BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: mouldy
Date: 08 Mar 10 - 12:00 PM

Well, apart from testing circuits, the electrician finished today: 7 new double power points, new outside security light, and new distribution box by the meter. It's almost been a partial re-wire!

Now I await the bill...

Peter has stripped more than half of the walls, and the living room ceiling has been re-plastered. I think I've got most of the paint and paper. It's this prep-work that is taking time.
I spent Friday afternoon carting stacks of books up to the previously emptied spare room. I have decided to do that last, when the rest has been finished.

I had Freya today, and she was surprisingly good, bearing in mind her roaming abilities were severely curtailed.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Mar 10 - 02:58 PM

How old is Freya? Any hope you can get her to join you in this work, the way Morgan has helped Kat? Learning to do age appropriate chores and learning to be helpful is a good thing for small children.

Looks like heavy weather headed this way. I have been waiting for a chance to harvest the seed heads off of some flowers from last year. They toppled over in the snow and I didn't want the seeds in the turf, so I cut and moved it, hoping they would dry. I've moved them into the garage because I'm afraid I'd lose them with this fast thunderstorm.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: mouldy
Date: 08 Mar 10 - 04:01 PM

Freya's 15 months. She isn't walking yet, and seems intent on search and destroy missions!

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Mar 10 - 04:48 PM

A tad young. But maybe by the time she's three, picking up her toys can be a good game.

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 09 Mar 10 - 03:08 AM

I found bribery helped a lot when it came to tidy up time... that and a toy plastic rake.

Managed to clear the table ready for cardmaking stuff. That's today's job. Can't do a great deal as I'm totally wiped after a busy weekend and a restless night.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 09 Mar 10 - 07:38 AM

Still picking away at the stuff upstairs, but the books are nearly done (we found 2 more boxes in the storage room that is becoming my office- and there are at least 4 more boxes in various storage areas elsewhere...).

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: mouldy
Date: 09 Mar 10 - 10:07 AM

I like the sound of the rake. If she makes as much mess as mine used to, it will be needed!


Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Mar 10 - 12:05 PM

With mine, they could have used a toy front-end loader. ;-D

A little under the weather today. I'm hoping the upset stomach passes so I can get some errands run this afternoon.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: mouldy
Date: 09 Mar 10 - 01:42 PM

I saved some leftover white, embossed wallpaper from Ruth's bedroom for the downstairs loo. Not enough, however, so I've got to go and get a couple of rolls of a contrasting coloured pattern to make it look like a design feature, as there is no more of the one I had to be found anywhere - and I've looked online too!

Living room ceiling's getting painted tomorrow, and, hopefully, the loo finished. I keep thinking that this time next month, all going to plan, it'll be like living in a different house! Then it's just the garden to deal with...

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Penny S.
Date: 09 Mar 10 - 05:41 PM

I was sure I had posted something here. Tomorrow is moving day! and i am not ready. Thank goodness I don't hav e to leave the place ready for new people on the same day. My right arm has a burning pain from all the lifting (I hope) and i have run out of boxes.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Mar 10 - 06:04 PM

Finding a way to pack the last few things in a house or apartment seems to be most difficult. Whatever it is (exclusive of cleaning supplies) it seems to be stuffed into any nook or cranny available in the truck or spare box, whatever. Last place I moved out of was the apartment we lived in for 2 1/2 years after the divorce. Amazing we spent that long there. It hardly registers in our personal history.

A lot of stuff stayed packed while we were there, so I loaded up things that were ready to go, and I moved it all myself (except the piano). My 13-year-old daughter helped, and put in a couple of really long days with dismantling and moving everything in a pickup and into the house where it was stored in a couple of rooms (the house had some remodel work going on). I remember how happy she was when I opened my wallet and handed her a $50 - a big bill for a kid that age, but her help was such a help, and I got off cheap.

Good luck with the cleanup. That always takes a while, and if moving made you tired, this can burn up a lot of time and calories also.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Mar 10 - 05:29 PM

Neighbors are beginning to mow their yards. I pulled the weeds out of an agave in the back, but I'm going to have to go pull out a lot of old pots, set up garden stakes and posts, and in general pull all of the bits together to get ready for the garden.

