed I OK'd a lot of quick work to get the dogs out of the smaller kennel we built first. But that raised the whole thing higher off the ground than I wanted, so in the spring we will trim the posts a couple inches, and re-sink that whole section into the trench that was dug to bury it. Till then the doggies will get some electric motivation to leave that section un-nosed. I plan to use cattle-fence-sticks (cheeeeep) to carry dog-strength hotwire. Which lines are powered at any one time will vary-- the doggies only need one touch to realize that skinny little wire should NEVER be nosed/climbed. Anyway, it's been so much fun using ag approaches to Dog World. And I figured out how to use Invisible Fence if we ever live farther than 12' from a road-- how to train the dogs to it with minimal fuss. (Someday I can afford that option. For now-- Dog World.)

But I LIKED fence design, so now I'm thinking goats are in our future. Not here, but somewhere, someday. Goats to milk, with a few feeder sheep. I've done goats before (small scale), and I love the outdoor chores.



The upstairs office came in handy early this AM when I could not sleep-- snack, comfy table to eat it, and laptop to notify a few folks of a last-minute sched change. As long as I was up, I also changed a lampshade in there-- my pretty colors came off another lamp and went in there. I have more of the pretty fabric to cover the swapped shade, so now I'll see my colors in more places. It's esp. nice to see them filtering lamplight, and I'll put a full-spectrum bulb in that lamp when I can.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: LilyFestre
Date: 24 Nov 09 - 08:33 AM

I'm up and running this morning. Dishes are done, laundry is going, breakfast has been made, eaten and cleaned up, Pete's lunch packed and he's out the door. We went apple picking this year but ended up with a bunch of wormy apples. Instead of just throwing them out, I've been rough chopping them, adding some cinnamon and simmering them on either the woodstove or stove. No need for a fire in the woodstove this morning so I have the apples on the stove. I love the way they smell!!!

I'll be fussing around the house today getting things all spiffy for holiday company and if time allows, I have some Christmas gifts I'd like to get wrapped.

Also on my agenda for today is to make some homemade bread and chicken soup from the leftover chicken I roasted earlier this week. I'm feeling kinda homey today. :)

Have a great day everybody!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: maire-aine
Date: 23 Nov 09 - 11:41 PM

I was planning a quiet day at home for Thanksgiving, but I talked with my friend Bill this evening, and ended up inviting him to Thanksgiving dinner here. Hmmm. Now I have to clean the bathroom, kitchen and dining room, plus get out the good silverware & china (if I'm gonna cook a big dinner, I might as well go all-out). And food.... I gotta cook a turkey!

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: Penny S.
Date: 23 Nov 09 - 06:54 PM

And, in the old garden, the hyacinths my mother gave me one Christmas long ago are flowering already - a bit half-heartedly, but I'll be able to take them with me.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: Penny S.
Date: 23 Nov 09 - 06:52 PM

And yesterday, after breakfast in my new kitchen, kat's report reminds me that I went through my geological stuff and added some to the garden. Did I mention that the garden has an odd mix of lovely quartz vein fill, other geological specimens - , slates, and possibly Shap granite, which I will have to compare with mine, and heaps of broken urban conglomerate or wimpeyite, (aka concrete) treated as if of equal value with the collection? In one case, the good stuff has been used to chock up flagstones, while the concrete just sits around uselessly. In another, though, the concrete has become moss covered, and looks OK.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: Penny S.
Date: 23 Nov 09 - 06:44 PM

Went over to the new place and ate breakfast there, then unloaded boxes from the car (heavy rain when I arrived), and stowed tins of stuff in the kitchen cupboards. I am being a bit OCD about this, and inventorying everything on my PDA, so that I don't buy stuff I have already, and do eat up things I'd forgotten I had. (In some cases I think I deliverately forgot them. The typo, I think, refers to a tin of cooked liver in gravy which used to be around... strange idea. Don't try it if you see it.)

Then I went upstairs - only one dead fly, which I had missed as it had crawled into one of the light fitments in the bedroom. Said light fitments are four or five halogen spots suspended from a pair of wires. Keep reminding me of the trolley buses that used to run in Brighton when I was young.

