July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 01:07 AM

This doctor agreed with our opinions, he wasn't getting appendicitis every few months. It's something higher in the torso, an we'll take today's lab work in for a checkup with a gastroenterologist specialist. I'll make the appointment tomorrow. The checkup may not be fun, may involve a camera tube being run down from above, but it needs to be done.

My desk is piled high with papers. I think tomorrow I'll need to do some filing. When I was digging around my various pieces of computer adapters and equipment I found a few things I didn't realize I had here, but I didn't have the cord adapter I needed to use my existing card and send the signal to the HDMI monitor. Yesterday I picked up a new card, thinking this one wouldn't do HD, because I bought this for the dual monitor use. Actually, I can still do dual monitor, but now I'm using for this big nice monitor and have it at it's highest setting. I don't know if it will make much difference unless I download NetFlix in here, or watch DVDs. I upgraded because I thought it might help with some of my graphics work. I will report back.

SRS

Subject: Sam
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 07:04 AM

SRS, I think you did not intend your post as it first struck me--

But just to clarify, we do not let our pets out loose either. Sam is semi-feral and had her own quarters to patrol and defend. By semi-feral I mean she had learned to beg, trip passersby, and wheedle, sometimes climbing a leg or a lap to make her wishes perfectly clear.

She learned to wait her turn for a discarded paper plate or an almost-emptied cup of milky tea. She never learned to be picked up without promptly dispatching one who would initiate a touch on her.


The weeks she spent in sick bay when I helped her with infected bites were the most miserable of her life, and she soon effected her escape.
OTOH when she needed help she was good at getting it-- like the horrific hind leg she shattered and trained Hardi to attend her self-managed recovery.


Sam was a great farm cat. She was also quite elderly when we received her several years ago. It was/is her time.

In comparing notes over the last day we saw her, we think a snake may have gotten her. She had gotten a little too feeble to nail the many rabbits here, and we saw a tiny baby snake dead on the porch where she had displayed her kills a few days before she vanished. (That one was not a rattler.)

The day we found her moribund I had seen her, tail a-twitch, stalking an odd spot in the yard. She was vividly alive and well, all predator working from head to tail-tip. I thought she was awaiting a mouse's exit from a drainpipe nearby, from the position she was in. Now I wonder if she surprised a young rattler, or it surprised her. From time to time one comes out from under the porch she was next to, and it's been an awfully dry summer-- grass daid in several spots.

In looking for her we have seen 5 or 6 shallow holes in cool places she may have dug for relief.

Needless to say we are always careful, ourselves, about snakes here.

I think Faulkner had hisseff a snaky kinda surprise out in the cold-puddle section of DW ydy, too. His reaction when he tried to play was so "big" that Sadie barked the intruder-alarm from her section 12 feet away.

~Susan

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 03:17 PM

My remark was very brief because I quickly scanned the previous entries while I was in the ER. That's all.

Haven't file the desk papers yet. But I will. Consultation appt is set for son, and we'll go with this and see what happens.

It's Friday. What do you all have planned for the weekend? Work on behalf of your houses and gardens, or getting out and recreating, or both?

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Eiseley
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 06:21 PM

I just came home from watching Middle Son win his robotics summer camp tournament. Yay Tom! We were going to go out to the range where a friend was going to let him practice aiming at a target, but I feel sick---maybe strep throat, maybe just a regular old sore throat. Ugh.

So instead, I'll go lie down and rest. There will be plenty of time for Tom to do target practice, but today will not be one of those times. Neither will I go to the farmers' market in the morning. That will be actually nice!

Eiseley

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: maire-aine
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 06:54 PM

My earlier post disappeared somehow, but not a big deal. Sorry to hear about the troubles of all the dogs and cats.