Meanwhile, the kitchen is still looking pretty good after the cleanup for Sunday's dinner. I'll try to keep it that way.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Mar 10 - 11:14 PM

I've been answering questions, one or two a day, over at a site called Mahalo.com. It's kind of strange--think of the hot button questions that some of our Mudcat folks ask but without the intensity (some of these folks seem to throw out controversial questions only to attract eyes to the site, and some of them don't argue their cases very well). Anyway, in amongst the goofy stuff are some real questions, some for very small change (this place offers "tips" for answers) and some that earn a few bucks. I treat it like mental floss, and answer longer ones if I have time and feel like it, shorter ones if I already know the answer and can be thorough enough to do the task the way they want.

They have pages they'd like developed, but I find they are fussy in the number of words and links and videos and such for the low pay, so I don't bother with them. Anyway, they now have a profit share component and I notice my share jumped a lot in the last couple of days. So I'm going to see if I can figure out what I answered that had this result.

It leads me to think that there's a reason Max hasn't had to ask for donations for a while. All of these ads floating around in here apparently add up. Substantially enough to cover the site expenses.

It takes a while over there to earn enough before you can collect any of it (I haven't reached that point yet), and they pay 75% of what you earn and keep 25% as their cut. I think they also ask for a tax form, but they do pay both U.S. and non-U.S. writers. I don't think you could do this enough to earn a living, so it is totally a hobby. But this is a heads up, in case anyone is interested. You vote on answers you like in the answers that a question generates, so if you see my name, give me a vote! :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Mar 10 - 11:28 AM

Talking to myself today.

Lovely day out, the rains seem to have passed. Must walk the dogs, and get moving in the yard.

The house is gradually looking better, but as it gets to gardening season, the housework will wait until evening, after I've finished outside and don't have the daylight to work with.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 11 Mar 10 - 09:16 PM

Got a package out to my sister and mother (stuff for both in the same box -- their apartments are next to each other), which cleared a bunch o' stuff off the guest room bed and ironing board. (Oh, gee. Maybe I just did myself in on excuses for not ironing...)

Then changed the sheets on the bed and did some laundry and still had time to go through a magazine (to de-clutter) before I had to do my regular morning stuff before heading to work. (Stopped at the post office on the way.)

After not having enough sleep the night before, I ended up waking up at 4:45 this morning and couldn't get back to sleep. Sigh. Didn't have to be to work until noon.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Mar 10 - 11:40 PM

I'm glad you said you didn't have to be there until noon, otherwise I was going to say something along the lines of "holey-moley, woman, slow down!:**bg** That's a lot to get done regardless.

My Rog is taking tomorrow off, instead of today for our anniversary. That way he will have a three day weekend. Anyway, we're tossing around ideas of what will do. If the weather is warm enough, we may clean up some junk from the back of the driveway and in the backyard and make a dump run. We may also get a bunch of stuff boxed up to go to our daughter in CT, a friend back East, and to another friend back East, plus a book to a friend in WY. I am pretty sure we will get that done over the weekend if we don't do it tomorrow. Getting the stuff boxed up and ready to go will also mean the old office will get some clean-up as some of the stuff is piled in there on my desk and shelves, esp. books, so that will be great, too.

I am going to try to get more stuff dusted this weekend, too. It's bad the way it is...I know it's bothering Rog's nose.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Mar 10 - 01:23 PM

I swung by an Estate Sale in the village this morning. And I left there with a chair, seven books, and the determination to keep going with my de-cluttering here to get rid of a lot of this stuff.

It was a really sad place, rather pathological. It looked like they had bought every decripit first edition they ever found, no covers and usually damaged, and any broken doll or piece of crystal or faux crystal they ever found, probably at garage sales. And it was piled all over. You could move around, it wasn't so dense, but it was just such a sad collection of stuff. There were tons of books, lots of them gardening and sewing, but I only had $20 with me so I didn't go deeply into them. I picked up a few classics, and I picked up a molded metal patio chair to match one I already have. The dogs can't chew these (not that they chew much any more anyway, but these are more durable than the old plastic chairs out back).

