BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: ragdall
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 05:04 AM

Susan, Couldn't you have saved a little bit of chocolate for the rest of us? Now that you mentioned it, I'm craving some. I do have a small stash that I'm saving for emergencies. I wonder what emergency I can think up tonight? Hehehe.

Kat, You're proof that steady wins the race. You accomplish so much by keeping on task. I want to be like you when I grow up.

Michelle, May I borrow the dumpster when you're finished with it, please? I think the only way that this house will reach a normal state of unclutter is if I close my eyes so I can't see what I'm giving up and throw everything in my attic, and in the piles in various other places, into a dumpster.

Andrea, You seem to be making fantastic progress with your move. Well done!

Even though it was raining, I took a little break today and drove out to a nearby rural area to look for the "hundreds of Canada Geese and dozens of Sandhill Cranes" that were seen there yesterday. I wasn't able to find any sign of them. The largest birds that I saw were two ruffed grouse who stood frozen at the side of the road when I stopped my car beside them, rolled down my window and held up my camera.

Late this afternoon I started emptying the compost bin as light rain continued to fall. I was able to remove about eight wheelbarrows of composted material before I had to give up because of darkness. I think there is only one wheelbarrow load left in the bin, but I'll need daylight to see where the compost ends and the gravel under it begins. If it freezes while we're away and I can't remove the rest it won't be a big loss.

I've almost completed all the tasks on my "must be finished before freezing weather sets in" list. When we're home again next week, I can start working through my "I hope I can get these done too" list.

rags

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: SINSULL
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 10:01 AM

Health screening today. Whoo Whoo.
All my numbers are down including my weight. Good cholesterol is up. BP 108/76. Triglycerides are up - have to exercise more.
$150 Health Bonus.

Back to sunroom declutter. Found a ukelele in the debris and have no idea where it came from. Go figure.

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: maeve
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 10:50 AM

Wonderful, Mary! Thanks for taking good care of yourself.

Maeve

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 11:07 AM

Good for you, Mary! They're doing a health thing on my campus, but no cash bonus. They did offer a free pedometer to the first 100 people to attend a health event. I read that message too late, but probably wouldn't have gone over anyway. Regardless, I am embarking on my own healthier routine.

Ragdall, I'm not sure why you're moving the compost. Staying out over the winter won't hurt it. But maybe you're mulching the rest of the garden with it? I'll give mine a good stir soon, turning it over by moving the stack sideways, then I'll start hauling bags of leaves back there when my neighbors start bagging them. We need a good wind and rain event to start that activity. Later this week, perhaps.

I agree, Kat is an inspiration. You've made so much progress from two or three years ago!

Yesterday I officially added another task to my job description at work. I launched a new Listserv newsletter for the Friends of the Library. In theory this should remove some of the work from the secretary who sends some stuff out to the Friends, and it will let members of the group manage their own subscriptions or refer others to our group. It took me a long time to figure out all of the angles of this thing, as time allowed. Three have joined this morning so far.

Yesterday I gathered several of my health and diet books to compare notes. To no surprise, there is some contrary information, so I'll have to read through the reasoning they offer as to why some carbs are healthy (or not) and decide which plan, if any, to buy into. Barry Sears is pretty hard on some of my favorite carbs and fruits, for example. Andrew Weil goes closer to being vegetarian with his recommendations than Sears. I did find more about the importance of GLA from Sears, after first finding it in Weil. And I think, to start, I'll look to see what supplements are in the Big Box stores (Sam's Club, Walgreen) that have a generic in the company name so they're less expensive than the name brands. Sears recommends smaller doses than Weil, so I'll also compare what sizes and forms are out there. Capsules versus (breakable) tablets, etc. This was listed specifically by both when discussing skin and eczema.

I think I'll do a weigh-in once a week. The daily fluctuations don't really tell me much, and they can bring my mood down if I don't feel like I'm making progress. :-/ That said, my current size trousers are fitting much better this week. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 11:10 AM

Yes, congratulations, Marigold! I wonder if my Rog will give me a $150 bonus? My numbers are excellent, too and I have lost 1.1 lbs in the past week. And, my body craved a walk, yesterday!

rags, thanks, but you can run circles around me!:-) I did learn, early on, that perseverance is an important part of life, for me, at least. Morgan is very helpful in that respect. If I say I want to or will do something, he encourages, cheers, reminds, and bugs me about it...so I never forget. Be careful what you declare to a young'un!:-)

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 11:38 AM

Thanks, SRS! It funny...I think I've been so not-so-normal for so long, finding "normal" i.e. non-scary increased pulse rate with exercise, lower BP, etc. is really a novelty at the moment..one I intend to keep pursuing.

