BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11

Subject: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 11 - 04:27 PM

Time for a new one! (Here's the old one.)

Been working on photos all day and making posters to promote library events. Now I'm taking a break, running some errands, heading over to help with the move and packing.

Today I decluttered my bank account - paid a bunch of bills. And this time on my mortgage payment I paid in a little extra toward the principal. I'm going to make that a part of my austerity plan - save money later by paying down the house a little faster now.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 01 Sep 11 - 05:56 PM

Phoned motel we stayed in last November, praised their environmentally safe rooms, made her day (the manager/owner). Phoned the company from which they purchase their cleaning materials; chemist will email me lists tomorrow of safe cleaning products for home use and, hopefully, for cleaning raccoon cages to eliminate nasty viruses and other vicious problems. Chlorine is soooo toxic.

Sent tentative info to SPCA for its website, emailed the raccoon person about several items. Next project a fall press release to help the public to animal and cold-proof their buildings, garbage bins,etc and learn to live more effectively/comfortably with our urban wildlife.

Up to date on laundry and Chili. R had to replace a circuit breaker in pottery (it had failed when I tried to fire); Hope to be able to fire some pottery this weekend. Gearing up to next music festival - to offer clay play and, hopefully, sell a few pots. Cannot keep making them without getting rid of them!

Weather is quickly cooling. Hoping for nice Indian summer!

Had wonderful time on Saturday with a NYS rehabber and her husband. Hope to see them again soon. Reservations made for wildlife conferences in Sept in Toronto and November in NYS. Expecting company end of october: The current editor of The Canadian Friend; I am a former one. We love to chat.

Refinishing the first of two doors for front of city house (it was a duplex). Tough going - lots of paint on 100 year old pine doors! And some of it is tough as nails!

Had a second wonderful visit to NW Quebec and a delicious apfel kuchen. It has almost inspired me to bake something.

Recovering from a very bum right leg; felt crippled for about two weeks - 110 years old! Finally quit wearing a certain pair of shoes. Recovery almost complete in 24 hours!

Emails are now quite manageable and much more fun. Whew!

R brought employee home for lunch today. That's a first. Chili, bread, cheese, cookies. And a lecture on raccoons and how wonderful and intelligent they are - with pictures. I am an ambassador for the Raccoon Nation!

So, I turned on the TV just now for he news and ---well, I guess we no longer have TV. I thought CBC was going to stay another year but maybe that is just in the boonies? Oh, well!

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Sep 11 - 06:18 PM

Dorothy, that all sounds wonderful. Go Raccoon Nation! Plain old vinegar is a wonderful household cleanser, for all kinds of things including germs:

Vinegar Tips and,

more about it in THIS BLOG and,

A Canadian FAQS site.

Having said that, I just sent Rog to the store to get me a new gallon and forgot to tell him white so I have a gallon of cider vinegar! It is the only thing I wash my clothes in, now, as the doc reckons I have had an allergic reaction to something, possibly soap!

I've done nothing today but ride along on a couple of errands with Rog. Didn't sleep well last night. He had the day off until about 330p. Had to go in to cover the engineering feed for some ball game and won't be home until later. I think I'll watch some netflix.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: SINSULL
Date: 01 Sep 11 - 07:02 PM

You may remember a few years back when my friend Thomas went missing. He was "gone: for weeks until his cousin stumbled across a letter from me in his belongings. Thomas had died on his way to the bus station to join us in Maine for a lobster boil.
Well, one of our cleaning staff has gone missing now. He was in chemo for lung cancer, came out of the hospital and hasn't been seen since. Hios neighbors and sister have no idea where he is. Keep Dan in your thoughts. He is a good man. We all miss him - he had out bathroom and claning schedules down to a science. The new guy keeps screwing with our trash cans.
I am serious. We really miss Dan and need him back.
Mary

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Sep 11 - 07:19 PM

May he be found, well and healing, Sins.

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: ragdall
Date: 01 Sep 11 - 08:45 PM

Mary, Best wishes for finding Dan, safely recovering with someone who cares about him.