There was a lot of sewing stuff, in better shape, but tons of it, and I wasn't inspired to add to my own big collection. And they were asking too much for stuff. I suppose I could have negotiated, but I didn't feel like it. There will be more estate sales, and meanwhile, I need to clear out my own stuff.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: mouldy
Date: 12 Mar 10 - 02:25 PM

Took the first cut off my bit of lawn yesterday, pruned a few roses, and then decided to rip up a wire fence, now that I don't have a dog that takes short cuts over the flower bed. So in my usual tidy fashion, it is rolled up, still with stuff grown into it, and attached to a wooden gate. The whole just being dumped onto the yard.

However, Peter being off to a clergy reunion today instead of being here, and me not having anything planned, I went to Ikea and a local retail outlet and have managed to get all the blinds and curtains I need. WooHoo!

Plus it's been cold and damp today, so I didn't fancy gardening.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Mar 10 - 06:41 PM

Andrea, I did yard work also. And some pruning of things that haven't leafed out yet. I mowed the entire back yard, and it was tall and gooshy so it went slow and had many stalls of the engine. But it is finished and I also took the faucet cover off and reattached the garden hose on the hose reel. The mowing was a good workout, just what I needed to get me going.

I came in to sit down for a minute, get a drink, check my email, and I'm back into the yard to do a little more work until the light goes.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Mar 10 - 09:11 PM

We took some things back to Target for a refund, then looked for a dish drainer which will fit in our sink. Found one. That will eliminate a huge piece of clutter on the kitchen counter: a large drainer with mat under it. They are white, old, and scummy-looking no matter how much I scrub them. I *think* I will have Rog move his crock pot and rice cooker over to that side which will leave more prep room on the food side of the sinks (the right side in front of the food cupboards. We'll see how it works.

I also bought myself a new, funky little purse; though I don't carry one much, I thought I'd give it a try. We bought some extra, super-duper cleaner for the commode as it suffers from mineral build-up around the rim (the water is very hard here) and no scrubbing gets it all.

I brought two items out of the old office to box them up to send to Night Owl. Had to glue a bit of one, so it's drying now. I'll get to more boxing tomorrow.

I literally did not sleep last night, so a nap on the way to the store, plus about thirty minutes this afternoon helped, but I can tell it's about time for a shower and bed.

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: maire-aine
Date: 12 Mar 10 - 11:28 PM

I got the sewing machine out & repaired some clothes, then took a few of the things to the cleaners.

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Mar 10 - 12:05 AM

My lawn mowing has resulted in a stuffy nose. I think I forgot my Zyrtec last night. It's the season to take it daily.

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 13 Mar 10 - 02:02 AM

Card making completed, another 30+ to add to the sale box, so now that stuff can be cleared from the dining room... if only I had the energy to actually do something about it!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 13 Mar 10 - 02:05 AM

Arghh!

I thought it was four o'clock when the leg cramp woke me. Got a couple potassium tabs and crawled back to bed but the brain kicked in. Just came downstairs to make some hot chocolate (which is what I seemed to want). Think now I'll drink it here and take some valerian, etc. (and a little white chestnut "to quiet the chattering brain") on the way back upstairs.

Just shy of two a.m. is way too early to consider being "up".

I was sooooo tired when I went to bed; I was asleep by 9 p.m. Had had a headache since I woke at 6:00 -- crazy day at work, then a very loud night at The Press Room. Left there very early because the headache was back (not that it had realy left) and worse -- I was on the road home before six p.m. (Session is over at 9.)

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 13 Mar 10 - 12:10 PM

Well, I DID get back to sleep, then had to get up (and wake up...) to pee, then Tom got up to pee and knocked over a pile o' stuff in the bedroom that I need to move someplace else, then the heavy cat (Rufus) sat on my shoulder for awhile and then the phone rang at quarter of 7.

Got laundry drying, another load for the washer waiting upstairs, just cut the buttons off and threw out a favorite shirt that is so old the fabric tears every time I touch it, and I'm about to duct tape Tom to his chair so we can sort out all of the accumulated paper pollution on and around his side of the table.

I'll let you know later how that works out...

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 13 Mar 10 - 12:19 PM

dull and grey and cold and I haven't even started complaining about what it is like outdoors.

