BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Mar 11 - 03:43 PM

Taking a break - I've run a hose to set up a sprinkler in a place I'm going to try to start digging. Though I have cleaned a little more in the kitchen I have mostly been doing yard work.

Let me ask a question - my next door neighbor and I were talking about the glass top stoves - I've long hated my kitchen stove with the old spiral eyes and the smoking when stuff gets down on the elements or in the collection pan - the glass top stoves have come down in price. It might be a reasonable goal once I've settled some of the debt that must come first. This came with the house and it works, but that's the best I can say about it. My friend Dean (canning guru) and I spoke about these - there are apparently a few of the glasstop stoves that CAN be used for canning, but it isn't the best option for most of them. They don't stay hot enough or the pans are so big they cause problems for the stove surface. The old spiral eyes of my current stove do work for canning.

What kinds of stoves are each of you using, and how large is the largest pan you use? I just picked up a 12 quart "multicooker" with a deep colander and a shallow colander (great for steaming, and the deep one can hold several quart and smaller jars for water bath canning). It has a wafer bottom, flat, so it could be used on a glass top, but I think it is way too big diameter-wise. I'm planning ahead. If I did get a good new stovetop, I might end up having to get one of those turkey fryer stands with a propane tank for my canning pots. The good side of that is that the heat would stay outside in July and August.

We don't have gas plumbed to this house, or I wouldn't be having this problem.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Mar 11 - 12:33 PM

Today feels wonderful - I awoke knowing that it was a day for cleaning and gardening. It helped that the kitchen sink was empty and the counter clear.

My potatoes are sprouting! Off to the yard, after I put in a load of laundry!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 Mar 11 - 12:08 PM

Friends, I salute the rapid progress, but watch for the downside of that cycle. (Some of us have ridden that cycle, and will know what I mean.) Steady as she goes, aye! :~)

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: maire-aine
Date: 13 Mar 11 - 12:06 AM

Today was the local St. Patrick's Day parade, so I walked with some friends. By the time I walked to the end and back to my car, it was about 2 miles. My knees will be complaining tomorrow. Haven't walked that far all at once since before Christmas.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Mar 11 - 10:34 PM

My son has arrived, been here for his favorite dinner of chicken strips (swiping them off the cooling paper before they got to the table - a compliment to the chef, to be sure!) and has gone over to his Dad's house tonight. I had his Dad come over for dinner, and I suspected one way or the other he'd end up over there. Might as well save myself that drive.

We'll plan a family dinner next week when Moonglow is down here for a day or two. And I'll see about swapping out the mattress in her room for the one in her Dad's garage. I could use an extra set of hands to move the mattress part at least.

Kitchen is cleaned up, so I'm working online and around the house this evening. It was a beautiful day and a lovely evening. The dogs were thrilled to see my son, and they always enjoy visiting with his Dad, so they are happy campers. Tomorrow I'm going to probably miss most of my favorite gardening program if I don't sent my alarm (Spring Ahead with the clocks tonight!).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Mar 11 - 10:02 PM

We did a lot today. Moved the Christmas tree out onto the front "stoop" for planting sometime, soon. Rearranged a few things in the LR after moving it out. Went to Habitat for Humanities ReStore to find a coffee table and/or end tables. Man, they are really pricey! The really good things, they have marked not for sale as they use them, even a piano. The nicer pieces that were for sale were prohibitive, imo. They did have a Whirlpool frig which I really wanted. Side by side with a lot of pull out organised baskets in the freezer and frig part. Much better arrangement than ours, but Rog wasn't into a major thing like that and getting our old one out. At least not for today. If they still have it next week, we'll see. It would really make things a lot easier. They wanted $200 plus $50 to deliver, though if I told them they could take ours, maybe they would halve that. Who knows. We really don't need it, but it would be nice.

Morgan came over and played, then he went through his storage part of our hall closet where he keeps a plastic bin of toys, etc. I am really proud of him. He gave away a huge bag of things and packed what was left into the closet and took a few things home with him.

Every year, but last, since we bought this house, we have hung new prayer flags from the trees and on the house. We don't take them down and burn them until they are in the last stages of tatters. Most have been in the backyard. This year, I bought a long strand of them and Rog went up the ladder, hanging them from the front of the house, across the yard, up high, to a tree which was just 12" when we moved in and is now about 30 feet tall...it's a poplar of some sort. I told him folks who might not realise they are Tibetan prayer flags will probably think we're getting ready for a party, they look so beautiful, colourful, and cheery. There's almost always a breeze, even slight, so they are in motion sending our good wishes, thanks givings, etc. aloft.

