BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 07 Feb 11 - 12:21 AM

Made 8 quarts of chili on Saturday because I had soaked to many beans and had to do something. Then made a pot of potato-corn soup off the cuff since the potatoes needed to be used. Very good and unrepeatable! Grocery shopping in the midst, then computer and reading until we went out to supper - around the corner. A wonderful event because I was able to understand enough of the conversations to not feel left out.

One of the results of my environmental poisoning is auditory processing disorder (APD); I often have so much trouble processing that it seems as though everyone is speaking a foreign language. So it was fantastic to be a part of the event rather than just a silent attender.

It was special because our hosts were new friends, met on the street, but the father of the husband, we discovered, was an old friend (40 years) of Rob's! Wonderful conversation - geology, history, canoeing, music, and more. The husband is a musician, wife a lawyer for aboriginal people, mother a nurse, father ? and another guest helps anglophone groups in Quebec get funding for special projects. A totally delightful evening!

Today was laid back - Quaker Meeting, then business meeting, then home for lunch and do nothing - read paper/book/stuff on internet and, simultaneously, - SHOCK!!! - the super bowl "it's a cultural event" . "It's NOISE!" So he turned the sound down. We have closed captions because I understand next to nothing auditorily on TV.

Chili for supper, of course. Most of it went in freezer.

Ahh! Winter in Montreal. About 9 pm the sirens went and we had to dash out and move our vehicles for snow removal - otherwise they would be towed. So I had about a four block walk home when I finally found parking. There were signs up but I had not noticed them when we came home earlier. In the process, Rob flew off the top of the stoop and landed on his back - without breaking anything! Now he is in a hot bath.

As my 84 year old friend is fond of saying, "Life is fraught with hazard."

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Feb 11 - 02:07 AM

What a day you had, Dorothy!

I watched one of the movies, and now that I have it back in the sleeve and sat down to write a review at Netflix, it's going back in the mail. This was Eat Pray Love and I'd heard interviews with Elizabeth Gilbert, the author, speak about her trip, but the film tried too hard to show every step. Clearly I need to get my hands on this book.

The story as filmed was very similar to Under the Tuscan Sun, but Tuscan Sun was done much better. I read the book after seeing the film, and I loved it, but I don't look at the movie the same way (they made changes they didn't need to, and could have left in so much more, but then, that's a complaint I had about tonight's movie, so I guess they made the right choices!) I'm glad I made the time to sit down and watch it, just the same. There were some beautiful locales, but they took too long getting there.

Work day tomorrow. After a strange prolonged bout of bad weather, it will take a little catching up.

Stay warm, everyone, we're in for another blast of Arctic weather.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 07 Feb 11 - 07:11 AM

Actually LTS on the sofa....

Same old, same old here. The WiiFit tells me I'm 31, my knees tell me to add about 40 years to that. Tai Chi starts tonight, which could be interesting....

Decluttering has progressed a little... just another bag of paper to the recycling and a bag of fabric to the giant storage boxes in the computer room.... One day I'll get the card making stuff sorted and that will free up a shelf, onto which the other box of quilting fabric can go. I am decluttering that slowly by making more quilts - 2 children's, 3 adults to go - one of which is in the final quilting stages, and one still on paper. It's a slow job and seems to generate more clutter than it clears, but I can see the difference even if no-one else can! The purchase of a small table just to put the sewing project boxes on was a great help - they are out of the way and I have a useful surface to fill with cat. If I could just have a week of me in the house alone, with no-one else to bother about clearing space or cooking for, I might just make a decent go of the clearing.... but then again.... :-D

Enjoy the day all, stay warm if it's snowy, safe if it's icy and sane if you're anything else!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: LilyFestre
Date: 07 Feb 11 - 07:47 AM

Mission accomplished. Almost all my medical papers are in order, arranged by date and type of paper...whether it be appointments, referrals, hospital billing, insurance billing, etc. It wasn't hard, just a matter of sitting down and doing it. There are some remaining papers that I did not organize into a binder other than miscellaneous.....consent forms for chemo, paperwork on what ovarian cancer is,

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: LilyFestre
Date: 07 Feb 11 - 07:50 AM

(oops hit send too soon)

Anyway, the papers that brought instant and heavy tears were just set aside. They don't need to be in order. They just need to be together. I'm ok with that. Billing, fine. Actual procedural stuff just brings up too much. It's all together in one spot and I feel really good about getting it done.

Today's adventure includes hunting for a nightstand with drawers (for the living room), finding a carpet remnant that will cover more space than our current rug (for little ones to crawl on and stay warmer).

I hear chatter from upstairs...time to go get the baby and start the day! :) What a sweet, sweet sound!

Have a great day!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Feb 11 - 11:14 AM

Michelle, you'll have a lot of deductions for your 2010 income taxes, so sorting these papers now will make that job a lot easier.

This morning it is sunny, but we have another winter weather alert for tomorrow. Somehow that cold cold weather last week was enervating, I did finish the paperwork, but it doesn't feel like a lot. I'd love to sew for a whole week also, Liz!

It has been a few days since I offered a glimpse into the procrastination book. The chapter I'm reading now talks about what we imagine - those instances when we hesitate or put things off because we imagine a bad outcome (she calls this "fortune telling") or when we speculate on the emotions of others ("mind reading"). With fortune telling, we visualize possible outcomes and if a bad one occurs to us, it sometimes stops us in our tracks - she suggests if we think about it further, we'll realize that there are other more rational outcomes that are more likely to happen. And mind reading is anticipating the reactions of others and hesitating to act because of those fears of others' reactions. She refers to these types of assumptions as "thinking errors."

