BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Jun 10 - 08:44 AM

Pending boss' approval the webwork of ydy is DONE. I took the about-to-explode legs straight to the warm pool (86 degrees), stopping only for a quick anti-chill dinner. Racked up 2+ hours in the pool, an hour and a half of LR chairtime, and then straight up to the AC sleeping attic-- ankles are nearly back down to normal. The puder time ydy blew my back, but even that is just about workable this AM; a little dishwashing should finish straightening it out.

The humidity is high and climbing, so an overdue chair-repair project (and nap) will occur this aftn in the AC attic, and then I'll have my heat-relief sprinkler-chair ready for the next hotwave.

Cold supper already in the fridge for later tonight. (Healthy stuff.)

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 23 Jun 10 - 05:33 AM

Going to have a grovel around the place today and see if there's anything I can sell at York on Saturday. Most of the good stuff went the other weekend. There may be a load of tool bits, like spanners. I'll be going anyway, because I want something to put the hand tools I'm keeping into.

My son in law says he can spare me an hour or two this afternoon (before the football!) to get the concrete lumps removed from the ex-pond/flowerbed on the patio into Peter's trailer.

Tai Chi was good yesterday... the snake is getting a little better.


Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jun 10 - 12:40 AM

I rearranged the fridge some. I took the bowl of avocados and made a batch of guacamole that is now in the freezer in ice cube trays. I made a batch of chicken stock; it is so hot I don't feel like cooking, but actually, a bowl of a light veggie soup is nice in the summer when you don't feel like cooking. Ladle some into a bowl and nuke it. I also ate leftovers for dinner and cleared out a couple of other containers.

I have a couple of books to list, whether on eBay or Amazon or someplace else. I picked them up at an estate sale for a couple of dollars. I find them ranging all over the place in value. 1890 first edition of the two volumes of Stanley's In Darkest Africa. The thing is, just because the prices are so high, doesn't mean anyone is actually getting that kind of money for them. And there are some really high-priced reproductions. That is a surprise. Anyway, those may be my next listing.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Jun 10 - 01:09 PM

Decluts of pending web work done, back to a long-delayed web project (eye candy but hard on my vision issues)... legs a-swelling but I WANT to get this one DONE.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Jun 10 - 09:00 AM

qi gong last night, more difficult routine than the other - 30 minutes

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 22 Jun 10 - 05:09 AM

This new hoop is heavier than the kiddy ones, but not as heavy as the "pro" ones. I had a go this morning and got up to 6. I reckon the tubular shape of my body ain't helping it stay up, but the theory is that doing this should develop a waist for it to fit into!

Peter has taken the first trailer load of stuff to the tip for me, and will bring it back later today, hopefully. I have to go get some wine and raffle prizes for a fashion show in aid of the church tomorrow night, and then I have the afternoon free to de-gunk any room of my choice: they all need doing, not to mention the shed and garage.

Anyhow, it's off to the dreaded Tesco now, and then Tai Chi for an hour.

Andrea

ps I think Okra is overrated....slimy stuff!

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jun 10 - 01:33 PM

Got an answer to the okra quandary on the gardening thread.

Off to run errands, deliver stuff, pick up some padded envelopes for eBay. I'm out of the little ones.

Hula hoops, eh? I used to be quite good at that, as a child, but the last time I tried I couldn't get it to stay up. They cost a buck at dollar stores, I suppose I could pick one up and give it a try again.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jun 10 - 11:17 AM

Dishes are done, I'll pack up these eBay items and post them on my way to the office.

It's amazing, how caustic okra is. And people eat this? What must it do to our guts? I've never grown it before, and I didn't have a clue about touching it. Tell me more about it, Liz!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 21 Jun 10 - 09:32 AM

Got back last night, with more "stuff", ie a little charcoal stove from Senegal, made out of recycled metal, and.....a HULA HOOP! I will get this waistline of mine back if it kills me! I bought it from a circus stall who make them, and who told me the best way to stand, as I am a "forward and back" hooper, rather than side to side. Oh yes, and a stack of cds, and a couple of dresses! I've been eating mainly chickpea curry all weekend, and eating the lovely home made cakes they had on!

This morning I have unloaded the car, and cleared the pond pump. I have also moved my 2 small freezers across the garage, and have some more tools and sundries to sort in the next day or so. I have Freya today, so everything has to happen at nap time.

So far so good with the new meds for the maybe "oesophageal angina" (spasms of the oesophagus) as I have been yomping around Beverley, and royally stuffing myself with food, and have only experienced very slight symptoms! Woo Hoo! Let's hope it works, and that's what was causing me to not be able to exercise more fully.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 21 Jun 10 - 12:22 AM

Little tip when handling okra and gloves are impractical - oil your hands thoroughly with olive oil - it should form a barrier and a little soap will remove it all. Hold the okra still with toothpicks or skewers for cutting if you find you can't grip them - this will also reduce contact. Wash the board and knives immediately afterwards and it shouldn't spread.