I was really thrilled after the doc's appt. It was with the kidney specialist. He said I am stable and doing good. Gave me some tips on fluid intake, protein, etc. Said, by now, it is not just water weight which I am losing. I have the skinniest ankles now! I can't remember when they looked so good, last. He was really neat, an older real gentleman, filling in on a temp. basis, though I will see him in June, again. Sodium is the main thing I have to monitor very closely. He let me go off of a med I think is making me itch (it's sulfa based and I am allergic to sulfa.) As long as I keep the sodium down and the weight doesn't go up, I don't have to take it any more! So far, so good.

I also went through a bin of cassette tapes, mostly of my brother's classical music when we were promoting it a lot back East, well as much as we could with no budget.:-) Made me realise I did a bang up, full-time job of it...pretty neat to see that, again. Being creative with no money to speak of can be challenging and fun.

Laundry and the usual also done.

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Mar 11 - 04:39 PM

Bedding moved, and I realized he has a double-sized bed my son outgrew that is much newer than his sister's bed I have here at my house. So I'm going to take out her old bed and move her brother's old bed over here to use in her antique frame. The current mattress on her bed was purchased when she was three (when we were using her room as a guest room also, so she had a full-sized bed). We must have been told that very firm was good for us, but it's hard as a rock and I think everyone who visits will prefer the bed that is now in my ex's garage.

Good thing this is spring break this week. As staff I don't get the days off, but since the students and faculty aren't on campus it's pretty quiet. I'll take a few vacation days and enjoy the fine weather.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Mar 11 - 01:12 PM

thanks,SRS!

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Mar 11 - 12:29 PM

Lots to do today, in the garden and in getting ready for my son's week here. His Dad needs my help with my truck to move a mattress (there are friends who will occasionally tease about my driving a pickup, but if I have to drive just one vehicle, I like it to be one that can do many things!)

I have an envelope with Swiss chard seeds ready to go to a big boy in Colorado in today's mail. I'll email the photos so you can both read the instructions.

I need to install one more program in my neighbor's computer, I forgot to do yesterday, and then she is completely set to move forward. She uses Word 2003 and I am afraid buying Word 2010 will put her into shock. The free Open Office software will be adequate for the letters she writes and the recipes she transcribes.

It's supposed to be in the 70s here all week. We could use some rain, but in the meantime, the nice temperatures are perfect during spring break!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Mar 11 - 09:24 PM

We went to look, we compared, I talked my neighbor through the options, and she warmed up to the type I thought she would, the all-in-one desktops that don't need to have room for expansion, that have a trim look and these days are touch screen. Very nice! It took a while to get it set up - the instructions are incomplete for the Blutooth keyboard and mouse, but after that, it was the usual slog through updates and setting up her preferences. Once she had logged onto her Gmail and her web page and it looked the way she wanted, I opened Google Earth and showed her how to cruise the planet. :)

When the new one was set up, she wanted to look in the old computer, so I opened it, and showed her where the hard drive was. She had me take it out and the case is in the garage to go get recycled somewhere. She is finished with the 9-year-old Dell. And unless something untoward happens, I won't have to do too much troubleshooting for several years, I imagine!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Mar 11 - 06:38 PM

Unusable CD cases finally GONE, leaving my van empty enough to pack for Sunday's boondockish trip-- if only we had not had to put in back in the shop, aaaaaaarghhh! I'll keep packing and get on the road when I can. The music's all loaded, so..... I gotta go!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Mar 11 - 11:13 AM

The city of Fort Worth has had the position of city forester ever since their charter was drawn up (1860s?), it's a historic fact and is one of the reasons the city wins urban forestry awards. And yes, there is tons of information available. I worked with them for years before I was on the park board (I was the one who watered several blocks of trees in the median of our boulevard when the city wouldn't plant them without my volunteer help. They have a water truck but it was fully subscribed.) Here in my town they have the benefit of all of that work if they'll open their eyes. Last night was simply the opening salvo - if I want this to move forward I'll be going to every park and city council meeting from here on out.

Shopping with a neighbor this afternoon, to let her look at the types of computers that are out there. I have a sink full of dishes to clear out, and get ready for my son returning tomorrow. I hope he'll spend the night here, so I'll be ready with his favorite food.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Mar 11 - 10:18 AM

Today is our 31st anniversary. we are going to run errands, go to a doc's appt and then hope to have some fun. Not much in the way of decluttering, though.:-)

I have now dumped 37 lbs.

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 11 Mar 11 - 12:28 AM

Is there an urban forester around? They sometimes give people lists of appropriate trees..or perhaps someone in extension? mg

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Mar 11 - 12:04 AM

Now how did we end up nearly falling off the page?