Big storm came thru here yesterday evening, and knocked out our power about 8pm. Came back on about 3pm today. Thank you, Detroit Edison! I may lose a few things from the refrigerator, but they're mostly leftovers anyway. Lost a smallish tree branch in the front; lots of branches down all over the n'hood.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: LilyFestre
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 07:58 PM

My kitchen, dining room and living room have been a disaster lately!!! OMGOSH!! No surface area to be found...not on the table, counter or side tables. What the heck happened? Oh yeah....been busy running around and then there's the baby!!! During naptime today I found all the missing space!!! Thank goodness...it sure feels better in here! I swept but still need to vacuum...gonna wait for Jeremiah to wake up first (I know people will say to do it while he's napping but the truth is, I'm beat and need a break too...I'm not going to do anything to wake him for the next 20 minutes or so!). Washing machine is running too. Happy Friday!

Michelle

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 17 Jul 10 - 02:50 AM

Our Freya is terrified of the vacuum noise, so it only gets done while she's sleeping!

On the kitty front, far from it drying out as the vet hoped, he's cleaning it himself. To be honest, although I'm worried about him stopping it healing, it is looking nice and clean - if a little open. I have visions of him being fitted with a bucket collar, which will really hack him off, especially as he's off into the cattery on Tuesday!

I'm just having a quick post during my early morning cuppa, before heading off to York to visit the boot fair, and also to try and offload my dad's old stamp collection at a fair that's on in the racecourse grandstand. Might get a few quid for it...

Andrea

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jul 10 - 02:59 AM

Michelle, get your nap in when the baby is napping, if you need one. Otherwise you'll be a basket case. We all understand about messy houses and babies - it does get better over time. And just look at young Morgan! He's such a helper! You can turn that kind of cooperation into a great thing and enjoy each other's society. I'd wait a little yet, before you have Jeremiah start folding his own diapers, though. :)

Some filing taken care of. Some laundry folded, and more on the way. The kitchen is messy, but won't take too long. In the morning.

I weeded a bed out front that really got overgrown in the last couple of weeks. I'm so ticked off that I would get that stupid bladder infection. Not only did I not feel like that work for a couple of weeks, as I got better, I was supposed to be careful with sun and straining tendons. So now I'm still being careful, weeding when there is shade on that side of the house, but I'm reclaiming the front beds.

One more child support check coming next week. But I see each one as a gift - they will be finished any day now, as soon as the accounts are audited. I've earned enough to cash out this month at Mahalo, and will have to switch to a different kind of task if I want to keep earning cash there. I'll probably do it. The site is generally entertaining, though it doesn't set any high standards on most things. Kind of a poor man's Wikipedia. :-/

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jul 10 - 04:08 PM

Picked a full bucket of mustang grapes this morning. I'm getting ready to head over to pick up a book at the university library (Interlibrary Loan) and will swing by his house and see if he has his steam juicer handy. I cooked the last batch down in the kettle and got great color, but it is a lot more work to filter it.

Did a little more filing. Not sure what else indoors, after the evening yard work. And I need to take the dogs for a walk when it's cooler.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 17 Jul 10 - 05:16 PM

Got £20 for the stamps, which was about what I thought (they were nothing special). However, I did bend the budget at the boot fair with a kiddy sized djembe and some other toys for Freya, and then I came across a stall selling unwanted merchandise and trappings from Longley Old Hall near Huddersfield (origins in 14thC). They had some pottery made by John Hudson, a Huddersfield area potter whose work I like. He reproduces wares from the middle ages onwards, using the old firing and glazing methods. I got several pieces (I already have some). Then I got a (used) reproduction of a very ingenious 17th century candle holder, and a slightly oxidised looking beeswax candle to fit it. It looks great on my fireplace.

However, I have done about three quarters of the ironing tonight, and done the mending, so I have actually achieved something at home!

Andrea

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jul 10 - 09:32 PM

Dean handed over his steam juicer so I guess I'll turn the kitchen into a sauna later.

I just discovered The Philadelphia Story, one of my favorites. The remake was okay, but this is the best.