I prefer Weil. I found out, the hard way, if one has any kind of issue with kidney function, Sears' can be dangerous with the high protein focus. I didn't know of any kidney issues until I did his diet for a few months.

One reason I like Weight Watchers so much is there is no sense of deprivation...all in moderation...stick to the points and you will lose. It's up to you if you do it by eating really healthy foods or not so-healthy, i.e. processed/frozen entrées, etc. But, that's just me. I know other things work better for other folks.

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 11:40 AM

There is no diet that fits everyone..that is why some people have success on one and not the other. I recommend reading up on metabolic typing. We can't just decide what diet sounds best...it is all unique to the individual. mg

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: LilyFestre
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 12:08 PM

Jeremiah's pack and play sits in our living room. When he first arrived, he hated it so we haven't been using it for anything other than storing toys and a pit stop for folded laundry that needs to make it's way upstairs. Today I cleaned it all out and guess what little boy is LOVING playing in there? :) He's getting so big and doing so much more on his own now!!!

Since I didn't get to it yesterday, today I worked in my closet in search of warmer clothes and putting away most short sleeved things. I also have a few bills to tend to today and I am colleting addresses for our Welcoming Party for Jeremiah that is coming up way faster than I thought.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: SINSULL
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 01:12 PM

SRS,
Clothes fitting is a much better gauge as to weight loss success than the hated/ dreaded scales.
Muscle gain can offset weight loss so the scale goes up but the waist, tummy and cholesterol go down.
Daily weighins can be a real downer especially if you are prone to water weight gain.
Varied diet with emphasis on dark green leafy veggies with some orange and red and yellow added, some meat and fish, some fruits and dairy. Less or no sugar and alcohol. With some exercise.
And lots of water.
Ten minutes up; back to work.
SINS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 01:24 PM

Just ordered the new jewellery supplies. My, how prices have gone up! Just silly things one needs to complete pieces, i.e. clasps, beading wire, crimps, etc. The only things I bought other than those types of findings were a strand of amethyst and one of turquoise. I did get a discount for over 15 items, but it still came to a lot for the tiny bit it will seem when it gets here. Sigh...I wish we had a decent bead store here where I could go pick and choose, touch and listen...really *feel* them before buying. When I went looking for my fv. bricks & mortar store in MA, I found THIS ONE which may be what they became. I am off to see what they have now.:-) More clutter...but potentially productive!

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 02:09 PM

Doc baffled, sez BP is measuring higher than ever but why then have I not stroked out? Any why do other measures appear SO good?

He does not want to add/change meds till I get an MRI of renal arteries, now scheduled for next week.

Happydance-- back to studies!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 06:27 PM

Ultimate de-clutter: not a thing left in the house except the kettle, a few mugs, tea, coffee etc, and the cleaning tackle.

9 containers of stuff has been packed (they estimated 8-9). Where the hell am I going to put all that stuff at the other end? Cue another de-cluttering!
Living out of a suitcase now...

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 08:20 PM

Please, Susan, don't blow a gasket before they get those meds sorted out. And Andrea, don't blow your diet eating all processed prepared foods until you get into the new house. :)

Went in for training today on a system for inventorying all of the books in our university research library. Even with software that accesses the catalog, it will still be about 1.27 million volumes to confirm are there. Or they're not, or there are other anomalies to consider. Every able-bodied employee has a go at it, beginning Nov. 1. Now that could end up being a big de-clutter (or at least, reorganization if the books are on the shelves in the wrong places). I asked one of the catalogers about software to organize my own, and she confirmed what others have said, that LibraryThing is a good one. That's what she uses.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 09:31 PM

Thanks, SRS. There is something that does not add up here on BP-- he felt my wrist and said, "This here is not what a galloping hypertensive feels like." My job is to relax, then shrug and try the next bright idea. And get on with my day!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 11:05 PM

I looked a couple of places, then found a source of GLA in Evening Primrose capsules at the grocery store. I thought I might have seen these at a discount store, but no luck. The store brand wasn't terribly expensive and I'll start with the lowest dose and see if I notice a difference. I think Weil said it can take some time, so I'll be patient.

Did a little computer surgery today, discarding the Logitech trackman and putting in a new one. After a while the sensitivity is gone and you can't effectively select things to drag and drop. That's how I work.