Seriously... I have been so lazy.

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: LilyFestre
Date: 13 Mar 10 - 12:22 PM

Mother Nature is being blustery today and stuff is flying about the yard...just saw the top of the portable chicken pen go flying...does that count as decluttering?

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 13 Mar 10 - 12:55 PM

well maybe not lazy... just tired... and





HUNGRY!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Mar 10 - 03:38 PM

Despite being really tired this morning, I managed to prop my eyes open and get with it after some breakfast. Wrapped two breakables to go to Night Owl, boxed and ready to go. Then, for another friend, I had a blast wrapping more breakables, putting them in small boxes, then putting those in a larger box. This was a thought-filled box, so I took my time. There were about nine items, or so, and I got them all in the same box!

To me, this counts as major decluttering as I've had the items sitting around, here and there, waiting for me to get them packed. Now I only have one major one to go...sending a lot of stuff to my dau. back East. That will feel wonderful, too! Hope are all feeling better.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Mar 10 - 03:59 PM

I pulled out the instructions and started learning how to clutter my new phones with stored phone numbers. :)

Gotta drop off recycling, pick up gardening stuff. The back yard looks so nice after yesterday's work. I must empty the back of the pickup before I make that run. Lots of things to get in the right order to be efficient. And I answered a question on that site I mentioned above. The goal a couple of us have been working toward is to ask good questions there, but also generate good content with answers, offering spot-on references and links to see if we can have the best of both worlds--good questions and answers and some revenue sharing along the way. I'll report back.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: maire-aine
Date: 13 Mar 10 - 04:40 PM

I had wanted to rake some leaves in the front yard, but it has been raining all day. The city won't start "yard waste" pickups until after April 1st, so I'll have to bag it up for a while anyway. I've been accumulating a pile of odds & ends on the front porch, so that stuff will go to the first church rummage sale I come across.

I've been cleaning out the refrigerator and using up as much as I can. I wouldn't let myself go to the market today, because I don't want to throw things out when I leave.

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 13 Mar 10 - 04:43 PM

Right now I can't seem to get out of my own way, but...

Tom sorted through a bunch of papers on the table. There's still a lot to go and we'll have to work on the filing, but a bunch got thrown out, too.

Briefcase/messenger bag/laptop bag type stuff got up to the car so friends who want any of them can get them immediately (and the leftovers can go to Goodwill along with the two boxes in back full o' stuff).

A bunch of newspaper clippings and ephemera got put into clear plastic sleeves to add to the (24 and counting) 3-ring binders of Tom's and my (mostly musical) life.

Started going through the laundry basket that Tom's been sort of using instead of dresser drawers. I threw out some yellowed undershirts, etc. and FOUND where all of his socks have been hiding.

I still have to clean up what's been messed up in order to clean up. Sigh. That always happens, doesn't it?

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Mar 10 - 11:26 PM

I almost finished my shopping list today, with the exclusion of a few things I'll pick up at the feed store tomorrow. It was a rather complicated list, so I'm pleased with my progress. I still conserve gas by designing my shopping trips as loops so I can conserve gas. Today's trip, plotted on a map, would have kind of a pentagon shape, with a little twisty thing in one corner.

I must confess, I did some backsliding today. I picked up a couple of items at the place where I drop off my recycling. They are re-working the lot and will have (when they finish) an area where things can be dropped off that others might use. It's more informal now, but since I did so much research on chandeliers a couple of years ago (picked up two crystal c's at the curb in the next block and sold them for $250 on eBay) I decided it was worth the trouble to pick up a lovely brass and copper fixture. The wire to it was cut, so it needs that, but I think this one can be researched, boxed, and sold on eBay. Thing is, if it was from a house built 20 or 30 years ago, the brass and copper are heavier and more desirable than current fixtures being made.