I went to my meeting - I've told a couple of folks the details, and I'm tired of typing, but sum it up to say it went well, and the folks who thought I was going to insist their trees be torn out for no good reason understand that I recognize this as the reason we need to develop a sound park plan and to act upon it. The council told everyone that notice is served - no more trees. I still want those out (poor choice and badly placed), but I'll bide my time. They'll probably die on their own. I haven't had support for a comprehensive park plan in the past when I tried to get them to act; this time I have more time and I'm simply going to push to get what I want.

I'm a bit buzzed after the adrenalin of the meeting - that happens. I'm winding down and then tomorrow, thank goodness, is Friday. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Mar 11 - 01:02 AM

My aunt had a sauna in her basement. We thought that was remarkable, along with the wet bar and dance floor. It turned out that the original builders were going to put in a multi story condo, until they learned that zoning wouldn't allow it. The basement was meant to be the common area. So instead, they built one fabulous floor on top of the ground floor, slapped on a flat roof, and sold it as one house. I remember some nice saunas at her house. A sauna and a good shower cleans out a lot of crud in your system.

I spent this evening on the phone helping a friend in Arizona get her laptop hooked up to the Internet. All of this time, she has tried to get her old desktop to limp along online, and her laptop has been for free-standing programs and solitaire. I told her how to unplug the data line (from her modem) out of the old desktop and plug it into the laptop. She had to restart the laptop, but now she's up to speed on her newer computer. I wish I'd called a lot sooner, she has been home for a couple of weeks now. (She has done a lot of travelling, and was able to log on in some places, like her daughters' homes, and here, because we had wireless networks, but she doesn't have a router. I'm going to take my old router with me when I visit her later in the spring and see if we can't get her set up.)

Tomorrow I'll do some research for my city council talk; I need to convince them to begin a planning process for public park land, and I need to make my case in as few words as possible. I won't have their attention for long, so I need to make the most of it. I'll do a lot of the work, but I'm afraid it means putting a few noses out of joint. I'm asking the city council to make the park board responsible for more things, and I'm asking the city council to make some of the city employees do the work that the park board thought they needed to do. It's a little nerve-wracking.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 09 Mar 11 - 06:52 PM

mg and everyone: I am sitting here recovering from the bath. This was a very good one, much better than yesterday. I feel well pleased. I also realize a warning is in order. When it is very good - the water hot enough, the body perspires enough - it takes a lot out of me.

So I made it down to the LR, very wobbly, shaky, holding onto the railing, and set myself down in my cosy terry cloth robe and a down throw, plenty of water handy to replace what was lost, and managed to finish the novel. That was about 25 minutes ago. Now I have enough energy to write this. Just!

Detoxing is essential to my well being. My body seems to soak up toxins like a sponge. On the weekend I had reached the state of brain fog and I was very short tempered. Yesterday's bath helped a great deal but I know I needed more. Especially after I went to Canadian Tire this morning and felt terribly sick within about 5 minutes.

SRS asked about a sauna detox. That is how I got over being exceedingly ill. The sauna method as described by L. Ron Hubbard in Clear body Clear Mind has also been used for many of the people who were at ground zero. Those are the ones who are no longer sick.

It is very heavy and a little complex. I did five sessions under the care of my friend Connie and went from the very depressed couch potato I had been for almost five years to a delighted almost hyperactive person in less than three weeks. Immediately after the fifth session, I was collapsed on the sofa for 3-4 hours. Then I did not look back.

Unfortunately, the toxins are omnipresent and my body/sponge keeps absorbing them. I keep de-toxing. I do not have access to a sauna here. Living in the city, I probably need to do a bath every day or two but the time factor puts me off. I would not, however, have gone into brain fog if we had had water on Saturday! I KNEW I needed a bath.

When I lived on Whidbey Island, I would do some saunas and frequent baths. If I went into Seattle, it was automatic, even if it was 1:30 am, I walked in and turned on the bath and did it. Cities are so toxic.

Well, now I am hungry and feel up to getting a bite to eat wile I continue to relax for another hour or so. Oh, I described part of my environmental problem in a blog "Heartsick to Healthy" on wordpress, by frickthoughts.

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Mar 11 - 05:49 PM

Ginger would smell wonderful!

Dorothy, I think you'd get a similar result from a sauna. Have you tried those? (I realize a bath can be had more readily than a sauna, but I'm just wondering if this would be so.)

Finished the planning stages of a project at work that is another of those things that is a good idea, I've mentioned it in passing, no one picked up on it, so I'm going ahead and doing it myself. Almost accidentally had someone take it away today, but since I'm the one who would be most active once it is in place, it's best to suggest putting several of us as owners of the project and go from there.