Looks like a good evening to head to bed early and read a little. That's something I had gotten out of the habit of, but when I have less to do (with the kids gone) I'm trying to rediscover some of those simple pleasures. I used to stay up later than the kids just to decompress, but I don't need to now.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 12:19 AM

That sounds like a good idea, SRS. I was unable to read in bed, last year, when I was so depressed. That depressed me even more as I have done so all of my life. I can't remember when I started reading in bed again, but I'm sure glad I did.

I decluttered my mind of about 1700 words for a short-story assignment from the therapist, tonight. He asked me to do it several weeks ago, with no time limit and I've been writing bits and pieces in my head. Rog, puir Rog, he is so tired and stressed, got called back into work at 930p. So, I sat down, angry, which sometimes can be a real motivator for me to write, and began. I know he asked for a short story, but it may become my NaNoWriMo novel this year IF I decide to do it. I feel pulled in too many directions and as though I need to pull in my horns and take more care of me, again, so may not, but at least I've got a start of either the story or a novel!

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: ragdall
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 05:54 AM

SRS,
I remove the compost from a box in the fall because it's ready to use and I need the empty box for fall leaves, etc., which will form a base for the 2011 compostable materials. I spread as much of the compost as I could in my flower beds

I took a tumble down a river bank this afternoon (who would have guessed that mud could be so slippery?) Fortunately the channel was dry. I rolled, hitting the back of my head on a rock, twisting my leg and banging my hands, before coming to rest, face down, on smooth river rocks and driftwood. I'm sore but appear to have avoided serious damage. I didn't feel up to hauling compost today after that, though.

We're leaving in the morning on our last 1000 mile (1600 Km) round trip weekend drive for the year. If the snow will only hold off until we get home, it would be wonderful.

rags

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: SINSULL
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 08:26 AM

We start a new CRM system today. It will be a looooong day. Wish me luck.
SINS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 12:57 PM

rags, I hope you didn't hit your head so hard to do damage? Go see your doctor if you're at all concerned.

SINS, Tell us what CRM is later, but good luck, whatever!

Allergies are hitting hard today. Ugg. Despite air full of pollen and mold, it's beautiful out. We've had more pretty fall days than usual, but I haven't been able to get out and enjoy them as much with this hand thing. If I can get my hands to clear up enough by the weekend I'll be out (in gloves) working in the garden. I'm okay with gloves.

On a related note, I rubbed some aloe gel onto my feet then put on socks for a while. I figure if I'm being so careful with my hands, I need to extend this care to my feet also.

Michelle, I just reread your remarks about Jeremiah playing in the enclosure (is this a play pen area?). I predict the most amazing holiday season at your house. It happens to everyone with small children - this is when the magic is full strength and the world for these little people is centered around you. That said, you'll discover that that boxes the gifts come in can be as or more fascinating as the gifts themselves. I'm looking forward to your accounts of the next couple of months. And what do you plan for Halloween? Have you been able to resist those fuzzy zip-up fleece costumes with ears and tails of some creature or other? I often got those at garage sales, because children ever only get to wear those once or twice, then they're outgrown before the next season. You'll be de-cluttering baby clothes and toddler clothes and such for years to come (I am just now de-cluttering some outgrown teen clothes from my son on eBay, but I'm almost completely past that kid clothes part of my life.)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: gnu
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 02:22 PM

SINS... good luck.

rags... 1600 Km round trip weekend drive... good lord!

I am 2.5# below my coconut cream pie goal. I skipped the piece of pie and am going for a whole pie in 13#, which allows for 0.5# when I eat the pie. I won't eat the meringue just to be sure.

I was soooo pleased when I could wear my old jeans that I haven't worn for near 20 years. Sadly, they don't fit very well now and I shall have to buy ALL new pants soon... I hope.

Got a whack of stuff piled in the garage for the big garage sale. And I carted off another bunch of bags of stuff for the Red Cross and the like.

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: mouldy
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 03:29 PM

Cleaned the place this morning, including sweeping out the shed and taking a stack of stuff to the tip. Got the last of Ruth's stuff to Barnardo's.

I have taken farewell pictures of my empty (and very clean) house. Tomorrow morning I stick my head through the door for 5 minutes and read the meters. Then it's off to Selby to drop off the key, and it won't be mine any more.

Hopefully, sometime tomorrow, the money should move across and things start to move along at my end. At the moment I am living in Eleanor's spare room, among a real clutter of stuff and my bags. Freya's in bed, Eleanor's at work till 11pm, her husband's in bed with a stomach bug, and I'm about to go to the pub for the quiz night!