I hung more clothes in the wardrobe, having taken some skirt hangers across. Above the rail is a shelf, and it is about two foot from that to the ceiling. At the moment, I've just slung things up there - though I've bought a hanging fabric sweater thing. The shelf beats me - it's too high for ease of access without a step, and has too much space for sensible use. The top of it is above the top of the doors. (Does that make sense?) I think I need to put in another shelf that I can put bagged out of season items on, and vertical sections below it to stop things getting like the stacks in Primark. (A cheap chain of fabric shops which is the reverse of Benetton - it is the thing for the clothes to descend to the level of a jumble sale in disorder...)

I have bought a ceramic hob cleaning blade to get the badge off the window.

No news from the garage door guys. And I have discovered that the flat roof over the front of the garage leaks. In the vicinity of the electricity meter and the fuse box.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Nov 09 - 05:25 PM

We used to go down on a beach with a high bluff in the background and do some target practice when I was a kid. Great memories. So what if you're shooting a gun? It doesn't mean the NRA has their grip in you, and it doesn't mean anything regarding your view of concealed weapons, etc. My Dad used to hunt, but injured his knee badly enough on one trip the doctor told him he probably ought to stop some of that or he'd really mess it up.

Working on college stuff. There will be a lot of that for a while.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Nov 09 - 11:08 AM

We did our usual pick up, put away, sweep, and scrub Sunday, but not until after we went out on the desert with our son and, get ready for a shock...went target-shooting with my dad's old .22 single shot rifle. I was very shaky from new meds, but I did find I could hit the broad side of a barn if I had to. It felt wonderful to get out, away, into the crisp, sunshiny air and, on the way out, we saw whole flocks of beautiful little desert birds. Next time my son is going to show me some crsytals and also a place where one can find fossils, though we will leave them intact...it's all on BLM land.

The rest of the day wasn't much good after Morgan went home, but at least we got out and the floors look swept.

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: LilyFestre
Date: 23 Nov 09 - 08:09 AM

7:15am Me, outside, helping to stack wood. I love the chill in the morning air, it makes me feel alive!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Nov 09 - 01:44 AM

I am IN MY OFFICE on the LAPTOP with WIRELESS card... on a scrounged laptop pedestal (from Sallie's) that has sat for....a year? Waiting for me to put it to use. It just TOOK this long.

And H and I did hours worth of songbook-making IN MY OFFICE, this afternoon. I ended up putting one leaf in the table. So far.

My inboxes are two banana boxes. Actually they were 40-lb cases of chix, but the size is bananas. :~)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Nov 09 - 12:49 AM

I have picked up the video card for my computer. My son is a little envious, though this isn't quite the card he wants. He likes the storage, but it isn't quite as fast as the card he has now.

Now to turn off the machine and change it out. Fingers crossed. . .

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: maire-aine
Date: 22 Nov 09 - 10:50 PM

I made tapioca pudding this morning. It produced about twice as much as I had expected, so I'll be eating it all week. Made a broccoli salad to take to the trivia quiz.

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Nov 09 - 01:23 PM

Michelle, why not ask them to let you do what they had you doing on the first day? You don't have anything more to lose than if you simply walked, seems to me. And I agree with Martha also on that office stuff organization--I moved the secretary into the front to look at it, but it doesn't work, so I'm going to put it back in a corner of the big room where I had it before. I think that will be best. I have the file cabinet in the kitchen corner mostly out of sight behind a bigger piece of furniture, but I may relocate that as well. Nearer the secretary.

Turkey is in the fridge, beginning to thaw. I'll probably put it in the sink in water to thaw the rest of the way on Tuesday, and brine it sometime late on Wednesday. I'd better check out the recipe.

I have a box packed and ready to go to a friend in NYC. I found a beautiful basket of big pine cones, and he just loves big pine cones. I picked up some on the road for him on one cross country trip and he still talks about them. He never seems to go to craft stores to buy his own, so I'm sending a nice wicker and grapevine basket plus a whole big bundle of cones that I picked up for $1 at a garage sale.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: LilyFestre
Date: 22 Nov 09 - 10:06 AM

Not much going on here due to the new job and me getting used to the schedule. I really enjoyed my first day on the job but the second day they switched things up a bit and I'm not sure so that's a job I'd like to continue....so I may end up saying goodbye. Too bad really but I'm at a point in my life right now where I'm working very hard to pay attention to what my own intuitions and gut are telling me.