I am running a smallish allergy test. I haven't eaten chocolate for weeks, but I ate a small bag of chocolate peanuts this afternoon. I've been using hydrocortisone cream on my hands and they have about cleared up, so this may reveal if it is a culprit or not. This wasn't a great quality of chocolate, but it should do the trick (or not).

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jul 10 - 02:10 AM

Juice is cooling in the fridge, at least three quarts of it. Jelly --- Mmmmmm!

I did most of the dishes, and used some leftover chicken for burritos. I'll put in a load of laundry to wash overnight, but I'm done for the day.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: LilyFestre
Date: 18 Jul 10 - 09:52 AM

SRS,

   You should have come over and we could have had a cleaning party together. I was up until 3amish. We were having some large thunder and since Jeremiah startles easily, I kept him downstairs in his pack and play where I could keep an eye and ear on him until the thunder passed. While he slept (never did wake up to the thunder), I cleaned.

    Turns out the yard sale is THIS weekend! I thought I had another extra week to clear things out. I'd better get BUSY! Today I will do the living room and kitchen.

    On a completely different note, I lost 3 pounds this week. Yesterday for activity, I picked blueberries and walked a mile or so.

Michelle

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: maire-aine
Date: 18 Jul 10 - 12:27 PM

Power is not completely restored in the n'hood. We got back on Friday afternoon, but were out for about 10 minutes yesterday-- just long enough to make you have to run around and re-set the clocks. The folks across the street are out now, and there are still lots of utility trucks rumbling thru the n'hood.

I'm catching up on laundry today. Bought some peaches at the farmers market, so I'm making peach crisp this afternoon.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 12:18 AM

Doesn't that just bug you to pieces, Maryanne? And it's amazing how many things around the house are blinking and waiting to be restarted or reset.

It was very hot again here today, topped off by some brief (but noisy) thundershowers. Now it's muggy as hell outside. I could hear it coming so hurried the mower out to finish the front I started this morning, then did a couple of big swaths in the back, hoping it would stay away. I did have to concede and quit as the lightning got quite close.

When it's this hot it's hard to feel motivated to get much done. I did finish the kitchen, took all of the seeds and skins from the grapes out to the compost bin. Yesterday I did some weeding in the worst of about three square yards of a front bed. This afternoon when I got ready to bundle up and throw away an old torn up plastic drop cloth I decided to use one of the bags some mulch came in, except the mulch was still in it. As hot as it was I didn't want to start a huge project, but taking enough newspaper and the bag of mulch to the front I was able to paper and then mulch over a section of the bed where I usually lay the circled up hose, and step through to reach the faucet. It is now a very tidy area between some pink amaryllis and some lovely dark red and green canna stalks, both given to me by my next door neighbor. And now that old drop cloth is at the curb (I'd used it when picking grapes, partly to catch grapes, partly to keep me out of the poison ivy. But that means it has the oil on it.) Some days these small tasks are enough to stand in for what you eventually want to finish.

Also today, a little virtual housekeeping. Since I installed the converter plug for the monitor I am planning to set up a slide show of great images, large enough to display fully on this screen, and I'll set it up as a screen saver slide show. I've been collecting a few images at reliable sites, like NASA. Love those star clusters and nebula shots!

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: LilyFestre
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 08:10 AM

Got the hallway and living room empied of stuff that we are sending to the yard sale. Made a good sized dent in the kitchen too, then wiped out the cupboards and reorganized a little bit. I still have a few shelves to go so that's where I'll spend most of today.

Michelle

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 08:52 AM

NFU water on board and sorting into household processes; FU containers almost all cleared out now.

Cold-puddle improvments have gone well; today I made a skimmer to take the dead bugs outta there. I clean it while IN it!

Re-purposed 1 of 4 faded LR sheers, freeing up the others to go in the car kit.

~S~

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 12:46 PM

I ate, I drank, I paddled... and I don't care! I decluttered my brain of a few things, swept some cobwebs away and gave pleasure to people... I am bordering on sane for a while.