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 06:05 PM

For temporary digs that doesn't sound bad, Andrea!

This afternoon I decided I was going to move some of these antique trunks out of the way in rooms where I want more space. And it dawned on me that since I only use my office for the computer and writing, I could line old trunks along the wall under a set of shelves 4 feet off the floor, held up by metal brackets). So I moved five trunks in here, four of them are out of sight in a little alcove, and then moved one large one into my room to take the place of three that had come from there. The largest one had been in my front room. So this means that the front room now has only one trunk, a decorative dome-top that I want on display. My computer is more towards the middle of the office now, and I can still reach shelves by walking around it, and I can reach the window in the alcove.

There are a few things that had to be moved to shove the trunks past (not difficult - a few trunks on dollies a made several years ago). I'll decide what goes back, or somewhere else, as I take a look at things where they are now.

Good exercise, moving trunks, but not of long duration. I'll plan a walk with the dogs this evening.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 11:41 PM

Now that several trunks are out of the front room, I shoved the upright grand over a few inches and slid the dome top trunk against the wall beside it. I turned the futon couch and moved an armchair and small table in there that were previously in the way in the hall. With the wall of books and the piano, that couch doesn't really fit well in there, at least, not with things in the positions they're in now. That said, given a choice of places to sit, people will always use the futon, never the chair, so the futon is at least useful. It's also very comfortable to sleep on.

The armchair is one of several antiques I brought back from my aunt's house in Connecticut years ago, and if they're ever repaired and reupholstered, they'll be attractive and functional. Right now, they're in the way. Two are in the garage, one is in the front room. If they're not repaired recovered, they're very hard to sell. Conundrum here.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: ragdall
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 04:22 AM

gnu,
Well done on the amazing weight loss!   Good luck with your garage sale.

We have 554 km behind us tonight. We had sunshine most of the day. We were escorted to a lake where there were about a hundred Snow Geese, 60 Sandhill Cranes, a couple of dozen Canada Geese, two Bald eagles, lots of dabblers and a few divers (ducks).

rags

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: gnu
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 05:44 AM

I'll bet you got some great pics, rags.

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: SINSULL
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 08:39 AM

I am thinking of trying gnu's beer diet. It is working wonders for him. Good on you, son.
Micca and I shared a bottle of wine and Amato's carb fest last night. Sat and talked then played on our respective computers. Nice to have him around.
SINS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 09:05 AM

My two cents. YMMV.


SRS, something you posted upthread has lain in my reflections for quite a bit... a problem you referenced with abbreviations I use here.

You also mentioned, in a more recent post, "intent." How THAT word resonates with me. "Intent" is always important to me and I can usually articuylate it when asked about it positively, because long ago a personal goal became "intent" and it has flourished throghout my life since I undertook that goal.

You may not be aware that I have been here longer than you, and that I have a history here that includes cyclical attacks upon my posts which have been quite intentional. (And you have gotten caught up in that cycle whether you realize it or not.) Partly to address that (and partly because post-stroke abbreviations interested me), I ran a thread awhile back specifically about abbreviations-- where mine come from, how and why I use them, asking how others use theirs, etc.

I use abbrv's particularly in these declut threads because these threads, as they were originally cast (and before the threads became addictive in themselves), were for OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL USE. But anyone of good faith (AKA positive intent) can suss them quite easily.


A concern someone once shared with me related to a fear in some quarters that I would drag a boatload of Christians into Mudcat and by so doing would unleash a new set of persecutions on the pagans, wiccans, and irreligious around the place. I have not done that, but my posts, ever since a participant in this thread unleashed an attack on me via the parish and our diocese, have been open to my Bishop. "Your Career, Dead" is where I have written about THAT, and anyone of positive intent is free to look at those, as well.

I tend to be fairly open, in my life, about what I am doing and why. In the PMs I have gotten about this thread, I learned that people who have stopped posting in it have done so not because of what I write, but because of the negativity expressed.


Now. Negativity is supposed to be, according to people who post here, something aout which we all can agree. I could, if I'd wanted to be as negative as some of this thread's posters have been, have gone on and on in negativity about their VERY LONG and personal posts, which have continued unabated whether I posted or not.

But while I celebrate the decluts and goals of folks here whose goals resonate with me, these declut threads, as they were originally cast (and before the threads became addictive in themselves), were for OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL USE.

And I choose to spend the bulk of my day on my studies.

But that does not mean I don't see the hypocrisy here, and from time to time (as people who know me well will attest), I will speak of it. Because (intent again) I really think the negativity is beneath the people here who had indulged in it. And I think those people know that, down not-so-deep, and need not feel threatened for it to be brought to their attention.