Plus, your hands will be nice and soft from the olive oil, although you may smell a bit like a tapas bar....

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Jun 10 - 10:41 PM

I don't have a pool to swim in. All of the city pools but one are closed. I don't know if I have a swimming suit that fits right now, so I guess the pool question is moot. But enjoy that quiet outdoor evening pool for us, too.

Moonglow and Ray came over this evening and we cooked up some good bacon and set out the bowl of ripe tomatoes, got out some beautiful lettuce, opened a new jar of mayo, sliced and toasted the bread I made this morning, and had our annual rite of summer - the BLT. And I tell you, the tomatoes seemed more beautiful than ever. After eating home grown clear through the fall last year, I could barely bring myself to buy a tomato in the store. So we were pretty desperate for the good stuff. And these sandwiches were everything we hoped for. And Moonglow polished off the half of the second tomato that wasn't needed for a sandwich. I wonder if I am a few tomatoes short in that bowl? (She's welcome to them.)

I made a huge discovery in the garden this evening. I cut a couple of okra, and my god but my hands stung! My next door neighbor was out there consulting (she's the okra expert, I'm just growing them for the first time this year) and she said that yes, okra can really make your hands and arms hurt. I've handled these plants many times - perhaps that is part of the problem! I have bleeding cuts on my hands from that little exposure. It's gloves only from now on, and perhaps this is the big answer to why it is finger tips that are so sore with cracks and cuts.

My eBay auctions ended, and amazingly, all sold. I only made about $10 from all of them, but that's fine, better than relisting. I'm about 1/3 of the way to earning the equivalent of the cost of the BluRay player. I figure if I set small goals like that, maybe I can keep up this process more efficiently. I sold a couple of pennies, one Canadian, one English (a half penny) and a U.S. Walking Liberty half dollar. That had some scratches on the face and wasn't that attractive. But last year I gave each of the kids a beautiful old silver dollar or half dollar, I don't remember which, from my great aunt. They're not in cases or anything, unless them want them later. But they enjoyed getting these old coins just to have and look at. Sometimes the value in having something like that is being able to hold it, to look at it closely, and admire the beauty of the feel as well as the look. When I scan these coins and look at them closely, I'm amazed at the beauty and artistry of the engravings.

Okay. Enough. I'm leaving the dishes till morning and heading to bed. Night, all!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Jun 10 - 06:45 PM

Back to the outdoor pool for the summer. Hope it's warm enough! The evening scenery is so pretty-- and in the evening, I am usually there all by myself-- heaven!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Jun 10 - 06:32 PM

Have a cold beer with that tamale, Eiseley! Make it a real kick-back occasion!

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Jun 10 - 06:31 PM

Kat, that is the same kind of information I've been finding about these rugs. But it is getting this bugger to the marketplace that is the tough part. I found an auction site where they schedule them in different places, and next fall there is one in Fort Worth. The man who runs them is in Austin. And in previous searches I did find a place I could send an ad. I don't remember where that was, so I'll look up the places listed in your link and see what they say. Chances are I can place an ad online. The main thing I need to do is not ship this beyond the lower 48 states. Too much paperwork otherwise.

I emptied the last of the bags of dirt in the pickup, and as I went back and forth to move more rocks from the back yard to the front for that raised bed keyhole garden, I paused along the way to do a few other things. I policed the back yard and then I moved the dog pool. It's funny, but we can hear the neighbors 2 doors up, and they have a regular in ground swimming pool. Every time the kids would laugh and squeal in the water, Cinnamon would race to that side of the yard and whimper. I think in her past life she has experience playing in pools (or possibly playing with kids in water). And misses it. So I moved her wading pool back there under the tree and filled it more than I have been. She was in and out of it a lot. I hope it helps!

I've been taking cookers of various sorts out to the back table today. I baked bread out there, baked a sweet potato, and then took the roaster out there filled with a couple of inches of water and some potatoes in it. I've never done this before, but they came out perfect. I haven't made potato salad for a while. And all of that cooking was outside.

I did do one stovetop thing - I made a batch of homemade butterscotch pudding and filled the little Tupperware popsicle things. I'll let that be a surprise for the kids to discover. Moonglow just called to say that she's picking up her boyfriend who spent the day with his father while she hung out with hers. Then they're coming over here for our Official First Day of Summer, other wise known as the First BLT of Summer. Everything is ready.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Eiseley
Date: 20 Jun 10 - 06:02 PM

I know a certain gun aficionado and former librarian here in Idaho who might pay $10,000 US dollars for your bear, SRS. You could try pitching it to him.