I'm heading down to the basement to manufacture a pant leg collection bag pocket and sew it into yet another pair of pants for my husband. I found some inexpensive cargo pants with baggy pant legs that should make fitting the bags into his pant leg pocket easier for the ol' fellow.   Next week it will be 4 months since the medical experts left a hole in his kidney. The urologist removed the first tube from him two weeks ago, but decided it was too soon and arranged to have another catheter inserted yesterday. He's very discouraged and plenty uncomfortable too. We very much want to get off this emotional roller coaster. Just when we think the end is in sight it takes us for another loop.

rags

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 11 - 09:11 PM

I had wondered if you were still doing the pocket thing under the trousers. I hope the kidney heals quickly.

Tried an inexpensive experiment today, I don't think it worked, or at least, it was a wash, no gain or loss. I had a few ugly silver jewelry pieces from my great aunt's estate and a funky little gold thing that no one would ever wear. I stopped by a little antique store and looked at her tray of used rings and found 3 little sterling rings that were equally ugly and bundled this together and stopped by a gold exchange. I didn't go to the same one as before (though in hindsight I think they were nicer) and I think I broke even on what I got for it. Not at lot, not a little. But it was an experiment. I have beautiful heavy silver pieces here that I wouldn't consider selling - they're in the category of art, and the workmanship is so lovely. I suppose those need to be put where they won't tempt a thief who might peek in a window.

My friend has made a lot of progress, and he and his current roommate are hoping to move on Monday after his roommate and another friend do some looking. Since my friend's credit is shot his roommate and friend will visit apartments (where they want to hold your ID while you look, and where they run a credit check on you) and when they find one then my friend's name will be placed on the lease. They just need a foot in the door. Foreclosure fries your credit.

Not as tired today as yesterday, I did some wrap stuff in newspaper and pack it in boxes packing for my friend, and left before it got very late. I'll putter here around the house and garden this evening. We're under heavy water restrictions now, so I have to hand water my garden because I can't set up a sprinkler until Saturday.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: LilyFestre
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 12:03 AM

I hope Dan is found safe and sound. :(

Tomorrow I will pick up the remaining supplies we need to start canning. It's going to be a weekend full of cooking, canning and freezing here. Corn, beans, tomatoes and peaches.

Our mailbox was bombed last night. An explosion. An over sized mailbox blown into the trees...turned inside out. The door and back are nowhere to be found. We did find the top to the explosive and got some great tire tracks. We filed a police report. Not much else to do. The good news, if you can call it that, is that we were not the only ones targeted so more than likely it was a bunch of kids having *fun*.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 12:09 AM

Garden is watered, sink full of dishes (for the morning--don't feel like it tonight) and laundry is finished. And I went ahead and connected my house number with Google Voice. Now my voicemail will go to both Google and Sprint. After a few more months when the penalty isn't so bad (it goes down $10 a month till the end of the 2 year contract) I'll port the house phone to Google and drop the Sprint part of it. Best of both worlds - kind of.

I called my sister and asked about her use of the Roku box. She likes it. I saw one on sale (1 day only on Saturday) that I will probably pick up next sale. I won't go back to cable any time soon, but some of the news you can get through Roku channels would be nice.

I echo the sentiments that Dan returns safely - hoping for good news on that front. SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 12:13 AM

Cross-posted: Michelle, where I lived in the country years ago the weapon of choice against mail boxes seemed to be a 2x4, wielded by a rider in the back of a pickup. The post office takes this stuff seriously, so if your police or sheriff doesn't help, call the post office.

That canning sounds marvelous!!! I am freezing the little bit that I get right now (eggplant) and drying herbs. I hope for a fall crop if the temps cool and we get some rain.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: LilyFestre
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 12:30 AM

I would be so unsettled if it been a bat or even a shotgun...but an explosive? The police said it was a summary offense punishable by a maximum of $300.00 and up to 30 days in jail. I called the post office to have our mail held and the guy asked if I had filled out a form. I said no but our mailbox had been blown right off it's post. He said he'd hold it until we let them know otherwise and contacted our carrier who had left for the day. She brought today's mail right to the house.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: LilyFestre
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 12:34 AM

Photos of the mailbox vandalism have been posted to Facebook.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: mouldy
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 06:27 AM

Nasty! Where are they getting hold of that stuff?

Joined WW again last night...same weight as I started at before! (13st 1lb = 183lb). Now trying to transfer my mindset from the old points to the new.