And people who do not like it are free, as always, not to read my posts. Mudcat, for all its changes, is still open to free speech. :~)

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: SINSULL
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 10:47 AM

Anybody know where the Lithium is? Valium will do but Lithium will do better.
CRM crashed and my patience is at an end.

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 11:44 AM

You've been doing okay lately, Susan. Not sure about the trigger on that latest moment, but as you say, we're free to skim or skip.

This morning, just for the heck of it, I moved a couple of things standing in a doorway and closed one of the hall closets. I usually choose to leave this open since that closet houses the modem and routers, so I can glance at the light status from my office chair. But it is nice to see the hall so clear. I have pantry shelves in the hall - they have stood in the sun room also, but this is still the best spot for pantry materials for now.

What is the beer diet that gnu is using? I have also read of his progress and offer my congratulations. I have about 35 pounds to lose to get to my ideal weight; if I lose 25 I probably won't complain. :) Please elaborate! I am two weeks into a diet, and I intend to stay in diet mode for some time to come, but with the one I'm following I have to shift every couple of weeks (the Scarsdale diet is a low fat low carb diet; I tend to go not quite as low fat as he wants, it is needed for digestion, but try to keep the carbs low.)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 11:51 AM

You've been doing okay lately, Susan. Well, I guess that's nice, but I really don't gauge how I am doing by anyone's posts. (If I did it would be quite the seesaw!) :~)

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: LilyFestre
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 12:21 PM

The dumpster has arrived!!!! YAY!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 03:14 PM

Michelle, I rented a 30-yard dumpster when we cleared out my Dad's house before selling it. A lot of his stuff was stored for the kids, donated, sold, etc., but there was still just a lot of junk (might have been useful years earlier, but rot sets in. . . )

When that stood in the driveway across the road from the house (at the beach where he lived several of the beach house owners also bought lots across the road for parking, garages, gardens, etc.) I'd every so often get a knock on the door from a neighbor asking if they could get rid of some bulky item that the trash wouldn't take. I think we had a couple of old screen doors and a toilet full commode in there, along with a couple of computers. I called the company to ask if the computers were okay, and she said yes, because they'd separate the contents before trashing or recycling (and this was in 1997, so recycling attitudes have progressed a bit since then.)

I'll offer a spin-off story from that process: I remember one day when the next door neighbor knocked and asked a favor. Dad used to have a free-standing swinging bench that he got from L.L. Bean that went out on the deck overlooking the water every spring. They had a joke between the households that it wasn't spring until the swing was out. Tom wanted to know if they could buy that from the estate if no one else wanted it. I was quite sure that someone would claim it, so I didn't leave it to chance. I asked if Tom knew where it was, and we went poking around my Dad's shed (the house was smaller than this shed) and we found it. I gave it to Tom, pointing out that no one in my family would miss it since they wouldn't know it was there (or probably remember, at any rate) and Tom and his wife had a history with it.

Susan, I have news: it has been a seesaw. ;-D

Looks like this weekend will be the one to try to get in the last mow of the back yard. That'll probably be enough for the season. The front yard has more activity and will require some additional trimming along with running the mower to mulch in leaves a couple of times. I won't drain the gas from the mower yet.

I'm considering how things are arranged here, not just trunks, but also books, dishes, etc. Kat sprucing up her beading collection reminds me that all of my beading materials are in an antique secretary in the bedroom. It is a lovely old piece with a glass-front bookshelf on each side. I have a few books, a few antiques kind of casually stored there. It is a lovely display piece, and maybe it would be better situated in a different room, with small more expensive antiques or glass in it. Beading materials might need a better place to reside, or the shelves could serve to display and organize the work. Either way, I need to rethink what this desk is doing.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 03:36 PM

Has anyone tried the Bagster yet?

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 05:34 PM

:~( Bagster is not available in our area, DAMN. (Yet.)


SRS likes to call this next bit "counting coup." It does feel that way today, where thanks to community connections a number of items are flowing around to their better places.

OK, friends gave us a washer, and AC, and a heater to tote away because they were moving and they didn't need them but had to leave an empty house for their buyer, and on the quick. Their hired help loaded them and I duly drove them away. I agreed to pay for the lot. (We wanted the AC. It fits our main BR and will work up there, I think, despite wiring challenges.) So I asked around if anyone in need (locally) needed the heater or washer-- nope. I ran ads. Nope. Tho now that it is spoken for I did just get a call on that heater, dammit. But--

Next down the "food chain" in my get-rid-of-it flow is the nearby junk dealer we've known for years-- he cleared out our debris after our Dec. 2000 fire. "Sure, I'll take 'em, and I have a buyer for the heater, but I have no spare cash."