I always feel like if I'm doing something in the name of the library that I ought to have direction from other library folks to do it. But that doesn't often come with a resounding "yes, do it!" I poke at the topic enough and generally discover that people don't care, and finally go ahead and set it up because I need this service to be in place to do my job most efficiently. Then they care and like it. So far, so good. The risk is going through this process and setting up something that someone doesn't like, and ending up with consequences. Hopefully not bad, but it always feels a bit like going out on a limb to operate this way.

Into the shower, then off to a lecture.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 09 Mar 11 - 05:13 PM

Ginger baths are supposed to be good and detoxifying. mg

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 09 Mar 11 - 05:08 PM

About a cup or so of epsom salt. And the bath as hot as I can stand to sweat out as much as possible - of toxins, then a lukewarm shower to clean it all off - salt and toxins - and close the pores. I stay in about an hour or until the water cools too much. I don't want my body to reabsorb the toxins from the water.

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 09 Mar 11 - 04:08 PM

What do you put in your detox bath?

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Mar 11 - 03:15 PM

I was thinking the other day that for all of the time we spend decluttering, it's the putting away after ourselves every day that makes a huge difference. I don't know if I said it, but I thought it. :)

Good work, Kat, getting back to the jewelry. It's a more gratifying project thank housekeeping, all things considered.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 09 Mar 11 - 03:01 PM

There is a lovely meal on the stove awaiting the appearance of a Rob. Just as I got home from groceries, he was on the corner explaining the the mail person that,at least, two pieces of mail had been returned to sender! It's the Hydra again. With totally correct addresses, a mail slot in the door.... It was all in French. I will find out what was said when Rob comes back as he said he would. The phone bill came today? And another bill two days ago. I thought it might be a language problem - but it was one of each, the ones of which we have been told.

SRS: Those classes sound like they would be well received! A great idea!

Filled out two volunteer forms for NEFFA. Yes, I filled out Rob's; he has never done a festival in his poor deprived life. (He has been to Peru and is that a story!!) Now to find a place to stay. And a song to sing at the Cafe on Friday, an ADDA fundraiser -all open mike.

Then another detox bath - after this meal. Yesterday's made a huge difference in how I feel but another would still be helpful.

Today started out beautifully sunny but 24F. Now it is getting ready to dump again - another six inches or so. The city had hoped to clear the last dump (about 8 inches) by Sunday but.... Anyway, I am parked where they are NOT clearing tonight!!

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: katlaughing
Date: 09 Mar 11 - 11:41 AM

I went room by room, yesterday, picking up and putting away stuff which had 'strayed." Spent about two hours and included doing the dishes. Surprised the heck outta Rog when he came home at lunchtime.

My accountant friend back East has said she can save us all sorts on our taxes this year with new regs, etc. so I am getting together the info she needs to get it done. I will be glad to turn it over to someone else for a change.

We had too many gloomy days, with no moisture save for a tiny bit of rain, yesterday, until today. The Colorado sunshine is back and it looks like ti will be a gorgeous day. Morgan will be over about 2p after early release day at school.

I am going to leave everything else alone this AM and see what I can do with some jewellery design.

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Mar 11 - 10:39 AM

The sun is out again, but the breeze is cool. I planted bean seeds last night directly into the yard. This is another indoors day - I have to prepare for a brief presentation at city council about my request to have an item placed on the agenda, so I'll dig around for some of my old park stuff from when I was on a different board. And may call a friend to ask for a copy of their strategic plan.

It feels like as the seasons change there is a level of crankiness in the world at large. Maybe just in this part of the world, but as I look at things in Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya, and in Washington, D.C., I think it is global in nature. Everything is related - my crankiness could increase as gas prices keep going up, as the zealots of the tea party pick off the heads of charitable and public causes. It is a time to set some goals for the season in a way that doesn't let the little procrastination scripts to kick in and ignore actually meeting those goals. Instead of a long list of things to do, I need a very short list, and leave space under each item to enumerate steps along the way.

I'm still working on that book, sometimes only a page or two at a time. And I need to go back and review what I've covered every so often, to remind myself of my resolve to be more organized and on time. To be more efficient. Spring cleaning of the psyche. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Mar 11 - 10:50 PM

Busy day, not much time online. I'm sure things are a bit stirred up in the park board, but I'm pleased that the village did a good job of looking into the encroachment, and I think we can get a process started, if I can keep people interested. That's the tough part. We need a long-range plan here and regulations about who plants what when, and how to permit such activity.