Latest news on the build - Neil will be coming on Tuesday, weather permitting. NOBODY is to do any rain dances!

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Tinker
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 08:08 AM

Going to consolidate today and finish the small workshop area of the basement.... might have been a still room once upon a time. Reminding myself that the goal is to clean it to safety... not organize everything at once. Way too overloading the other way.

I've be letting the scrubbing lugging and stair climbing count as my daily exercise cause I figure if new muscles are complaining I'm definitely doing something. My weight loss has slowed way down as I approach the lst ten pounds.... Most weeks I've still lost 1 lb but it definitely seems like much more effort for less and less results.But I am down to my lowest point in over 10 years so I'll just keep plugging.

Sending Dan light to guide him home.

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 10:25 AM

I'm going to have to prop my eyes open with toothpicks, today.:-) Rog got home about midnight, we went to bed about 1a, but I couldn't settle, so was up 'til 2a, woke promptly at 6! Arrgghh. Fell back asleep until time for Morgan, who came cheerily into our bedroom at 748a, "Time for school!" Sent him out back to exercise the dog and himself, dragged ourselves out of bed and have now delivered him unto learning.

We will do grocery shopping and a few small things around the house. I now have 8 books going out to Mudcatters and the box of books to my son, today. Am also going to rearrange my desk space a bit. Then, I suspect, we shall both take naps.:-)

katblearyeyed

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 11:46 AM

I took a break from dog walking yesterday, but we were out there bright and early this morning. For my two and especially for Zeke, it is a way to re-assert each day that I am the pack leader. They're just generally happier when they've been out of the yard for a little walk.

High temp today is supposed to be at 100, and the numbers are slowly dropping. The drought is still with us so even if it is a little cooler the misery persists. I had to hand water today because though it is an even-date for my even-house-number, we've now switched to a very rigid county-wide watering ban with huge fines for mistakes. My watering days (sprinklers) are Wednesday and Saturday and I can hand water other times except there is no watering of any kind on Mondays.

My friend is clearing his fridge this morning to sell it to someone who will pick it up at noon. He still has a small bar fridge for food essentials. I suggested he should also sell the air conditioner and other equipment he can disconnect. I just heard from him - he has a plastic garden shed that is quite large that I asked him for. I need to disassemble it and probably rent a larger truck from Home Depot to pickup and deliver the largest pieces to my house. It will require a good chunk of rope and driving slower on back roads to be sure it gets here without flying off on the highway.

I guess I'd better get my self in gear and head over pretty soon.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: mouldy
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 02:10 PM

The only thing that's been de-cluttered today is the inside of the cat: I decided he could have his shots a little early (2-3 weeks)this year, and get it over with. I have 9 miles to the vet. My cat gets travel sick....

It's a good job I put some old cloth on top of the mat in the box, and that I usually carry refuse bags in the car!

I have 2 points left to use today. I think strawberries and yogurt sounds like a plan.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 06:05 PM

Kat: I put a bit of apple cider vinegar in my drinking water a lot of the time. AND I am glad you mentioned it because it often helps what ails me. Strangely, it is said to keep the ph balanced. Think I will go do that!

I use white vinegar all the time but I am trying to work on other folks who may have a psychological need for "products"!!

Michelle! Down in southern PA they used a baseball bat. Our neighbour replaced his with a BRICK one!!

R brought home a wonderful metal shelf unit for the country- so heavy we had to enlist a passerby to help get it into the alley behind out gate. It had to come out of the truck for the rest of today's work. It will be areal boon for organizing in the garage/studio.

Never went out this week, since we came back Sunday. Staying on hand to be here when a hungry man comes in. Eating helps keep the stress level almost manageable. And Drink something, too!

Crisis in the RAccoon World yesterday was grueling for everyone. I have this strange idea that if someone ASKS for help and is offered help, they have a responsibility to let people - who would like to go to bed knowing that guy is safe - know they have accepted that help and the situation is being resolved. I told the helpee that at 9:30 pm, his mother (I did not know he lived with his aging, ailing mother) at 11:30 pm because he had still not phoned the WAITING helper - who had worked 14 hours cleaning a house exterior and was still willing to drive several hours to rescue the raccoon.

