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BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010
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Subject: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 01 Sep 10 - 06:59 PM It's looking dark outside, but not because the sun is going down. It's because rain clouds loom overhead. Here in North Texas we've had one of our hottest summers since they've been recording these things, and I am SO READY FOR AUTUMN!!! If it rains, I'll be able to get out and work on my fall and winter garden. It's a bit early yet for the place to look like fall, but we will begin to have cooler temperatures at night. And when this happens, my cleaning and cooking genes really kick in. Here's the last thread. This is a de-clutter and exercise accountability thread, one in a series we've run each month. I'm adjusting to cooking for one and deciding what projects I'm finally going to finish. I'm also deciding about how to move my sewing machine into the living room so I can sew and spread out and watch movies on the large television while I work. Each day I've packed, picked up, and de-cluttered in my son's room. I won't throw out anything other than wrappers, empty boxes, etc. and a lot of dust. My daughter's room is the sewing room, and it was an early staging area for my son's move to Arizona last month. I'll make sure it's in good shape as a guest room. Think about it - soon is time again for our Secret Santa activities. We're wrapping up our fiscal years and planning donations for tax purposes. Many of us will have a lot more energy once the weather is cooler. Let's make the most of all of these activities! SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 01 Sep 10 - 07:04 PM Off to a good start, SRS, good for you. Don't know why, but today I just haven't been able to build up any steam. My dau. and Morgan have both had days off from school and work this week due to colds. I don't have the same, but something made me feel lazy today. I have great plans. Rog is to take off Friday as well as Monday, so we will be doing some extra things around here to clean the house and yard up. I have to give him some time off, too, though.:-) Hope to do some qi gong tonight, at least. Thanks for the new thread. You know we've been doing these for almost two years?! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 01 Sep 10 - 07:13 PM Working outside has been my main exercise this year, but it turned cold and wet in the last few days. We have had several hail storms today along with the rain. Temps are supposed to go up tomorrow and provide some sunshine, then I can work again on the storm windows. Still some digging and transplanting and bulbs that need to be taken care of before it snows. Garage will be de-cluttered a bit more, I hope, before snow. Yesterday's painting click. Worked on organizing art materials this morning. Not sure if I'll get an image painted today. A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 01 Sep 10 - 07:16 PM I must add that being home now, after a job that had me driving around the state for the last 4 years, I can at least be active in a way that I could not be for those years. It's good to be home and take care of home and myself! A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 01 Sep 10 - 07:37 PM I've caught up with the last few posts on the last thread. I concur about the value of having someone come in to help with the house. When I was in the house before the divorce and then in the apartment after, I had someone come in every other week for four hours. In that time she vacuumed, swept, and mopped, and cleaned the bathrooms. I swept fairly often, and did laundry and such, though sometimes I'd ask if she could iron, etc. A few days ago I mentioned drawing down the contents of the fridge. I just now cut up and froze a roast I found on sale - that's three chunks of meat that will be ground for hamburger at some time in the future. I have some other things to prepare and freeze, then I'll empty the rest and give it a quick once-over and restock it. I should also empty the freezer of this side-by-side and organize it. I haven't made myself any bread since I took my son to college. He always inhaled much of the loaf. I think I'll make a regular loaf and freeze half of it. A thunderstorm has been passing over here for the last 30 minutes. I feel the emptiness of the house more when it gets dark, and when weather like this passes over. I think it isn't so much for myself being alone, but just an expression of the wish that my chicks are somewhere safe to roost. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 01 Sep 10 - 08:01 PM I'm anticipating being in an empty nest at the end of this month. Not sure if I mentioned this before, but my son will be moving to California. When he had his own place during college, I was on the road so much, neither of us was home. Now I've been able to spend the last 10 months with him living with mom before going on to build a career somewhere else. We have to let them fly, but it sure is going to be quiet here. This week I started making milk/berry/fruit/flax seed/coconut milk smoothies to have something fast and easy for meals and no mess to clean. I put the blender, which has been stored in the cupboard, out on the counter so it is easier to keep a blender jug full of smoothie each day in the fridge. Already I notice we have less dish clutter in the kitchen. A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 01 Sep 10 - 08:46 PM Yoga: 90 minutes of bliss Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 01 Sep 10 - 11:53 PM Good idea, Alice. I always forget about making smoothies, though I have all of the ingredients I like here. I found a 6' rope light at Lowes, so I've set up my step into the living room with a light again. The corner of my living room is where two halls come into the room (at 90o to each other) and there is a step up into the halls. It really hurts if you stub a toe on one of those concrete steps. I have the light on a dimmer and a timer, so it isn't super bright or on all of the time. This also provides some light in the hall itself so from my room I can walk out to the hall without having to turn on any additional lights. It's around a corner so doesn't shine in. I've turned off the power to a few things in my son's room. All of those little ready lights add up over time. We just had a good rain, hopefully breaking both the heat and dry spell we've had. The last water bill was pretty hefty (I did have neighbors water for a week, so maybe they used more than I expected). Perhaps fewer people and better weather will conspire to lower a few bills. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 02 Sep 10 - 03:50 AM I won't get much exercise today, as I have a massage booked for this afternoon. However, I have a burgeoning urge to go up into the loft and have a real good sort through my craft boxes. I suddenly realised that whenever I move, I will not probably have anything like the storage and work space, so it's time to be ruthless with the cutters and sundry stuff that can be replaced if needed. Anyway, salt dough plays hell with them: it rusts the metal ones and blunts the plastic ones! No plans as yet for tomorrow, so maybe a bit of digging in the garden? Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: ragdall Date: 02 Sep 10 - 07:59 AM SRS, Thank you for providing us with a fresh thread. The light on the living room step is a very good idea. I wonder if turning off things in your son's room while he's away will offset the the power it uses? Alice, "Cabin In The Pines" is another lovely image. It's amazing how much detail and expression you manage to work into your tiny paintings. Today I was able to accomplish a few of the tasks on my list but added a few more tasks, too, so I'm no farther ahead. Began converting the "guest room" temporarily back into my sewing and storage room, decided to move the large furniture and thoroughly vacuum under and behind it, discovered a few patches of something on the outside wall which may be mildew. I need to find out how to remove that without damaging the wood panelling or the carpet. Reassembled the children's overhead ladder, adding a washer to each lag bolt to enable more tightening without pulling the bolt head into the soft wood. That helped a lot. Added corner braces and bases under the legs. If tomorrow is warm and dry enough I'll try to apply the final coat of paint. Nailed two boards on the outside of the deck railing to make it difficult for the neighbours' cat to jump and grab one of the squirrels who come looking for fallen bird seed and peanuts. Updated several pages of information about who is to do what when and where, to be photocopied and distributed at a meeting to members of a women's group to which I belong, printed up some other materials for that group, removed old pages from my information binder and cut them in quarters to use for grocery lists and notes to myself. Drastically reduced the size of my "may need this someday" box collection. There is a huge pile of boxes waiting to be flattened and taken to a recycling bin. rags |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 02 Sep 10 - 10:38 AM rags, I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who keeps some sizes and shapes of boxes because I might be able to use them later. Every so often I get tired of looking at them and flatten them for recycling. I got rid of a bunch of them a couple of weeks ago and my sun room looks a lot better for it. Heavy overcast and rain today. It's a break from all of the heat, but it doesn't have that lovely crisp fall feel I am looking for. We probably won't get that for a few weeks yet. Right now we're living in expectation of fall. I have a lot of virtual de-cluttering today as I go through photos for work. I also have a stack of disks from my son's room to go through to find one he should have labeled but didn't. He wants it sent to him. I suggested I could send all of these unmarked disks, but it would be a waste of postage. My biggest goal this month that won't show up in the house, but will affect my pocketbook, is to declutter the credit card bills. After the big move and push for getting ready for college, I need to give them a rest. I earn travel points on one, so I will budget the use there, but on the other, I'll pay it off fast. The auction knife has moved into the price range I expected once I had remarks about "made in India." There are an awful lot of watchers, but I've noticed in the past with some other charismatic auctions that though there were a lot of watchers it didn't translate to a lot of activity at the end. The early bidding pretty much took care of it. I'm watching a book at eBay that if it goes above a certain point I'll skip and buy it new from Amazon. The trash collection guys have changed their routine so this morning they didn't get trash at the crack of dawn. I have time to take it out now. I never put much out there anyway because I recycle so much and compost much of the rest, but now being the only one here I'll be putting even less. If I had a trash burner stove I could get away with putting out trash once a month maybe. I'm tempted to blow up a couple of plastic bags just to bulk up the bag (I usually put out trash in one or two grocery store plastic bags, there's that little of it). :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 02 Sep 10 - 11:30 AM Laundry and dishes done this morning as well as the baby's bedding and some tidying up in his room. I'm going to have to get extra busy this week as two things just popped up and time is ticking away before our uncle comes to visit. A friend has asked me to take her to Mama Goose, a children's consignment store about an hour and a half from here so that will take up a day (and it will be a good time). Then yesterday I received a notice that I have been accepted to Camp Good Days and Special Times, a camp for children or adults who have cancer or who have battled cancer. I am going to participate in the Wellness Program for Women with cancer. It means 3 days and 2 nights away from home just before our uncle arrives. So....have to get things done soon. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 02 Sep 10 - 11:48 AM WHAT was I thinking when I agreed to be the intermediary/shipper for 500 jewel cases?!?!?! Oh, that's OK-- they can go in the church basement! ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 02 Sep 10 - 11:59 AM I rarely use cases any more, I buy the paper envelopes for discs and they take up even less space. Those and a Sharpie for writing on digital media discs and I'm set! I was out in the garage getting a small pot and some potting soil when the heavens opened. I waited a little while, playing with the phone camera and sending them to twitter, when I remembered there was an umbrella in the truck. I got back too late for the auction. Darn. But I'll get the book from Amazon, or maybe I should sign up for that paperback trading group, see if anyone else has it. If you think of it Kat, post a link? I have a trailing house plant that I'm going to use to take some cuttings and start in that other pot. It would look nice in a hanging pot once it gets started. We needed this rain, and I'll be able to do some gardening this weekend. It is looking kind of ratty out there now, lots of weeds. It has been too hot to do much work and the soil was too hard for pulling weeds effectively. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 02 Sep 10 - 12:01 PM Me too SRS. But folks who are producing CDs do like to ship them in cases. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 02 Sep 10 - 12:03 PM More laundry, today, after taking Morgan to school as his mom is still not feeling well. My Task Manager tells me to finish my website redesign, but my Fun-Loving-Put-It-Off-'til-Tomorrow Self is telling me to go have fun in the old office, moving stuff around, but then it would be more fun to do that with Morgan after school, so...maybe I'll do a bit of what TM is telling me.:-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 02 Sep 10 - 12:48 PM Cross-posted, SRS. Here ya go: PaperbackSwap.com. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 02 Sep 10 - 02:24 PM New project - figuring out how to do affordable multiples of art images that will be popular items to sell on Etsy. It takes too many hours to create to just sell the original small paintings, so I'm working on ideas like what I did about 8 years ago for items I sold at the Farmer's Market. I can transfer the images to fabric and applied them to lots of items I sold like small terracotta herb pots, magnets, small wooden boxes. For Etsy, I'm looking at reducing and cropping the images and making lockets, pendants, etc. Sun is coming out. This may be my last chance to get the garden work and the storm windows finished before winter. I'm getting out my old hula music to exercise by dancing again. A rolfer who worked on my body a couple of years ago encouraged me to go back to the hula I used to perform as the best all over exercise. (I'm sure yoga and others are just as good). But hula has the beautiful memories and brings back my youth when I hear the music and move to the choreography. A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 02 Sep 10 - 03:09 PM They would make beautiful greeting cards, too, Alice, imo. When I went to the Wyoming Book Fest a few years ago, I took my photos of Boysen Peak to Office Max and had them copied onto card stock, then they cut them for me, so I got to cards from each sheet. I put six cards with envelopes in baggies and sold them for $10 each. I sold lots more of them than I did books. People really loved the images which are fairly unique as not many people get to go up top and take such shots. I've thought of doing that, again, and offering them on places like Etsy. Good luck with whichever you decide to do. I feel decidedly lazy, again, today. Didn't get to sleep until about 130a and was up by 7a, so maybe a nap is in order, again.:-)I want to be fresh and awake when I pick up Morgan at 4p to take him to buy some new shoes as a surprise. Rog is off tomorrow, so maybe I'm just storing up my energy for what all we will do together.:-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 02 Sep 10 - 03:19 PM At lunch I took time to empty the shelves and bins in the fridge and wash everything down. I also took out a couple of crisper containers I've been using and cleaned those and replaced the veggies, then scrubbed the door shelves before replacing those bottles and jugs. The freezer will wait for reorganization. Kat, I meant to mention earlier, the first couple of years of school it seems like the little guys are sick all of the time. It takes a while to build up immunities to what is going around in that new germ pool. I suspect you'll have a few more of these episodes with Morgan home sick during the year. It's less frequent for younger siblings, because they've already caught what the older school child brought home. Same kind of thing happens when they go away to college also. Fingers crossed that there aren't too many colds going around out there in the dry desert air. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 02 Sep 10 - 03:40 PM Thanks, SRS...we had the same thing happen last year in kindergarten. He usually recovers fairly quickly, but his parents both smoke and imo, it costs them a lot of downtime when he brings home the germs OR when one of their co-workers brings germs from their kids to work. Germ pool is right! At least this year he doesn't argue with me when I tell him, first thing, "go wash your hands and use soap!"*bg* And, he likes using purel! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 02 Sep 10 - 08:24 PM Hour and a half of gardening exercise done, digging, planting, transplanting. Tried to give some Japanese iris to a neighbor, but she declined. Oh, well. More for me next year. A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: ragdall Date: 02 Sep 10 - 08:25 PM Beautiful sunny day here alive with migrating and resident birds chirping and calling. Before I could change my mind, Mr. ragdall has flattened and taken the boxes to the recycling bin, bless his heart. I've been tidying inside the house and rushing out with my camera whenever I hear birds calling, always hoping to get that one exceptional photo of a bird that I never seem to be able to get. I uploaded the best of the mediocre shots today. After I uploaded these photos I caught three woodpeckers, but will try to wait until later to upload those because I need to get that ladder painted while it's still warm enough out there. I'm having problems with the agoraphobia again. It got worse from being forced to stay inside for over a week when the smoke was bad. My camera gets me out of the house, I don't feel anxious when I can hide behind it. Going out into the carport with only a paintbrush on the other hand, terrifies me. I need to get this project finished and delivered to the grandchildren. rags |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 02 Sep 10 - 08:31 PM I know the feeling, rags. Once out there it's not so bad, but anticipating having to deal with outer-world is stressful. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 02 Sep 10 - 08:42 PM Those are beautiful shots, ragdall. And what a lovely day! I am making a point of getting out every so often or I could go for days without talking to anyone. I'm tired of the skin on my hands being broken out because it makes it difficult to do what I want or I'd be outside a lot more. They got a lot worse this week, but that was after I had soy milk on my cereal several days in a row. Now I'm completely avoiding soy products and I'll see if they clear up. Myself as guinea pig is not the easiest way to sort this out, but it's the only method available to me without the expense of a visit to a specialist, but that will have to be my next move if this doesn't work. More information on the knife, someone on the British Blades site came in and named a maker and a town in India. I think I've posted as much as I'm going to on the site, though. It is a good looking knife, it does seem to be very well-made, so perhaps it is the exception to what some of these guys are reporting. I've put a lot of buyer-beware information on the site, and if anyone has a computer and uses Google, they'll land on my conversation over on that blade site. One of the remarks I forwarded from questions posted said it was made in India, so that's that. Time to walk the dogs, then fish for dinner, and after washing up I may watch a movie. It has been a while since I sat down and just watched one. I have some NetFlix DVDs that have been here for weeks. We've still watched instant stuff, so it hasn't gone unused, but it's time to move these along. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 02 Sep 10 - 09:52 PM rags, if those are mediocre, I'll take them any day! Those two of the tanager look like paintings, the colours are so balanced. Just beautiful, all of them. I couldn't go anywhere without being with my Rog over the past year when I was having such a horrible time with anxiety and depression. Morgan did get me out in the yard to watch him play, but I was not comfortable going anywhere alone. Still prefer having company. It's good you recognise the trigger and can use the camera to make sure you ease back out. Good for you. SRS, almond milk is delicious on cereal and also in smoothies. Best laid plans...don't know what we will get done this weekend, now. Rog came home to tell me he picked up a half day or so of freelance work which will really help our checkbook AND it is up on the Uncompaghre (oon-cum-PAH-grey or un etc.) Plateau, so I will go with him as I love it up there. There are a couple of albums at MY OPERA with some photos of up there...not very good ones as I took most as we were driving.:-) We will go up on Sat., so will try to get some things done, tomorrow, for sure grocery shopping. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 02 Sep 10 - 10:10 PM Wishing you good weather for that road trip to the plateau, kat. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: maire-aine Date: 02 Sep 10 - 10:21 PM I guess I'm behind. The new month's thread took me by surprise. August turned out to be one of Michigan's 10 driest months ever, but we finally got some rain last night. I took a ride out to several garden centers in the area (two were new to me) looking for some bargains, but didn't buy much. The good perennials weren't on sale yet, but I did by some daffadil bulbs. This weekend is going to be crazy. Our little suburb (north of Detroit) is hosting Arts-Beats-Eats over the weekend. Huge crowds are expected, and this so soon after the Woodward Dream Cruise. I'm a mile from downtown, and even our street is designated for "permit parking only". If I go, I'll have to walk, unless I can find somebody near downtown that'll let me park in their driveway. Maryanne |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: maire-aine Date: 02 Sep 10 - 10:30 PM It finally cooled off enough to open all the windows, and now I get the fragrant aroma of skunk coming thru the window. Aargh! M |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 02 Sep 10 - 10:33 PM ugh, skunk Yup, this is the time of year I start smelling it from our backyard and alley, too. A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 02 Sep 10 - 10:47 PM Today I declutted a lot of mismatched crapola that had piled up in the drainer-- mostly lids that fit nothing. No one ever empties it, so it's a catchall I am putting AWAY! I need the counter space for the hauled-water operation anyhow. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 02 Sep 10 - 11:09 PM I'm so pleased that I cleaned my refrigerator today. I opened it to fix dinner this evening and it was so white and sparkling in there! As I worked I had to throw out things that were just too large to use by myself. I had a big jar of pickled herring that was beginning to get a rancid flavor, so out it went. I'll buy the little jars now, my son decided he doesn't eat it now so I was working on that large jar by myself before he left. My auction is now at a respectable $56, and I don't expect it to go much further, but it has a surprising 23 watchers! I'm going to work on my photos for work this evening until I finish them and can send them out. And I'll be able to take a few hours off tomorrow. It's nice to have a long weekend! SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: ragdall Date: 03 Sep 10 - 06:38 AM SRS, I hope that you'll soon be able to tell what causes the skin on your hands to break out. It's hard to do anything when your hands are sore. When I used to work in a bakery I discovered that I have a contact allergy to flour that made a mess of my hands. Good luck with the knife auction. I'm impressed that so many people noticed the knife so quickly. Can you tell if any of the watchers have already placed bids? Most likely some are waiting until the end to put in a bid at the last minute. If they bid sooner it drives the price up. Kat, have a wonderful time in the Uncompaghre Plateau, whatever you were planning to accomplish on the weekend at home will be waiting for you when you return. The ladder is painted! I used a roller this time instead of a brush, I think it looks better now. I had enough paint left in the can to do a full second coat on the ladders and a single coat on the two 2x4 studs I bought to anchor the legs to in hopes of preventing the ladders from toppling over sideways. When it's thoroughly dry I'll dismantle it and try to arrange for a visit to see the "new house" and to set the ladder up for the grandchildren to use. rags |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: maeve Date: 03 Sep 10 - 07:17 AM Your link needs a nudge, Rags. It shows as private. m |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 03 Sep 10 - 07:23 AM Finally a full night of sleep courtesy of Ambien (and my husband who had his ears on for the baby). I'm up and ready to hit a bunch of yard sales with a friend this morning!!! YEEEHAW And, this is important...so listen up! September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and today is the day to wear the color teal to show your support! So get your teal on and power UP!!!! If you happen to see a mostly blad woman and a gorgeous little brown boy dressed in teal, c'mon over and say hello...don't be shy....we can talk symptoms and details to save your life!!!!!!!!!!! ;) Power Up People! Love you all! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 03 Sep 10 - 11:12 AM Michelle, did you have difficulties sleeping before all of the medical stuff? If so, do you think that as you get further from it you'll get back to old habits? I had to stop drinking any caffeine after early afternoon or I noticed it kept me awake more, and I can't take my allergy pill (generic zyrtec) or some decongestants at night or they keep me awake. Teal is one of my favorite colors, so wearing it today (or this month) is slam dunk easy! It's Friday, and I need to look around for some task here that I can finish. I have many that I've started. Last weekend's mirror was a good start because it looks good where it is and I'm no longer tripping over it where it was. The same can be said about the little stacks of tile around some rooms where I left off working (rooms next to the incomplete hall tile). I have tile down to grout, I have tile to cut, and I have tile to put down, so that might be my best choice. I have all of the materials here, that's another criteria, to truly finish an existing project is to use up some of the stuff sitting around. rags, are you able to eat flour? Is it just handling it that bothers you? I do bake regularly and I made pizzas a few days ago and that corresponds to when I was using soy milk. I was going to go look for some rice milk, but now that almond milk has also been suggested I'll see if I can find either one. If I avoid handling flour at the same time I'm avoiding soy and my hands clear up, I'll still have to figure out if it is soy or flour, but at least that is something I can try later. For exercise, I walked the dogs around the block again last night. My knee is feeling better so I'm making sure to wear good shoes and walk on a smooth street (I injured it when I stepped in a hole. Sounds silly, doesn't it?) I'll build up the length of the walks as the knee can tolerate it. We're in slightly cooler weather now, so I'm glad to be able to get out again. Use the momentum of energy that comes with the cooler season to charge ahead! Kat I clicked on your photo link and it offered several albums. Is this place the one with the interesting bluffs in the first album? It looks kind of like an eroded moonscape? Enjoy that ride, and take the camera again! SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 03 Sep 10 - 11:16 AM Water zone DONE, set up; going to get more today. Also on the docket is a trip for 2 2/4's to shore up the porch roof trying to commit suicide all over my neatly stored items below. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 03 Sep 10 - 11:28 AM 2 2/4s sounds like a dance, Susan. You're talking about 2x4s? That brings up the image of construction. Careful, dancing on the saggy roof! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 03 Sep 10 - 01:17 PM Okay, I made sure to cover my ass on eBay - I posted one last revision, but it is simply a link back to the conversation on British Blades that identifies the knife down to the manufacturer in a town in India. It is a pretty knife, it does look exotic, and someone could buy this because it is a pretty knife, or to use as an example of a knockoff and not be so much out of pocket. I'm not selling the Hope Diamond here. :) To keep up with the eBay stuff I've been looking around for something else to sell. I have tons of textiles from the Connecticut house. Maybe some antique blankets. It's approaching that time of year. Lovely cool morning out. Michelle, the embroidery on the t-shirt I'm wearing today is teal. I realized that my best teal garment is a sweater, but it isn't sweater weather here yet! I've been growing okra for my neighbor to use, and have enjoyed watching these plants grow and produce. I'll do it again next year. I haven't cooked any myself, but I enjoyed the cooked (fried) okra she brought over last week so I'm going to give it a try myself later. I asked her yesterday more about how they cook it. She's headed out of town for a few days so I'll have a lot extra, and will probably give it to another neighbor. They produce maybe a dozen pods a day now, and if you eat it once or twice a week that adds up to a lot of okra, even if it does shrink a bit when you cook it. I'm thinking ahead to the weekend. I can use evenings for tile work, but I know I'll be lured outside during the day. I do have to mow, to start with. Also, I have one garden bed to finish building, one to finish weeding, and I have to pull out some of the non-producing stuff in the raised beds. I think I'll start working on that soil for next spring now. I need to raise the beds a bit in my kitchen door garden. I need to angle a couple of the beds differently on the other side of the drive, and make a couple of them a little wider. One of these years I'll have my act together enough to grow potatoes. Maybe that year is coming up. I have to go get one of those boxes I didn't throw out and put my garlic in it. It's dried enough now to store in a dark closet. (It's in the dark laundry room now). SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 03 Sep 10 - 01:23 PM 2 2x4's, yes. A-framed into props and toenailed, just like the DIY boys demo on the teevee. Braced all around in nice triangles, to hold till the landlord comes in with proper 4x4's, and then I'll take back our lumber cuz we can allus use it helsewhere. We didn't go for the full restoration of height, because the beam that is coming down is made of layers not all flexing the same way-- somebuddy is gonna have to get up there-- not on a ladder to puzzle it back into place-- but a scaffold-- it's really a high ceiling out there as those who have been here will recall. Just enough to keep it from coming down any further and falling on me or my stored stuff. But if and when they 4x4 it, I'll be able to set up a dog-fence out there, too, because it never did have nailing surfaces where the porch meets the soft antique brick of the house. The 4x4 will close one end and if I can't afford a 4x4 then I'll just use these 2x4's for the other end. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 03 Sep 10 - 06:36 PM My son is working on a hard disk problem on his new computer. I offered what I knew about the software he asked about, suggested another solution with other software he also has (if the corrupt sector is his boot section, he can try booting with the OS disk and it might offer to repair, etc.) and to check the Windows site. We've had a number of computer issues to solve, though this is the first system failure, and though it would be nice as Mom to wave a wand and make it work, it's good for him to sort this out, and what timing. A long weekend for tinkering. Our bulky waste pickup is the week of Sept 13 so I've started trimming some limbs that grew into the way during the summer. I'll mow this weekend, then start piling the branches on the lawn down at the curb. I went out and trimmed during a break this afternoon. I decided it was time when I was hearing car doors slam on the street but couldn't see through this multi-stem tree's drooping branches. I figure if I can't see the street, people in the street can't see the house if someone is trying to break in. (The Sheriff was parked across the street and must have wondered at the nosy neighbor pruning her tree so she can see out.) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 03 Sep 10 - 09:48 PM Picked up a GREAT FC item today, a beautifully sculpted head and bust (female). Full size. My DIL had been looking for a "model" for pix of the jewelry she makes. This is perfect, only needs a paint touch-up. Classic lines, and some palette-knife action has left her a tad rough and abstract, PERFECT to set off any style beadwork, metal work, etc. Maybe even unisex-- depends what scarf sh/he wears. Heavy, but we deliver! ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 03 Sep 10 - 11:31 PM There is a diagnosis for what we all have. Thanks, Linn (BatGoddess). Picked it up on facebook. Started clearing up the kitchen, made a small pizza for dinner, and since the oven was on, I have a large sweet potato baking. I'll put it in the fridge and slice off a couple of disks at a time to reheat with meals. I love it plain. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 03 Sep 10 - 11:59 PM That actress looked too young! We spent the morning running around. Dropped off two boxes and a bag of clothes at Goodwill, then went round the front to shop. I found several tops, plus a really neat cotton cardigan and two pair of pants which fit without any hemming up needed. Grand total, after I take two things back, will be about twenty bucks and that also includes a neat, longish lightweight denim vest. We then went to the health food store where I found hand sanitizer sans the alcohol and it smells good, too! On to the grocery store where we really stocked up as we were down to eating up old stuff we'd been avoiding for whatever reasons.:-) Came home, Rog packed it all in and put it away after which I gave him a fashion show, trying on the new clothes. Did two loads of laundry including the clothes I am keeping. Rog has been gathering up parts, tools, etc. for tomorrow's trip. Alice, thanks, the weather should be perfect. Rog was up there earlier this week and asaid it was really nice. We will be about 10,000 feet in elevation, so the shade might be cool and there may be an afternoon sprinkle, but no anticipation of anything dire. I am charging the camera batteries, now. I feel badly for the dog as there is no room for him to go, but my dau. will come keep him company. I told Morgan we'd be gone part of tomorrow and he said, "So, I'll be watching your house for you?":-) Wish we could take him, but he's too much of a live wire for that long in confined spaces, for us, that is. Seeyasoon, kat |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: ragdall Date: 04 Sep 10 - 02:35 AM maeve, Thanks for pointing out the problem with my link. I changed it: The ladder is painted. SRS, I've never seen the AAADD piece acted out before. That was well done and describes my days perfectly. I hope that your son will be able to fix the computer problem quickly and enjoy the rest of the weekend. Susan, the porch roof project sounds major. I hope that the 4x4's will be supplied soon. Kat, great job shopping at the Goodwill! You did very well for under $20. Enjoy your trip. The birds hadn't been flocking to the little pond that I'd lined with the bottom of the grandchildren's discarded swimming pool, I think it's too slippery? Today I noticed a small bird sitting on top of the large rock in the middle of the pond and trying to reach down to drink. That inspired me to gather a number of golf ball to orange sized smooth rocks, rinse them well with the hose and arrange them in the bottom of the pool like a stream bed. Soon there were several birds hopping from rock to rock in the pond. When I was rinsing rocks the weeds growing in the spaces between sidewalk slabs caught my attention. I decided it was a good time to dig them out before they freeze and again become obstacles for my snow shovel. That led to going around the outside perimeter of the sidewalk slab area with a lawn edger. My intention after that was to get out the 24 foot ladder and clean the eaves troughs but strong winds, followed by a thunderstorm then intermittent rain, forced me inside for the rest of the day. I stripped the beds and did 4 loads of laundry. I'm not sure where the rest of the day went because I haven't listed enough activity here to take up the time. I phoned my daughter in law and made arrangements to go see them and their new house, Sunday. It will take us about two hours to get there, if my old car makes it that far. Saturday I hope to get up into the attic to look for the boxes of books from my classroom library that I hope my son will appreciate having in his classroom. Also will dig up some of my small Rowan trees, a small Dogwood bush, four Maltese Cross plants and some mallow and Forget-me-nots which are perennials in this climate, and get them ready for travel to his garden. The Sunday weather prediction is for showers. I think that I can fit all but the 8 foot long horizontal ladder inside the station wagon. I'll try to find a tarp to cover that when I tie it on the roof rack. Otherwise it could be covered in mud when we get there. rags |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: ragdall Date: 04 Sep 10 - 04:08 AM rags, are you able to eat flour? Is it just handling it that bothers you? SRS, Sorry, I forgot to answer this. Yes and yes. I have no problem with eating items which contain wheat. Handling it bothers my hands. rags |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: VirginiaTam Date: 04 Sep 10 - 06:31 AM guess I am going to have to knuckle down and join this thread properly... Been too lazy or depressed to do anything much in the evenings and weekends but surf the net. Had a possible heart scare last week. Getting it checked now. I must lose weight, I must get myself fit. And I must clear up the junk around the flat. So I started clearing spare room yesterday evening until my feet were screaming with cramps. I never had toe cramps until last few weeks. God they are horrible. Woke up 5:30 this am and worked for another hour or so. Almost done getting my craft stuff sorted. Today I will tackle ironing and take the caravan stuff back to the caravan. Will also contact Nuffield Health club re Weight watchers and using pool, spa, equipment and exercise programmes. WeighWatchers should provide me with a specific diet to follow, though I am very interested in the Montignac or GI diet. sigh.... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 04 Sep 10 - 11:49 AM Thanks, rags. Every hint at possible cause/effect relationship are helpful. Virginia, you're back in the right place. I suspect all of us have some amount of weight to lose, and clutter seems to be an American way of life. I know I've commented here before that one of the reasons I find the CSI: Wherever programs so surreal is that they can walk into immaculate houses, find a pen on the floor, and decide that is a clue. Need I say more? Take baby steps if that is what will keep you working. Don't try to tackle the entire house at once. One trick that has worked for several of us is to work on the smallest room first, and go from there. It might be the laundry room or a bathroom (don't be fooled by the size of a closet - the function is so different and the density of the contents so much higher that I wouldn't start with one of those). I decided that since my income has dropped (no more child support) that I need to make a few simple changes to start with. And since I'm working on losing weight, I'm making a point of trying to eliminate most of the snack food and use fruit and veggies as snacks between meals. Sometimes just warming up a few bites of last night's dinner as a small meal (more small meals instead of three big ones) is enough to keep me comfortable during the day. I cleaned the fridge last week (it looks so good!) and I got rid of some of the things that were either past their shelf dates or seemed to have been open long enough that they no longer tasted right. I'll buy smaller jars, etc. I won't be here by myself all of the time, my son will be back for a month over the holidays and possibly next summer, so I'll get these habits going now and see what I can do to incorporate another person in later without going back full-tilt to a cupboard full of snacks, etc. Get him to eat more fruit snacks, etc. Now, out to the yard to mow and stack branches. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: ragdall Date: 04 Sep 10 - 02:47 PM Tam, Have you been getting enough calcium? I've found that increasing calcium intake seems to prevent cramps. Also flexing the toe end of the foot up toward the leg seems to stop a cramp. (Not easy to do when fighting a cramp, I know.) SRS, I love your observation about CSI! I was worried that I'd have trouble surviving without the child support, but figured out that the "child" was costing me far more than the child support was covering. A senior teen consumes a great deal of food and snacks in a day. When he left for college and the support money stopped, I was actually better off financially. If you are still having to support him at college, though, it must be a strain. I've become convinced that being overweight and amassing clutter are interrelated. If I can get rid of the clutter, I'll lose some weight. If I'm wrong, at least the house will be tidier, right? I'm going to try to get out on the ladder and clean at least part of the eaves troughs between thunderstorms. I also need to dig along the carport, reset the plastic wall covering sheets (Coroplast) into the ground and screw them into the facing board at the top. I'm afraid there might be tree roots down there that are lifting it up. If so I hope they are small enough for me to cut with loppers. I'm no good at kneeling anymore to saw them in the ground. rags |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Catherine Jayne Date: 04 Sep 10 - 03:42 PM I have now lost 6 and a half stone! I feel great, my gym instructor even commented on it yesterday! My exercise classes have been cut down now due to my new job but I am intending on walking the 6 miles home 3 times a week and getting to the gym on the other days. New job is going really well. I had an appraisal on Friday and the trainer and manager said I was clearly above average and they are please with me. It gave me a huge confidence boost. I've got loads of revision to do this week on mortgage regulations for an exam at the end of the week but I passed the last 2 with flying colours so I'll be putting the work in to get the grades as the better my final mark at the end of the training the higher the pay! Harry starts in the nursery class of the local primary school on Thursday so I've got to sew in his name tags into his uniform. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 04 Sep 10 - 03:46 PM Good observation, rags, about the weight/clutter connection. Also about the cost of the kid. I had direct costs for school lunch, allowance, and guitar lessons that have dropped out of the picture now, and when you also figure in a paid off loan then it keeps me at about my normal level of poverty. This is a transitional month, the first one without the full check (and one to be paid back, because the county messed up, but that's another story). After this I should be able to see how things really look with just me in the house. The bills being paid now reflect both the cost of a very hot summer and the two of us still in the house. Making progress in the front room, and I've identified a few eBay items to list. This may be slow-motion de-cluttering, but it does help the bank account a little. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 04 Sep 10 - 03:59 PM Here I am, out from under the rock that was August. Nothing wrong, just very busy with getting my new Animaterra chorus season underway, and the building of our porch (Latest pics here ). But now the chorus season has started - a smaller group than last time, but that's not unusual, since so many of the singers are teachers, who often prefer to take it easy in the fall. And the porch is moving along pretty well without me. The house is mostly keeping free from the worst of the clutter, not counting the black hole in space, aka the office. I pick away at it, but I seem to be good at making new piles as fast as I can go through the old ones. Hunt keeps promising to build me some more shelves, but then another series of gorgeous porch-building days come along, so the shelves have to wait. I waited 30 years for this house, I can wait a bit longer for shelves!! Best de-clutter re-locating activity of the week: the 3 rockers moved from the kitchen to the porch, and that very day I acquired a loveseat for the kitchen (right in front of the wood stove) from one of the most beloved contra dance callers in the region! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: ragdall Date: 04 Sep 10 - 06:15 PM Didn't get outside because it started to rain so climbed the 8 foot ladder inside to the roof space instead and crawled most of the length of the house looking for boxes of my classroom library books. Brought down two boxes of those and one box of "teacher reference" materials. Most of the ref. pages went into the paper recycle box. The children's novels will go to my son tomorrow for his classroom. They are all stamped with my name when I was married to my son's father, fortunately, I didn't include the "Mrs.". My son's first initial and mine are the same, so the books have his name in them. I found two teddy bears that my son made, when he was a young teen, (with some help from Mom It was a family project, the three boys each made two bears, I made about a hundred to sell at bazaars.) I repaired the dress on the girl bear. They'll be going for a one way ride with us tomorrow. I hope the grandchildren will be kind to them. Sun's out -- going to try again to make myself go outside, carry out that 24 foot ladder and go up it to clear blocked roof drains. rags |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 04 Sep 10 - 08:54 PM Goodness, you all have been busy! We had a lovely ride. My first big outing since getting sick a year ago last Spring and I did great. Every time we stopped, I got out, moved around and did some of the more vigorous qi gong and it helped a lot. It is poignantly beautiful up there; the aspens were gorgeous and I love the susurration their leaves make in the wind. But, there are probably thousands of Ponderosa pines which are completely dead due to the bark beetle infestation and great swathes of them have been cut down, left to lie, some waiting to be sawn up for firewood, but so many it woudl be impossible to get them all. Once proud, very tall trees, towering above all others, standing with brown and brittle limbs devoid of any needles or cones. They are very dense, so it was difficult to find any place for a picture without being confronted by the devastation. Nevertheless, I did get some nice shots of flowers and some scenery which are posted HERE. I cried because I did not want to come back to this valley. I really am not a valley person and, if it weren't for Morgan and his family, I would move in a heartbeat.:-)I DO feel more determined, though, to get with the decluttering and be a bit ruthless in making up my mind about things which are hanging about! I always get a restless, inspired-to-action feeling when we get out of town. More, tomorrow. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 04 Sep 10 - 09:01 PM WOW! You all have been so busy!!!! Me? Not so much. Today Pete took care of the baby ALL DAY and I was able to get some grocery shopping done and some photos printed up (a mere 168 of them..LOL)....other than that, I slept in, read some in my book for the book club, did a little cooking, relaxed in my recliner with a cup of coffee...ah yes....it was a wonderful, quiet day at home with my family. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 05 Sep 10 - 02:27 AM Kat, I was really hoping you'd have some of those photos of trees. Even after a fire or drought, they can be very dramatic, very powerful. It's like you're looking at the skeleton, and there is beauty there also. I was researching my phone bill today and realized that I could have upgraded in June. Since these plans are basically priced as if you're paying for a phone (even if it's paid off) I make a point of switching out pretty soon once there is a credit. I have the same phone as before, a newer version, and will have the rebate ready to mail on Tuesday. I also decided that one way to eat in a healthy way is to eat more whole grains. I have pots and pans and rarely buy "specialized" cookers, but I was reading Roger Ebert's raving about rice cookers (he of Siskel and Ebert fame) and was persuaded to give one a try. And these are the end of any purchases this month (there are still 25 days left in the month, I have to pace myself). I went to test it with some white rice and found the container full of weevils. Again. I just replaced a batch of white rice. The house is so warm in the summer I'm sure it let them hatch. I keep my flour in the freezer until I need it, and I'll have to start doing the same with my white rice. Still looking for disks for the kid. Still no luck. I suppose I'll have to do a deep de-clutter in there, starting with moving stuff and taking in the broom and mop to conquer the dust kittens (the size of leopards). Looks for stuff that has fallen through the cracks or between the mattress and the wall. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 05 Sep 10 - 03:07 AM Lovely photos, Kat. Blue, blue sky! My gardening day turned into a trip to Ikea with Eleanor, and I had a call from the agent while I was there to say I had a viewing that night, and I would have to show them round myself, as it was out of office hours. Well I had Freya for a couple of hours after lunch, while Eleanor went to the hairdresser, and then she went in with a vengeance and even more stuff got crammed into cupboards, under Ruth's bedroom furniture, and into the garage. Well I showed them round, and it appears they would be ready to proceed quite quickly (if they want it, and any offer was good). I await any results... Anyway, yesterday was a trip to Wolverhampton for Ruth's graduation. Woohoo! I am now officially free from schoolkids/students after 25 years! Today will be another garden day...hope I can find somewhere for the debris! Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: ragdall Date: 05 Sep 10 - 04:02 AM Beautiful photos, Kat. I like the yellow flowers with the butterfly. It's amazing that so much beauty can thrive with little more than rocks to grow in. The eaves troughs on both sides of the house are cleaned. Lots of room in them now for the leaves that will soon be blowing everywhere. The house side of the Crabapple tree was pruned to allow the ladder between it and the house. Dug out along one plastic panel covering the side of the carport. The root that is lifting it was too big to deal with today. A broom handle driven into the ground will hold the plastic in place until I can do more. Dug up three large Maltese Cross plants, two small lilacs, two small Red-osier Dogwoods, one small Green Ash and five small Mountain Ash, also several clumps of Lily of the Valley and about a dozen Forget-me-not plants. I hope my son and his wife will have room for them in their garden. The ladder was taken apart. Everything is loaded into the station wagon or tied securely on top of it, ready to leave in the morning. The weather forecast is "Cloudy with showers". I'm hoping we'll miss the showers. We're looking forward to finally seeing the house where our son's family will be living for at least the next three years. rags |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 05 Sep 10 - 09:27 AM (((((Tam))))) ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 05 Sep 10 - 11:42 AM Catherine Jayne, are you working in a real estate office or a bank loan office or something along those lines? Virginia, are you up and moving some, taking advantage of fall weather? Kat, if you have any photos of those trees, I'd like to see what you were talking about. Would you stick up a couple of them? I was up this morning to snag a book I wanted on eBay. Fortunately the other two bidders were newbies, one with 0 feedback, the other with 1. Not accustomed to bidding high enough to block someone's popping into the auction in the last 15 seconds and placing a winning bid. Out to the yard today. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: GUEST Date: 05 Sep 10 - 12:32 PM It's I, kat. Erased my cookies just as I was posting 'cause it was taking so long! Thanks, folks. SRS, I have a lot of video I took just holding the camera out as we drove along. I figured some folks in the UK and elsewhere might like to see what that is like. I looked them over last night and, apparently, we were going a lot faster than I thought as the aspen are a blur! I will go into moviemaker, slow them down a bit, and get some still shots. You are right, there is beauty in the skeletal remains, but there were SO many it was overwhelming. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 05 Sep 10 - 12:51 PM Thanks for those photos, Kat- they bring back such memories of autumn in Colorado! I've been feeling very poignant lately- partly hormonal, partly time of year. Missing my kids- missing loved ones gone "behind the curtain". What helps is to remember the beauty of my present life and all I am grateful for! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 05 Sep 10 - 01:02 PM Apols in advance for unspotted typos. (Eyes not the best today.) Round One on "Rental Suite" Setup, 2 hours: <> Stripped our beloved kingbed ("see you next summer, lovie!") and converted it to a stacked 2-mattress daybed, complete with comfy backrest. It can be taken apart to sleep 2 or more-- done. Still have to add linens and stow the underbed storage items (incl the leftover folding twin metal bedframe). <> Sorted storage shelf: blankets, towels, and linens to leave available, linens to store, linens to wash for camper replenishment-- done. <> Allocated furniture already up there: one padded tip-back/swivel chair to match ottoman, one wooden folding chair with pillows, one camp chair with pillows, all set. To add, one folding desk chair (have it), one laptop podium (have it, matches chair), one folding camping recliner (have). This will complete the lounging area-- tables/lamps there waiting for books. <> Snack department allocated and half set up: Micro-fridge ready to plug in-- holds 1-2 cans/jars. Cheap dorm microwave to get for popcorn. Mouse-proof breadbox to clean and take up (have a spare). (No "cooking" policy decided. PB&J welcome.) <> Ad written to run Tuesday: "Funky, fully furnished sleeping room for female student. Kitchen priv./occ. date negotiable. FMI phone cell: xxx-xxxx" <> Personal items to store: sorted, ready to box up-- one mere box, yay! I think it will ALL fit under the daybed for summer resumption, and still leave the tenant's double underbed storage free. <> Trash and laundry ready to move downstairs-- yay! <> Fridge allocated and partially cleared out, downstairs (shared old bev fridge) <> Cleaning, smoking, alcohol, pet policies all decided. <> Rugs allocated to finish covering bare parts of floor-- Hardi will help ease them into place after I super-vacuum them out on the front porch we shored up on Friday. He may carpet the stairs, too. <> Dressing mirror and clothes rack to assemble (up there already). <> AC to take out till summer-- Hardi will carry it down. <> A pair of curtains and tiebacks to hang (they're up there). <> Hooks for coats, etc. to hang in upper landing between room and stairs-- think I have them already. <> BR space allocated and ready to clear (5 minutes) (towels, toiletries) <> Electric blanket to find and install-- think the unopened, brand new one is up there and if not the one in the camper will out after we use it Friday night. The totality of what "must" come down is nil: will be easy to move back up once we reclaim it for the summer. (Easier than popping up and folding down the damn camper!) The "room" is 15 x 16 and can still sleep 5 or more with minimal conversion, for "guests" who the tenant will like to let crash. There is a LR zone, a sleeping zone, and a study zone. One switch outside the tenant's door turns off all the lights and any appliances they sneak in. The outlet to run the safe, oil-filled radiator is not on that circuit. Pluses: We offer snowplowed parking and choice of cats. Low rent, overnight guests welcome, no music is too loud if doors are closed. Free laundry facilities, soap supplied. Use of BBQ grill available. Add'l storage space available. Add'l guest space (parents visiting?) available. Family meals available. Weight room & treadmill available. Pee bucket optional. (WalMart has portapotti's.) Leaving for crimmiss or spring break? Leave yer stuff-- no rent charged! In sight: MY LONG LOST INCOME STREAM! Even if the winter is "too cold" and the tenant leaves, I ought to get at least a couple of months rent out of it. I've lived in worse and loved it. I've lived up there and loved it. It just needs the right tenant: a bohemian with serious studying to do-- grad student? (Big teachers' and nursing programs nearby.) If it works out, next is a male tenant for the in-house "sailboats" room near our winter bedroom. If it doesn't, it's all set for HUNTERS (or gas drillers). Feel free to join me in praying up and discerning the right tenant(s)! Yes I would take a "couple," no questions asked. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 05 Sep 10 - 01:26 PM Susan, I would think twice about gas drillers, or at least do some research first. If they pick up any of the same smells as the oil field folks, you won't be able to get rid of the crude oil smell and it will take over your washer and dryer. And parts of your house. I've camped near an oil field and found the commercial campground in the area was only suitable to people who worked in the oil fields because they were either so used to the smell they didn't mind or they couldn't smell it any more. Have you rented this particular apartment before? I must say that it has crossed my mind that I could rent a room to a student, but there are too many Seminary students on this side of town and I don't want to fool with the religious arguments. Some of them, when I run into them in the grocery store, are ready to try to convert everyone they meet. "Rent to single female student, no religious preference (meaning I prefer no religion at all)." I can see how that would go in the paper. :) Mowed the side yard and have been stacking the branches cut up so far for bulky waste. Yes, it is too early, but I need to do this now, not next week. I've come in for some lunch and to sharpen my lopper (pruning tool). I realize I'm cutting more with brute force than with a sharp blade. Gotta fix that. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 05 Sep 10 - 03:22 PM More brush piled out front, and some from the back of the back yard piled on the compost. It's the suckers that popped out of stumps since last spring and they'll mostly disappear in the compost (I hate big sticks in the compost). Once I mow later on the yard will have that nice park-like look that it gets when you have the long view through the backs of several of our yards along the creek. I love the luxury of a slightly tamed wild place. Nice surprise on the auction - another $100 added to the total. I'll ship it on Tuesday and be glad to have such a beautiful but frankly dangerous thing out of here. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 05 Sep 10 - 03:22 PM Susan, I would think twice about gas drillers, or at least do some research first. ... Have you rented this particular apartment before? We regularly run into them at local restaurants. You will recall from past posts that I have serious issues with smells-- and I've never picked up a THING off them as I pass by. There are *legal* concerns about some of them... (I understand some of them hit the road to work the gas thing after unresolved problems in their home states). But a background check can be done. And no, we have not rented out this space per se, but lots of Mudcatters have enjoyed it. Because it is an addition onto the main house, there is zero noise transfer. It was originally built to be farmhand housing on a large working farm, and was originally the enormous bedroom to what would have been a 2-story apartment. The downstairs is where the fridge, Hardi's weight room, and the laundry machines live, as well as the back door into the house and access to "their" interior stairway. (It's the old Mudcat Attic Dorm.) Supplemental heat will chimney from the laundry room right up their stairwell into their space-- been there, slept that. A young person will not find it "too cold." Heading back up now for Round Two! ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Catherine Jayne Date: 05 Sep 10 - 03:39 PM SRS....I'm working in a the collection and recoveries section of a bank. It's really interesting as well as challenging. It's a position which has good promotional prospects too! Done a couple of more exercise classes this weekend. Tomorrow I'm starting to walk home from work. The 6 miles will be a good start for training for the London Moonwalk in May. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: VirginiaTam Date: 05 Sep 10 - 04:57 PM What a difference a new iron makes.... I did a load of it in half the time it used to take. Still quite a lot more to do, but I feel good getting done what I did. Stuff is now in caravan and lists made for shopping and taking camping next week. New sofa bed ordered and arrangements made for friend to take the old sofa away. Sticking to sensible eating, very small portions, healthy foods, lots of water. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 05 Sep 10 - 05:09 PM 1-1/2 hours Round Two UNmade the daybed to add a dust ruffle-- ouchies with muscles sore from Round One. But it is now dressed in layers from the floor up, with about a dozen pretty pillows Hardi helped me case when he came up to see "where you wife" as we like to say. While I was up there Sadie was NOT yiking like a fire truck because she was jealous Faulkner had gone up with me-- she desperately needed to be let OUT, as the state of their carpeted corner now makes totally clear. Uh, yum? ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 05 Sep 10 - 06:17 PM Today we did some MAJOR grocery shopping...last night's trip was for minimal amounts of food as I wasn't sure we were going to go grocery shopping today. So...small bits of shopping done locally last night and a trip to the *big city* today. We went to Sam's Club and Wegmans and spent $350.00 between the two. Given all my medical bills and the cash laid out for medications over the past 7 months, our budget has been beyond tight. This is the first month we've had a bit more freedom and my cupboards have been lacking....freezer too. NOT ANYMORE! YAY! We stocked up on essentials besides food too...dish soap, laundry soap, shampoo, enough baby formula for a month (probably much more than a month's supply as he is now eating baby food 3 times a day plus cereal too), paper products....you get the idea. Everything has been put away except for a large amount of canned goods which will wait until tomorrow when I can clean out the pantry and get it all organized. It makes me feel good to have a stocked freezer and pantry!!! Meat will be unpacked, trimmed, divided up and frozen tomorrow too unless I get a big streak of energy. Also, on Friday, I spent all day with a friend and Jeremiah hitting up yard sales. I am so addicted. He got 22 articles of clothing (all in great shape)....4 of which are jackets and 5 pairs of cordoroy pants great for winter creeping on wood floors which can get coldish, a laundry basket full of toys.....3 crinkly books are in the wash at the moment and I will be washing down the other toys in the morning, 3 Richard Scarey learning videos, 1 Baby Einstein dvd, 3 movies for mommy and daddy, 2 alarm clocks and a handmade flannel baby quilt all for $16.00....I feel like we hit the jackpot!!! HOORAY! I love to shop and I love a good bargain...can you tell? :) Anyway, on to the cleaning and preparations for Pete's uncle who is visiting next week! I'm working on the living room tonight...anyone want to come help? ;) Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 05 Sep 10 - 07:07 PM SRS, I captured a couple of shots of the some Ponderosas from the video, but NOT good quality and don't really show the widespread devastation as I wasn't taking pix of them. Rog will be going back up soon, though, before the snow flies as that area is totally closed off and inaccessible when it gets going winter-wise. If I don't go with him, I'll be sure he gets a few pix regardless. I should have used his video camera. It was on the seat next to me, but I am not familiar with it and my camera is so much handier. I do have a raw footage video if anyone wants me to email it. I don't want to put it up anywhere public as I would get laughed at, I am sure, but it does give one an idea of what it looks like to travel along dirt roads up in the high country. Some parts are not too bad, just the whole thing is kind of jerky. I tried slowing it down in moviemaker, but it looked worse, so there ya go. Rog and I worked from about 10a-4p. We got a huge project done! Went through the rest of the books in the living room and we were ruthless about what little to keep..the rest will be sold, given away, etc. Once we'd almost emptied those shelves, we brought out the library truck which was full and then some. Went through all of those and culled out a bunch more. So, now the truck sits in the LR, draped with plastic to keep out the dust and, still full to the brim with extra books stacked on top. Those are my new job. I will try to get at least 2-3 listed online each day from all of those. There's a lot of research to do AND photos to take as well as deciding where to sell them, but at least they are sorted. We also moved my 3 ring binders of various stuff up one shelf in the office, so the paperbacks for the swap site can be on an easy to get to shelf when I get a request for one of them. We added over thirty new books to that list today, so the shelf is full counting the others I had in boxes. So, I also listed the thirty at paperbackswap.com AND I entered them and all of the other paperbacks I am giving away or whathaveyou on mylibrary.com list of books read. I cannot believe, but I recruited Morgan to help me by reading the ISBN numbers to me and after we were about halfway through, he asked if he could go home! Hahaha...turns out he was not feeling super and just wanted to go lie down...puir kid. Anyway, I don't know where we will put the truck to get it out of the LR...it looks like an elephant in the middle of the room:-) but it's not going back in the office. I will just have to hurry up and get the books listed and sold! If they don't sell in a certain time, they will go to friends and/or a public library. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 05 Sep 10 - 07:29 PM Good work, everyone! I finished mowing, and after I cool off a little will take the trimmer out. I put in new string this morning to get ready. It seems the best way to get this one to work is to not put in so much and fill it often, but I was to the end of the roll of string and put it all in. I may regret that. Cod thawing for dinner, along with the rest of last night's rice and some veggies and fruit. It was a good workout mowing and I might was well keep on that healthy path with a good meal. And I'll walk the dogs before I feed them, so lots and lots of exercise today. Poor Sadie - she must feel so bad about making a mess in the house. Michelle, I keep my membership up at Sams Club because it is only a mile or so from here, and because I can run over and pick up one of those rotisserie chickens every so often. Have you tried those? Allison, that must be a huge kitchen. Three rocking chairs? A loveseat? Wow! SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 05 Sep 10 - 07:42 PM SRS, Nope, we've never had their rotisserie chicken...probably because we have a 45 minute drive to get home before we'd be able to enjoy it. I just joined paperbackswap book club too...haven't listed any books yet but it is on my list of things to do! Jeremiah is in his jammies (footies jammies....sooooo sweet), has had his dinner (sweet potatoes tonight...his favorite), we've read a story ("That's When I'm Happy) and he's on is way to bed as soon as Daddy is finished hanging out with him. Lots of walking for me today. 'Night all! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 05 Sep 10 - 09:04 PM Walking yes, here too-- ought to quantify-- plus the steps. TBTG for Tramadol and French films; Hardi and I just took out a smoked brisket to "rest" for further processing tomorrow. It's a big one! Office work (and steps up there) resume tomorrow. New cooking show-- Aarti's Party. Get it if you can. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 05 Sep 10 - 11:30 PM Michelle, I used to sometimes buy two of those chickens, one for the meal that evening and one for leftovers. Even if you take it home in the cooler, you'll find it's nice to have all of that cooked bird for soup or quesadillas or tacos or whatever. I like chicken on pizzas and on salad, there are so many ways to use it and the good thing about those birds (that I've seen here) is that they're in the 5-6 pound range and you can't buy a raw chicken for less than these things cost. I finished the trimming around the yard and I'll put in a load of laundry. I'll do some puttering around the house, but I've pretty well finished any big jobs for the day. Tomorrow I'd do some weeding. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 05 Sep 10 - 11:31 PM Had to move the storm windows from the deck this morning into the house, as it is forecast to snow tonight. In a couple of days it will be clear and 60 again, then I can finish painting them so we can get them back up on the windows. Can't get enough ventilation to paint them inside until I can leave the door and window open. Brrrrr! I'm not ready for snow this soon. A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 06 Sep 10 - 12:14 AM Already had six requests for books on paperbackswap! That didn't take long. Those will go out the door on Tuesday. Then I will get credit for all six and can request six of whatever is available that I'd like to read. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Liz the Squeak Date: 06 Sep 10 - 03:46 AM MAjor declutter required.. can barely move in computer room where things got sorted off a shelf and then not put in another place... it's started creeping into the bedroom now! HELP! Still, at least I deflea'd the cats. Little bastards repaid me by peeing on my handbag. LTS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 06 Sep 10 - 08:25 AM OMG LtS! ROF, LOL, ROF, LMAO! There IS someone whose day has begun (or ended) more FUBAR than MINE! Sympathies, ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 06 Sep 10 - 09:26 AM SNOW! Oh I don't think I'm at all ready for that! We're still in Tees! The people who came to view the house on Friday are coming back for a second viewing tonight! Things may be moving faster than I anticipated (or not, if they decide against it). Liz - you've just got typical cats! Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 06 Sep 10 - 11:49 AM Good luck, Andrea! That sounds good! I have had nine books requested, in total, since listed them yesterday! All will go out the door tomorrow. Rog is mowing and weed-wacking, I am doing dishes, then we are moving a trunk from the foot of our bed and moving a lightweight table to that spot, utting the trunk in our closet, I think. Then the library truck can go into the office where the table was! Then Rog will sweep and I will mop. Have to go finish the dishes, now.:-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 06 Sep 10 - 12:14 PM One large shelf in the mudroom/pantry has been cleaned off, outdated stuff tossed (not bad, only 3 cans), over 30 cans of soup added, shelf reorganized, some other stuff cleaned out, a rough sweep done and kitchen counter has been almost found. Second load of laundry is going. All new baby toys have been cleaned/bleached/washed...all cloth toys are being air dried by God, hard toys scrubbed, dried, new batteries added where needed and put away by Mommy. Onward! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 06 Sep 10 - 01:37 PM I had a huge lifetime supply bottle of soy sauce in the fridge that takes so much space that I found an old tall olive oil bottle with a rubber gasket stopper and filled it. There is still another quart of soy sauce to decant into something smaller, so I'm poking around the cupboards. I hate to throw stuff out that is perfectly good, and maybe after ages in the fridge this will need to be tossed, but at least it won't continue to take up so much door real estate. I don't have room in my closets for trunks, there is so much stuff around the sides on the floor (toy boxes or low clothes rods or shoe racks) already, but this does give me an idea. I could stack a couple at table height in a couple of places and let them act like a taller tabletop instead of leaving them unstacked and more in the coffee table position. I'll report back on this one. Thanks, Kat! The lawn looks wonderful today. This time of year it is almost dormant, but with occasional heavy rains, it grows in a spotty way and it tends to look scruffy for weeks before I mow. I haven't smelled any barbecue smoke yet, but I'm sure someone in the neighborhood will be having a party. There was one up the street yesterday evening. We have a tropical storm or hurricane, not sure what it is right now, pushing clouds and rain our way, but today should stay dry. I think I'll go get some country-style ribs to grill and keep in the fridge for this week. I've almost finished filing a bunch of papers and school stuff to clear off my dining room table. Once it is clear the stuff that is being shipped to my son will go there until I find a box to fit it. He has been waiting for something to be returned from a friend here, but I'd like to get the rest of the stuff to him now. I didn't do laundry yesterday because I was going to mow (I'd end up kicking dust or grass on the clothes on the line) so I'll do it today. I love hanging laundry on the line, for me it's one of those visceral activities that makes my life feel connected to the planet, if that makes any sense. Taking damp clothes out and hanging them as I listen to the birds and wind chimes and wind in the trees. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: VirginiaTam Date: 06 Sep 10 - 02:25 PM I don't like weight watchers sausage and mash... Mushrooms were the best part. 3 colleagues commented that I looked like I've lost weight when I walked in the door today. That's a good thing. I am wearing trousers I could not a month ago. I had rejigged my calorie counter/activity spreadsheet. Few more tweaks and I will set laptop to open on startup. also send copy to a diet buddy. I am cold and exhausted this evening so doing no work or exercise. I was literally falling asleep on my feet when we did shopping this evening. I love those rotisserie chickens. Used to buy 2 and pick meat off both as soon as I got them in the door. Freeze most of the meat in little containers to be taken out one at a time for soups, salads, etc. But I think I read somewhere they have a huge amount of fat in them, due to basting and infecting of fat. So every 3 weeks I buy skinless chicken breast fillets and put under broiler with lemon juice and Kroger salt free Zesty Blend. (I need to get my Mom to send me some more of that stuff. I use it on loads of foods and don't need salt. There is nothing comparable in the UK.) Let chicken cool, chop it up and freeze in packs for later use. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 06 Sep 10 - 03:45 PM They aren't basted, it's the rotisserie that keeps them juicy because the bird's own melted fat moves as the bird turns. There is probably a lot of salt, though. They use Lawry's seasoning. I still roast chickens whole and find I can use the meat during the week in so many different dishes that it doesn't go to waste. But I do need to leave it in front so I remember to use it. When the fridge was always really full I would lose track of things and have to toss them if they were too old. Now that I can see everything without rearranging the containers I hope to throw less away. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 06 Sep 10 - 04:15 PM That happens with me with Rog, SRS. He shoves my stuff to the back when he puts in whatever he has cooked up for himself for the week and I forget I've got a whole new packet of fresh strawberries until they go bad or I go "mining" for a snack!:-) The trunk I was talking about, which didn't go to the closet, btw, we didn't have room, either, had been in my LR for years and years as a low coffee table. It's too big and heavy, though, and I tired of it always being laden with stuff that had to be moved every time I wanted to get into it, so it went against a wall in our bedroom, with a chair in front of it, which will work out okay for now. It does have a crate of our son's LPs on it, but those are easily moved. Trunks do make great end/lamp tables, too. We did get the table moved out of the office and the library truck went back to that room, but over in the corner now so it's not in the way as it was before. Now all I have to do is figure out where to put everything which wound up piled on my desk..all the jewellery making supplies, more books, ebay stuff, stacking racks for the office, papers to be filed (it's a BIG desk) and a few odds and end. My goal is to get the laptop set up again in there with a regular monitor and track ball, plus have the jewellery stuff to hand should the mood strike. I think I can do that by bringing the ebay stuff out to the rest of the boxes in the LR under the bookshelves and filing a bunch of other stuff as well as get rid of a lot. It will feel so good to have the office back in order, again. We've had a "cold" front move in, no snow like you, Alice, thank goodness, but nippy this morning and a beautiful, breezy 70s/low80s with sun and a few clouds. Just gorgeous! Yesterday and Sat. were in the 90s. SRS, forgot to say I put those photos in the album at the myopera link posted before. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 06 Sep 10 - 06:07 PM Today's Rent work was minimal but helpful-- Hardi has a rare day off so we are doing other stuff. I washed out the metal breadbox that will go up there and dug out the boiling pot (labled "water ONLY"), into which I inserted a metal ring to hold canned food to heat up. Thus the opened can goes into a water bath, and the pot never needs to be washed but can warm up all sorts of things as well as water for tea, ramen, etc. The second pot I'd been holding went out to the camper, where we missed it during vacay and which we are using later this week. Also I washed out a spare Brita-type filter pitcher to go to the church thrift shop. I had a phone chat with my mom today, who vetted the rental plan pretty thoroughly; she concurs. If it passes the Momtest-- with THIS mom-- stats say it's a good plan. Early this AM I figured out how to work around my use of the spare bedroom near ours where I nap, etc., and I can see that room also being rented out before too long. Blockage: the bookshelves in there hold the books we want to keep post-purge. Don't really want to move them; might get them into a shelf up there-- no, wait, the linen closet we never use! :~) OK, that one can open November 1 (or be the second and more expensive choice for the first tenant if the attic room proves too cold). I made Peruvian Green Spaghetti today while Hardi nursed his smoked brisket along in its water bath to finish it. Yummy supper! Keep moving forward, all of you. Remember that any movement forward is momentum and progress, and MUCH better than sliding-backwards momentum. Even holding your place is good-- so you can continue forward movement without having to reverse the whole flow. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 06 Sep 10 - 07:59 PM De-cluttered some files on the computer. Painted the painting of the day: No Place Like Home Planted 15 tulip bulbs in various spots in the yard. Moved a couple of plants inside to winter over - geraniums. Put on sweater and turned on the heat :-( The peaks are white with snow. What fell in the valley overnight quickly melted, but still cold out there. This feels way too early to stay this cold. If it starts even earlier than it did last year, which was the first week of October, the winter snows better melt earlier next spring! This is ridiculous! A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 06 Sep 10 - 08:13 PM Alice, That is lovely and I love what you wrote with it too!!! :) Where do you live that you have snow? Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 06 Sep 10 - 08:15 PM I am in western Montana, in the Rocky Mountains. Alice |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 06 Sep 10 - 08:57 PM I LOVE it, Alice AND your write-ups really add to the pleasure of viewing, too! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 07 Sep 10 - 01:04 AM Alice, I hope you're getting as much pleasure out of these little painting as we are! May I ask how you're pricing them? You don't need to say here if that is an awkward question, but I'm curious if they're within reach of any of our pocketbooks. I sure like that farmer outstanding in his field. . . I cooked up a storm tonight. I had the dishes all washed after round one, but then I made my annual ribs and there's another sink full to attack. It was worth it to have my daughter say, when we spoke, "I really like those." Good! I have them here in the freezer - I'll pack them individually in foil, and make sure there is lots of sauce with each one to keep them moist. The green chile stew is good, but even trying to reduce the recipe I ended up with a lot. A friend has been working on a house remodel for the last two weekends, with several more to come, so I think I'll take a bowl of this over to him in the next day or two. He's my canning mentor. It's nice to be able to send some home cooking to someone who has been too busy for it lately. One load of laundry finished, another load will go in this evening. I have a really busy week for work this week, but much of it will be done here at home, I hope. I don't think I'll be doing so much cooking again when it's just me here, but I wanted to try something new (that's a good thing!) and create enough so I don't have to cook as much this week. Tomorrow I mail a relatively small package, under 1 pound, that brought a very nice sum to my PayPal account, and will move to my next auction items. I have so much stuff around here that needs to go, and maybe the overcast and rain that are predicted will be enough to inspire me to work on my inside the house stuff for a while. When the weather is so nice I tend to head out of doors. Did anyone else see this Salon article on hoarders? It isn't us, but it is something we always want to keep in mind - I have a room where I have shoved the inheritance overage and I wouldn't want anyone to take a reading on my habits from that room. I love it every week when I can take a whole big trashbag full of recycling stuff to the depot near me. My trash at the curb would be a lot bulkier if I didn't recycle. I think these folks don't know how to recycle. So read the article and congratulate yourselves on simply being modest packrats, and we're all working on reforming ourselves even of that! SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 07 Sep 10 - 08:05 AM I watched a few episodes of Hoarders yesterday....definitely inspires me to get busy and to yard sale out any of those things that we don't use. I love to take food to people too...I think it's good for the person you are taking it too and good for the person making it! Spread the love! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 07 Sep 10 - 10:46 AM I missed the deadline for this week's ad paper, so it goes in Monday to run Wednesday. More time to plan how and what to show, print up pricing options, etc., and get the main house downstairs ready to show for potential kitchen, TV usage, and internet usage. Maybe even the Sailboats room too for "guest of tenant" usage. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 07 Sep 10 - 11:50 AM PS, since most of the deal here is to get bucks for a cleaning lady, I just found a (free) printable cleaning checklist the tenant-applicant can use to suggest a partial barter for the space. Kollidge kids like barter.... http://www.printabletodolist.com/category/checklist I got a referral to a great cleaning lady and this list will help me plan work with her as well. Perhaps it can be useful to some of us in our declut plans as well.... ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 07 Sep 10 - 12:27 PM It appears I have sold the house!(Now I've got to find a new one!) The couple buying it gave been renting for 18 months and are keen to get moving. I foresee a trip up to Northumberland this Friday.... Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 07 Sep 10 - 12:34 PM Wow, Andrea! Congratulations. A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: VirginiaTam Date: 07 Sep 10 - 12:36 PM WOOT! All bloods came back normal except RA factor (I knew inflammation was high by the way I feel) and cholesterol is 5.62. I need to get it down to 5. Best news - Blood Pressure down to 132 over 92 from 140 over 114 last week. Walk home from doctor's had my hips seizing up. Took me 3x as long to get home, I am freezing and feet are cramping, ravenously hungry but feel pretty ok otherwise. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 07 Sep 10 - 12:41 PM Tam, Walk home from doctor's had my hips seizing up. Took me 3x as long to get home.... ... and as your body told you, that was too much too soon. One step at a time means one BABY step at a time-- you are worth the careful approach to progress. If you don't think so even for a moment (look out now), remember that you are Andie's living memorial. Please, plan for the long haul. Been there! Done that! :~) Love you dear, ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 07 Sep 10 - 01:07 PM Andrea, congratulations!! Now, you will find just the right home to move to and I can't wait for pix!:-) SRS, I thought THIS was the saddest thing I've ever read about hoarders. I have a friend whose mother is a hoarder. Not to the extreme that she would be buried under it all, but she and her husband did buy a second house to put all of her stuff in, plus she has started storing some at the church where he is the pastor. My friend and her siblings talked to social services about an intervention, but were told by them AND a lawyer, there was nothing they could really force as she is not considered to be a danger to herself or others. They were successful in getting her to let them take some of the cats to be spayed/neutered and adopted out, but they've given up on anything else. It is really sad. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 07 Sep 10 - 01:24 PM Congratulations on the house, Andrea! Michelle, I used to watch Clean House, and I think they had a few bona fide hoarders over the years. I don't have cable now - I wish some of these programs would turn up on Hulu or NetFlix. What I didn't like about Clean House was that they then went ahead and decorated, and a lot of times their choices were unappealing. They frequently used suppliers like Ashley Furniture which is junk. It may look fancy, but the construction is really cheap, it isn't durable. They were brave to play the one episode where the woman was so very unhappy, and they sold her favorite couch. She told them not to load her down with garish colors, and then end up with a bright orange couch. Ugg. what a mistake that whole exercise was. :-/ Off to the post office to mail the box to Brazil, and swing by my recycling depot to drop off household stuff. Later today I'll find a box to fit my son's stuff and plan to send that this week. Virginia, sounds like you need to plan to walk to the point where you realize it will be uncomfortable then catch the bus or cab from that point. Walking through pain when it is a mechanical problem and not something simple like a cramp is probably destructive. Kat, I saw your photos of the trees - I do hope you get more photos of them. And I imagine they must be spectacular in the snow - but it sounds like few could see them. It was raining when I woke this morning - this is a little ripple of the effect of the hurricane in the southern part of the state. I should have known it would rain early, because I hadn't put the barbecue away yet. This is more reliable than washing the truck or hanging laundry to attract rain. And my bag of charcoal was still out there also. That should dry, no harm. I think I moved the grill before the used coals got wet (I usually use the coals from the last time to start the coals next time, and I use those chimney things with newspaper so I don't use any started fuels.) On the other hand, it was worthwhile barbecuing. I have some great leftovers for this week! SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 07 Sep 10 - 01:26 PM I think some of us ARE hoarders, from some of the things that have been said in past threads. And I think some of us are dancing with the edges of it. It's us and us, not us and them... I will say that I know my own temptations and weaknesses in that regard quite, quite well. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 07 Sep 10 - 01:33 PM SRS, check your PM re the paintings (I'll put prints on etsy at some point). Hoarding has become a popular reality series subject lately. The Learning Channel has a series on hoarders, the A&E channel has a series, and The Animal Planet has a series on animal hoarders. The animal hoarders are such sad situations with the loneliness the hoarders have trying to keep animals around them for company and the terrible conditions the animals live in. A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 07 Sep 10 - 02:55 PM I suspect that hoarders, animal or otherwise, are desperately trying to fill a void with things, instead of getting the help they need to fill the void in a real, healing way. This thread is so good, not only in the ways we s keep accountable in our attempts to de-clutter, but in the emotional support we give each other. Thanks to all of you! Alice, you've really made some lovely paintings! Thanks for sharing them! Andrea, the sale of your house is a triumph! Congratulations, and happy hunting for your new home! VTam, congrats AND take it easy on yourself, at the same time! Yay for good health! Stilly, I'm trying to get back into cooking ahead- thanks for your inspiration! The best I could "cook up" today was cooking up some chicken breasts for sandwiches this week (we had brought them to a friend's house for a Labor Day bbq, but there was so much food already there that they never got cooked, although they stayed totally cold in the cooler under the freezer pack). I've been having menopausal mood swings deluxe, but am learning to breathe through them, look around at the beauty of late summer in New England, smile and relax and fill myself with gratitude- it seems to help, when I remember to do it! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 07 Sep 10 - 03:53 PM {{{{Animaterra}}}}} Saw this on www.addall.com which always has neat quotations at the top of each page: We sneak another midnight snack and think no one will know it; But those who don't count calories have figures that will show it. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 07 Sep 10 - 04:47 PM I've hit a setback with the shipping today. I did so much research about the knife, and I looked at the types of auctions out there (individuals as well as dealers and shipping overseas) that I didn't put two and two together and realize that as an individual I couldn't ship this via USPS. The only way knives can go is through the postal mail is via a dealer who has some kind of permit. The next option is UPS or FedEx, and instead of $13, they cost $113. So I've offered the buyer the choice of paying the difference in the shipping or I will refund his purchase price. The next highest bidder is in the U.S. and I can send it as a domestic package UPS and not have a problem. Darn. I'm waiting to hear back. I'm sure Sr. Alexandre will be an unhappy camper either way. On a more interesting note, I spoke with Moonglow about the play she is costuming this semester. She needs costumes that look like 1906 Connecticut. A couple of characters attend Yale. My father's family was from Ansonia, the next town over from New Haven and many of them attended Yale. I have photos of my grandfather in a group of other students at that time, and clothes and such. I sent her photos of these (I could hear the interest perk up when she remembered that photo of some club on campus - "send it soon!") I have family photos of women back then also, so I need to see about clothes or photos. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 07 Sep 10 - 05:02 PM When I watch the hoarding shows, it is interesting that some of the reasons people hoard is what I identify with a couple of my members of my family. One kept things because in childhood and the Depression there was so much scarcity and I think it was a comfort to have the old clothes, boxes of zippers, stacks of magazines, jars of buttons, mostly things related to sewing that she could not let go of. The other was more connected to the past and not being able to let go of anything sentimental that reminded of those who are gone - now he is so buried in stuff there are barely paths to walk through rooms. It's sad. I've never hoarded like that, but it does make me aware of the emotional connections I have to vintage items, family keepsakes. There is a limit, though, and some people just don't have any brakes. I have to have clear floors, things I can find, clean kitchen, no old food, etc. I do have one room that is a store room, but it would drive me crazy to have stuff left in my car or a full garage or fire hazards. I think people who get that buried must be very depressed. Last night one of the new hoarder shows on A&E was of a man born in Ireland and found abandoned as a baby, put into an orphanage, and had no family. He surrounded himself with dolls, "collectibles" and was in financial straights because of how much he spent on his collections in his house. My heart really went out to this guy. Sir Patrick and his collections (ad is first) Alice |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 07 Sep 10 - 05:49 PM Oh, my. There is one full episode to view, of Adella and Teri. Oklahoma and Hawaii. Heartbreaking stories. I had a friend who I think would have been diagnoses a hoarder. We went through her house and cleared out a lot, not against her will, but by putting extreme pressure on her (it was a fire hazard). The piles built up again around her bed, in the living room, because she was barely ambulatory, but we were able to tackle it every so often. She died 20 years ago and I still think about how she lived and would never want to repeat it. These two in the Hoarders program are pretty darned ill. Life must be hell for the spouses and kids. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 07 Sep 10 - 07:01 PM What a roller coaster! I called an knife shop to ask if he could ship the knife for me, and he said the post office clerks don't understand their own regulations. He ships all of the time but has to call it "antique" and "art" because otherwise the clerks think they're preventing a "weapon" from going in the mail. I almost did that, but decided to just be frank about what was in there. This is an antique, it will go on display as art, so that is what I will ship it as. At no extra cost to this poor guy who I probably scared to death with my earlier email. Oy. Rained all day, Internet fluctuates in and out. Now that I've put out this fire, I'll get back to the design project I've been working on. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 07 Sep 10 - 07:03 PM Jeepers! Glad you got it worked out, SRS! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 07 Sep 10 - 07:10 PM Animaterra, take a look at this from Dr. Wiel: Don't put milk in your tea if you want to feel better during menopause. Polyphenols called catechins are the antioxidant compounds found in tea that confer its well-known health benefits. They're present in all types of true tea (from the plant Camellia sinensis. Catechin content is the highest in white tea, the least processed type. Green tea has the next highest catechin content, then oolong and, finally black tea. There's a bit more at the site. The study is from the UK. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 07 Sep 10 - 07:25 PM qi gong, last night We've had a terrible wildfire on the eastern slope which has destroyed a lot of homes. I thought this might be of interest since it has to do with those beetles: On Monday, winds pushed the fire through three canyons where pine trees have been left prone to fire by disease, drought and beetles that burrow under the bark of pine trees, fire managers said. Such beetles have killed more than 3.5 million acres of trees in Colorado and southeastern Wyoming. At least up where we were is mostly wilderness with hardly any structures if it ever does catch fire from lightening or carelessness. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 07 Sep 10 - 09:15 PM Kat, I've been watching the news of that fire. The mountain pine bark beetles have killed forests and residential pine trees here in Montana, too. Some mature trees in my neighbor's yard had to be cut down because they had the beetle. Wildlife managers say the bears are unusually thin this time of year, hungry because one of their favorite foods is pine nuts, and the trees have been killed by the beetles. That is one of the reasons we had bear attacks so much lately and so many bears coming into town. They are hungry and at this time of the year, they should be fat and ready to hibernate. The city encouraged people in town and the university campus to put pheromone packets on the north side of pine tree trunks. We did that last year in our neighborhood, but it was too late for some of the trees. Alice |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 07 Sep 10 - 11:27 PM Thanks, Alice, I thought the bears were just showing up more because we've been encroaching on their space. Never thought of the relation to the pine nut. My son has one which checks the garbage area in the RV/cabin place he is care-taking. He's careful to be sure everything is locked up, but last night one came knocking at his door. Apparently some child left a candy wrapper out and it was attracted. It ran off a soon as he got up to open the door to see what his cat was growling at! I sent off eight books, today, have one more requested and two on hold while folks who had them on their "wish" lists decide if they want them or not. Makes me think I maybe should have sold those particular ones as they were not as common. Oh, well. I also started on listing the books. Found three that aren't worth it, so they went in a give-away box; three will be listed, not sure where, yet, and the other is a huge old book from 1884. I am not sure I want to sell it, even though it's retailing at around $89. It's a fun reference and I think, if I had a handheld scanner, I could save it to PDF and keep a copy on disc, maybe even make them available for a small fee. There's a company in Canada which does that with old genealogy reference books. I actually added something called Irish Astronomy which I found in it. I see I did not cite the author/compiler of the book, just the copyright person. The author was James D. McCabe. I think this book was an exception. Most of the ones we have gone through to sell I am ready to let go...honest.:-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 08 Sep 10 - 01:28 AM Kat, we have several overhead scanners in our libraries called "KIC" (stands for something like Knowledge Information Center). I don't know if that is a company name, but they allow you to set the book open on the counter top and the camera is above. It detects the size of the document or book and then scans quickly. You can save it as a JPG, a PDF, etc. And when you finish however many pages you want to scan it will email them to you or you can store them on a flash drive (it has a port). Very ingenious. Last summer I ran into a fellow in my office who was asking for the associate director of the library (someone he knew) to complain about our copiers. He had a rare book that he'd gotten through ILL and couldn't take out of the library. He thought our copiers would damage it. I told him I had the answer and took him back down to the first floor, where one of the machines stands in the lobby. I had not used it myself, but there was a student just finishing her copying and I asked her if she'd show him. In literally less than a minute she had him up and running and he was thrilled to pieces that this book was unharmed. See if any libraries in your area have one. It's not only easy, it's fast. All you have to do is turn pages. Rain rain rain tonight. This hurricane is pushing moisture north from the Gulf of Mexico. I put a lot of extra hay in the dogs' houses because they'll be stuck inside for a while. Not that it isn't hot out they like the padding. (They lie on the concrete to stay cool on hot days). SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 08 Sep 10 - 04:18 AM http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-26743894.html This is the house I have my eye on most of all. I'm shortly going to ring and book a viewing for Friday lunchtime/afternoon (it's about 2.5 or 3 hours drive from here, depending on the traffic on the A1). There are 2 others in the village, but this one really appeals, and it is a second home, so no upward chain! VT - I wish my BP would settle down round that! Well done! On the subject of hoarding - it's a good job there's a joiner in the village I'm aiming at, because I have a wall of books to accommodate! Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 08 Sep 10 - 09:54 AM A friend is proposing me for a shortlisted email group (think old listserve mode) of diverse women I am really looking forward to joining-- she is right on my "wavelength" and I suspect the other 4 women are as well. I will get reading privileges soon to see what the chat is like. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 08 Sep 10 - 11:35 AM That looks and sounds lovely, Andrea! Good luck. I esp. like the sounds of the conservatory/dining area and the backyard, esp. the greenhouse! SRS, thanks, I will check to see if our library has such a thing, BUT the |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 08 Sep 10 - 12:43 PM qi gong weight loss - 16 minutes qi gong flow - 35 minutes |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 08 Sep 10 - 12:52 PM http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-30537926.html?premiumA=true I've found another about 20 mins south of Norham. Belford's not as pretty, and it's 3 or 4 times bigger than Norham, but this place intrigues me. I'm viewing it on Friday as well. Great exercise stats, Kat. I may go weigh myself in a day or two - my appetite seems to have dwindled this last day or so! Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 08 Sep 10 - 01:07 PM Wow, that one is quite a bit bigger. I LOVE the fireplace in the bathroom! It's really very pretty and intriguing as you say. When we moved to New England, I complained to Rog about all of the houses being right on the street. He told me they built them that way in colonial times to avoid having to trudge through a lot of mud. I saw the sense in that and did get used to it, but it still bothered me. That's the main thing I noticed about the second one you are viewing, but it sure is a neat looking place regardless. Let us know how it goes, please? Thanks...it felt good to do that long.:-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 08 Sep 10 - 03:08 PM Andrea, There are 2 others in the village, but this one really appeals, and it is a second home, so no upward chain! What does this mean? Second home and Upward chain? They're both pretty homes. They're similar in size to the one you're selling, aren't they. Tell us again why you're moving? And both villages look so tiny! Relatively speaking I'd guess they both have the same kind of small-town charm. Sun is out here finally, and things will begin to dry. The creek rose over the bridge this morning with the tropical storm surge passing over the area. The weather is still coming our way, and we've had 6 inches so far, the weather report on TV right now is saying. I made a dash to the post office during a lull and the box is mailed. The buyer really was very nice and understanding about my postal foray yesterday, and understands about the nature of this knife, so I'm sure he'll enjoy it and probably happily display it. I found it kind of intimidating to have in the house (says she who has some pretty heavy duty cooking knives. . . ) I think the next band of rain is headed our way. I need to go play with the dogs a little, they've been cooped up since yesterday (they can go out, but in that heavy rain they prefer not to). SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 08 Sep 10 - 05:39 PM I was away all day yesterday and didn't get home until almost 8pm. After everyone had dinner and promptly fell asleep, I stayed up puttering/cleaning until 2:30am. I enjoyed the quiet time to myself, even if I was cleaning. :) Had to be up at 6:00am this morning though...made for a rough start. A friend, her 8 month old daughter, Jeremiah and I went to Mama Goose...she had never been there and I was just going to LOOK while she shopped. *sigh*.....One pair of jammies, 2 polar fleece jammie/sleeping bags, a jacket, one pair of pants, 3 hats and a winter coat later I made my way out of the store. The child has more clothes that I do!!! Turns out my friend is working on selling her house to move to the town where I live (HOORAY) and she has agreed to join me in renting out at least 4 consecutive spaces for a community yard sale in the spring (held at a local church school)....we both have lots of decent stuff and the crowd there is unbelieveable...it's a definite motivator for me to start tagging the things I have already set aside. Also, she and her go camping with a group of folks and we have been invited to go along. The timing couldn't be more perfect as there is a family in town looking to see a pop-up camper that I've had my eye on...going to have to call and see how much they want for it. FUN! Tomorrow is the ONLY day I have at home before our uncle comes for a visit. I am going away for the weekend for a wellness program for women with cancer. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 08 Sep 10 - 08:32 PM That makes so much sense, Michelle, to tag things as soon as you identify them for a garage sale. I end up with garage sale things lumped by price (which is maybe on tape somewhere nearby) or struggling to price things at the last minute. I have a few things building up on a chair in the hall, but there is so little still that I may just do a donation to the Goodwill. Kat, have you checked to see if your big book is available via Google Books? If it's as old as you say then it may well be public domain and available for download. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 09 Sep 10 - 12:10 AM I was distracted by the weather when I was working on that last entry and it sat for a while. I decided to just send it and complete the though later. One thing I did was step outside for about and hour and work in the soggy garden. During the really hot part of the year I was watering and weeds were getting started, but it was too hot to go weed. And then with all of this rain over the last couple of weeks, the weeds exploded into the gardens. So I went and took out some of the worst of the Bermuda and chickweed in the beds or it would have gotten exponentially worse with this rain this week. The remnants of that hurricane is now centered over Oklahoma, but it sure dropped a lot of rain (and continues to do so overnight) here in Texas. I've been finding tons of snails on the sidewalk and in the garden - they've come out after the heat ended, and now they're hungry. So I need to lure them to their death in beer. I'll start that once the rain slows so the beer doesn't get too dilute and not attract them. The kitchen is cleaned up and I'm about done for the day. I've been poking at a poster I have to do, but not rushing to finish it. It turns out that my library flooded in the rain today and they closed early, so everyone went home and got five hours, but somehow the message didn't reach me and I kept working here at home. Tomorrow I can finish these. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 09 Sep 10 - 07:41 AM An upward chain means that although you have put a deposit on a place and have sold yours, the people in the new place still have to find somewhere...and maybe the people next up do....etc. The other sort is when someone wants your place but still have to sell theirs. So quite often things stagnate for a while, especially when the chain isn't moving in either direction. My potential buyers don't have a house to sell. A second home is basically a weekend retreat or a holiday home. People sometimes buy a property in a place they like to go so that they have somewhere to stay. The main drawback I can see with the property in Belford is that to the left of it is a fish and chip shop (you can see it on street-view), and the office for a caravan park which means that it could get quite busy during the holiday season. Also , unlike the 2 in Norham, it isn't empty. Andrea By the way, if by chance anyone looks at street view - head to the right. |