Make the most of it, it won't last long!

LTS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 02:14 PM

Good for you, Liz!

It's so hot, I'm not sure what I'll get taken care of today. A neighbor brought over some peaches and I gave him some peppers and a jar of jelly. I saw my house through others' eyes as he came in - it's pretty messy again.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 03:30 PM

The carpet's been rolled back in the living room and dining room (only about 4 feet) and it's all ready for whenever the plumber decides to make a start. I am in the process of sorting stuff to go camping, and as long as I can be away by 2pm tomorrow, I'll be off to Scotland for my annual getting rained on and book reading fortnight. I have a fair bit of stuff to sort, but most of the clothes are packed, and the tent and firewood for the bonfire are in the car, so that's a start.

Andrea

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 05:26 PM

Sounds like a lovely trip, Andrea!

I have been slowly going through the books Rog and I pulled off the shelves. Looking them up at addall.com, deciding which ones will go to friends or family, which to donate, and which to sell. It's a slow process, esp. in the heat. After the temp reaches a certain heat the swamp cooler doesn't do much to keep the temp down. It was 80 in the LR and probably a few degrees higher around the corner at my desk in the dining area. Fans help, but it's still a repair to the bedroom and the a/c in the late afternoon kind of weather, so not much is getting done.

Morgan had a bit of inspiration while I was on the computer for a little bit. He asked if it was okay if he wiped down the wall corner by the trash can and stove and also the front of the frig. What can I say? His mom is a good house-cleaner and he takes after her.:-) Of course, I said "sure!"

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Jul 10 - 01:43 AM

I'd forgotten about that site, Kat, thanks for the reminder.

My son pushed the thermostat setting way down on his bedroom side of the house, complaining that the house was too warm. And he nearly wiped out the bathroom flooring - it's so humid the thing was taking more water out of the air than it could drain as it ran constantly, and it was dripping all over next to the hall bathroom. I set it back up to the normal setting, replaced the sodden filter, mopped underneath in the cabinet, and told him when he's paying the bill, he can run the temperature wherever he wants.

My Internet bill went up $5 this month, with no visble reason why. I'll have to compare bills. They still owe me a refund I got tired of fighting about. I'll have to lay these bills side by side and see what sleight of hand they do. It's the taxes and charges where they bury things. At least I keep it all neatly in a file. That part of my house is organized.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 20 Jul 10 - 03:04 PM

It lasted less than 12 hours. Hello sleepless, my old friend....

LTS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 01:48 AM

I made a peach cobbler out of fresh local peaches, and put vanilla ice cream on my helping while the peaches were still hot.

Orgasmic. That's all I can say. As good as (and in many instances, better than) sex.

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 12:57 PM

Weigh-in was this morning. Lost 2.4 lbs. Whoo-hoo!!

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 02:07 PM

I haven't weighed myself for a while, but the mirror tells me plenty. Though my clothes aren't as tight as they were, there's still weight to be lost.

It's so hot that getting motivated to move around is a job in itself. I hung a load of laundry on the line out back, and have to mow the lawn this evening. I mowed part of it a few days ago before it started to rain, but I didn't get around under the clothes line so the tall grass tickles as I hang up wash.

The garden volunteers have revealed themselves: I think the tomatoes will be big cherry tomatoes. Soaker hose is running because it's hot and dry again, but this is preferable for many of my crops.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: maire-aine
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 09:37 PM

Moved furniture around in the living room this afternoon, while I dusted the floor. Just kind of moved all the chairs a quarter turn around the room, but it changes the scene enough. Dusted the upstairs, too. Crossing my fingers that the electricity situation has settled down.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 11:02 PM

Stair climbing! Vacay prep is HARD.