In a personal note, she says

If you are like me, you will be able to use the information in this book to begin to change. It will start with becoming more self-aware. With self-awareness comes choice. You will be able to choose to use your usual ways of coping, such as procrastination, or choose to use one of the kills from this book. Try to put the skills you learn into action as often as you can. Know that the urges tor emotions or instincts that make you procrastinate will not go away all at once.

Try to make the instances of procrastination less each day is the summation of those remarks. It's what I hope for.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Feb 11 - 11:57 AM

OK, the backlog of blog posts are up, tagged, dated, etc. The blog's owner has the info to carry it forward. A few things could be better organized-- he can say when, and I can coach him thru it. His orientation has been going well. I just have to crosslink in those last posts, and I'll be off to do that shortly.

A second blog has been started for a second owner, who has been sending me his stuff in doc form for some months. Five of the 23 posts I have are up. (He will be able to look at the above owner's blog to see how tags and excerpt were determined, and take over entering and managing his own posts soon.)

It's fun seeing how/what other folks think, and what messages they are putting out there-- some that they know they are sending, and some they may not always realize are as positive and powerful as they are. I always enjoyed seeing that in face-to-face org. consults. It's neat to do it at a distance for people I know and value.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 07 Feb 11 - 03:10 PM

SRS: The movie Eat Pray Love was better than the book, imo. I found the best part of the film was the scenery. I read the book hoping for something interesting but finished it disgusted. My son's 52 year old wife, a terrific writer, agreed -self-centred, expensive, navel gazing. However, we are both a bit off the wall. If you google Julie Quiring, she has some stuff posted on Salon. Her sense of humour is exquisite - imo!

32F here today!!!!! So I took a chair onto the front stoop and cleaned the HEPA filter for the shop vac, the only one I use - because it has a HEPA filter. It was long overdue. I took a pair of scissors with a rounded end and cleaned each ridge into a plastic sack, held very carefully to catch maximum dust, then held the sack closed and banged it against the stone wall, gently, to remove more. Wore a respirator throughout. About 40 minute job.

After noting on FB the need for worm composter - as my compost is now a 50 foot hike through the deep snow, I googled and found the best choice at the downtown University. placed an order on line on Saturday and this morning a young woman called to make an appointment. Tomorrow I go to the U and she will help me set it up and instruct me on the care and feeding. I am so looking forward to this!

Then I walked down to my car, thinking I would move it closer. But, there is very little legal, snow-cleared space nearby so, not needing to go anywhere, I left it there so I would not have a repeat of last night. It was a nice ten block round trip on a warm, cloudy day. Lightly snowing and more expected. Hope they clear the other side tonight or things could get difficult.

Reading about all this sorting of medical papers, I realize how fortunate I was when I had my breast C thing, five years ago. I was on medicare and a supplement. I just put all the incoming papers in a folder and forgot about them. Think I have gotten rid of them.

I discovered, and must keep reminding myself, that one reason for putting things off is the amount of time I THINK it will take - like putting in that zipper - less than an hour! or cleaning the filter - ditto. Things get built up in my mind and ....

We talked about the kitchen this am over brekkie. I presented my rough idea and "why wait?" The bugs need to be gotten rid of; most of the first floor removed, literally. Why keep putting it off? Reminded me that I have, or had, a KITCHEN file. Maybe it is in one of those boxes in the shed. Something to look for. Time to revamp the list of things to do.

I need to put more time into making the second floor a real living space. TO DO!

Now I need lunch!

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Feb 11 - 03:15 PM

Sunny now but cold coming our way again. I'll need to be more productive if we're snowed in again. I have stuff to do. This week is playing catchup at work for the delayed stuff.

I need to start up eBay again. The declutter component with less procrastination might clear out the sun room a little faster. I have a vision of what that room can look like once all of the stuff in there is sold and shipped.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Feb 11 - 01:43 AM

That skin thing is really healing now-- since I have had some time home-alone to run around knickerless to let a LOT of air get to it. OMG this one has been BAD! And it's not quite where you think it is. (It started as a bad scrape, is all, and damn near became a bed sore.)

I know, TMI-- but another thing that helped was NOT sitting-- applying healing salve and then staying upright as long as I could. I sure got a lot done that way....

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Feb 11 - 01:59 PM

;-D

The direct deposit from the gas royalties are now set up, and as I promised myself, it is being used only to pay bills. Ironic yet appropriate that gas royalties paid my electric bill this month! I switched companies so this was the final payment, and the rate I'm paying has now dropped from 10.1 to 8.1 per kwh.

In decluttering this week I've been clearing the counters in the kitchen of things that hadn't moved for a while, items that needed to be addressed (the non-grinding pepper mill, jars to the jar cupboard or the recycle bin, etc). All gone now.

Last night I made a batch of spaghetti sauce that was almost completely homegrown. I ran out of onions quite a while ago or it would have been a sweep. The garlic, herbs, tomatoes (chunk and sauce) and green peppers were all from my garden. I have more onions in the garden now, and despite the cold, they still seem to be growing.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Feb 11 - 07:28 PM

.... a lot done that way just in time to put pants on for Adrian the Handyman's scheduled visit today-- and did WE kick some butt.

A long-running problem has been dog dust in the house. A hard-to-address source of the dust has been the dog porch between their kitchen sleeping corner and Dog World. It has always had a rug for their walk-off mat, but it was always cheap, undersized rug scraps that never really laid flat. It would shift, but worse, it would ruck up and wrinkle so that no vacuuming could pick up the dust that, in spring mud season, is so bad we feel like we have horses in the house. And pigs and goats.