Today is mostly a day at home and I am looking forward to puttering. And SRS, I like that bit you shared about Martha Stewart...makes sense and I may have to put that idea into play. It's a simple idea and one I have half heartedly done around here......hmmm...something for me to think about! :)

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Nov 09 - 08:34 AM

(((SRS)))

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Nov 09 - 07:44 PM

Feeling a little blue this evening. I was in the hardware store and ran into the vet we used to see and followed to various practices, but we lost touch with him about 4 years ago. He was working freelance for a while after he dissolved a partnership (didn't support two vets), and though I'd asked at the place if they knew where he was (we kept seeing his old partner, but weren't as happy there and hated their high prices) and they said they hadn't heard.

Of course this was nonsense, as it turns out. I'm feeling sad because we lost Clementine last January, and one of the reasons was I couldn't afford all of the anticipated vet bills, but I think Dr. Bob would have been a lot more reasonable, he isn't supporting a "pet resort" like the old partner is. So I'm switching this week, and having the current (now ex) office fax my records to the new one.

Making progress around the house. I'm on a plateau as far as the diet, but I'm not going to go back on Scarsdale this week, it would be too difficult. I'll keep the "stay trim" or whatever the less strenuous part is, and after Thanksgiving I'll go cold turkey, so to speak. The following week on Monday. I still feel motivated and am looking forward to wearing more and more of the clothes in my closet.

I did some chores today, dropped off recycling (in the last couple of days I've taken all of it out--I have to take some to the village city hall, where they collect paper and aluminum. The rest goes to another recycling program). I found some brand new (or at least, unused) medium length post office cardboard tube mailers. I've been meaning to find some of these, I have some posters for eBay a friend send. And I picked up a big box to begin some of my holiday mailing. It begins!

I cleaned out the fireplace in anticipation of setting candles in there for burning. It's always damp and full of pill bugs and such, and I realized that the hatch that is supposed to open to let me push old ash out and then empty outside had completely rusted out. I'd had a brick over part of it, but not enough to keep the air from flowing in (hot in the summer, cold in the winter--very noticeable). So I pulled out some left-over special insulation foam for running around under the frame of glass fireplace doors and put a couple of hefty loops of it around the edge of that hole and then put two bricks completely over the top. I could feel the difference immediately. I put the grate back, found a larger plank to put across it, and put a new multi-candle holder ($1 at a garage sale) on top. There is a mirror behind it, and a few other random candles just set in there. It looks good to have even flames as small as candles in there, and it helps keep the cold from the fireplace entering the house. The fireplace doesn't draw well, so I don't burn wood in it very often.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Nov 09 - 04:08 PM

Nature's Miracle is good at developing products for just this kind of use. I have a cat who always heads straight for the corners of the one carpeted room. I keep him out as much as possible, and I have some of their pet stain stuff on hand (I also have the skunk odor remover for the dogs).

I have the school stuff to do, but my second monitor has been failing to turn on, and continually turning on and off the computer only messes up my desktop. So I took time today to run some diagnostic stuff. Since the monitor did turn on occasionally, I figured it was either the video card or some program controlling it that wasn't getting the message any more. I think I've found it and at the same time I've updated my free AVG and run scans with my Spybot Search&Destroy, etc.

Still working on where furniture sits. I moved the piano to a new position, but I may end up moving it back. Or someplace else. If it had been restored I'd be tempted to move it down into the front room, but since one day I hope to have it go out the door for extensive restoration, I'm keeping it on the upper level near the doors.

I'm thinking about moving the shelves back in and putting the VCR tapes up, and while I do it I'll sort out all of the ones we won't keep. I've pulled several dozen already that I think I can pack up for re-recording on or something. They still work, there's no point in sending them to the dump. Since I don't have a DVR right now, it's tapes. And the new garage sale VCR works just fine. I still haven't got quite all of the wires going to the right parts of the receiver (I can't hear these through the stereo yet) so I'll take out all of the wires and put them back. I suspect I have some just hanging out in there doing nothing. I used to stash a spare folding table behind the television cabinet, and I'm thinking about doing that again. You can never have too many tables. Maybe.