~S~

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 11:36 PM

Brought an accordion file out of the office, filled with photos with a note "To be scanned" and started on them this evening. Took photos of a few books which will be sold. Many more to go...slow going.:-) My house is really bugging me, though. Have to decided if it's worth storing the books on shelves whilst selling them online or if it would be easier and better to just donate all but a few which I know are worth selling. I went so far as sending an email about re-opening my store at biblio.com, but we don't have much room for them all. (I would also list them on Amazon. Ebay does not seem worth it for most. What to do, what to do...there are many more in storage. Ongoing...I know we will figure it out.

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 01:19 AM

Getting things done piecemeal around here. It was nearly dark when I went out to mow some more of the back yard, but it felt so much better to mow when it was cooler. I still have about 25% left to mow, and when I see it in the morning I may have missed a few spots - it was getting pretty dark when I quit.

Dishes are washed, some laundry done. Having my son do his own just to see how often he needs to do it if it is only his laundry in the basket. Clearly if he waits till he has a full load he'll be out of clothes, so he'll have to work out a plan.

He saw the doctor today about his gut pain (infrequent, but intense enough to land in the ER). He understood our desire to try to solve this now when he's home and not have it happen when he's alone 2 states away at school. We have a plan in place, and if it doesn't work the way we hope, then we'll take him back in when he's home again and they'll take a closer look.

I was finishing up some printing work at my office early so I can take a week off in August and not worry about racing to do it when I get back. I had the invitation finished and printed when the speaker had to beg off. His book was optioned by a big publisher who asked him to cease promoting the older self-published version. Now I'm going to have to race when we get a new speaker in place. Oh, well. They say no good deed goes unpunished.

For today, shower, then to bed, maybe to read a little. I just started the book The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite by Dr. David Kessler. I heard him interviewed on several radio talk shows when this book came out, and I've kept putting it back on the top of my "to read" stack of books. It's interesting.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 01:27 AM

BTW: Some of you may enjoy this blog entry What it's really like to be a copy editor.

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 07:27 AM

Sleeping still erratic but at least I managed to sort a 3ft pile of sheet music and books....

Lack of appetite means I'm not picking, but when I do eat, it's the wrong stuff... typical. Wish this feeling crappy would just stop for longer than 2 days at a time.

LTS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: maire-aine
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 10:43 AM

I read the Kessler book about this time last year. Really opened my eyes. After I finish reading Radicals in Robes , I plan to read it again. I am much more enthusiastic about cooking from scratch since I read it.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 10:43 AM

Oh! I forgot about this! I found a superb solution to a longstanding sleeping-attic storage problem. It's a square-based rolling shelf about 20 x 20 inches wide/deep, and it's TALL-- 4 commodious shelves. Also a nice big hanging-file portable bin for a new project Hardi and I took on, and some smaller storage items. I hope to pick it up today.

It gives me a mouse-proof kitchen setup for that attic, among other things. Which ALSO gives us a rentable studio apartment up there if we want to do that.

~Susan

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 01:06 PM

Maryanne, I was listening to someone else talking on the same subject as Kessler, and her premise was that if you're cooking from scratch it's much more likely to be much healthier for you, whatever it is. The slow food movement and all of that.

I picked a big eggplant today, and have a couple more in the garden I could have picked but will leave for another day. A friend is going to make caponeta one of these days and can it. Last batch of eggplant I gave him he didn't have time to can so he breaded and cooked slices and froze them to use for eggplant Parmesan. Even though there is oil and bread crumbs, the home grown vegetable and the sauce and cheese that will go with it are healthier than one you buy in the store, and probably healthier than one you but at the Olive Garden, etc.

My kitchen is cleaned up, and there are avocados on the counter waiting to be made into guacamole. There are bananas and peaches waiting to be eaten. Veggies from the garden waiting to be sliced and frozen. And I'm making tea by the liter this time of year and trying to drink more of that than pop. It's healthier and cheaper. And I feel more virtuous brewing my own tea than buying cans for a dollar when the bag costs a nickel. :)

I've almost cleaned off my computer desk, but the "need to file" pile has grown on top of my file cabinet. I walked past a faux-Chippendale desk the other day and realized that if I moved the file cabinet from beside it the beauty of the feet would really look great on that tile floor. Same with the dining table. I need to try to emphasize the beauty of the pieces that are here by thinning out the amount of stuff in the room.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 09:01 PM

Desk top is much improved. I'll file later, after the yard work.