The tamale lady just came by, and I DON'T have to drive down to get my son from Salt Lake City! My folks offered to bring him home tomorrow. So now I will celebrate by eating a tamale and relaxing out on the porch. There's nothing like a big drive deferred to make the air seem sweeter, the music sound lovelier, and the tamale taste even better!

Eiseley

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Jun 10 - 04:19 PM

SRS, that rug may be worth a good bit according to what I found HERE. Hope that helps.

I finally got the bottom of the last of the two bins I've been working on emptying. Lots more paper shredded, more stuff to file and/or send out, and stuff to get rid of through giveway, etc. It's nice to see them out of the LR where I've been sorting stuff.

Cleaned the kitchen, yesterday. Morgan vacuumed on Friday and we decided that was his gift to "Papa" for Fathers Day. Sweet kid. The rest of the day he was obnoxious.:-
We brought in more boxes for books.

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Jun 10 - 01:14 PM

Pacing myself, working in the yard. The keyhole garden is beginning to take shape and look interesting. I've been moving more rocks today, and unloading some of the dirt from the pickup (remember - I'm making myself use up things I buy for projects before I go get more.) I need some of the free mulch from the city later, so I need the pickup empty for that also.

Liz, now that I have this nice new television I want to work out a way to set my sewing stuff up in that room (temporarily, I have a sewing cabinet that I bought from a friend who thoughtfully put it on casters for her own use.) I hope to get to a few of my sewing projects this way.

Into the kitchen for a glass of iced green tea, then back to the garden for a while. I had to take time to cut up a large limb that fell in the back, from the next door neighbor's tree. No point in asking him to come remove it (though they let me know when one of my trees dropped a huge limb on their storage shed. All was okay, though, after I took the branch apart and piled it up). Anyway, they're retired, and I got out the hand saw and took care of it in five minutes. I'm glad it didn't hit the dogs.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 20 Jun 10 - 01:34 AM

Bleurgh.... Life happened.

Didn't get to finish the quilt but it didn't matter because I didn't get to see the person it's for yesterday either... Have managed to clear some paperwork out of the computer room though, I can now get in and out of the door without knocking it off the thing it was on. Small steps, long journey, but as they say in Maine (well Kendall does anyway) ~ The journey of a thousand miles begins with getting off your ass!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Jun 10 - 12:04 AM

I took a stab at Craig's List, but my ad was taken down. They say it is for the large photos (I linked out instead of uploading) but apparently the California folks have a lot of nonsense in their laws that no one seems to understand regarding "animal parts." Yet people sell mink coats and leather couches. So it looks like Craig's List is out. I'll have to find some other way, or else donate this and take a huge deduction. I wonder of consignment stores would sell this?

Got a lot of little stuff finished and the kitchen is clean.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jun 10 - 06:59 PM

I took the plunge and measured and described the grizzly bear rug and listed it on Craig's list. Who knows what will come of it. I can't list it on eBay, they prohibit bear products. They let people sell fur coats and hats, so it is a contradiction. I did note in there that I sell a lot on eBay and my rating is 100%. Don't know if that will help. It tends to be an odd lot of folks who use Craig's List.

The laundry is done, I hung it up and about 30 minutes later took it down again. When it's this hot, you can almost begin at one end and when you reach the other, go back and start taking it down again. I had to wade into my son's room to get the sheets off his bed, because if I asked him to give them to me he would, but that would be it. This way, I could pick up a few things along the way and at least clear a path across to the closet door.

Off to do a little yard work, then to Sam's. I think I'll pick up a rotisserie chicken to use, some on my pizza, and the rest for leftovers in the next couple of days.



SRS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jun 10 - 11:56 AM

Gardening this morning, and had a bowl of strawberries from my garden mixed with vanilla yogurt. I get about this many every day, and usually put them in yogurt. They don't keep more than a day, which makes me wonder what they must do to commercial strawberries to make them last as long as they do?

I think dinner tonight will be a pizza (I have some extra crusts in the freezer I made a couple of weeks ago) topped with a bunch of sliced peppers and chicken and cheese, with a layer of shredded basil underneath. I don't put tomato sauce on pizzas much these days. And I need to make a batch of beans, I've used up all of the pint jars in my freezer. This morning I mixed up batter for a loaf of banana bread and set the convection oven out on the table on the patio and baked it there. Why heat the house any more than I need to? I don't leave the oven out there, I don't want the sun to break down the plastic, but I'd love to have a regular cooking zone on the patio. While I'm at it, I'd love to have the indoors and outdoors so well done that I get the same feel as someplace like the Hemingway house or at least some of the rooms. Or porch. (Disney tried to reproduce some of the rooms at a resort nearby, but the effect doesn't look the same. I should say that while I've been to Key Largo, I've never been further south. This is all purely imagination and romance of a few photos and old Humphrey Bogart movies at work.)