I'm still thinking over where I want my little secretary. I tend to open mail in the kitchen, and one of the things that Martha Stewart points out is that you should situate some of your office and file things in the place where you find you use them most often. So putting the secretary in the front room may look good, but I need all of that stuff in the kitchen. And what if I move the big wire pantry rack into the kitchen? Will it look way too crowded, or can I arrange it so the stuff looks interesting, not busy? If I do that, will I put wall-mounted shelves in the hall where the pantry used to stand? Or put a table there against the wall?

Lots to consider.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Nov 09 - 09:55 AM

GAG ALERT CONTINUES

MAG, don't forget about the enzyme sh*t-dissolvers for the resdie that will be left, esp. if this went into wood or other absorbent flooring.

There is the carpet-cleaning stuff at the grocery store, but the same type stuff as a camping product may be cheaper-- and poss. available in a smaller-size for your hopeful one-time use. That would be porta-potty or RV-potty tank deodorizer/waste breakdown stuff, in several scents-- watch out for the minty one (ewww), but there is an orange scent that is not too bad.

But before you apply an enzyme, consider a diluted vinegar wash to remove odor and change Ph.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: MAG
Date: 21 Nov 09 - 09:33 AM

I don't know if anyone wants to read this, but,

GAG alert

As I continue to clean out the rubble, I finally got to the back corner of the spare room which has been a storgae space for many years. I could barely get in there.

Anyway I finally got there and found a TREMENDOUS pile of cat shit which has to have been there awhile.

I did what I could; have to go in and vacuum and spreay and shampoo like the dickens.

I was so put off I had to go away from there for the rest of the day.

Pardon the gross, but this has been so demoralizing I needed to get it off my chest.

Kitty has been squeezing back there for awhile, in spite of an always-clean box rightt at the door.

Mary Ann

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Nov 09 - 03:20 AM

Tonight I did two main things: I moved a lot of furniture, and I polished off a bottle of wine. I suppose the furniture moving burned the calories, but I don't know if it is a wash. The scale will tell me in a couple of days. Anyway, I have a tangle of wires behind the media cabinet so tomorrow I'm going to disconnect everything and see if I can't make some sense of it all. I set up a new (garage sale) VCR and it works just fine. Watched a couple of old tapes while I moved other furniture around. Right now I don't have the VCR or DVD going through the receiver and out to the big speakers, so that's what needs re-wiring tomorrow.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Nov 09 - 06:11 PM

What part of the home-office issue? (I'm about to start moving books and maybe the table in the corner and who knows what else once I get started). Are you looking for a partner in crime? ;-D

Took the day off to do things with my daughter. I turned over a bag of patterns I picked up a few weeks ago at a garage sale. There were a couple of pretty ones in there that I wouldn't mind making for myself, but I doubt I'd get around to it any time soon, so I sent them all up. But then I was looking at Martha Stewart's blog (she links to it via Twitter) and she attended a party this week in a pair of fitted legging-like pants (a little longer than capri, but along those lines) and over the top wore a straight sided beautiful jacket, in a stunning shiny bronze fabric. And a good pair of shoes. This was a simple yet very elegant look, and one that I wouldn't mind having handy in my closet. I think there was a jacket in those patterns that would work that way. I may ask her to bring the bag back on her next visit so I can look through a little more closely. And with all of the sewing she does now, maybe I'll have her modify it for me if the one I saw isn't quite the right size. This is a good look at it.

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Nov 09 - 01:25 PM

Help Request

I need a safe partner to be on a buddy-PM-system on this home-office issue. If that describes you, and you have time, pls PM.

Thanks,

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Nov 09 - 12:15 PM

Sometimes I wonder how I ever find anything.

Oh, I'll tell you my shameful secrets. The lacy curtains are UP, but one pair has needed to be shortened for years! Because the windows are not the same size.

AND I wanted to put a matching piece under the glass top, but I can't find THAT one (another pair that almost match). If and when I do, one panel will go under the glass and the 4th will go into the wider window that needs no hemming! :~)

BUT I know where to look if I don't grab another piece in another color, that is handy, quicker-- the day just busied up with an emergency hospital call Hardi dashed off on, which puts some of his "scheduled" chores back on MY List again today.