Ended up with him in a fury with me - because of his mother - and me suggesting firmly but kindly that he needs serious therapy. At least I meant it kindly. He is a bleeding idiot who has jeopardized the life of the raccoon he claims to love, a hysteric and an ANGRY man. Seriously passive-aggressive also, I suspect. I hope he gives up the raccoon to a safe home. His state does not permit them as pets - at all. HE is lucky the police did not shoot it last night. No, I will have NOTHING more to do with him!!!! Do not fear!

I realize that it what has screwed up most of today and now I shall let go of it and go to the cafe!! Thank you all. HAve a great wee.kend --or the best possible weekend, in any case. Tornados, hurricanes flooding, droughts 100 degree weather and... notwithstanding

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 06:16 PM

My dogs and Zeke the visiting dog got into a box in the garage and chewed up a 30-year old preserved alligator gar head (I'd cooked the meat off and used the head for ranger talks - it was from a 75lb fish at one of the lakes I used to patrol.) Now the remainder is in the trash, but tons of bone and sharp little teeth are going through dog guts. I'll keep an eye on them.

My brother called today to say his dog died overnight. 9-year-old German shorthaired pointer who had wonderful adventures in her too-short life.

I didn't go over to my friend's house today, I ended up not taking the day off, but I'll be over there this weekend. I think I'm going to rent a U-Haul trailer to bring the big plastic greenhouse over here. It really is a wonderful building. I may move the dog kennel and put it there, or may put it down near the back of the yard. Except for it to be a greenhouse it needs more light than at the back. Ideally I'll put it where the folks from the village won't see it and insist I get a permit to set it up. The one pain about trailers is backing them and my driveway is not straight. Ugg.

I hope you all have a great weekend, and those in the US, enjoy your long weekend!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: SINSULL
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 06:23 PM

Lily,
I am trying very hard not to wish evil on your vandals. It is very hard given that the three animals who attacked a co-worker a few months back walked by today banging on the windows, pulling at the door handle and spitting on our windows repeatedly. This is not the first time.
I know that they are part of the broken masses expressing their frustrations at what they see as the enemy - people who sit behind desks and work - but I am fed up with them.
They will, of course,spit at the wrong person or smash the wrong mailbox and pay the price. Still it is hard not to be vengeful in my thought.
A group of similar losers destroyed a pumpkin patch belonging to a seriously disabled boy, about eight years old, in Maine. The field was clearly marked as a project for this young man.
My only hope is that when they all grow up they will recognize the seriousness of what they have done and make amends any way they can.

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 06:46 PM

Depressing criminal sorts getting discussed on both sides of the pond this week on Mudcat. Ugg.

I'm starting a care package for my son next week, I'll probably mail it by the middle of the month. I'll give him time to ponder what else he wants me to add to the initial list before I mail it.

I had a booklet to mail to OldDude if needed - I let Jacqui know what it was and she told me she already sent him a copy (a Joys of Jello cookbook). Anyone need a copy of it?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Tinker
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 10:11 PM

Special town pick up for water damaged items at the curb tomorrow. Everything had to be curb side before 6 am. So today was a major de-clutter day.

The roofer began the slate repair today -- hopefully my bedroom will no longer leak. I've gotten a claim number,and a promise of a call from an adjuster, but they are really swamped. the previous guy who did slate repair for me obviously cut corners, the new contractor has explained why the replaced slate has all fallen... copper brackets(too soft) nailed not screwed, cut about half required length.... and slightly too narrow.... I'm not a roofer, but the work today is much prettier. I'm trying not to remember how much I paid the very nice Irishmen who previously fixed my roof.

I'm almost done with the piles of soggies the end is in sight. My yard no longer resembles a bombing at a yard sale.

I have a diocese wide teacher training to put together for next Saturday so next week will be all out at work... obviously nothing I planned to do this week got done.

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 10:52 PM

That's interesting about the roof, Tinker, but sad that earlier guy made such a concerted effort to cut corners. Any of the day-to-day decluttering we're doing doesn't touch the shifting of things you're having to do. Remember to tighten your abdomen when you lift things, and bend your knees.

