BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Oct 10 - 01:30 PM

So far, Morgan and I have done the litter boxes, been to the store, drove down to an Audubon site and saw a beautiful heron, then home to where we shredded about half of a box of old papers that have been sitting by my desk, on the floor, for several weeks waiting to be shredded.

We have also danced a tiny bit to some wonderful classical Spanish guitar pieces, and I paid the bills. We have also text "chatted" between my laptop and PC. It's so fun as he is getting to the point where he really sounds out words and can read whole sentences now. He is really happy about that and I've found the text chat is a great way for him to practice.

Now, we are off for some lunch. When we get back, we will probably finish the shredding and/or design some new jewellery. (May save the shredding for next week when I will have him for 2.5 full days!)

kat & Morgan-the Magnificent:-)

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Oct 10 - 01:49 PM

I'm thinking about rearranging my home office. Big time.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Oct 10 - 07:52 PM

I loved it when we moved my office to the DR and then finally rearranged the old office. Good luck with that, SRS.

Lunch plans changed as the near-perfect red-headed grandchild had a meltdown because I wouldn't take him to our fav. sit down restaurant because he didn't change his clothes this morning, from the sweats he slept in and they were dirty in strategically seen places. So, we had mini-pizzas in with a promise, if he was good, of mini root beer floats AFTER we went to the grocery store. My goal all day was to do as much of Rog's usual Saturday chores as possible, with Morgan's help, to lessen the stress Rog has been under.

So, we went to the grocery store with the grocery list printed out, carefully, by hand, so that Morgan could read it. He had pen in hand and sat on the floor or wherever there was a flat surface to cross off each item. Came home and unloaded it, put it away, then shared a jr root beer from Sonic with mini-sundaes (about one scoop of ice cream with a few oreo crumblies) stirred in for floats. Had a blast. We also did some more shredding, picked up stuff around the house and generally have it ready so that when Rog gets home I can say, "Surprise! You don't have to change litter boxes, go to the store, go to the health food store, or any of the other usual Sat. stuff!"

Oh, and, again, for more accountability, we played catch and dodge ball (I threw, he dodged) for about 30 minutes.

I sent home a "What Morgan Did At Mama's House, Today" sheet, a kind of his own accountability report for his parents with a happy face and star on it.

I have more to share about him, but figure I'd better start a dedicated thread or a "names changed to protect the innocent" blog of some sort. I want a chronicle for him to read when he grows up, as I wish I had done for my kids. we had an amazing conversation today about moms and kids. I'd value some of your opinions about a thread or blog.

Thanks,

kat

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: maire-aine
Date: 15 Oct 10 - 07:53 PM

The weather has been beautiful today & looks good for the weekend. Lots of leaves falling, but not from my trees yet. The colors have been spectacular this fall. I disconnected the garden hoses & drained them. Put 2 in the garage & left one near the faucet just in case I need it.

Made gingerbread this afternoon. It's very strong, and I like it that way. I'll take some to the music session tomorrow, but if it's too strong for people, Ill be happy to bring the leftovers back home. The recipe called for 6 oz. of stout.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 15 Oct 10 - 08:27 PM

I think occasional comments are great..I think a dedicated blog is too much for his sake. mg

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Oct 10 - 09:08 PM

Thanks, mg...I kind of don't want him "out there" as much as a blog, either. There is a lot more I'd like to share, though, that I think would go on a bit too much for a decluttering thread. I'll have to think on it. We had some amazing conversations, today. I may just put them in a diary I have on my PC, but it is fun to share, too.:-)

MaryAnne, I've never had gingerbread like that!

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 01:26 AM

I think a journal that is private is a better place for a lot of what you're thinking about. Because then you don't need to change the names to protect the innocent, etc. But we do enjoy the occasional antics you post.

I've cleared the dining table and stacked it with the boxes of playbills. I must donate them very soon, to get credit this year. The possibility of moving the office stuff is part of figuring the best way to use each room. My front room has the piano and most of the books, and it has the couch/futon that is so large it's difficult to do much with the room. Plus I have four trunks stashed in there right now.

