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BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 06 Nov 10 - 03:56 PM Pulling out the tangle of sunflower limbs today. I know I'll have a gazillion seeds in my beds next year, but the birds will find quite a few. And I'm taking a lot of the limbs the long way round and dumping them on the back of my property over the creek. Maybe I'll have a sunflower jungle back there next year! Compact didn't sell, so I relisted at a lower price. Listed the typewriter. Have a few more things to list. Would love to move tons out of the sunroom this month. No elves built a new workbench in my garage overnight, despite the dream. Darn. It looked good! SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 06 Nov 10 - 11:46 AM It's a beautiful chilly fall morning. Last night when I was out running errands after dark I could smell the fall leaves and a few fireplaces were going. Trouble is, too many people run their fire places and impact the air quality on still days. But for now, it evokes warm feelings of autumn. There are several watchers on that compact and no bids, so I hope it is just a matter of experienced buyers waiting until the last minute to show their hands and drop in on it. I'll list the typewriter and then head out to work in the yard for a few hours. It really needs some attention. Part of this also is emptying the current hay out of the dogs' enclosure, sweeping out the area, and filling it with fresh. We need to winterize for them. I have a heater I set up out there when it gets really cold, mostly for the dogs but partly to keep the garage itself from freezing. I had a couple of strange dreams last night that I can only conclude are spin-offs from this thread. One was of me building an extension of the workbench along a side wall (where did all of the stuff go?) and another was I'm sure inspired by Andrea and her new house. Somehow I moved into a nifty looking house that was classic high Victorian, and started discovering all of the DIY wiring and odd placement of useful things and it culminated with discovering a back bedroom with a squishy floor. In this dream I moved to the edge of the room and pulled up the carpet to find another underneath, and another and another, down to 8 carpets resting solely on the beams, no floorboards. I woke up at that point! No way I could have bought a funky house like that without an inspector to discover odd rooms and fuses and wiring not up to code! Whew! SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: maire-aine Date: 05 Nov 10 - 08:12 PM I did take several of my upper cabinet doors off in the kitchen. It made things much easier to keep organized. The man is coming to install my new blinds in the livingroom on Monday. We had our first few snowflakes today. Just a few, and they melted as soon as they hit the windshield, but the real thing will be coming soon. Need to get my snowblower started (& serviced if necessary). It's supposed to be cold this weekend, but warm up a bit next week, so I'll finish up any outdoor chores then. M |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 05 Nov 10 - 03:21 PM Does he read? I hand-printed a short note to him. Nate Berkus is doing a program on choosing paint. He generally is kind of "design lite" most of the time, but maybe there will be a useful tip or two. All of the cabinets in my house match my paneling in the living room. One of these days I need to make the plunge and start painting. And cabinets are likely to be where I start. It's also tempting to take the cabinet doors off, at least on top. I also need to re-do one of the lower cabinets, so I can put all of my flat baking sheets in one place, on edge, and they're easy to pick up and put back. But that is wishful thinking, for when I have the time and money to start that kind of project. Back to work. . . SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: katlaughing Date: 05 Nov 10 - 02:13 PM Oh, no, I hope you haven't started and avalanche, SRS! :-) He is going to be so excited! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 05 Nov 10 - 12:35 PM ✔ Declutter accomplished via mail again today. Targeted at a little boy in Colorado! The rest of you, eat your hearts out! :) ♫ ♪ SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: SINSULL Date: 05 Nov 10 - 12:18 PM I agree SRS. I don't remember the last time I was in a mall. A fate worse than death. Laundry and romance. What an interesting life our Miss Kitty leads. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: katlaughing Date: 05 Nov 10 - 11:29 AM LOL, Sins. I can't do a real grumble with him as it is HER who I'd like to grumble at...I don't call it smart, I call it triangulation and it's gonna stop! And, honey, I haven't walked to a phone in ages...my cellphone is too handy, but I DO get your point and I AM grateful for the walking I am able to do! Time spent with him is precious, but can be overdone when it's been 630a, 730a several mornings in a row plus one whole day and one whole afternoon, plus some more in just one week! I raised three and like my mornings for getting up s-l-o-w-l-y and peacefully.:-) I've just been informed we don't have go to work until the afternoon, so I have a load of wash in, may do the dishes, and get to that novel. It's actually turning out to be really fun, even a little bit of romance. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 05 Nov 10 - 11:04 AM Who goes to the mall? I avoid it like the plague most times. Still eating my diet breakfast of dry toast and fruit each morning. It's homemade whole wheat bread, so it isn't so bad. The rest of the day is the "maintenance" diet that you eat between the "real" diet weeks. Next week I start up that weight loss 2 weeks of the diet, and I think I've cleared the fridge down enough that I won't have as much food go unused. I'll pull the meat portions out of the freezer as I need them, I won't be staring at a whole chicken getting old as the schedule doesn't allow using it very fast. I decided rather spontaneously a month ago to do this, so the contents of the fridge hadn't gone through the subtle shift from forbidden to approved foods and frozen portions. Now it's set for more fruits and veggies (that can't hurt!) but little bread, no potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc. I don't think he lets the winter squash in either. I have a small acorn squash that I'll eat over the weekend. Still moving stuff around the house, reassigning shelves, etc. I have to winterize some of the garden this weekend. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: SINSULL Date: 05 Nov 10 - 09:10 AM LOL kat. She was smart enough to have Morgan call with his request. Somehow I don't hear a sincere grumble. Time spent with Morgan is precious. Plus, I remember when just walking to the phone was too much for you. Celebrate being well enough to be on the To Be Called list. Love you, Marigold By the way, guys, Christmas is just around the corner. Is it time for our annual bitch about saccharine Christmas music in the mall? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: maire-aine Date: 04 Nov 10 - 11:21 PM My next-door neighbors moved out today-- a nice young couple with 3 adorable little kids. I'll miss them; they were real nice neighbors, but I understand that they needed more room. The house has been sold & they sign the papers tomorrow. Haven't met the new owners (they hadn't met them either), but I expect to meet them over the weekend. All I know is they're another young couple, and they're anxious to move in. Maryanne |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: katlaughing Date: 04 Nov 10 - 08:34 PM I got a call at 730 this morning, "Mama, my mom *needs* you to take me to school." Grumble, grumble...okay. So, I was off to get him at 8a, then back home. Did a few things on the PC, ate breakfast, then gathered up Rog, picked up dau., dropped her at work, then took Rog to work. We were supposed to only be about an hour. Wound up being there until lunch time. Stopped at the health food store on the way home and the post office. I put away the Halloween things and brought in the gargoyle which sat out on the front steps all spring and summer on the lower shelf of a verdigris wrought iron plant stand which I will also bring in for the winter, tomorrow. Rog and I both gathered up trash bags from the kitchen and elsewhere, then Morgan took them out for us this afternoon. He also carried in two reams of paper for me from the car. He was going to put his name on one and mine on the other. HIS were going to be for the little paper books he makes with my oversized stapler and folded in half sheets. I told him he was not getting 500 sheets of paper for anything!:-) I also reminded him that I always give him what he needs for his projects. I am trying to be content with doing little things for now. My etsy store is languishing. I think I will put up a note so folks don't think I am a complete idiot. On to noveling. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: mouldy Date: 04 Nov 10 - 08:07 PM The house has been a holiday let for several years,and so the phone was disconnected. It was only a couple of days to process it, and allocate me a number. I now want to shift over to Sky as a provider, as I was with them before, but they have to take the line over from BT who actually own the exchanges. This is the process that takes a couple of weeks,and until then I will have no internet. Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 04 Nov 10 - 08:00 PM It's a wonderful cool evening here. Lots of puttering around the house to do. Our fall in Texas comes later than for the rest of you. We haven't heard from Alice in a while - is she busy weather-proofing? Haven't heard from several others for a while. I hope a few more will report in. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: LilyFestre Date: 04 Nov 10 - 12:06 PM Ah yes! Here it is, a brand new day and things are MUCH better. I needed that time to curl up and not exist. Today's work includes laundry, dishes, errands, keeping the fire going and the floors. Exercise.....wait for it..... YOGA!!!!!!!!!! YAHOO!!!! I found a sitter that I am very comfortable with...I knew it the first time she held Jeremiah. YAY! So...yoga is now back in the regular swing of my life (not as often as I'd like....but it's a start!!). |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 04 Nov 10 - 10:57 AM Andrea, was the house you're buying not already wired for phone? Don't they just flip a few switches or do a few keystrokes and move phones over there? Or will you be changing companies? And