Shopping this evening - I'm going to start stocking up on beef roasts, cut them into 1-pound chunks and wrap and freeze them. Beef is supposed to go up after this season of ranchers selling off their beef because they've run out of water or can't afford the feed this time of year. I don't eat as much beef now as I used to.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Tinker
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 11:59 PM

Today I put on music appropo for the speakeasy and decided to Shake your wicked knees

It kept me moving and smiling. I got each of the kids to help with the larger pieces so the job was more doable. I've been trying to remember to get these things to the curb on bulk day ... but we are scheduled on Wednesdays and only the 2nd or 4th week of the month .... Well it's all gone now...

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Sep 11 - 12:24 AM

Great music pix, Tink. Wonder if that speakeasy had any of those pieces played there in its hey-day. Sorry you've had to do so much, but it's good to get it out and taken away.

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Bettynh
Date: 03 Sep 11 - 12:15 PM

I've been picking through stuff to sell at a yardsale scheduled for today. However, my sone can't help, so it'll be next week. Lots of scrubbing old dishes and kitchen stuff, washing dusty tee shirts, etc. I took a jar of coins to the local market and put them through a coin sorter (charge is 20% now, ouch). It kicked out a quarter and dime, both dated 1963, and I got to thinking. The internet is a wonderful thing. I found this . Good grief, when did this happen?? Most of the coins minted now are worth less than half their value in metals. But silver coins before 1963 are worth much more. Nickles generally are worth 6 cents in metal and the price of nickle is rising. So I sorted coins in another jar last night in front of the tv. I found a couple Kennedy half-dollars, a dozen or so wheat-ear pennies, a few dimes and quarters pre-1963, and a teacup full of pre-1982 pennies. The wheat-ear pennies will go into the yardsale. I'll probably ask $3 for the dozen, and let them talk me down to $1.50 if necessary. I'll just hang onto the older coins and nickles and take the modern coins to the sorter. But this has me creeped out and I have a story about that. ;)

In 1994 I took the kids to see the solar eclipse in Chile. (There are other stories about why and how) After the eclipse we went to Macchu Picchu, since it wasn't (relatively) far away. When we arrived in Peru, the airport was full of vendors of jewelry with heavy round dangles. We passed them by. As we travelled and looked around Peru, it was obvious that they had just gone through a disastrous money crisis. Inflation had become SO bad that they had had to replace all thier money with new money. I still have one bill for 5 million that was worth 5 in the new money. After the fact, I realized that those heavy round pendants were the old coins. I wish now that I had bought one, not for the fashion, but for the lesson in it. Money and value are different things, and you have to be careful.

So I'm off to the coin sorter again, and then back to sorting and deciding.

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: GUEST,Dani
Date: 03 Sep 11 - 12:48 PM

Thanks for the music nudge, Tinker!! Great stuff.

I've been in purge mode for about a year now. Streamlined, and feeling good. Some last little bits to go, but the feng shui has never been better.

Now, my only major project left, you have reminded me, is my piano. I have a trash-picked (literally) very old upright that makes me happy every day. But I'd be happier if I could play it!

Probably no universal accident that the first room I am renting out in this new project is the one with the piano. So, it'll have to be moved into my bedroom, won't fit anywhere else, where I will have to stare at it until I learn to play the damn thing : )

Dani

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: LilyFestre
Date: 03 Sep 11 - 01:58 PM

Down 0.4 this week.
Every little bit is good!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Bettynh
Date: 03 Sep 11 - 02:23 PM

Dani, this looks like a reasonable place to start.

I also remember Leonard Bernstein's music theory lectures fondly, although he's always a bit stuffy. It was a revelation to me to find out that there's more to the scale than that it just "sounds right."

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Sep 11 - 03:18 PM

It seems the "light at the end of the tunnel" has a nice smell more than a bright light-- at least for decluttering. A lemony vanilla smell. We're treating ourselves to nice cleaning products from now on.

Details:

The LR's slow progress has resulted in a room the housecleaner is about to pretty-clean, Monday. The timing is all God's, and I love it-- MIL arrives to clean house and relaxed hosts, another friend due for Sept. visit in an improved upstairs bedroom, and my office is workable but due for a cabinet build with Ade to increase intentional storage and to absorb the 4 workshop go-bins for existing Diocesan responsibilities.

The fam financial office has moved successfully upstairs from the room I had prepped for a tenant or our adult son's uni return, which now provides a gracious home for a friend and housemate who is giving us all the boxes as she unpacks-- a housemate with an endless supply of great-sized cardboard boxes from work, YAY! I have no clutter to fill them-- only planned archives of records and yard sale items to display/categorize.