Today-- I'm having a hard time typing BTW due to the transports of Peanuts-like Snoopy-dancing-- we implemented My New Plan. The goal-- a dog porch Hardi can VACUUM as he now regularly vacs the kitchen and downstairs, with the big AccuSuck shop vac.

So-- we took pieces of scrap plywood (created as scrappage when the sleeping-attic shelving was replaced with a beautiful thrift shop locker), and cut puzzle pieces to fit the oddly-shaped floor in the dog porch. I had some leftover crappy ruggage we'd PURPOSELY left on the front porch in storage-- an old bath carpet that makes a good cutting-pattern for the periodically-replaced carpeting in the loo.

Anyhoo we "upholstered" the scrap-ply flooring's "puzzle pieces" with this, wrapping and staple-gunning it securely. ("Oh NO! Hardi away, my staple gun missing, what to DO!" Cell + landlord = joy.)

I can take the puzzle pieces out as needed for a thorough pressure-washing, and I can add new layers of ruggage as each loo carpet is recycled out of use and demoted to dogdom.

Removable cleats will hold the pieces down, around the perimeter, acting like baseboards. The cleats will ALSO improve the weather-proofing around the base of the dog porch. On Ade's next visit we plan to make a dog door to cut winter cold-air flow (from Dog World into their corner and MY COLD KITCHEN).

We cut and fit the ruggage so well that from a 6x9 piece, we had only a few handfuls of unused scrap to toss! And we had JUST enough plywood, too! I LOVE using up stuff!!! (STUFF!)

Then we addressed the last saved scrap of really-good carpeting Hardi and I'd gotten a year or so ago.... one piece had gone in my office, one huge one in the LR, one in the K, and Ade helped me lay a BIG piece up in the sailboats-bedroom a few months ago. THAT one was the newest, thickest, best grade of all the pieces. An odd-shaped remnant was left.... and PERFECTLY fit the dogs' sleeping corner, so that a years-muddy MESS that had sat there (to keep them off cold, bare, ceramic tiles) LEFT.

The old piece was duly bagged and saved-- it also makes a great cutting pattern. In mud season Hardi will take it to the carwash to blast the mud out, and it will go back into their corner one more time while this THICK winter one gets a good cleaning.


THE RESULT: The dogs' total indoor environment is now actually CLEANABLE, and the tax refund (tax lady called today, YAY!) is going towards a GOOD kitchen air-cleaner to supplement the little one we funded, which has been a champ; it was planned to go IN their sleeping corner and has pulled so much more dust out of the air than I had ever hoped. The new, BIG one will do even better; Ade will install the little one in their corner to reduce how much dust floats up above the barrier and into my DR.

Also on his next visit (2 weeks) we will build a mondo shelf unit out of 2x4's to take up the space the nasty, energy-hog fridge took up. Hardi always needs more storage space in the laundry room/mudroom. Adrian LOVES carpentry so HE will be in hog heaven, too.

Today's visit was courtesy of #1 son and DIL. Their gift $$ arrived while Ade worked, in the mail.

In between helping Adrian I finished the blog postings for the friend-- 23 postings at an average of 1,000 words each. LOVED seeing his writing mind and his heart in these-- a real privilege to be allowed to help, even at 23,000 words!

A little Tramadol and Aleve, and it's chairtime for me!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Feb 11 - 08:52 PM

Round two of the really cold stuff is on the way. I expect snow tomorrow (the prediction is at 100%) and the next day it is supposed to get down to 12. This is awfully cold for north Texas (not North Dakota!)

I did my shopping, I'm set to stay in for the next couple of days. I will see if I can get more done around the house this time.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: LilyFestre
Date: 08 Feb 11 - 09:47 PM

Today I made pancakes for all of us...so fun to watch Jeremiah try new things! Dishes done, loaf of bread made. Later in the day I had to take the car to the garage. I had some things fixed and parts needed to be ordered so I'll be going back next week.

This evening I made over 70 Valentine Day cards for local cancer survivors for the American Cancer Society. Lace. Ribbons, Cut out hearts....fun! :)

I'm taking a break at the moment but before I got to bed, I have scraps everywhere that will get picked up and the floor swept. :)

It's supposed to be somewhere around minus 10 degrees here tonight. Brrrr. I am thankful for a warm home.

Night Everybody!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Feb 11 - 12:31 AM

Michelle, you are such a sweetheart. ♥ You are the valentine for those folks, hands down. I know I've told you before how proud I am of how well you came through the last year, but I'll say it again. And I'm pleased to see you turn around and pass it along.

As to baby stuff: I remember when my daughter (Moonglow) was sitting in her high chair enjoying a pack of m&ms from Halloween. She was 2 at the time, older than Jeremiah, but it was a "first" in that she hadn't had much candy before. I scolded her for taking too long to eat her snack, only to have her protest in such a way that made me realize that she wasn't being slow about eating, she was playing with the colors, enjoying the look of the candy more than the candy. And it was silly to insist she eat these and be done when what she really wanted was to LOOK at the things.

I learned so much from my children over the years.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Feb 11 - 03:12 PM

Another snow day. Amazing. Five of them so far this winter.

I slept late after getting up very early to check and see if there would be work (the clue that it was cancelled was the freezing rain hitting the window at about 4am). I've puttered, folded laundry, and had the dogs out a couple of times in the yard because once again it is too cold for them to stay in the garage.

The kitchen is clean, but there's a lot of other stuff to do around here.

Stay warm, everyone!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: maeve
Date: 09 Feb 11 - 04:12 PM

Hang in there, Stilly. It's no fun being cold, whatever the temperature is in other parts of the country or world.