My great aunts had a trunk room in their big old house, and I suppose I could do that here, with one of the bedrooms, or even the sun room, if I moved all of the eBay stuff somewhere else. I have two large two-tiered 7' tall shelves in my office that will only fit in a few places. In the office I also have two very large on-the-wall sets of shelves that are the brackets and boards type, screwed into studs and supporting a lot of books and equipment. If I ever donate my Dad's collection that would clear up a lot of space. But all of these things involve a lot of work.

Looking for the next big thing to list on eBay. I suspect it will be a bunch of little things.

The diet isn't budging any of this weight yet, so there is nothing to report so far, except that I am eating very healthy (I was before, but with more carbs). I've gotten exercise, but I didn't weigh myself the last couple of days. I'll judge part of this by how the clothes fit.

My hands are worse the last couple of days, but I think it is chocolate. I used a cocoa butter hand lotion and I think that set it off. Makes it harder to get some stuff done, without gloves, etc.

The weekend is here. Let's see what we can do with it!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: LilyFestre
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 08:25 AM

Kat,

   There are several free blogging sites that will allow you to keep a blog entirely private....you don't have to share it with a soul. For me, that is ideal. It is far easier for my hands to type than to write and *BONUS* you can add photos as you go to match our story or show the day. In addition, if you want, you can share the blog with just certain people (like mom and dad, etc) but if not, you certainly can keep it all private.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 10:59 AM

Next week I will have to report to the doc, on my next scheduled BP-fixing visit, that my program is completely off track. From the Clonidine last month to the cold last week, I have let so many of my best habits go, completely. And now SAD is kicking in with chocolate/sugar cravings as well. I know what to do, and I can and will do it (and report that, too), but UCK, I feel all the unhealth I have backslid into, uck-- uck, UCK!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 11:27 AM

I set up the fabric cutting board (the folding cardboard one with a grid) to photograph and then bag the clothes that go to the Goodwill. I use the grid and take photos for my IRS records to document the donation. That's this morning's job. Yesterday I took a huge bag of household recyclables to the depot, and I have some more bags (paper) for a different drop-off place (they have a paper bin behind city hall). Between these two tasks I'm clearing floor space in the sun room.

Rather than predict what I'd like to do, I'll see what else gets finished and report later.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 12:39 PM

Michelle, I *knew* that about blogs being private! **BG** Just forgot! That's an excellent idea. Thanks! (Also, if I tried to handwrite anything, no one would be able to read it.:-) That would be a good place to copy and paste what I have already shared about him in these threads, too.

Thanks, again.

My Rog had to work today, so it's a good thing Morgan and I did do so much yesterday. I am helping Rog, via the phone and email, to edit an important engineering report which has to be done today. In between, I have shredded some more papers and have a load of wash in. I am about to put the dishes in to soak. It's another gorgeous Indian Summer day in western Colorado.

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 02:53 PM

I keep journal entries on a disk and add to them there. I haven't done it in a while, but I have zip disks around here and that's how I save them. I used to handwrite, ages ago. I suppose blog online is the next generation, but I figure if I want to keep it private, and to keep it for sure, then putting it on the Internet is not the way I would choose. FWIW.

Clothes bagged and in the truck (a few were set aside for eBay). Paper recycling is in the back of the truck. Several classic CDs in the changer this afternoon. Chopin waltzes right now. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 04:16 PM

The goal I set earlier in the week got some attention today: two big boxes of miscellaniana (1 from the big September kitchen cleanup) have now been gone through. The 60% that was trash/expired info is all bagged and ready to go-- leaving the harder clean/put away part of the job for the coming week.

The bushels of "expired" canned goods just left the building; it's all edible, but cannot be donated to the food pantry. It can be boiled up for a huge parish soup supper; we've sampled all the varieties and they are quite edible.

Now my kitchen has ELBOW room, for elbow grease to go to WORK for a serious deep-cleaning of begrimed areas.

The washing machine Pat and Brian asked us to get rid of has two days left on its ad before I FreeCycle it-- but it's out of the van and on the porch now, to be shown and removed. Also the landlord shored up a sagging roof beam that had been let go; we'd propped it with 2x4's that were never meant to really FIX it. We were nervous that a visitor would knock into it and let the roof collapse-- but now it's safe for lookers to be ON that porch to see and remove the washer. I get back my 2x4's for the next long-awaited project, just in time for Adrian's next visit.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 05:01 PM

SRS, I would just do it on my YeahWrite program diary, but I could not share that as Michelle suggested, with photos, etc. I will have to think on this more as I have not been concerned just sharing here at Mudcat with photos, etc.