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Subject: Brekky Kibble for Hoomins From: wysiwyg Date: 09 Sep 10 - 11:08 AM Brekky breakthru today, YUM! Totally satisfying and filling, could hardly finish it, meets all my program requirements. A bowl built from the bottom up: 1 serving soft, flavorless tofu, chopped rice-size (silken non-fridge box) 1 serving fresh grapes 1 serving greek-style yogurt 1 serving splenda on the tart yogurt 1 serving crunchy flakes ==== Eaten with a small spoon from the bottom up. Any fruit works, even canned. All components healthiest version purchasable here. Have upstairs supply for home office fridge as well. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 09 Sep 10 - 11:53 AM That sounds really tasty! Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 09 Sep 10 - 12:02 PM I understood the second home part, we had one when I was a kid, but it was that upward chain part that sounded like it might give second home a different context. Interesting term, upward chain - I was lucky to buy this house after it had been empty for almost 2 years. It wasn't deteriorated from that time standing empty, and fortunately not detected and "upgraded" by "investors" (small property developers who "flip" houses after the least amount of cosmetic work to make it look like it's in a lot better shape than it really is.) I went to check on the dogs this morning, since they caught a rat last night. I wanted to be sure there weren't any more (they dragged it into the garage, but probably would have left it outside if it hadn't been so wet). The pit bull is limping, and she has done this before - the rat probably needed to be dug out of where ever it was. She has what amounts to a dog hang-nail, and it's tender and bleeding a little. The vet said last time I took her in for this that it would clear up. I poured a little peroxide over it. Back in the house, I made foil packets for the barbecued ribs and froze them with some extra sauce. That's several meals ahead. I'm caught up on the laundry and I need to turn my attention again to my son's room, to pull together the items that need to go in the mail. It's humid today. Not not enough to trigger the air conditioner to run, which would dry the air. Makes it difficult to feel like moving around much. I'm dying for that first day of fall that feels so clear and crisp and energizing. There's usually only one day quite like this down here every fall (it mimicks the late summer/fall feel of the Pacific Northwest) but I'll take what I can get. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 09 Sep 10 - 12:07 PM Andrea, it is, and it has it all. Nutrition, mouthfeel, crunchy-like-cookies variety from soggy cereal, and can be made with eyes glued shut from sleepies. Enough protein (I can vouch) to run an entire morning and then some, if lunch may be hard to squeeze in. Variation: sugar-free hot chocolate powder in place of splenda. Part of what makes this work for us is that there is a tiny modicum of real sugar (not-corn) in the cereal-- so the add'l arti-sweetening tastes GOOD (because of the mix). ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 09 Sep 10 - 01:29 PM Andrea, I love looking at your possible houses! The second one is really lovely- sure, the fireplace in the bathroom is great, but do you get to keep the coat of armour??? Is the garden in the second one a bit smaller than the first? And sadly, yes, I would not only wonder about traffic vis a vis the chippie, but the smell... SRS, I red the link you sent re milk in tea, and I'm putting my hands over my eyes and pretending I never saw it! I get such satisfaction and relaxation and pure pleasure with my 2-3 cups/day of strong black tea with milk and a spot of sugar- without milk, something in the tea goes straight to work on my stomach lining and it hurts! So all this means is in addition to my daily fix of black tea and milk, I will continue to sip some good Chinese oolong with no milk or sugar, and get the benefits thereof! Kat, sometime I will have to go back and study how you are handling all the books- it's about time we dealt with our overflow! And keep up the qi gong, as I get back into yoga via yoga dance- I'm loving it! WYS- I'll be interested to hear more about that list-serve- sounds very fruitful (like your breakfast!). |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: VirginiaTam Date: 09 Sep 10 - 01:47 PM god... I am so blue... weather cooler and damper..... sky greyer.... days getting shorter.... body hurts.... starving all the time..... miss my family.... hate my job..... but... blue is a good colour... seasons are necessary... sky had rainbow this evening.... hunger = losing weight which will help my body not hurt so much.... I can talk to my mom and daughter on SKYPE.... I have a job!!!! I did a bit more work in the spare room this evening. Will do some more ironing too after too little too bland dinner. Maybe, I will have a soak in hot tub and read. That should help my aching legs feel better. Jury still out on going camping this weekend. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 09 Sep 10 - 02:15 PM 2Ls, the best I can tell you about the books is it helps if one of you is less "attached" to them and more pragmatic. That's why I've asked Rog to help me go through them...LOL...I say, "Oh, I love this book, it was SO good! What do you think, Rog, keep or get rid of?" His inevitable reply is "Let it go!" There are a few we know we keep...my granddads' books which are inscribed with their names, certain genres that are collections I've built up, BUT some of those are going as they are not worth near as much as I once thought. When we moved to New England, I went nuts with the plethora of old books available.:-) The proof in the pudding will be in my getting the books listed somewhere OR throw up my hands and just give them away.:-) Did I tell you about the tinctures I used during men o'pause? Dandelion root, hawthorn berries, and motherwort tinctures, 30-40 drops of each in clean, cool water, about 4-5 times per day. They tasted SO good and helped me so much. I never used any HRT. Just recently my "inner woman" told me I should add the dandelion and hawthorn tinctures back into my diet, so I do them now about 3 times per day, just before each meal. I skipped motherwort partly because it didn't "feel" right and also because it is contraindicated when one is on warfarin. Susan Weed's book, Menopause the Wise Woman Way really is an invaluable resource, imo.:-) One load of laundry done and folded. Went out an bought a new pair of Birks this morning. Now, I shall list a couple of books, trying to stick with my goal. I may just add them to my seller's software then upload the whole list once I get many of them on there. SRS, good thinking! That book is indeed available for download from google books, right HERE, so I shall let it go without trepidation, though I will scan in the Presentation page which notes the date, my aunt as recipient, and the giver's age. It's pretty neat. I may even ask my cousin if she wants it. I don't know if she ever knew of it; not sure how my mom wound up with it. Either way, it will go out the door. Thanks! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 09 Sep 10 - 02:41 PM VTam, we cross-posted. {{{{{{VTam}}}}}} Just spoke to my cousin. The large tome goes back on a shelf for her to pick-up next time they come for a visit. That feels good! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 09 Sep 10 - 03:14 PM Kat, I'm glad you found your book. That collection is pretty amazing. Rearranging the front room. I've decided I can put the phone/fax machine on one of the book shelves and clear off the top of a trunk in there. It's one that I might sell, it has the least interesting connection with the family. I have to see what's in it though. If I put another set of bookshelves in another part of the room or in another part of the house I could clear space to put a whole row of trunks along that long wall that might look interesting and solve a storage problem. But I'd have to figure out where the rest of the books would go. I have a set of shelves in my room but right now it is used as a display for a lot of art and I don't really want to displace those pieces. I'll mull this one for a while. This month's Martha Stewart Living has a lot of her kitchen ideas, and one thing she has in there that I've loved every time I see it is a rolling kitchen island. A workspace that has all of the storage below for books, pots, whatever. It's designed so you can't see through underneath, but so that it looks like a cabinet and you have different kinds of shelves on each side. I'd love something like that, I'd store it where I have bookshelves with cookbooks right now. I could store my books on it and put pots on it, etc. And the marble top is something I won't ever put in anywhere else in the house, but to have one of them - it's so good for pastry and such. (Dream on!) I will consider the possibility of building one. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 09 Sep 10 - 03:46 PM Before I gave my grandma's trunk to my daughter, I kept it open, with antique dolls, hats, and other memorabilia arranged in the inset drawer, I guess that's what you call it. It was a really pretty display and always elicited a lot of compliments. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 09 Sep 10 - 05:47 PM Decluttering. Decluttering. Decluttering. I know that sometimes when I am decluttering I choose to get rid of some things even though they make me feel good. Although it's obvious, it just dawned on me that I need to be just as ruthless about getting rid of things that make me feel bad. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 09 Sep 10 - 07:14 PM I found the next item that will go in eBay. It's a 1928 hearing aid, the box, the advertising circulars, the instructions, the original batteries, everything is there. And antique and vintage medical devices seem to sell consistently on eBay. When they have all of the stuff, they go for higher prices. I found an interesting little box of porcelain dolls with limbs held to the body by string. It's marked "made in Japan" so one presumes it comes after WWII. I have a friend who knows a lot about dolls and toys, so I'll ask him what he thinks. This is just cute enough I might keep it myself. That trunk has a lot of antique bedroom stuff, mirror, linens, etc. I can save them in another trunk, no problem. The drawer that sits inside is in very good shape, it makes the trunk seem older than I though. I'll take a look later to see if there are any labels. There was also a newspaper from the day that has a headline that says "Edward Silent: Mrs. Simpson in France." I know how that story ended. . . :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 09 Sep 10 - 10:58 PM Plenty of walking today plus some out of town travel. I had about 4 hours of sleep last night as the wee one needed a diaper change around 2:30am...he fell right back to sleep but I did not. At 10:00 tonight I was still wide, wide awake and was going to do some puttering but dang, I am just wiped out (then how come I can't sleep). My honey said, "Maybe you want to take an Ambien tonight." So...here I am, about an hour later, feeling kinda floaty and like I've been tucked in with a beach towel that has been out sitting in the sun....a litle heaviness in that feeling...but both are wonderful and I know I'm not long for this evening. I am looking forward to a peaceful sleep so tomorrow I can wake up refreshed and get a mile long list done around here including some new furniture for the living room that I picked out today. YAY. Night all. Sweet Dreamssssssssssss Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 09 Sep 10 - 11:02 PM That's a wise honey ta got there, Michelle.:-) Sleep well. I got about 20-30 minutes of good walking in today. SRS, your trunk sounds like a treasure trove! What fun! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 09 Sep 10 - 11:28 PM Filled the large trash can in the alley with old files and papers that had been in a plastic bin in the garage. Now I can move that bin to the back door deck and fill it with firewood for the winter. Raining all day, so no outside painting on the window trim today. Saturday is supposed to be clear and warmer, so I hope to finish up then. Finally got the Etsy store figured out enough to post my first item. It is helping with DEcluttering as my first item is not art, but rather a sweet pair of baby moccasins I bought years ago and have just had tucked into a drawer. The kids who started Etsy.com define the "vintage" category as anything older than 20 years. Ha! That's everything in my house! So funny. When I get the prints of art re-photographed, I'll put them up. I think I need to resize/crop/enlarge my newer mini-paintings so they will fit common frame sizes. Here is the link: CLICK here Just getting that web site figured out and set up is a big step for me to get old things like buttons and sewing stuff de-cluttered and a an easier way to move the art out of here. I wanted to do it all in one place without using ebay, and etsy has made it easier. Alice |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 09 Sep 10 - 11:32 PM By the way, if anyone wants to use Etsy.com to sell your older than 20 years "vintage" items, be aware that when you sign up as a buyer, you have to use the same buyer log in name as your shop name. I used AliceFlynn upper and lower case so my shop could also be that name. They charge 20 cents an item for 4 months and 3.5% commission on sales. Alice |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 09 Sep 10 - 11:59 PM Alice, I hope you're planning to or did already shred all of those files. You never know what can come back to haunt you (or steal your id) if you don't. Kat, I know. I enjoy finding these things, but I really don't have anything to do with them. I don't collect medical devices or hearing aids, etc. I have a few cameras and though I've sold a couple I'll probably hold onto the rest of them. That's not certain 100% either, but at least I use cameras. I will probably keep a lot of the linens, the crystal, the plates and flatware, but there are still a lot of old time gadgets and stuff here that are probably better appreciated if I move them along. Michelle, I found I couldn't sleep well last night, and that is unusual. Typically I'm out like a light in no time flat. Sometimes if I forget and take my Zyrtec late it keeps me up, but I hadn't done that. I am thinking about rearranging my bedroom. I'm not as comfortable with the position of the bed now that I'm sleeping in the house by myself. I don't want it to be the first thing in sight when one walks into my bedroom. I don't want my feet pointing at the door. Kind of like the gunfighter who keeps his back to the wall, I guess I'm thinking about how I sleep (on my side, back toward the door usually) and the room is large enough that I can move the bed so I'm better able to see if someone came in (with a key) or got in (break in). I don't expect another break-in, but we had one (in 2005), and that's enough to make me think this through some. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 10 Sep 10 - 12:22 AM That's very sensible, SRS. For some reason, we have always wound up with our heads pointed to the north in bedrooms since moving back west in 1993. It's what *feels* right and has been where we had a clear view of the door and whatever/whomever might be coming through. Rog still was gone for months at a time back then, working, so I understand. Oh, also about the treasures. I've got stuff I still haven't decided what to do with (how's that for sentence structure?!) And, I know there's more where it came from.:-) Alice, that's good news about Etsy and your store looks great! I wasn't quite sure what they accepted as "vintage" and would like to keep things in one spot, too, so may follow your lead. Thanks for the tip about name, etc. Those moccasins are beautiful! I received some bookseller news a while back from Biblio which said collectors are really into "pictorial" book covers, old books with vivid colour cover illustrations. I have a lot of them and have been wanting a place to sell them just for the covers alone, if nothing else. Maybe I will look into etsy for such a thing as well as all the toher treasures I have in drawers and such. Sent off one more book...progress?:-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 10 Sep 10 - 12:36 AM SRS, I didn't have any personal info in the files. I do know about identity theft and shredding. If I have to shred anything, the shredded paper goes into the compost pile, not the trash. I have 3 small frames I got last year when I was invited to be in a miniature show at a local gallery, but didn't have time to do it because of the old job. I will use those frames for small prints to sell on etsy now. A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: GUEST,mg Date: 10 Sep 10 - 12:53 AM Didn't stuff made in Japan for some time after WWII get marked as Made in Occupied Japan? mg |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 10 Sep 10 - 01:01 AM When you spoke about the rain I thought you might be putting paper out in the weather - that'll do a pretty good job on information in files also! I'm just about set to pack a box for my son. I did some shopping at Central Market this evening and in the bulk section filled some of their little 4 oz bags with some of his favorite snacks. On our stops there I would hand him the small bags and tell him that's the size I can afford, and he needs to be able to close the bag. He's pulled some stunts over the years to overfill the bags and seal it with the price sticker (this was a regular stop after guitar lessons). Kat, it's either move the furniture or let the dogs in. I think I prefer to move the furniture! SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: VirginiaTam Date: 10 Sep 10 - 02:50 AM So...here I am, about an hour later, feeling kinda floaty and like I've been tucked in with a beach towel that has been out sitting in the sun....a litle heaviness in that feeling...but both are wonderful GAWD!!! I am so envious Michelle.. wonders why... docs won't give me anything to help me sleep. I was awake the requisite 4 times to empty bladder. I have gotten into a vicious cycle or something. I wake with pain or palpitations (thudding in ears) or nightmare and decide might as well get up and pee. This practice has made my bladder smaller. So the urologist told me. Then I go to lounge and do sudoku until I feel sleepy again. Then back to bed for 1 to 2 hours when it starts all over again. Can I hire someone else to take over one or 2 of these nightly perambulations? I was utterly lazy yesterday evening and did nothing more after last post. Watched Mock the Week with TSO and he let me have 4 After Eights dinner mints. The SHAME! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 10 Sep 10 - 10:45 AM Tam, My family doctor is really hesitant to hand out sleeping meds. My oncologist, however, is good about making sure I get what I need to stay healthy and that includes a good night sleep every once in awhile! I try not to take them too often but WOW....what a difference the following day. I have energy. I have motivation. I'm not dragging. Yes, a full night of sleep does a body good. And up 4 times a night? Yikes. That's a lot. Did they check your glucose levels to make sure you aren't diabetic? That's how I found out I was....always having to pee...day and night. That stinks. Not to alarm you but did you know that that is also symptoms of ovarian cancer along with swollen abdomen, getting full quickly, and sometimes (but not always) pain in the abdomen. If you have a combination of those, be sure to get to your Dr right away! Dishes are done, laundry is going, all downstairs floors have been swept, baby has been up, changed (a few times), fed, played with, sang to and is now napping. My focus today is the kitchen....scrubbing down cupboards, getting rid of boxes (empty cases of wipes, diapers, gallon water, etc) and trying to decide what to make for dinner when our company comes. We love to grill here so most likely it's going to be some kind of grilled chicken, corn on the cob from the garden, tossed salad with our own tomatoes and some kind of salad with more substance. Or maybe I'll grill steaks and bake a few potatoes or then I thought tacos are always fun and get people to relax and talk....I'd fill bowls with the fillings, put it on the table and everyone could make their own. Or then there's my favorite chicken dish that my nana used to make....that goes great with wild rice, steamed broccoli and rolls. Or....or...you get the idea. I have no clue as what these folks like to eat. It's been kinda cold here at night so I thought maybe a big pot of chili and some cornbread might be good too. Decisions, decisions. So...yeah, after this break, it's back to the kitchen for me (ok, shower first while my little boy is dreaming) to scrub down the counters, move the 70+ quarts of tomato sauce into the pantry (oh my word...where will THOSE go?), do some mopping and I'm going to wash the curtains out there too. This afternoon I am ordering some new living room furniture...YAY. And perhaps later I will be taking a look at some new cupboards as we are adding an island to our kitchen...I have a pretty good idea of what we want...just need to compare prices. If I have any steam left, there is a grower's market in town this afternoon and a yard sale that I might check out. We shall see. Have a great day everybody! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 10 Sep 10 - 10:49 AM Weekend plans just changed. A call from Moonglow sadly informs me that one of her oldest friends from all through school died this week. She was a student on my university campus and I didn't hear a word about it until now; it was apparently a suicide. My son is good friends with her younger brother. He's away at school and will stay there, but I'll go pick up my daughter and take her to the viewing and tomorrow's funeral. I thought I was a friend with this young woman on facebook, but apparently not. I saw her remarks often enough on the wall of my kids and other friends, and I remember visiting her links and such. I see that she had an event this afternoon marked, a meal at a favorite restaurant of ours, so I may take my daughter over there just for solidarity with Deanna. She had made "cry for help" attempts before, but I think we all thought she was much happier in college. Anyway, it'll be a tough weekend. See you on the other side. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 10 Sep 10 - 11:58 AM Oh, SRS, that is so sad. My condolences to Moonglow, you and the family and friends of Deanna. Michelle, I've just gotten worn out just reading what all you have done and are doing!*bg* Speaking of sleep...a new book, I think, was the culprit in keeping me awake until 330a! Got up at 7a thinking Morgan would be over by 730a. When he didn't show by 745a, I called his mom who forgot to tell me, last night, she would not be going to work today, so I coulda slept in! *sigh* Not much getting done around here, today. I had a request for three more books and cannot find one of them, so will get Rog to lend a second set of eyes to see if we can find it. I am going to look into etsy and see about getting a store started there, but I know I will also be taking a long nap.:-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: GUEST,mg Date: 10 Sep 10 - 01:19 PM I looked up the made in Occupied Japan on google. Here is one link http://www.occupiedjapan.net/marks.html I think from 1945 to 1952 they were supposed to have that on their exports. I remember anything we ever got new was made in occupied Japan...mg |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 10 Sep 10 - 03:03 PM Hmmmm...what to do? Have looked at etsy and liked what I saw. I definitely have books and other "vintage" items I could sell there. I also see that Morgan could have his own shop with my supervision. He and I have been talking about using 2-3 of his earlier artwork on greeting cards, esp. his two-strokes penguins; a lot of folks seem to really like it. Then I've got the greeting cards I sold in WY of images from there which sold well. Plus custom-designed jewellery, etc. So, trying to think of a name for my shop, then Morgan and I will talk about a name for his. I had thought of "BuriedTreasures" but figure it may have already been used. (I don't see how to find out without going all the way through the sign-up process and possibly changing my mind about it if it IS available.) I have sagewalkerbooks which I've used before, but noticed there is a "sagebooks" already, and I am not sure I want to limit it to just books. Any suggestions or ideas? Thanks! Have managed to do two loads of laundry and my new shoes feel wonderful! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 10 Sep 10 - 04:23 PM Thanks to Alice's suggestion/opinion, I now have a shop on etsy: "KatLaughing!" This has just coalesced so much in my brain. I like the idea of having all of my various stuff for sale in one spot without a lot of the tension ebay seems to generate for me. Thanks so much for your help, Alice. I am looking forward to listing items there! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 10 Sep 10 - 04:34 PM Kat....I was wondering why you were considering naming it anything else!!! That name fits!!! Can't wait to see what you put up...I LOVE LOVE LOVE ETSY!!! XOXOXO Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 10 Sep 10 - 05:49 PM I never did get the curtains washed or the floor mopped but the day is still young! I went to town, paid some bills, hit a yard sale (got some Cook's Illustrated which I love for .50 each!) and went to the grower's market. The only thing I saw that I really wanted was a bouquet of sunflowers because everything else we have growing here (with the exception of beets). Jeremiah loves to be out and about..he smiles at all the girls...what a flirt! :) He's tuckered out from all that flirting and has just settled into his afternoon nap with our 120 pound dog sleeping right next to his bed. They are the best of pals!!! Such a fun thing to see and experience. Our house is in decent shape and I've decided not to go crazy doing things getting ready for our uncle. I'm tired lately and I've just got to tend to that first. I can only do what I can do and really, from his last email, he's excited to see US. :) Can't wait to see them!!! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 10 Sep 10 - 05:52 PM I've had a migraine day, so not much done here. Did find some pre-cut matting to use for prints on Etsy. Kat, check your PMs again. Alice |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 10 Sep 10 - 11:10 PM Thanks, Michelle, I just never thought of it until Alice suggested it. Don't know why.:-) I"ll be sure to let you know when I have stuff listed in it. Alice, seems to me with the help you've been giving out all afternoon and evening and design work you've done a lot more than you think. Hope it didn't contribute to the migraine. Thanks, again! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 11 Sep 10 - 12:13 AM We're back this evening after going to the church for the visitation, and then Moonglow and I went out to dinner. There is so much to consider, but we didn't talk straight Deanna the whole time - you need to pace yourself. I wanted her to understand that because her friend is gone, there is a role her friends can play, if they wish, in keeping her alive. Donations or good works in her honor, but also, learning from the many aspects of her life (not just her death). If Moonglow ever becomes a writer or playwright, for example, there are things to be learned from Deanna's life, her experiences, the things they shared, that can be explored in creative works. I had a friend who died 20 years ago now who I still think about, who I would love to write about in a fictional way to explore the possibilities she couldn't, but to also examine her life as it was lived, cramped by no support from her ex-husband as she raised four children by herself. She had dreams that went almost totally unmet. With a couple of brief and notable exceptions. It was as expected at the viewing. We spoke with her brother, who is a friend of my son's. We talked and we listened and we shared. We laughed - something you don't think about at these things, but this is when you share the good stories about your loved one. And when we walked up to her mother, all I could do was offer my daughter, one of her daughter's best friends, for a great big long teary hug, and I gripped her hands to let her know I was there also. What I was able to share with her Mom that was unique, and I hope one of us can find, is that years ago Deanna wrote a poem for her mother, after an early kind of haphazard attempt at suicide. She recognized the grief she caused her mother, and apologized. I read this on her blog, and told her I thought it was beautiful and she should share it, but I doubt she did. I gave her mom a time frame to search in, and suggested that this seemed to me like Deanna writing for her future self, to her mother at this point in time. Okay, enough of this tonight. We have the funeral tomorrow afternoon, but until then, we'll putter around the house. Moonglow has a head cold so has adjourned to her bedroom for the night with her net device, and, having wormed my NetFlix account and password out of me, is planning to see if she can stream programs or movies. This means I'll probably have to subscribe for three movies, so I'm sure each of us can watch online without upsetting the way that system works. Until now she never asked. This is a pretty cluttered message for a decluttering thread. I have had enough, I'm off to sleep. I don't have to move my bed tonight - there's someone else sleeping in the house. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: VirginiaTam Date: 11 Sep 10 - 05:20 AM Maggie - PM sent Kat - please supply link to your Etsy shop when you can. Etsy has a UK equivalent, which I cannot remember the name of. I should put some of my stuff on it. Michelle has been making me breathless since I met her on mudcat yonks ago. I don't know where she gets the reserve of energy to write about everything she does. Clearly she's got more than her fair share. ;0) I think perhaps she should bottle some of it and send as gifts to her mudcat friends. Andrea - sigh... unladylike envy here. That Norham cottage is lovely. We are not able to do house hunting until we retire. TSO has 5 years I have at least 8 maybe 10. I hate living in a flat. Anyway hope you get into the exact right fit. Alice - those baby moccasins are beautiful. Today after yet another restless painful night, I gave up and got out of bed for good at 6am. Patched al the holes and cracks in spare room wall. Sand and paint this afternoon and move the DVD shelves out of lounge into spare room. Put CD shelves in spare room temporarily so I can paint the end wall in lounge before the new sofa bed arrives. Hope to finish ironing today and declutter lounge, organise papers into box files I bought over a year ago, dust and vacuum. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 11 Sep 10 - 05:58 AM Wow. you've all been busy in the last day or so. My sympathies to Moonglow and all who have loved and lost this poor lady. 3 viewings up north yesterday... the house in Belford is 200 years old in part, and SO me. However the kitchen has flooded 3 times in the last 5 years due to there being a little channelled stream (with the chance of trout in it too) right next to the house. There is work going on between the Environment Agency and Newcastle University to make "catch ponds" further upstream, and there are plans to straighten out the course of the stream further down below the village. However, I would hate to be constantly watching it - and the co-op supermarket across the road (although it's only a small one). On the upside, there is a fantastic 2 storey outbuilding that would make a work studio, and there's a craft gallery about 200 yards away in the village/town centre. Viewing 2 was the pretty white cottage. It is very sweet and cosy, but I think it is going to be too small, as there is nowhere for my books, instruments, craft work, and, as my daughter put it last night, "all the crap that we both know you would be miserable without!" It's on the back burner, and we may decide to give it another look next week. The 3rd was one which i suspected would be too small - it is. And the garden is barely half the size of the one I have now. However, the agent said that she had only just been to value another property at the other end of the village which should, if they go with her valuation, be within my budget. It is empty, and has has new wiring and plastering. It has (I think) a breakfast kitchen, living room, dining room, ground floor double bedroom (aka a room I can do stuff in), and 2 double bedrooms (big ones) and a bathroom upstairs. It also has a decent sized garden. Apparently it's been inherited, and the new owner wants to sell it on. Well I went and looked at it from the front and had a peek in. It looks great, although the front extension is very strange: it's flat-roofed, but has a semi-hexagonal or almost semi-octagonal wall line. Nothing that a custom built pitched roof wouldn't glam up a bit, I think. The agent said she'd try and contact the vendor and see how things stood. I think if it had been in the heart of the village it would have been more, but it's about half a mile from the actual centre - and about the same difference from the bridge over the river into Scotland! Well having seen the space (or lack of) in some of the houses yesterday, I've chucked a few more bits out of my wardrobe. Need to do the same with footwear too. So it's de-cluttering phase 2 now. Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 11 Sep 10 - 10:10 AM ((((((((((((((((((Hugs and Love to you SRS)))))))))))))) Tam, I rarely feel like I've done much so it's good to see it in writing....besides, I love to write!!! :) Alice...I agree...the moccosins are beautiful!!!! Very sweet! Lots for me to do this weekend, see you all soon. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 11 Sep 10 - 11:43 AM Venting over (and went on too long - apologies for that). A good night's sleep sorts out a lot of things. I meant to thank mg for her research - I wasn't sure how many years after the war the "Made in Occupied Japan" tag would have appeared on items before it switched to "Made in Japan." I spoke to a friend about this, and will send him photos to see what he thinks about cleaning the dolls without impacting the string, etc. I don't know if I mentioned that while looking in the trunk I found some brand new (antique but never used) cotton and linen women's handkerchiefs. Perfect! I'm soaking them now in a mild oxygen bleach after giving them a couple of days to soak in plain water that I changed a couple of times. I went poking through my back issues of Martha Stewart Living for these instructions (June, 2010). I would have directly soaked them in the oxybleach, I think, but she said to let plain water do a lot of the work, and then once the mild O2 bleach was introduced it would work a lot better. Some of these were much whiter than others - the question is are the ivory colored ones supposed to be that color to begin with? They're all soaking together. Ms. Martha says that's okay. I'll be doing some coming and going here today so won't plan to get any big chores finished, but there are a lot of small things I can tackle. I also have one I've recently decided to tackle in my office. There is a cracked tile and a chunk that popped out above the slab foundation crack. I decided I'll cut a new piece to fit that spot and place it and ground around it. I have a couple of spots like that, where getting the rest of the tile up is a huge job, so I'll put a new custom-cut piece down. It'll feel a lot better under my chair, and though it might be a bit noticeable, it'll be a lot less conspicuous than a chunk out of the tile floor. This is a quick fix I could do today (get out the wet saw, use cardboard to make a template, cut, mix some thinset, and put it down. While I'm at it, I have a couple of cut tiles in the hall to put down also.) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 11 Sep 10 - 01:34 PM We've been going through trunks to find family photos for my daughter's costume design research on 1906 Connecticut. Jackpot - school photos of my great aunts from about age 16 to 19 (photos dated 1903, 1905, and 1907). The sports team photos (girls basketball) would be of school girls dressed how they go to school, but the graduation photo would be how they dress up to look their most grownup. Finding something in between (every day grownup) can probably be extrapolated between the two. And photos of school age young men and college age young men. I love it! Also found a muslin slip from that era, a great clue to how you can take plain fabric and make it look much fancier by putting in pleats or tucks. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 11 Sep 10 - 02:15 PM Yikes! Leave for a couipla days and you people all change the world. Before we left a friend stopped by, recent kollidge grad from this area. She took one look at The Room (with me not there to skew her reaction) and named a figure about 3 times what I had thought, and gogogogogo was in her voice-- whereas I had been getting cold feet. She had thoughts about pressures on the local rental market that changed my inner scale of possible tenant reactions. I'm set for phone interviews Wednesday, showings Friday, reference checks to follow, and move-in around a short trip I have to do the 30th. I held back grocery bucks to pay for the ad (Monday). ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 11 Sep 10 - 02:27 PM You have some great treasure chests there with the trunks, SRS. Today it finally stopped raining and is warming up slightly, so I can work on finishing the outside storm window/trim painting this weekend, hopefully. I have some time consuming work ahead of me to get art prints prepped, photographed, written and uploaded to etsy. I'm "stoked" about the etsy shop but can see a lot of work getting each item listed. Hopefully the migraine won't come back... that really puts a damper on getting things done. There are lots of UK sellers on Etsy.com. I think it is just the same URL to sign up as in the USA: http://www.etsy.com/ Just remember that your first log in name to the site also becomes your shop name if you want to become a seller, so read about selling on Etsy and be careful about the log in name to the site. Once you join Etsy, you cannot change your user name. Etsy Dos and Don'ts: http://www.etsy.com/dosdonts.php A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 11 Sep 10 - 03:37 PM My DIL is on Etsy with jewelry. I'm re-posting (with addl stuff) the rental room's amenities here, because it's where I am drafting the ad and the stuff to discuss when I show it. (A couple of friends may look in and advise.) The "room" is 15 x 16 and can sleep up to 5 for "guests" who the tenant will like to let crash. It is equipped with a double bed, a daybed made up as a single with a second mattress that can be deployed, and a bedroll that can be laid out. All linens and towels are supplied. There is a lounge area with small chairs, a sleeping zone, and a study zone. There are shelves, hooks, and a hanging rack for clothes. There is a large table and a computer podium. (Wireless access may be made available.) There is a tenant-controlled space heater and one electric blanket. There is an electric cooler, a small microwave, and a small boiling pot for drinks and snacks. There is a tall shelf for snack/cleaning supplies, and an electric broom and duster for cleaning. One switch outside the tenant's door turns off all the lights, etc. The outlet to run the safe, oil-filled radiator is not on that circuit and thus can be left on to keep the room at an agreed minimum temperature. There is additional landlady-controlled heat from the space below that can be run on a schedule to suit the tenant's class/work schedule. The downstairs shower will be heated on the house's programmed schedule, adjusted for the tenant's convenience. Daily (shared) bathroom priorities will be as negotiated-- we will work around class/work schedules by using our upstairs facilities at tenant's peak times. Pluses, to be negotiated a la carte: <> We offer snowplowed parking and choice of cats. <> Low rent <> Overnight guests welcome, <> No music is too loud if doors are closed. <> Free laundry facilities, soap supplied. <> Use of BBQ grill available. <> Add'l storage space available. <> Add'l guest space (parents visiting?) available. <> Kitchen privileges available with drawer for tenant's exclusive use. <> One large shelf, door section, and freezer section of yellow fridge for exclusive use of tenant. <> Meals in room, outside, or at breakfast bar in kitchen. <> Weekly family-style meals available. <> Weight room & treadmill available. <> Pee bucket optional. (WalMart has portapotti's.) <> Leaving for holidays, vacations, or spring break? Leave yer stuff-- no rent charged! <> Housework and pet care can be bartered for partial rent. <> Rent is due weekly in advance, with a 2-week security deposit (last 2 weeks' rent) to secure the space. Required: 3 personal references, a landlord reference, and proof of employment and/or school funding for the semester if a student. No smoking, no cooking other than with supplied appliances. We will "check" the room weekly to be sure trash, tenant cleaning, etc. are as agreed, at an agreed time mutually convenient when rent is collected. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 11 Sep 10 - 05:18 PM AniAlli, I'm so excited-- the postcard you enclosed in your pkg is my rent-out ROOM! It will be framed and added to the wall of Catter remembrances that decorate the space. LOL, you see no heater in that card-- but it's in Sweden. This community is in about the same time period/climate. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 11 Sep 10 - 08:14 PM What an incredible day!!! The sun was shining...it was warm but not hot...perfect for being outside all day...which is exactly what we did! We hiked a few miles on the Rails to Trails and had BBQ for dinner. SWEET! From the time I remembered to put my pedometer on, I've walked a little over 8,000 steps. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 11 Sep 10 - 08:20 PM Here's a link to where we went today....listed as one of the Top 10 Places to Hike in the US: Rails to Trails Whitetail Access Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 11 Sep 10 - 08:54 PM That is wonderful, Michelle! Great trail! I miss my sweet samoyed dog who used to go for walks and hikes with me. I actually don't feel as safe now hiking alone without him. I spent some time today framing and photographing and uploading images for one of my etsy items. I'm considering in the future selling the prints with a mat and just that... framing is just too much extra time. I do still have 2 more small bevel wood frames like the one in this listing which I will use for prints at some point. Molly's Porch tea party framed I think I need a nap now!! A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 11 Sep 10 - 10:47 PM After uploading the beaded moccasins and the art print, I realized the image files could be twice the resolution that I thought I had first read in the RULES. So, just resized all six images and re-uploaded... the beading is nicely in focus now. I think my eyes are crossing from too much screen time! A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 11 Sep 10 - 11:50 PM Alice, I love the tea party! I still have my little blue and white tea set, so I really relate to that print! Morgan and I have tea parties every once in awhile. In amongst all she has done for her shop, Alice has also helped me create an awesome store banner for Kat Laughing. As soon as I get it up and some items loaded, I'll put in a link. She does GREAT work. Thanks, Alice! Rog mowed some more today while I packaged up three more books, ready to go out Monday morning. We will be doing our usual cleaning tomorrow, but I also will finally be doing our taxes, I hope, so that will be a not-so-visible, but major declutter. Michelle, beautiful trail! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 12 Sep 10 - 12:19 AM Kat, check your email again. A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 12 Sep 10 - 12:34 AM Thanks, Alice! Answered. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 12 Sep 10 - 03:22 AM The image in the postcard Animaterra sent me is here: http://www.allposters.com/gallery.asp?startat=/getposter.asp&APNum=375652&CID=CD1BDA9642BB4D2C899F86054820F667&PPID=1&Search=&f=t&FindID=0&P=1&PP=5&sortby=PD&c=c&page=1 ... and apparently the Swedish sensibilities of my great-grandparents, who my sister and I visited several times in our childhoods, are mirrored in many aspects of the room I am renting. The colors as printed on the card are paler, more translucent... more like our room's colors. But if you mouse over the picture shown, you can see echoes of many of the furnishings the Mudcat Dorm had-- now the rentable room Hardi and I use, summers, to escape the heat. Our room is similarly plank-floored, tucked under a sloping roof with a flat center portion, a window at the far end of the room, and white-walled, enclosing pale shades of yellow and turqouise/teal. As in the postcard, none of the furniture quite matches, but goes together.... in the card there is a hanging curtain as a room divider that I have thought for years needed to curtain off the double-bed-corner-- it used to be and is now, again, the space where a couple might want privacy from others sleeping in the room's single beds. I have several potential hangings to put there, and half of the hardware already on hand. If I can find some wood under the ceiling to put it up, I think I will hang one and drape/tie it back to the wall to set off that corner-- our room is much larger than the one pictured in the postcard. The postcard shows a border our room lacks, which is very much like a border I had planned to put up and haven't gotten to, this year. The postcard shows children.... the Ducks once stayed up there (I think it was on their way to or from Getaway). Taking the littler Ducks' ages at the time, and looking at the kids in the card, the total ceiling height is close to what is pictured....a tad lower but similarly proportioned as to the height of the short walls, the angle of the ceiling's slope, the total ceiling height... our room I think is a bit wider. A lot of attic rooms have this shape. But few have the height we have on the short walls-- a good 4+ feet, and then a gentle slope that gives good working height thruout the room. In this building we have that height not because it is tucked under the eaves, but the room was built to be a true second floor (it once slept seasonal farmworkers or a farmhand's whole family, dorm-style.) This is not "wasted" space under the eaves that was knee-walled to make very low storage hatches-- those are real outside walls there; the room has the full width of the addition that houses it. :~) The room had wallpaper, too, before the fire. Now it's fresh white paint and several faux windows (curtained) to give the illusion of more light. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 12 Sep 10 - 06:10 AM Just had a look. It's a lovely colour palette. A lot of the "look at these pictures and hate your own house" type of magazines feature Scandinavian homes from time to time. Having discounted the houses I viewed last week, I have come across another in Belford, by using another search engine. It is a listed town house, looks a couple of hundred year old, and although the garden isn't very big, the house has oodles of potential; plus there are already plans passed for an extension, which then brings the guest room into the house itself. The room off the main bedroom would make an admirable office/work room (or even en-suite, if the planning regs would allow). I want to go see it on Wednesday. Tried ringing the agent yesterday afternoon, but they were obviously shut. http://www.primelocation.com/uk-property-for-sale/details/id/SANN999000323 I should spend today cleaning and de-cluttering, but there's a mind body and spirit fair on in Sheffield...however it would mean a 40 minute drive, and I would spend a lot of money again! Somehow I think the head may rule the heart on this one. Maybe my daughter will have some plans for the day. Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 12 Sep 10 - 10:35 AM Thanks, Andrea; your post there is kinda where I can join your journey and start to try to understand what you're up to. Gosh, househunting is such a weird trip. Maybe the advice we got in the Red Cross about sensible management and decision making applies: a for-profit head with a non-profit heart... at least that's how I hope potential tenants will see that room. A step up, not a step down. A "starving student" romantic garret, not a cold tribulation! :~) (That's how I recall a similar room I still love in memory, that I took as a frisky young lady!) I wish you well in your search and I bet the home you are meant to occupy is waiting for you to find it. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 12 Sep 10 - 11:44 AM Andrea, What a great space!!! I especially love the kitchen, the fireplace in the bedroom and the yard!!! When we purchased our home, it was in need of A LOT of work but you know what? That is what makes it home! We've been steadily working on it over the years and I suspect it will be a couple more years before it is *finished* (are they EVER finished? I keep having ideas..). One of my favorite things to watch is HGTV which has a lot of real estate shows...Property Virgins, home make over shows, ideas for room makeovers on a budget, buying houses internationally, etc. Sometimes when the women of my family get together, we go out with a real estate agent for the day looking at houses. We personally looked for years before purchasing our dream house. Enjoy the hunt and thanks for sharing...FUN!! So far today I've been mostly focusing on stuff in the kitchen and dining room....mostly just puttering and enjoying the morning (baby is napping). A quick vaccuum and dusting will leave the living room in beautiful shape. I'm thinking a quick trip to the store will be in order too (or then again, maybe not)...I'm still thinking about what to make for dinner. If I do what we have on hand, it will be grilled chicken breasts, roasted potatoes, corn on the cob, tomato and cucumber salad and a homemade carrot cake (which I still need to make). I think that sounds good. Scratch the trip to town! :) Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 12 Sep 10 - 12:09 PM Andrea, what I see in the housepix (after years of arranging rental decor and looking over houses, plus a little home-decor study): <> If those are two twinsize beds we see in the bedroom photo, that has to be a BIG room, eh? <> The kitchen and loo look recently updated and I am already envious of the working layout and counter space in the kitchen. It looks a treat to cook in. <> Tho the loo has obviuosly been photographed to make it look as big (loing) as possibel, what I see is lots of space around the fixtures to add storage, and a nice long tub to stretch outr in. <> Both the LR and the DR show built-ins a Mudcatter needs, because of all the music books and Catterabilia we tend to collect. :~) <> Whether the fireplaces work or not, IMO you cannot beat a fireplace with even just candle flame to warm the heart, and I saw at least two. <> The built-in's around the LR fireplace are a classic decor that can make for wonderful eye-candy for the occupant-- room to display colors, collections, etc. that have personal meaning to pull the eye to how the occupant intends to live her day, every day, PLUS natural light. Adding a picture above the shorter shelves can make a lovely symmetry flanking the fireplace. <> The DR built-ins are crying for a shallow tallboy or sideboard or shelf where they show a picture sitting on the floor-- more pretty storage. <> The bedroom fireplace-- muy romantico! And a mantel for additional display... envy-envy-envy.... <> The garden looks small enough not to FEEL small but to be easily cared for, and waiting for more climbing plants... hasn't been neglected (from the poor view this dark monitor gives). Looks like a "Secret Garden" in miniature, so again I am green with envy. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 12 Sep 10 - 12:25 PM Alice, I had been following your picture-a-day before we went away; I love the Etsy setup. I think not only are the items superb attractants, but proved fairly and very tempting. I can see a modest purchase in the future as Christmas draws nearer. I agree that selling pictures matted is the way to go; I always like to pick my own frame and I often display things in their mats till I come across the right frame. I see that in other homes as well, sometimes with a larger mat (or mats) added to make a small image more important with or without a large frame. You might want to set one up like that just for a picture, and offer that as a custom option on all the smalls. That way you show what you can do, how your work can be used in a large or small format, and save yourself the work involved in doing work not on order. Now, another idea-- not to devalue your paintings, exactly as they are, but to think about pricing options to bring in bucks... in my tiny budget, it would be worth it to me to have your work in photo form. Because your smalls' faces are what have drawn me. They have a power in paint, and another power on screen and/or in photo form. And you can print a photo to order on the home puder, mat it, sign it, and stick it in an envelope, viola! Anyway the thing with Etsy (from my DIL's experience) seems to be, post what "can" be done but keep the work itself to a minimum till an order pays the seller to actually do the work. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 12 Sep 10 - 12:35 PM SRS, I read of Deanna's passing before today, but held my response till I could sleep on it and consider it prayerfully. I'm just so impressed (and so glad for all of them) that YOU were "there." In case you're not sure you did good, please know that in my not so humble opinion you did SUPERB. A lot of what you said and did will bubble up for her family (and Moonglow) for years to come-- count on it. Please be sure to save space for your own tears and reflections on Deanna, and I would love to hear more about the unmet dreams of the person you referenced that you'd lost earlier. And the ones, large or small, that were met in any measure; I think all our lives have those-- where we dream big, get the "small," and are moving too fast sometimes to appreciate them at the time we get them. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 12 Sep 10 - 12:41 PM Tam dear, Can I hire someone else to take over one or 2 of these nightly perambulations? Yes! As a matter of fact you CAN! When you wake, next, in that mode, try to remember (program it as you fall asleep) that Susan is taking the 1 AM and 3AM pee for you as I head back into my bedtime audiobook to drift back out. I can take the 6AM one as well (with stair-climbing up to finish the Rental Room), so you can work in your overnight exercise as well. I'll just think of you when I do them, and ask that they be slid over to your column-- I have excess of each I'll gladly share! ~Susan (Perhaps you are essentially "OK" because no whiskertwitchery yet) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 12 Sep 10 - 12:50 PM Thanks for the comments! I feel exactly the same about it - on the screen anyway. I've found it now on my regular search engine, so I reckon it's fairly new to the market. There is a long shot of the yard on there, looking back to the house. It's a long, narrow space, but seems to have loads of room for the extension, especially if it's on the footprint of the existing buildings. I can't WAIT to see it. Just my luck, it'll already be under offer or something! I spent the afternoon cleaning windows and refurbishing the finish on the hall floor again. Then I did a quick lawn mow. The rest of the time has been spent trawling the websites again! Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 12 Sep 10 - 01:21 PM Susan, I do plan to sell the reproductions of the paintings on Etsy, not the originals. "Molly's Porch" is a reproduction of the detail of a larger painting. When I have them ready, the small paintings will be on Etsy as reproduction prints on archival art paper, too. Could not get to sleep last night and woke up late. At least the weather is cooperating so I can get that storm window painting project done! Clear blue sky and it may get up to 70 degrees today. Alice |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 12 Sep 10 - 01:36 PM I love Carl Larsson's work. He's probably the most famous Swedish artist in the world, an ambassador for his country and the Swedish style arts and crafts movement of his time in the late 19th and early 20th century. The house where he and his wife raised their children became the wonderful subject of many of his paintings. It is still owned by his heirs. You can read his bio and see work here: http://www.carllarsson.net/ Alice |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 12 Sep 10 - 01:57 PM Oh, my! Susan is definitely back in the building! Fall weather is quite energizing. ;-D Alice, as I view these plans to sell on etsy I find myself hoping you'll also find a way to sell in a higher-end venue. I'm always talking about Martha Stewart, and she mass-produces lots of things, but she also features craftsmen like Mudcat's own Guy Wolff, who does his own thing in his own space and she goes there to see his pots - consequently sending a lot of business his way. I hope you can call attention to your work through various avenues. Those little paintings should be individual, sold with the frames you think best, and go for a good (high!) price. Andrea, if we're voting, I like the earlier houses more than the more recent one. I'm always a sucker for a big yard, and I love the larger open kitchens. That most recent photo is what one novelist I enjoy calls a "one-butt kitchen." For obvious reasons. Great counter space, but little room for company. I unpacked a couple of cardboard boxes of things in one trunk that had been put in there back in 1999 when I moved out of the house my ex is in. The woman who used to help with housekeeping made a couple of extra trips over to help me pack, and it included some things I probably would have left there. I may re-wrap them and take them over one of these days. That leaves me with an empty trunk and I'll use it for storing the antique photos for now. I have been following Martha Stewart's instructions on getting those antique hankies to return to their original white. It really works - soaking in plain water for a couple of days or as much as a week, changing it out every so often, really does work. I have a rust remover I'll use on a couple of the hankies (very gently, it's a soaking product also) and they should be good to go. When I unpacked those boxes I found several of the old linen dishtowels in there also. They're also yellowed from time, so I'm going to try soaking them next. The ones I previously washed and dried probably can never be whitened, it is set, but I'll see what happens with these. (I sent some old ones to Animaterra a while back, but I think those had been washed, but I wonder - do you have any tricks for these old linens?) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 12 Sep 10 - 02:18 PM There is a textile expert in Montana who has been featured on Montana PBS regarding her collection of vintage handkerchiefs. She does workshops on textiles. Maybe you could contact her for advice: Terese Blanding at Viewforth Bed & Breakfast, Fairfield, MT. A google search will give you the address and phone number. A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 12 Sep 10 - 02:29 PM Spent the later part of the morning finishing the kitchen with the help of my husband. We had a corner where we had stacked all the canned products...over 70 quarts of tomatoes, a BIG bucket (think feed trough size) of squash (winter) and 24 or so pints of dilly green beans. Anyway, we have a large walk in pantry where those are stored for winter use so he helped to move the heavy cases of filled jars. I climbed up on a chair and cleaned the ceiling fan, the tops of cupboards, washed down some beams, scrubbed the top of the woodstove, swept up random dust around the back of the woodstove, scrubbed the floor where the cases of veggies had been, ran some new rubbermaid through the dishwasher by itself, did some other dishes, through out our breadmaker which finally gave out after years of use, deconstructed a bouncy seat (saved the box so I packed it back up in the box) that I will either send on to Veronica if she can use it or add it to the yard sale pile for the spring and then Jeremiah woke up. At the moment, he's happily playing in his activity center and I am taking a break! There's a full size closet in my kitchen that is full of shelving. I'm going to get in that corner before the day is over and give it a good dusting over and perhaps make a curtain if time allows. If not, that's ok too. It's looking fantastic in here! While I was taking care of our son, Pete made lunch...grilled chicken breast, tomato slices from our garden, dilly green beans (that I made), bread that he made this morning and some cottage cheese...it was SO good! Thanks Love!!!!!!!!!! So....it's back to puttering for me. It's dark and cool out today...perfect for doing stuff around the house at a leisurely pace. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 12 Sep 10 - 03:48 PM Wow, Michelle, that is a GREAT day! Your lunch description makes me hungry. a. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 12 Sep 10 - 06:56 PM Yeah, Andrea! === AniAlli, I've been feeling very poignant lately- partly hormonal, partly time of year. Missing my kids- missing loved ones gone "behind the curtain". What helps is to remember the beauty of my present life and all I am grateful for! Yessss..... strokebrain interferes here, but isnt Oct. "that" time? The beauty of life now, of course, includes Hunt... does he know about girly needs for non-sexualized snuggle time? I ask because our culture is SO DUMB about that, that many men do not know there is actually a cutoff switch from skin to brain to "action." OK I'm being too blunt for some of you-- shoot me. PM away if desired! But nonsexy snuggle time with girls works, too. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 12 Sep 10 - 07:35 PM Took a water and rest break from painting window trim outside. I just uploaded an image of another print for Etsy. It is a detail of a larger painting I did about 20 years ago of my uncle Harvey with his guitar. He was the youngest of all my uncles and the last to pass away. He died a year ago, so all my uncles are gone now. Here is the link:Harvey's Guitar More water and then back to painting on the windows! A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 12 Sep 10 - 08:37 PM Took a break from rental-room-think after the local ad paper blew my mind.... did some officey stuff and am finally getting some work DONE. It's been so hard-- during vacay Hardi and I planned so many changes that my schedule has been totally reformatted. With a BP meds change and doc appts as well, I'm a bit..... off, in some areas. Anyway earlier today I looked at the ad paper. The rents people are getting around here now due to the gas drilling!!! I see now why my friend named such a high figure, and why the kids at the local uni must be going out of their minds. And why this rental, if it flies, will pay me to have a cleaning lady for OUR part of the house AND pay me to climb stairs much oftener each day-- because WE will be upstairs more, in OUR little slice of heaven. So I drafted this ad to run tomorrow, purposely not quoting rent because it will depend on who calls (age) and what amenities they want to underwrite. I have a few days before it runs to make my peace with the huge rent I will try to get. (If I am too high I will adjust my spiel of course.) The goal of the ad is to wash out undesirables, be clear on geographic referents, and offer pluses-- then I'll do a round of phone interviews, emails with pictures, and hopefully a very few showings to these pre-qualified tenant applicants. We also let the word out at our local fave biz and dining spots. (I used all the same tactics to quickly fill my aquatics class a few years ago with the same ad paper. Who knew? People actually CALL!) Funny news-- another cash-producing idea I had on vacay netted me the $20 last night which the one-week ad will cost, so I begin in the black.