We're in the last hour of daylight, so now I'll go do some puttering in the yard. I won't necessarily accomplish a lot, but it will more than I could do during the rest of the hot day. I'll focus on the area near the garden where the compost bins are situated. It's a bit overgrown.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 12:53 AM

Brainstorm this evening. Busy here.

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 02:01 AM

My kitchen is clean. I was rather tired when I started, thinking maybe I'd head to bed and do the dishes in the morning, but I'm so tired of summer heat and so tired of a messy house that I made myself do the dishes. It looks great, and will feel nice to walk into tomorrow morning.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 09:27 PM

It's Friday. Kicking back this evening, but not so much that I leave a messy kitchen when I go to bed. It's wonderful to walk into a fresh and clear kitchen in the morning.

I need to start sorting those playbills on the dining table, so I'll probably bring in some plastic baskets and a couple of small folding tables. First to sort by theater, then to sort by year, etc.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 11:16 PM

Brainstorm, eh?:-)

About 6p this evening I felt so tired it scared me. I was flashing back, so of, to the past year when I was doing very well and was always fatigued. THEN, I thought about all that I did today and thought, "hmm...must just be tired..a good tired!" Little bit of supper, a nice cool shower and I am good to go a bit more.

Answered a call at 630a from our son. He's living in a campground up in the mtns. and in moving to there from a Buddhist retreat, he lost his cat. His 20+ old female cat had to be put down recently, so the one he had left, a Russian blue, was his best friend and only companion. Everyone knows to watch for him and he's going back each day to look, but it's been almost a week. Anyway, he was very down and needed to talk to mom. We've had some real miracles with lost pets in our family, so I fully expect him to be found.

y the time I got off the phone, it was time for Rog to load up the 10+lb cat and carrier and follow us to the vet, after I picked up Morgan along the way. The cat was good and is fine, it's an adventure to take a 6.5 yr old to the vet's, esp. when he wants to know about everything and his favourite word is still "why!" Then, we load up, again, reverse the process with Rog in tow to help unload. In the meantime, I've talked Morgan into stopping off at his house as his dad was off for the day, so I could come home, alone (after Rog went to work) and pay bills. This was not decided until Morgan and I agreed I'd pick him up for lunch AND bring him his paycheck for watering and weeding and extra cleaning the past two weeks. It was his payday, too, after all. When I picked him up, my son-in-law asked if I'd mind bringing him back some takeaway and paid for it (something I would have offered anyway.) However, Morgan really wanted to stay home with dad as they'd just set up a nerf game, so I dropped him and their lunches off and came home to more peace and quiet.

I worked on some writing stuff, futzed/phutzed around on the computer, did some reading and picked up a few things, then stuck my feet up while lying down, got up and did a bit more and figured out I was just tired.:-) It doesn't look as though I did a lot, but to have done the cat/vet with the grandson, paid the bills, and gone out for lunch, in one day, tells me I really AM 100% better than this time last year!

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 10:52 AM

I've been out doing a little work in the yard, but after a heavy (nearly 2") rain yesterday, it's very muggy. I came in for a few minutes to listen to the radio, Scott Simon talking about his old friend Daniel Schorr. Once I send this I'll go do a little more work then come indoors, shower, and head out to get some pint jars. I bought two flats (about 10 pounds) of peaches yesterday. I thought I'd be buying 5 or 6 flats, but this was all they had! Turns out the "Canvolution" event, a big web event where people have canning parties, is this weekend. I sent a notice to folks at work but no one responded. I guess someone did, because the woman at the green grocer said a guy came in a cleaned out her peaches, but she'd forgotten these two boxes or he'd have gotten them also. I told her about the event - she was puzzled at such a rush.