I did two loads of laundry this morning, the dishes are finally soaking, went to the store with Rog, who came home at 130p and in between have helped him write and edit an important report which had to go out this afternoon to the corporate bigwigs. It was fun to work with him, as in our earlier years, and to feel useful to him. He's so self-sufficient sometimes.:-)

Also watered my houseplants. Started to list another item on Etsy, but can't find the photos I know I took of it, so will have to declutter my external HD, maybe, to find them.

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 08:19 PM

A little coups counting.

I went to the Goodwill to drop off my bags and get a receipt, and I went in to look around. This store opened over a year ago but I resisted going in. A friend manages it, so I stopped by to say hi, and ended up spending $5.36, so not too bad. They had a special this weekend so I bought a basket, plus 10 hard back books for $2 and 5 paperbacks for $1. I picked up books I can sell on eBay, starting at .99 and ship book rate. And one, a collection of Steinbeck's short novels, is for me. :)

Paper recycling was dropped off, and I'll see if I can find a place to move the rolling file cabinet to this evening. I have to spend some time cutting up peppers to freeze, I have a lot more in the garden coming so I'd better get these out of the way. There are also a lot of green tomatoes (cherry size, mostly) now. I'll make room for canning or freezing this stuff when it's fresh.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: SINSULL
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 08:42 PM

I worry about how much info we put on here about ourselves. We make it too easy to be found by the wrong people. So, Miss Kitty, be very careful with our red haired heart throb.
Auntie SINS in worry mode.

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 11:52 PM

No worries, Auntie Sins. I quit putting up youtube vids of him a couple of years ago because it made me uncomfortable, even when restricted. I'll just add another diary in my own program and keep it that way with a bit of sharing now and then. Thanks to you all.

katcareful

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Oct 10 - 02:28 AM

Listed some jeans on eBay, and will get some more items up there tomorrow. I've moved a few furniture pieces in the living room, but I haven't moved anything out of there yet. That's for tomorrow.

First load of laundry is finished, next will go in tomorrow also. This space-age washer makes some really strange sounds, and they sometimes startle me when I'm falling asleep.

One of the books I picked up for twenty cents is a newer edition of the grammar text I picked up and still use. Hodge Harbrace is now just called the Harbrace College Handbook, but it is the final authority if you're trying to figure out which tense of a verb to use, how a prepositional phrase should be parsed, or where the quote marks go in American English. And much much more. These are expensive little buggers. The copy I already had was bought used and cost a lot more than this. I've put my old one on the sell stack now.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 17 Oct 10 - 06:49 AM

Ruth has AT LAST de-cluttered her life out of the house, except for several items which will go for the collection tomorrow. I think there will be 4 or 5 sacks on the drive! I also have an absolute mountain of clothes hangers to ditch! I kept all Ian's, and now Ruth has left all hers behind!

I need to pack what clothes I anticipate I am going to need for the next few weeks. This isn't as easy as it sounds, because we are at a turning point in the weather.
The cat is going to get de-cluttered into the cattery tomorrow, for the duration, and Eleanor is coming round this afternoon to help me sort some more stuff, and also help me get stuff over to her place.
Shortly I am going to get the steam cleaner cranked up and clean my garden tools. Most of them won't see much use for a while.

It's all getting a bit real now. I was up in Belford yesterday, and actually managed to meet a couple of my neighbours. The natives appear friendly! One of them has been a key holder for the house, so he let me borrow the keys, and I managed to get a look for only the third time, and also show the friends who were with me. They agreed that from the outside it looks nothing, but is like a tardis! The gas fire in the kitchen isn't as dreadful as I first thought, but it is still by no means ideal, especially as at some point I will have a toddler running round.

Hey ho. Coffee finished. Time to think about steam cleaning.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: ragdall
Date: 17 Oct 10 - 06:59 AM

The cold weather's held off a bit. I washed all the removable windows on the main floor, Friday, and was able to bring in all eighteen geraniums, from my window boxes where there was less protection from the four degrees of frost we had, than those in a flowerbed under the overhang. Today I brought in the remaining plants and gave all the geraniums a good long drink of water. I've lost count, I think there are forty-four plants.