As I was leaving the lot, I spied a wrought iron bench. The guy who works there was nearby, putting together the barrel of a portable smoker that someone dropped off (this guy can cook--I suggested that when they finish the lot he put in a little bistro using all of the cooking utensils he has salvaged. . . ). He helped pull some corrugated sheets and other stuff off, and it has secure legs and arms on a sound back, but it had these leather pads stretched across the support beams that were old and torn. You could use it without those, by putting planks down to support cushions. It has a couple of coats of paint, peeling. I stopped by at Home Depot and asked the paint guy what he'd recommend. Sandpaper, he thinks. I have one of those little circular sanders--looks like it's time to get some medium sandpaper and get started on this seat. Since I have dogs I'm not putting wooden furniture out there. They still sometimes chew on things. I'm on a roll--as of last fall, I have two metal chairs with molded frame legs (60s or 70s andneed to be painted) and now this. I'd love to have some all-weather or boat cushions to put on the bench if I have company. Wouldn't leave the dogs along with them or they'd sleep on it or tear them to pieces. :)

Tomorrow is the day to bathe the dogs and put on their flea and heartworm stuff. That ought to be fun. Let's hope it stays warm.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 14 Mar 10 - 08:04 AM

What was it about yesterday? I was exhausted all day (could it have been that I taught contra dancing all day Friday and then led a Family dance Friday night? Maybe!).

BUT- what a day to de-clutter! We now have 3 fully functional rooms upstairs- ALL the books are found and put away (I found my precious Elizabeth Goudge collection). My dear husband actually sat and let me help him go through ALL the 20+ years of accumulated clothes that have been in piles on the spare bed- now there are 3 trash bags of clothes to go away- 1 with perfectly good shirts, 1 with perfectly good pants, and one with amazingly bad shirts, pants, shoes (our local recycling center used to have a cloth recycling bin but no more. Wish I knew what to do with them, since we really don't need THAT many rags!). And of course, he only got rid of 10 Hawaiian shirts, which will be donated to the local morris team, but kept about 10 others, and about 10 other shirts & jackets that he may or may not ever wear again. And HE calls ME a "clothes tree" (I love thrift shop clothes, but I always bring a bag to donate when I go thrifting, so don't have the buildup that he does!).

Now we have Maggie's room all set for her arrival this afternoon (home for March break). Still have cds to shelve, and my office is almost fully functional except that I still need to get my file cabinet out of storage (across a field of snow that will hopefully melt over this rainy weekend). And there's still about 6 boxes of STUFF to be dealt with in one corner of the room.

All that's left is hanging pictures and sorting a few more piles! Oh, and curtains, as soon as I get my sewing machine back from rehab.

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Mar 10 - 11:51 AM

Congratulations on all of those finished rooms, Allison! Doesn't it feel wonderful?

I agree about the cloth recycling--rag pickers have gone away but the recycling of cloth rags does still happen. Go online and see if there is a thrift store in your area that does it. I think Goodwill has a rag contract with a company in this area.

Lovely day--how can it go so quickly from barely habitable out in the yard to everything being late going in? Now I hear of all of the things other gardeners have already planted.

I have another list today. I've been listening to my weekly gardening radio program (the Dirt Doctor has podcasts - http://www.dirtdoctor.com). In addition to plant stuff, I need to pick up new cord for my clothesline. I'm sure two full seasons in the sun is more than enough for the existing lines.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Mar 10 - 03:56 PM

Well, I thought taking out the cactus would be fairly quick, but this has been a long tedious job. Once it is out I'm going to mow again then stake the area for the extended garden and put my planks up and such.

Back to the trenches.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Penny S.
Date: 14 Mar 10 - 05:16 PM

I couldn't sleep properly on Tuesday night, or Wednesday - kept waking up. Nice to be able to go down and make Ovaltine without bothering anyone. Spent two hours in the small hours doing unpacking on Thursday/Friday night. Bought some camomile tea for Saturday, which somehow did not get home, nor showed up on the supermarket's records. Waking up very early, and doing wardrobe sorting, which unfortunately resonated with my neighbour's matching built-in wardrobe the other side of the wall. So I don't have to bother about downstairs any more, but have sound permeable party walls either side. Double thickness brick, and not possible to soundproof as the unplastered brick walls are a design feature, and working to cover them would reduce the property value.

The place I initially started to buy has got new owners who have filled two skips (dumpsters) with stuff as they fit double glazing, rip out the kitchen, recover the extension roof - not buying it was the best thing I did last year. It is within sight of my new home, so I can catch up each dya on changes.