Hardi's contribution to the early-Oct. yard sale project is all that is needed to price and sell a front porchful of pass-alongs, and when that is over there will be FreeCycle and then the landfill-- all before winter freeze-up. So we will have a clear and lovely front porch in the spring to house a summer chill tub. There is actually room for both a chill tub for me and a fall/spring hot one for Hardi. And we have the wading pools already on hand to do it.

THIS is what I've worked so hard on, for the last several years, so I could be OUT and so that when we are at home we can CHILL.

The next smell will be LR paint and probably kitchen paint as well.

TBTG!

I know that some of you here are not my friends, but please at least take note from my example that decluttering CAN actually be done and CAN result in your goals-- keep decluttering!!!


All the best,

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: GUEST,Dani
Date: 03 Sep 11 - 03:52 PM

Very nice! Rank beginner! Count me in.

Dani

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Sep 11 - 07:14 PM

Companions, even if we don't know each other in person to be friends, Susan!

Today I spent four or five hours emptying all of the crud that had been dumped and stored in the big plastic greenhouse in my friend's back yard. I took out the shelves and some supports and a counter and all of that is in the pickup and will be in the garage soon. I also brought some terracotta pots for the greenhouse and a few kitchen things to store in the house. Tomorrow I begin disassembling the building and stacking the panels in the pickup and making a drive back and forth a several times. I will put it in my back yard where the dog kennel is now and move the kennel over several feet.

As I cleaned and began taking it apart I thought about the various things that can go in there. With the shelves the way they are there is storage underneath on both sides and I'll be able to keep garage items like my mower and some of the bins of things (corn gluten meal, dry molasses, etc.) in there, and I have some gardening things in my sun room that will also go in there. This will be a lovely dedicated gardening shed that can double on one side as a greenhouse.

The inside of this thing was filled with animal signs - the doors have been open so squirrels dragged lots of pecans in there to eat and leave the shells. There are birds, and rats and mice in the neighborhood (there is a school across the street with a dumpster that is the source of the population) and there were things in there from when they had a pet rabbit. So tons of dusty stuff that isn't good for anyone. I tried to take it easy with the dust, and when I came home I used the neti pot and I gargled. If I feel at all like I'm catching something I'm heading over to my doctor ASAP.

I've been working on my decluttering for a long time now and have made great progress. My home looks light and airy compared to when I look at my friend's house and see all of the seasonal stuff - so much for each holiday that it is over the top - and all of the excess in so many things in that small house, crammed into closets, spare rooms, the yard, the garage, etc. I know I'm not bad. My friend's late partner was the borderline hoarder (collector of things that resulted in a hoard, at any rate). There has been a lot of packing going on and many trips to the storage locker for him, but a lot of it is going to goodwill, to consignment shops, or to the dump.

Ideally I'd like to race through the dismantling and bring it over here and simply put it back together on this spot without a piled up not-doing-anything stage in between. I need to trim around the kennel to disentangle the grass from the bottom of the cyclone fencing, and drag it sideways. And before I take this apart any more I'm going to photograph the inside and out so I have that to go with along with the booklet of instructions.

My weekend is going to be crammed full of stuff. I'll be glad to go back to work next week just to rest up!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: LilyFestre
Date: 04 Sep 11 - 01:06 AM

I hope you feel better Maggie!!!! And soon!!! It's goldenrod season here which means I'm sneezing my fool head of for most of the morning and rubbing my eyes until I think they are going to pop out of my head. It eases in the afternoon and then starts to tickle again as the sun goes down.

For whatever reason, I'm finding that I really prefer to clean, sort and make my lists late at night when everyone is sleeping. It goes without saying that cleaning while the baby sleeps makes things go much quicker and I can get something done all at once. I guess I just prefer the quiet time to myself for a bit.