I'm pacing myself, indoors and out. I have some sewing to do, but I'm thinking about making space in the living room so I can roll my sewing cabinet in there and watch a movie and sew at the same time. But I won't be able to do that until I find new homes for a couple of pieces.

Some eBay sales are about to end, a couple don't look like they're going to sell, but one has bids. I need to see about adding more today, and listing a big thing on Craig's List and the eBay classifieds to see what happens. I could stand to move some big things out and get some cash for them at the same time. I'd love to clutter my wallet. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Jun 10 - 11:16 AM

A set of faded LR curtains got decluttered this week to be new window screens for the boondocker. Their rose-pinkness is now so sun-bleached in the window area that they just ain't LR-fit no more. Only the tops and hems are pink now!

A LOT of stuff in the LR declutted itself ydy. WHEN will I learn that a clut that "will not declut" is just not ready yet to go? They go when they (and I) are ready. Often it takes a receiving-spot being ready I did not know would catch the clutter in a newly-organized mode.

Over and over again I seem to need to re-learn the reality that if I ain't cleaning, I might be busy organizing-- which will allow the next cleaning to occur-- and vice-versa.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Eiseley
Date: 19 Jun 10 - 12:03 AM

Just came home from the latest teenage-after-hours vampire party at the library and rejoiced that I spent the time yesterday making the kitchen shine. There's nothing like coming home tired and drained (but not of blood :)) to a clean house! Tomorrow I'll take the book wagon to the community river festival, then Sunday drive down to Salt Lake City (200 miles or so) to fetch the middle boy back from the grandparents' house. In between times---read and relax and let the washing machine and the fresh air clean and dry the clothes. Happy weekend to everyone.

Kathryn

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 11:53 PM

I'm looking at my food diary and deciding what shift in eating to try next. For a few days I'm skipping all soy, to see what that does. But what I probably really ought to do is stop all caffeine, and stop all diet pop. Even though it has Splenda, not nutrasweet (can't tolerate that stuff), I know there are parts of my daily diet that I ignore but that probably aren't great. And they add up price-wise. I made a big jar of green tea to put over ice (I always have some kind of iced tea in the fridge, but for now it's green tea, not black).

I'm also going to let the wine rack sit un-filled for a while. I think I'll pick up some sparkling cider at Sams and fill the rack so it looks nice, but I also really need to take the red wine out of my diet. I've meant to, but it was too easy to just have a glass with dinner. I need to switch to my preferred summer white wine (Gerwurzaminer, or some such spelling, a Riesling) but I'll put that off for a little while.

We're hitting about 98^o each day now, so I do some yard work, but pace myself and work also indoors. I have plans to rearrange some furniture and figure out what extra pieces I can actually get rid of (sell via Criag's list, most likely). I'll eliminate the useful but not needed modern pieces first. Always leave the disposition of antiques for last!

Maryanne, good luck with the woodchuck and the dog! My two dogs are such sweethearts. The power company guy had to come into the yard this week. He knocked and let me know that the transmitter on my electric meter wasn't working, so he'd have to read it. The dogs greeted him like a long lost friend. I told him I'd had the radio meter put in when I first got the pit bull because I didn't know how the meter readers would respond to this dog. He gave her a big head rub and scratch under the chin and said "we can read body language. This one is not a threat." I'm so glad to see people can see beyond the breed!

This afternoon I stood barefoot in the dog wading pool while that pit bull climbed in, and as she lay there, my ex squatted down and splashed water all over her. Talk about a pampered pet.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 07:48 PM

I took another bag to the thrift shop and only came home with 2 jacket-y shirts. Mowed the lawn, vacuumed everywhere, ironed the curtains and finally got them on the windows. Packed up 3 packages to go in the mail tomorrow, some of which is de-cluttered re-gifting to my best friend from third grade, whose father died and whose daughter got married all in the same month- something for her and something for her daughter. And something for someone else ;-)

I also bought 100 feet of chicken wire and 10 fence posts because...
I'm not the only one de-cluttering! A young woodchuck has been decluttering everything edible in my brand new baby garden!!! GRRRR!!! I'm also in the market for a haveaheart trap and a dog, yes, I still want a dog!

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: maire-aine
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 04:57 PM

Had to get a new battery for my car this morning. It still had the 5-yr-old original, so I wasn't surprised. But it's been fixed and all is well again.