do you have to get a new number? We have 3-digit area codes here so the seven numbers unique to the house can be used in other areas. Do they do something like that in the UK? The heat came on early this morning. I have it set at about 66 for overnight. It still tends to warm from the outside and the sun during the day, so it'll probably be a couple of more weeks before it comes on during the day. The house slab slowly cools after holding the average temperature from a very hot summer. We're getting set to run an inventory of every book and disk, reel, or item in the library. There are about 1.3 million discrete items. All hands on board. Training for my office starts this afternoon. I'll have to take sudafed every time I go into the stacks because of the dust, and I'll have to wear gloves. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: SINSULL Date: 04 Nov 10 - 09:42 AM Staring at the boxes that still have to go down to the basement. Maybe I will be motivated this weekend. Weighed myself and have gained nothing - amazing. Now to start losing again. I want a picture of that vampire, kat WITH make up. SINS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: mouldy Date: 04 Nov 10 - 03:22 AM Back down in Yorkshire after a day or two in Belford. Going back up full-time tomorrow with the cat, so I will have to find a free connection till I get mine transferred back to Sky. Got the phone line basically connected with BT, so now I have to start the transfer process, which can take a couple of weeks or so. I have a contact for a local builder who will be able to have a look at the guttering (which might only need re-bracketing in some places). The heating is on, and the house smells lovely and damp. got a tv working...all is well. So far. Andrea |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: katlaughing Date: 03 Nov 10 - 11:47 PM That is a cute photo. I'd heard that about burglars, too. I think our neighbours' dogs, all the way round us, plus the goat next door, would stave off any attempts in our neighbourhood, but I have felt a bit less safe without Merlee here. With Rog here because of his foot, it's not so much that way, but we do need to think about it, later. Morgan was a stunningly handsome, classic vampire for Halloween. his dad did his makeup and hair and did a fantastic job...his red hair was slicked down to a point on his forehead, his eyes were rimmed with black while his face was deathly white with bright red lips and of course fangs to bite with. I bought him a black cape with red lining. Unfortunately none of us got pix, so I've asked him for a re-dress...he says everything but the makeup! I have been at work with Rog and at my own appts., but did finally get started on decluttering a novel in my head onto paper, so to speak. To manage 50,000 words in thirty days, the average day must have 1666 words. I've written only twice since just after midnight of the 31st and have managed 4001, so I am only down 997 from that daily goal for the past three days. We are off to work again tomorrow morning, only for a couple of hours, but I may take the laptop and work on it there. We've also got to go to the health food store. I've been getting a lot of walking done as I go to the store, post office, etc., etc. all those things Rog usually does, sometimes with me in tow.:-) Went off the rails the past two weeks with diet, running around too much, too stressed, but today started a new week and I have started out well. Thanks, SRS, for the link to Dr. Weil. I love that guy! Heard him on NPR years ago and bought a couple of his books. It's good to be reminded of the good he teaches. My house is a disaster right now. Rog has moved into the kitchen, a lot, at his "command center," as he's doing work-related stuff on the computer most of the day, plus it's easier for him to get ready for a shower whilst sitting in his office chair which he uses to scoot down the hallway, so his dirty clothes wind up going right into the washer which is by the back door. He is a very messy engineer anyway...his office at work looks as chaotic as his spot here, BUT he knows where everything is. It's pretty amazing. I was really proud of him, today. They had on a live conference of the President and were getting ready to go to another live feed from Denver when the whole building lost power. I could hear him sending people around to check this and that, the generator kicked in, and he was so calm and efficient during the whole thing, scooting around in the dark on another office chair, making sure everything came back up the way he'd engineered it to do. (It did!) It's tiring for him, though. Monday we see the doc to see if he can wear a boot, but probably still no weight on it...they said for at least 6-8 weeks. So, probably not much decluttering getting done around here. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 03 Nov 10 - 11:18 PM Moved a cabinet in my office, I like the look. I can still reach my window, but I can also see my calendar now. The television was on top of that cabinet, and looks good in the corner, and it is easy to glance over at it when I'm on the computer. I have other moves in mind. After a wonderful long walk with the dogs, dinner was a portion of lamb and the last of the acorn squash reheated. Mmmmm! I have another one to bake later this week. :) They really are good. (Cut in half, scoop out seeds, put cut side down on oiled foil on baking sheet. Put in 425o oven for 1 hour 15 minutes. Enjoy!) I bought a boneless leg of lamb at Sam's this week, a little over 4 lbs. This evening I cut it up (taking most of the fat off of the outer edges) and packaged it in 4 - 6 ounce packages and it is in the freezer. Tonight's dinner was from that work. I've been looking at and making a shift over to Dr. Andrew Wiel's "anti-inflammatory food pyramid" (link). Small portions of meat and filling up on veggies and whole grains and beans is what he recommends. I was watching Dr. Oz last week and he showed a blood test on a woman with a healthy diet after having her eat a fast food burger meal. The blood serum was literally cloudy from all of the junk fat in the food. Makes me look at the congealed fat in the pan after cooking a steak and thinking twice. And three times. I like red meat, but I'll keep my portions very small. The news is on (and it is sweeps month) so they had an interview with a convicted burglar. He said the one best way to keep burglars away from your house (after you've left lights and a radio on) is to have a dog. "Burglars won't mess with houses with dogs." That's why I have my two pooches; their presence helps keep the house safe (after a burglary in 2005) and the by-product is the unconditional love they offer every time I come home. It's a win-win set up! (That's a doggie "high five" in that photo - Cinnamon, the pit bull, loves to give Poppy kisses. Poppy tolerates it.) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: ragdall Date: 03 Nov 10 - 11:10 PM I spent three hours loosening soil and removing rocks and roots from my flower bed. It's all raked over evenly now, ready for me to add a layer of compost to it tomorrow. Then I can finally plant at least 50 of the 100 tulip bulbs that I bought over a week ago. I must also make a run to the community compost bins at the transfer station with all the roots and other plants that I removed in the past few days. Now that that flower bed is empty, I can relocate some Forget-me-not, daisies and mallow plants from other beds, making those beds less cluttered also. I hope that my hands will work better tomorrow. At the moment they are sore, swollen and inflexible. I need to get everything finished tomorrow as the prediction is for freezing daytime temperatures after that. On the bright side, if the ground will be frozen from now until spring, I won't have to worry about cats accidentally digging up my bulbs. rags |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 03 Nov 10 - 08:27 PM Michelle, a hot bath might fit nicely with an evening like that also! I need to go give my beautiful Mexican tile walls a scrub because they pick up soap from showers. Now that we're into cool weather it is bath season, and I like the tile to be shiny and a work of art (since I put it up I like to admire my handiwork!) I understand the feeling. I think the nap I took today helped a lot with the same kind of feeling. "Don't bother me, I want to mope." The walk with the dogs was good, though, and helped my mood a bit. We wove around several blocks, looking for acorns under some of the red oaks. The rain over the last 2 days seems to have washed a lot of them away, it was slim pickings this evening. A friend emailed to tell me that a friend of his has a bit part in a program I don't watch often, but I'll watch it tonight in solidarity with my friend. I have had some more furniture moving ideas, so I may turn the television so I can see it from across the room and push and shove a few things to see what they look like. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: LilyFestre Date: 03 Nov 10 - 07:13 PM Received results for my tumor marker today (excellent news) and also the results for some more standard health bloodwork testing which needs some attention. Motivaton for me to start doing a bit more. I'm feeling highly unsocial today and haven't done one darn thing around this house other than to take care of the baby. I intend to indulge in this wallowing or whatever it is for the rest of the night. I need to get it out of my system and tomorrow is a whole, new day filled with activity and plans. As for tonight, pass the Kleenex, get out the extra quilt, put on my softest socks and my biggest, most comfy sweats and leave me alone. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 03 Nov 10 - 06:50 PM Keep up the activity to keep the weight off, Catherine! I think more than half of the work of a diet and weight loss is keeping up the good habits once you reach your goal. I just took a nap that felt so good - over the last couple of days there has been so much going on, both in the world and in my work and life that my brain has knotted up. Figuratively, of course. But when you reach that tired point that it says "take a nap NOW" that nap can make such a big difference. I kind of woke about half-way through the time I allotted myself and it's like I could feel issues sorting themselves out. This is the power of a power nap. Out for a walk with the dogs before it gets dark. The sky cleared this afternoon, so we'll go enjoy it. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Catherine Jayne Date: 03 Nov 10 - 05:46 PM 4 mile brisk walk tonight and a body pump class. Should have reminded myself I have had 5 weeks off from this class and should have reduced my weights for a couple of classes! Big bag of kids clothes sent to the charity shop today. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 03 Nov 10 - 10:16 AM Wallet decluttered as most bills were paid.