I am going to look into a way to offer some computer classes here in the village. I would charge a small fee to be sure people take it seriously and to give myself a modest profit from it, but there are a lot of people here who have questions and in the right setting, they can be answered. I just spent time helping the next door neighbor, but some of this she could have done on her own if she'd known a bit about the software and hardware. Another topic is close to the heart of this thread - decluttering via eBay. I've talked to a lot of people who would like to sell there, but don't know how. Setting up a class and asking people to bring one object they think they'd like to sell - ask them to keep it smaller than a bread box, something in good working order, or a collectible with some information, and use these as examples.

Susan is right about the closing ranks on the problem from facebook. People who had no business sticking their oar in the water did just that, and in a rude way. As if they wanted a squabble. Too bad some people just automatically think of taking the negative approach first. I'm looking at an issue in the village here that could devolve into a squabble, but I want people to take the higher moral ground, and to act the way they should because they understand why the question was raised. I'll work at that here, because it's where I live. But online, sometimes you just push back.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Mar 11 - 08:09 PM

DP, take heart. I wrestled that Hydra, and you will too.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 08 Mar 11 - 08:07 PM

Ever feel like the Hydra is alive and well? The frig problem solved at last; still no element for oven; turned on the faucet on Saturday to do breakfast dishes - no water. Phoned someone to give Rob a message re water. Rob came home from work at 11:30 PM. In the meantime, I curled up in a ball on the sofa: could not take a detox bath - much needed, nor do dishes, nor do laundry. Time to crawl in a hole and pull the hole in after me. Worked on finding raccoon info and other internet stuff.

Sunday: no water. After Meeting, Rob went to cellar to investigate. Phoned city. They came! Frozen under the street! They brought us four gallons of bottler water and a promise of tomorrow. We phoned a friend and went out to a cheap restaurant and had a great evening.

Unfortunately, Rob left cellar door open and the house was toxic when we got home. I felt really sick.

Monday: City guys fixed water! Cellar door open all morning! Did dishes and laundry but no bath. Brain fog so bad I could not think clearly nor even understand what I was reading on line. Rob and I did go to appointment, at a coffee shop with someone from the Montreal Steiner School, which was interesting and enjoyable. Good to get out of house. Gave air cleaner time to clean!

On the way home, a crack appeared on my windshield????? IT will stay there until the next inspection time! Fortunately it is down low.

Tuesday: That's today! Yay!. Managed to fit in detox bath and feel so much better!!! Two loads of laundry. Caught up on dishes. Off to tour the school, an interesting building and neat people. Still need to get through making supper and remake bed.

Talked to SPCA: No help there for raccoons. Saw a FB page for songbird rescue; there is a possibility! My brain is functioning better. Thinking of how to do a FB page for starters. I'm excited about the possibility. Might even help find other interested persons. Someone also suggested Craigslist as a place to find volunteers.

Guess who might have to become a licensed wildlife rehabber. Feeling support from the raccoon rehabbers on line; good ideas, great web sites, lots of useful info which I can share. I am alone in Montreal but not alone, thanks to the internet. Need to detox again tomorrow, clear more toxins so I can feel "more better".

No oven element in sight. Crack in windshield. Need to develop Raccoon FB page. Communicate with two reporters, one French. Talk to songbird rehabber, develop website, investigate rehab requirements.... Check Craigslist, what else????

It was a beautiful day today and its time to make supper.

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Mar 11 - 05:28 PM

... and I am well on the way to a song a day, for my Lenten discipline. (Hardi doesn't preach a deprived Lent, nor do I!) I also discerned how to declutter an overbooked weekend: Hubby first = KISS.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Mar 11 - 09:48 AM

SRS, I think Emma also had another previous Cat issue that intersected with this one, and some folks may have gone into over-protection mode in the lala effort to help where they are not actually in a position to help.

===

We resolved an autoharp issue here last night that ALMOST had me trading mine in for a guitar-- I had started building calluses-- that has inhibited my music/ministries since 1992!!! An item I got free for a camping need suited, instead, unexpectedly, THAT need. Hardi's ability to think in a different box than I do led to the discovery. I'm so excited by the ramifications I am not sure whether to write a paper due Saturday (for a class I may miss) or get out my arranging binder , which I printed a fat sheaf of songs for, to take on my trip Sunday.... and I had not even considered taking the 'harp so that means a whole new car-packing plan..... oy, my head hurts.

Happily, though!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Mar 11 - 12:54 AM

Joe Offer experienced several knockoff accounts, and not all of them were removed even after he approached the authorities about it. Primarily I just pushed back at a hot-head response.