I mowed the front lawn, but the compost box has still not been emptied. I had to use the top of the box that was filled last year for the grass and leaves, for now.

rags

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 17 Oct 10 - 09:59 AM

It's brilliant sunshine at the moment, but only about 3 or 4C at night, and there's that certain "nip" in the air. The weather could take a turn for the worse quite easily at this time of year. Because my stuff's going into storage, I'm having to put my house plants into next door's garage. Some of the Christmas cacti are just starting to bud and flower. Even an Easter one has put out a flower in sympathy!

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Oct 10 - 10:19 AM

Andrea,

...It's all getting a bit real now...

Funny-- it's been real to me for some time, thru your posts! :~)

Cheers, almost there--

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Oct 10 - 11:27 AM

Andrea, what kind of steam cleaner do you use on your gardening tools, and what else do you use it for? The only steamer I have here is a little handheld one for steaming clothing to get the wrinkles out. It brings a rather comical vision to think about that little Sunbeam steamer on my shovel. :)

Put on a pair of capri pants this morning that have been quite tight in the past and fit nicely this morning. Same with pair also. These will get packed away for the season soon, but today is will be mid-80s. Soon I should be able to explore my way down the rack and see what else I can get into. The scale showed a couple of pounds lower yesterday (I am not stepping on it every day).

Kept myself awake last night reading a silly book, it'll go in the donate bin today. I'll need a nap after lunch - and now all of the small comforters and shawls are out and on the various couches and chairs. Great to throw one over the legs for a nap.

Another cuppa tea and some more eBay listings. The one I set last night was delayed to begin at about 11 our time. Paying ten cents to have an auction that will end during daytime hours is a worthwhile investment.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Oct 10 - 12:15 PM

YeeHAH, I just found some wasted space in one of the pantries-- things that can go elsewhere or be pitched. And that leaves a huge shelf for the canned goods we kept that have been sitting on the hutch-shelf I had cleared for tenant use-- and kept clean and clear, until these canned goods arrived. Later this afternoon Hardi can stash the rest up high where I can see them and access them as needed but where they will no longer be in the WAY.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Oct 10 - 01:25 PM

In 2004 I bought this great sponge mop with a mechanism for squeezing the sponge mop dry (a handle that extends up from the mop head, and when pushed down, it folds the sponge in half). A very nice one and I haven't been able to find the right refill. I cobbled together something that would work on it temporarily. I bought this at Lowes, so that's where I went looking for the refill, but they no longer carried the correct refill. I only knew it from look, not name.

Good thing I sorted that kitchen drawer last week, because I found the plastic wrapper from that mop. This cost more than most I've bought before, and I wanted to be able to find it again. Today I looked online and found a few other stores that sell the Type H replacement mop. In the past I've hated having to buy the new handle because the refill is no longer made, and that's why I spent more on this mop, hoping that wouldn't happen. Seems the competition picked up the brand--I can get my refill at Home Depot.

Making bread this evening so the house smells welcoming when Moonglow comes in. Putting in more laundry, the policing the grounds and mowing the back. I've put another item on eBay and will do more of that off and on when I come in from other chores. I spend too much time sitting in front of the computer, I need to pace myself there, when I can.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Oct 10 - 02:54 PM

Rog and I both spent too much time in front of the computer, yesterday, working on that report. Despite how tired we both were, I asked if he'd go for a short walk with me, so we walked to Morgan's house, had a nice visit with his parents while he showed me what he can do on his trampoline, then we walked back. It felt really good.

This morning, after a quick run to get a new smoothie mixer for my breakfast smoothie (the old one broke this morning), we cleaned out the car, took it to the car wash to vacuum it out, then picked up Morgan and went to the same steep hiking trail we've been going to. This time, I walked almost all the way to the bottom, with Morgan's encouragement. He kept running ahead and saying, "C'mon, Mama, let's go a little farther!" Then came the hike back up. I really noticed it this time, I think from being tired from too little sleep on Friday and all of yesterday's extreme stress, but I made it, whilst the "Kid" ran UP and DOWN several times, laughing and enjoying himself, immensely, as did Rog and I. THAT'S the kind of exercise I feel is worth it AND my leg muscles are happy for the workout. I hope this winter is a mild one so we can still use that trail.