Kat, when you come up for air, tell us what Morgan did for Halloween? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 02 Nov 10 - 10:27 PM The day has come when I need to switch the setting on my air conditioner from cool to heat. The filters have been changed, and for now, I'll set the main house heat pump on warm so it comes on at night when I'm in that part of the house if it gets really cool. My office area stays fairly warm with the computer and such running when I'm in here. I have a fireplace that doesn't draw worth a darn, so I no longer build fires in it. I have a mirror and a candle stand on a plank on top of the fire log thing in the fireplace. I need to clean all of the heavy cobwebs out now and clean the mirror at the back and re-fill the stand with candles. They look beautiful in there in cold weather and whether a fire or candles, the light is warming on cold days. Beautiful fillet of catfish and a half a baked acorn squash for dinner. I opened a bottle of Shiraz to have have a glass this evening. Take the edge off of the occasional voter results I hear if I turn on the radio. After 8 years of Bush making a mess, you'd think people would know it would probably take a dozen years to fix the problem, not 2. Sheesh. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: ragdall Date: 02 Nov 10 - 07:15 PM Thanks to those who suggested disposal by fire. It's worth considering. Maybe I could get a permit for a small fire and burn them on his Yahrzeit? rags |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 02 Nov 10 - 06:04 PM Those are huge photos in Catherine's link, so be patient for them to load! Great shots, the few I looked at. I've identified the next eBay listing, I decided I'd go for something bulkier. An old electric typewriter "word processor" that people still buy, amazingly. It's one I kept thinking I might one day need a typewriter. Nope. Not once in all of these years. There are some old cartridges to go with it. That'll make a little more room on the floor in the sun room! No exercise (dog walking) with this rain, but I need to start exercising with some of the videos I have here. They get boring after a while, but over the years I picked up clearance tapes at the Half Price Books in the neighborhood so I can switch around for variety. Yes, I still have a VCR. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Catherine Jayne Date: 02 Nov 10 - 05:03 PM Had a busy month last month but now getting back on track. Only put on 5lbs over the celebrations and with havign to take steroids for my chest but now I'm almost back to full strength and have started my exercises again. Body pump, body combat and spinning are all back in routine this week. Wedding was fantastic, a real fairy tale, photographers pics here Got a list as long as my arm for the house. Bedroom to be finally decorated. Twins beds are nearly sorted and their room to be decorated. All thank you cards have been written and posted. My brother is back in the country on leave, I'm just really happy he is home safe adn we're hoping to meet up soon. Building working of the new kitchen is coming along nicely. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 02 Nov 10 - 11:41 AM I was up really late last night finishing a project for work, so I'm taking a few hours off today. By the time I finished this computer was running so slowly. I know the writing is on the wall, it's time for a new one (I've reached a couple of upgrade limits - it is five and a half years old, and for a computer used in my work, that's getting elderly). I'll have to build my own, and I'll have my son assist (it'd go faster that way) but I'll have to save up for this. Or find an eBay goldmine! ;) Just talked to my boss, he saw it and loves it! That's so nice! I made sure it was a real eye-catcher. :) I want to concur with the note from our drop-in guest; fire is a satisfactory way to deal with a number of problems like this. Sometimes a small campfire or burning barrel has a tremendously cathartic effect. I prefer out-of-doors versus a fireplace or a trash burner stove - you don't know what you might be releasing in the smoke. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: katlaughing Date: 02 Nov 10 - 10:44 AM That's what I've told my family to do with anything leftover of my stuff that they don't want or can't pass on to friends, etc. Burn it up, as guest said, clean and final. Other than that, rags, I agree with SRS, completely. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: GUEST,Bizibod Date: 02 Nov 10 - 09:25 AM In a similar position once myself. Didn't want to keep it, couldn't just throw it away, so had a small fire and respectfully consigned it to the flames.Clean and final. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: ragdall Date: 02 Nov 10 - 03:42 AM SRS, Thank you for the time and effort you put into your response. It's very helpful. I looked through the box once, seven years ago, and haven't been able to make myself go through it again. I don't remember anything that was likely to be of historical interest. It is a collection of mementos of significant events, people and pets in one man's very limited life. I will look again before discarding anything. rags |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 02 Nov 10 - 01:50 AM Did he go to college? Was there anything in his effects that might have some local history appeal, that you could donate to the Special Collections in his university library? Or is there a historical association in his town? My sister gave things from my mother's estate to a couple of local museums - military uniforms and such (she was a WAC in WWII). My Dad's music and such are here, and will one day be donated to a museum or library. Your friend was desperate, depressed, and leaned on you to take care of what he left behind. But he did it in a way that wasn't entirely fair to you, so I think that while we both understand there is an honorable way to deal with these things that you will try to achieve, if it gets to be too much, chuck it. Don't let his baggage weigh you down. Okay? I can tell you from first-hand experience that baggage can affect your health, your personal relationships, your life. So if it starts to take a toll, pass it on. Take care - SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: ragdall Date: 01 Nov 10 - 11:49 PM I will have a difficult declutter task in the future. I'm hoping to gain some perspective by soliciting input from the people who frequent this thread. I had a very close friend whom I met online. We chatted online and talked on the phone for hours every day. The only time that we ever met face to face, he flew many miles for a week long visit with my husband and me. Over seven years ago, despite my efforts to persuade him otherwise, he took his own life. Because I was the one who called the police when I hadn't heard from my friend for a couple of days, the police mailed me copies of the police report, his will and the letter he'd left for them to find. There was more than enough money to pay for cremating his remains, but it took me four and a half months and many, many long distance phone calls to find someone who could get his body out of a county morgue and cremated. They finally laid him to rest on Halloween - how fitting. Any of his money that was left went to two charities. His furniture, clothing, etc., went to charity thrift stores. Some time later, I had a phone call from a county lawyer advising me that my friend's "personal effects" had been left to me. I told the lawyer that I didn't want them, but in due time a large box (30 inch cube) of photos and printed materials arrived at my door. I don't know what to do with my friend's personal belongings. I haven't been able to bring myself to just toss it all in a rubbish bin. That seems as if I'd be treating my friend as if his life meant nothing. As much as I loved my friend and cared about him, I really don't want to keep his baby pictures, high school yearbooks, polaroid photo collection, old family photos, etc.. I have too much clutter of my own that I need to get rid of. In the letter the police found, my friend wrote that he had no living relatives. I know that wasn't true. He wanted nothing to do with any relatives, but there were some. To the best of my knowledge, he detested them. I think I may be able to find some of these people from clues in my friend's parents' obituaries. Should I try to find them and ask if they want anything from his belongings, knowing that would probably be the last thing my friend would want? Should I just toss the box in the rubbish? Is there another choice that I haven't considered? What would you do? Thanks, rags |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 01 Nov 10 - 07:44 PM Gnu, do you have a new and unusual diet plan? I just decluttered the back yard of one dead young possum whose mother is going to wonder where he got to. Sad, to say, like the miller's daughter, he is swimming away with the tide (of the creek, that is). SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: gnu Date: 01 Nov 10 - 07:36 PM No exercise here - suspended - but I have been losing more weight. Sommat about a hemerrouge that just puts you off yer apperaturetite. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: LilyFestre Date: 01 Nov 10 - 07:28 PM Lots of walking today, a few miles at the very least. I was out most of the day so not much got done around the house other than dishes and laundry. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 01 Nov 10 - 06:27 PM I answered this once, but it didn't stick. I'm not worried about saleability after this kind of work, though if anything, it would be easier to sell without that goofy dip in the middle of the house. And it would be so much easier to arrange and move furniture around here without a step to look out for. The step kind of breaks up the way the space looks, and there are two wrought iron rails to keep people and things from going over the step from the kitchen/dining area. Those of us who pay for flood insurance might also see a benefit. It would make our houses look just a little higher above the creek, and that could help lower costs. Concrete guys are barely English speakers, the boss doesn't turn up until it's time to inspect and collect payment. My