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 09 Feb 11 - 04:33 PM

http://www.metrovancouver.org/about/publications/Publications/wormcompostbrochure.pdf


Just in case anyone is interested, the above is a link to an excellent brochure on worm composting. After considerable learning experience - don't try to drive downtown unless you know where you are going and where to park - I picked up my worm composter at Concordia U from a lovely young French canadian woman who loves folk music and would LOVE to go to the cafe with us sometime. I got lots of exercise. Parked and walked three different times, hurrying! - 4-8 blocks each way, each time. And learned that I really do need to DO MORE. I ache just a bit today.

So now I have to mind the care and feeding of these little wigglers. Because the outdoor compost bin is about 50 feet away through a couple feet of snow.

That was the good news! Monday I got lots done on the computer, looking for info. That was good too. Then Rob came home about 9 pm - dizzy and hurting. He and an employee had tried to hold up a very heavy machine.... He could not even walk straight. No, he does not drink! So, yesterday was a day of rest. Of course the drama queen (bro) kept calling and insisting he go to hospital. I talked to a knowledgeable friend and we agreed to watch it and see. R was not dizzy in the am but had "niggly" headache.

Anyway, due to the concussion/subdural hematoma in the fall, we ended up deciding to go to the hospital at 9pm. Trying to get out the door when bro shows up: go to the hospital! ...... but first sign this,..... take this to read, ..... what do you think about this.............

The triage nurse gave it a four, five being least important and, with her understanding, we came home, got a good sleep and went back this morning. I dropped him off and came home to continue getting things done. Now, after a back x-ray and a CT (mindful of the radiation but...), he is home feeling good enough to go to work. No serious injury to back. The brain is healing normally and the dizziness was probably caused by fumes where he was working. He found out the employee was also dizzy! I am thinking of that Christopher Robin poem - "And how to amuse them today!" So all of that is good news also.

I did get computer stuff done while he was at the hospital and had a long chat with a supportive friend who has know each of us over 40 years. "Everybody is fed up with (bro)."
Now I need R&R to recover - not from Rob's mishap because I had that pegged from the get-go, but from dealing with bro. I hung up on him three times yesterday.

The biggest de-clutter we need is to keep him from manipulating, stressing, blithering ad nauseum. The importance of positive people in our lives! He pollutes our home by merely entering it. I feel, like our friend who found the dead rat in her stove drawer, I need a way to cleanse my home, and my spirit of this negativity. Off I go, to mudcat and FB to relax some and, hopefully, think of a de-clutter strategy for this, short of abandoning Rob which has occurred to me today. I do feel that wrecked. Maybe a clearness committee or, even a committee of care. I'll phone Sandra.

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 09 Feb 11 - 06:16 PM

OK, better now! Talked to a couple dear long time friends who gave me lots of positive pats. Sandra was not available but her husband is a sweetie. And Molly, another long time friend. told me how glad she is to have me back in Montreal and Rob as part of our Quaker meeting. Positive feedback trumps negativity! My innards are de-cluttering. I am prepared to be moderately reasonable again.

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 Feb 11 - 07:16 PM

Good!!! Because: he biggest de-clutter we need is to keep him from.... you know that you can't control him, of course, but only your own responses.... one of which might be to: ___________________.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Feb 11 - 08:55 PM

I was aware, growing up, that my parents each had a feud going with one of their parents. My Dad didn't speak to his mother (his father had died back in 1947), though she wrote regularly. Only after he moved out did I open one of the letters on the table for him (but never retrieved) and wrote back did to my grandmother for the first time. I was in high school.

My mother didn't get along with her father (her mother died when she was five-years-old) and my Dad didn't help it by re-fueling the fire when it looked like they might reconcile. Anyway, I decided that was no way to keep a family together, so I worked at staying friends with both parents and my family.

We siblings had a rough patch after they died, and a mentally ill sib was now out of control w/ no parental restraint. There was an occasion at my dad's estate when that sib came over. I happened to discover a loaded pistol in Dad's sock drawer, and I really feared for my life if the sib saw that gun. I loaded it into a box and locked it in my truck until I could take it to a friend to keep. I find it no surprise that three years after his death, only a year after we settled the estate, I developed cancer. I was kind of stuck with that toxic relationship during the two years it took to finish the estate. Hopefully you can push back and get the poison out of the household more easily than I did.

Today I did some work for work, though it was a snow day off. I have too much to catch up on to let it all wait until tomorrow. It's early yet, let's see if I can take something off of my "to do" list. I did finish paying my bills yesterday, so that's pretty good. Maybe I can clean my office this evening? It's super slick outside, so anything I clean out will sit in a bag in here until I can carry it outside safely.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 10 Feb 11 - 12:41 PM

Is there a family extant that does not have at least one toxic member. We find our supports elsewhere, with dint of effort and good luck. So it helped me to talk with my friends. And, yes, Susan, we are each accountable for our own feelings and what we do about them. I cannot, at present, get only one brother out of my life. They are still, as one close friend keeps saying, "joined at the hip".

However, I shall have to let R know that I do not consider his bro worth coping with, not even for R's sake. I am not prepared to spend the years I have left, being abused and watching R be abused. I will not accept living with that amount of clutter. The "deal" I made with him in Aug 2009 was, "I will not leave you unless you want me to do so or unless you abandon me." I have had to define abandonment a few times since. He is moving his office to our home to avoid interference; if bro is allowed in home.....

There! I wrote a bunch more and moved it to Stuff of Life. But it helped un-clutter my mind and clarify what I need to say to R.

Life moves on. I worked on more Quaker stuff this morning and sent off a matter of corporate interest to share with the rest of our small group. Still working on several other subjects so when they arise, the info is available. It feels good to be doing these things. Also sharing links from and to friends on FB. I choose only to have friends I know face to face. I enjoy spending the time keeping that much in touch with those who participate.