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: LilyFestre
Date: 17 Oct 10 - 05:13 PM

It's been a beautiful fall day and busy in a relaxing kind of way. We ran to town to do a few errands this morning, home to do laundry, dishes, sweeping, wrote a handwritten letter to my nana (which she loves) and I did some cooking. I made a big pot of homemade broccoli cheese soup....some for my lunches this week, some for my mom and some for a friend who has to have an outpatient procedure tomorrow. Dinner is cooking.....roasted chicken in the oven, steamed green beans and stuffing for tonight....dessert is watermelon from the garden...it's late in the season, I know but we have them!!! Small, dark green...about the size of a bowling ball and oh boy are they GOOD! I'm hoping to get the kitchen rugs washed tonight but we'll see.

Tomorrow J and I start the Mommy and Me program...can't wait!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Oct 10 - 05:31 PM

Finished shredding the box of papers!!

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: SINSULL
Date: 17 Oct 10 - 08:33 PM

Each trip down to the basement for laundry includes dragging down a box of crap from the sunroom. I have no idea what is in these boxes but I can sort them down there rather than have them stacked up here.
Only four mor to go.

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Oct 10 - 08:44 PM

Yeah, Sins!! That's ALL good exercise!

In addition to today's hike, I found myself wanting another walk, so we just came back from a quick ten minute up the road and back. This is a big deal, to me, as it feels a psychological barrier from old INvalid/inVALid thinking has finally fallen. It is wonderful to actually FEEL like going for a walk. By next Spring, my goal is for Morgan and I to be able to walk to the post office and back. You read it here, first.:-)

This is going to be a busy week, with a ton of phone calls, etsy shop stuff to get listed, books gone through, more, and I will have Morgan 2.5 days while school is out, from Wed. afternoon on. I've asked Rog to take Thurs. and Fri. off. If he can, we will do some more stuff around here.

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: maire-aine
Date: 17 Oct 10 - 09:15 PM

Sometimes it takes a while, but occasionally an idea pops into my head. I dug out my shop-vac (wet-dry vacuum cleaner) from under all the stuff that was piled on it, and changed the hose to the blower side. It worked great for blowing the dry leaves down the driveway. It makes me wonder why I hadn't done this years ago. Oh, well.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Oct 10 - 01:29 AM

Good work, Maryanne and Kat!

I have been moving trunks and tables around, taking a look, and rearranging from there. I put two trunks stacked in the corner of my office and moved a small computer desk out. The things that were sitting on the desk can sit on the trunks. I have a lot of boxes taking up space in the sun room on a desk and hutch I used to use for the kids computer. One of these days that could go if I find another way to store my flat boxes.

The hard drive replacement has been put in the kids old computer and formatted. Haven't gotten the ethernet connection set yet. I think this card was put in after the computer was here for a while and the drivers aren't in the installation disks. I'll have to look around for drivers and load them once I figure out the specs on that connection.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 18 Oct 10 - 03:22 AM

The best storage I ever got was those baker type shelves from costco or somewhere..they twist together and come in various sizes and are very sturdy and don't get grimy. I would suggest getting rid of all sorts of stuff and storing the flat boxes on them. T hey also hold tubs, baskets etc. mg

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Oct 10 - 10:15 AM

I have some of those. My "pantry" consists of a 7' tall rolling heavy chrome wire set of baker-type shelves I picked up at Sam's Club years ago. It's parked in the hall next to my laundry room. I just moved another smaller one, taken from my son's room, not on wheels, into the sun room. The computer hutch actually works very well where it is, because I have three bins tucked in the kneehole area for my recycling, the boxes are on flat and top of the hutch, and various things that I'm planning to list are on the desktop. It's wishful thinking to get rid of it, but it is fully subscribed in the work it's doing right now.

I use the chrome wire shelves for cans, bottles, jars, canned goods, and on the bottom shelf (a few inches above the floor) I have some of my bulky kitchen things like a bread machine and a convection oven. Jugs of water, etc. I wrapped bungee cords around the unit a few inches up from each shelf so they serve to keep cans and bottles from pitching off the shelves if it is bumped.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Oct 10 - 11:47 AM

I was reflecting this morning on the results of my own decluttering around the house, and how the decluts have supported and empowered the goals that originally got me started.