I'm working on my usual declutter projects this week, but particular emphasis will be applied to being sure there are comfortable dining areas. I hope to have a few folks in for dinner when my son is home for spring break. I have to get my dibs in on his time early, he'll be visiting a lot of friends.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Mar 11 - 11:00 PM

There were several of us who had our names, Mudcat ID photos, etc. hijacked on FB; that's why I don't post by my real name, though friends and family know who I am, obviously. It was a nasty time and I do remember Emma having trouble, too. Probably just old wounds stirred up. Too bad you bore the brunt of it, SRS.

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Mar 11 - 10:39 PM

I've been at the neighbor's, trying various things. I downloaded a new (free) antivirus and ran a scan, in case her existing program missed it. Nothing. And upgraded her existing program, then deleted the new one. Uninstalled software not needed, never used. Installed WinPatrol and looked at the startup programs and got rid of a couple more. Did a search on an error message to do with an Intel driver, and found a message at Intel saying the message can occur when the HDD (Hard disk drive) is about to die. And suggested what I had done above, plus running the check disk program (chkdsk - a DOS program). It is running now, and we'll see in the morning if it has identified and repaired or isolated bad sectors.

She feels a bit embarrassed when these things take a while, but if you're into computers then it is an interesting challenge to see if you can find the problem and fix it. And she made a nice dinner for us, so it's not like there was no payment. She makes a great baked tilapia. And I'll do a little research about laptops (she figures that is all she needs) to replace this one. She doesn't need all of the bells and whistles, but there are still some decisions to be made when shopping around. I think she might enjoy one of those HP all-in-one computers, so a trip to the local electronic discount store that has both types is in order, if the old Dell passes on.

I stirred things up with the facebook thread, but it was unintentional. It looked like Emma B (I think that's her Mudcat name?) had lost control of her facebook account (a couple of different entries, in French, with gay pornographic photos in the link), so I named the account by her facebook name and said it looked like her account had been hijacked. There is no point in writing to a hijacked account, you need to get their attention so they can close it down and clear it with facebook with a new password. Somehow it went throught a lala land filter and I got a nasty note from Sorcha. Geez. Once something that was done with good intentions goes awry, if someone else steps in and gets all nasty, then the dynamic changes. And we use our names on facebook, ferchristsakes, the whole world can see who we are there. Even if you block everything, people can still tell you're out there. Reality check time, I think.

Okay, I've done my good deeds for the day. Only got my head bitten off once. Another glass of wine, and I have a movie to watch.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Mar 11 - 06:22 PM

Go SRS!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Mar 11 - 04:43 PM

Just did a little decluttering on facebook. And raised a little dust at the same time. Oh, well.

Off to the neighbor's house to fix her computer now. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Mar 11 - 04:24 PM

I'll be working on my neighbor's computer later today. She can't get it to turn on, windows is shutting down with an error message and she doesn't know how to use "safe mode." I suspect I'll be decluttering a virus.

I like the way things are coming together in the sewing room. In my household-Chinese puzzle, I think I've finally found a way to empty a couple of tiles at once to make it easier to move the rest around. I have been slowly emptying the house, but I haven't been able to take advantage it of. This may finally let me see some of the space I've freed up.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Mar 11 - 03:13 PM

That's brilliant, Michelle, thanks for posting it!

I did something very important. Before I can really progress to finishing another book in the offing, and editing the one I wrote last year and final editing of the one two years before that, I have to get the final version of Prairie Child published. Today, I finally started the process at Create Space! I had some trouble with formatting, but think I will be able to figure it out using their template. Anyway, it's been hanging over me for years, so it feels great to have started the process.

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 07 Mar 11 - 02:59 PM

Found this quote today, really liked it so I thought I'd share!

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."
— Albert Einstein


Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Mar 11 - 01:59 PM

LtS, good to hear from you. Sounds as though Spring has sprung! Sorry about your Christmas tree. We're just about ready to plant one we had this year.

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Mar 11 - 12:55 PM

I also did some office stuff today-- been too cold to use it or maintain it. But the better printer is up there, and it was a hard worker today as I surveyed the organizing tasks awaiting me up there and packed a few items for Sunday's trip.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 07 Mar 11 - 12:01 PM

I made progress in my office yesterday!!! There is now a clear path through part of the room, yard sale things have been set to one side in an organized fashion, all wrapping paper and bows have been properly put away (seriously...I just kinda tossed stuff in there) and surprise, surprise...I found a bunch of clothes that I purchased at yard sales last summer for Jeremiah...all size 18 months and perfect for this time of year and for when it gets a little warmer (everything from lined Osh-Kosh denim overalls to lighterweight pants, jammies, long sleaved shirts, 3 spring jackets and a couple of really adorable flannel shirts so he can dress just like daddy (wranglers included)! Excellent! I had forgotten about that stuff!