Now it is a cold (20 F), sunny day and I could go shopping but maybe I will just stay where it is almost warm and read, write and cogitate. It is supposed to warm up starting tonight. Then I will feel like doing more than sitting wrapped in a down throw with my feet on the heating pad! Maybe the upstairs can, then, start really getting cleaned and stuff moved up there. A change of venue! But it will not be as convenient on two floors as one. Especially when we have to go outside to go from one floor to the other. Because it is best to maintain the wall until the downstairs is renovated so dust....

Now is a good time for a detox bath. I am hypersensitive to newsprint this morning. Off I go!

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Feb 11 - 01:48 PM

The dogs are out in the yard sleeping in the sun. They can go into their warm garage stall, so I am assuming they prefer the sunshine. Seems the ground must be moist and cold, but the rays they're soaking in counter the chill below. However it works out, they're outside again and much better off when they can resume the life of outdoor dogs.

I buried a dead white-winged dove in one of the vegetable garden raised beds this morning. Might as well get the nutrients into the soil, I won't be planting that bed for a couple of months. Kind of like putting a fish in with the corn seed? Anyway, poor thing perished in the drive, though most of the birds I saw during the cold were doing just fine. There was one that was behaving oddly, trying to drive off the others. Perhaps it was this one, and he was ill?

My desk is covered with stuff I'm working on, and I have to rearrange some deadlines because of all of the snow days we've had. I told my boss that I've been reading that procrastination book, that I'm looking at reordering some of the things I do. I hope it will pay off in my evaluation later in the year! He said he read it at the time of the meeting and found he had a couple of things to change. He knows I'm working on becoming a reformed character!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: LilyFestre
Date: 10 Feb 11 - 02:30 PM

SRS,

   Thanks for the kind words!!! :) :) :)

   I did the usual chores today and am planning on making a big pot of beef stew in an hour or so along with some homemade rolls. I have to go to the hospital tomorrow for another check-up and again on Monday for something else. It is my hopes that there is enough stew for tomorrow night as I KNOW I will not want to be cooking when I get home.

   I had company come over this morning for a bit too. She said, "I thought you weren't going to clean." I said, "I didn't." That was the truth and felt really good!!!! :)

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: maire-aine
Date: 10 Feb 11 - 02:47 PM

Went out for a while yesterday (lunch with friends) & stopped at the paperback trade-in store; came away with 8 mystery stories to read. Looks like I'll be inside for a while longer, because we're still in the deep-freeze. But next week is supposed to be better-- into the mid-30sF-- so some of the piles of snow may melt a little.

I've been going thru Old House Journal/Interiors magazines and getting them ready to take to the recycling center. I did rip out a few articles/pictures for my kitchen remodelling planning book.

After reading the last few posts, I realize there are some advantages to being an only child.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 10 Feb 11 - 03:30 PM

there are people who would love to read those magazines...would it be possible to drop them at a laundromat? mg

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Feb 11 - 06:42 PM

There was a knock at the door today, and the contractors for AT&T said they were here to run the line from the pole on one side of my yard down under the fence, following the right of way that cuts across the middle of the back yard, and to the stanchion in the next door neighbor's yard on the other side. The lines from there go to our individual houses, and one of these days the wiring guys will come finish the connections. Today's guys needed to come in and dig a narrow shallow trench to run the new lines.

I had one of those "ohmygosh!" moments as I looked out over all of the dog poop in the back yard and went out with my bucket and scooping hand tool and spent 30 minutes clearing it before they got onto my side of the fence to do their digging, and I kept scooping as they worked. I think it must be about 6 to 8 weeks worth, and normally after the cold weather it breaks down pretty fast and I wouldn't worry about it staying and sinking into the soil. But when they had to work back there and it was all so apparent, it seemed so rude to leave dog droppings on the ground. My spring compost pile now is a bit taller with all of the droppings I poured onto it.

I had the guys come through the garage and out the side door because my back gate is covered with ice and the walk is as slick as glass. This is the kind of slip and fall hazard one hopes to not have to use homeowner's insurance for. There's no sun in that corner and it will be a couple of more days before we can use that gate. I used the garden hoe to clear ice at the back door again, and I've been mopping up muddy tracks from all of us this afternoon. What is it about mud after ice that makes it so really messy and sticky?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Feb 11 - 11:57 AM

There's a thread for Kat running now. I knew she was going to take a break, but I didn't know it was for something that would make her feel bad. Get better soon, Kat, and in the meantime, perhaps you should have Morgan log on and give us progress reports? (Wouldn't that be entertaining!)

I hope you're having a better day. The signs are good: a thaw has arrived and much of the Eastern US will be warmer this weekend, and Mubarak has just resigned. Things are looking up in the world!

Maggie

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Feb 11 - 07:57 PM

I spoke to Rog - her absence isn't due to something elective, Kat has the flu. Here I thought she might be getting work done on her book. :-/

I took the garden hoe out to the back porch this evening and cleared away a lot of the mud and dead leaves that had piled up on the porch then frozen in place this week. I have to do some laundry, and I'm finishing a poster for work, then my weekend is my own.

I have read a little more of the book, but didn't come across anything new to note here. I am determined to read the whole thing (good thing it is a slim volume) and make a few changes and build from there. I have been on time to everything I had to go do for the last couple of weeks, not my usual roll up to the door a couple of minutes late. Better to be early, and it is just as easy as being late.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Feb 11 - 02:59 PM

Today is lovely, but I have company coming on Monday, so I need to do some clearing up in the house. To start with, I've been tossing paper and cardboard (boxes from electronics purchases, mostly) around my office. I'm determined to have an exposed desk surface so I can think about rearranging a few things.