I took 2 big bags of books/papers from the work-related cleanup to the recycling center. Many of them were training manuals that had metal spiral bindings, and the nice man at the RC said "just leave them with me", so I didn't have to rip out the metal. They're really nice there.

I scanned a dozen or so pictures of my maternal grandmother, so I could send them to a 2nd-cousin. Just 3 more grand-parents and 2 parents left to go.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 02:25 PM

Morgan and I took a back-end full of stuff to Goodwill this morning. I also took some clothes back. Took two shirts and a cardigan; came home with two shirts for me, a shirt and shorts for him, so that was a wash as far as de-cluttering goes, except for the stuff which was in the car.

Yesterday, I was pretty assertive about him de-cluttering an art-box which was so stuffed he couldn't close it and a large bottom drawer in a plastic roller cart which he also had stuffed. He did a good job and I think learned a good lesson in what's really important to keep and what to let go. He also helped de-clutter the office by figuring out the roller cart fits under the desk when it is not in use, in the part where my legs would be, it's a large space, fairly deep. And, his art box fits under the drawers of the desk, between the legs.

I also bit the bullet and listed some books I am done with on paperbackswap.com. I hadn't done that in a long time. An hour later, I had requests for two of them, so I will get them ready and mail them out, tomorrow. I have a giveaway box of books piling up, also.

Thanks for the suggestion, SRS. Morgan seems to have no problem in telling me what he thinks looks cluttered and what I could do with it!:-) (I think he hears a lot about it at home as their house is too small for all of the stuff they have plus four dogs, two ferrets and one cat.)

kat

Subject: AnyClone Dupe Post Notice- Crown Vetch Plug Plan
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 10:58 AM

This is the corrected post

The Crown Vetch Plan is in place. Our yard is full of holes from woodchucks, cows' hooves, sinking spots, old fenceposts long gone, and tire tracks. They get invisible when the grass gets going, and ankles sprain..... We fill them with used kitty litter as we find them. The goal is a yard safe for mobility-impaired people using canes, scooters, walkers, or wheelchairs.

On top of those gray patches will now go good dirt holding crown vetch started from seed. (Image: hair transplant plugs.) Hardi will mow around the vetch-starts to give them a fair shot at threading out from their plantings to take over a section of yard. He will continue to mow a cross-country-ski path and walking path thru and to the sitting areas. In a few years, if this works, the vetch should take over all the rest.

In the fall-- if the landlord's son has time to run tractor around-- some of the weedy grass may get surface-scratched to vetch-seed larger areas in flowing beds. I'm betting on the plug-and-play plan, tho.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 09:45 AM

Been so busy since I last posted. Finally got back on track with the exercising, 2 spinning classes, 2 body pump classes, 1 step aerobics class and one body combat class a week with running on the days I'm not at the sports centre, I feel great and a few more pounds have dropped off too.

Harry's nursery school teacher came for a home visit this week so that he met her in a 'safe' environment before he starts full time in September and would hopefully recgonise her face. It's something the school do for all new starters.

Building control are hopefully coming round in the next couple of weeks to sign off on the foundations of the extension and then building work can start. Should have new kitchen and dining room by the winter!!

Veggie patch it coming along great. We have heads on the cauliflower and the brocoli. Onions should be ready to harvest in a month or so.

Big chocolate fudge cake was made this morning with the kids as a present for father's day on Sunday, don't think there will be any left by Sunday though. Bread baked every morning too.

Bathroom is nearly finished, just the door to gloss now.

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 09:02 AM

Peter has "officially" finished, unless I find him any thing else! The trailer has the old garage work units in it, and a load of other stuff. The bed is re-planted and earthed, and the remodelled pond cascade (an urn) is waiting for its sealant to dry. Only found one of the green tench when we cleared it yesterday, but that's gone to join the shubunkin.

Next week the proper sort out and de-clutter starts, and the last bits of finishing off (like me completing painting the metal gates) should get done. Target - end of June, beginning of July to get the agents round. Scary!

Off to Beverley Folk Festival now, for the weekend! (It's less than an hour away).

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 12:25 AM

We've hit the lowest-level look: everything is spread out over horizontal surfaces, not stacked up or put away where it belongs. Work for the weekend. Dishes in the sink, but they'll wait till morning.

Whew. Just checked the state child support payment page. One more check in the works, anyway.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jun 10 - 02:22 PM

Sometimes individual copies sell on eBay. You could search and see if any of them sell, and go from there. I think at this point Libraries all get these things online or as microfiche and don't buy back copies. But you could search around, I know I've seen places that have library wish lists for periodicals and books.