I think it might be helpful if posters here, from time to time, could revisit some of the reasons WHY we are each making this a priority-- is it decluttering for its own sake (which can sometimes be not so motivating), or for the sake of a higher good that remains highly motivating?

For me, I know that being better able to arrange and utilize daily study materials is a heck of a bigger motivator than the nicer-looking environs in which it occurs. The improved appearance is nice, of course, but the thrill tend to wear off as it begins to be the more normal appearance-- while the larger goal remains very motivating.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: maire-aine
Date: 18 Oct 10 - 01:54 PM

Here's a link to my kitchen pictures , of the new lights & the paint job (before & after). I feel so much better now that I'm finished.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Oct 10 - 05:02 PM

Those are pretty fixtures, and it's ironic to think that the flourescent lights were probably put up to replace old fixtures that looked a lot like the ones you've put up now. Something old that's new again. :)

I have to repaint my kitchen/dining ceiling because I replaced the fixtures and the old shapes show up still. I went from a circular florescent fixture in the kitchen and a halogen spot in the dining area and replaced both with simple pendulum lights, using two of the three down rods that came with the package.

Our physicals went okay, though the wait was long and my daughter missed her classes. Since she no longer had to rush back we went out for a lunch at a local favorite French restaurant. This was not a diet lunch - we don't get to visit often, so we enjoyed an elegant meal.

As to the raison d'être for the thread, I tend to start every month or two with a broader look at why I am here and what I see others working toward, but we're so varied that someone visiting these threads casually or with intent will be able to take the purpose from statements throughout. Yes, we clear out places, and some of them stay cleared out. My bedroom was quite a storehouse for several years, but I've moved most of the extra things out and though it appears to have mixed purposes, it has stayed fairly neat and tranquil. Rooms like the kitchen, dining, and laundry rooms pulse between neat and cluttered as other areas being worked on disgorge their contents. So a lot of what we share here has to do with those phases of neat then cluttered. And when someone is able to establish a beachhead for a craft or activity, that's a great feeling. Reclaiming work spaces for favorite but neglected activities is a big part of what we do here.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: ragdall
Date: 18 Oct 10 - 10:48 PM

maire-aine, Your shop vac leaf blower is a brilliant idea!

Kat, Your walks are making me tired. LOL. I can walk forever on the flat, but walking up a hill? Can't do it.

Yesterday I raked up more leaves in the backyard with the lawnmower. It does a great job.

I pulled snowblowers, snow shovels, stack of deck chairs, high chair, etc., out from the "storage shed" under the backyard side of our deck, neatly rearranged the other things still in there, then fitted everything back in there in order with those most likely to be needed during the winter closest to the door. I put the snow shovels on the deck beside the back door where I'll too soon be using them to dig my way out in the mornings.

I moved my car to the part of the driveway that is much lower that the lawn. From the lawn, the top of the car is about waist high and easy to reach. With a tarp to protect the roof of the car I loaded all the branches that I'd pruned and piled over the last month or so. We tied the tarp securely over the pile then fastened it all down to the roof rack with some thick bungee cords that I keep on hand for that purpose.

The city operates community compost bins which will take woody items three inches or less in diameter. There is no charge to use the compost bins or recycling bins. They charge $6 to dispose of other items at the transfer station 3 km from us, but there is no charge to use the rubbish bins at the main "Sanitary Landfill", about 12km from home. Because I had other items to unclutter (Chainsaw, rusted fertilizer spreader, tree trunks too large for the compost, boards with nails in them), we headed to the main landfill.

About five minutes from home, I heard the clank of a metal bungee cord hook hitting the roof of the car. Hoping that it wouldn't cause a problem, I continued driving, but soon realized I was in trouble as I heard the load sliding down the driver's side of the car and dragging along the road. I pulled over, unhooked six bungee cords and let the load drop onto the side of the road.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/diffuse/5092983888/

I had no idea how we'd be able to get it back onto the roof since there was nothing to stand on to reach it easily. The inside of the car certainly didn't have enough room for all those long branches, either. I was very fortunate that Mr. ragdall had decided to come along for the ride. After we retied the bundle with rope instead of bungees, with great effort the two of us managed to lift it onto the car roof and continue on our way slowly.