Why I know where to look is the Other Big Secret. It's color. Each room has a fixed color palette. If I come across something that fits that palette, it gets set to go toward that room and, eventually, it does flow it's way there (where the well-policed closets usually have room). Then I usually have only one room to check, if I get the bright idea to go off plan and pull a color to mix.

====

SQUEAM ALERT ON

One chore now permanently OFF my list is making up the beds for overnight guests. It's just not realistic to put linens on a bed that 2-3 cluster flies will crawl into, to die, and then hope there aren't any visible when an honored guest peels back the pretty linens!!!

Instead, the linens for each room, which have been bagged against the flies to begin with, are always there and available. They've been ready that way for years, and ya know what? No guest has ever YET put a fresh set back ON when they left.

SQUEAM OFF


So-- when a guest comes-- if I have time to put the linens on, of course I'll be happy to do it, but from now on I will warn potential arrivees that I may not get to it no matter how much I might like to promise that I will-- these emergencies are the norm, at our house, not the exception. But it's how and why, for example, Hardi can rush off to see a bandmate's son unexpectedly at the ER.

AT OUR PLACE, THAT'S ALWAYS THR TRADE-OFF. (inad capslock)

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: GUEST,Penny S. (elsewhere)
Date: 20 Nov 09 - 11:53 AM

The shelves are not exactly lovely, as he made them out of scrap materials - my sister thought we should donate them to the dump! But they will do the job. And there is the photo.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: maire-aine
Date: 20 Nov 09 - 11:12 AM

Sometimes I wonder how I ever find anything. I was reading Susan's description of her office, and got to the point where she mentions "white lacy curtains". I think "brilliant!"; I have some lace curtains, and they'd go great in my office too. But I can only find one curtain (and 2 valances)-- I know there were two, but I can't find the second one. Since now is not the time to tear the house apart, I'll just have to wait until I stumble upon it.

Went to Windsor last night, for a sing-along session with some friends. Nice little deal. They do one round of songs that everyone has lyrics for, and then one round of solo songs. If there's time, they go around again. It was about 11:30pm when I crossed back. The customs guy asked a lot of questions, but you get used to that.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Nov 09 - 09:20 AM

AM office coffee, nice. Set a spell to review ofc equipping, saw a few tweaks easily done. VERY bright (as I had anticipated) up there even on a gray day, with the bright-fluoro sunbulb plus huge windows. Gave a few thoughts to workshop video use and organization. Something is coming my way, and I will be ready.

Also noticed that under the table, which is a tad high for keyboarding (I use a keyboard shelf), there is copious room for a nice, deep file cabinet that is taking up WAY too much space in what Hardi has taken over as his personal weight room. The stuff IN it needs to be upstairs now, too-- yup. The couch in there may go up, too. :~)

What I think I have not mentioned is that the color scheme in the office-- golden-pine paneling with white ceiling and white lacy curtains-- just happens to fit my alltime favorite color scheme, of which I have copious amounts of fabric (saved from my apartment when we got married in '92). The most important winter prep up there is to find the heavy, fluffy, WARM terrycloth bathrobe essential to grant-writing.


Giac's picture came up on the screensaver the other day in another setting-spell. She had quite a bit to say to me, too-- and I listened. :~) I think I better make sure Rick's penetratingly-curious gaze is in that rotation, too.

Other photos are welcome, BTW, from friends here who know my email address. An inspiring .JPEG I can insert would be quite a help.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: MAG
Date: 20 Nov 09 - 02:19 AM

Too late; the trash truckcame today, but thanksfor the recipe.

2 birds feeders gone in freecycle, one garden ornament (which was a gift from an ex, and I was tired of the reminder every time I saw it), tent promised pickup no show.

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Nov 09 - 12:29 AM

maeve, you're a hoot! Good timing on that recipe--maybe there was time to retrieve an ice cream maker!

Made progress on the applications for universities, but will have to work more on the weekend and take forms over to school on Monday or Tuesday, when the teachers will be working but the students are off.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: maeve
Date: 19 Nov 09 - 08:29 PM

It's good to see you here, Dave. Keep us posted as you make progress so we can cheer you on! Hope the new boiler and radiators are up and running before you get seriously cold weather. Or more rain!