Suits me-- he usually has merch I want. So I peeled off to take a little lookie around the stock, and I have discovered where he tends to put the "good stuff" (far from his cigarillo's). BINGO!

I was looking for a dresser that would fit up the VERY narrow attic stairway. I got, instead, a low, many-shelved white bookcase (MATCH!), and a tall, slim, metal (2-door) locker with many shelves (MATCH!), AND a really nice wing chair WITH matching ottoman I "need" for the silly little landing-room outside our main bedroom-- which has always worked best as a sitting room. Couldda been a nursery. It's an odd little space that leads to other hallways and rooms in the once-divided-up second floor of the main house. I decided to declut the storage crapola that has been sitting there as a project for next week, and put it back to a sitting area, because if we take hunters in the rentable room we will want an upstairs lair of our own the weeks we yield the LR/cable TV to them.... we have a nice TV up there, but we lack the space and one of two easy chairs (have second).

Well, we dazzled the junk man again, and waltzed off with the whole lot. The tall locker, I didn't really "NEED," and would have left it there if we could not close the deal, but they loaded it all up and I already know where to put it ALL. I have ugly wooden shelves up in that attic room that need some work-- I can do THAT next spring and put that locker up there NOW, with pretty (cheap!) shelfpaper to serve as a dresser. And it is skinny enough to go up those stairs, and there is a tall wall to hold it where it will look like it was built to match the white iron bedstead for the double bed. TOO CUTE!

The wing chair (sturdy, good wood under new upholstery) came with a matching ottoman, also just re-upholstered. The ottoman is narrower than the one I was using in the LR-- much better for my shortie legs-- and the green one can go up with the small pink wing chair of choice, while this newer, larger one sits in my LR as the "spare" by the front door where a chair is needed but seldom used. (The dusty-salmon-pink one coordinates with the landing colors-- MATCH!)

The bookcase? In the attic room, where a smaller brown one now sits. The brown can sit outside the room door (in the tiny landing) to store spare lightbulbs and anything else not needed INside the space. The brown one is very shallow and will hug the wall plus be low enough for generously-sized hips to pass (mine)!

I think this metal locker locks, too, which any occupant (incl us) will appreciate. LOL, now that I think of it-- it looks just like a ladies' gun locker, and I AM advertising for hunters....

YEE-HAHHH!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Micca
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 06:43 PM

Life is a terrible trickster. Tomorrow I have to clean for the house concert - Seamus was visiting so it was pointless to vacuum. Now Micca is loose in my kitchen preparing a special meal. Hope he can keep it off the ceiling. Our Micca is an enthusiastic chef.
LOL
SINS, spoiled for an evening.

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Micca
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 06:44 PM

SINS above and here. He usurped my cookie.

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Oct 10 - 12:55 AM

I thought it unusual that Micca would post on this thread.

Susan, it sounds like you had quite a bartering trip, and yes, that report amounts to counting coups!

Took photos tonight at a very sparsely attended meeting at the library. Most of our folks were either at the Rangers/Yankees game in town, or home watching. And since the Rangers will be going to the World Series next week, I'm sure they are glad they chose to watch the game. :)

We had a bit of rain here this evening, I could tell by the puddles on the road as I approached the bridge near the house. So tomorrow there may be some good weeding, and hopefully any more rain holds off until I can finish my mowing. I've cleared the hall, I mentioned that, but I think I'll set some of these things from my office and front room in that hall so that tomorrow I notice, then can sort through and either toss, recycle, or consolidate some of the things that were probably waiting to be filed. They may not be needed or wanted, so a trip to the recycle bin for paper would be nice tomorrow.

Off to bed with Harry Potter. I'd like to finish another couple of books at least before the next film comes out. I'm on book three (Prisoner of Askaban) right now.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: ragdall
Date: 23 Oct 10 - 04:48 AM

We made it to Edmonton this afternoon. Tried to sneak in some shopping on the way to the birthday party but got trapped in very slow moving traffic on the highway. Spent two hours going a distance that should have taken less than 30 minutes. The store closed for the night before we got there.