Today I will work on getting that all washed and put away. I also have a class to prepare for tonight. I'm going to be able to head over a little early to pick up some sale items at the store and go for a walk before class (provided the walks in town have been taken care of and are not icy). Looking ahead, I've found 2 sitters so maybe I can attend the Yoga Challenge next month. I'd really like that!! Also...meeting a friend at the Y tomorrow night for Zumba...it's not going to be pretty but I bet it will be FUN!!!!! DH is encouraging me to get a membership at the pool in the next town over. I tell him it's too far away and he says, well you go there a few times a week anyway..just go earlier! Hmmm. He has a point. Both the baby and I LOVE the water...definitely something to think about. :)

Enjoy the sunshine everybody!!!!

Michelle

PS. SRS...I SO want to be out digging around in the garden and am most jealous!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 07 Mar 11 - 11:29 AM

Decluttered a few shrubs of some overgrowth and cut back an ivy this afternoon, in a violet scented and green garden. Looks like the snow/frost this year carried off my 15yr old Christmas tree and the pyrocantha that did duty as barbed wire fencing so they'll have to be cut down and grubbed out at some point... It's positively warm out there today.

Now the shrubs are neat and the paths are full of clippings (I like to leave them so the birds get the seeds, the leaves dry and drop off and I get nice dry sticks to break up and can sweep into bags - much easier than hauling half a tree through the house) so more work required in a couple of weeks time there.

Also potted up some house plants that have needed bigger pots, thrown away the china pots that got broken by the frost and am now sorting my craft paper stash into new rainbow coloured drawers (Really Useful Boxes - gotta love 'em!) that I got yesterday.

We are not going to mention the other subject of this thread.... but Tai Chi starts on Wednesday.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Mar 11 - 01:09 AM

I emptied yardage out of the drawers in the dresser that I bought for this use. It sits in my daugter's room, but now has two drawers full of thread and notions and I'll decide what goes in the rest soon. The yardage is stacked neatly so I can see a little of the color and pattern of each in several of the cubbies. I emptied several of the plastic bins, and used others for new items. I've set aside the spools of thread that are almost empty - I'll wind the contents onto bobbins and toss the spools (I'll keep the old wooden ones for now.)

The bed is covered with things in the stages of organization, but several boxes are stacked in the closet and the point of not packing everything is that I might keep some of my daughter's stuff in a few of the lower cubbies, where she can find it when she comes in. I've gone a long way toward emptying the craft cupboard in the sun room. I had lots of batting and polyester fill and things I'd lost track of. It's good to see it there, and I can "shop" my sewing room before I head out to buy some new item for a project.

Bowls of beer in the garden but so far no snails attracted. Maybe it's because the soil is just prepared, I haven't watered it. I'm sure the moist soil is what brings out the destructive snails. I had the rest of the beer in a glass with some of my home-canned tomato juice. Very good!

I'm finished for now, with a sense of having gotten some important work started this weekend. My son comes home next Saturay and I want the house back in order for in case he has friends over, so I won't broaden the scope of my reorganizing for now.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Mar 11 - 03:34 PM

In the Procrastination rehabilitation, I am still reading. The current chapter is "Are You Disorganized?" Well, yes, in some things and some parts of the house, I am. Not all, but definitely some.

Her "shortcuts" for getting started are these:

Talk it over

Start in the middle

Picture the end product

The talk it over part is the "thinking out loud" process where hearing yourself say something will often trigger other ideas, and conversation helps formulate plans.

Starting in the middle is good when you can't get started on a project that looks too big from beginning to end. If there are intermediate parts of the task that you can start with, then finish up the other steps, you'll generate the momentum to finish the task.

Picturing the end is the visualization that is so valuable to us; seeing ourselves successfully completing the high jump or the discus throw in the Olympics works, so why not visualizing ourselves in a clean and freshly painted and decorated office or den?

Right now I'm visualizing myself in the yard. I've hung up some clothes on the line, though I put a few in the dryer that need the heat to remove the wrinkles. Time to go push some dirt around.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Mar 11 - 03:24 PM

55-lb deadlift x 2 reps, multiple 17 lb. carries and lifts.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Mar 11 - 02:18 PM

Rog and I got busy this morning. We folded AND put away all of our clean laundry. Are doing three more loads of sheets and blankets. Went back to the office, where he sorted out a rat's nest of power cords and cables from when the big PC was back there. I cleaned out a lot of stuff and set up the desk, again, to hold the laptop with external monitor and track ball AND re-organised all of my jewellery stuff, so I can do either without too much trouble. I also went through Morgan's bookshelf and re-organised them. Rog put up a piece of pottery my grandma made in some senior craft class in the 50s/60s? It's a very nice turquoise coloured wall vase and is perfect for holding sticks of incense, so it is now by my sanctum. We also picked up and put away a ton of stuff in the LR. These were all things waiting for me to feel well enough to get us going. It feels great even if my feet hurt and both index fingers are both sprained!