I moved a big bag of papers out to the garage, but I need to find the place to set that new (garage sale) potting table, and leave things like piled papers for gardening mulch with it. A gardening station in the garage.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: maire-aine
Date: 17 Jun 10 - 02:04 PM

Hi. Haven't done a lot of decluttering lately (and developed a huge headcold over the weekend), but I'm back.

I finally tripped over the boxes (4) once too often. It only took me two years, but I've started getting rid of the books and printouts from my last job. The printouts are ready for the recycling center, and the books will go to the library's used book sale.

Now if I could just figure out what to do with 20 years of "Old House Journal" magazines....

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jun 10 - 10:11 AM

Look at this gem of a forgotten building on Beekman St in New York City. After spending a couple of years able to wander and photograph the abandoned portions of Ellis Island, this is one I'd love to poke around and get the close detail.

May take tomorrow off, I have to get my dining room table cleared again (I've put the old VCR and DVD players and related stuff on it) and set this all up in another room. Maybe the sewing room, where I might work and watch old movies, etc. I don't think I want a TV in my bedroom any more, I rarely watch it and it just takes up space.

Hot again here today. I need to do a little gardening at some point today, to push that bed down at the curb closer to completion. I'll be able to work on one end of it and still plant the other end, once I get the widening part finished. Then I'll declutter some of the iris in beds around the yard and plant them down there along the front of the bed, leaving room for veggies and such a little further back from the street.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jun 10 - 01:24 AM

Kat, we all know that sometimes the best de-cluttering can be accomplished with very small goals, because it sets the scene for the rest. Perhaps you and Morgan can play a game of coming into the house as if you'd never been there before - try to "look through someone else's eyes" - and find something as small as a shelf or knick knack area that needs fine tuning. All it takes is for someone to ring my doorbell and that extra-sensory vision comes into being. OMG! What a mess! And go from there. ;-D

I'm glad Morgan is enjoying his lessons. I hope they give them some play time at the end? Sad to say, most of the public pools in Fort Worth are closed this year. They just don't get it - when things are so tight for the city, they're even worse for citizens in the city. And closing recreational places like public pools and gyms will lead to a rapid spike in crime. It always does.

Okay. Enough of the soap box, I'm off to bed. I'll see about listing the rug tomorrow on the eBay classifieds, and also on Craig's list. I need to do it when I'm sure to be here to receive calls, because if you get an answer on one of those ads they usually come pretty quickly after you post the listing. Who ever searches those lists? Not very many.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Jun 10 - 11:56 PM

That's interesting about the classified, SRS. I'll be interested in what you think of it.

I started on the office today; sorting out all of the stuff which got plunked down there when I moved ops to the dining room/kitchen area. I now have organized piles and boxes. Lots of paper to shred. I may see how much they charge at the pro-shred shop...it'd go a lot faster. Even Morgan is bored with it, though he came up with an intriguing idea. He wanted to know if there was a way to hook the shredder up to his music keyboard so he could play tunes and operate the shredder by doing so.:-)

Looks like I'll have him all day for another two weeks; he starts Level 3 swim classes next week. He really excelled in Level 2; a real water baby. Decluttering will go slowly probably, though he knows he has to entertain himself part-time so that Mama can get some work done.

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jun 10 - 10:44 PM

Called the vet, I'm going to take the dogs down for heartworm tests (annual) and then switch to the medication I like better. But I'm afraid I missed a month so I want to be sure they're okay.

Was getting dinner set when my son called, his dad fell asleep, will I come get him. So dinner (late as it is) will get cold while I make the run. Because it's sausage in beer, that is browned and served on toasted bread and I'll drink the rest of the beer with dinner. :)

Got watchers now over at eBay. And need to find something else to list, to keep this going. And maybe try out that classified. I have piles of newspaper to take out to the garage with me when I go get my son, and while there I'll see if the box this bear skin rug came in is easy to reach. The rug is in the house, but maybe I'll pull it all in here and list the darned thing. That would clear out some space!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jun 10 - 08:00 PM

My lot here is big enough to hold all four houses on the little common drive at my old house (where the ex lives), and there is some left over. So it does feel luxurious at times, though it is a pie-shaped lot so it's a lot of hose to reach the back.

Set up the sprinkler to soften the sod where I'm doing to do some extra digging and move my steel edging before I continue to extend it out. Otherwise I'd have to move it all later. I'm trying to get rid of as much turf as possible. :)

Birds in that hole again, because I didn't get it filled, though I did stuff a rock in, but it wasn't big enough to block it. Next round, for sure, before another nest gets going.

Laundry, dishes, etc. And lots of photos to sort through tonight.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Jun 10 - 07:47 PM

Major post-Convention decluts of stuff and of processes and groups.ot to mention political agendas.