Today I re-assembled a bentwood coat rack I did for the first time yesterday - the holes for the screws were a little two wide, so I had to stick bits of cocktail stick into them so the screws gripped.

I also assembled a bench that I didn't really need but liked the look of in Lidl. It's bigger than it looked on the box, but tucks nicely next to the bathroom door, and will hold spare towels. There's a matching set of shelves in a crisscross pattern which will go on the brick wall for displaying nice things.

I'm having trouble undoing the bookshelves in the old place. They were held on a track system which was screwed to the wall. My Dad did some of them in 1976, the day I moved into the old place. And they are now stuck into the plugs. I've tried using WD40 to ease them, and it worked with some, but I think the rest will have to be hacksawed. Because the screws are flush in the track, I can't use pliers to grip them. I can't get the plugs out either.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 14 Mar 10 - 06:50 PM

Well, my last post -- right after I got home from work -- didn't seem to "take", so here goes again.

I worked this afternoon -- but, more importantly, I was able to check the water levels on the way home. It's looking as if I might not be able to get to work tomorrow morning over flooded roads. And if I do manage it, I might not be able to get home. If it looks iffy, I'll forego the day's pay and stay put. Water is across Rte. 4 in one place just up around the corner, and ready to spill over several more places on this side of Lee Traffic Circle. Rte. 152 will be in worse shape, I'm sure, plus there are two rivers that have a nasty habit of flooding over their bridges.

I might even get some de-cluttering done (provided we still have electricity -- it's windy, but nowhere near as bad as a few weeks ago when the wind snapped trees & utility poles & we were without power for four days).

I DID manage to get rid of some papers and go through some magazines before I went to work, though.

Since there's 4" of water between the deck & the woodpile, I loaded up the wheelbarrow (while standing on treacherous floating wood and mud footing) and parked it at the foot of the deck steps. Won't have to take my life in my own hands again until maybe tomorrow morning.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 14 Mar 10 - 06:52 PM

Oh, and our mailbox is down. Our driveway has several rivers raging downhill straight into our cellar and the wind is driving the rain under the flashing around the chimney, so there was a steady drip drip since yesterday evening.

Chicken pot pie about to come out of the oven -- comfort food!

(As the water still trickles down my neck.)

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Mar 10 - 08:52 PM

While you're suffering with the cold and wet I spent a lovely afternoon working hard in the garden. The cactus is all boxed now, in 8 boxes and several bags. I'll go out to the curb at 7 tomorrow and meet the trash guys, because I'm afraid they won't take it. I'll toss the boxes into the truck. I also worked on the shape of my garden, filling in some low spots, weeding, cutting up branches, and did a lot of trimming. I have a lot more branches to finish this week before some start budding.

This evening is work in the house. I couldn't resist the nice weather, I had to go outside. I need to clean the fridge, do laundry, and maybe I'll finally get some stuff on eBay. Several of the boxes at the curb had been here in the house for eBay stuff, or just hadn't made it to recycling yet. The rest came from the village recycle bin.

I'll take a couple of days off this week. My son and daughter both have the week off, and I get Friday off. I'll make it a long weekend. Fingers crossed the weather stays like this.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 15 Mar 10 - 05:51 AM

Spring has sprung and I'm spring cleaning! Started with my wardrobe...so may clothes that are far too big for me have been bagged up ready for the charity shop. Net curtains have been washed this morning and are on the line drying. Windows to be washed this morning and we're baking bread this afternoon.

Sofa covers were washed the other week and the carpets were cleaned at the same time.

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 15 Mar 10 - 08:30 AM

Dressed for work, but sopping wet. Will have to take dry shoes/socks with me -- if I can get there. Will find out when I head out what roads are closed. (Water was already over Rte. 4 in one spot when I came home yesterday.) All the alternative or connector roads are more prone to flooding than Rte. 4.

Just piled the wood that was left in the wheelbarrow on the deck, dumped the water out and waded to the woodpile to fill it up again with the day's worth -- I DON'T want Tom attempting to get any. The footing is absolutely treacherous. There's 4 inches of water on top of very unstable mud. Closer to the stack are pieces that aren't frozen in the driveway anymore -- they're floating and wobbly on top of almost liquid mud and water.