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Mar 11 - 12:25 PM

I'm going to get out the old push mower to knock down some of the weeds, and will shovel the dry leaves in the curb onto the main turf and I'll run the power mower over those to mulch them.

I have all but about 4 cubbies emptied in my daughter's room and have been carrying in the plastic cases (you know, the ones that are translucent below and a blue lid with a handle). I've effectively sorted my sewing stuff from the rest of the craft stuff this way, and need to look at the craft stuff and decide how much to cull.

Laundry is up next, then out to the yard.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: maire-aine
Date: 06 Mar 11 - 10:15 AM

Ran the snowblower, put the beans in the oven to bake, and planted the first of my Italian broccoli seeds indoors. Weather is supposed to improve as the week goes on.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 06 Mar 11 - 09:23 AM

And a Happy Good Sunday Morning to you all!!!

   I love waking up to the sound of rain and the extra time to snuggle up with my honey. Most mornings are way too busy for that...but not today. :) Added to just laying in bed listening to the rain was the extra wonderful sounds of Jeremiah cooing contentedly, talking to his pal Scooter. :) Up for a nice cup of coffee by the fire and watching the little one play, going from one toy tub to the other. He is getting taller by the day....amazing, really. On Thursday, he'll be a year old!!!!
    Yesterday we delivered a load of firewood to a friend and went out to dinner at the Outback. That's a special treat for us! We had been given a gift card to go there at Christmas time but decided to save it so we used that last night...our late Valentine's Day dinner. The three of us went and it was lovely!!!
    Today, with the icky weather, I am going to be puttering all day with chores and just stuff that I want to do. I have dishes to do, laundry to put away, I'd like to get some vaccuuming done upstairs too. In between will be yummy weekend coffee, catching up on some reading, a little fiddle playing and a promise from my love to watch the baby for an hour or two so I can work in my office. I really should take photos of it..disaster central. I've been just throwing stuff in there (lots of yard sale stuff) and not being organized at all about it. That is going to change TODAY!!! YAY!!!

Enjoy the day everybody!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Exercise & Declutter March 2011 - Roar!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Mar 11 - 08:57 AM

The water transfer project has been going well, and I got the van back from the shop last night-- including not only my scooter in the back but the several midsize jugs that had been set there for the fetch we had planned. Because it went to the shop and had a protracted stay, we ended up fetching instead with Hardi's smaller but 4WD car... so before another boatload of snow falls on our freezing flooded yard I slickered up to grab those last empty jugs, while the gittin' was good. That gives me the total I need to pour off from a friend's borrowed jugs-- and get his back to him when he's ready, because I leave a week from today for a trip that might overlap his timeframe to get them back. So now he and Hardi will be able to handle the swap-back.

===

The next task will be to get the van road-ready while we flounder in the week's snow and ice and rain, which will be REAL fun. While I was out there in my slicker, I eyeballed the van's back end to fix firmly in my mind's eye: what will need to be removed/added before I set out? So I can use the next weather window of opportunity to do it all in one shot. I brought in the one bag that would need some re-packing-- the always-onboard toiletries bag I use whether we are gone for a month or a daytrip. (It has saved my dignity during many the IBS event!!!) I am thinking of extending the trip by a few days to see my son.

===

Made and began to implement a tough decision last night backed by discernment and certainty-- been wallowing thru shifting sands in the desert of this awful winter, with the pieces of it. The result is a well-planned, phased-in resumption of a ministry I've missed very much, with as many win/win features as possible built in for the other folks affected. I am very much at peace with the decision-- and the waiting to make it till the clarity about the details kicked in.How it will affect ongoing home improvements is that I am going to use my two autoharps, this time around, for awhile, for my own music. Sounds simple-- isn't.

===

After mud season here (and it's gonna be a bad one), I'm gonna ask Adrian to cut up the kitchen rug I despise-- into pieces to replace the rug (walk-off mat from mudville) in the dogs' corner. I have a template of the odd shape.

It was a free carpet. It is NOT working in the kitchen, but it will work handily for that purpose... and then be thrown out when too nasty to use! That carpet will have had more than nine lives by the time I let it go, and my health is the priority-- not trying to wring 12 lives out of 9 in a rug worth, at most, 2! Those pieces will be ready and waiting for next year's mud season, and be swapped in as needed!!! (I might not wait till the end of mud season to do it!)

~Susan