Major re-distribution of yard's water supply today; several hoses run to areas in need of summer watering, so the hoses do not get cut by the inexorable mower. Ditto electrics to run the camper which is now UP. All this will stay in place when winter comes-- onetime projects. (Cheaper than getting a new pole rural-powered.)

How large is the "yard," well... it would be at least 6 city lots, and it takes electrics and hose sections in the 50's and hundreds, strung together like extension cords when all yer power comes offa a generator. But, by God, it is all portable to take with when we move!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jun 10 - 06:08 PM

I got the answer to the mail blowing on the porch: postal carrier Anthony apologized this afternoon, but he said the wasps out there took after him so he dropped it on the bench and scooted off of the porch. Poor guy! I've been removing a smallish paper wasp nest every day at least twice a day for the last two weeks. I killed one of them last night, and the other was still bouncing around out there. Anthony whipped off his postal ballcap and gave it a swat and I gave it a stomp. Maybe now we'll both be happier on the front porch.

$45 in auction items shipped out today. Nice. Not much more movement, so I may not continue to try to sell the coins. I have some rarer ones, American, but I think I'll keep those for the kids. I'm selling off the old Canadian and British ones that don't really interest me. (No reflection of actual living Mudcat members!)

I moved a couple of smallish dirt lumps from the back yard. They were just high enough to stall out the mower if I went straight over them. One was a sandy mound meant to level a bird bath (moved out because the dogs kept drinking from it. I didn't want them knocking it over on themselves). The other was an old fire ant mound that was there for several years. I finally got it this year with beneficial nematodes and spinosad. So I took several large buckets of dirt away from the site, and the lawn will be a little easier to mow in those areas.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 16 Jun 10 - 02:30 PM

T'was Peter this morning, but not with the trailer, so the garage de-clutter #2 got postponed. HOWEVER, I now have a de-cluttered apple tree, now without its rambler rose. This is to be re-planted in the nearby corner bed, once I have removed the gravel and brick bits found after a tree stump was hauled out this afternoon, exposing the one-time cement lined pond beneath.

The base has been hammered and smashed so that it will drain better, and there is 120 litres of compost and 60 litres of farmyard manure ready to go in, once it's got rid of its crap...and the bumble bees nesting somewhere nearby have settled down. This was achieved with the help of my son in law, who will be back tomorrow, hopefully, to help me finish, and to re-work the newer pond up there on the patio/terrace.

Peter has been painting my windows today, and replacing 2 of the sealed units that have gone. (There's another 2 I should really be sorting out). I spent part of the morning weeding and spraying other weeds that I couldn't pull. Gonna be stiff tomorrow!

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jun 10 - 11:08 AM

My sofa was occupied when I got up this morning. For some reason my son moved from his room during the night and fell asleep in there. He might have been watching television, but anyway, there he was.

Two packages for eBay head out the door today. I found my mail kind of blowing around the porch. I wonder, there was a smallish bundle of brush that had rolled onto the porch that seemed to be in the way. I wonder if a mail carrier decided not to step across it? I have since moved it, and will put up my note asking him/her to ring the bell and pick up my packages.

I've been getting scratches on my leg in the garden, and I realized this morning I'd been bumping up against an old stob from a rosemary plant, so I took out a hand saw and decluttered that plant of that hazardous short limb. I'm rinsing my dishes in a dishpan, then taking the rinse water in a bucket out into the yard to pour on the crops. Do that a few times a day and it helps supplement regular watering.

I found a new eBay classified listing service. I wonder if I can list there things they won't let me sell for in an auction in the regular site, like the old bear skin rug? I'd really like to move that thing along.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 16 Jun 10 - 05:59 AM

REally LTS on the sofa...

Having a 'declutter my colon' day today... not through choice. Ho hum, at least I'm getting exercise going up and down the stairs.

Managed to do minimal paperwork last week. Have a quilt I simply MUST get on and do before I see the recipent on Saturday. It's been a while since I picked it up so I have forgotten how it went together. Still, that'll be one pile of fabric out of the way. Two more planned, one pieced and one needing backing; then I just have to get them to their new owners and that will clear that corner again.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 16 Jun 10 - 03:57 AM

Well I got through the Rooster/Snake combo by not being over-ambitious on the Snake, so that my knees could get me up into the Rooster. We also spent a few minutes working on it so that helped.

The first form I learned was the 108 step Yang as taught by Gerde Geddes when she returned from China in the 1950s. It took us 3 years to learn it, and we have concentrated on the 8, 16 and 24 steps since. Recently, however, we have started to dip back into it.