It was nice to see everyone who came from out of town to surprise our soon to be 40 year old son. A full day of group activity is planned for tomorrow, starting with breakfast. Sunday, we'll head back to BC. The weather forecasters are warning there will be snow.

rags

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Oct 10 - 10:57 AM

I'm seeing Andrea homing in on her place.........>>>>>>>> GOGOGOGO!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Oct 10 - 01:10 PM

Sorted the contents of a box on the floor in my office, with some in the shredder, some in the recycle bin, and the stuff on my desk (again) needs to be filed, or perhaps recycled after a closer look. But the box is off the floor.

Will list a few small things on eBay this morning since my first choice of activity, mowing the lawn, is out. The lawn is still too moist.

Did a weigh-in this morning. I tend to feel a sense of accomplishment each time I get into the next lower unit of 10 pounds (you know, 50, 40, 30, 20). I'm into the next lower 10, just barely.

Depressing music on my classical station and a depressing topic on This American Life. Looks like it's time to fill the CD changer. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Oct 10 - 02:53 PM

Now here's some non-depressing classical music! (Watch it to the end, the whole thing is charming. This 3-year-old really knows the piece.)

Photographed some items to list on eBay. The rain has poured this afternoon, so no mowing this weekend.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Oct 10 - 03:24 PM

Looks as though my decluttering may be on hold for a bit. Rog stepped off a small step ladder, the wrong way, on Thursday at work, and managed to fracture two bones in his right heel! He kept working because "it didn't hurt much," but by the time he came home he couldn't put any weight on it at all. Didn't want to go to hospital, so yesterday morning, when he realised it was worse than he thought, we went to Urgent Care, spent most of the day there and at the hospital in xray and CAT scan, as they thought two other small bones might be broken, they're not, thank goodness. So, they splinted it until the swelling from ligament stress goes down. He's to get a cast on Monday. So, I am chief cook, chauffeur, bottlewasher, hunter-gatherer, etc., etc.

I did a few things yesterday, mostly making sure Rog was comfortable and keeping his foot elevated. The doc asked if we wanted a wheelchair, but we told her, from my experience, an office chair works much better in this house, esp. with no arms on it. So he's got that plus crutches.

We hired Morgan for the morning, to help me. He vacuumed; took up a wood strip between the hall floor and living room floor so Rog can get over it more easily with the chair; carried a laundry basket back to the bedroom; and, went grocery shopping with me. Little too rambunctious and excited, BUT he was able to load ALL of the groceries for me from the cart to the space inside the side door of our minivan. By then, I called my daughter for more troops. I knew he'd need my help to get it all in the house and I was not up for it, so my SIL came over, carried all the bags in in two trips which would have taken us several, and I sent Morgan home with a five dollar bill with a promise of another when he comes back tomorrow to help with the litter boxes and mopping. He wants to do those, esp. the mopping! Oh, and he's going to do the trash, too. His mom also promised him five dollars if he got a good report from me. Which he did, of course.:-)

If I get some rest, I may try to get more put up on etsy and the bookstore, tomorrow, and I have jewellery supplies which should be here by Tuesday. Monday we go to the doc's to get the cast.

You know, I am grateful it was only his foot. I realise how much Rog does for me and sometimes wonder what I would do if something happened to him. His heart is in good shape and all of his bloodwork is fine; but extreme job stress can take its toll and there's been a lot of that, lately. With this, I am getting a good idea of what it would be like in some ways and I get to do so with him intact, so to speak, right here with me, so it may sound a bit odd, but I am grateful it was only his foot. Heck of a way to finally get him to take some time off, though! And, he will be right back in there, cast and crutches as soon as the doc says okay. It is Workman's Comp, so I KNOW he will have to listen to them!

Thanks for listening. I am off for a lie down, then late lunch.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Oct 10 - 04:46 PM

Kat, you and Morgan pamper Rog as much as he'll let you. Sometimes when the shoe is on no ones foot (so to speak) like this, you find those inner resources you haven't tested for a while. I think you'll come out of this feeling better about your coping skills and realize your health is improving.

I've decided to offer a flurry of small items on eBay this afternoon, assuming the power stays on. Storms have flowed over the area quite a bit today.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: SINSULL
Date: 24 Oct 10 - 12:08 AM

HMMMMMM
How does Morgan feel about older women? At this rate he will earn more than I do.
Keep Roger off his feet, Kat. And watch your own stress levels.
Sorry.
SINS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Oct 10 - 01:56 AM

Whew! There were seven shirts of various sizes and colors left from a bunch of shirts from the fast food place where my daughter's roommate worked in high school. These hung on the corner of the wire shelves in my pantry and were in the way. This evening I photographed and listed them all. I started them low enough so there might be some interest, and now they're in the system if they don't sell I can hold them a little while and relist later.