So, if I can find pint jars I'll be back to boil water in the house for a few hours.

I decided to freeze some of my grape juice, because we found several jars of last year's mustang grape jelly that had been hidden under a case of tomato sauce. I'll make jelly next winter (I gave about the same amount to my friend Dean, who does all of the canning for competing in the State Fair. He's won several blue ribbons.)

I need to arrange those shelves better. Frankly, I need less food in there, it's just me soon, so I'll arrange it so the canned goods are all in sight.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 02:37 PM

Okay. Made a little progress out there, but I'm finished with the yard until this evening. Now I have to go find my pint jars.

A load of laundry will go in before I run errands. I'll make it a loop trip like usual, take my recycling over to the drop-off point, visit the post office, buy a lotto ticket (Saturday and Wednesday. I rarely even win $3, but you never know. . . ) When I get back I can hang out the laundry. It'll have to be out there longer because it is pretty humid today, but those sheets always smell best when they've dried on the line.

With the rain we had for a couple of weeks I haven't hung out laundry as much as usual, but I will partly because I enjoy it and partly because I'm still trying to save money. The best way to save has been to change electric companies. I just compared - this July is $75 less than last July. Weather could be factor, we had a lot of rain, but we also had many days over 100 in a row. Mostly it's the new company and a couple of cents less per Kw hour.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 05:00 PM

Morgan inveigle his way over here, today. Only for an "hour" which wound up being about three hours. Anyway, he got boxes out of storage and helped me box up the books on the card table in the LR, then pushed those boxes over to where I wanted them. He also took a cat carrier back out to storage! All this so we could play cards on the card table.LOL The LR looks much better now.

I have my old account at Biblio pending now and have the *key* required to enter my books using their ISBNs.

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 10:02 PM

Tell us more about that Biblo account?

It got a lot of running around accomplished this afternoon. Didn't get back in time to hang laundry, though, so I'll put it up in the morning.

They're planing Arsenic and Old Lace on my local PBS station. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 12:11 AM

It's a "bookseller/bookstore" account I opened there a few years ago, but never got it going as I didn't get my inventory all listed. (It doesn't cost anything to open.) They marked it as inactive, so I had to contact them to let them know I would like to reopen. It will take me some time to get books listed and I don't know just how I am going to organise them all, as I list them, so they are easily accessed when I get an order, but it is something I want to try, at least.

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 03:11 AM

It's 2am my time, and until about 30 minutes ago I was up late finishing canning the first flat of peaches (7 pints). As I finished peeling and slicing the last few jars, a smell reached me that wasn't from something burning on the stove, it was the hot acrid scent of skunk. On dogs.

At least this time they had the sense to leave the darned thing alone once it nailed them. And it barely got Poppy - she hung back this time, and the pit wasn't too bad. The last time the pit bull killed it, and I really struggled to get the stink off of them, my eyes burning the whole time. I had Nature's Miracle handy this time, and you put it on the dogs before you get any water near them. They already smell almost normal. And you typically only have to treat the front end of the dog, the face, chest, feet. They had headed into the garage so I spritzed the stuff on the floor in there. And locked them out of the garage for now so they can just sleep in the yard and let the enzymes soak on the concrete floor.

I have another flat of peaches in the fridge, but I'll get up and do those tomorrow morning. I opted not to try to go back and forth between cooking and de-skunking dogs.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 12:58 PM

I have revised my estimate on who got more skunk. This morning it was Poppy who still had the hot skunk smell on her nose. I'm still treating them with the Nature's Miracle, they haven't had any baths yet. Later on today, though. I'm going to go by the Office Depot near here and get one of those old fashioned bottle sponge applicators so I can roll it on rather than pour and spread.