I need to take photos of donation stuff and make a run to the Goodwill; there's a stack that has built up considerably in the sun room on the floor.

Same ol' weekend stuff, dishes, laundry, shopping. And reading. Not only reading the Procrastination book, but reading through some of the piles of paper that I kept to read. I have a friend who builds up a huge stack of New York Times sections then goes back every couple of weeks to reread what he left there, and decides to toss or cut it and send it to someone else. Good thing he's found they all appear in the online version so he saves postage. My paper buildup isn't quite like that, but there is a generalized layer of paper around the house again that I need to address.

I rearranged the limb in the pot of rocks in the living room; it's in the corner now with a live plant nearby and an antique trunk beside it, to see if it looks good. It is easier to get into the trunk this way (I keep the dog gear in there). That room looks the most put together right now, but it still could use a lot of work. I think I'm getting a glimmer of a spring cleaning/rearranging urge with today's sunshine.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 12 Feb 11 - 03:22 PM

I found the following on a Seventh Generation bulletin. (I was cleaning out old emails.)

With each new year comes the inevitable urge to purge. After all, who doesn't feel better when they've found a place for everything and everything's in its place? I've reached a point where I'm looking at the bigger picture, decluttering not just my home office and closets, but my life. As author Barbara Hannah Grufferman advises, it's the only way to become unstuck and make room for whatever lies ahead.
"Ask yourself what you want your life to look like over the next few years," Grufferman writes, "and you'll come up with a vision for your future, which will be your personal theme. Once you have your theme, you can work on getting rid of everything in your life that doesn't fit the theme, and you will be prepared to let go of the clutter."
According to Grufferman, who cites organization and time-management guru Julie Morgenstern as her inspiration, there are different kinds of clutter in our lives -- not just objects but obligations, habits and, yes, people. "People can be just as de-energizing and draining as piles of newspapers and magazines," she writes. "If there's someone in your life who drags you down whenever you see her...maybe it's time to reconsider the relationship." Granted, sometimes a complete break isn't an option. If that's the case, Grufferman advises figuring out a way to minimize the amount of time you spend together. When it comes to shedding objects, she suggests that after we pick the treasures we want to keep, we decide what to give away, sell, recycle, or donate and then do it.
Grufferman is talking about detoxifying and downsizing, key guiding principles of the green movement. She allows that this is a lifelong quest, and I know it won't always be easy for me. But if it helps make the rest of the ride I started in Greeley, Colorado, that much smoother, it will be worth it.   – Beth Arky

My computer screen had gotten so cluttered it told me to get lost this morning. So I restarted it and proceeded to find new ways to hold on to things and de-clutter the poor thing! Time for a reading break!

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 12 Feb 11 - 08:31 PM

Someone suggested this a while back and I forgot about it:

Dawna Walter and Mark Franks, The Life Laundry: How To De-Junk Your Life, London, BBC Books, 2002.
Dawna Walter and Mark Franks, The Life Laundry 2: How to Stay De-Junked Forever. London, BBC Books, 2003.

I feel as though I have done a hard day's work! I made three brochures for our Quaker meeting for tomorrow - expecting a chaplain (what sort?) and about ten students so I downloaded stuff and moved it from A to B to C and expected them to come out as three-fold brochures but I missed something. They do not fold properly but they are OK as flat - look like three-fold brochures! Took me all afternoon. I think it has been about 15 years since I did this - just fine! But that was three computers ago. Next time! These will do just fine. It took me most of the afternoon. Now supper is cooking and I am ready to relax with my book!

Good evening at Cafe last night. Rob has been feeling better since the hospital told him he is healthy! The amount of stuff his business needs doing overwhelms him and he has lost all sense of organization; needs de-cluttering something terrible. To bro:" No matter what I am doing, you tell me I should be doing something else."

He popped in for lunch today - chili - about 4; that is very positive. Sometimes he just does without until he cannot think straight. I expect he will be back -well, hopefully before midnight. He's on a roll! Getting things done is good for the spirit. But one does have to eat also!

Still not very nice weather though only down to 25F. Dank! The sun peeked out for a couple minutes and gave up. It was decent yesterday and I did groceries, replenishing good veggies and cheeses. Got the idea I would like to make bread... I'll talk to our fav bread maker tomorrow; he does sourdough.

Still considering how to deal with problem of toxic bro. Bottom line: I do not want him in my home ---but it is Rob's home too. His comment: "This is very hard for me." There must be some middle ground. We just need to perceive it. Still do not have upstairs or home office. Soon? "I dwell in possibilities..." I talk about renovation of first floor as though it is possible and I expect it to happen. "Have you talked to (our carpenter) yet?" "No." Low key but hopeful. Maybe....

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Feb 11 - 12:12 AM

I suppose if he kept the meetings with his brother off the premises, like in a neutral place. Is there a coffee shop or someplace they both will visit and can do their visiting there?

The bathrooms are clean, but the laundry room flooded again. We had all of that cold weather, I think it has something to do with that. I had to stop the washer before it finished, so I'll try running it again in the morning, after running a lot of hot water down the drain.

I did a little yard work this afternoon, and I took the dogs for a walk. Not the most exercise I could get in a day, but more than I have been getting with this nasty cold weather. A walk with the dogs beats step aerobics.

My computer desk is looking much better, and I rescued my speakers and woofer box from my son's room. There are speakers built into the monitor, but they don't have the oomph of the little $20 set that sits on either side of and behind my monitor. Means the desk is a little more crowded, but everything will sound better. He had a set in his room that seemed to not be working so he tried mine, only to find I somehow hadn't installed the sound system when I rebuilt his computer. It gave him something to do when he was home, but now I want my sound system back! (I put his in place on his computer - though I think I'll end up moving that entire computer setup out of his room before he comes home in the spring because he has a better computer he has been using at school this year. We have a glut of computers these days.)