~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 12 Sep 10 - 08:42 PM Oh, Alice, there is so much expression in his face, so much said without words through the skill and talent of yourself. I love that one, esp. I had hoped to get back some of what we paid the IRS this year by doing an itemized deduction, but after racking my brain for 2-3 hours, I gave up, figured we didn't spend more than the standard deduction and finally just did a 1040EZ. Sheesh! I coulda done that last April. Oh well, at least it is done. We won't get back anything, but at least we won't owe any more, either. We went for a drive and found a lovely small cemetery out along an old farm country road. It had huge old cottonwoods, so we got out and walked a little bit so I could hug the trees and the dog could walk,too, on a leash. I saw a few familiar names from my elementary school days. So I had that walk and also did the vigorous 16 minute qi gong. Got the bathroom scrubbed and have done four loads of laundry, all folded, not all put away, yet. The other day, Morgan asked why he didn't have a taller table for his sanctum the way I do. Mine is about dinner table height with my candles and incense burner on it. He's been using a small table my granddad made for his candles and incense burner, which, btw, is a repurposed salt shaker in the form of "Lady" form Lady and the Tramp. My mom had the set, but I don't know what happened to the other. It makes a perfect holder for stick incense with the holes in the top of the head. The other day he insisted on three sticks, one for each hole and said she looked as though she had a "mohawk" hairdo. Anyway, Rog went looking in the shed for a taller table for Morgan. He found a bedside stand I'd forgotten we had which is a little tall, but has two below shelves with a small pull-out drawer. I'll let Morgan decide if he wants to use it. If not, I think I can use it out here in the DR office area. Rog finished mowing and weed-whacking as well as did the litter boxes and a bit of grocery shopping. I have the taxes, a netflix movie, and two more books ready to mail out, tomorrow. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 12 Sep 10 - 09:12 PM One 10 shelf bookcase totally emptied, dusted, rearranged, more space made which I promptly filled with my cancer books. I am liking that they are in one spot and at a height which makes it easy to find specific things when I need them. Curtains have been taken down in the living room and bathroom and are currently in the washer and dryer. I'll iron them later tonight or tomorrow morning & rehang. Windows washed, window sills wiped down. Four dozen ears of corn picked, shucked and waiting to be blanched and frozen tonight. For now....it's time for dinner. It's been a busy day and I am happily tired. In addition, I've made some decisions about a few things in my life that are acceptable and things that are not. Plain and simple. When I was struggling to get through each day this past winter, I had ample time to think about things and people in my life who have been positive and those that have not been so positive. I decided then that some things had to go. I just don't have room for them in my life anymore. :) It counts as decluttering, no? :) Ok. Dinner. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 12 Sep 10 - 09:52 PM OH!!! I almost forgot....we are watching Hoarders and while it's been on, I took apart a pedestal fan and gave it a good scrubbing...it had some pretty thick caked on dust that is now gone...it's been calling my name for some time now...so HOORAY!!! It's done! :) Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 12 Sep 10 - 11:30 PM I decided then that some things had to go. I just don't have room for them in my life anymore. :) It counts as decluttering, no? :) Absolutely!! Good for you! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 13 Sep 10 - 12:08 AM In today's specific tasks I (1) worked out a template to use to cut a special piece of tile for my office floor. It's odd shaped, so I may decide to split it into 2 or 3 pieces and (2) set up the grill and roasted the peppers I bought this week. Maybe 3 pounds. They're in the freezer now on trays; I'll bag them later but frozen this way they'll be easy to take out one at a time. The peppers I froze last year all became solid one pound blocks of peppers so I couldn't take them out a couple at a time, I had to often use them en masse. That said, I defrosted one of the old blocks of peppers (I'd actually taken about 1/2 pound out of the brick the other day and refrozen this before it got too soft). This was used to make some quesadillas, dinner tonight and lunch or dinner later in the week. There were a bunch of branches from one of the sunflowers in the driveway and I finished dead-heading the branches. The flowers can be crushed and scattered for the birds this winter. The limbs from the flower (as large as a small tree) went into the back on the compost pile. As I worked this evening I watched a movie from the library. A little bit odd (Mrs. Pettigrew Lives For A Day) but okay in general. As I watched that movie I puttered in both the kitchen and the living room. I've been moving things off of my really ugly fireplace hearth and I set up a surge protector, plugged in next to the back door beside that fireplace. I have a lamp and a mantle string of lights plugged in there, but now with the surge protector I can plug in my computer or my sewing machine. I moved a short (height-wise) bookcase and pushed the couch back a bit and made room for a table to work on in front of the television. Nirvana! Sewing and watching/listening to a movie, etc. A few other odds and ends around here. Despite having less time this weekend, I did get through most of the weekend chores. Alice, I can see the influence of Larsson in your painting. I hope you understood in my remarks above that I think your talent is large enough that I hope you can hit a more high-dollar venue one of these days. Aim high! SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 13 Sep 10 - 12:28 AM I learned long ago when doing illustration that I can support myself better by selling reproductions of my work than selling the originals. Also, right now the economy is terrible for selling high priced luxury things like art. But... low priced nice things are something that people treat themselves with. Today I searched on values of celluloid vintage charms, as I have some of those mixed in with old buttons. I need to go through what I have and sort out anything bakelite and special, then will probably put them on etsy. I have so much that my mom collected that passed on to me, like my postage stamp collection, my mom's stamp collection and my brother's stamp collection. Then there are all the old postcards and other paper ephemera. My head is spinning with stuff I can do using images from old early 1900's trade cards, letters, stamps, etc. Now I'm starting to think of things that are steampunk, with all the old stuff I have. My arms got a workout stretching to paint around the garage door. The weather was PERFECT for it today. I hope it holds longer. A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 13 Sep 10 - 12:36 AM official home page of Carl Larsson (Swedish) w/art I didn't know about Carl Larsson and his art until after I got my degree in art and was already in my painting career. The art history classes didn't include him. But, in the early 1970's, his work started being reproduced more on cards and posters that I saw. It appeals to me not only because of the light and airiness and his skill at illustration, but that the subject matter is mostly of home and family. a. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 13 Sep 10 - 09:04 AM frozen this way they'll be easy to take out one at a time Yeah, we did that with a boatload of grapes once and a boatload of blueberries another time. They bagged up nicely, and the bag stays pretty loose if it doesn't get too much condensation. I've done burgers that way too, then stacked them in a bag with no trouble separating them. === Hey, is everybody set for sunlight issues for the winter? If not, or if you never saw the old thread: SAD/Winter Blues/Sun Shortage: Solved ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 13 Sep 10 - 09:19 AM WYS - yep, it's certainly that time (note to others: my beloved Byron died in early October, 2003. No matter how happy and serene my life is, the autumn has a tinge of sadness). And not to worry, my dear one understands and cherishes me in my many-colored moods. As I do him! We are in a bit of a bustle today, as we go down to the sea tomorrow- we will be sailing a 40-foot sailboat off Mount Desert Island, Maine for a week! Hunt paints portraits of boats and has been commissioned to paint this one, or one just like it - in exchange for the week's charter! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 13 Sep 10 - 09:38 AM !!!!!!!!!! Innat worth big bucks? I *see* you skimming over an ocean full of abundance of all sorts. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: maeve Date: 13 Sep 10 - 10:09 AM We are digging out the hellhole, looking for ways to keep warm, and figuring out how to manage without running water, heat, septic, and safe winter housing. Great progress, y'all. m |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 13 Sep 10 - 11:03 AM Oh, my! maeve, that puts the rest of our preparations in perspective. Your trailer is insulated, isn't it? The "without" part, is that the house you're working on? It's Monday and some of our special events that I will photograph at work start later this week. I have to finish photos from earlier events and want to stay caught up on that. The living room has space for the antique folding table I will use (in addition to my rolling sewing machine cabinet) but they're in front of the lounge chair. I have a dining room chair nearby that I'll probably pull over to the table if I have much work, it's a better height and not so soft. Must pack and ship a box of goodies to my son. I had planned to ship it last week but it was deferred by all of the funeral running. It's still overly warm and very muggy out, so I'm postponing the yard work until this passes. It will pass, and shouldn't take weeks to do so. It IS September. Eventually even Texas cools down. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 13 Sep 10 - 11:19 AM Maeve, ...figuring out how to manage... I know you can do it (and I know you ARE doing it)--- gogogogo! You and TL continue in our prayers-- mine, daily. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 13 Sep 10 - 11:35 AM Just back down from a stint of Room prep, OMG give me strength. Good thing I only took 1/2 sheet of paper to write the to-do list, because I filled THAT up in no time. I did do some of the easy-peasy ones, like hanging up the (non-playable) bowlback mandolin to direct attention to the clothes hooks I also put up... I gathered up yet more trash..... Faulkner hung out. I took down our band sign to put up the hooks. :~( And oh I finished making up the double bed with a pretty topper, and moved the oil rad to a better location so the snack fridge could be left running.... Made a list of needed hardware-- my first and minimal purchases to get this space ready to make me some money. I really did have nearly every item I needed, as God has kept telling me for the last year in so many circumstances. "You already have everything you need...." Example: each and every bedsheet I reached for fit perfectly, with just enough to do the job and leave a spare set for our July AC re-occupation. Still, it felt like a black hole of impossibility, so I took down all the window-coverings to let in the light! I will want to photo it in good light anyway. Tenant can close them all back up for warmth! The plan is to start showing it no sooner than Saturday, tho I am sure I can shoehorn in the time to get it all done by then; it's just like the annual MIL visit except I'm doing this Room this year instead of the LR/allergen sweep because she can't make it this year-- her appendix burst about a month ago and she's not out of rehab in time for the annual first-week-of-October visit. And I have to clean the kitchen and loo to show, but I have learned that I can whip that in an intense hour. HOCKEY starts Oct. 7 so I have to get to the LR stuff by then because we threw out a nasty recliner ydy. A bit premature, but before bedtime I went and dumped OJ all over it so-- bye-bye, filthy, broken PRISON of a chair... and in with a lightweight zero-grav temp replacement from the camping set. Ydy I also took up a 2-1/2 gal container of non-fracked-up water for the tenant. We don't drink the well water, and I hope they don't either. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: maeve Date: 13 Sep 10 - 11:36 AM There is no house. The camper is not insulated. There is only the hellhole and the many barriers that are keeping us from building. We have no idea how we will manage. We know what we want to build but too many things stand between us and progress. I'm sorry. I really shouldn't post. You all ARE accomplishing many good things and I'm glad for you. Maeve |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 13 Sep 10 - 11:46 AM Your posts are welcome here, and you will figure it out. I'm so sorry it's so hard. (((Maeve/TL))) ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 13 Sep 10 - 12:03 PM maeve, if you feel like sharing what it is you want to build, we can at least help to visualise it/dream it up for you? (I know first thing, visualise the "hellhole" cleaned out and filled up, right?) It must seem so discouraging and frightening to face winter not knowing how to cope with such great odds. Sharing those concerns and fears with friends might help a little bit. That old adage, sorrow shared is halved, joy shared is doubled or some such. These threads have become a good place to do so, so please feel free. luvyakat P.S. Any options open for maybe going south for the winter to a warmer clime for a few months? My son has just subscribed to the Caretaker's Gazette and will be sending me a copy if you'd like me to check it over for possibilities. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: maeve Date: 13 Sep 10 - 12:18 PM Thanks, Susan and Kat. We know what we will build. We have no options for going anywhere else. We have no income. Talking about my concerns doesn't help me, but thank you for the kind offer. We know we have people rooting for us here. There are times when even that is no help to us. What we need is physical help on site, and there is none. We will deal with what is; and do without what is not. Think Katie Cruel, that song that maybe should have been called "Katie Crewel". Maeve |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 13 Sep 10 - 01:23 PM The thing about Mudcat is that we all speak in this common place but we're so spread out. Here I am bemoaning rattling around an empty house. There is room here, but travel to Texas probably isn't helpful to oversee work on the property. Even Susan's room is several states away. What we can offer is moral support, so I hope you'll continue to send us news of your work, and don't hesitate to ask if you need some material thing we can supply. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: maeve Date: 13 Sep 10 - 01:26 PM Thanks, Maggie. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 13 Sep 10 - 01:37 PM We "heated" our non-insulated popup camper last weekend. Of course the climate Maeve and TL are dealing with is much harsher as the winter goes on, but I'd be exploring insulating the trailer from outside, and plugging in an oil radiator, right about now. Or a teepee made from trees wrapped in old parachute silk. Some of you (maybe Maeve) will think I am being too suburbanite or silly, but I spent a winter in an unheated tent, sleeping on the ground. My mother was my role model-- my great uncle spent several years, starting the first year in winter, in an unheated cabin he built from pine saplings and what cost, back then, $50 in lumber, heated by a woodstove with water hauled daily from the nearby creek. Built small to have the minimum space to heat. That was around Lake Champlain. Why I say "there are always options" and that "I am confident Maeve and TL will figure this out" is that this-- sheer survival-- is exactly what human beings have been doing for thousands of years, and so I expect them to get through this winter. "Species survival" is a tough instinct, stronger than our ability to hope. That's why when we lose hope, we tend to stumble upon solutions we had missed. That's why we're all here, now, despite having left warm Africa. So I say, with all the compassion of one who has been there (and in many ways is close to a similar situation right now)-- Maeve, hang in there and keep flailing your way forward; you can and will do this. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: maeve Date: 13 Sep 10 - 01:55 PM We never, ever, lose hope. We know all the survival tricks. We hope to remain alive. I have edited out my first response. :) Friends here asked me to post, so I have done so. No more "progress" posts from me for a little while. I don't have energy enough to post in a thoughtful and friendly manner, and it is important to me to be able to do that. PMs and emails are quite welcome. Thanks and have a great autumn. Happy painting, sorting, selling, baby raising, baking, building, painting, house hunting, weight control, etc. Warm regards to all. Maeve |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 13 Sep 10 - 02:50 PM maeve, I'd like to suggest something. As we rattle along here and talk about things we're going to donate locally, if something described would be of use, please send a PM and let the donor know. I for one would be happy to send a box of useful items and I'd much rather send them to you if I knew you could use them than to heap a box on the already crowded counter at the Goodwill. We in this loose association of de-clutterers have made a habit of sending each other things we picked up when we knew others were looking for them. Maryanne sent me an envelope full of handkerchiefs she found at a garage sale, for example. A small thing, but I love and use these every day. Extra bedding, towels, I have those out the wazzoo here from my aunts' estates and my father's house. With so little room there I would never send stuff unsolicited, but if even a couple of extra towels would be helpful, I'd hope the items themselves but also the knowledge they were sent with love would be helpful. We can send lists via PM, no need to run all of this out in the open. But just say the word. This is all I'll say on the subject, anything else will be via PM. I don't want to make you uncomfortable, and I certainly don't want to put you out of sorts by keeping this topic in play. Take care, SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 13 Sep 10 - 02:51 PM Well-put, SRS, that's kind of what I meant to say. maeve, I have no doubt you and TL know exactly what to do and how. kat |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: VirginiaTam Date: 13 Sep 10 - 03:20 PM {{{{Maeve}}} |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 13 Sep 10 - 03:53 PM Maeve, there are some truly amazing people here, yourself included, and it's great to get some input from them, even if it isn't always what I would want to hear (although it mostly is). You are doggedly fighting your battle, but there is an invisible army at the back of you, holding fast to you both. I was going to post a moan - radiator corroded and leaking, and several doors sticking just when the surveyor is coming tomorrow on behalf of my buyer's mortgage company. Somehow, in the grand scheme of things, it suddenly seems rather petty. SRS - I agree about the "one-butt" kitchen (never heard that expression before, but I like it). I will just have to do something about the size of said butt! Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 13 Sep 10 - 05:13 PM Hey Maeve, It's good to see you here!!! :) I'm sorry things are so hard but you are right in that you can never, NEVER EVER GIVE UP HOPE!!!! Our house is in spectacular shape after a busy morning doing last minute things, a trip to the store, dinner prep (I finally on a menu of: Tossed Salad with cucumbers and freshly picked red cherry tomatoes and yellow miniature plum tomatoes, rolls, grilled chicken, stuffing, a cranberry crunch salad, gravy and buttercup squash from our garden. Pete made some apple crisp that is currently bakng in the oven and smelling OH SO GOOD!!! There's vanilla ice cream if anybody wants some and a fresh pot of coffee too. I've dusted, washed chair covers, swept, put laundry away, cleaned out my car, cleaned out the fridge and sent lots of peelings out for the steer. And last night before we went to bed, we shucked all the corn that was ready to be picked, blanched it and packed it for the freezer. I think we had a total of 8 or 9 quart bags packed full....ready for a cold winter's dinner of shepard's pie!!! ;) Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 13 Sep 10 - 06:16 PM Well, I got the ad placed to run for one week. The guy taking the ad said the kids are really getting squeezed out of the market by the gas co. people and the outrageous rents they are willing to pay. He was so glad to see a student rental ad, he gave me a discount on the ad and it cost about half what I had estimated. Which is good because the work I did up there today resulted in a "to purchase" list I can move on, tomorrow, instead of having to wait till Wednesday or Thursday. The second stint up there resulted in two medium-large bags of trash and a floor clear enough to lay the last two rugs. I also spent quite a bit of time checking all the outlets and what is plugged in where and planning how to limit additional plugging into the extension cords-- not because I am worried about the electric bill so much but the fire hazard. A task today was inserting a dressing mirror behind the curtains that create a faux window where one is needed. Nice how it bounces the light around and gives a place for the tenant to check their clothes. The clothe=s rack will go nearby and the toiletry/clothes shelf is there as well. I'm wavering about purchasing a microwave for the Room. If they want one, WalMart is right on the way here and I'd rather not encourage the use of it. Not much room left to put it, either, on the shelf that would have held it. Hm.... ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 13 Sep 10 - 06:17 PM Michelle, is company there yet, or are they arriving in time for this delicious dinner? I agree about the size of the butt, Andrea - mine, not yours! Gotta get more exercise and try to get into some of my better looking trousers. :-/ One of the dogs has a sore toenail (a cut right at the base behind the nail on her toe, done while digging in a rocky area) - the same kind of injury I did to myself a while back with an accidental jab next to my fingernail. I ended up with a little herniated bit of flesh that wouldn't heal back behind the nail. My doctor used a bit of liquid nitrogen to kill the little flap and the nail healed. Right now it's actively sore on the dog's foot and I'll give it a couple of more days to see if it will heal on it's own or if I have to take her in. While it's like this I'm not taking her out for walks. She'd go, but she'd be in pain. It's a curious kind of injury, but can be debilitating. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: gnu Date: 13 Sep 10 - 06:20 PM 203.2. That coconut cream pie is just within reach but I am at a plateau again it seems. Tomorrow... wall washing... and thinking about pie. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 13 Sep 10 - 06:25 PM Good job, but what torture! Since part of what makes dieting so difficult is the deprived feeling, it seems that a small piece of pie is in order, with a good meal so you don't get such a surge of sugar that you set up a sugar habit. Don't keep the entire pie nearby. Just eat one piece and be done with it. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 13 Sep 10 - 07:30 PM Today was kind of a weird day. I guess you could say my exercise today was unexpected. I had to haul out flooring material from the bathroom that was water damaged. Some stuff went in trash, some stuff hosed down and drying in the sun in the driveway with a fan on it. One completed project, another listing on Etsy. print - Girl, Cat, Lighthouse, Book cover Illustration A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 13 Sep 10 - 09:36 PM Company arrived just as I finished writing the last post. As it would happen, they knocked on the door before I hit the send button...so YES they were here! Everything went really well and it was good to see them. I forgot how different people from New England can be than the people from here...makes me long to be back in Vermont!!! Anyway, dinner turned out great and I made plenty so there are lots of leftovers for lunches or dinner this week. Funny how things work out....after they left, my girlfriend called and asked me to meet her for lunch tomorrow. Another friend emailed and asked me to come over to her house late tomorrow afternoon. She is doing mission work in Ethiopia soon (her son and his wife just adopted a 2 year old from Ethiopia and my friend got to go along) and she wants to share about her adventures. Also, her time to hold Jeremiah has been very limited and she wants to play with him. I'm really looking forward to that! If I hadn't done so much work in the last few days, I'm not sure I'd be able to do BOTH just because I'd want to have stuff done....anyway, it is ALL done and I'm going to enjoy an afternoon out with friends tomorrow!!! :) Now it's time to relax...we're watching The 19th Wife on Lifetime. The movie has actors that we like to refer to as, "Another fine graduate from the John Black School of Acting." Cheese fest. :) I read the book earlier this summer...very interesting about an off-shoot of the Mormon community that still practices polygamy. The history of it fascinates me. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 13 Sep 10 - 11:54 PM It fascinates me, too, Michelle. My head is spinning from all you have done, again! Glad you get to have some fun with your friends, tomorrow. I know I did stuff today, but it sure doesn't look like it! I photographed the first two things I will be putting in my shop at Etsy, a personal-sized creamer & sugar bowl, really pretty with gilt edges, and a scary-looking carved wooden mask from Indonesia, then I went there to write my profile which, when I hit send, it promptly ate. That was this afternoon when I was too mentally tired to redo it right then. I will try to reconstruct it tomorrow morning. The avatar and banner that Alice did for me look SO perfect. I really WILL try to get it up and running tomorrow, though I do have an appt. at 11a which will take about an hour. If not then, it will probably have to wait until Thursday as I am working with my brother Wed. AM to get him going at CDBaby and/or blogging and/or FB&MySpace, then I have Morgan the whole afternoon because Weds. they get out early! And, there is no school this Friday, so I'll have him all day, as far as I know. Oh, I know what else I did. I decided to jump in with both feet and publish the redesign of my website. I am not entirely happy with it and need to add more, esp. a bio of some kind, but at least I think it's better than the bland-but-pretty I had before. I wanted it to be less busy and more consistent; looked at the websites of a couple of authors I've read and liked theirs, so used them as "inspiration." I know I am a rank amateur and I used the templates that startlogic provides, but I did use one which allows one to change certain things and I know just enough html, I think, to make it work. Jack Campin has mentioned a couple of things I need to check in the bad website design thread as I asked, but all in all I like it better than what I had. It's been fun to go on paperbackswap and see the book credits add up from all of the books I sent out last week. There will be more from the ones I sent this morning, too. I will be able to request at least ten books within this week, so my reading material will add up! Of course, I'll be listing more to go out the door, so I won't be adding to the clutter more than I was.:-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 14 Sep 10 - 05:18 AM The surveyor is due any minute - he's running late. Freya got me up at 5.20, so I am not in the best of moods (at 10.15), especially with a 3 hour drive this afternoon. So far he's 45 mins late, but they did ring to say he was caught up in some traffic nightmare between here and York. Peter is probably picking a key up this morning, and he says he'll probably fettle the doors tomorrow. I need an aspirin! Too much caffeine trying to keep conscious. At least I've got Freya down for a sleep. Andrea (She's with me because her mum is on a training course in Leeds this morning, so that she can give the flu jab. Her comment - "I didn't sign up for this gig so that I could stick things in people!") |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 14 Sep 10 - 09:13 AM Fettle keys? Whazzat? === The next few days I'll be offline more than the last week. My head is spinning with all that's on my plate-- breathe, one thing at a time, combine things when possible. For instance Ed's wife died a year ago today, so we just wrapped him into our day's plan including the music to work on after tonight and oh yes let's ask Bud to join us, to further their manly support which started at a campfire here a few months ago-- time flies! Then there's the REST of Tuesday-- where's that grocery sale flyer??? I'm lost in piles of unorganized LR re-cluttification, aaaarghhh! And meds came in ydy's mail to restock pill sorters..... I need a nap already. But The Room-- good thing I did so much ydy because I will not be back up there till late tonight or tomorrow, soonest. The ad runs tmrw and Hardi agrees with my Action Plan: <> Take calls Wednesday/Thursday, return them Friday, get email addies to send applications/pix. (Draft app tonight) <> Send app/pix out via email and check references Saturday-Monday. <> Meet qualified applicants in town at their choice of coffeeshops-- their choice/turf will tell me how cash-poor they are. :~) <> Continue cleaning kitchen and loo in prep to show the shared spaces of the house. Organize back porch and pick tenant parking area with coming winter snow/plowing needs in mind. <> Go over interview impressions with Hardi (he wants minimal involvement) and pick one or two to show the actual space. Schedule move-in with the lucky winner. <> Get keys made and install lock on "their" door. <> Move-in; start a week of settling details of shared space use. <> Hire my cleaning lady to save my LR! <> Declut LR so cleaning lady can CLEAN. Note to self: remember, this rental is paying me to MOVE. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 14 Sep 10 - 09:33 AM PS the last round of house-org resulted in being able to find, get (and plug into my SAD light's extension cord) MY oil rad to heat up the distance-learning studies desk in our LR.... the house heat is OUT (Hardi is calling our landlord) and my tea has gone COLD along with my feet!!! ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 14 Sep 10 - 10:56 AM Usual morning chores are finished (laundry, sweeping, dishes, etc). While Jeremiah settled down into his morning nap, I sorted out more of his clothing that no longer fits. The days are getting cooler so I have tucked away some of my less favorite summer outfits for him for the yard sale in the spring. Warmer clothing was sorted and organized (onesies, pants, warmer shirts, jackets, etc). I also dumped both of his diaper bags and have repacked just one. Tonight I'll pack a bag of warmer things to keep in the car for him...the just in case clothes....just in case he wets through something, just in case he wears too much of his lunch, just in case he spits up on something other than his bib, just in case he poops out the side of his diaper (EW...it has happened more than once already!) or God forbid, just in case we hit bad weather and slide into a ditch or something. Clothes and food for the baby will be in the car 24/7. It's time for me to go get ready for my day out (Jeremiah's too!). I'm looking forward to it! Have a great day everybody! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Sep 10 - 12:00 PM Michelle, welcome to motherhood! There was one day when I was changing Moonglow's diaper that was so involved I've never forgotten it. I had to change a poopy diaper that had shot out the leg and she was kicking - by the time I finished I had to change the sheet on the changing table, everything she was wearing, and everything I was wearing except my bra. Yup. It can get that bad! Forewarned is forearmed. Maybe. (At least keep your sense of humor handy!) It's difficult to imagine feeling cold right now. It has been so warm for so long, few of the cool-down breaks we usually get in a summer. I spoke to a coworker friend at work yesterday about a print job, and he asked "while I have you on the phone" and described the state of his tomatoes and peppers. "Is this normal?" Yup. They just didn't do much this year and didn't respond to all of our various forms of prodding. It was too darned hot! One load of laundry washed and dried, another to go in today, and since it is whites with sheets I'll dry these on the line. I'd like to dry everything outside, and if necessary, I can, but I have to agree with my son that some things just aren't meant for line drying. He didn't like towels on the line (I don't really mind, they get soft soon enough) but some of my clothes that are permanent press dry with creases that I can't even iron out. So those garments will go in the dryer. My new antique hankies found in one of the trunks are completely finished with their soaking and oxy-bleach treatments and look great. I'll wash them with the rest of my hankies and then iron and use them. I have some dishtowels I've subjected to the same long soak in plain water than soak in oxygen bleach, and some of them are ready to go in the laundry now. Others may never get much lighter. That's okay - but it is nice to have these new old-fashioned linen and cotton towels for my kitchen. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Sep 10 - 03:31 PM At lunch today I made one of my favorite rice dishes that can serve as a side dish or an entre. Chicken soup stock and rice with seasoned cut up chicken breast and mushrooms. Usually I'd make this in the dutch oven or one of the heavy pans, a one pot meal. Brown the chicken in the pan then add the water and rice and mushrooms. Cover and simmer the usual time it takes to cook rice, and dinner is served. To brown this chicken I had to use a little skillet, I didn't want to add the chicken to the rice without the extra cooking. So it becomes a two pan dish, but I think I'll still do it this way anyway and concentrate on how I can use the steamer basket and add broccoli or cauliflower or something up on top at the same time. This was my birthday present to myself. It doesn't have the largest cooking pot, but even with this small cooker I have to use at least 1 dry cup of rice for it to work right, and that ends up enough for at least a couple of meals. I use rice as a leftover so no problem. While it was cooking I did another load of laundry and washed up all of the dishes. I have ants, tiny itsy bitsy things that run really fast, near the kitchen sink. I'll get the diatomaceous earth and give the area a dusting tonight and see if that takes care of them. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 14 Sep 10 - 03:56 PM Baby powder works really well and smells good, too, SRS. If you all want to see the stupendous avatar and shop banner Alice made for me, I have that done, at least, on my shop: Kat Laughing at Etsy. I worked on my profile, welcome thing, and policies. In between had to cancel a coumadin clinic appt. so I could go get a sick grandson from school and wait for his mom to come home to take care of him, which freed me up to do this. So, I've got the whole day, but am going to lie down for a short bit before I start listing items. Have to make sure I have all the proper info and best photos, etc. First two items will be, I think, a decorative mask from Indonesia and hand-painted, English china, personal-sized sugar and creamer set, really pretty with violets and green leaves, with gilded rims. Thanks, again, Alice. I love what you did with the peek-a-boo cat! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 14 Sep 10 - 05:06 PM Kat, I LOVE the banner!!! Alice, You do GREAT work....it's PURRRFECT!!! =^..^= Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Sep 10 - 05:31 PM Great banner, I agree! This afternoon I asked a question about an event and it opened a huge amount of work. Oy. But I asked early enough that I think I can help these folks promote an event that I haven't seen much about so far. I need to get moving and list that next eBay item. Last weekend was understandably complicated, but the only way I'll move some of this stuff out of here is to keep something listed all of the time. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Sep 10 - 07:22 PM I made an appointment for Cinnamon at the vet tomorrow. She injured her foot last week and it isn't healing. I had a similar injury (next to the nail) and if I had a thermos of Liquid Nitrogen I'd dab some on the bit of flesh that has extruded out between the nail and the skin and won't let the skin heal over. It's just like when I gouged beside my thumbnail and a bit of flesh extruded beside the nail and wouldn't heal. When it happened I tried for weeks to bandage it and keep from bumping it on things (ironically, I was trying to put the dog's rabies tag on the collar on and stabbed myself with the spiral keyring thing they give you with the tag). My doctor decided the best way to heal it was to kill that little bit of extruding flesh with the nitrogen. It worked. Now to convince the vet I know what I'm talking about. She gouged her toe when she was catching a rat in a pile of rocks last week. I've put in a busy day today, and though I tend to come and go doing some of this stuff in the evenings, I'm going to step away from the office work for a while and finish up some of the things I have to do here. A load of laundry is hanging on the line, and I need to do some mowing. I've started packing my son's box to mail tomorrow. And I need to do that eBay listing. A lot for the evening. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 14 Sep 10 - 08:42 PM "Whoopsie! Etsy just had a hiccup." ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 14 Sep 10 - 09:31 PM Well, kat already had the basic black cat idea and her choice of fonts, so I just put it all together. Glad it worked out! Now, kat, when you get some items in your shop, I can include something in one of my Etsy image collections called "Treasury". That's what I've spent a lot of time making today. It helps to connect to others on Etsy as you post links to other shops, not your own. Alice Flynn's treasury lists, 16 images in each. I'm finding that the Etsy management really works at helping artisans help each other. I stumbled across a maker of wood and silver Irish whistles on Etsy. He does not have a shop graphic, so I made one for him and sent it... don't know if he will use it, but he also has an interesting site showing photos of his whistle making process. Her is his whistle shop TYIAM Here are the photos of his whistle making process: theflutemaker.com We had another hail storm with wind and rain again today. Alice |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 14 Sep 10 - 10:14 PM You have been busy, Alice! Those are great Treasuries! I read an email Etsy sent me today with a bunch of stuff about current trends and upcoming stuff for Oct., etc. There's a lot there all at once, but I can see how they really support one another quite well and it is obvious putting some real effort into it counts. Thanks for your comments about the banner and all, gals. Alice I'd appreciate having something in one of your Treasuries! Will reciprocate as soon as I have some time. The next three days are going to be filled with other people/stuff.:-) I think I still have mental fatigue from writing and reading so much online, taking photos, researching and writing up item descriptions, etc. Not quite ready to put items up, but when I do I'll be sure to share!:-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Sep 10 - 10:22 PM My goodness but a lot of work goes into those flutes! I've seen similar pages for other instruments. It makes you wonder how anyone can sell these once they're finished, they're so beautiful, but also, the wage these folks pay themselves is low when you look at the time that goes into these. As with Alice's paintings - it isn't the easiest way to make a living by any means. etsy certainly has high quality photos on the site. It is very appealing visually. I got some exercise finally. I mowed the back yard this evening, got as much of it as had grass growing (so I mowed about 3/4 of the total area, which is still about 1/4 acre). Tried steaming broccoli in the new rice maker. I'll use about 1/2 of the water they suggest. I stopped it when there was still plenty of water but the broccoli was already plenty tender. eBay this evening. I have to work on my photos and description, then figure out how much this will weigh. I don't think I have a priority box that will fit it, but that actually gives me more shipping options. The post office will only let you ship priority rate in a priority box (even if you turned it inside out!) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 14 Sep 10 - 10:43 PM I had a wonderful time out with my friends this afternoon! When I got home, I spent the rest of the day trying to soothe Jeremiah who is teething and is mighty uncomfortable...seems to happen late in the afternoon more than any other time (which the Dr. said is normal). Anyway, Pete got home around 8:00pm this evening. Now mind you, Jeremiah has been fussy and crying for at least an hour and a half...nothing worked. He had just started to settle down when Daddy got home. Daddy took him and they played happily for about 3 minutes before Jeremiah started to fuss. Bedtime. So we both go upstairs, Pete carrying the baby...turn on the music, kiss him goodnight and BOOM....he goes to sleep just like that. I looked at Pete and said, "How does THAT work?" He smiled at me and asked me if I had given Jeremiah a superman ride on the way upstairs. Um...no...I had not. He said, "Well you have to give him a Superman ride up the stairs if you want him to sleep." new every day! ;) Truthfully, whatever the reason, I'm glad he fell asleep. The poor baby has been hurting and hopefully he will find some relief before morning (c'mon infant ibuprofen...work your magic). Tomorrow we have a play date with the fabulous Miss Audrey who is 2 months older than Jeremiah...they are SO cute together!!! Then he will go to the sitter while I go to a Coping With Cancer Support Group. The topic of the month is Survivorship...What Happens After Treatment is over. I love this group of people....they've all been there and have a very good understanding about what it means to have cancer and what others are going through since they have been there themselves. Goodnight friends. :) Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Sep 10 - 10:44 PM Kat, we cross-posted. I understand completely that mental fatigue you mention. Working on the computer, examining all of those photos, etc, wears you out. Mowing the lawn tonight wasn't just useful (the good looking lawn) or exercise, it was also time away from the computer. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 14 Sep 10 - 10:57 PM aaarrgh.. need to vent a little. I checked into my PayPal account and found a $50 debit from my bank account from a company that is all Chinese characters, located out of the US, and I can't dispute it yet because PayPal says I have to confirm it is me by having them call my LAND LINE. I only have a cell phone now... they won't call a cell phone. So, tomorrow I'll have to see if my bank will let me dispute it with them, as they have already taken it out of my account. PayPal is Snail Mailing me a form to confirm my address, since I don't have a land line here. technology, technology When it's good it's very, very good, when it's bad it's HORRID. Alice |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 14 Sep 10 - 11:06 PM Oh, Alice! PayPal, being owned by eBay, really should be a bit more up to date, imo. How many folks have landlines these days? Techincally, we have one, same number as our old Qwest landline, but it comes through the broadband connection and I hardly ever use it. I use my cell phone almost exclusively. Good luck with that. SRS, exercise would have been a welcome change, I even thought about it, but I think I've been warding off Morgan's bug and/or super low blood pressure, which has been ongoing, just got to me along with waking up too early the past few days. So, resting my eyes on the bed for about an hour helped. Still, the mental fatigue is something, isn't it? Good luck to you, too, as you keep up your ebaying. Michelle, I think sometimes it's just a different person which helps, but don't tell "daddy" that.:-) Kids and moms both just get tired when something is going on that it is hard for the kids to articulate and that's when a new pair o'hands can really come in handy. At least from my experience. YMMV, of course.:-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 15 Sep 10 - 08:02 AM The effort to integrate the last year's new healthy habits (upstairs) into the craziness of downstairs life (outbound ministry-takeoff runway) has paid off. The heat is down (landlord due any minute), so I came down early. I moved AM exercises downstairs to turn on the oil rad before Hardi came down-- all I had to nab and tote down was one small item. Used it, and then put it right back in the stairwell "up" basket for tomorrow. I like the exercises better up there! :~) ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 15 Sep 10 - 08:54 AM Rental Room updates. Today will be a work day while the ad runs. I will not take the cellphone upstairs-- let the calls pile up. I will build the application in email later today as a break from space-prep. I may also get to the store for the few needed items. I have decided NO FRIDGE, but to supply a small microwave-- that way they can take food out of the dnstrs fridge/freezer, take it up, and nuke it and eat it up there. They can even "buy" frozen, cooked meats from me, the bulk cooking lady. And bring down dirty plates, etc., when they find they have used all their clean ones and when the sink is open. (There is a deep windowsill up there that is plenty cold enough, even this month, to set milk overnight for AM tea.) A good friend yesterday reminded me of the power of campus advertising if I really want to prioritize for a student of a particular vintage-- will look around in email to spot pals we already know to get word around via the "back door." The BIG insight today as I loaded a backlog of laundry was this: "If you leave your clean stuff in the washer it's likely to end up wet and unfolded in your stairwell. On the other hand, if your dry, dirty laundry is left on top of the washer in a bag-- it's likely to end up clean and maybe even folded, in the same bag, in your stairwell, at no charge." (Because I LIKE to do laundry and I have to go to the laundry room to send them up some supplemental heat anyway.) ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 15 Sep 10 - 10:45 AM What an INCREDIBLE fall day!!! There's a bit of nip in the air with bright blue skies and loads of sunshine....my absolute favorite kind of day!!! Dishes done, laundry going, floors swept and I'm going to hop in the shower while the wee one naps. When he wakes up we are going for a nice long walk on a local trail. I can't wait to be outside today! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 15 Sep 10 - 12:54 PM Every trip up to The Room is an opportunity for problem-solving: "WHAT am I going to do about THIS (or that) left-too-long problem?" I solve what I can and remove anything I cannot solve, to re-introduce later when possible. AFGO. Like the padded arms for the desk chair. Heck, they been stained since before the nest emptied, oh, 12 years ago? Always "meant" to "do something." OK, so I figured out how to get them off, and re-cover them, and did so today, and enjoyed some music....; . But can I get them back ON? NOOOoooo...; the recharger for the cordless drill/driver is down one flight and up one flight just to GET it. So I'll leave them off for now! It's still a usable chair and the black metal arms beneath the padding are OK! And I'll email myself to bring down the damn charger tomorrow AM! Still, Faulkner is more relaxed up there each time I take him (bodes well for summer heat relief), and I did get the damn electric blanket extension cord run (and made safer). And figured out how to make them ALL safer, which also needs.... the cordless drill/driver... which has to charge.... so... hey, tomorrow is only Thursday, right? :~) The supplied laundry bin. I use it so I figger the tenant will. Dirty plastic to wash, with parts to cut off. Got it started with the hand saw then saw how many places had to be done, so I tossed it down to work on it LATER, and the tenant can have the one that has been in MY way in the laundry room INSTEAD. It folds! It rolls! It holds lots of laundry! Jeansjeansjeans! I don't need to let mine pile up in it! Sheeshe, the stuff that has to GO when I think like a landlady instead of a tenant! :~) I also got rid of more summer stuff (stowed it out of sight) and pillow-cased a few more pillows-- and sorted out from the tenant's linens the ones I like, for the camper that needs a few to match the sheets in there. Hey, we got some nice news today. A guy we FreeCycled Hardi's good ole Specialized road-bike to-- wrote today that after several years' use, he just passed it on to a new teacher in his town. The Bike That Would Not Die, LOL. (A well-made road bike-frame can get endless new brakes, wheels, etc etc etc-- it's like a car chassis.) And the tenant got the same guy's mom's old sheets when he FC'd them after she died. Big wheel keeps on turning. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 15 Sep 10 - 04:32 PM pantpantpant I am DONE for the day (unless Hardi can spre me a few minutes to lay 2 rugs and do some hardware). I piddle around hanging a faux headboard, tiebacks on curtains, and policed another corner's dust bunnies/trash. I took apart a bed frame which cleared the space for the puder podium, and zip-tied the folding legs of a table that keeps wanting to fold itself up. I got the description/policies drafted in email to send out and a pricing structure is emerging: base rate plus amenities but amenities can be bartered or paid. I really like the policies-- they are strict only in safety areas and quite open in some "lifestyle" matters. I am comfortable with what I wrote about the realities of country life in a pastor's home, balanced with liberal doses of privacy. (Su casa su casa.) The references I will request are, according to a student friend, reasonable. (My past daycare clients were more than happy to provide a similar amount of info.) After a FAFSA, hey, what's another application. After rugs, photo shoot. This will not only promote the ambience but be my documentation of how I want it left when the tenant vacates. Even nit-picking as I tend to do, there is really not much left up there to do-- mostly cash my grocery check and buy the $34 microwave I spotted last week. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 15 Sep 10 - 04:44 PM ooptoe's corrected post (maybe) pant.pant.pant I am DONE for the day (unless Hardi can spare me a few minutes to lay 2 rugs and do some hardware). I piddled around MORE hanging a faux headboard, tiebacks on curtains, etc., pit toghether a clothes rack.... and policed the last corner's dust bunnies/trash. I took apart a bed frame which cleared the space for the puder podium, and zip-tied the folding legs of a table that keeps wanting to fold itself up. Stuff to be brought down has been identified, packaged, and set to go down. I have been carrying small stuff on every trip-- now we're into the Man Help. Hardi = weightlifter. Two little bulletin boards are up-- so cute. They are plastic placemats roughly circular in the shape of an abstract yellow flower, on which taped items can be displayed so as not to mess up the walls. (Or written on with wipe-off markers.) A music staff in brass is up, and Animaterra's postcard and an old item of Donuel's are next. An item from Sorcha already on that wall-- it's the Catter Wall. (Waul?) Artsy, eclectic, bright, not cluttered. Cheerful. Kat and Seamus books are up there for boredom. UK papers, Rexford town book..... all kinda Catterobilia including a lil punkin the little Ducks decorated. I got the description/policies drafted in email to send out, and a pricing structure is emerging: base rate plus amenities but amenities can be bartered or paid. Gonna send it to Mmario who has slept there most often (after me and Hardi). I really like the policies-- they are strict only in safety areas and quite open in some "lifestyle" matters. I am comfortable with what I wrote about the realities of country life in a pastor's home, balanced with liberal doses of privacy. (Su casa su casa.) The references I will request are, according to a student friend, reasonable. (My past daycare clients were more than happy to provide a similar amount of info.) After a FAFSA, hey, what's another application. After rugs, photo shoot. This will not only promote the ambience but be my documentation of how I want it left when the tenant vacates. Even nit-picking as I tend to do, there is really not much left up there to do-- mostly cash my grocery check and buy the $34 microwave I spotted last week. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 15 Sep 10 - 05:54 PM You know, I can't help but think that after all of this planning for a tenant in that room that you're still going to end up with someone up there who is a total surprise and none of these rules and arrangements are going to stick. "Just sayin'," to quote my pal Bobert. One bandaged dog hanging out on the back porch - she was lying inside with her chin on the door step, poor dear. With it hot she's going to lie around outside or in, but outside she has Poppy for company and more stuff to watch. I'll try to keep her quiet and they'll spend the nights in. That should be interesting. The vet was going to simply use liquid nitrogen to freeze the tissue behind the split toenail, but ended up digging out the nail bed and cauterizing with silver nitrate. The fleshy bit was too large for just freezing. She's a good girl, he used a local, and out of standard practice they put a muzzle on, but she's so patient they didn't need to. They called me back to see the work he had done, and there were several people standing around the table to help as he worked, but she just lay there quietly and enjoyed getting petted. So much for the fierce reputation pit bulls have. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 15 Sep 10 - 07:41 PM Whew! Got the hang of these events on facebook. I just posted one (I did one a couple of years ago but it didn't really go anywhere. Now I know a lot more about facebook and it was much easier). So this evening I have stuff to do for myself but I also have stuff to do for work. This evening will be a mixed bag. Laundry is in - I cleared out the couple of bins of water that had garments soaking (antique stuff). It's nice to have the counter space back. I'm taking ibuprofen and antihistamines to try to keep this cold at bay. I can feel it tickling at the back of my throat. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 15 Sep 10 - 09:28 PM Puir doggie. Tell Cinnamon my Merlee says be a good grryl and it will get all better.:-) I've been getting the hang of Etsy and the myriad ways they have of helping one another to promote their goods. Thanks to Alice-the-Mentor, I have now created my first "Treasury" which is a grouping of other's items which fit a theme I created called "Polly Put the Kettle On! It's TeaTime!" I wanted to build one around Alice's painting of the little girls having a tea party on the porch, so that's where that came from. The first time, even though I hit SAVE, it was lost. I found out why and recreated it using my browser history. Creating a Treasury is good as you get a chance to look at others' listings, read their descriptions, policies, etc.; a kind of nice way to get the lay of the land and so supportive of one another. If you do a great job of one, it might get featured on the home page. It's a very social, non-competitive place from what I have seen. I also got my first item listed. I can see it's going to take some time with each item being different. I'll add more when I have time. So far, tomorrow looks good, only one appt. and I am not sure I will have Morgan at all as he may not go to school. They are out on Friday, all day, so I'm thinking my dau. may just keep him home one more day. He sure sounded puny this evening. So, I may have lots of time the next two days. Here's my shop: Kat Laughing. This morning I got my brother going with a new blog: A Composer's Hobbies. Also started an account for him on myspace, have to upload some music, though. Most of the morning went better than I expected and I *educated* him some more on the internet and social networking/marketing. I have to give him an "A" for effort and willingness to learn. I have been so busy today I just realised I have not played Reversi or Spider Solitaire once! LOL. Now, off to the shower and relaxation! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 15 Sep 10 - 09:31 PM SRS, if you mean I am going to end up giving away the space and my time, that is not going to happen. I have something available under circumstances that work for me and reason to believe that it is wanted.... I never met a landlady yet who let the tenant set the terms-- I know where I can flex and where I can't. For example I have to pay for their heat out of their rent, so there has to be at least a break-even point. I was born in the morning-- but not THIS morning. If you mean that there will be surprises, of course I know that, duh! Human beans is all surprises; that's what I like about them. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 15 Sep 10 - 11:37 PM A busy day running around but the main thing to show for it: Treasury of things including Kat's china. A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 16 Sep 10 - 02:41 AM And my first "Treasury" includes one of my favs. of Alice's paintings. I call the whole thing Polly Put the Kettle On! It's TeaTime! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 16 Sep 10 - 09:30 AM Animaterra, (BTW, most of the Room stuff here and upthread is written in "I" mode because by agreement it's my job, not Hardi's, and because I'm focusing on my end of the job HERE while I focus on the tenant's end when I meet with THEM-- it's a boundary thing.) The ad is working for me while I finish work on the Room, and the processes I set in place to deal with the responses are also working-- my cell is the number I ran, and I programmed the outbound greeting to request email to send back the description and an application. The first call came in last night right after classes and dinner-- the same pattern my aquatic ads had, when people pick up their Wednesday mail or the ad-paper on display at stores and restaurants. The first run of calls with this paper are usually from folks who have made up their minds to go look, on purpose, for something they want. The paper's casual browsers (and there are many) look at it in the morning over their coffee. The first caller was young, well-spoken, female, and businesslike-- just what I had "attracted"/prayed and worked towards. The purposeful calls will come again this evening. I'm logging them all as they come in, and prioritizing. (My Presbytera ears can usually discern the difference between a need and a want.) I have decided that the only "major" appliance supplied will be a brand-new inexpensive nukerator (which I will buy out of the deposit). This is because the wiring up there will take only two heavy-drawing items at a time-- such as the oil rad on one wall and either the nukerator, briefly, OR a laptop on the other. (A smart kollidge kid oughtta be able to make that work-- since lappies haz badderies.) The oil rad will be on an appropriately heavy extension cord rated by the mfr as safe, so they can move it closer to their preferred sitting area, dressing area, etc. The nukerator, ditto. I'm also purchasing outlet security items (think baby-proofing stuff) to keep the lines set the way we set them. The rest of the "purchases" I listed the other day, I was able to find around the house-- keeping my costs as low as possible. Those two heavy-draws will run on circuits that stay on when the light-switch kills everything else. I will let the tenant know that the lines are all set up for max usage, and that adding anything will just pop a circuit-breaker Hardi and I may not be able to flip back for them till bedtime. Example: you can try to blowdry your hair and run the nukerator at the same time, but it may not work and it will zap the heater circuit, too. Our landlord's heating tech is in the basement at the moment so I hope to wake up to a "warm" house (66 degrees) in the morning. I like knowing that our ancient gas furnace's vagaries (main house) will not affect the tenant, and that their electric heat supplemented by a gas wall-heater not on the main furnace line will keep them warm all winter. I'm off to the day's outside chores (ours and the Room's), punctuated by trips up and down to finish taking down anything up there that does not stay up there. Hardi did not have any minutes for me last night, so tonight I lay rugs (and gain pain), which will involve moving in ways my still-rehabbing bones and muscles do not handle well, to say the least. Tho my butt muscles have stopped hurting due to the stair-climbs, and the knees are improving from it as well. So I will appreciate any GOOD thoughts and encouragement from MudBuds. I hope to get a feedback note today from friend Mmario. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 16 Sep 10 - 10:47 AM SRS, you might find this hilarious; I did. ~S~ ============= Hi Jessica! You are ON THE CASE, girl! LOL, I wondered (prayed about) a couple renting it. (It is big enough.) I had not yet set a couple's pricing structure-- I will tho and quote a rate soon. Watch your email for a description and application. Please know that as an overbooked pastor's wife, my time is pretty scattered. Therefore I had not planned to show it before Sunday, soonest, and I have work to finish-- and thus the Oct. 1 move-in I planned. If you need it sooner, we're gonna have to work around a couple of things (like my dirty kitchen). Anyway look over the description (photo's maybe tomorrow). Go Jessica! ~Susan ---------------- To: motormice@hotmail.com Subject: Room Available Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2010 10:19:41 -0400 Hello, My name is Jessica R[xxxxxx]. I recieved your [cell] message this morning and I wanted to email you for more information on the room. How much is it a month? My fiance and I are looking for something right now, until December. How far from Mansfield would you say it is? And when would be a good time to look at it? Thank you, Jessica |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 16 Sep 10 - 11:48 AM I remember looking for an apartment in Kentucky when we first arrived there in 1980 for a job. For eight years my now ex-husband and I lived together. We were married for 12 years after that, and now have been divorced for 10 years. Long time. We get along better when we're not married to each other. Anyway, at one of the places advertised, a cute little place that was once a motel but was remade into efficiency apartments, the woman I spoke to asked if we were married. I told her no, and she looked non-plussed. "Well, we could just tell people you're married," she said. I wrote off that place with the answer "why would we want people to think we're married?" If I were to rent a room in this house it would end up being an exercise in choosing a roommate. There's no isolation of one room from the rest of the house. The temptation to micromanage the process is probably strong, but I was mostly offering that remark with a thought about the amount of "stuff" that people have these days. With "free will" and the tenant's right to enjoy the space they rent there is a possible clash of room arrangements, such as the amount of equipment in place because of what the tenant might bring in. I wonder if anyone these days can really get along with as few always-on plugs as seem to be available in this room. I had extra plugs wired into this room I use as my office for that very reason. I have a quad plug for the computer and music equipment and things are still plugged in around the room to take care of everything that needs juice. Television, VCR, DVD, radio/cd/combo player, etc. plus lamps, computer and peripherals, phone charger, and more. Cinnamon is limping very heavily on that foot - a combination of the bulk of the bandaging and tenderness of the wound. She's due a painkiller again this morning. They spent a quiet night asleep on the Persian carpet in my bedroom. I let them out at dawn to pee, and they wanted right back in, convincing me that they weren't finished with their night's sleep yet and slept a couple more hours. :-) They're good girls and think sleeping in the house is fun, but they really do prefer to spend the day outside. I have the box about ready to mail to my son. I've had to find smaller boxes to tuck things into - he asked for a spare router, for example, and that has one of those heavy wall wart plugs that would bash everything else in the box if it weren't anchored in it's own packaging. I just taped a new sandwich bag over Cinnamon's foot and put a cross-hatch of masking tape on the part of the bag under the foot so she won't tear up the plastic in the yard. If it gets wet or dirty I have to take her in to have it re-bandaged. I gave her a pill that she spit out a couple of times. It never fails to astonish me that animals that lick their own butts and eat dead things will bother to spit out pills. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 16 Sep 10 - 12:24 PM SRS, the "right" tenant I hope to spot will be using the uni library's computers for their big stuff and printing, because unless they pay for a cable modem they will not have internet anyway. But that is part of the free will thing-- the space is the space is the space. The space itself will control what can run, just as in the main house we ourselves are limited by unrepaired fire damage from 10 years ago-- all peeps gotta deal with what is. And that is why it's a boundary issue and not a control issue-- my job is to set it up to be as safe as I can make it, guided by what I am sure anyone would need because for 2 months out of the year we live up there part-time and we know what we can use and what we wish we could use. What WILL need to be micro-managed is their supplemental heat if it's a bad winter-- which will work for me because I need the exercise. As far as the volume of their stuff, that's already covered-- extra storage available ($$) onsite but outside the room itself. Catters who have been here have found that we prep thoroughly and then enjoy Life Happening. That's the dynamic we hope the tenant will enjoy, and so far the continuing correspondence with Jessica indicates this-- with rent still to be set as appropriate to their unique needs. Right now we're discussing an Oct-May deal paid monthly, her preference. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 16 Sep 10 - 02:12 PM For those of you who are using/doing Weight Watchers, look at what I found: Click Here. Kind of neat to read about and great links! Got the dishes done this morning. Went to my appt. Now, maybe do more Etsy listings. Morgan is still home on 24 hour quarantine from school and me until the throat culture says yea or nay for strep. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 16 Sep 10 - 02:55 PM Spent some quality time giving the dogs a pat and cuddle. I've organized the dog paraphernalia over next to the back door and it looks better. That's next to where the fireplace is and the chair and table I've set up in front of the television. I was able to check and delete email last night while I watched movie. Through NetFlix I had the latest version of Sherlock Holmes in which Guy Ritchie played fast and loose with the characters of Holmes and Watson and sullied Irene Adler's reputation. Lots of flourish and furbelows to bolster a slim plot. I don't know what all of the fuss was about. Sherlock was known for his drug abuse, for his brilliance, for his costumes. Ritchie added martial arts. It didn't improve the story. That film is back in the mail. I have to clean the countertop and table in the kitchen - stray papers and magazines. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: GUEST,mg Date: 16 Sep 10 - 03:21 PM I think that almost anyone would want to plug in a laptop rather than drain their batteries...maybe you could just post a sign explaining the circuitry and not to use microwave, hair dryer, iron etc. if the heater is on. mg |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 16 Sep 10 - 03:37 PM RESULT! I have had an offer accepted on 4 Church St, Belford! It has some (quite a few) issues that need resolving, and will need an in depth survey, but unless they inform me it's going to drop round my ears, I want it! It is in dire need of tlc, and the poor thing has been on sale for 4 years! Several sales have fallen through - some due to survey issues, although the owners have, apparently, addressed some issues; others because the village churchyard is over the road! Quiet neighbours, is the way I see it, and to be honest, it's a wall, some lovely trees, and a green hillside dotted with old graves, surrounding the church. The trees screen quite a bit of it. I think it's a pretty view. I was told they were desperate to sell, so I stuck a cheeky offer in, about 10k below the asking price, which they had recently reduced to. On the subject of my current house, I still have another surveyor to come round, as the one earlier this week was acting for the purchaser, not the mortgage company. As regards weight loss? No. I have spent the last couple of days staying in a pub and being fed gargantuan pub meals! Andrea Grade 2 listing means that I may have to use specialist contractors to do some of the work,and that won't be cheap, but when I walked through the door, it took my hand and welcomed me graciously. I don't know the date of the building yet, but I guess somewhere between about 1790 and 1830. I should find out on completion, as I will hopefully get the deeds. So all the mumps and grumps about work in progress look like continuing for a while yet! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 16 Sep 10 - 03:56 PM So, to sum it up, this is the house you offered on? http://www.primelocation.com/uk-property-for-sale/details/id/SANN999000323 And this isn't the one that has a creek (with fish) that runs through the kitchen every so often? This is the one-butt kitchen with the smaller yard? And this is how you described it when you found it in the search engine: It is a listed town house, looks a couple of hundred year old, and although the garden isn't very big, the house has oodles of potential; plus there are already plans passed for an extension, which then brings the guest room into the house itself. The room off the main bedroom would make an admirable office/work room (or even en-suite, if the planning regs would allow). I want to go see it on Wednesday. Tried ringing the agent yesterday afternoon, but they were obviously shut. (I'll ask a mudelf to delete this if I pulled the wrong into together). SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 16 Sep 10 - 04:21 PM This day has flown by way too fast. The baby and I both had our shower/bath, ran some errands, had luncheon at church (bring a dish to pass kind of thing) and came home. It's dark and chilly out today...supposed to be a thunderstorm on the way. Jeremiah is down for his nap and I'm going to curl up with a book. No housework today...it's a total snuggle down and stay warm kind of day. :) Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 16 Sep 10 - 04:51 PM Whoo-hoo, Andrea! Giving thanks, here, for all things going as you wish for the highest good of all concerned. That is the one I thought looked most in "move-in" condition and I am like you, I'd LOVE having the churchyard with old gravestones across the street. Usually means quieter neighbours!:-) I have listed two more items on etsy. A decorative mask from Bali and a lovely old bed jacket, just right for coolish, snuggling up with a good book days/nights.:-) I think I am getting back in the swing of listing things ala ebay only it is a bit more friendly/open, etc on etsy, imo. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 16 Sep 10 - 04:54 PM GO ANDREA! I hope it IS that house SRS linked-- oooooooooh........ but ANY house if it's yours is a good house! === The ROOM RE: laptop as opposed to batteries, yes, they will be able to do both, and just unplug (as I do) very briefly to run anything else. Space there and elsewhere also to charge things. No sign needed for now-- the tentatively-committed candidate is smart enough to remember her orientation, but it's a good idea to post a sign for times we let others use the space, including ourselves with our increasing memory issues. I just got back from the store with various electrical-security items to go tap into place. Hardi has time tonight to help screw-anchor my beloved curtains, and the rugs may go down tonight as well. Also got a little bitty book of RENT RECEIPTS-- a splurge at $3.88! ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 16 Sep 10 - 07:10 PM PS on rugs going down. They gotta go up then they can go down (be laid) (not sexy). What goes up must go down. Did I mention the stairwell is a scant 23" wide? Bit of a challenge what can fit up in that stairwell to go up there, all along this process. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 16 Sep 10 - 07:32 PM Mailed the box to my son. Note to self: if you get the price for UPS online, that is only if you pay online for the shipping. A trip to the UPS store adds about $3 to the shipping. If you pay for the shipping online and drop it at the same store, that doesn't cost anything extra. Backslid diet-wise; not that I'm on a diet, just trying in general to eat less, but I did polish off a pint of pralines and cream ice cream this afternoon. I have to mow the lawn, the gas can was filled today, so perhaps I should start that and at least break even. :-/ I have another box to ship. I did shopping that should probably tide me over meat wise (I buy a lot of chicken) for the next couple of weeks. I filled up the gas tank when I got the mower gas. If I can avoid any more emergency trips out of town like last week, September shouldn't be too much involved with credit card purchases. That's the goal, to pace myself and not have to use the cards. Andrea, I asked earlier but didn't see an answer - are these towns where you looking at houses closer to family or friends, or is this the area where you grew up? SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 16 Sep 10 - 08:32 PM Nice house, Andrea! I really like the stone wall and flowers and lawn and also the cupboards built in to the dining room, the fireplaces.... great find. Another day with lots of busy work that had to be done, buying ink, seeing my doc, resolving PayPal. Finally with google found a phone number to reach a REAL PERSON at PayPal who resolved the fraud over the phone and helped me put the money back into my bank. Onward! A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 16 Sep 10 - 08:55 PM Yeah, Alice, That's great news about paypal!!! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 16 Sep 10 - 09:13 PM Well, now that PayPal is resolved, I could finally update my art that frustrated me for hours yesterday. I guess the PayPal issue was putting my Etsy in limbo, as they charge 20cents an item to add to your shop, and I think PayPal was blocking it. So, after spending fruitless hours yesterday, I just got it to work now in a few minutes: Barbara in the Meadow Dug up one of my potato plants from the garden and had a rather puny harvest from it. Next year will hopefully be better! A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 16 Sep 10 - 10:58 PM Tenant negotiations are progressing nicely. I think she is a cat. She already has me half-convinced her cat and fiancee can come, too. The motivation has come from the sad occurrence I know too well from my own childhood-- a landowner sells the land one is renting and gives the occupants the shortest possible notice to vacate so the owner can keep it all occupied till the last lucrative minute. I'll drop by there (probably Sunday AM) to meet her cat and sniff around for cat-spray signs, and they will come see the Room Sunday as-is (work on it a lot tomorrow) and we will all sit down Sunday afternoon or evening and make a decision. Hardi gave me two whole hours of his exhausted end-of-week and precious time to help with the parts that take two pairs of hands. I have a LOT left to do with the help of a neighbor kid I will pay who is tall enough to do the things I cannot reach. The tenant's fiancee looks to barter the last few fixits against her Dec - May rent after he leaves in December. They are both seniors in the local uni; he graduates in December and she in May, then she'll be off to Marriedland downstate where he will have started work and set up housekeeping for her. Aw! And she sent a photo-- I'm calling the Cuteness Police ASAP to report a felony. The local crap shop is going out of business (Michelle-- it's Otruba's), and for 10 bucks I got some new automotive carpet with a plastic backing that will allow me to cut tread-covers for the Room's stairway and totally cover the two small landings it has-- been dreaming about THAT for years too! Perhaps the fiancee would like to run the staple gun. They look like the poster children for cute young marrieds. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 16 Sep 10 - 11:00 PM Andrea, when we look at the photo of that townhouse, there is a shorter building on the right, then 2 white doors in the taller building. Would you have both doors, or just the door on the right (assuming they took the photo with the property centered in it)? Nice portrait, Alice. Did you use photographs or memory for that? Didn't get a lot done this evening. I will work around the house in the morning and then work the afternoon and drive to the library for our Friends meeting. With an injured pooch here I'll make my trip to the library for our speaker fairly brief. Right now there is a tail wagging off of the roller base of my office chair. A sore foot has not impacted the pleasure this pooch has in coming into the house to visit for a while. They're both hanging out on the floor in my office. My 2 shadows. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 17 Sep 10 - 12:43 AM DETAILS, ELECTRICS Electric update for those following (and my records). Got some great contractor advice at the store, and bought smart. In the extension cords (correctly rated) that reach from outlets to lamps and clock radio, the joins are all totally away from footstep areas. None are in areas that will get heat accumulation, and I have insulated (rated) staples to tap in that will not compress the cords, etc., or allow them to be moved about. Where the cord crosses a doorway (no choice) I have a heavy (rated) raceway like you see in offices to sagfeguard cords that run across walkways.... which will also help insulate the drafty bottom of the door, and be screwed into place as a threshold. It used to be in use that way in the main house, for the sailboats room that no longer has working outlets (casualty of fire in 2000; the fixers forgot to rewire that room, LOL, so it's little lamp runs off the outlet one room away.) At the ext cord joins I have added baby-proofing outlet covers for "open" sections, and then electricians' tape to secure those in place, with tape also holding the plug in the extension cord, for the one thing (i.e. supplied lamp) the ext. cord runs. I put a telltale inside the tape so I will know if anyone tampers with it. Off one of two open outlets that stay powered-- even when the master wall-switch is flipped turning off all the lights-- will be the oil rad. That rad will be set up on a rated extension cord, so the tenant can roll it to seating areas as needed. (That is the outlet that runs our AC in the summer, and it has never overheated, or had any issues.) There is a special sooper dooper babylock I can add to keep that rad cord permanently plugged in. That way no one but the landlady can unplug the rad and instead plug in a multi-outlet tap-- like if they want to plug in more stuff WITH the rad that will only pop the circuit-breaker far away in the locked basement. Across the room, the other always-on outlet will be set up to run the clock radio. If they prefer to leave the laptop plugged in there, charging, there is a battery-operated alarm clock; but the clock radio also plays CDs so the tenant can decide what they want there. That outlet will hold the new outlet-strip with built-in circuit-breaker for blowdryer, shaver, etc.. Oh and I took out the AC myself. Hardi will bring it down tomorrow. I have one set of cords left to tape up, a mirror to mount with construction adhesive/clips, and curtains (already on curtain rods) to hang on the hardware Hardi installed for me tonight (screw anchors). Cut and install stairway-landing carpet, put one or two last bulky things under a bed, give it all a good cleaning... photograph and I'm DONE-- and back to the main house, just on schedule. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 17 Sep 10 - 06:14 AM Yes it is the one you linked to and I only have the one door! I've just booked a surveyor to go next Wednesday, and I'll see what horrors he uncovers. The listing means there are certain things I am not allowed to do to it. However, I am not the sort of person who goes ripping out original features! The front door is original, with the old iron door furniture on it. The architraves round the doors are about 3 inches wide! I am expecting problems - old houses are an ongoing piece of work - but I feel up for it... as long as they don't tell me I have to pull down the existing extension! The planned bigger one isn't necessary for me, and I suddenly realised that if I knocked down what was there it would leave no taps or toilet facilities for the duration! This would mean moving out and renting. Both my daughter and the agents said to just live in the place for a couple of years, and then decide whether or not it needs extending. At that point I can get plans done which suit my needs, rather than what the current owners had drawn up, probably to help sell the property (which it didn't). At the moment the cost of doing it wouldn't increase the value of the property by enough to merit the work. It's going to need a new heating system, and a fair bit of exterior work as regards pointing the stonework and repairing weather damage to it. I have no family as such there, but my sister in law has a holiday home about 20 miles away, which she visits quite frequently. The lure is the nearby gorgeous Northumberland beaches, castles, and relatively easy links up to Edinburgh and Scotland. To get down here, I drive out of Belford, turn onto the A1 highway, and keep going for about 2 and a half hours. I then drive one junction up the M62, and I'm back. Not a complicated route - just tedious. Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 17 Sep 10 - 08:14 AM Sounds like GREAT planning. That old house will be in good hands! ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 17 Sep 10 - 08:33 AM Excerpt from most recent email to tenant applicant we will meet tomorrow over dessert: ...please know that the whole reason I rent this room out is so I can afford a cleaning lady to do what my ministry schedule and health issues preclude me from doing to my own satisfaction, much less yours, LOL.... if you rent here, you will see your deposit reflected first in the kitchen you will probably want to use after she deep-cleans it! I used to manage a cleaning service, but you will see a work in progress, here. I hope you will balance your first impressions with your love for your cat! :~) To be fair, I want to propose that before you agree to anything here, you spend a little time up there just hanging out to see if the space steals your heart and is meant to be yours. You will probably have good ideas for improvement. It's prettiest in the western sun, I think, so will Sunday afternoon work for you? Then I can follow you back to the trailer to meet Felix le Marmaladus, and let him smell our critters on me? Also please know that one of the reasons I like to handle things in email is because I am also recovering from a few small strokes that affect my short-term memory. Do not ever be shy about taking me back to a prior email, if I seem not to recall a detail-- I probably don't have it in longterm memory yet. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 17 Sep 10 - 11:31 AM Up and sick during the night....probably just a bug or something I ate at the church potluck that isn't sitting well with me....still...there's the fear that it's a signal of something more. I'm heading to the clinic next week to have my port flushed so if it continues, I'll seek help. I have errands to run today....paying for our truck that has been in the shop recently and then on to some groceries. I have the dishes done, laundry gathered and floors swept. Then it's on out of town in search of a decent breadmaker. Mine bit the dust and it's something I use A LOT. Funny how most places don't put them out until around Christmas time. I do have a coupon for 20% at a store that does have the breadmakers in stock....so that's a bonus. I'd really rather stay home today and get over whatever is making me feel kinda gross but I'd rather have the weekend at home (or on the trail) with my honey than going grocery shopping then. Onward. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 17 Sep 10 - 12:17 PM Susan, you need a Landlady Blog running somewhere, where you can go back and edit one list if you want instead of having to repost a new iteration, and a place to post photos of close details, before and after shots, the details you can't add to Mudcat where we can do some html but not to add photos (alas). Have you looked at Wordpress or Blogger? They give you a fair amount of space in the free accounts. On my blogs I link photos from other free sites (I use Photobucket and Picasa for a lot of photos). I never figured out what you thought was hilarious in this post, but context is everything. Maybe folks following your blog would have taken the meaning from it? One note of caution - JessicaR may or may not be happy to be quoted or cited here at Mudcat or in the blog, so you might need to make some of that detail pretty generic. Didn't get my mowing done this morning. I'll do it tomorrow. Gotta go pick the okra before it reaches the moon, though. Must do that at least daily. I mowed a small patch of grass last night so I could move some bags of topsoil that will give me greater access to a weedy spot at the bottom of the garden (I stopped when I got attacked by another mosquito - they're viscous this fall!) I'll at least get those bags moved today so I can mow more easily tomorrow. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 17 Sep 10 - 12:23 PM Of course the "ah ha!" moment came after I hit send. Your blog could be the Small Strokes Landlady blog. Play on words. All those small touches you're working on, and the memory process to keep track of them. People might actually find that very useful - small strokes are no laughing matter, and you might find a lot of folks traveling the same road who want to follow your progress. Just a thought. Keep your chin up, but watch your feet when you're on those stairs. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 17 Sep 10 - 02:24 PM Hope you feel better soon, Michelle. And I hope you found a good breadmaker - mine's a Panasonic, but as there's only me, it doesn't get a lot of use. Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 17 Sep 10 - 03:19 PM SRS, you are so good at creative solutions and helpful, too. Great suggestions! Michelle, it has been my experience that my body is trying to *tell* me something when it is trying to ward off a bug or whatever. When it does, I do well to listen. Were I you, I'd stay in today...giving my bod a rest so that it can stay healthy and ahead of the game.:-) Just my take. Happy finding a breadmaker, etc. regardless.:-) kat |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 17 Sep 10 - 03:23 PM Michelle, I see bread machines at garage sales regularly, usually priced from $5 to $10. I'd start there. I picked up a DAK one recently that looked like it had hardly been used. (DAK was a catalog, Drew A. Kaplan, sold nifty stuff. His machine is made by Welbuilt. I think Sears has those. It's a sturdy machine.) This latest machine is for one of the kids one of these days. I have a couple of my own (yes, that does mean I have 3 bread machines). Mine have been used so much that I figured giving one to the kids it would be nicer to have a less used one. I now don't make bread often, maybe once every couple of weeks. I'm going to start freezing half the loaf. I make pizza dough and make small personal crusts I lightly bake and freeze, and I make pita bread, usually a half batch so I end up with about 6, to go with a batch of baba ghanoush or hummus. I have two machines because one was mine and one was my father's. And there are times when I have them both set up - Thanksgiving, for other celebrations, I'll make rolls or pizza dough, etc. enough to feed a crowd. I always set it on the manual setting so when it finishes mixing and kneading I take it out and shape it or pit it in the pan I want. I used to make bread the old fashioned way before I had these machines, so I understand well the science and chemistry that goes into good bread or other dough. These are a great tool to speed things along. I have some public library materials due today, so am ripping two recorded books (Nero Wolfe stories) to load onto my mp3 player. I'll drop it off on my way to my other library tonight. I was also folding laundry, organizing the freezer some, piddly stuff, but now I'm at work, this is a late night with a lecture at my library this evening. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 17 Sep 10 - 03:31 PM Well. I half listened to my body. I took care of the truck business and groceries in town and then came home. I decided the breadmaker can wait. I use mine frequently but we will survive just fine over the weekend with store bought bread. Lately I've been using my breadmaker just about every other day. I've only ever made bread and pizza dough with mine but would LOVE to learn how you make pita bread!!! I wish I had known my breadmaker was giving out as I'm sure I saw some breadmakers this summer at a few yard sales. It's ok, it's one thing I don't mind paying a little extra for. I've got my eye on an Oster for about $60.00....normally it runs $89.99. I actually had purchased a breadmaker this spring and it worked beautifully...ONCE. After that first use the power would not come on. I have no idea what happened but had saved the receipt so I took it back. Too bad. I bought it because my old breadmaker looked like Hell. Paint peeling off the outside, etc....but it was still working so I decided just to stick with that. I guess that time has now passed. I do think I have a bug and I know that Jeremiah also has it. We are staying in. Resting. Taking it easy. I'm seriously hoping it's a 24 hour thing because I want to hit the trail tomorrow and it's supposed to be a BEAUTIFUL day! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 17 Sep 10 - 03:37 PM And thank you for the well wishes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 17 Sep 10 - 05:52 PM Refrence checks going well, more from fiancee tomorrow. And no I do not want to clutter up my online life with one more blog! I'm drowing in several I mod for the parish and friends! I want to get this DONE and move on to something ELSE, and Jessica and Matt can start a Great Landlady blog if THEY like. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 17 Sep 10 - 06:33 PM Google search on "small strokes blog". Actually, not a bad enterprise at all. You'd be in good company. Headed to the library to take photos. I'd rather hang out and enjoy a full weekend here at the house. Friday night always sets the pace for the weekend. Bit of a decadent dinner before I go: bacon and eggs. This weekend I'll roast a chicken and get a few of the usual ingredients around that I use for various dishes. Fried rice, quesadillas, sandwiches, etc. The dogs just enjoyed a roll-scratch-and-tickle session with me in the back yard. Every day is Saturday for them! SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 Sep 10 - 01:54 AM Set a chair on the kitchen counter to stabilize those antique family photos that I stood up and then photographed with the flash set to bounce off of the ceiling. Hoping to avoid the glare of the direct flash. I'll spend time tomorrow cluttering Moonglow's email with photos to help with costume design. The dogs are taking to this coming in at night real well. But since they're so unaccustomed to being in the house for long, when I get up to do any small thing, they tag along, to see if what I'm doing is dog-related. They're on the floor behind me now, asleep. Even though I'm up because the lights are on, they're in the habit of heading to the garage to sleep after dark. I should follow their lead! SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Liz the Squeak Date: 18 Sep 10 - 02:34 AM Still here, have decluttered a lot of crud (hence too busy to post here) but have cluttered up life with another year of it... so am busy decluttering the chocolates that came with it. Consequently, the accountability has gone out the window. Working on some sewing commissions that mean I have to spend almost every spare moment hand sewing (for a re-enactment fan, it has to be authentic, so hand sewing is the thing. Why can't she be doing World War One instead of Waterloo... bloody Waterloo came less than 20 years after the invention of the sewing machine so the general populace didn't have access). The yellow quilt is on standby for that reason, but it will be done by Christmas and I have just succeeded in cluttering up the house further by taking on a jelly roll quilt competition entry, designing a quilt made with 1 jelly roll of fabric. I may cheat and use 2, making 2 quilts. Anyway... off to declutter the lungs now, singing for a wedding. Enjoy the day! LTS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: VirginiaTam Date: 18 Sep 10 - 08:09 AM caravan is now ready for winter except for outside wash which we will do in a couple of weeks spare room has 1st coat paint bathroom and kitchen are getting everything moveable removed for dust and scrub oven to be steam cleaned intervals of lying down with feet and legs elevated to battle the gravity monster causing serious edema since doc stopped the blood pressure medicine rash is starting to clear up. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 18 Sep 10 - 08:46 AM Glad things are looking up, Tam. Now, be sure not to overdo. Slow and steady does the trick. ==== Here is where room status and negotiations stand as we begin to let go of our much-loved summer "palace" to become a starter home for the "kids" with whom I hope to close the deal tomorrow: Jessica and Matt, ... got up early this morning; all the things I was discouraged about last night, up in the room, were easily knocked out in an hour and a half. It will never be "done," but now I can move on to the shared areas I want to show you on Sunday. Jessica, our agreement with past occupants has always been to leave the space broom-clean, and sometimes they do! :~) As we have been repairing things and removing vac-clogging debris as we go, it's almost up to that level now. :~) Your references all say how clean you keep your home. So-- shall I leave the vacuuming, dusting, and window-washing to you in exchange for a free week after Matt leaves, and can Matt carry up the shop vac or upright you will need? (The electric broom up there is only good for routine maintenance-cleaning.) Past occupants have left things they expect to find when they come back in July. I will trust your "nose" to set out anything offensive that ought to go to the trash or our camper-- which they also use. I no longer trust my sense of smell (mostly meds issues). This also means we will Febreze the space for you once it's clean, if you want. Matt, I have a few items still to to carry down, and a ceiling light-globe we broke to sweep up, but the only other jobs left up there just need a tall person to put up a couple of small, lightweight things and a skinny one to tack down some things on the floor. Are you able to help me with those? I do not fit either criteria, LOL. I was just given some nice scrap carpet to cover the stairway treads and little landings-- to make them quieter and nicer-- but that would not require access into the room as far as I know. I do not expect to get that done before Sunday (my hubby reminded me at bedtime of a big funeral this afternoon), so you will find the stairway broom-clean. Furniture and locks-- the black cube/hassock isn't up back there yet. (See the space first and decide it you want that.) If you are not bringing a small microwave I will get one out of your deposit. We can decide together what you want for locks and we will install them. Any other furniture you want up there that will actually fit in the narrow stairway-- please know that I might be interested in bartering for it, to keep for the room after you vacate. Looking forward to meeting you both! See you later tonight, ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 18 Sep 10 - 10:28 AM Animaterra, One of the references on this Room rental-thing asked me a perfectly reasonable question yesterday, and I found myself floundering to fish up a cogent summary of the MANY uses this space has had, other than our own personal use of it. "Have you rented this room before?" Between strokebrain... and the non-traditional occupancies most folks would not understand without significant explanation sometimes involving confidential ministries... I was left with, "Oh.... it's been re-invented more times than I could list, right off." So this AM I took some time to list out, "translate," and organize it, like this: In the two rooms we are now allocating as September-July sublets, the rooms have been set up for/hosted in the past: <> Month-long and briefer occupancies for local individuals and couples (parishioners, etc.); <> Vacationing musicians (I listed them for myself to mind me of applicable anecdotes) <> Large musicians' weekend gatherings, incl one family of 5; <> House-sitters and pet-sitters for our annual, month-long summer vacations; <> One adult on a longterm job search (6 months); <> Extended visits from family members (I listed them for myself to mind me of applicable anecdotes); <> Band office for songbook publications/arranging music (Susan); <> Acoustic jam sessions (monthly Porch-Picking) <> A home office for the Red Cross chapter I directed, where I drafted most of our policy/procedure manuals. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 18 Sep 10 - 11:26 AM Ummm, SRS, I really don't think it'd be a good idea if you slept in the garage.**bg** We're off to do our usual Saturday errands, plus I am trying to get Rog to agree to cleaning up the driveway and backyard by doing a "dump run." |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 Sep 10 - 11:32 AM Beginning day three of a dog with a bandaged foot. It was a little cooler this morning, but still quite muggy. We had a little friskiness once out in the yard, but I think the weather will keep her quiet most of the day. I'm tempted to sew a little dog boot out of some leftover cordura (backpack) nylon and take her for a short walk. It's supposed to hit 95 today, so fall isn't in the air yet. It does cool a little more at night, that's why the grass is wet with dew, so I'm letting that dry before I mow. My neighbor mowed last night (he'd been out of town so I didn't mow while he was away - easier to let both lawns grow inconspicuously tall than to have one tall and one short to advertise someone is out of town. It's either that, or mow his lawn when I mow my own.) That said, the light is pretty as we get into the autumn end of the calendar. I need to mow and trim then take some photos of the yard. There's lots to do beyond mowing, but rather than making a list, I'll just report if I got much done today. :) Liz, I hope you pace yourself with those birthday chocolates. Then you can give yourself some accountability credit under the heading "it could be worse." Virginia, you're getting a lot accomplished! Your work on the camper reminds me that I want to wash the truck again (what? twice in one year?) to knock off some of the dust from the desert. And I need to rearrange stuff in the garage - one of these years I will have enough of the clutter out of there or all arranged in one area so I can use the workbench and reach tools and saws while the truck is still in the garage. I have an oil radiator so I have a vision of eventually being able to work out there in the winter. For now, when I need to work I move the truck out into the driveway. Better get moving. My cuppa tea has brewed long enough. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 18 Sep 10 - 11:43 AM Ani/Alli, Up to warp speed now... just got off the phone with "tenant's" dad. She isn't a "tenant," any more. Many connections I had not spotted... They are now people I can honestly say are our friends. That has significant and specific meaning in these parts. The lines marking that road are fairly narrow. Gosh he had some great questions to be sure his little girl would be taken are of right. What a great dad. Letting her go and fly, but not letting go of the hand she still puts into his. Not confrontationa], either, just.... right. I love the people here! So the main need now is cleaning of the shared spaces to show Sunday afternoon. She says she will clean for "rent rebates," but no woman I know wants to take on another woman's mess from the gitgo unless there is serious illness, without super-bucks, plus Jess will be busy moving and settling in. I just got off the phone with a friend who knows someone who will do a 2-hour blitz on those shared spaces AND happily wait the two weeks it will take mt to pay her unless we get a deposit on the room. That deposit is slated to complete remaining expenses to open the room for occupancy, and the cleaning lady's blitz just fits. The young man up the road who helps us will be here at 2:30 (I'll rush home from a funeral), to carry the heavy stuff down from the attic (and the heavy shop vac the cleaner will need). Luke will also brig in the great FREE chair we got off the parkway Friday. I rode home from a colleague event in it ydy and need it in the LR! I hurt! We will start Monday in a clean, tidy downstairs (I'm doing the loo myself), for me and Hardi, AT LAST. It's been a series of bad messes since vacay return-- and WAY too much ministry to deal with most of it. But we MIGHT be able to paint the LR this fall after all. Bye-bye weird bird wallpaper (see Gathering pix)! You are on our way OUT! ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mg Date: 18 Sep 10 - 01:59 PM If the chair you picked up is upholstered, I would sure check for bedbugs. I would also establish bedbug policies when talking with any potential tenants..such as what can be brought into the house..a quarantine area for any freecycle or yard sale stuff etc....they are spreading like wildfire. mg |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 18 Sep 10 - 02:28 PM Thanks, but no, I sat in it for over an hour ydy with no adverse results, and the bugs are not really in our area yet. The chair IS suffering from a cat infestation-- both it (and the matching sofa I left for others) have the backs shredded pretty well, but a staple gun and tinfoil will fix THAT. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 Sep 10 - 06:47 PM Took a large load of household recycling to my usual depot today - they were closed a couple of weeks ago and last week I was busy with a funeral. Today I pulled in and the drop off stuff (fridges, stoves, equipment, tools, etc) that people don't want was next to the bin. In the past they've let people pick up items if they could use them. I have a very nice metal set of shelves in my closet from there. Today when I pulled a heavy restaurant aluminum stock pot out, the guy at the gate waved and said "no." Hmmmm. This was next to a stack of restaurant steam trays and stands. And then a guy brought by a 7 gallon air tank. It comes and goes very quickly there. I was on my phone to my friend who cooks a lot to describe the stuff when the "no" came. They're busy at the gate, did I mention that? I mentioned the tank, and he asked if it had a valve - his tank was missing one. So in the end I quickly slid the tank into the truck - I wasn't going to stand there and try to unscrew a valve - and one of the sets of steamer pans. These will go to my friend, who should be a chef somewhere. I recently saw a blog where a woman runs cooking classes in her home, limit of six, $50 each. He could do this no problem. If he gets the house into shape to have people in. Other than a touch of larceny (recycling!), I have been working on the listing of this antique hearing aid. I have an advertising pamphlet for it also that had been tucked into the case. I'll list these together, but I'll make a big point that there are two important items in the auction, the device and the ad. It really can be quite interesting (and time consuming) to do this research, but when I look at this art deco piece, I can easily see it going in the twentieth-century decorative arts exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. I love to go look at that exhibit of household items that all have a function but the form is so creative and original. I'll link to the auction once I have it up. Making bread, roasting a chicken today. Cooking for a few days ahead. I'm making enough to have leftovers to use for a few days (but no so much that I can't stand to eat it all just to finish it. Chicken can go into lots of things, for example. But a large casserole is basically a large casserole. All. Week. Long.) I'll set up the bread machine, then go mow. I've left it till it cooled a little but before the mosquitoes are out. They're awful this year. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 18 Sep 10 - 07:23 PM We started out this morning, took back a couple of pieces of clothing I decided against, from the Goodwill, for refunds, then over the the health food store for figs, then to the major grocery store for the week's supply, or at least some of it. Came home, put it all away, had lunch, both started to settle down for some leisure time and the phone rang. "Mama, can I come over. I'm not...a, I'm not hyper or anything, I promise!" "Okay, Morgan, just for an hour or so." Here he comes lugging a violin case with him. His mom finally got a student violin my sister gave her when she moved to Alaska, out of a closet for him and she put a new string on it. The bow needs re-hairing, badly, probably not more than 10-15 hairs on there and they are coming out rapidly. However, there's enough there for him to give me a "concert!" He wrote some more of his own compositions today and then "conducted" my playing them on the plucked psaltry which he refers to as a "harp." In between Rog got the litter boxes done AND re-washed the shutters which I am determined to get painted this coming week. There are only four of them and I've had the paint since what, July or August?! Fed Morgan a bit of supper, he likes MY fried eggs and nobody else's, and then Rog walked him home, 4.5 hours later. He has been a gem the past two days, so much fun, but still so much energy! We will do the floors and scrub the bathroom tomorrow, then take the rest of the day off! Maybe go for a drive. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 18 Sep 10 - 08:40 PM Awwww....a concert!!!! That was sweet of him!!! Having learned to play the violin at a young age, all I can say is that I hope your ears have stopped bleeding by now! ;) We had a family day which I love. Today we went for a ride in the woods and stopped at the Rails for Trails, this time we stopped at Rattlesnake Rock and walked for a few miles. We did not see any bear, although later in the day we would hear from others on the trail that they had seen a bear and a cub. We did see 3 snakes, all garter snakes, two of them very large and fat!!! After we made our way back to the start of the trail, we relaxed a bit in the shade...Jeremiah LOVING laying in the grass! At the next little village, we stopped at the general store and had pumpkin ice cream. I shared mine with Jeremiah (his first taste of ice cream which he LOVED) and at least half of it with Pete. It was good but kinda sweet for me so I was happy to share it. We took the long way home through the mountains where the leaves are starting to change. Now we are home, the baby is in bed, we've had an easy dinner of soup and grilled cheese with tomatoes from the garden and I've got my feet up. AAAAaaahhhhhhhhh!!! It was a beautiful day for such a walk and I absolutely love being outside in the fall temperatures with my guys. <3 Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 18 Sep 10 - 10:01 PM Matt and Jessica are even more awesome than I thought/hoped/prayed. Showing space and doing negotiations over logistics tomorrow, 3:30. Feels so right. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 18 Sep 10 - 10:11 PM For a closer look at where we went walking today, look here: Rattlesnake Rock Section of Rails to Trails Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 19 Sep 10 - 02:37 AM Sounds like everyone had a good Saturday! I mowed the front lawn, which was a major effort (the mower kept lugging and died a few times in the thick moist grass), but it's finished and looks good. I'll trim tomorrow. Still working on the eBay listing, I'll put it up tomorrow. I think if I can market this correctly it should bring in a nice amount. Kitchen is cleaned up, chicken in the fridge, bread in the box. Each had a sample taken by me. Both are good. I have some boiled eggs and I'll set up for salads and quesadillas for this week. The dogs are here, as ever over the last few days, waiting for me to go to bed so they can go sleep on that rug beside my bed. I guess I'll adjourn and they can tag along to the next carpet. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: VirginiaTam Date: 19 Sep 10 - 02:54 AM Why oh why didn't I check the type of paint before I started using it? I sent TSO to buy Dulux cornflower white, which he did. I neglected to tell him it should be semigloss. Now I have patches of matt paint on the semigloss. Oh well. Only one wall exposed (no bookcases) so I will paint that today with the matt. May just do the hall too. Kitchen curtains laundered and ironed and back on pole. Waiting for TSO to hang, cuz I am too unsteady on step stool. About a quarter of the ironing done from 5 am this morning. I woke with splitting headache and couldn't get back to sleep so have been working. Yesterday I finished bathroom and kitchen which are now all sparkly. Going to have rice krispies and a peach with skim milk and then back to ironing until TSO wakes. I need his help moving stuff in spare room before I finish painting. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 19 Sep 10 - 07:54 AM Good thoughts that they will like the space at first glance are welcome. Awoke with our end of the total agreement-- costs, living arrangements-- integrated thru strokebrain and sleep. Clipboard full of notes/questions/responses to their stated needs and offers. I'm relaxedly ready to propose/negotiate it ALL later today (right on schedule TBTG). Lots of barters feasible with them, because of skill/interest matches discovered at dessert meeting last night. They want to learn bulk cooking, with a health food twist, for starters. Matt is a serious bodger. I bet he paints walls, too. Hardi's doubts appear to have vanished as well. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 19 Sep 10 - 08:24 AM Today is gray and looking like rain....makes me glad that we went out yesterday! The laundry is already going and I have some work to do in the kitchen since I was too busy having fun yesterday!!! I have a bushel of pears sitting in the kitchen that are finally ripe enough to can. And then later today I am going to shred some zucchini (from the garden)to freeze for later use this winter. If I am still raring to go after all that, I do have some laundry from the last 2 loads to put away. In other news, our cocker spaniel has hurt his front leg somehow and is limping. I've checked his paw and felt all around his leg and he doesn't wimper or cry or snap at any touch. Pete can't find anything either. If he doesn't seem better by tomorrow, we're going to have to take him to see the vet. C'mon Amos...buck up little camper. We love you! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 19 Sep 10 - 09:29 AM Ahhh yes. My kitchen is back to normal!!! Washed all the dishes by hand and have the dishwasher full of quart jars and running! First load of laundry, done! :) Happy Sunday! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 19 Sep 10 - 09:47 AM Plan A was to pick, peel and slice a load of Bramleys, and start tha drying process. It's been bucketing down all day. So - Plan B - stoke the fire up, drink coffee, and watch a series of documentaries on the history of mediaeval castles. Andrea |
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Subject: Secret Gardening From: wysiwyg Date: 19 Sep 10 - 10:07 AM Alli/Ani, Last night I decluttered my overgrown backporch basil pots. Our kitchen windowsill has room for only two; the first of the "overflow" went to our fave restaurant and found a ready green thumb in the employ of the happy chef. They have sunny, empty space in need of eye candy-- not only for the rest but for any other herbs I can start, divide, and share. Win-win-win-WIN! My Gifts are usually in "starting" and nurturing something meant for someone else to take over... in letting go so they can... and in spotting the time when they are actually ready to take it over. And I love starting plants. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 19 Sep 10 - 11:50 AM Andrea, Plan B sounds like a winner!!! Pete has been out in the garden this morning and has picked all the remaining corn...the end of it for this season. It's going to rain here too and I think it might be sooner than later so all outside work has been done for the day. The grill is on with some center cut pork chops, corn is boiling away and some broccoli rice is just about ready. Big lunch. Little dinner. That's the way we like it when we can! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 19 Sep 10 - 12:35 PM I wish I had something to can this year. The tomatoes were a wash and I always freeze the peppers and dry the herbs. I've been getting okra and popping that into the freezer if I don't give it away. The next door neighbor has been picking it (I grew it for her) and every so often she tells me of finding enough to take it home and cook for lunch. That's the most fun way to use the garden - pick it and eat it now. Between the two of us we try to keep up with it - okra grows very fast. Laundry is about set to run a load, and I've ironed all of the hankies that were in the special zipper laundry bag for delicate items. It's now filled with the batch needing laundering, along with the white cotton gloves I've been using more. Good luck with the renters, Susan, and good luck with the paint, Virginia. I wish I'd used flat or matte on some of my walls; I used semi-gloss in several rooms and it looks pretty much like gloss. Andrea, I love your plans for the day! SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 19 Sep 10 - 12:41 PM Michelle, I forgot to mention that a few weeks ago Poppy did the same kind of thing as your dog. She started limping, wouldn't put the foot on the ground. I couldn't find an injury, swelling, displaced bone, etc. I watched her for a few days and after about a week she was running on it like nothing happened. I suspect she simply sprained or pulled a muscle in some of her running around or jumping, and the vet wouldn't have been able to do anything. So don't feel compelled to rush to the vet right away - close observation is a reasonable approach (especially if the vet bill is going to sink the budget). Cinnamon had her recent toe surgery after giving her a few days to see if it would heal on it's own. (I had a similar injury next to my thumb nail a while back and waited a lot longer to see the doctor - I guess that means I'm treating the dogs better than myself!) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: SINSULL Date: 19 Sep 10 - 02:02 PM New 30 minute limits at work keep me out of Mudcat during the week. Update: The sunroom is full of boxes about to go out to the shed to clear some space. The garden chairs used for concerts are in the basement reducing living room clutter. All linens are clean and ready for the Getaway tenants due to arrive in two weeks - WHOO WHOO. Yesterday, Jacqui and I delivered the bulk of my VHS collection to Maeve and True Love. Talk about de-clutter. They have unearthed four more feet of the house remainings. It is astonishing to see the amount of work they have done. And both are markedly happier than I have seen them in a long time - they see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Jacqui and I had the best time touring the grounds, seeing what is going where, meetng the new chickens - the baby roosters are a riot, surveying plants and orchards and the Phoenix rising.With luck, they will be safe and warm in their new home before the snow flies. A wonderful day. We are so lucky to have these two in our lives. As to Morgan's "concert', I have been privileged to see his song and dance routine. This young man is very special. Imagine knowing at six when you are not hypered. LOL. Another treasure in Auntie SINS' life. My best news - my family is paying for me to fly to East Aurora and spend Thanksgiving with the nieces and nephews and great nephews. Hotel included. I am thrilled. Life is very good. "God bless us everyone" heh heh |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 19 Sep 10 - 02:31 PM SINS, sounds like you saved up for a while, and thanks for sharing the progress report at maeve's homestead. It's a great pleasure to think they will have a safe warm place for the winter after more than their share of the elements! Your own trip should be a lot of fun also. Where is East Aurora? My Google Maps says it's east of Buffalo, NY. Is that correct? I spent time working on my son's room. I pace myself, a little at a time. Since he's away for a while I took the opportunity to strip the bed and wash everything so it'll be fresh when he comes back. I made the bed this morning (you know how tough it is to put one of the really stretchy mattress pads on a queen-sized bed by yourself? You end up spread-eagled holding the first two corners down with your feet as you stretch for the last two). I found a plastic tumbler under his bed that I thought was lost two years ago. And tons of scraps of paper, little bits from boxes unpacked from the computer construction, and tons of dust. As a friend of mine says "someone is coming or going." :) My kitchen is looking lovely, and I rearranged some shelves in the fridge. I have two large plastic holders for produce, but when they're stacked on each other I can't see the contents of the bottom. I separated them each to their own shelves. Next time I'm over at the Container Store I'll pick up the next size smaller. When it's just me here I don't need as much produce, but I would like to separate the fruits from the veggies. I've taken some new closeup shots of the hearing aid. I found a good color contrasting paper and was close enough that you can't see the edges or the curve in the paper behind the items. This provides a more artistic view of this art deco hearing aid case. I figure if the bidders can visualize this as an artistic item, that will help raise the bids. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 19 Sep 10 - 04:08 PM I'll be re-running the ad tomorrow for Wednesday's ad paper, apparently; just got news that another landlord beat us to sign up these great kids. But the room is ready, and there is a possibility that Jess will take us up on Room #2 when Matt goes back to VA after he graduates. C'est la vie! ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 19 Sep 10 - 04:30 PM AuntieSins, I tried to get a video of him "composing" new music, yesterday, but he didn't want to "make a movie" so maybe next time, esp. after his bow is re-haired and he can give me more of a concert.:-) That is REALLY good news about maeve and TL!! Well, we woke up not sure of what we were going to do, today, except for the usual. I was a bit tired and not ready to get moving, even after breakfast, so I asked Rog to take me for a ride up on the palisades where there are a lot of orchards and vineyards. Usually we just go, drive, come back, no stopping. This time, I asked him to be sure to stop at a wildlife viewing area hiking trail, when we got to it. Whilst riding I took a lovely little nap. The day is gorgeous, bright famous Colorado sunshine, slight breeze whispering in the trees, birds and crickets singing away. We got to the trail, I put the O2 bag on my shoulders like a backpack, put the leash on the dog, and off we went. I managed a good 15 minute hike down a very steep trail and back up! I didn't know if I'd ever be able to such a thing, again, in my life. Before surgery and these past five years have been such a struggle with poor muscle tone and feet I couldn't walk on for so long. I am thrilled to bits I was able to do this AND without having to catch my breath at all. The only thing that stopped me, for just a few seconds, was my leg muscles hurting a little bit, but it was a good hurt, the kind that tells you, you are USING those muscles and it feels like PROGRESS.:-) We then came home, I got a recipe book wooden holder my granddad made out of the office. Washed it up and decided I wanted to put it on the kitchen counter. There was no room, so I cleaned out two shelves under the counter, closest to the washer/dryer, the catchall shelves where all kinds of things get thrown for storage. They are deep and dark.*bg* I found a bag with two new dropcloths and a bunch of new sponge paintbrushes (those shutters WILL get painted!), a bag of clothespins, various cleaning supplies, spray paint, and a few other things. Some of it was boxed up and taken to storage for a yard sale or giveaway. I washed down the shelves and stacked things back, including a plastic drawer unit I bought earlier this year for the counter clutter! So, it is now tucked on the easier to reach shelf, the laundry detergent is put off the counter to the shelf, also and we can actually find stuff now. Plus I can now display my granddad's handiwork even though I never use my cookbooks.:-) But, wait, there's more! I asked Rog if we had any shelving in storage from when we had more bookcases up and if we did, if he'd put them up in the office. I need to empty my desk back there and need shelves for Etsy/ebay stuff until it sells. By now it was getting close to lunchtime and usually Rog has Sunday afternoon OFF from honey-dooze, etc. He was sweet enough to find some shelves, then: We went to the hardware store To get the metal things To mount on the wall Which hold the brackets Which hold the shelves Which Rog found! Phew! Then, he put them up for me! So, I will be able to empty my desk, get things more organised and begin to make jewellery again as I will have the desk space to do so. Here it is almost 230p and time to play a bit, maybe sweep a little and take it easy. Rog is chuckling over something in 2nd Life and life is good. I am very proud of us both, today! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 19 Sep 10 - 06:59 PM We had an unexpected (but lovely) visitor today!!! Later we canned 18 quarts of pears!!! I never had canned pears before and it turns out it's easy easy!!! Messy...but easy! :) I also did 4 loads of laundry....it's all washed, dried and folded but I still have to put it all away. At the moment, Pete and I are relaxing in front of the television watching Seinfeld reruns and having popcorn while Jeremiah naps in his room. Can I just say that I love canning? It makes me feel really good to be doing something that my family will enjoy when the weather turns cold. And to make it even better....an afternoon of excellent conversation with my husband while we were up to our elbows in pear goo! :) Sins....sounds like you've been busy! Wish I lived near Maeve to lend a hand. And Kat....EXCELLENT news about your walk! It feels GREAT to be outside walking, doesn't it? If someone had told me last February that I'd be out walking a few miles and enjoying the sunshine and pushing a baby stroller up hills....well....it would have just depressed the hell out of me...never thought it would happen. YAY for walks outside in the fall sunshine!!! Love to all, Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: SINSULL Date: 19 Sep 10 - 08:49 PM Had a weird thyroid day - overactive again and will be adjusting the meds for months. ARGGGHHHH! Nonsense compared to some of your illnesses but after twenty years of the ups and downs, they wear me out. People ask why my head is shaking - a bit like Katherine Hepburn but nowhere near as regal. My hands shake. Cold sweats - like eternal menopause. Rant and whine over... A young guy at work was involved in a nasty accident on Friday. He is always looking longingly at my homemade chicken salad so I made a bunch to take to work tomorrow - white meat chicken with curry, pineapple and walnuts. Hopefully he will be in and up to eating. Then I looked at the broth and thought if I don't do domwthing with it now, I may as well give it to the cats. So now I also have a supply of individual servings of lentil soup. Manic can be good. Laundry done too. Cancelled out of a Gordon Bok concert. No way I could have sat still for two hours. Maeve, Jacqui and Kendall were going. Gordon and Carol had dinner with them. Hope I can sleep tonight. I really hate this. Sorry - now the whine really is over. Pass the cheese. Be well all. SINS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 19 Sep 10 - 09:16 PM YOU be well, too MariGold!:-){{{{{HUGS}}}}} |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 19 Sep 10 - 10:45 PM Though adjusting my HRT has the same tedious aspect of taking a fair amount of time, I keep my fingers crossed that I don't end up with thyroid problems. My mother had them. I listed the antique hearing aid on eBay this evening. Here's an arty photo I used for the listing photo. And I added a ton others (linked from photo bucket - you should find them all here. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 19 Sep 10 - 10:55 PM SRS, my Rog thinks that should be in an auction house sale...he's very impressed and thinks it could go for a lot. It would be a perfect museum piece, as you said. Good luck with it..the photos are great. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Sep 10 - 12:19 AM I think the challenge, and charm, of selling on eBay is discuss the importance of the item, including its history (provenance), and make the case for why someone would want to buy it. Most people just put the item up, list a few specs, and leave it at that. Maybe they don't know more. But even if I list something I picked up in a garage sale, I pick it up because I know something about it. I don't sell a huge volume, it isn't a business for me, and mostly it is family items. For me, I think the bid prices and the success at selling comes with the story people get when they read the auction. I have managed to sell things that don't sell in other people's auctions, and I think this is why. The perfume bottle I sold a couple of years ago is a good example - I had to do the research to learn about it so I could get the attention of interested bidders by giving it the correct keywords. Contacting perfume bottle collectors didn't hurt either. The thing I heard from the people I communicated with: "I've heard about that bottle." It was so rare they'd never seen it. That's why I left the photos up on my Photobucket page, because if someone else decides to try to research the bottle again, they'll find information about it. It's actually pretty interesting about the development of these hearing aids. This is the second generation of electric audible assistance, just one remove from the ear horn. Because it is Art Deco it is a work of art, and I hope that gives value to this item. It's also something that would tend to have been discarded as a used medical device. So this one might be unusual at this point in time. It's my hope that someone who is an audiologist or some related field collects devices that represent the history of the field. Like [name the profession, i.e., firefighters] collect old helmets, postcards, ads, etc. By working at taking good photos I need to help them see the possibilities. But that's how you sell anything that people don't really need, isn't it? Gotta wrap things up, get ready for work tomorrow. I did laundry, made bread, there's a 1/2 chicken and two nice chicken burritos in the fridge, and some other things for meals this week. Lots of canned and frozen goods. I'm coasting up to payday with lots of stuff in the freezer and pantry. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Sep 10 - 01:33 AM An hour into the auction there have been a lot of looks and 2 watchers. (This could be our folks, but the number of looks is a good sign). Fingers crossed this one is popular. I did send a link to it to Marsha Collier on Twitter. We spoke about the bear sale. Told her this one ought to be a little easier to sell. ;) Might be a few of her Twitter followers who looked in. Cinnamon tore her plastic bootie off this evening out in the yard. When I called them in for the night it was kind of dirty and chewed, but still intact. We'll see if it can go a couple of more days. :-/ Night, all. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 20 Sep 10 - 01:49 AM I agree with your philosophy of selling on ebay, SRS. It makes sense to me and I always enjoy reading what you write-up. Haven't looked at the actual auction, yet. I won't put anything up unless I know as much as possible about and then, share that, with links etc. when I actually do sell something. Right now I am pressing a Moody Blues concert poster which, if memory serves was the first time they played in WY, or at least the first time in Casper, with the WY Symphony. I actually was assigned to interview them, via phone while they were on the road, and the manager of the WSO was so pleased with my article, he sent me a great letter of appreciation with comp tickets, plus gave me the poster. It may not get a lot, but it is beautiful and was well done by an up and coming local artist, so I'll research him to see what he is doing these days, etc. before I put it up. That is one item I am saving for ebay. Goodnight, hope that Cinnamon is okay. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 20 Sep 10 - 09:39 AM When we had the housefire in 2000, a blessing that came with it was the insurance-paid cleanup crew that came: if you knew 6 people were being paid to descend on your clutter to carefully wipe and put back each single item, what would YOU do with that?!?!?!? I did what I hope we would all do-- I used it! And I organized it to stay one room ahead of them. Each day they'd let me know what they'd be working on the next day, so as they worked I'd be in the next day's room purging, sorting, and moving things to the rooms where they belonged after leaving them in the day's crew-workroom for wiping. Then at the end of the crew's workday, I addressed everything CLEAN that they had stacked neatly for me to put away. I averaged 2-3 big trash bags per day and ended up with clean, orderly cabinets everywhere, with clean things IN them. (They said they'd been in homes where every scribbled scrap of paper had to be de-smoked and put back, and loved how I made their work so much easier but yet not less time on the clock.) And this all coincided with our kids all having flown the next-- much-needed purging and organizing. Well, in case it hasn't been obivious, I've been doing that same approach with the plan to sublet parts of our house. The attic dorm was first but I'm just gathering steam. If I am gonna pay a cleaning lady, she will need some order to CLEAN, so I'm cleaning the "subletter's" shared spaces next-- the downstairs. At this time of year I am usually doing all the work in prep for my allergic MIL's visit (and possible Mudvisits); this time I am "working for" the eventual subletter and for the cleaning lady they will be paying for-- a room ahead of them, organizing and purging and prettying-up the rooms that have had so much of my work already in the past year... ever since the bulk of my church-admin and diocesan work stuff went up to the home office. The LR is being left not prettied, but prepped for painting which is one of the barters open to the subletters. This may be the last year the landlords' son will be home and in high school, to be the second pair of hands and legs for the painter. Which will be me (plus, I hope, subletters). The net will be that we will end up with a downstairs space always, more or less, "company-ready." It will welcome Hardi home to a gracious and orderly space at the end of each day, while the upstairs becomes increasingly our private space and the downstairs is opened to subletters for their use. Those with kitchen privileges will join us, we hope, for the daily 5PM-ish cooking party; and then all parties can adjourn to their various preferred TVs or, in our case, our evening meetings and ministries. So! Today it's wrapping up attic hardware and tools to bring down, re-run the ad, and clean the loo applicants will be using and seeing when I show the room Thursday and Sunday. Tomorrow, town chores. Wednesday, finish cleaning the kitchen and return calls. Thursday, clean the laundry room that is the entrance area ad show the #1 room. Friday, fetch the next vanload of NFU water... about 75 gallons... from the spring at Dharmabum's road. Next week, start changing over my spare bedroom for an eventual sublet-- because it is the space I COULD have rented first-- heat there is not an additional expense! But Hardi is not yet ready for that one. The occupant of #1 room might need it on cold nights, though. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Sep 10 - 11:09 AM Picked okra, then walked across the street to say hello to my neighbor and a driver who had pulled over to the curb to speak with him. In the end, I gave her the okra. Her garden didn't produce much this summer, and she clearly knew exactly what to do with a small pail of the veggies. A little less for my freezer, but it won't be missed, I have a lot in there already. As we spoke I looked across the road at this house and realized it is time to raise the level of the tree branches in the yard. The trees are looking good, but one goal in landscaping is to keep the house visible to avoid prowlers or burglars. Right now there isn't a clear view through from all areas out front. I'll trim some branches later. Many people have looked at the eBay auction and quite a few watchers. No bids yet. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 20 Sep 10 - 11:34 AM Two loads of laundry done this morning. I am going to work on building my brother a new website, having reserved his name last week. Nothing fancy, just a one pager for the moment, but it will be good for him to see. Also, hope to get things put up on the new shelves in the old office. No Morgan this morning as his dad is off today, BUT Morgan made sure I could pick him up after school.:-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 20 Sep 10 - 12:29 PM Now we're talking with Jess about them storing a 1-BR trailer here they need to sell. We may end up buying it ourselves if the price drops low enough. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: SINSULL Date: 20 Sep 10 - 12:32 PM My chicken salad is grim. Not sure where I went wrong but as confused as I am there is no telling what I actually put in there. YUK! I hope the lentil soup is better. LOL |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Sep 10 - 01:28 PM Might be a good idea to have any renters obtain renter's insurance. It would protect you if anything happens to their stuff, or to the trailer they store there. Just a thought. Mary, take it easy on yourself. If you're not feeling good, think about what you need to do to stage your recipe if you must make it. Sometimes when I'm making something important that I don't want to slip and forget something silly (you know, like leaving out the sugar or the salt) I simply stage the entire thing, like a TV show. All of the measured ingredients in little bowls so I can combine them with reasonable confidence that I haven't left something out. The last auction of the big knife had bidders early and it puttered along through the week. This one has a lot more early views and has quite a few watchers but no bids. The subject may be one that has a more sophisticated batch of bidders, eBayers who watch and wait and hope to swoop in at the last minute. I've seen that on a few more specialized things (kind of that way with the perfume bottle - the reserve was met in the first day, but it kind of stayed put until the last 120 seconds of the auction). Processing photos and designing posters today. And thinking about trying out some software meant to help keep you on task. It can be pretty draconian if you set it that way. Right now the site says it's down for unscheduled maintenance, but take a look later: http://www.rescuetime.com/. I heard about it in a radio program last night. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 20 Sep 10 - 02:13 PM "Finished" hanging up MudArt left/sent by past and future MudSleepers, up in what is no longer [sniff] the Mudcat Attic Dorm. I set out last items to bring down, brougt nost of them this trip. One biggie left to carry down when I show space-- a flatter version of it can go up there when needed (baby safety rail), and stow better or be used in other bedrooms when family come. I sat up there clipboarding the latest round of market research.... the costs structure has been better filled in now in comparison to other rental rooms, near and far within this economy. Peeps wanna cat-- will not take my by surprise again at the bargaining table. Hamsters, MAYBE. (They will have competition, is the problem there!) SRS, your telescope is a tad off: to adjust focus; dial here: the local economy here.... some people hereabouts sleep year-round in unheated metal gardening sheds or cardboard boxes, and most folks here still do all their personal business on a handshake. The digs here is not fancy. I DO however need to get and install a smoke-detector and provide an exit rope/tie ring for the tiny (12 x 20? trailer-size) window. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: VirginiaTam Date: 20 Sep 10 - 02:30 PM wowee peeps have been busy. Maggie is it possible it is a grass seed making doggie limp? My colleagues Springer had this twice. The first time the seed had worked up through the paw and into the leg. Also do people collect perfume bottles. My Hilary has schloads of the old Avon novelty bottles from her great grandma, grandma and great aunt. She may be needing to sell to kick start saving for a big event. Way to go Kat on the uphill walking. I did not paint the spare room. We went for a walk by river and Papermill Lock. TSO had lemon cake. I had Earl Grey tea. Saw cardio today. He ordered a coronary angiogram and told me to get back to GP and get the blood pressure sorted. Today it was 165 over 88. It really has been all over the place last few weeks. I am vegging on the sofa tonight and plan an early night. See if I can catch up on sleep. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Sep 10 - 02:39 PM Susan, there's nothing wrong with my focus. It's naive to take everyone at face value. Renter's insurance, relative to homeowner's insurance is a modest expense (since it doesn't have to cover the repair or replacement of a structure), but it makes a lot of sense liability-wise. Of course you don't have to have it, but if something happens to someone else's travel trailer or contents of the room they rent, they're out the cash - unless they decide to sue you. As renters yourselves you should have it to cover the contents of your house, and for liability purposes. There's a little rider they can add for a few dollars that covers libel/slander suits. I'll probably add that one of these days. Not that I anticipate needing it, but because in this world there are such things as SLAPP lawsuits. Photoshop all day. I need to get up and move around every so often to keep the circulation going. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Sep 10 - 02:44 PM Virginia, it's not a grass seed, we could see the injury to Cinnamon's toe. There was herniated flesh behind the nail, bulging into the gap between the nail and the toe skin. The nail bed was damaged when she was digging. Take care of your blood pressure! SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: GUEST,mg Date: 20 Sep 10 - 03:20 PM I don't know about anyone else's rental policy, but mine both when I rented out just rooms and now when I rent out whole house specifically excludes possessions of renters. Best bet is to put it in writing that nothing is covered. Things I am concerned about as a landlord: 1. Unsavory charecters. 2. Domestic violence. 3. Moving other people in..if they are OK then not a huge problem other than excess utilities. 4. Vermin. 5. Fire. 6. Drugs. I advise everyone to work out responses to various situations ahead of time and put everything in writing. Treat each potential tenant as a potential felon in your head, being polite etc. Ask sweet grandmothers if they use drugs and ask everyone. Ask the nicest couple about domestic violence. Ask everyone the same questions from the same checklist because sooner or later a person you do not want to rent to is going to get you on some sort of discrimination charge..even though you are discriminating against the behavior and not the religion, ethnic group etc. If it were rooms in my house I would not want to have them have locks on doors, in case of fire, heart attack, whatever. Locked up trunks etc. for valuables would be OK. mg |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 20 Sep 10 - 03:23 PM No, SRS, there is nothing "wrong" with your focus-- sheeshe-- but you just can't SEE this far and it is a unique cultural/economic setting very different from your own (that we know quite well). We do already have insurance (I've posted in this thread about the insurance help from our own fire), and we will be requiring proof of income from applicants. It's on then if they want insurance-- that is a boundary thing. My role is to be sure I have not made it easy for them to start a fire up there (no smoking, no ganging up extension cords, no cooking in the room), and to provide a smoke alarm in case the whole house goes up-- unlikely, since as I've indicated this is in an addition separated from the main house by a solid brick wall. (That's how come only the addition burned/soaked up all our storage LAST time.) Fact is, I actually know a thing or two about what I am doing. Maybe even three! :~) I only spent 15 years planning it, LOL... ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 20 Sep 10 - 03:32 PM Still working on getting art listed... time consuming. Gradually moving things from outside to the garage or inside or compost bin for the winter. Here is the etsy update: CLICK HERE Alice |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 20 Sep 10 - 03:37 PM mg, we cross-posted. Yes, thanks, those ARE good and I'm already doing most of it. I interview candidates for ordination as part of a group that asks a lot of interesting questions. Bishops don't appoint anyone to a 6-year term on that group, who doesn't have a sensible approach, and a clear mind with eyes and heart equally wide open.... A lot of the Q's might be open-ended, but they have a way of bringing out certain key facts and truths. And I am doing all the agreements in writing, with email drafts on hand to cover key items as they come up. I'll be adding the "at own risk" part to all of it-- have some already but I'll beef it up. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 20 Sep 10 - 03:48 PM Missed this on, MG: If it were rooms in my house I would not want to have them have locks on doors, in case of fire, heart attack, whatever. Locked up trunks etc. for valuables would be OK. No, they can't lock them from inside-- but they can padlock from the outside when they leave for the day. Inside, there are only chain locks. Or they can put on a security beep-alarm (like a baby alarm on a sliding door). That's a good tip about a lock-box for valuables, thanks. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 20 Sep 10 - 04:02 PM Neat collage, Alice! I have so much, having trouble focussing on just one object to get ready, plus I am recharging the camera batteries. Did get some stuff off of my old desk and onto the shelves Rog put up. One load of laundry dried and folded. One more to dry, then none for a day or two. Really enjoying listening to the archived folk show Max did this past weekend, featuring a lot of folks he met whilst cross the pond.:-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 20 Sep 10 - 05:50 PM Today I did next to nothing decluttering wise. I was out of town with my mom, a friend and the baby. We had Thai food for lunch, hit a bookstore and the mall. They went to another bookstore while I got myself some new sneakers for walking the trail (my current ones rub my little toes something fierce about a mile into the walk)....found some on sale that are really comfy....really ugly...but really comfy and that's the important part! I found 2 winter hats (adorable!) for Jermiah and a new teething ring as he is chewing on the loads now. Stopped by the store where my step-mother works to say hello too. Now I'm home, laundry is going, Jeremiah is fighting a much needed nap and I have some reading to do for the book club that meets next week. I'm about halfway through the book so I'd better start reading! :) Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Sep 10 - 07:09 PM I finished photoshopping some images for work and sent them to the local paper and others who needed some of the meeting on Friday. Now I have to photoshop some things for my daughter. I decided that since I've been photographing one old slip for her (with bands of lace and some horizontal pleats to add texture to the 1/2 slip) I'd go ahead and soak it in water for a couple of days and see if I can't do for it what I did with those handkerchiefs. I got this technique from the folks at Martha Stewart Living. Soak sometimes for several days before using oxy bleach for more soaking. I have some chuck roast out to thaw and grind for taco meat, and some black beans soaking that I'll cook then add to my taco meat. Between the chicken and the beef that should take care of lunches or dinners this week. At lunch I took a little limb saw out and removed the lowest whorl of branches on each on two trees out front. A few strokes each branch since the trees aren't huge. The results are indifferent, not a lot of difference in the amount of clearance under them to see the house. I'll hold off trimming more until after the first frost. The trees in the front yard really took off this year. As the light changes and the semester progresses, I'm looking forward some. This year christmas is going to be mostly a meal for family and some token gifts. The folks at the Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana, TX may be one of the few places I use this year. Their fruitcakes are wonderful and everyone in my family likes them. As far as token gifts go, people will eat these up! I only mention this because their reminder came in the mail today. I've sent these to people for years. They mail internationally, though I don't know how much that costs. Update on eBay - the first bid is in, so the auction is in play. .99. I tracked back the bidder's purchasing history, and this one collects hearing aids exclusively and isn't shy about paying a good price for them. One lot of a bunch of other hearing aids from an estate went for $1,200. There have been individual devices, a lot of them the brand I'm selling, that went over $100. So here's hoping that with all of the little extras - the box it came in, the flyer, the instructions, things that often got lost, this will give a bidder a wonderful item for their collection and will help me pay a couple of bills. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 20 Sep 10 - 08:16 PM pantpantpant The items I'd set in the upper landing are now safely down. Big, bulky, awkward things. I left only one folding stepstool up there (one pair of little valances yet to hand-sew and add over top of the drapes). Knees have had it for the day, so I swept the stairs as I went down, step by step with the lot of it in one long trip-- blew my back but wotthehell. Doing the dishes may straighten it back out. All the tools and hardware are in a box in the steps to take up if I need them, or grab from there, or put away. I could easily show it "as is," or I can wait till I get a vacuum up there and dust a little bit with the duster that goes with the room. It's not "done"... but it is more than certainly showable. I would like to add one more rug but it may need Hardi's help and he has none this week... but I think I can move all the things that would need to move, myself. I also would love to paint the plank floor a clean white, and put in a new carpet, but alas that is not to be, this season. For next year, I absolutely could paint the perimeter (which shows around the rugs) if a new rug comes my way. That would be great to put right over the existing stuff, for a little cushier space (and higher rent, LOL). ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Sep 10 - 11:25 PM eBay has made a nice large leap forward. I won't offer blow-by-blow accounts, but it is moving, and when I compare the previous recent purchases by these folks, I see this one I have up is a gem. Fingers crossed! :) This evening I used another of my frozen pizza crusts for dinner because my beans weren't ready to use in my taco meat. They're cooked now and I'll grind the beef and make the filling tomorrow. One more meal left with the chicken. Gotta eat some broccoli this evening, I forgot to heat it with my pizza. And I made some raisin and nut filled biscuits (called "Raisin Bonanzas") for dessert and breakfast tomorrow. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 21 Sep 10 - 04:50 AM The surveyor from my buyers' mortgage company is due imminently. I hope he won't take long cos I got a tai chi class in an hour and 40 mins, which is a 30 min drive. Couldn't get to the first one last week, and I really want to go. It'll be my last few weeks, and I've been going 7 or 8 years. Got some more apples and beans in this morning, so that will keep me busy this afternoon with the dryer machine. Survey on my new place tomorrow - I hope it's not too awful! Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 21 Sep 10 - 07:28 AM Andrea, "surveyor" must be what we USers know as "inspectors"-- people who are certified to report to the buyer on the safety and condition of the building? Here, a real estate commitment can be voided by the purchaser if a property does not pass the housing inspection. Or a seller can be expected to repair the deficiency till it does pass, or credit the purchaser with the estimated cost to bring it up to snuff. We also have housing inspectors in the employ of municipalities whose job is to see that any work done is done correctly to the building code in that municipality; if new construction, for example, a "permit" is required to start work; in many places the building code people have to OK the specs and drawings, first, before they will issue a permit. (Example: before the plaster can go onto the newly-framed walls, the electrical inspector has to sign off that the wiring is right-- or they will issue a "stop order" that legally inhibits the contractor from doing any more work on the property. A "surveyor" here is someone who uses highly technical means to measure the dimensions of properties, mark the property boundaries, etc. Then we have "appraisers" in the employ of the bank, or seller, or buyer, who is certified to set the market value of a property. Are all these jobs combined into one, over there? ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 21 Sep 10 - 10:04 AM AniAlli-Oxenfreee...., Hardi had been all worried about noise from his fitness room, below, going up to the room occupant, and waking them up. Even knowing it was week-to-week arrangement, he was fretting. I know Jess and Matt picked up on his concern, so I thought about how to help him see my vision and stop fretting. (He has to be really OK with this room thing or I will not do it.) This AM I went up there as he used the noisiest piece. Wide awake and listening for it, with either of the two doors open, I could hear hardly anything. Even a very light sleeper (as I am) might only dream that a faraway train is rhythmically clacking over train tracks, and wake up wondering why they never heard a whistle or how a long-torn-up set of rails could run a dawn train. We discussed how any apartment-dweller has to deal with noise from other units....how an occupant's work schedule would fit his workout time... how he would only have to close the fitness-room's door gently if he was really worried about disturbing a fellow human bean's repose... how an occupant would be different from an invited guest, a family member, or the surly teenaged offspring he recalls. It was a very good discussion that needed to happen, and today was the right day for it to happen. It was a lot like when he discovered that he actually IS a dog person, thanks to Faulkner's way with him. === Also, while the ad runs, I am on to a new idea about facilitating heat getting up there from below, as it is designed and insulated to to be the primary heat source for the room above. (We even have a digital sending unit/monitor thingie that will tell us what the temp is, up there, and how low it got overnight.) I can use that NOW to see if I am right about the feasibility of heating it affordably, and to see if the temp is OK for the eventual occupant or if I need to goose the gas heater a tad.) That way the expensive-to-run oil rad can be used less-- a flow register in the top of the lower stairwell door. And I have most of the materials on hand to do it right away-- maybe all of them-- until a cheap or free "nice" piece of metal comes my way as I know it eventually will. === I awoke with concerns about how our landlord is going to view these potential arrangements. I've been beefing up the barter side of my plan and I looked at it all from his view (as learned form 16 years of dealings). He's gonna be fine with it if I just tell him why we need to do it NOW. Might ask him to stop by later today and set a bit on the porch to chat. === I also have all the stuff I need for a sound-absorbing panel to add to the stairwell, to augment the sound-deadening effect of the tread-carpeting; have staple-gun, will travel (upholster). ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 21 Sep 10 - 11:29 AM Yep, that's what he was doing. They are firms of chartered surveyors who do all levels of surveys, according to what's needed. He was assessing the general condition of the house and checking stuff so that the bank would lend money. The survey last week was a "homebuyer's survey", for the purchaser's own information, which was a bit more in depth and looked at damp levels, cracks, etc. The one I am having done for me is a buildings survey, which will look as far as it's possible to access into the structure of the building and suggest work that needs doing. We have building inspectors who come on site if there is any work that has to comply with the current building regulations (foundations, drains, and other stuff, for example). They have to approve what has been done before the work moves on to the next stage. They usually work through the planning departments of the local councils. Anyhow, he left in time for me to go to my class, and I have put 5 trays of apple slices on to dry out in my machine, since my return. Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 21 Sep 10 - 11:52 AM Andrea, Thanks for putting the processes in parallel; I *thought* I understood but wanted to be sure-- I am trying to follow your progress closely (OK to pray?), as it's the one "journey" I most relate to out of the many other efforts ongoing thru this thread. I'd love to track them all as close as some of you here do, but I'm decluttering fluid from my legs and that limits desk/puder time severely and emphasizes walking/stair-climbing time. Hey, that Animaterra postcard? I pinned it to the wall in the Room a few days ago; when I wonder what improvement might be next up there (and how to do it), I look at the postcard for inspiration. The acoustic panel for instance-- my eye fell upon a very large oval embroidery hoop waiting for a purpose, in a window in my LR-- perfect fit for the place in the stairwell that most needs dampening. Easily stuffed with a leftover piece of Celotex (styro insulator) covered with pretty, available white fabric. So: fasten Celo to wall; insert fabric in hoop; hang covered hoop upon and over Celo to change as needed. Use markers to write mottos to change as needed. The first: "Let your yes be yes and your no be no." Anyway-- GOGOGOGO! You will continue to be in my thoughts. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 21 Sep 10 - 01:14 PM Susan, all this house fixing you are doing reminds me of the things that need to be done in my basement where I once rented to roommates. It is not up to the new codes the city requires for rental, so I can't rent it again (without $50,000 worth of remodel for safety). The last tenant had a small dog that she would not housebreak. She would put newspaper down on the laundry room floor (painted concrete) and let him go there. I cleaned it like crazy when she moved out, but the floor really needs to be re-painted. Nothing like a coat of paint to make things look new and fresh. Just added today's upload to the shop. I got a tip that listing at least once a day, even if you have to de-list and re-list helps in Etsy. Fan and Tea I have to go to Billings tomorrow. Not looking forward to the 350 mile round trip drive. My son stays home and holds the fort. Alice |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 21 Sep 10 - 01:24 PM Thanks for your comments, Alice. I may have BEEN that tenant, LOL-- but it's not funny. Earlier in life I thought it was OK to let the dog repay the lecherous landlord who offered to be my sugar daddy to excuse my late rent one month. Chicago can be icky. Since my last post I just finished taking the "before" pictures with good ole Faulkner-dog to show the scale-- and his welcome-face puppydog eyes. The music under the pix at the moment is Mudcatter stuff (you know who you are), which I will credit in the montage when I'm done fiddling around with the thing. The first song is Swedish, for a nod at my heritage and Ani's postcard. Right now it's just a rough upload, but at least Faulkner looks handsome and is rotated correctly: http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/auth_preview?work_id=12617593 It is meant to depict how NOT to leave a space "broom-clean," and is the "before" group of shots that will be followed (soon I hope) by some "after-cleaning" shots. I'll work on it some more on the better monitor in the office, with the new GLASSES I got yesterday. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 21 Sep 10 - 01:36 PM New neighbours seem to be almost finished with remodeling/upgrades and so, as of last night, are now sleeping over leaving on their side door porch light which shines right into my eyes in the bedroom. For some reason, it seems to have come on around 2a as that is what woke me up then. It was not on when we went to bed. So, I didn't get back to sleep until about 5a, up at 650a. Will have to watch and go talk with them when they are outside. I am sure they don't realise it shines through. I can just lower the shade which I did last night, but then the fresh air is more blocked. With cool weather it won't matter as much as I will have it almost closed and the glass is covered with art paper for privacy anyway. So...after a s-l-o-w start, I have put away two baskets of laundry, researched some things I will be selling on ebay and etsy and listed about six more books on paperbackswap, so they are off my desk and on the shelf waiting to be requested. I also had one requested this morning, had it packaged up, postage paid, and in the mail on the way to take Morgan to school this morning. Beautiful, again, Alice. Thanks for the tip on listing etc. I will try to get a 1950s aluminum/aluminium serving tray listed and, possibly, a book appropriate for Halloween.:-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 21 Sep 10 - 03:26 PM This morning I was picking okra when the village maintenance guy slowed in front of the house and then stopped. I walked over to meet him at the pickup - he hadn't seen me in the garden, but was there because his boss, the village idiot (aka public works director), had called him and told him to come clear across town and put a note on my door that there were grass trimmings in the street. Village Idiot must have seen them there yesterday morning because by mid-day I had picked them up by hand. I don't use and will never use a blower, and didn't feel like getting the broom cause there wasn't much there. Since then, someone's dog probably peed at the hydrant at that corner of the yard and knocked a clump off the lawn next to the curb. So this guy is basically sent to issue a warning based up a single handful of dry grass. (This is probably because the Village Idiot knows I think he'd the Village Idiot.) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 21 Sep 10 - 06:10 PM Today was a trip to the clinic to have my port accessed so there has been very little time at home today. I made plenty of food last night for dinner so there are healthy leftovers for tonight's dinner and I don't have to cook. There are dishes in the sink and I always have laundry but that can wait until tomorrow. It's been a long but pleasant day and I'm tuckered. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 21 Sep 10 - 08:28 PM Played hookey from loo-cleaning today for a ride thru foliage with Hardi and dinner at a favorite spot near Dharmabum's adjoining cabin and road-spring. I'll pay for that tomorrow with an all day cleaning hard on the knees-- but so worth the time (we worked on duets in the car) and NFU water: 3x7 gal + 2x5 gal = 3 gal + 9 individual gallons = 42 gallons? Times 8 lbs/gallon.... 336 pounds of man-lifting? Planned how we will do it for winter water-trips-- take largest containers only for minimal hand-wetting, and cut the result with town water to stretch it and reduce the town-water chlorine taste (unless Poland Spring is on sale). More trips, less hand-wets per trip unless "warm" and dry. The weather over at Ron's is so far away that we cannot know what it is till there, so maybe take all 3-gal or larger containers but fill what we can. It was in the upper 30's last night so it won't be long till water fetches are not fun hereabouts. And the occupants will be on their own: drink the house's well water with supplied Brita filter pitcher, or supply own filtered pitcher, or buy water, or help make runs for spring water. (There is a 2-1/2 gal container of Poland Spring already up there to start them off.) Oh! Did I mention we will add a sending unit for wireless monitoring of temps up there? Good chat about it in the car. We already use two of these in other parts of the house-- easy to add one more. I'll put it up by the smoke alarm. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 21 Sep 10 - 08:39 PM I wish we had fall colors down here, but it is muted at best. I had a sweetgum in the yard at my last house (the one where my ex lives) that has wonderful red leaves each fall. If I ever get rid of the hackberries around here, a sweetgum and a lacebark elm (with lovely yellow leaves) are going in around the outer edge of the back yard. Finished a couple of big projects, but have another one to put together this evening. And then a lot of photos. Busy week. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 22 Sep 10 - 02:22 AM My computer has been so slow. Turns out the files I thought I had going to the huge D: drive were actually piling up on the small C: drive (wher the OS lives). It was jam packed full when I got an error message this evening. So I've been doing a virtual declutter, moving to folders in D so I can find them again, and then deleting from the C: desktop. About 60 Gig so far. The drive is defragging now. This explains a lot, and I should have paid attention. I have the system set to automatically defrag once a month, but by doing this I wasn't noticing the state of the crowded drive. I'll leave it on auto, but I'll go in and check in manually also. Tomorrow I'll finish the photo work I wanted to do. This declutter is counting itself down in fractions of percentages, meaning it will take a while. It's at 2% after 20 minutes. Might run all night. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: SINSULL Date: 22 Sep 10 - 08:47 AM My old neighbors had the spotlight from hell on their garage. It lit up my entire room and made it impossible to sit on my back porch at night. When they sold, I prayed it would go with them but the new owner couldn't reach it - at the peak of the garage. Finally, when they were having some tree work done, they used the bucket to turn off the light. Must have driven them nuts too. I did nothing yesterday after work. Felt good. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 22 Sep 10 - 10:55 AM Prayers are VERY welcome, Susan. (Hope the legs are better, by the way). Got rid of a load of cutlery and glasses for the British Heart Foundation collection tomorrow morning. I will have a go at bedding and table linen next. Heard via the agent that the washing machine and dishwasher are being left in the kitchen, so I will be able to offload mine to various people. I'm going to take the tumble dryer cos I can put that in a shed and run an extension cable out to it if I need to use it. Bear in mind that I am planning to move into an old house at the onset of winter, and the heating may (will) need replacing, so there is every chance that there will be nowhere to dry stuff indoors much at first. Now I just have to wait until I get the results of the survey, which should be early next week, I hope. Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 22 Sep 10 - 11:05 AM There was a light on a pole like that in the yard of a place I lived many years ago. I think they have quite an impact on the light bill also, so the neighbors maybe had a couple of reasons to get rid of it. Horrible night's sleep last night. This sleeping with dogs in the house is something that I'm just not accustomed to and I have my fingers crossed that the bandage comes off today and the foot is ready to go. She can stay outside safely soon, if not tonight. At least I'd like to give them baths as soon as possible! 4d 11h from now I suspect I'll see movement on that auction. For now, there are watchers and the look numbers are creeping up. It's hurry up and wait. I did go in last night and get all of the parts packed carefully to avoid jostling during shipping. I'll decide on the final outer box once I know where it's going. If I ship overseas, I tend to use a bit larger box with more padding just to play it safe since the item will be in transit much longer. I'll put the items I cleaned up from the recycle center into the pickup today so they're available to deliver to my friend's house since I'll be near there every day the rest of the week; tomorrow is probably actually the best opportunity. It'll be nice to have these out of the garage, and it'll be nice to offer some items that still have a lot of use to a friend who can indeed use them. Better get ready to go take photos. It's a busy afternoon. Andrea, how did the inspection go? Do you have an idea of what they found, or do you wait for a written report? SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 22 Sep 10 - 11:06 AM ... there will be nowhere to dry stuff indoors much at first... Yes..... If the initial heating is poor, keep in mind how a dryer though puts out quite a bit if heat. Not only thru the metal housing giving off heat but, if you filter it and can welcome the moisture in the air, thru the outflow hose. The back of a fridge does too. A fan set to direct it your way works-- we do that in Fall camping in our tent-camper with the heat-pump end of the electric cooler. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 22 Sep 10 - 11:37 AM Cross posted with Andrea. We're all waiting with you to hear that report! Take a look at the appliances being left behind before you distribute yours. Word to the wise. I was considering accepting the appliances in one house I made a bid on years ago, but they were ancient, fire hazards and probably on their last legs. I'd have soon had to replace them. I had a chimney sweep inspect my fireplace when I moved in here. It looked okay and had a cap on top to keep birds out, but actually, it doesn't draw well and the glass front doesn't seal off the space when there isn't a fire. In summer heat and humidity seep into the room (there is a conduit through the back of the hearth to push out ashes, and an ill-fitting rusted door on the outside that mice and roaches can and do get through). If I ever get the money, I'll tear down the facing in the house and re do it, and rework the outer door closure. Put in a heat-a-lator (a system of tubes around the fire and a blower sending the heat into the house) and insulate the glass door well. I wouldn't ever try to rely on this fireplace as a source of heat if the power went out. Better to get out the down sleeping bags. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 22 Sep 10 - 11:43 AM Sins, where's a kid with a BB gun when ya need one, eh? IF it were a spotlight from hell, I'd be over there in a heartbeat. This one is just a regular, bright lightbulb, but bad enough as it is. They must not go to bed until very late. We turned in about 1030p. I read and was up and down until about midnight. BY 1230a, it was on and I lowered the blind, so I did sleep, just miss the full fresh air. They seem nice enough, so I suspect when we talk with them it will help. Have one load in the wash and have been answering emails and PMs this morning. I get Morgan early today as school lets out at 150p, so am working on a listing or two for etsy BEFORE lunchtime. Better get going! Andrea, this or something better for the highest good of all concerned...may it continue to progress well, with ease, and quickly. luvyakat |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 22 Sep 10 - 12:35 PM Ani/Alli, I just decluttered what has been a HUGE problem for me since we got back from vacay-- my schedule! I have never, until this last year, really been much of a scheduled person. More responsive to the moment/needs. Well of course that had its own problems, and the day came when it didn't work, and I was ready to take a step. So in the last year I have been relying on a nice, self-designed structure working my "lifestyle" and health towards fulltime employment, that really WORKED for me... and supported all my goals and commitments. But-- Hardi and I arrived at a fresh set of shared visions, goals, and commitments during vacay, that took my schedule almost completely apart. The new initiatives went well... and most of the prior-sched stuff did fit in... but it was.... all jambled! And I was all jangled! I worked away on trying to see the new structure... it's not been about discipline-- had plenty of that-- but structure. The last bits finally fell into place today with a call from a newly-appointed Diocesan exec who one of my bigger "responsibilities" reports to-- apparently today was the day he got his arms around the stuff I had been working on with his retired predecessor. In his a 5-minute, FUN phone call, the last items clicked into place and I HAVE my "new" structure! WITH the needs of the shared room(s) accounted for! And stewardship of all current ministry commitments! (And NOW I know when I can fit in lunch with galpals!) After brekky, AM's: Thaw dinner. OT homework (Mon-Thu; Fri optional) After lunch, afternoons: <> Sundays: My office: spirituals, anti-racism commission, commission on ministry tasks, Presbytera blog. <> Mondays: My office: parish website, upstairs chores, clergy blogs, convocation communications, cleaning for downstairs. <> Tuesdays: Wellsboro activities: Tyoga Ofc Prod., church mtgs, pool, George's with Hardi, offertories with Hardi, Weis groceries (sale flyer). <> Wednesdays: Mansfield/Blossburg errands, put away all groceries, trips for FreeCycle with Ed and Darlene as needed. <> Thursdays: Sublets administration, prep downstairs for cleaning lady. <> Fridays: OFF, with Hardi <> Saturdays: Diocesan monthly class, porch/camper/van chores, yardwork. Yippee-Yay! ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 22 Sep 10 - 01:06 PM Traveled to Jeremiah's doctor's office this morning for his 6 month check up and booster shots. Poor little boy had to get 4 immunizations. It was painful for him and difficult for me to watch his face and hear that cry. The nurse left the office and I hugged my baby close and cried right along with him. He fell asleep almost instantly on the long ride home. He let me carry him in the house and put him right to bed (usually he wakes up when the car stops and then he's awake for time at home). I'm going to let the dishes sit in the sink a bit longer and take a nap myself. My new breadmaker arrived today. Pete went ahead and ordered one...does that tell you how much he misses my bread? LOL No he's talking about getting a new microwave (ours is probably 15 years old and is no longer reliable...coffee can be boiling hot in 15 seconds or it might take 3 minutes).....but he wants one that goes over top of the stove so it will free up some counter space. Anyone have a microwave like that? Likes? Dislikes? More than likely it will come from Sears or Lowes. Now...on to that nap....everyone keeps telling me I should sleep when the baby does and today is the first time I (think) can do that! Sweet dreams all! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 22 Sep 10 - 01:31 PM "Everybody" is right, Michelle...sometimes it might be the ONLY chance you get for some sleep.**bg** I will be glad when I get up to speed and the etsy listings go up faster. Took me a while to get a new item up...a photo of aspen trees against a blue, blue Colorado sky; not what I thought I'd get up, but I wnat to do one item per day, if possible, and time was ltd., so that was the quickest.:-) Now for a quick catnap, lunch with Rog, then my boy'o! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 22 Sep 10 - 02:20 PM Help, I'm in the loo and I can't get out! (Where did I set those old specs that made the grime so invisible??? And will our subletters wear them?) As I run from the fumes I set into the air with cleaning products-- yes I know Green is out there-- I can only think this: "This is the prep I owe to my future cleaning lady, and dollars I will save not having to pay her to do this deep a cleaning." In the loo I do have space for two subletters's stuff-- already set aside for many a MudVisit. Six hooks for towels/etc., a horizontal towel bar, and two sections of windowsill for toiletries: one for Room #1 and one for Room #2. Folks, IMO what we all need is a pet giraffe/anteater hybrid to lick off the dirt after we spray it with, I dunno, some leafy extract they'd like to eat up. And find the dust bunnies for dessert. (Why can't my dust bunnies eat dirt?) ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: GUEST,mg Date: 22 Sep 10 - 03:54 PM is there just the one bathroom that you all have to share? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 22 Sep 10 - 03:59 PM It started to rain just after I came home from my noon photo shoot. The dogs went into the garage, and though the sun is out, I hope they'll stay put for a little while longer. I leave in about an hour to get Cinnamon's foot recheck. I know the motivation to have the worst of the dirt or mess up for the cleaning person who is coming it, but really is a waste of your time if you're serious about why you want the help. You're hiring someone to come in an clean and who can probably tackle this room more efficiently and do it faster. You're not hiring someone to come in and admire your housekeeping, you're hiring a partner to keep a baseline level of clean. Letting them establish that level for you can be part of the job. In My Humble Opinion. I need a nap also. Less caffeine today and I made sure to take my antihistamine early in the morning. Here's an article about the value of naps. For everyone, were they/we so inclined. Harvard Business Review, Sept. 22, 2010. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 22 Sep 10 - 04:27 PM MG, if that was directed to me-- There is one bath on the second floor near our bedroom in addition to a potty-only in our room. The downstairs, shared bath (shower) is not a problem, because I spend most of each morning upstairs leaving it free for Hardi's early brush-teeth and go and one other person to use. This bath is the last "room" in a separated-from-the-rest-of-the-downstairs area that closes off. For years, since we had a pet that used to get sick from drinking out of the toilet, the deal has been that the bathroom door is kept closed and people knock before entering-- it's usually empty. So when we are in the LRE and hear that knock we know the bath is off limits for awhile. It wasn't an issue when thre were 5 of uslioving here and I do not expect any trouble with 1 person moving in-- we are not runnig a bed and breakfast or a motel where each bedroom requires (by zoning) a private bathroom. If an applicant only wants a really private bath-- then we understand this will not be the house for them, and we know it will affect the "value," too. OTOH Room #1 is so large and private that if it had plumbing, it would be a studio apartment. Wish it was our house-- we'd put it right in! And probably make THAT our master bedroom and rent the main-house bedrooms out! :~) The bath for the "master" is a shared bath too, but we've never run into any Mudcatters in the middle of the night even when we've had a very full house. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: SINSULL Date: 22 Sep 10 - 06:08 PM Lily. Be very careful with that microwave over the counter. We have them at the office and it is too easy to grab something hot and drop it - usually on yourself. Get it set as low as possible. SRS - be patient. The most serious bidders have software that bids up to their set limit up to the last second. Very interesting and exciting item. I set a rule for myself many years ago - I never do the same thing on the same day at the same time. Strict organization strangles me. Of course, that is why I frantically clean just before guests arrive. They don't usually mind unless they are allergic to cats. Cat hair rules no matter what I do. I am always fascinated at the amount of "stuff" I get done and still hold down a full-time job. Which reminds me - Jacqui and I may be announcing a Portland Harbor Maritime Festival for 2012. WHOO WHOO! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: GUEST,mg Date: 22 Sep 10 - 07:29 PM If there was any way to avoid sharing bathrooms, I would sure do it. But then I can't stand to share bathrooms. Lots of people hate it period, but if true love is involved then they can. I would seriously look at dividing them up for privacy...and maybe not by what is closest since you ahve hip problems and might not want to go up and downstairs. If it was me, with everyting you have described, I might keep the downstairs for myself and husband and let the renters have the full use of the one nearest your bedroom since you already have a toilet in your bedroom so you would be OK on either floor. This will open up your client base considerably and spare you the annoyances of shared bathrooms, and lack of privacy, especially from the opposite sex. A young female renter is not going to want to share a private space with an older man, although it is not as bad the other way except for housekeeping issues. mg |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 22 Sep 10 - 08:06 PM mg, yes, I understand, but the layout of the house precludes your excellent suggestion. Thing is, the apartment market here is squeezed past the max, due to the gas drilling encroaching on what is usually student or newlywed housing. So for the right person, Room #1 is going to be a palace and an adventure. I think my biggest encouragement has come from the two people who have seen it in mid-project, who are the age and lifestyle we want to attract. They each said they would live there in a heartbeat-- even with the "problems" we agree that it has. The single biggest draw is the privacy this room offers. It is so separate from the rest of the house. And the excellent storage it has, plus storage elsewhere on the property-- those, and the snowplowing. There is a very good chance that this room will not go to a student at all-- this year-- because we were ready a few weeks after they all hit the campus. I am taking a very long view. For this time of year a sign in the front yard welcoming hunters to inquire for next year should book it up tight for the hunting season. If not, I'll advertise next year earlier, for students. Really, just to have finished the things I needed to do before I could sublet it at all, I am happy to be ready for next year; it won't cost me a thing this year if no one is in there. But there are always the gas drillers.... whose HQ is 1/2 mile up the road. I have not yet begun to market it to THEM. For that, the thing I REALLY have to focus on is putting a TV up there. We do have a spare, but I do not want to foot the bill for cable till I get an occupant and a deposit. Hm, I should put a small one in there just to take the picture..... and maybe my little microwave and stage it as ready for a meal. Room #2 will be ready in November, and adjoins the upstairs bathroom. That has to be a male tenant (for the reasons you already stated). The other thing we have to discuss here at home is how much we will share the LR. (The couple who had applied blew my mind-- they wanted to hang out with us!) The door dividing it from the kitchen and bath makes it also quite private, and I am not sure that Hardi is ready for that to change. Yet. :~) ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: GUEST,mg Date: 22 Sep 10 - 08:17 PM I would say if you do not currently have cable there is no reason for you to foot the bill...just have them pay for it etc. mg |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 22 Sep 10 - 08:21 PM We have it elsewhere in the house but there is a fee to add a line.-- (Again, out of the deposit.) I believe they also can get a separate line, but I have to see if the wireless works first (deposit needed) before I tell them to order their own cable for TV/modem. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 22 Sep 10 - 08:49 PM You're right, Mary. All I can do is wait. I have been looking at some completely different items to list (some fast food t-shirts, for those who collect advertising materials, etc.) just to keep it moving. Rain this evening. Good timing. The bandage is off. The toe isn't completely healed, the swelling has returned some. I'll be using a disinfectant to add to a pan of water and sit with her foot in it for about 10 minutes once or twice a day. She may have some kind of a yeast infection (not the kind that is cured by yogurt) that the disinfectant might cure. If not, he may have to take the nail off completely back to the nail bed. After payday, if that happens. Anyway, the foot is stinky after being bandaged for a week. I gave Poppy a bath (I have to declutter the drain strainer of lots of dog hair) and I'll give Cinnamon one also. Though it's wet, it's warm out, and she'll dry quickly since her coat is so slight. I'm not sure if I'll have them in tonight or not, but if so, they'll smell better. They weren't stinky before, but they were definitely doggy scented. Oh, to keep her from licking the foot, he said either the bitter apple spray from the pet store, or rub some roll-on (not any other type) deodorant on the foot. Something about one ingredient that tastes bitter. Old Spice, here I come! I think my son might have left some in his room. (Modem was out so took a while before I could send this) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 22 Sep 10 - 10:37 PM mg, The Room #1 video montage is a little better now: http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/auth_preview?work_id=12617593&autoplay#visualMedia_1 From an earlier-posted montage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocjMckTtZ1Y&feature=related The addition shows briefly in that one, at about 1:21. Room #1 is the second floor window you see up top.(The optional cats are at 1:34.) The steep stairs are at 3:01. You can see the same window from the inside at 3:21. The multiple-twinbed dormstyle setup it can also have is shown from 3:24 - 3:35, and the occupant can convert it at will. Still to add are better pix and some outside shots of the house and property, plus shared kitchen and loo. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mg Date: 22 Sep 10 - 11:00 PM I could only see the second one, which is great for friends and family but I think if you are trying to attract renters it is way too confusing and way too many pictures of cats and guitar players..one or two fine..and I don't understand that film clip at the beginning and end.. e I would want to know what the house looks like, what the bathrooms look like, what the rooms look like. They look nicee It is not clear whether the scenery is close by or just pretty pictures you put in... I would save this one for other purposes and streamline it to one lminute or so...but that is just my opinion. mg And is anyoen else having trouble typing nowadays? Is it something to do with that new google typing stuff in for you? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 23 Sep 10 - 12:45 AM I had trouble with a different program this evening. So far this one is working like usual. I decluttered the fridge of two large cauliflower heads this evening. It was buy one get one free, and I knew I couldn't eat that much at a stretch but I hated to leave one behind, so I pulled out the Blue Book to see what it said about freezing cauliflower. I scalded florets for about 4 minutes (not letting it quite boil) and then cooled and bagged and it's in the freezer. I'm supposed to finish a poster but I'm tired. I think I'll get up early to work on it instead of nodding over the keyboard tonight. Night, all! SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 23 Sep 10 - 04:21 AM The report will take a few days, and come in the post. The dishwasher being left is a Bosch, a newer model than my previous one here. Can't remember what the washing machine is, but the kitchen (including integral fridge) was only fitted in 2008, and my appliances back here are getting on for 10 years old. I will take my chances! I have a Hotpoint dishwasher at the moment, which is supposedly the same company now as Bosch, and made from the same components, but my old Bosch was far superior. My iron is a Bosch too...I've had a couple over the years, and they are good. I intend to take my dryer with me, and will park it in one of the outbuildings. It may come in useful for drying bedding on a wet winter day! I have a theory that there is somebody for every property: it's just bringing the two together that's the art! And I swear that applies to rental rooms too! It is just so very difficult second-guessing what will attract people, because everyone has different tastes and requirements. However, saying that, it went totally against the grain with me to de-clutter and "neutralise" the house. (I love colour, and I love my "stuff"). But maybe because it was a fairly gradual process, I have grown to really like it as a background onto which I can place splashes of colour, such as rugs and selected pictures. Trouble is, there are about 20 other pictures to make the journey up north with me because, apart from a few, I won't know what will look right till I try them. Something is telling me that the ones that are up now will be the best choice (including the two 17th century maps - one of Northumberland). So I am going to find out where the nearest car boot sales are held! Happily, I think I may have found somewhere for my Staffordshire figures - there's a plate rack high along the length of the hallway. That will save buying a cabinet for them! Andrea Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 23 Sep 10 - 10:02 AM Andrea, that sounds so lovely! I am about to get some more listings on etsy...some jewellery findings and maybe a book or two, or another photographic print. The laundry is all done, folded, so I'll put it away this morning, too. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 23 Sep 10 - 10:07 AM MG and Andrea (GO ANDREA!) Yes, it is about attracting the RIGHT subletter. Till they arrive on the horizon I just keep the costs slashed-- slow and steady does it. Right now Room #1 has cost me about $40 and I do not anticipate another dime till I have a deposit and/or a barter in writing. Might run an ad now for hunters-- must check season dates. Buck Day has traditionally been Thanksgiving weekend, so I'm still in time to post a sign in the yard (have signboard), and a classified ad downstate. There IS a beer fridge, LOL, and they don't stay long-- iz city folks whut want the reel contreh experience. For them I can cook a good brekky to order. The montage you saw is not yet available for applicants to view, it's just where I can stash pix till other pix join it for what WILL be given to an applicant-- and a place where friends can offer their thoughts as a few have been doing (thank you) here and/or in PMs. MG, I do have BTW most of the other pix you thought the montage ought to have, on another computer not online right now; the long one in the link above was created for other purposes and is no part of this Plan. Just so y'all could see the pieces I'm working with and the "milieu" of our "market." We need to deal with our own wireless and I think I know how it will also send signal up to Room #1 (which we need in summer for ourselves), so I'm gonna let Hardi spring for the cabling to do that, tomorrow. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 23 Sep 10 - 10:42 AM PS, "staging" a property. Not false advertising, but showcasing the actual benefits. Marketing, not journalism. The loo is clean enough now to photo-shoot, and as I do each section of the kitchen it will be snapped, too. A, I will get pix for promotion. B, I will get surfaces clean enough for the PAID cleaning lady to maintain. C, some of this work is also paint-prep. I would not SHOW it in this condition, but I can catch the pix while the surfaces are neat and clean enough to photograph adequately-- and I will not slow down long enough to afford a great camera that would show ALL the flyspecks! Example, the montage pix MG could/did not see-- in person I see dirt on the rug and have negotiated a bartered cleaning with Jess and Matt. In the photos I see light and color, and how NOT to leave a space at move-out. So the first pix today will be ydy's loo-cleaning, before it gets any messier and before I vacuum (it will HURT). The next will be shared kitchen spaces: microwave, sink, stovetop, counterspace, first. THEN after the kitchen is up to the loo's condition they will be vac'd together, because they are one continuous floor-space with a connecting hallway that stops at the door to the LR area. I know where a subletter's kitchen stuff will go too, and I'll clear/clean/snap that next. Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 23 Sep 10 - 11:11 AM Andrea, it will be interesting watching from afar the process as you complete the sale, the purchase, the move, and then the settling in. Good drama for the coming months! You know how years ago people realized that little kids like watching things like bulldozers and trains and tractors work so they made long kind of otherwise-boring films of tractors at work and such and kids loved them? I think you could do a film about the process you're talking about and keep me happy. :) It's autumn now. Though it's overcast outside, it's about 80% humidity after last night's rain and it is forecast to reach 90 today. There is so much work to do in the yard, weeding and putting in autumn plantings. It's difficult to get much of that done when it's hot (especially when it hasn't rained and the dirt is like concrete) but pretty soon it will be good working conditions again. Yesterday I handed the recycled items over to the friend who can use them. His porch has a low hedge around it so I concealed them out of sight of the street. I can visualize the next fancy meal he prepares will have these warming pans set up on one of the counters or in the middle of the dining table. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter TIP She WINS Again! From: wysiwyg Date: 23 Sep 10 - 12:11 PM AniAlli, MG, Andrea, That was quick! Hey! It's a lot more fun to take pictures than to clean, but you can clean as you go! OK, OK, so I didn't "snap" the big box of stuff I have to sort thru-- that's not part of the shared space! :~) This is a great declut process all by itself, folks. Clear it, clean it, snap it, set aside the mess for a day when you feel like a big purge, and purge that THEN. Use the snaps as a personal screensaver to remind yo of the total effect you're going for, room by room. For MY plan I still need to snap the breakfast bar and the fridge space dedicated to Room #1, but I might post the montage link again without them in it. I gotta leave SOME surprises for the applicants! ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 23 Sep 10 - 01:45 PM Kat and Alice, with all of the setting up items for sale at etsy, are you getting any sales yet? Can you see how many people view or link to your pages? Dug out some advertising cards designed for campus and library events in the last couple of years. Some things are best kept, not decluttered! I am always glad when I have something here that I can copy or riff off of when designing cards and posters. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 23 Sep 10 - 02:01 PM OK. This is the montage in progress, with music from Open Mike (She's OKd it) and Animaterra (OK Ani?). Music credits to be added after more OKs. THIS IS A DRAFT. Room #1, spacious shared kitchen and bath. Depicted: Door to room. Not shown: locks. Door open with Faulkner, our dog, for scale. (He's a 70 lb shepherd mix.) Looking around inside: On the west wall, the area inside door with mirror and clock radio; Computer podium and chair (ask about alternate chairs to choose from); On the south wall: (linens on) yellow daybed across from entry door; One of two wooden storage cubes/lamps beside daybed; Looking now across from the daybed, on the north wall, the blue double bed (linens &thermal blanket on) with Faulkner for scale; Looking diagonally toward southwest corner dressing area; Southwest corner: storage shelves/cubes beyond double garment racks; note supplied linens; The west wall: dressing/linen shelves, supplemental "rolling" heater and ext. cord (oil-filled rad), double-hung window with screen, black storage cube/hassock/TV stand, storage bins, and tall pantry/TV shelves with supplied cleaning equipment; Northwest corner next to pantry shelves: large work/dining table with floor lamp, bookshelf, chair; More of double bed on north wall, with nightstand/lamp table; Yellow daybed, again with dog for scale and "extra" pillows supplied. (The daybed can be two twins plus a twin-sized bedroll on boxspring, or a kingbed and bedroll/boxspring); Lamp with ceiling angle shown, resulting in roomy headspace-- 4' wall min soars above beds to a comfortable center height, according to young 6'3" Luke who would love to move in; Northwest corner with 3-shelf nightstand/drawer, low fixed window with deep, cold ledge for winter food storage; Three hooks inside room door; capacity 25 lbs. each Landing outside room door, looking down private entry stairs (carpeting to come, your portapotti not shown); Five hooks in landing, with antique mandolin for scale; capacity 25 lbs each; Looking down steps leading to adjoining kitchen facilities (your dedicated fridge not shown); Enormous hutch inside kitchen door at foot of steps-- watch for this later in montage (adjoining trash bin and double oven not shown); Your silverware/spice drawer which adjoins cooktop; Kitchen counter, L to R with panini press/"George Foreman" type grill first; Four-burner cooktop I photographed while cleaning. Scale: note 12" cast iron frypan on back burner, 18" stewpot on back burner, ample counterspace & microwave beyond cooktop; (Not shown, our cabinetry) Your "speckle pot" (a large canning pot) for soaking your dishes (your spare "sink" in case main sink is full); Main stainless steel sink with window (note generous shared space in bright windowsill; garbage disposal not shown) Shared dishwasher with room to add your dishes and start it up; Not shown: large enamel-topped island with breakfast bar for two with 1-2 stools; Not shown: dogfood bins and dog corner with exit to their Dog World; Not shown: coffee/appliance counter with "house rules" and decor posted overhead; The Huge Hutch, again. Space negotiable inside cabinet and drawers. Shared charging station, digital monitor of Room #1 heating; Back left section of your countertop in the hutch, with our 12" frypan and your gadget bin for scale; Your countertop for scale-- the base is a double kitchen cabinet; Close-up of shared charging station and heating monitor. Looking past that panini press into the shared bathroom, decorated like an old train station bathroom; Shared sink, shown with our toiletries; L to R: wide, deep adjoining south windowsill for your toiletries, and my basket. A second guest's toiletries space next to my basket and your shelf; Two towel sets on one closet door-- room for two guests, with 3 hooks each. One of our rosepink towel/washcloths on the second closet door, showing the 6 hooks a little better; Train poster framed behind bathroom door (bathroom wastebasket and antique pachinko-type game not shown); One of several available shower mats, shown hanging in south window; pre-warm your towel there above the floor radiator. Looking up into the large shared shower. Brain, then a +400 lb person, fit in there with no trouble. Not shown, guest toiletries rack above R shower wall; Shower floor. Note large laundry soap shown for scale and old, sanitized well-water stains; Inside the shower: our toiletries spaces and shared hand-held shower on x-long hose; Decor above commode: "This is a classy place. Act respectable!" and old hobnailed milkglass sconce (one of two); Hallway connecting kitchen and bath, with door to our LR beyond. (Use of LR negotiable). === ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 23 Sep 10 - 02:10 PM There is enough material here for a blog, I have to acknowledge that. The "not shown" stuff is kind of confusing, especially if you are compiling photos. Words would cover what photos don't. Took a power nap, sorted out some image uses I've been mulling over. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 23 Sep 10 - 02:11 PM Not yet, SRS. Yes, you can see how many times your item has been viewed. I could write a book about it, but won't, would be happy to PM more if you'd like. They have a ton of help info forums, etc. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 23 Sep 10 - 02:35 PM Old MudWisdom: If it's not for you, SKIP it. Not the first long story this clutter community has encompassed, freedom of speech, blah blah blah. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 23 Sep 10 - 04:37 PM Exercise - took a long walk around the neighborhood up and down the alleys looking at back gardens. There was one I had to go back and look at again... gorgeous and TALL... I have no idea how she got everything so tall and lush with all the hail we've had this summer. It was the only garden that didn't look ragged and beaten in some way. Sat in the car and in a meeting ALL day yesterday, about 13 hours, and I had to walk out the stiff joints and muscles today. I made this etsy treasury about winter whites on Tuesday, curated etsy items by alice I really like how etsy is set up for us to promote strangers' work, just because it is creative. Posted an item today from my small paintings old camera is old Pulled the last of the carrots in the garden and trained some more strawberry runners into nearby pots. Had a flat tire on my car that had to be fixed, so I'm off to walk over to the tire shop and pick up the car. Alice |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 23 Sep 10 - 04:41 PM Accountability has gone out the window for me and my food plan. Between the steroids, stress and inability to really do much in the way of exercise, I've gained 30ish pounds. ARG. Ok. Well. That was then and today is a new day. My current WW group has changed to a day and time that doesn't work for me so I went in search of a new group today and found a wonderful leader (very engaging) and a table full of new friends. Excellent. I explained my situation and we agreed that a new book to start was the way to go. HOORAY! I'm feeling really good about this and am proud of myself for going despite KNOWING what the scale would have to say and how disappointed I am in myself. Onward!!! Dinner tonight? Grilled salmon, baked potato and broccoli. Pears for desert if I'm still hungry. And yesterday I went to yoga...90 minutes of deep, intensive stretches....YUM. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 23 Sep 10 - 04:53 PM The next section of cleaning/snapping is done-- a cleaner cooktop amd the breakfast bar-- to fill in areas texted below as "not shown." One applicant is reviewing it all now (not from here-- via email) for feedback, as-is, understanding that it is a work in progress. I'll add the new pix to the montage footage at the end and work them in as I get batches that apply to her feedback. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 23 Sep 10 - 05:06 PM Nice Treasury, Alice. And, thanks for including your camera painting. I added it to my A Smile is Worth A Million Bucks! treasury. Oh, and yesterday, when I went to the Etsy Home page, your shop showed up on the front page, I think under Suggestions? (Sorry, can't remember the designation.) I was excited to see that! Spent the morning staging and photographing different beads and buttons and listing them at etsy. Sent out a couple of more books, yesterday. Also photographed some books, getting them ready to list, too. Slowly getting stuff off of my office desk. I can now sit at it and work on jewellery! Michelle, good for you! Steroids can be SO difficult when working on losing weight; keep being patient with yourself, okay?:-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 23 Sep 10 - 07:19 PM I suddenly see that others are also "staging." Good! Anyone who has cooked with us in this kitchen (Mmario, Dharmabum, Bert, BillD, Dick and Susan, parish class members, local jam groups, etc.) will understand the gargantuan task I began today; this kitchen was built to feed 35 residents plus a host of harvest-workers on the farm. We ourselves use it, therefore, in the bulk-cooking mode I've posted about before. WE (and close friends) know it as a kitchen with room for many others to use at the same time we use it. But the average person cannot know this until they see it. Because the average person does not run a farm operation or a parish kitchen, as we do. So... we have enough XL appliances to set up a photo shoot tomorrow on the last counter yet to clean and stage. It's the "extra" counter not really needed due to the island I put in (smartest thing in home design I ever did-- spotted an unused double-base cabinet, topped it with enamel, and viola!). This extra counter is there because, in the last occupancy-era about 30 years ago (several tenants before us), they too had a "little fire." With that fire, the owner closed in the kitchen differently-- it was a kitchen fire. I think they had torn out an old kitchen or two elsewhere and wanted to re-use the cabinetry, because there is a LOT of it, actually two different styles that are almost identical. The laundry room is also full of it and was, before OUR fire, wired for appliances. (We brought some of that cabinetry in to add a second pantry.) So we have a copious counter between pantries and double ovens (there are two swallow-anything pantries and one has storage on top of it too), where things pile up "a la crap" because we usually use the island and keep THAT "clean enough." Mudcatters have only seen that extra counter cleared and set up for large-group buffet-ing. I used to try to keep it clear when the hungry teens lived here, but I know that because it is "extra," it will never stay clean for long. Well, it has room for the very nice 2-burner portakitchen cooktop my son gave me from his Japan-apartment years in the Navy. It is called a hotplate but it ain't like any other hotplate I ever saw. It provides for a whole second cooktop zone on that extra counter, plus electric frypan, roaster, crockpot..... lot of different combos would make sense, and we have them all. Oh and the island is right there adjoining, to work upon as well. We lost the first applicants partly because they could not envision a kitchen like that. And I do not blame them-- I didn't describe it well enough for them to come SEE it, but now they are sorry to be committed to another lease. Becasue they not only cook, they cook athletic healthfood just like ours. (sniff) This place cooks like a restaurant kitchen but looks like the ambience of any old farmhouse kitchen. But it has so much storage that there are serious and large pans and appliances under all the counters and island, plus what we stowed in the huge hutch my sister built for us... not even counting Hardi's great all-weather porch grill and stacking cast iron Dutch ovens..... So tomorrow should be FUN! After I clean and snap (Hardi helped me clear it tonight), a quick vac job on the kitchen and bath, and I'll be ready for The Blessed Cleaning Lady to keep it all up. Her $$ is gonna come out of the grocery budget till we get a paying roommate. Some people do an annual Spring Cleaning-- I've always been a Fall Cleaning girl myself. I think this is the last year I can (or will have to) do it without paid help. This house, Hardi finally understands, is not too big for one person to keep up, or two, or even three. At our ages and health situations, this house is too much house for 5 people or more, and if we are to stay in it, something's gotta give. And we prefer not to move, as if we even could. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: SINSULL Date: 23 Sep 10 - 09:05 PM Miss Kitty, Etsy is new to me. First heard of it on MSNBC and got the impression it was an auction website for "esoteric" crap. Is there a chance I can sell off some of the unusual items that have collected around here? How do you "stage" a bead? I have visions of stop footage with Mr. Bill dropping cars on things. Any suggestions on staging a 4" bamboo peacock in teal blue with gold trim? I want it to look its best. Should I hold it up so they can get a true size perspective? In the kitchen against a pile of dirty dishes? Or the living room amid the dust mites? I want to get this right. Maybe I can display it against my boobs for size comparison? With a note 46DD? Or should I just have Alice sit with it? Your professional input would be appreciated. SINS, the Silly Evil Twin |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 23 Sep 10 - 09:20 PM Just signed Jeremiah and I up for a Mommy and Me (exercise) class, twice a week! YAY!! Can't wait to go!!! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 Sep 10 - 12:00 AM I think you'll both enjoy that, Michelle! I know he will! Took photos at a poetry slam tonight, and tomorrow I have to load all of those photos and from an event the day before into Photoshop and get busy processing. I was playing with the speed and settings on the camera this evening to see if I can take a couple of steps out of the job. Lots of laundry to do - including I towels that the dogs slept on this week on top of the rug in my room, and a towels from giving them each a bath. I have an antique slip soaking in the oxy bleach now after several days in just water. I have dishes in the sink but the only thing I washed is a cup for my morning tea. Tomorrow we're supposed to get the beginning of some cooler weather as a couple of cool fronts pass through. I am so looking forward to this! Interesting experiment in my office just now. I have noticed sometimes that when it's hot my ankles swell with this computer chair, so I lowered it as low as it would go. I'm looking straight at the monitor and my feet are flat on the floor and my knees are high enough the the backs of my knees aren't pressed into the edge. It isn't a relaxed way to sit, because my hands are up more, but with the arms on the chair, it isn't unendurable. It may be that raising and lowering the chair occasionally during the course of an evening might help with that slight edema that I get in hot weather. (Which I hope will be resolved this weekend.) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 24 Sep 10 - 12:20 AM Hey,Sins, I think you would like etsy. It is not an auction site. That's one of the things I like about it. You pay 20 cents to post an item for 4 months and you set the price (and can edit it at any time). I think I am still sleep deprived from the last 2 days. It seems like half of my brain is asleep. Warm trend here (which means above 60) and may be able to get more outside work done. A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 24 Sep 10 - 10:50 AM So far the newly-declutted schedule (see upthread) is working quite well. It's not so much a list of rules for how I spend time, but a set of fences-- protecting my time-- within which I can take care of MY stuff along with stuff involving commitments with others. It's a boundary thing that allows me to keep a huge number of commitments in balance with self-care (including decluts of house and so forth). And thus I must be patient with the amount of stuff piling up in the lR to sort and purge, clean and put away, as I continue the movement thru and from the shared spaces into the LR/DR and up to the really-private-for-now spaces. Some haste is required-- we have just a few precious days of Indian Summer till the cold descends and calls the tune. That means getting the last few things stowed in the camper and getting it up on its blocks before snow buries the tires and camper in inaccessible drifts. (Bye, camper, it was fun! Sleep well!) ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 Sep 10 - 11:23 AM I picked a couple dozen okra and gave them to my next door neighbor. I grew these for his wife, so she'll find enough to cook up for her lunch when she comes in at noon (she loves to do that!) He's a smart guy - been fighting with the phone company for a couple of weeks to get his phone fixed. Apparently there is a yard up the street with a lot of the switching gear inside, but the gate is locked and no one is home. Other repair people have gone in, but Cecil thinks this guy doesn't want to climb the fence. So Cecil is going to call marketing and order a new line, and after he goes through the information about where and when, he's going to casually mention that this line is to replace the one they won't repair. He retired from IBM. And he said a friend there told him that if you can't get the regular channels in a place to work for you, bring in marketing. They can often get things done that the regular channels can't. I'll be interested to see if this works! Looking forward to the weekend. I have a lot of fall-like things I'd like to get started doing. I'll work in the yard to finally get some stuff planted out front, and it needs mowing again (we had a 1/2 inch rain a couple of days ago. The eggplant LOVED it - and I have several almost ready to harvest.) SRS SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 24 Sep 10 - 12:02 PM Marigold, Alice is right...no auction and I'll bet you'd enjoy Etsy as a seller and buyer. Sent you a PM with more info. That peacock sounds like the perfect stage for it would be amongst my houseplants with the light streaming in, filtered by the greenery...I can just *see* it now, staging at its best! BUT, don't send it! I don't need more clutter!**bg** Just getting ready to do the vigorous qi gong, then some upkeep on the etsy shop and maybe get the dishes in to soak, at least. Morgan was here bright and early with new shoes which he spent about ten minutes on tying...he's quite proud of them. Didn't even look back when I dropped him off at school AND we measured him on the door jamb between the LR and DR. He has grown over an inch in the past 1.5 months! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: SINSULL Date: 24 Sep 10 - 12:50 PM New shoes! how I remember my little boy proudly wearing new shoes and swearing that this time he would never get them dirty. LOL An inch in 6 weeks is huge. Feed him well to keep up. Love, Auntie SINS Alice, How do I find you on Etsy? M |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 24 Sep 10 - 01:15 PM Here I am on etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/AliceFlynn the PM's on Etsy are called "convos", short for conversations. When you sign up as a user/buyer at etsy, it is the same username that your shop will be called if you become a seller, so they advise that you be careful to pick a username that would be a good shop name if you decide to sell, and to use upper and lowercase, like I did with AliceFlynn. Anyhoo, I'm finding it is a very creative a supportive group of folks there. A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 24 Sep 10 - 01:19 PM Thanks! Dishes soaking, laundry in dryer, qi gong done, and spent about thirty minutes in the "accounting" department. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 Sep 10 - 01:20 PM Listening to Fresh Air today I didn't resist the impulse to order the new book by the author they interviewed, Nick Hornby. It's time to take a look at the works of someone I've been meaning to read for a while now. This one also needs to be listed in the thread about novels about folk singers. Juliette Naked was just released. 15 watchers on my auction. It has stayed at this level for a day now and I don't expect it to move until the thing is almost finished, but I expect it will go a little higher anyway. Need to file some of this paper on my office desk. I can't see much of the faux wood surface now. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 24 Sep 10 - 02:23 PM The photo shoot du jour is done. My text file of the description is updated for emailing, so the material below is now out of date-- (that's OK, it was mostly for the music providers' OKs.) The music in the montage is from Animaterra, Open Mike, and Olddude. Thanks, friends! Yet to add, outdoor shots, free laundry area, and subletter's fridge. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 24 Sep 10 - 03:45 PM For those of you who might be interested, there is an interesting article HERE about how Drew Carey, the actor/comedian has lost over 80 lbs. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 24 Sep 10 - 04:03 PM A few days ago I read an article about a man who is losing weight from a high of 600 pounds. He's down to 340. click |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 Sep 10 - 06:14 PM Kat, that Parade page may have a story about Drew Carey, but that is one of the worst web sites for poor design, ponderous page loading, and booby-trapped links that I've seen in a long time. All sorts of things try to run and load and pop up if you accidentally mouse over anything or try a link. Just a warning about reading that story. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 24 Sep 10 - 07:19 PM Thanks, but I didn't have any problems with it, SRS, sorry about that. I have popups blocked, plus I have a new download from Firefox which takes care of the Zombies SOL. I meant to link to that earlier. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 24 Sep 10 - 09:16 PM I was a good girl today...stayed within my points and am just fine with it! I also walked around all day, shopping...mostly browsing...wishing I had taken my pedometer with me today!!! I found a Kelty child carrier/backpack for taking Jeremiah out into the woods (which we are planning to do this weekend). Normally it sells for $249.00. YOUCH. My mom had offered to go halves with us and call it an early Christmas gift. Well.........she was most pleased when I called her today to tell her that I found the same backpack (last year's model...same deal, different color) for $80.00 at a consignment shop!!! COOL BEANS! Which makes this a most AWESOME backpack for $40.00 as she still wants to pay for half!!! And an even bigger bonus? I was talking to a friend about a bike trailer (a little buggy that Jeremiah can ride in that hooks up behind a bike) and how I'd like to get one and she told me not to bother as she has one I can have! HOORAY!!!! There is a nice bike trail in town and then there's the Rails to Trails bike path/walking trail...both of which do not allow vehicles (I can't imagine ever taking a bike trailer out on the road...SO NOT SAFE!!!). Tomorrow a nearby town is having a 10 mile yard sale and a local consignment shop is having all household goods @ .10!!! I'm not sure I need anything but I sure am going to have fun LOOKING! Oh my...it's the hunt, isn't it? FUN! Love to all! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 24 Sep 10 - 09:19 PM After today's kitchen stint I hit the wall, just in time for our weekend service schedule, but I slept almost the whole afternoon away and am heading back to the rack shortly. Been a long haul! ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 24 Sep 10 - 09:22 PM Oh...and I have to add that with all this talk about a rental space, I've started thinking about renting out our little cabin in the woods. We hardly ever get there anymore and it's perfect for those wanting to fish a nearby famous fishing creek, close to snowmobile trails and state game lands for hunting. Hmmm. We had a serious conversation about it on the way home tonight and I've got a timeline in mind. It's not going to be residential but more of a vacation spot..hand built log cabin (made from logs just down the road), a hand dug mini-pond...electricty, woodstove but no running water...there is, however, an outhouse complete with skylights! Previous conversations were more along the lines of let's sell it but 2 or 3 weeks of rental fees would more than pay for the taxes and insurance...Hmmmm..... Maybe I'll get some current photos put up soon. :) Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 24 Sep 10 - 09:31 PM I should mention that on the mountain where our cabin is, they are drilling for gas a few miles away (recently we were approached about non-surface leasing) and we had toyed with the idea of leasing it to the gas folks as they are going to be in that area for awhile...decided against it a few weeks ago...but for seasonal vacationers...hmmmmmmmm. :) Here is the backpack I purchased today, slightly used (looks like maybe it was used 2 or 3 times...great shape): Jeremiah's New Backpack 'Night All! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 Sep 10 - 11:22 PM Michelle, you do know how to torture us, describing that municipal sale! I love those things. As you say, it's the hunt. I had Kelty packs over the years. My old backpack is still in the garage, hanging up to keep critters out of it. And I had one for the kids, a lighter one, without the stuff on top. I was able to carry them in it until they were about 3 years old. I went to hear Ken Burns speak tonight on campus in an ongoing lecture series, and they did something different, they had a radio host, my favorite local host from the NPR station, come over and interview him. Once I knew she was in there I knew it would be a great talk. I thought he'd be good on his own, but she asks the smart questions I would want to ask myself. I had dinner before I went over, and I have backslid this evening, I picked up a pint of Blue Bell ice cream. Moo-llennium Crunch. My spell check may not like the name, but I do. :) Gotta mow tomorrow, burn off the calories. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 Sep 10 - 11:23 PM Kat - I forgot to mention - I opened that page in Chrome. I'm sure each browser treats that busyness differently. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 25 Sep 10 - 12:20 AM Ah, thanks, SRS. That might explain the difference. I opened it in Firefox. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 25 Sep 10 - 07:13 AM Love yard sales....love them more when I can actually get more than 3 hours of sleep the night before! Good grief, I am TIRED! ONWARD!!! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 25 Sep 10 - 09:50 AM After a great night's sleep (what's up with that stomach cancer dream?!?!?), the spaces I have cleaned look different (better) and the spaces yet to clean look feasible, too. I also came up with a great idea for the montage and staging of Room #1-- I have a non-working flatpanel PC monitor I can stage up there as an HD TV! (Lightweight/compact to carry up there!) An occupant will brig their own or use ours in the LR, but people like to see where a TV could go, and I have two perfect spots near outlets. The west wall in that montage is all one shot, seen too quickly, holding way too many things to see all at once-- it looks like clutter. So I'll stage the TV there, and photo-sweep that wall in 3-4 shots-- making the items and their purposes clearer. A plan is emerging for a year-round use of that space. (Yes I know a marketing plan should come first and then one arranges everything to the plan-- I'm such a visually-oriented thinker that I had to clean it and see it all (and get some applicant feedback) to think year-round.) So I am transferring some of the planning to a hunters' use as I had first thought I would. Hunters come in short, intense periods of time and then LEAVE (Hardi will like that). For a week at a time of a hunters' stay I can do it like a B&B and wash their nasty hunting clothes for them, etc. I do a great breakfast, and for their week here they can even have the whole downstairs to themselves (LR/DR/bathroom), because we will retreat to our already well-equipped private suite on the second floor. They'll sleep up in the MudDorm but have the whole downstairs for beer and TV. The Dorm can sleep 5 so depending what is booked that's how I'll set it up for each week booked. Now that I have spaces set up, and a start of good photos to email folks from Philly to show all the rustic *chahm,* I can grab the calendar and talk to a few other hunter-hosts to see how they make it work and when to advertise. And if I get an Oct-June occupant first, then I'll just run the hunter deal next fall and then a spring semester deal with a student-- less of an issue/cost with heating it. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 25 Sep 10 - 11:44 AM Made a couple more print files from art last night, my paintings, including the two sisters at the water pump. This morning I dug into my old files of tee shirt designs and posted one of a Coffee Shirt I created about 15 years ago to sell as a digital download so people can print it on shirt transfer paper for their own tees. click here The weather is supposed to warm up today, so I hope to move some firewood from pruned branches out of the garage to the deck. A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 25 Sep 10 - 12:09 PM I've seen those things - you use a color printer and the design is ironed onto the shirt (is there an intermediate film of some sort used?) and comes out in reverse. The site looks good - I hope you're selling some of these things, especially as the holiday season moves over us. Today I awoke to a heavy rain. If the alarm went off I didn't hear it or I managed to turn it off without waking. I had planned to get up early to mow while it was cool. But with the rain, that's off. I have a lot of things that need doing in the house. 3 loads of laundry to start, but I need to finish those playbills and I need to tackle my son's room. Someone earlier in the month (Kat, I think) reminded me that stacked trunks can have a table height and if I put a topper of some sort on there I could use a couple in a workspace. I might pursue that thought today. I'm down to less than a day and a half on that auction. I can't imagine that most casual antique collectors would zero in on (let alone find!) an old hearing aid. So I sincerely hope the 19 watchers on this auction resort to a feeding frenzy at the end! This might be a tough act to follow! ;-D SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 25 Sep 10 - 12:26 PM Well...as it turns out...I got the date wrong!!! LOLOLOL!!! Got up extra early (as did my friend), drove 20 miles one way and ended up back in town at a local library sale (oh the damage I did there!) where Jeremiah and Mommy got new books! YAY! It's a GORGEOUS fall day and we're trying to decide whether to take our hike later this afternoon or tomorrow.....decisions, decisions!!! I suppose I'll sleep when my body lets me!!! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 25 Sep 10 - 12:43 PM Here's a link to Martha Stewart Living from last month, the article about organizing stuff. I love that moveable kitchen island. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 25 Sep 10 - 12:46 PM Yeah, you can "flip" an image in the computer or printer's brain, and then iron it on so it comes out not-reversed. === Folks, I just committed $60 of Oct. 1 grocery bucks to PAID help I just booked for Oct. 4: Planned job: 1. Cut and tack carpet on treads and landing to Room #1; add small rug in it (and carry one down); tack a few wires to floor. These are all things that WE have wanted for OUR use of it that will also come in handy for paying guests. Following Dog World mode-- where I was job boss and payee's helper-- I'll also be 2nd pair of hands for Oct. 4. 2. Carry up very heavy white carpet to Room #2 which has an old red, wall-to-wall carpet now that is impossible to vacuum well (and which now has some Katy-blotches on it). I'll pre-empty what I can from in there to make it as easy as possible and also be 2nd pair of hands for Oct. 4. This is also something WE have wanted for OUR use of the room, that will also come in handy for paying guests. Helper's name is Adrian and he lives 5 minutes away; he sez he also PAINTS (and preps surfaces). So I hope this Oct. 4 tryout nets him a big winter paint job-- kitchen cabinets and LR bird wallpaper. Pray for him: I'm a nice but tough boss because I expect people to MOVE. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 25 Sep 10 - 02:24 PM I've been thinking about painting some of the cabinets in the house. They're all the same custom design, oak finish, but there is so much of it. A good paint job can make cabinets look very elegant. Another thing is to take the doors off, but right now I have enough stuff stashed in the cupboards that it wouldn't look like Martha's kitchen. It would look like crowded (though categorized and relatively organized) cupboards. I have one cabinet over the dishwasher with all of our vitamins and medications and treatment stuff (cold remedies, sting, bite, itch remedies, etc.) and if there was another place nearby to put that, it would be nice to use this cupboard and the others on that side as open shelves with all of the plates and cups and such. I'm not using the top two pantry cupboards very well (the bottom two shelves behind the lowest door have all of my old paint). I could think about that usage and maybe make some changes. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 25 Sep 10 - 03:13 PM Yes, we regularly repurpose ours. At present, having to clear room for a potential housemate (and/or hunters in residence) has jump-started that process again. There's always been a "spare" cabinet, here; its location moves according to need. (There used to be two-- but one has permanently become the spice cabinet, with one shelf for each cuisine's unique items.) I discovered the scary fun today of removing not-cleanable layers of gucked-up clearcoat with..... oven cleaner. Nasty stuff, but neutralized with vineger it's easy paint prep. So I can have "clean" now, any time (as long as it's warm enough to open windows.) The paint job will wait till all the doors and drawer-fronts come off. They'll go outdoors then for a good sanding, and then-- once the road dust settles down in the freeze-up-- the doors can be painted with a compressor. The tall hutch is painted in an oil paint my sister used when she made it for us-- has held up marvelously. (And oil covers latex, but not the other way around.) The landlord has a huge salamander (think industrial-sized blowdryer) to make sure it's warm enough for the paint to cure, and maybe instead of of doing it on the porch he'll say to move it all into the unused section of the big ole barn out back. His teenager Luke can help-- maintain the property he will someday inherit. Bruce loves for us to give Luke small jobs where we can teach him How to Work. Only fair-- they taught ours. :~) ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 25 Sep 10 - 03:14 PM PS and yes, we can live happily with open cabinets indefinitely while the project rolls on. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 25 Sep 10 - 03:57 PM Tackled the sink and 2 loads of laundry so far. And haven't found the latest skunk, but all of the barking in the back last night has resulted in a slight essence du skunk on Cinnamon's forehead. I'll spritz her with the enzyme spray. This will make four this year (the corpse may not turn up, but I've thought that before only to find it the next day.) I pulled out 5 of the wonderful CDs from that garage sale bin of classical masterpieces (picked up a year or two ago) and have them going today. It sounds wonderful--Berlioz "Witches Sabbath" is on in the Symphony Fantastic right now. While I kept those from the bin on their own shelves for a while, I am now ready to mix mine with them (I usually bought the discount versions for a buck or two at places like Best Buy in the cheap bin). Some of those are still very good, but now they'll be shoulder to shoulder with EMI, Angel, DGG, etc. Makes more sense, I don't have to look two places to find things. Or three - I have some disks in my office also. That's where I keep and listen to all of my disks from Mudcatters. A very special collection! I must say, it really perks up a dark rainy day to have this great music blasting through the house. I usually listen to public radio, and enjoy it, but it's pledge drive this week, and even if it weren't this music is still a better choice. Now, to finish putting away stuff in the dining room. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 25 Sep 10 - 04:36 PM :~) Here it's been Goodbye, Babylon, a multi-CD set of vintage gospels of various sorts. The newly-cleared counter will just have to house the boombox to keep me going on the rest of the work-- it will take up the space usually turned into clutter. A laundry basket is sitting upside down on another frequent clutter-catcher to hold THAT open for a subletter, too. I heard most of that set one year on vacay, but since then our skills have increased-- I hear a lot more now that we could actually do, as well as lots of things from the 20's and 30's I KNOW came out of the spirituals, re-arranged for Black or White quartets and retitled-- thus the connections aren't quite Google-able. I hope to declut my mind of some of those connections as a winter Spirituals Permathread project. Here's a sanitizing tip my Navy son recommended. To take the stink out of soft plastic it's gone into, soak it in a bucket of strong bleach solution set out for a week (or four) in the sun. I was afraid to open that Pee Bukket-- it wahr naisteh!-- but the hunters will like how it turned out, jes' fine. It's optional but you'd be surprised how attractive it is for old knees in the middle of the night. "Las' one down ewe jes' bring it awn down witchoo, please, find it all clean for you nex' night, set back in the stayurs." I can fake "country," too, just like everybody else here. :~) I even know where to get some good pies to set out. :~) ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: maeve Date: 25 Sep 10 - 05:11 PM Some of us don't have to fake country or anything else. We are real. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 25 Sep 10 - 05:44 PM Maeve, that comment was below you. "Country" WAS in quotes. We live in a town that is full of people capitalizing on tourism. At this time of year we say we have to sneak out at night to paste up the red leaves because the paying trade will be here next week all pissed off that "they" (WE) "don't have" the leaves we advertised, to show off. It was a dry summer, they're turning early, and the peak that usually comes the first week of October is happening now in most areas they pay to go see. To make up the difference in "fun" and bring them back next year, many of us will be tap-dancing in whatever venue we appear-- church, restaurants, WalMart cashiers, etc.-- to give them what they think they want, so we can afford to stay in business the rest of the year and serve one another. We ARE all "real country"-- that's not what the tourist think they are paying to visit. But what they take home anyway, as dust on their shoes, is tall tales from the "country" plus a piece of our hearts-- the real us-- because we give them that, too. That is being "real," and that is reality in a tourist town that lives on tourist bucks. I'm sorry if it seems unreal to you, but it's no different from walking into a Chinese restaurant as a friend (and speaking as friends to the workers, and hearing their perfect English), or walking in as a tourist looking for a little thrill of multiculturality, and hearing only Pidgin spoken to you by the wait staff. You get what you pay for. But you also get what you give, and if you give yourself, you get a little piece back from the other person. Hardi and I live in this reality more than fulltime and we do not need to be preached at about it, by anyone who does not live the ministry life fulltime or the tourist town life. Rant over. But don't address me that way again, because when you do-- you insult the people we live with here who live that same truth. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 25 Sep 10 - 06:23 PM It's been a day of plans that ended up being replaced and I'm good with that!!! After the book sale, I came home, had an incredible (made by husband) lunch of goodies from our garden and hens and promptly fell asleep. Five hours later and I'm finally awake. Pete took care of Jeremiah ALL DAY (well, ok...Mommy played with Jeremiah, gave love, and helped him practice getting his crunchies into his mouth on his own and how to hold his sippy cup (which he ended up doing for about 20 minutes....very slow flow cup.....that was fun!!). Pete did an awesome job today...he's an incredible daddy....warms my heart in a BIG way!! Michelle Oh. PS. Accountability....points on track...YAY ME!!! ;) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 25 Sep 10 - 06:53 PM FWIW: I kinda think that tip on soaking stinky plastic pee buckets comes under the category of "too much information." IMHO. Maeve, I agree. ;-) I have a mix of city and rural. We had a summer place on a lake that was very primitive, but at the same time, placed in another century its features would have been luxurious. Kind of like Michelle's cabin, I think. Had an out house, electricity, and a phone. We had water because it was on a lake and there was a little pump house for a spigot in the house for the kitchen sink and in the boat shed where Mom kept her wringer washer. Baths were in a galvanized tub put on the floor in front of the stove, so water could be heated there and mixed with cold from the tap. I don't remember, but I suppose Mom must have hauled hot water out to the washer to mix with cold from the tap. I still miss the trash burner stove we had. I think it was ubiquitous in farm houses and cabins at one time, a two-burner white and black stove with the metal chimney running up through the kitchen ceiling. Ours had a heater with a blower fan that was mounted in the metal chimney pipe. Not sure if anyone else calls it a trash burner, but it is where the stray bits from work in the kitchen or around the house were discarded. There wasn't garbage pickup, you burned your trash, composted kitchen and garden waste, and had a couple of cans where the true trash collected and then you drove to the dump. (I loved driving to the dump - was I the only one?) We were down the road from a friend with a dairy farm, and used to run around that place chasing the barn cats and such. Maeve, any news on surveys on your new house, or by the bidders on your existing house? I'd think after all of the work you've done, there isn't anything left. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: SINSULL Date: 25 Sep 10 - 06:55 PM Maeve, I understood your post about faking country. It was neither below you nor off the mark. Somewhere along the line this thread was hijacked. It used to be a place where anyone could share their their progress or lack of it. Now it is a personal blog revealing far more than it was meant to. Look for a PM. I won't be back here again. If you are not welcome, I certainly am not. Mary |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mg Date: 25 Sep 10 - 08:11 PM Oh dear. It is not my thread, as I am more or less post-clutter, and have no great projects at all in mind, other than getting to sleep and getting to work until I am able to retire. Then projects might happen. So anyway, as a relative stranger here, but one who is fascinated by decluttering (the first stop I make in a bookstore), I recommend not throwing out the baby with the bathwater, but if someone in general writes stuff you are not interested in, to scan the list of names and plan to skip what they write. I found I had to do that with 2 people, plus I blacklisted a third, but darned if I can remember who she is. But I am personally not interested in one word these two guys have to say..not because they are boring me but because I consider them abusive..but I just skip over them and read the rest of the other people...mg |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 25 Sep 10 - 08:19 PM You're welcome here, Mary, don't worry. There are many who drop in for a while then disappear for ages. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: maeve Date: 25 Sep 10 - 09:24 PM I have a bit of one-time decluttering to do here. WysiwyG: I spoke the truth, as gently as I could. How interesting it bothered you so. I've asked you privately and politely to leave me alone. Now I am telling you publicly. If necessary I can take the next appropriate step. I detest bullying. By the way, I grew up in the ministry. The image of Christian service as portrayed in your writing here strikes me as an obscene mockery of the Way, the Truth, and the Light. I wish you well, so this is my last comment to you. Maggie and the rest, I'll be glad to send you an update, if you'd like. Please let's allow the thread to return to its original, friendly and supportive intent. We've all made such progress but there are more adventures for us all just ahead. :) Onward and upward, Maeve |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 25 Sep 10 - 09:37 PM YAY Maeve!!! A return to the friendly intent of this thread sounds like the most perfect idea to me!!!! My plans for the evening (since I had a long nap earlier today) is to do some work in our bedroom. I'm daydreaming of a beautiful mahogany bookcase in our bedroom...but until that happens (most likely NEVER), I need to pick up the several books I've got laying around and create some order. Of course, there's always laundry to be put away too. I've also started a secret project up there....a Christmas gift. My husband never goes on the side where my nightstand is...it's kind of like it's (a self imposed) forbidden territory...kind of like my purse..he just doesn't go there...anyway...I know he won't go poking around there so it's the perfect spot to stash the gift I am making for him! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 25 Sep 10 - 10:18 PM I agree with Mary and Maeve, the huge amount of material we've gotten on the one topic of renting a room really has been so copious that it deserves it's own thread. Renting property isn't why we all gather and share notes in the de-clutter thread. A discussion for present and future landlords might well bring in a different group, folks who haven't strayed into the de-clutter venue because it didn't fit their needs. Now I think we need to let September wrap up quietly and let the huge amount of landlord/tenant stuff move elsewhere. Please? Thank you. And now for something completely different, to quote Monty Python, I stepped over some kind of portal into Southern life this evening: I picked okra from my garden, mixed up some Zatarain's fish fry and a little flour, I cut the okra into about 1/3 inch discs, and I breaded and fried it in a skillet of shallow oil. My neighbors have told me how and let me sample it last time they made it. As I tasted it this evening while it was cooking, and found myself popping the little crunchy discs almost as fast as they were coming out of the pan, I realized that breaded fried okra is simply a vehicle to let yourself eat the good tasting crunch of nicely seasoned breading. I spoke to another friend (Dean) about this, asking for confirmation. It's like another kind of chip or fry, an unhealthy way to prepare an otherwise healthy food. Dean agreed, I had figured it out. After this, I'll be sure to keep some of my okra for myself (2 plants are producing several dozen a day). Also, you may recall that I described earlier this week the blanching and freezing of my cauliflower. In the same book section they discussed a way to dice, blanch, and freeze eggplant also. I think I'll do a bunch of that as well. I get a bit tired of just eggplant Parmesan: it's a good thickener and flavor in with a lot of other things. I can freeze some in slices, still, but this year I'm filling my freezer with stuff I would otherwise give away. It's mostly because I can cook whatever and it doesn't matter, there isn't a teen-aged boy here to fuss about it or pick out half of the ingredients. Over the summer I drew down the contents of the freezer - that de-clutter was necessary so I can fill it with garden stuff now. I do need to reorganize it some - keeping like things together. It's a bit jumbled now. Good for you on that gift, Michelle! I have been clearing out access to space to do more sewing this year. We picked out cloth for some lap rugs several years ago, one for each of us, and they never got made, so I need to go ahead and to that this fall. Draw down the materials I already have here before I buy more. And then there's the upcoming Secret Santa operation. Hmmmm! Take care everyone, take a few deep breaths if this thread has seemed to pull itself up by the boot straps after lolling around for a while. I've wanted to keep things on the thread, not start a flurry of PMs, and hope it will stay that way. Because sometimes I have been known to discard PMs without reading them. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 26 Sep 10 - 08:14 AM We are ALL free to skip anyone's posts we prefer not to be bothered by. Check the FAQ-- it's all right there. What's unreal is that people who decry my posts and insist they do not read them apparently are not only reading them but taking ideas from them. My goals for this perticular round of decluttering may not be to everyone's taste, and if that is so then don't read about them. But most of the posts themselves are a record of decluttering. This IS the decluttering thread. It's had a lot of various goals over time from various people, and sometimes quite a few "off topic" posts as well. For example Etsy is not a decluttering topic. Since I know I support folks' efforts there, I know experientially that we can support one another's goals if we wish to. We certainly all supported Michelle's health goals. Mudcat used to be known for mutual support. What's also unreal is to offer threats in the guise of wellwishing and then insist that one is being victimized and does not wish to be addressed. This is a public discussion, not a private chatroom. Those among you who are part of a formal process of reviewing my ministries have done so via PMs. The comments here evaluating me are not part of that process-- but how I respond to them sometimes is. I would remind you all that your view of me is quite limited and that people who actually know me are the people whose opinions I consider first. My life here is growing, because I am doing the work that results in growth. My life is not centered on Mudcat. Let's move on. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Sep 10 - 11:58 AM De-cluttering takes lots of routes. Some of us are selling things and once they're gone, they're gone. Others have revolving stock, but the point is to find a viable way to move this stuff out of the house. I haven't tried Etsy but it is offered as a method to de-clutter or to set up a business. This seems to be germane to the topic. What we all got rather tired of were the "stroke brain" endless lists. This is something that needs to be worked out in a personal diary or in a domain where others can look at those lists and detect a pattern or otherwise recognize the process, and I suspect those who have experienced health problems or those who counsel are the ones most likely to see the minutia of such cataloging as significant. I'm afraid here it just caused some excessive eye rolling. I enjoyed reading about the construction of Dog World, I thought the relocation of stuff the create office space, and the arrangement of gear for your swimming work was all interesting. I enjoy it when you count coups about the Freecycle process - you're a one-woman dynamo when it comes to wringing good stuff out of that system. The housing thing strayed into different territory. We as total strangers see a space that appears to not be up to code being prepared for renting. That's a little red flag right there. And the details of Jessica's life, her boyfriend, her parents, all of that, makes me cringe, because I'd be appalled if I was preparing to rent a place and my life was being discussed by a stranger in a wide-open public venue. That was a judgment call that I suspect many of us don't see in the same way you do. Stay with the group, but prop a list on the computer of topics that perhaps belong somewhere else, and we'll all be fine. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: VirginiaTam Date: 26 Sep 10 - 12:09 PM not going to jump into the fray except to say, I wish everyone well. spare room paint is drying and book case goes up in about an hour. One of the curtains in condenser dryer. They are velvet so they will take forever to dry. Just giving them each a once through on 30 minutes delicate so they dry with creases. Then hang for the rest of dry. When bookcase goes up, rest of my crafts bits go in and all the videos from lounge. getting ready to make loads of chilli for tonight's dinner and too freeze. ironing tonight while I relax in front o telly. I am off work tomorrow so will paint part of lounge before the new sofa bed arrives this Tuesday. get myocardial perfusion scan on Friday and again following Tuesday. evidently I am losing weight as my Kent folk friends who have not seen me since August commented on it yesterday at event in Kent. Given that it is raining, windy and cold, I am not in too much pain. That is the best accomplishment! :~) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: VirginiaTam Date: 26 Sep 10 - 12:11 PM oops without creases and scan is Thursday and Monday. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Sep 10 - 12:38 PM I wondered what look you were trying to achieve if you were putting dryer creases into your velvet curtains! :) I have an antique half-slip in the washer on extreme handwash gentle. I put it in with a couple of towels and I'll air dry it. There are machine and hand stitching areas in it. It soaked much of the week in water, and then in oxy bleach, and finally overnight I used Iron Out, a stain remover that can be used on laundry or rocks. ;) (I bought this to use in a mix to soak the rusty red stain off of quartz crystals I picked up or bought in the rough from rock shops in Arkansas. I'd love to go back and get some more, but for now I use this Iron Out on laundry problems.) Web work, processing some freelance photos. This is a job best accomplished in spurts, so I loaded them into the file and will work for 15 - 20 minutes at a time then head out to do some small chore in the house. I've been vacuuming the dust lions and tigers under some of my furniture. These long ago outgrew their kittenhood. . . SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Sep 10 - 04:21 PM Pulled out a cookbook I picked up at a garage sale earlier this year (a Martha Stewart Entertaining title) and made a dozen tortillas. Her recipe suggests making tiny tortillas for party snacks, I simply wanted a working recipe. 3 cups of flour, 1/3 cup shortening, 1 tsp Kosher salt, 1 cup water. I watched women rolling out tortillas and slapping them on the griddle at a gas station/convenience store/fast food place. In the time it took them to roll out the next one, the first one had cooked a little, been turned over, and then dropped on a towel. I ran out of tortillas and figured this was as good a time as any to give them a try. For some odd reason, the MS cookbook was the only one with that simple recipe for tortillas. Someone asked about making pita bread. I'll be doing some of that in the next day or two, so I'll put up the recipe after I dig it out. It's another simple recipe, but it's a yeast bread. Knocking off photos, and knocking off dust around the house for now. I'm going to make a big push and rearrange some furniture in my son's room this evening, so I can get to the floor under the stuff in there. It'll be like working a Chinese puzzle, though, 35 tiles on a board with 36 spaces. Laundry is finished, and I'll do some ironing as I watch Inspector Lewis. As noted earlier, I have deleted an unread PM. Enough has been said about lumping and sorting in individual threads. Stuff that tends to hijack an existing thread needs to find a life and audience of its own. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 26 Sep 10 - 05:38 PM It's been a busy day here on the farm. Dishes done and put away, several loads of laundry done, sweeping almost complete and a loaf of honey oatmeal apple raisin bread is baking away. I was the one who had asked for the pita bread recipe...Pete loves to take olives, feta cheese and pitas to work for is lunch. I'm sure he'd like it even better if they were homemade and he knew more about what was in them (especially NO CORN SYRUP!). The tortillas look simple enough and I'll make a point to try them later this week. Pete just came in from working outside....digging up potatoes (Yukon Golds) and moving some larger bales of hay closer to the steer. We had some time out on the porch too but it's getting chilly and Jeremiah's little legs were getting cold as were my arms. While we were relaxing I also brushed the dogs. Maggie is finally slowing down in the shedding department...thank goodness!! Too bad I can't sell her fur on Etsy to be used for spinning or something!! I'd be a rich woman! On to coupon clipping and grocery list making. Toodles. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: VirginiaTam Date: 26 Sep 10 - 06:02 PM know what? chilli is exceptionally good if you stir in a little green and blacks 70% cocoa dark chocolate... yummy |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 26 Sep 10 - 06:22 PM It's been a bit like Sherman marching thru Georgia, this month. October/November are always fully committed to diocesan ministry events, so September is always my month to do big projects. And this month it's been getting that attic room up to snuff to squeeze some money out of it. But I'm cleaning my way towards it as I go, bigtime. Today I knocked out the laundry room "cleaning prep;" it's about 8 feet by 20 feet and now ready to vacuum, power-wash, and wet-vac up the water. That slate floor has not been really clean since our 2000 housefire filled it with ashes, and it's the mudroom and catbox room as well. It's also the main entrance to the house, and the only entrance in winter. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: kendall Date: 26 Sep 10 - 08:04 PM A little boy was sitting on the curb eating from a sack of candy bars. An old minister came by and asked what he was doing. Boy says, "I'm eating my lunch." Old Minister said, "You won't live to the age of 80 eating that stuff." Boy says, "My Grandad lived to the age of 91." Minister says, "Ill bet he didn't do it by eating junk food." Boy says, "No, he did it by minding his own damned business." |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 26 Sep 10 - 08:39 PM Oh Kendall.... LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!! :) Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Sep 10 - 08:56 PM I need a shower, I'm covered with dust and grit and who knows what else from in my son's room. I've been down on the floor sweeping under furniture before moving it, which allowed me to reach all of the floor areas with a mop. I will pack up some scattered supplies in boxes just to get them out of the way for changing out the table in there for a segment of an office work desk (think the wrap-around or L-shaped units they sell at Office Depot or Sam's Club). Shortly after I moved in here I was at a garage sale and found a desk with two main work spaces and a triangular corner piece. The two pieces have been used around the house and are about to get re-arranged. I may also store one of the antique trunks in his room, use it for the television. It's a huge honker my neighbor gave us after her mother died in the nursing home. It's 36", a good size for the game players. Right now it sits on a chrome wire heavy duty rack that I can use someplace else. Nothing is going away, he'll be able to poke through his stuff. I don't want him to think he's getting the bum's rush out. But it'll all be boxed and put on shelves. As with his sister's stuff, it is compressed so the room can have more grown up uses (such as visiting guests or for staging projects for the house, etc.) It feels good outside, cool, still a little humid. Tomorrow might just be that first day that really feels like fall. It might have a nice fresh-mown grass smell to go with the weather. I know as soon as it cools I'm going to feel like cooking up a storm. I'll have to figure out how to do that and not make so much that it goes to waste. Not everything is suitable for the freezer. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Sep 10 - 10:46 PM Auction ended - after the fees and such I'll clear a tidy sum that will pay a couple of bills. I have to ship to Australia. Good practice for the upcoming Secret Santa Season, this overseas shipping! I really do enjoy that - it's such a great game to look forward to. Box in my son's room to clear stuff off of the desk. There are unused shelves in his closet, so I should look to see what fits in there best, and work outward. The laundry is all washed, dried, and folded. The kitchen table is almost clear, there isn't a lot on the island and it won't take too long to clear up after dinner (fried rice). I need to work on the formal dining table, that still has a lot of crystal glasses that need to go somewhere. I pulled them out of a trunk, the one that I think I'll put in my son's room - it's very sturdy, a WWI ordinance locker. I vacuumed in my bedroom, under furniture and around areas where spiders and cobwebs have congregated. The mop and bucket are in the hall and I can do the bathrooms before I pour the wash water down the toilet. I need to put on the heavy rubber gloves and scrub the sinks in the kitchen, so I can leave it looking good for tomorrow morning. I haven't gotten the skunk smell off of Cinnamon yet. I've been spraying enzymes on her two or three times a day. It'll take care of it pretty soon, but I'm not ready to let her come in and sleep in the house with that skunky forehead. :-/ SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 27 Sep 10 - 04:49 AM There's a bit of a lull in the progress of the move at the moment, as the bank are playing "catch-up" on mortgage processing after the holiday period. My buyers have gone on holiday for a week, and I am waiting for my survey report on Church Street. So - I started visualising my furniture and stuff in the much smaller space and came up sharp with the realisation that MY CHRISTMAS TREE IS TOO DAMN FAT FOR THE LIVING ROOM - or at least I think it is. It's a 6 foot bushy thing, and will take up far too much space. So it will have to be de-cluttered via an ad in the village post office window, methinks, and I will have to look at one of these newfangled "slimline" ones. (I bit the bullet and went from real to artificial 3 years ago. Now I've got to go even further.) The chimney sweep is coming this morning, and then I think I will have to visit the loft and start to hoik the tree down the ladder. Maybe I'll go through the other decs and decide if I will be able to use them there. It's only September and I'm doing this? I must be feeling the pressure! I could have a look at some of the other stuff while I'm up there too, because I have a feeling I won't get much chance to store stuff in the loft when I move, unless the listing allows me to enlarge the VERY small original loft hatch! Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 27 Sep 10 - 09:07 AM Andrea, can you assemble the artificial tree minus its back set of branches (and thereby just move it closer to the wall), decorating only the front half? Or is there another room it can go in and show well? ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: VirginiaTam Date: 27 Sep 10 - 09:25 AM I am trying to declutter the lounge of one terracotta coloured sofa. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 27 Sep 10 - 10:46 AM Animaterra, The day here is off to a great start. <> The planned decluttered schedule (posted upthread) actually began life today; I went to bed thinking it would be just like that and actually got to sleep looking forward to it. I describe it as "began life" because the sched (rule of life) so totally reflects a life moving towards greater life-- across the board. <> The major energy-outlay task of the month is DONE, and help to maintain it is on board. All the areas I worked so hard to make better (just tally the task's details tracked in my posts here!) are now at a point where weekly, focused attention is all they will need to keep them as are or better. They have subsided to NORMALIZED areas subject to the habit so well utilized this past year in upstairs routines I can now resume: "see a simple need, and simply do it as you pass by." Nothing "piles up" in an approach like that, and thus never needs to be decluttered. <> The computer issues that precluded my doing this month's work in the ways some folks vainly insisted I "should" or "could" do them have been fixed; that supports not only the continuing income planning but the offCat commitments that supersede efforts here to control my behavior which, ultimately, have nothing to do with me. Your PM about the Light and what happens around it)-- SO TRUE. (That PM, as we discussed, is definitely going to my discernment committee. It looks to be a committee discerning two-- so your PM will also apply to the committee's talks with the other person.) <> A correspondence in email with a landlady who has actual experience to share (instead judgement) is well underway. <> I think I'm skipping the October meat sale that is either this week or comes next week-- MIL not coming this year wanting the special charred steak WE don't need to eat ANYway! :~) A picky meds issue remains to address: the twice-daily Stupid Pill that (hopefully) brought my BP down from 225/175. A fasting test I need to do will, hopefully, happen tomorrow; that test (and the internist visit to follow, for results) will determine if I need to keep adjusting to the Stupid Pill or take something else. I'd hate to waste the month I spent adjusting to it halfway! ??? [shrug] And I'm off and RUNNING! Thanks for your support and encouragement (ditto mouldy and mg and any others I missed)-- ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 27 Sep 10 - 11:07 AM Good luck with those medicines, Susan. They're very important. Andrea, I had a similar thought about the tree - you have several rooms in that house, is there another one you can dedicate to the holiday for part of the year? (If you tried to put the tree in that tiny kitchen you'd have to use the branches to make a long wreath around the counter-top - but is there an extra living area?) I have more ornaments than I need, and I have gradually thinned them out. My living room isn't decorated every year, sometimes I use garland and though it doesn't weigh much, it takes a couple of large boxes to store it properly. I suppose I should pull out all of it and decide what comes and goes. There are things my kids remember fondly that they may speak up for - but when will they make the move? Not likely any time soon. I was able to compress the clutter in my son's room enough to take out a small stacking bin thing, and I'm working next on his computer table. I'll replace that with a smaller work area. My allergies are in full bloom today - not sure if it is his dust or the ragweed out in the creek. I'll be sure to keep the antihistamines going as I do this work. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 27 Sep 10 - 12:56 PM Unfortunately the branches are hinged on the trunk and don't come off. It may push up against the wall, but the weight of branches against the wall may make it unstable. I thought of the dining room, but it's a bit smaller. It might fit at the back of the hall, but that would block the understairs cupboard. I've fetched it down from the loft, and I'll perhaps put it up and measure the spread. It may not be such an impossible fit as I think. I think the problem I have it that the process has slowed just now, my daughter and her family are on holiday this week, so I haven't got Freya - and I am at a loose end. The weather's horrid and wet at the moment, and I can't get into the garden to sort that. The chimney sweep rang to cancel - a "tummy bug" - he got nearly to my house and then rang me, saying he realised he needed to be rather close to "facilities". He's coming on Saturday now. Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: GUEST,mg Date: 27 Sep 10 - 02:31 PM read up on celery for high blood pressure..works very well for some people I understand...mg |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 27 Sep 10 - 07:17 PM 1. Grocery Store, FOUR times. Don't ask. 2. Vaccuumed for my mom 3. Carried in all groceries and put them away. 4. Made a pot of cajun food (jumbolyia....killed the spelling, I know) 5. Made gingerbread 6. Did dishes Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Alice Date: 27 Sep 10 - 08:49 PM Exercise - walked around the neighborhood again this morning. Unusually warm weather here all of a sudden, in the '80s. Gathered together more images and uploaded click. A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 27 Sep 10 - 09:06 PM Whew! Productive evening! I ran to the post office to mail the box to Australia (eBay is making it easier and easier to mail overseas boxes now) and then ran by the grocery to pick up a few apples and some broccoli to go till payday. I have a long list to pick up after that, but the essentials were fresh fruit and veggies. When I came back home it felt just perfect temperature-wise to mow. If I'd been spending time outdoors in quiet pursuits I'd have put on a long sleeved shirt (haven't wanted to do that since early May!). It was perfect for mowing, and when I came it in was the house that felt hot! :) The front yard is mowed. I also went out with a spade fork and finally dislodged the little patch of native prickly pear I planted when I first moved in. Heavy rain last week and again this weekend made it an easy job. I had thought of turning that side of the yard into a cactus garden, but there is just too much rain in the area, it always filled up with grass even though I didn't water. And I took down a tree I had planted at the same time as the cactus that failed to thrive. Finally, I took another whorl off of the pine tree by the front walk--I want people to be able to see it clearly, not have a tree a burglar can hide behind. The cactus are in the wheelbarrow and tomorrow I'll take it back and dump it on the "back 40" (feet, that is) overlooking the creek. Anything that will grow with deep roots is welcome back there to stabilize things. It's trees and vines now, the cactus is just another worker in the pack, and it will grow just fine in the shade. I have to work on photos tonight, and see if I can finish and deliver them tomorrow. I'd have to head to that side of town anyway to get dog food, and drop off some old paint at the toxic waste depot. Michelle, if you still have a lot of tomatoes from your garden, here's a recipe I stumbled upon over the weekend that I'm dying to try. I don't have a crop to speak of this year, so I'll hold onto the recipe, but see if you can resist this one! Roasted tomato and garlic soup MMmmmmmmm! SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 27 Sep 10 - 09:13 PM Lovely, Alice! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 27 Sep 10 - 09:46 PM SRS, The soup looks WONDERFUL! I'm not sure we have that many tomatoes left in the garden (although who says I can't to the farmer's market?!?!) as Pete picked a bunch of tomatoes this morning for salads and sandwiches. We are finished canning them though as the Roma's are now gone. I think that tomorrow I'll be picking up another bushel or two of pairs at our favorite nearby orchard (both the pickin's and the people are GREAT). On a completely different note, having a baby in the house changes so many things. I just found myself asking Pete if he could watch the baby for an hour (on his next day off) so I can spend some time in our bedroom putting laundry away.....LOL...I want free time to put away our clothes....weird. Weird. Weird. I also need to rearrange Jeremiah's dresser again....getting rid of 90% of his summer clothes, keeping just a few things for Indian Summer days. I have so much fun dressing my baby. Today he was in little polar fleece pants, a long sleeved onsie, a sweater (made by one very wonderful Auntie Allison), a pumpkin hat and a blanket over his car seat made with love by Auntie Jacqui!!!! People at the grocery store are full of compliments....even the men!!! He is just so stinkin' CUTE!!!! :) Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 27 Sep 10 - 10:15 PM You could reduce the recipe to a smaller amount and give it a try. The woman who runs this blog and some other cooking sites does a lot of canning, so the volume is there as a batch for the canner. You're catching -- you've figured out that you have to sometimes schedule time when there's a baby in the house. I remember having trouble figuring out when I could even do something so simple as take a shower. It takes practice, and learning when they have times when they are safely tucked into the crib or play pen / play yard / whatever they call protective enclosures if they're still around any more. On a kind of silly note: as I mowed this evening I realized my bra was kind of loose as I worked. I was thinking this is great, I've lost a little weight. But upon further consideration, I think the elastic is just shot and it's time to toss it. Darn! ;-) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 27 Sep 10 - 11:38 PM That should have been "you're catching on". In a fit of energy after my shower I decided to move the bed. Which of course meant moving the dresser, the wash stand, the lamp, and the table with the television. I found lots of dust (what a friend calls "someone coming or going"). The motivator, in addition to what I've said before about how I view the door from the bed, is having a lamp just inside the room to turn on, rather than walk carefully in the dark trying not to trip on the metal corner of the bed frame to reach the lamp. I often turn on the hall light and have to go back and turn it off once the room light is on (the ceiling light is usually off and flipping that switch turns on the ceiling fan - but that will change very soon!) The lamp is near the door now, and it's also one I can use to read with in bed. This activity will confuse the heck out of the dogs next time they come in. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: VirginiaTam Date: 28 Sep 10 - 03:13 AM New sofa bed not arriving until Wednesday. The sofa maker's van is in for service. He has generously offered to deliver after 5.30 pm so I don't miss another day of work. Old sofa to be assessed for worthiness to be donated to Farleigh hospice on Saturday. If they deem it too big, they will not take it away. I will try it on ebay for next to nothing reserve. If it still doesn't go then we will have to break it up to take to tip. Seems criminal because it still has loads of life left in it. Have appointment with GP this morning to get blood pressure sorted per the cardiologist instruction. Watch this space. Wearing compression socks everyday has helped immensely with edema. All DVDs and CDs are now stored in shelves in the spare room. Would like to paint the lounge walls from terracotta to nutmeg, but I don't have enough paint and can't carry cans of paint from shop. So I will have to live with the dark walls this winter. Not finding the SADS lamp to be making any difference on the way I feel. Maybe later in the year it will be more effective. One load of laundry going, after doc appt I will deep dust and vac the lounge (means moving everything). Alice those pics are lovely. Maggie that soup looks wonderful. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: mouldy Date: 28 Sep 10 - 03:25 AM Have lobbed out about half a dozen no longer required or worn pairs of shoes...4 to the bin and 2 to the charity shop. I have decided to reassess the girth of the tree, given that my panic may be merely a product of frustration at the moment, given that there is a lull in the progress of the sale, and I am probably bored! I've found a store that has some of the (now discontinued) range I got my sofabed from last year. I'm going to see if they have anything useful. Dried a couple more trays of apple slices yesterday. There is no way I am going to ever use all the apples! Andrea ps - actually got on the scales this morning, and I have piled a stone back on since June. Not proud. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 28 Sep 10 - 10:42 AM 1. Laundry started 2. Pot roast and veggies in the crock pot 3. Big breakfast this morning, Red Pepper and Mozzarella Omelet, Side of Homefries (I know this doesn't sound very diet friendly but the cheese was minimal and the potatoes were boiled and then *fried* in Pam. Pointwise, it was 7 total including my skim milk!) 4. Baby fed, changed, loved, played with, read to and is now napping. I'm off to work in our bedroom on the mountain of clean clothes that need to be put away. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 28 Sep 10 - 11:07 AM I had a pair of shoes that were for yard work and are finally so far gone that they are in the trash. My neighbor from across the street and I were both out peering into the woods this morning, trying to figure out what the heavy equipment was that we could hear. Turns out the builder is finally picking up trash after years of letting it blow through the woods. Of course they're only picking up six feet back from the fence line. I am wearing a pair of capri pants, so came back and washed my legs because there is poison ivy in those woods. I walked carefully, but you can never be too careful with that stuff. Good night's sleep - I like the furniture in the new locations. It's nice to have all of that dust up also. I washed a couple of small dusty rugs and they air-dried overnight. My next door neighbor has had no phone service for several weeks and the AT&T folks can't seem to work it out. We were out poking around in the back yard on my other side, looking to see if there was one of those green phone stands. Nope. I'll look at some of the property tax maps, see if they show the utilities and the rights-of-way. We should be able to find the line. I wonder if they cut off his end of the old phone system before connecting him up to the new line they ran last spring (that we still don't have any access to, apparently). These things will sort themselves out. And I'm enjoying any excuse to go outside on a lovely day like this. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: LilyFestre Date: 28 Sep 10 - 02:05 PM Seasonal baby clothing change-over foiled by a nap!!!! Sleep well Jeremiah! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Declutter & Accountability Sept 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 28 Sep 10 - 07:19 PM Let's jump into October a little early. Leave behind the heat and light of September. Here's the new thread. SRS |