They were funny last night, so sheepish and acting like they must be in trouble. I rolled them over a few times, got the enzyme on their coats, and finally had to let them do a few tricks for treats so they'd know they're good girls. Every so often you just have to chase a skunk out of the yard; this is a challenge too great to be ignored. I understand this.

Today I'm waiting for a call from my peach guru. Last night's work yielded seven very pretty pint jars, but I need to refine my method.

I kept the kitchen pretty clean as I worked, with a pan full of hot soapy water in one side of the double sink and a pan of hot clean rinse water in the other side of the sink. A quick swish in and out and set to dry in the dishwasher kept the counters clear for working.

With skunk smell extant in the yard I abandoned my plan to hang out laundry this morning. At least they let it get away. I have to go get them new collars. Their existing leather collars now smell like skunk.

SRS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 06:27 PM

More of the same for me... although I did declutter the wallet of more money for some fabric I couldn't resist - but it is a commission for someone so that's going to come back to me...

It's got berries, citrus and pears on it, shades of red, green and yellow so it's going to make a table warmer called 'summer pudding' after the famous English dessert.

Child has dyed her hair purple. Really purple! I lost a chunk of tooth yesterday evening and still haven't done any of the sewing I was supposed to. On the good side, I have only 17 more blocks to do before the green and yellow commissioned quilt is ready for piecing.

I wish it would just bloody well drop the thunderstorm that's in the air, and get it over and done with... far too hot and clammy tonight.

Perhaps we should rename this thread 'whingefest'....

Night all.

LTS

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 07:51 PM

I'll take your thunderstorm and send you some dry, high desert heat, LtS, though it may not invigorate any more than hot and muggy.:-)

This morning, whilst it was coolish, my Rog switched tables for me, narrower-across-library cum dining table for a broader one for me to use as my desk in the dining room. So the narrower one is now draped with my birthday present real oilcloth and set up for our eating and Rog's computing, next to his PC workstation.

I have been having terrible pains in my shoulders, down my arms and in my right wrist ever since switching to a lower chair which alleviated lower leg, ankle and foot pain (bad enough to make walking a pain!) In doing so, I got the upper bod screaming and protesting. By switching to the bigger table, I now have a pull-out drawer with a thin board I can put across it for my keyboard and track ball, so I *think* my shoulders etc. will be much happier as I am not having to reach up and forward to type and move the cursor. We also went to the lumberyard and had a thin piece of pressboard cut to fit the drawer as its bottom had given out years ago and we haven't needed to use it until now. So, I gained a drawer and a more ergonomical set-up. That has always been so important to me. It may take me a while to figure out what needs to be done, but I am looking forward to lessened pain now. It's really been bad.

Rog also did the litter boxes and swept while I scrubbed both tables, then put my desk stuff back on the table. I was able to turn my HD sideways on the adjacent wooded typing stand, so I will have easier access to my printer which sits on top, too, plus there's jsut more space.

I also did some other housework, laundry, picking up, etc. and we did the grocery shopping yesterday, so I got in a good bit of exercise the past two days.

kat

Subject: RE: July-2010-DeClutter & Exercise Accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Jul 10 - 11:52 AM

Kat, I understand about how important a good ergonomic position is. I go through this every time my glasses Rx needs to be change. My computer glasses are the result of a painfully stiff neck from sitting incorrectly in front of the computer.

The USPS was quite swift and the package has been delivered. It seemed that Michelle's thread in which she went through all of the diagnosis, surgery, recovery, and chemo steps had reached a point where it was a story that needed to be collected so she could refer back to it. It was sent from all of us for obvious reasons - we all participated, since it was a spinoff of the de-clutter and accountability discussions. (Pretty amazing, isn't it: we start out discussing housework and end up curing cancer!)

I canned this weekend - not heavy duty, by any means, but this was my first time canning peaches as an adult (I helped my mom with this work when I was a kid). I have 14 pint jars of beautiful peach slices. I'll pick up some more fruit this week and do another batch. Hopefully without the dog/skunk interaction this time.

SRS