Time to wrap things up. I have reached a point where I'm tired of 95% of the broadcast television available, so I have been catching up on my Netflix queue. I watched a widescreen version of There's No Business Like Show Business tonight. The picture quality wasn't great. I may have to get some things on DVD just to get the best versions. Newer programs are better suited for digital streaming.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Feb 11 - 01:07 AM

I was going to link to Don Aslett's page at Amazon but forgot in the last thread. And I've seen Morgenstern in various programs, she is good, but ruthless. The trouble with television decluttering is that the reprogramming to keep the clutter out takes longer than it takes for someone else in the space of a television segment, to come through and sift through your stuff.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Feb 11 - 01:29 PM

After our cold weather the drains are running slow. Last week and this, after the cold cold days in a row, the washer drain overflowed. I'll try the usual home remedies and running hot water through before I call the plumber - he fixes the problem but also declutters my wallet! If I run a smaller load it isn't such a problem, and if I watch when it drains and turn off the washer for a couple of minutes it drains. If this doesn't clear up I will call the plumber before it's time to plant the garden or he'll be knocking down my basil on that side of the house to reach the cleanout.

Beautiful day today, I'll be sure to walk the dogs and get in a little more gardening. At this point I'm cleaning out the dead stuff from over the winter, and popping out the cold weather weeds.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 Feb 11 - 01:50 PM

There must be some middle ground. We just need to perceive it.

Yes! Exactly! We see and say just that so often in our church work, or something like it-- that when people are butting hands, usually neither one quite has the right solution, because the right one would bring peace and maybe even forward movement past one's usual experience. But of course the bro-thing is also a boundary issue and defining a workable boundary when living with someone else who sees the boundaries differently can be difficult!

===

Regarding tips and solutions for clutter, may I say humbly that I have really solved so many of these issues in our home (and kept the good habits) that people might just want to look thru my old posts where I used the word TIPS either in the subject line or in the post. We have enough tips here to fix most of the current group of posters' houses.... so maybe "tips" (mine or any other writers') are not actually the answer needed?

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: LilyFestre
Date: 13 Feb 11 - 03:55 PM

I did my basic chores today...dishes, laundry, floors.

Beside my chair in the living room, I have 2 tray tables that have piles of various kinds of paperwork on them. It is my goal to have that completely taken care of today. It won't take long.

Jeremiah is sick. He has a cold and an ear infection. Daddy took him to the doctor on Friday while I had my checkup and tests at the hospital. His poor little nose just runs and is probably sore from me wiping it. I'm using a soft cloth but still....he just doesn't like it.

On the activity front, I have a sitter for 2 nights a week now (if I so choose) so I can go to yoga. YAY! Now the trick is to find the energy to get out the door to go.

When my oncologist asked if I had any concerns, I told him I am tired all the time. ALL. THE. TIME. He told me that I am only 7 months out from chemo and to stop rushing things. ARG. Seriously?!?!? He also told me that people who were high energy before chemo had a difficult time adjusting to the tiredness more than others. It makes me feel lazy. Very lazy. Things would be in different shape here if I had a bit more get up and go. It's not bad but still, there are things I want to do. It stinks to have all these ideas in my head about what I want to do with this and that or rearrange and not have the energy to do it. He said that my energy would increase but not likely ever to the point where it used to be.

So. Like everything else that is worthwhile...bit by bit....it WILL happen!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Feb 11 - 04:08 PM

Michelle, you also have a baby on the verge of toddling, and if you aren't taking the energy to raise him into account, you need to. Little kids wear you out. It's just that simple!

Editing today to finish a poster for a co-worker. The writer was a professor of mine, who took key sentences from a brochure describing his project to make a short description he sent to my co-worker. But I find it is written for someone who already knows what the project is, so I'll rewrite the piece. It's faster than trying to make the one he wrote work.

Doing this today frees up time tomorrow when a friend is coming to town.

I know there are a lot of tips in here; I've learned from quite a few of them. This is also an ongoing travelogue as we tour the issues and clutter in our homes. Otherwise they probably could have stopped after a few months. I think a lot of us are lower energy right now simply because in the northern hemisphere we've had a harder winter than usual. And reading about the colossal work in places like maeve's yurt make me want to curl up under the covers and stay warm! As the season changes we'll limber up and get going more on what we want to do.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 13 Feb 11 - 04:31 PM

Michelle: I know how frustrating it is to be tired all the time. After my major bout of chemical poisoning, I spent almost five years in that state and it was SO not me, I got really depressed. It is such a slow process to get the chemicals out of one's body. AND you have the kidlet. Be patient in caring for yourself. I bet everyone else comes first! Hans Selye wrote about self-centred altruism: if you don't take care of you, you cannot take care of anyone else.

Or in Piet Hein's Grook's: "When you think how depressingly slowly you climb, it's best to remember that Things Take Time!"

Susan: Yep, lots of suggestions. And in so many areas.... Life has so many aspects, so much to de-clutter! And we never know which suggestion may be just the thing...

I am open to all suggestions re the bro problem. For a few days after the last intrusion I felt like giving up but Rob must have felt it - and has been more attentive to my needs. He gets so into his own clutter.... As we Quakers say, "way will open..." I feel I "just" need to gather strength and ideas and wait for the answer.