They're packed and the envelopes are in their own plastic bin in the sun room so I don't lose track of any of them. Two auctions end tomorrow, both have watchers, one has bids. I've just finished getting one last one listed, some expired HP ink cartridges my ex gave me a few months ago. We thought they might go in my neighbor's printer, but hers is a different size. Even expired, they might sell if the price is right. I find that if I don't have any investment in them myself it's easier to start them at .99 and that tends to bring a higher price in the end.

A note to folks who are considering posting to eBay: I've stopped using Chrome to list items, because it seems to block the preview screen. It may be that it sees this as a popup, but I find Firefox doesn't block me when I work, so I stay with that browser.

Tomorrow I have to do some laundry and general cleaning, but I'll see if I can get some more stuff listed. I think I may shift over to doing some work at Mahalo also, because for all of the work that is involved with this listing, I could spend the same time at Mahalo and earn more cash. I've been doing my reference library stuff over there for a while, though I dropped off at the end of the summer when they changed their payment scheme. I'd have to agree to X amount of work to earn cash, but I think that would work out okay for me.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Oct 10 - 01:00 PM

OK, I have a week's worth of days to fill up keeping busy-- each afternoon can be one declut.

Today: Laundry, dishes
Monday: Landing sitting room part 1; regular upstrs chores
Tuesday: Sitting room part 2, next pix for attic room, trash
Wednesday: More laundry, clean dnstrs loo
Thursday: Vac office, hallway, & sitting room
Friday: Clean laundry room
Saturday: Police porches
Sunday: Pack for my W Va. trip
Monday: Get ready for my departure

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: maire-aine
Date: 24 Oct 10 - 02:09 PM

Laundry is almost done; the last load is washing now. Looking around the basement, I noticed that it is TOTALLY DRY all around the edges, even after the rain we had the last two days. It's because I had the drain cleaned out this summer. Somebody (the plumber) finally explained to me that I have a French drain

around the edges of my 1920's basement, and how it worked. Who knew??? It being dry now, will make the house feel warmer this winter, I hope.

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Oct 10 - 03:27 PM

What do you do to clean a French drain? I thought about one for my yard, until we finally figured the culprit in the water on the living room floor was an incorrectly mounted gutter over the back door. Funneling it into the chimney cracks instead of away from the house.

Laundry is also in here. Seems a shame, with such a new high-tech machine to only use it a couple of loads of laundry a week. That will vary, if anyone comes home for the summer or long breaks from school.

I'm about at the end of the first 2 weeks of this diet; the plan has you to shift over to a more varied but still low-carb dining for a couple of weeks. You can still lose weight on the maintenance part of the plan, but usually not as much. I've put a chicken to thaw in a tub in the sink and have a beautiful acorn squash to fix tonight. I'll add back some whole grains and more things like sweet potatoes and squash for the next couple of weeks. And I'll have some granola for breakfast.

The garden is producing some things big time, so I'll slice and freeze some peppers this afternoon. I need to also process more basil. Today what I pick will be trimmed (seed shoots) and hung to dry. I've frozen some of the leaves also. The garden needs weeding, but the hands have been tender. So far the things I've been testing haven't produced any positive results. It comes and goes, the sore cracks on my fingertips. It's a real pain, in more ways than one. Yes, I wear gloves of one sort or another.

Household-wise, it's coasting until payday. I have, however assembled a small stack of coupons that are worth using soon. I have one for a complimentary oil change that must be used this week. Since the August trip added 3,000 miles I'm ready for another oil change. The other coupons will only get used if I can manage real savings in using them (they take percentages off of purchases in places that are already less expensive than big box grocery stores).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: LilyFestre
Date: 24 Oct 10 - 04:46 PM

Laundry is in the works here too. One of the dogs got sick last night on Pete's chair so it has been taken all apart and the fabric washed, under pillow cleaned, etc. My kitchen is back to normal and I've been working on invitations...a struggle with my hands which haven't returned to normal (chemo induced neuropathy) just yet. I also spent some time handwriting letters today to folks that have been on my mind lately. I also spent time today tending to some extra grooming things for the dogs. :) WOOF. Eggs are washed for the week....although the hens aren't laying as many due to all the gas drilling/disturbances in the area. The loading of the dumpster has begun and will continue for the next week or so! Progress is GOOD!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: October+ fall declutter & accountability
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Oct 10 - 05:11 PM

Michelle, here is an article that might interest you, from our local paper today: waste water recycling from fracking and gas drilling.

SRS