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: LilyFestre
Date: 19 Nov 09 - 06:50 PM

Up 1.4 pounds this week and I'm okay with that given how sick I've been the last 2 weeks....which meant zero exercise. I MISS MY YOGA! Tomorrow, I will be able to go though as I am feeling MUCH better.

Started my new job today and enjoyed myself just fine!

Michelle who needs to do some dishes

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: maire-aine
Date: 19 Nov 09 - 06:41 PM

Ahh, the joys of living in an old house....

You have my sympathy, Dave. Went through something like that when I had the interior painted last spring. But think about where you want things to go when you're finished-- I moved a lot of things up (to the 2nd floor) or out (lots of books went to the library). You'll feel much better when it's over.

M

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: Dave Earl
Date: 19 Nov 09 - 03:43 PM

Don't know if this is in context? But...

Severe declutter in the offing!

Boiler (is it furnace over da pond?) dead - replacement organised but all the radiators need to be sorted out too.

So everyting to be out of the way to allow 18 inches clear space around every radiator ( if you have a "lived in" house you know what a difficulty that will be)

Shouldn't be playing in here cos of the above but.......

Dave

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Nov 09 - 03:38 PM

That sounds lovely, Penny, esp. that you have a photo of him working at teh bench.

SRS, I never did get to cataloguing my CDs. I'd thought i would just use excel, but it's really too much trouble. I only have about 130 in the 300+ changer and now know where most of them are in the lin-up. I've lost the manual so haven't even sorted them by genre. YOu can do that, you know, when you input their titles. You can designate a group, then play only that group later on. I wish my unit would interface with the computer, but it was pre-those days near as we can tell. Good luck.

We have a mirror, about 2.5" X 3" or thereabouts which is going home with Morgan, tomorrow. We've had it down low in the office for him, here, but I want it out and his mom said okay for it to go to his room. Kid's making out this year with an antique rocker and a very nice, old, simple wood-framed mirror, as he says, "MEER-rah."

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: Penny S.
Date: 19 Nov 09 - 01:02 PM

Gosh, how busy.

I've been over at my Dad's for the first time for ages, and have returned with yet more books and my fabric stash for the new place. Also a shelf unit that Dad had made out of melamine coated board, which will go in the garage. We have a photo of him working at it. And an old eiderdown which is going to become the cushion for a chair I am remaking. It is based on the teak frame of an old armchair, of which I have dumped the seat and back. I'm going to make a fabric seat for it like a deckchair and put the down cushion on it.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: maeve
Date: 19 Nov 09 - 12:45 PM

Start diving!

Very Vanilla Ice Cream
2 Egg Yolks
2 Cups Heavy Cream
1 Cup Soy Milk
2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
½ Tsp. Pure-Li Natural Stevia Powder Concentrate

In a blender or food processor whip all ingredients very thoroughly then refrigerate for 1 hour. Pour the chilled mixture into an ice-cream maker and follow directions for freezing.

For a fun treat add fruit (blueberries, strawberries, banana, raspberries, cherries or cranberries) once mixture is semi frozen, then complete the freezing process.

These recipes are variations and modifications of recipes found in:
The Stevia Story by Linda Bonvie, Bill Bonvie and Donna Gates
The Stevia Cookbook By Ray Sahelian and Donna Gates
Recipe found here: http://www.purelinatural.com/Recipes.html

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Nov 09 - 12:39 PM

And did I mention there's an old AC on the way out?

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Nov 09 - 12:35 PM

It was definitely Sadie who put the stuffed cushions into play. Faulkner knows better and he assured me, "Wasn't me, boss, I'm the GOOD dog, I swear!" I bet she pulled it off the chair, and I am sure he chased her all over telling her not to play with my cushion-- which just made her shake it all the more, I am also sure. (My bad.) Still-- a $5 chair was a cheap illustration of why Sadie will not be invited to lounge around in the LR when we are not with them. :~)

I know this because he was left with some food temptations (inadvertently) in the kitchen for a few hours last night, and did not even investigate. I think it was ONE time as a pup he offered to chew a sock, and was told "MINE," and that was all he needed to know. Sadie, OTOH, is an anxiety/boredom digger, always looking for something to get excited about, and has had a lot less upbringing. That's OK. She has other skills in the pack mix.