The attendant at the landfill told us that to avoid attracting bears to the landfill, if there was any fruit in with my branches the entire load would have to go into the rubbish bin instead of the compost bin. I knew that a few branches had tiny crab apples on them, but I was not going to give up on having my garden waste composted after all the trouble getting them there. I sorted through, removing all the branches with crab apples, rose hips and Mountain Ash berries for the rubbish bin then compost binned the rest.

Much less clutter in the yard and shed now. My wheelbarrow is empty, (it had been full of pruned branches,) so I have nothing to prevent me from emptying the compost box, except the rain that's been falling since last evening and is predicted to continue for the next three days. After that we'll be travelling again.

I was so sore and tired by last evening that I took one of my prescription pain meds and I slept for eleven hours! Today I feel great.

rags

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Oct 10 - 10:55 PM

I have a question for all of you that I'll run past here rather than start a new thread. I have done some research about contact dermatitis and decided that it wouldn't hurt to explore the "anti-inflammatory" diets you have probably heard about. Dr. Weil and Dr. Perricone you may have heard on PBS lectures, and Barry Sears, who does the cancer research about "The Zone."

My goals are to 1) avoid the irritant and 2) see if there are any beneficial foods and supplements to try. Dr. Weil suggests, in addition to an anti-inflammatory diet, one of the capsules that provides gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). It is found in Evening Primrose, Borage, and Black Currant oils. Have any of you tried any of these, or done research on good brands (the most expensive doesn't mean the best, but probably the cheapest isn't necessarily as reliable as mid-range). Any thoughts? He recommends 500mg twice a day. Alas, he also recommends eliminating milk and diary. That'll be tough - I love cheese. But I'll drop it for a while. Mary, I know you've looked into a number of nutritional treatments on things like this. Any thoughts?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 18 Oct 10 - 11:03 PM

Well, check out leaky gut syndrome..seems to be related to a lot of ailments. I believe tumeric is very anti-inflammatory, as is fish oil, and I presume there is benefit from the other oils you mentioned, which are often recommended...people swear by tart cherry juice for gout and maybe arthritis...but I really don't know too much...mg

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Oct 10 - 11:15 PM

I haven't tried any of those, SRS, but I can check my very good references books, if you'd like. One thing I found, quite by chance, is an itchy scalp, no dandruff, not dried out, was caused by the sodium lauryl sulfate which is what makes shampoos foam up. Fortunately, there are several brands which don't have it, but there didn't used to be. It was hard to find anything until recently.

rags...all the work you do makes me tired!**bg** I could do it, but the effort would really take it out of me and I would h-u-r-t! Up the hill was slow and with auxiliary oxygen, though it was on my back in a pack, so it actually added to the load. It feels so good in my legs, back and bum, though. That's what I crave right now. Walking on a flat surface seems to make things hurt more and not work the muscles which feel so good being worked whilst going up and down. I suppose a physiologist could explain that, but I can't. Just going by how I feel.:-) Neat pix...glad you got the load back on!

Maryanne, great looking fixtures and paint job. How good that must feel. I want to replace our kitchen light. It's a huge fanlight. We never use the fan and the light is totally inadequate and we still need to paint and put down new lino. *sigh*:-)

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Oct 10 - 11:20 AM

Kat, have you tried putting different bulbs in the fan light fixture? I use the bulb-style halogen lights in some of my fixtures for brighter light and lower power use. They do make a lot of heat, so make sure it is the right kind of fixture for these. In another room have a pole lamp that has a side fixture (you've probably seen these in the hardware stores - meant to go behind a chair with the lower one for a reading light). I had a halogen bulb in there and burned myself when I bumped the metal outer shield when getting up from the chair, so that is now an old-fashioned 40 watt incandescent bulb.

Looking into the general anti-inflammatory diet in general is good for a number of reasons, the dermatitis being the most pressing. I've simplified the cleaning stuff used around the house, looking for products that don't have some of the classic irritants, and I wear gloves when I use them.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: LilyFestre
Date: 19 Oct 10 - 11:35 AM

Today I made myself a ta-da list. I actually made it yesterday and crossed off all but 2 things.   I did those 2 things this morning and then added some more to my list. My kitchen is looking good...all canning gear has now been put away until next season (unless we decide to do more apples) and it feels good...kind of like when you get all the Christmas decorations put away..it's good to have my kitchen back! I did some sorting today and cleaned out 3 magazine racks while I was on hold with the social security office....sure beats just sitting and waiting! The remaining things were sorted into catalogs and magazines by catagory.