I was thrilled today to get a brief note from a granddaughter and even more so to find this site with a wonderful interview and django jazz music by my #1 son. If you like (still no blue clicky!):

http://www.patrus53.com/2011/01/26/troy-chapman/

It is very well done. When things get heavy, I need to remember I have two beautiful sons. And yesterday's work on Quaker materials were well appreciated, this morning, by the visitors and regular attenders both.

Appreciation is a great support!

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: maire-aine
Date: 13 Feb 11 - 06:28 PM

We are finally getting a break from the cold, and the snow is starting to melt. Still slow, but we got up to 40F (4C) today, and it's supposed to stay above freezing all week. We may even reach 50F (10C) by Friday. And sunshine! We had sunshine.

Scrubbed the bathroom floor this afternoon, while listening to a Wicked Tinkers cd. That got me moving. Cleaned tub/toilet/sink, too. Sorted the dirty laundry to wash tomorrow.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: maeve
Date: 13 Feb 11 - 07:10 PM

Dorothy's link

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Feb 11 - 08:28 PM

I've reached the point where I'm totally tired of the usual programs that come on, and it's not like I watch that many. I prefer mysteries to medical and "real" anything dramas, and the mysteries on tv are all too predictable. I'm going to launch on a campaign to watch my own movies and programs that were recorded and forgotten. Things that aren't on television now. I'm not interested in the grammys, so I'll stick with PBS tonight.

Almost finished the work for work I've been doing today. And I'll make sure the kitchen and dining area looks inviting for the friend who is coming for a couple of days. That'll leave some time for more reading. For exercise, I took the dogs for a long pleasant and comfortably warm walk this evening. It got to the low-70s today. Wonderful!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 Feb 11 - 09:19 PM

DP, my suggestion, seriously, is to "gather strength and ideas and wait for the answer." (OK, I borrowed that one from a smart lady who really knows what she's doing.)

But just for fun, what would you do if you thought it was OK to do it? (No reply needed, just for playtime.)

Here the challenge is still living with about half the fridge space we had. It's a mental challenge, more than a practical one, as I have the whole outdoors to us if I really need overflow space (not to mention several church fridges).

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Feb 11 - 09:57 PM

It seems silly to keep a cold box running in a warm house when the out of doors is so cold, doesn't it?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: LilyFestre
Date: 14 Feb 11 - 01:50 AM

I did get those tables by my chair cleared up and organized!!! There were two tray tables and one is now completely empty and will be put away in the morning when the noise of it won't wake everybody up. I also made valentine's for the people I love most....secretly, of course! :) Pete and I will celebrate later this week as tomorrow I'm off to the hospital again.

Happy Valentine's Day My Friends!!!

Love,

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 14 Feb 11 - 02:44 PM

"It seems silly to keep a cold box running in a warm house when the out of doors is so cold, doesn't it?"
It sure does! I think of the years I lived with two freezer baskets hanging in the opening to the CELLAR. I would lift the trapdoor and put things in, or take them out. That was my refrigeration and it worked well - in central Ontario - all year round. But I do prefer a frig!

Susan: you gave me a good laugh. Reminds me of the time I gave my son a lecture (long distance) on how to deal with depression - and wished later I had recorded it so I could play it back!

I wish we could move to the country, far enough that he would not come. OR with a cabin - WAYYYYYY out there - for him. And an understanding. I am working on it. Money is a factor, of course.

Today brought a new experience of bro. He came with another man - "some papers for Rob to sign". "We'll wait out here." I had to get an unwell Rob out of bed. They all went upstairs. It took "forever". They came down and I thought they were through but Rob was looking for a paper to give bro. Bro knocked (very quietly) on the door, I pulled it together to be polite - "Give me your shovel." He shoveled the front, Rob found the paper, talked to him and he left.

He is trying (VERY). He knew not to try to come in downstairs. There was a lot of shouting upstairs. He shoveled the front for us.   It was stressful. Because we are moving upstairs. Then maybe Rob could keep him downstairs. We could also ask advance notice and Rob could go to the office. It could be understood that this is NOT as office. It will take cooperation.

SRS: I watched so much TV when I was "sick" I watched NONE for many years and gave away my TV 2 years ago. But Rob likes it. Canadian TV has some differences. I have become addicted to The Little Mosque on the Prairie. I consider The Republic of Doyle to be STUPID because the characters do so many dumb things (like humans) but the scenery - Newfoundland - is great. Other than that - I remember PBS as having some good programming. And I quite enjoyed Monk - even though it seemed a little close to home at times.

I do believe we each have a bit of a bug which is probably why we did not feel like getting up today. I'll go made a batch of Pau d'Arco tea.

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 14 Feb 11 - 03:42 PM

Forgot to thank Maeve for the blue clicky! I guess I better keep trying to figure it out.

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: maire-aine
Date: 14 Feb 11 - 06:05 PM

Everything that wasn't nailed down got washed today. Ended up doing six loads of laundry. So glad that it's all done. The thaw continues outside.

M

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Feb 11 - 09:47 AM

Well, I bit the bullet ydy and joined Facebook-- and now all my contacts from all time periods are merging into one weird soup. I sure hope it doesn't become another clutter-place.... what are some of you doing strategy-wise to keep that from happening?

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Declutter, Exercise, Diet, February 2011
From: LilyFestre
Date: 15 Feb 11 - 10:41 AM

I personally love Facebook! I love reading what others have to say, keeping up with what's going on in each other's lives, etc. The only thing I find annoying and to clutter it up is requests to play certain games or announcements of people's scores or what they have done in Farmville, etc. If you see those kinds of things pop up, pu your cursor in the upper right of the post and a little X will appear and you can block all Farmville posts or other games that don't interest you. It's amazing to me how many people REALLY are INTO that stuff.

I've reconnected with several old friends from the past, gotten together with some of them and had a blast!

Michelle