I COULD spend a LOT of time training her, and she'd remember for a few days, but it's easier just to follow #1 rule: Never expect an animal to do something it cannot do. I'm happy to reinforce the surprising and desired things they CAN do, and build my expectations around that.

Like fetch-- they both like it but in different ways. When they are both present, some of the fun for them is the competition and showing off. "I'll bring it BACK," says F. "I hate to return it but I will run and run to go look for it," says S.

Whatever-- one of them gets it and the other one takes it from her and brings it to me so we can start all over. ;~) They both get exercise. It's that desire to compete that I will harness in teaching them to pick up trash on request. They definitely watch each other to see what I am rewarding. Sadie is even learning that "sit" and "down" might also mean "stay."

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: MAG
Date: 19 Nov 09 - 11:49 AM

I took a major step and threw away 2 ice cream makers which were each missing a part.

Siting there for years, and I don't even eat ice cream anymore.

If someone comes up with a stevia ice cream recipe, I may go trash dive and get them back.

"A piece missing is something wrong with it."

I try to remember this every time I go through stuff.

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 19 Nov 09 - 11:14 AM

5 wash loads done today, mainly kids clothing and bedding as George was diagnosed with eczema earlier on in the week and the doctor suggested washing everything in non-bio liquid as well as treating him with the ointments and cream. He's much better now and I'm now trying to get everything dry!

Kitchen floor swept and washed this morning. Lasagne in the oven.

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Nov 09 - 11:07 AM

Stuffed Pillow in dog world = disaster. Ask me how I know. . .

My two destroyed several pads and cushions, until I bought coastal hay for them to sleep on. They love it, and I pull it out every month or two and re-stuff it into their dog houses.

We're part way through the college application process, and stopped due to need for sleep last night. Once he has the common application completed we can put together forms and stamped envelopes for his teachers, and he has to ask them not only if they will do it but if they have time to do it in the next couple of days. We'd like to have all of this in the mail before Thanksgiving. He has the whole week off next week, so we'll be finishing some of it then. I think the teachers might have a day at school next week, so we can drive over and take in more forms if need be.

I picked up a used VCR at a garage sale this morning (one of our old ones died a couple of weeks ago) and I picked up one of those 300 CD changers (same garage sale). With as many disks as I have, I'd like to load some of them in it, but I need to look up the owners manual first, and figure out a software program so I can keep track (make a printout) of all of the tracks on the disks and not resort to random play. Kat, I think you cataloged your CDs, didn't you? Did you use a program dedicated to that?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Nov 09 - 08:11 PM

I got the table up! Had to accept some help on the last bit up the stairs. :~( But Hardi survived the rant. (That makes two this year.)

And spent a VERY productive 5 hours in that office getting a big project knocked out, desk equipped, de-junked a storage section in the hallway and cleaned/dusted/set up the video-shelf for planned workshops. De-flied several areas. Pleased how well the upstairs is set up as an all-day spot as needed. Had a "St. Mary's" dinner up there and left a lunch up there for tomorrow's next push-- another overdue project.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: maire-aine
Date: 18 Nov 09 - 07:59 PM

My weight has crept up a little over the last month or so. But, I've been very careful the last few days. Like today, nothing with white flour!. Oatmeal for breakfast, soup for lunch and salmon for supper. Oh, and I got the results of my cardiac stress test: my heart is fine-- no problems showed up.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 18 Nov 09 - 06:55 PM

Chicken followed a custard tart, which followed the chicken in eating order... both were fantastic, though I say so myself, and have done nothing to help the accountability report, except that at official weigh-in, I am only 6lbs short of my target! After 2 weeks of comfort/illness eating, I still came in 1/2 lb lighter than 2 weeks ago!

Back on plan as of tomorrow... got to shift that last 6lbs before Christmas.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: 11-09/De-clutter & Accountability report
From: LilyFestre
Date: 18 Nov 09 - 06:20 PM

Still not 100% just yet but I was out for a little bit today. Food choices could be better and yoga just isn't an option for right now....hopefully Friday will be better.

I have a chicken roasting in the oven (a steal at .59 cents a pound), potatoes are baking, a nice salad is all ready, a fire going and it's just cozy in here. I love nights like this.

Michelle