Not having been to WW for a few weeks, I have taken the step of cancelling my subscription. I am going to try and maintain for now, as I seem to have plateaued out a bit, and then really go for it again after all the holidays and festivals are over. At the moment I am fighting to keep myself where I've got to, and I want to get that stable, and use it as a baseline for the next attack campaign. Festival and camping food over the next weeks isn't going to help.

I just need to move more and eat less.... didn't help yesterday when I got given a load of leftover cake from my "friend" at church!

On the house front, the finishing off jobs are nearly done. peter has just arrived with his big trailer so that we can fill it with rubbish, and he's going to paint my windows this week. I am hoping we can replace two of the sealed units which have gone. He painted the front and back doors yesterday, amongst other stuff. A lot is now up to me to get back into the cleaning and de-cluttering.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jun 10 - 08:10 PM

What a treat, to have his own dictionary!

I have a virtual shitload of work to do, to take a lot of images from both cameras (the one I use for work and my personal one that has a wider lens, so I used it in some small rooms where I wanted more detail). But hopefully this big project will be ready to send back to the publication design folks before Friday.

The computer is acting up, but I think it was Firefox that was doing it. It runs so hard sometimes, when all it has running is a browser, so it's not like the heavy lifting Adobe programs have to do. I switched to Chrome and have the Task manager running to take a look and it has much lower values. I'll have to see if something is up with just my installation of Firefox, or if the program itself has a bug.

Two items sold on eBay today, one will ship tomorrow, waiting on a second payment. Baby steps again, but I want to clear out stuff here and I can use the cash. That is a great combination for eBay!

It's evening, but I drove home in the bright light and feel the need for a little power nap before I head in to fix dinner.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Jun 10 - 06:28 PM

Well the boxes got used in the LR for Morgan's version of the game he has called The Age of Mythology, while I shredded papers. I almost filled another trash bag. Took four books out to the used bookstore and only came home with three, though one went home with Morgan. It's so kewl. Out of all of the "big" kids' books I showed him on science, history, etc. he wanted to know if they had any math books, then found a junior dictionary and did not want anything but it. So, on the way home he found "cat" for me in it. He's always had a huge one to look at over her, but this is the first time I've really explained how to find the words and how a dictionary is set up. He likes things in order, so caught on pretty quickly. My little boy's First Reference Book...makes my heart happy!

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Jun 10 - 02:00 PM

Ah, I knew Rooster was a tai chi move, too. Can't believe I forgot that. Lee Holden does incorporate some tai chi in his qi gong which, I've read, was the precursor to tai chi anyway. We learned the Yang long style of tai chi from a sensei in CT who had studied with a woman in Boston who was from China. Apparently she was quite strict and well-respected and had been doing it since she was a toddler. Our teacher was very good. I hope to get back to it.

SRS, I have cricks and cracks in my neck and shoulders all of the time. It's worse if I don't do the qi gong; it definitely helps. I highly recommend Lee Holden's dvds.

I hope to get some more papers shredded, today. Morgan and I cleaned out my car today; mainly just gathering up trash, but it sure looks and feels better.

I have empty boxes in the office and living room waiting for books.:-)

Swim class was fun as usual.

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Jun 10 - 10:49 AM

A "trough" day here-- the pause/respite/regroup between insanely-busy spurts. Lovely to find how functional and welcoming the last round of organizing was-- AM Scripture on the back porch with all materials/keepwarm jacket handy, and no "big" mess to address today. Time to look around, breathe, and renew priorities for a "normal" week (if the trough lasts).

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jun 10 - 09:40 AM

I'm going to have to explore some of these exercise/meditation routines. I'm hearing a cracking noise in my neck that can't be a good sign. I found a web site that talked about a Qi Gong move that helps, and I tried it, and it's right.

eBay is perking along, I just have to stay on top of it this time. I'm listing the less-charismatic American coins and some of the Canadian and British ones. My Aunt had some interesting American coins that I may see if I can mount in some way as an interesting shadow box or something.

Going to the office today, lugging camera gear and computer, and there is a 50% chance of rain. I'll line a duffel with a plastic trash bag and use a portable rolling thing that folds completely flat.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: June'10 Declutter & Exercise Accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 15 Jun 10 - 04:49 AM

The Rooster I do is in the Yang Tai Chi forms. I suspect it's the same, as I have heard some moves in Chinese exercise referred to in terms of "Tibetan/Taoist Yoga". We also do Chi Gung - Falling Rain, Crane, 5 Elements, and a couple of others. I have my class today, so nearly falling over because of trying to get too quickly through snake/rooster on left leg/snake/rooster on right leg will be the highlight of the day! I know real slowness is the key to controlling this, but my knees have other ideas when I go down in the snake: I need a bit of momentum to get up again!

Andrea