Later today or possibly tomorrow, I am going to spend a few hours changing over to winter clothes. It's getting cold now, snow is in the forcast...it's time to do it.

Also...ordered a 15 cubic foot dumpster....due to arrive on Friday and we have it for 10 days. Can't wait to get rid of a ton (literally) of stuff! HOORAY! The inside of the house is looking decent (my office still needs work and so does the mudroom) and the dumpster is going to help us clean up the outside....mostly construction debris. Again, I say HOORAY!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Oct 10 - 12:52 PM

I like that...a Ta-Da List! Right on, Michelle!

SRS, the fan light is so huge and ugly...way too big for the room and the room is so long, there isn't any way even a brighter bulb would reach the far regions near the stove.:-) What I want to do is put in a track with lights which can be directed. (We had a kind of surprise, yesterday, in the mail which may help get this done sooner than later. I made a mistake on our taxes in our favour!)

I have packaged up three CDs and two books, to go out the door today...mailed to friends and family. More books sorted into piles.

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 19 Oct 10 - 02:58 PM

The steam cleaner is a plastic tank which holds just under a gallon of water. It has a long hose attachment, and various bits that can be fixed to it for stripping wallpaper, cleaning stains or, as in my case, directing a jet of steam.

The house is about 3/4 packed now, and there seems to be an immense amount of boxes going into the vans. I'm at my daughter's now, as my beds have gone, but will be back at my place very early in the morning.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Oct 10 - 03:37 PM

Well, I have finally hit a wall on the downstairs. I think it is the dark days we have been having-- I just do not care about a thing except TV and chocolate! BAD TV, too, not even stuff I can learn from. Been running the SAD lights...

I think I need an all-office afternoon in front of the western-sun-setting afternoon window.... tomorrow. I suspect the block is a real one-- a pile-up of website tasks that I can clear in an afternoon-- so I will move back up there tomorrow and also try to sort a bit of the clutter that has piled up in a to-sort area I pass daily-- a big box turned up to help sort stuff, so if I take a trash bag too I should be able to make some progress between website tasks.

And no more chocolate-- I ate it ALL!

Tomorrow AM I get the next BP check with the current set of "try these" meds. And if no improvement, another drug to tinker with.... sigh....

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Oct 10 - 04:17 PM

I love the way those track lights look - what a great idea! I have a hall where I'd like to put in one of those and point the fixtures at clusters of family photos up and down the hall.

I don't even have chocolate in the house right now.

Boring, sedentary editing this afternoon, I'll make a point of taking the dogs for a walk right at 5pm so it isn't too late. It's beginning to get overcast, there is rain in the forecast all week. This may be our last easy walk for a while.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: SINSULL
Date: 19 Oct 10 - 08:22 PM

Micca arrived so all cleaning and organizing has stopped. Boxes mid-room and vacuum in the middle of the kitchen. Plus Seamus arrived unexpectedly. Seems tick spray is going down in the Morse yard and he needs to stay away for a day or two.
Freddie is playing leap frog with him. Poor dog.
SINS, happy to have her buddy around.

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Oct 10 - 10:06 PM

Which one, Sins?**BG**

Made it to the PO, so cds and books went out the door. I am going to be adding some clutter. Rog and I decided I could budget for a few jewellery supplies, mine have been low for ages, so here I go, BUT at least that will be going back out the door as products and/or presents. I've got some new designs in my head I've been wanting to try.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 12:23 AM

I hope you'll post photos for us as you finish them, Kat.

Walked the dogs, and along the way they de-cluttered the neighborhood of a mighty number of acorns. They'll appear in droppings in the back yard tomorrow. ;)

The usual housekeeping things are out of the way, laundry and dishes. I stayed on my diet today (after yesterday's departure for a wonderful cheesy French dish with my daughter). And one thing I have allowed (i.e., fudged) from the Keep Fit diet (the part you follow when you're not on this diet), was 1 small glass of wine. But that bottle is gone and I'm not replacing it for a while. I'll stick closer to stricter diet and have an evening cup of herbal tea or a glass of cranberry (light - sweetened with Splenda) instead.

SRS