neighbor will let me know when she thinks that is. I don't want to call the guy out on a purely speculative question, but if he's here already, I'd have him step inside and take a look. Three packages dropped off at the post office, and one more invoice just sent. These are small items, but I have a whole bunch more of small items to work on, so I'll stay busy. Clearing that sun room of eBay stuff would be wonderful! :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: GUEST,mg Date: 01 Nov 10 - 02:20 PM I would check with local realtors to see if that is done and how it affects your salability and also if you have an assumable mortgage if it affects that in any way...there could be reasons in terms of financing, house inspection etc. not to do this, or it might not matter at all. mg |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: maire-aine Date: 01 Nov 10 - 01:51 PM I de-cluttered the leaves from the lawn. If we rake them out to the street, the city will vacuum them up & compost them. The worst is the magnolia, with the heavy leaves, but it's completely dropped now. The rest are about 80%, so I'll have to rake once more. Also planted 2 hardy mums, that I bought on sale for 99-cents each. Maryanne |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 01 Nov 10 - 01:48 PM After the sales ended yesterday I have three packages ready to go when the postal carrier comes by after lunch. Two other items with bids end this evening. Every little bit helps with this de-clutter (and my bank account smiles upon the process)! The concrete guy who is working on my neighbor's driveway is there now, so I'll talk to him in a bit. It's mostly curiosity now, information to stow away for later. But if we both decided to fill in our den floors, then maybe he'd give us a bulk rate (there's another one with a step down den on the other side of me also. Who knows, it could be a sweep on this end of the block! And six inches can make a difference when you pay flood insurance.) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: wysiwyg Date: 01 Nov 10 - 01:09 PM Great thread-start, SRS. Don't spin off anything on my account. === Great lunch with new strong-woman-friend, found via FreeCycle. Many barters referenced in Oct. thread completed today; many more contemplated incl CLEANING (caps for emph and to save HTML time). My abbrv's are in a thread of that name if anyone wants to know one. I'm a dog person this month. I might be a cat peson next month. Play nice or I may have to hump you. :~) I had CAFF tdy, look out! Also multitasking bigtime as Mudcatter-in-disguise/matriarch-at-25 is on the way here with her fam and (modest) MONIES. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 01 Nov 10 - 10:08 AM My fridge is cleaner after a flurry of cooking and tossing yesterday. I have a casserole for meals this week and maybe taking a dish of it to work for a couple of folks who love eggplant. The Secret Santa list is growing. This is going to be a low-tech operation; I'm saving names in the left-hand side of a two column table. I'll print out two copies of the list and cut up one of them. I'll work my way down the intact copy of the list, placing folks for the matchup, and tape them down once it all fits. I suspect this long thing is going to live taped to the closet door in my office for the next few months. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 01 Nov 10 - 01:24 AM Here's the last thread. |
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Subject: BS: Nov 2010 Declutter & Exercise reports From: Stilly River Sage Date: 01 Nov 10 - 01:22 AM Busy time of year for all of us. Keeping track of the little (or big) successes is helpful, which is why we've been running these threads every month. It's a monthly thread because they get really long otherwise (for those who wondered and are dropping in to see what this is about). It's chat, of course, it's everyday lists, it's special lists, it's our keeping track of each other in our virtual neighborhood. It's Jerry's kitchen table, moved into the craft room or the living room or the garage, wherever we each determine we need to clear out some space, organize our stuff, or whittle down the stuff that has accumulated. I've sold several things on eBay the last few weeks, but in volume, it all probably wouldn't fill a milk crate. But it is progress (and has been nice to the PayPal and bank accounts!) And I've lost five pounds since I started working on it a month ago. As far as this month's title, Exercise is shorter than Accountability, but if we need to change it, I'm sure we can. I'm working on a spinoff in the next couple of days also. I've picked up another list of things to do, that of shuffling the Secret Santa names. We've all all be watching Liz struggle with health issues, and though she didn't say anything, I think the pressure of one more thing just didn't help (and she has had a bonkers computer). So I'm scrambling to pull this together this year, and will send out names late on Monday. Stragglers hopefully can be accommodated, but here's hoping the word gets out on Monday and everyone can hop on this bandwagon. If we all send small packages and use the packaging that gets it there fastest (like the priority packages we get here in the U.S.) then we should be okay, as late as it is. SRS |