Argh!

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Mar 10 - 09:35 AM

The mud stage always makes you nostalgic for the snow stage, doesn't it?

I have a swollen index finger after I picked up a couple of cactus spines. I'll put heat on this every so often and see if it will fester and release the spine. Meanwhile, this morning early I was dressed and gloved and out at the curb when the garbage truck started the rounds. They were surprised, but I told them I didn't want them getting clobbered by my cactus pads. One of the guys did get at least one spine--we could tell when he flinched. But all those boxes and bags are now history.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 15 Mar 10 - 12:54 PM

Decluttered a whole heap of old VHS recorded vids today. Not watched 'em in 20 years? not gonna watch 'em.... So that cleared up some space in the drawers to put other vids in, making space on the shelves for the DVDs that have been cluttering up the CD rack. Moved them over to the shelf and put the CDs away that were cluttering up the place. Looks a great deal neater now, and there is still space for more. Time to make another list of vids to replace with DVDs now that the shops are reducing their Christmas stock and clearing out ready for the summer intake.

It's like one of those sliding square puzzles... clear out one bit, move something into the space to clear out another bit... trouble is, I'm moving squares that are significantly bigger than the space I'm clearing... ho hum!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Mar 10 - 02:37 PM

The yard looks nice, less busy, now that there is less visual static of so many cactus shapes. It makes my the remaining cactus look quite elegant. Less is more, as they say.

I have a lot of VHS tapes here also. I need to see if there is a satisfactory way to recycle them, not just fill the landfill.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 15 Mar 10 - 03:12 PM

hello mud declutterers....

After one very bad night and most of today ill with thudding pulse in ears and nausea... I came home feeling pretty good and....


drum roll please.....


stripped the contact paper (fablon) off of the 3 chest drawers brought home from caravan, folded and put away 2 lots of clothes, went through paper recycling teasing out the stuff not appropriate for paper recycling, neatened and packed up some kicthen thingies for the caravan, scrubbed the entire bathroom (except floor).

for my next trick(s)...

I will now put away all the fairy making paraphernalia and do a truck load of ironing and see if I can convince TSO to take the rubbish out.

p.s. I emptied all the waste baskets.

see you guys later....

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Mar 10 - 04:32 PM

Sheesh, you all are AMBITIOUS!:-)

Cleared off my desk, got three more small packages ready to mail out.

Put the new sink-sized dish drainer in the sink. Got rid of the large drainer and mat. Moved Roger's cookery stuff...rice steamer, crockpot, coffemaker, etc. to a small rolling butcher block top thing which sits in a dusty corner between the stove and cupboard, thus getting them OFF the counter. Food which was on the rolling thing was put away in the cupboards. What a concept, eh?:-) So, now we have TWO larger spaces of freed-up counter space on which to prep or whatever. It looks so good and clear!

My next project will be to move an old, very heavy buffet to the old office, from our bedroom. Then will move my sanctum table and Morgan's to the east wall in our bedroom where it belongs. It feels as though my house, mind, and bod are all getting "it" together!

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 15 Mar 10 - 07:10 PM

Try hydrogen peroxide on the cactus spines -- little bubbles force them to the surface. Works on various thorns and stickers, too. Even splinters.

Yeah, our house (and life, I think) is like those little games with the numbered squares and one empty square. Unfortunately, most of the time we lack the empty square!

I brought 2 USPS Priority boxes down from the car and into the house -- hoping I can get another box or two in the post soon and clear off the guest room bed. Does that count?

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Mar 10 - 09:03 PM

I've been using peroxide today, and it isn't going to make a difference on the spine--it's in there and is apparently going to make my finger big and fat before it decides to float out on a sea of puss.

Yuck.

Ran to the post office just in time to hand the scholarship application over to the folks to go out in today's mail.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutterers March 2010 Like a Lion
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 16 Mar 10 - 03:59 AM

Got to delutter my computer and run various virus scans as my email seems to be sending out spam emails to people I know and people I don't know! I'm considering getting rid of the email address but not sure how to do it!