When I came home from Weight Watchers, Pete had done the dishes in the sink, swept the floor and picked up all the baby toys. This lasted for maybe 45 minutes..LOL. We definitely have a lived in house! I spent the later part of my evening doing up today's dishes, almost TOTALLY clearing off the counter (except for baby bottle dryer stand, coffee maker and bread machine) in anticipation of doing a great deal of canning and freezing (which means blanching time) tomorrow. We have 100 ears of corn, 2 baskets of green beans, 1 basket of yellow beans, a giant box of tomatoes with more needing to be picked in the morning and also a box of cucumbers waiting to be made into bread and butter pickles. We'll be freezing maybe half of the beans and making the rest into Dilly Green Beans, which are my favorite! On Monday, our favorite orchard will be open for picking pears. We plan to can at least 3 bushels. Also, for the first time ever, Pete planted carrots so I'm toying with the idea of canning some of those...not too sure about that yet as I love them just fresh out of the garden and won't have any difficulty using them up!

There was a wicked thunderstorm here this afternoon. I had Jeremiah out in the pool and the skies were blue...not a dark cloud in sight and no prediction for rain. I heard the thunder in the distance and got the baby in the house (oh was he mad at me!!!) and not long after this freak storm came upon our house. It rained really hard, there was hail, the thunder was shaking our house and the lightening was wicked. It hit a tree in our woods, then it hit the electric fence charger in the barn and blew it right out of the barn (that was SO loud) and then another strike in our field. Thankfully, the house, barn and animals are all ok.

I finished reading, The Help today and really enjoyed the book. I hear the movie is good too so I might have to make my way there sometime this week.

Anyway, the floors are swept, the kitchen is ready for our marathon canning and freezing sessions and I'm looking forward to that time with Pete. :)

Goodnight Everybody. I hope you feel better Maggie and that Dan has found his way back to where he belongs.

Sweet Dreams to All,

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Sep 11 - 09:47 AM

Michelle, I feel fine - I was saying that because of the exposure to dried rodent feces I was going to be very careful if I didn't feel good any time soon. I haven't heard about Hanta virus in Tarrant County, TX. I just looked it up:

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is caused by a virus carried by wild rodents, primarily deer mice. The 1st signs of illness in humans are similar to flu symptoms and include fatigue, fever and muscle aches. They can also include headache, dizziness, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain.

I don't think that describes the rodents we have here, and the two cases in Texas were in far west desert counties, but I don't want to become the exception to that rule. I didn't spray down the shed with disinfectant, but I tried to not stir up too much dust.

Today was a lovely morning to the dogs - not humid and not hot. Not cool, either - no sweaters are coming out of the closet, but it was nice. I'm killing a little time before I head over to my friend's house so I don't disturb him if he's sleeping late with this wonderful weather. (I love to sleep when it's cooler out but have made myself get up early all summer to take advantage of the only time during the day when you can get much done outside.)

I was a bit stiff when I got up this morning, and though I think today's work will be easier overall, there will still be a fair amount of stretching and lifting. I'll probably drive back and forth several times in the next two days. I'll see about taking a nap during the afternoon to give myself a bit of a break. I'm really looking forward to this building being here, so I'll have to pace myself at getting it dismantled and not clobber myself in the process.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Bettynh
Date: 04 Sep 11 - 10:02 AM

Michelle, you're lucky to have pears. We have orchards all around, but none seems to have pears. When I was a kid, we had pear trees. Canned pears were always made with a tablespoon of crushed pineapple to each jar (keeps them light colored, and reduces the need for sugar). Seckle pears, the little sweet late variety, were each stuck with a few whole cloves and canned whole. We did that with crabapples, too. They weren't pretty (they came out brown), but they were a favorite treat and sooo easy to can. If you can find an Asian market, they sell cloves by the pound for fairly reasonable rates.

It's hot and humid again (well, relatively, SRS, it might hit 90 today). I think I'll haul down and wash up one of the full sets of dishes my mom set aside.

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Sep 11 - 10:08 AM

I forgot to mention - I love pears and when I was a kid we had a great fruit tree in the back yard. Mom canned a lot of pears for us every year. They grow down here, there's a large tree a few streets away and I keep meaning to ask if I can pick some. You'll be busy canning, but it is so wonderful when you open that gift to your future self next winter or spring!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Sep 11 - 04:27 PM

In for a breather. I brought a load of plastic garden shed parts and before unloading it I dragged my 7' x 13' kennel several feet to the side and then unloaded the parts into the kennel. That will keep the dogs from climbing around on them and I can stack them easily in the order I took them apart. What comes home last gets used first when I reconstruct it.

High today is mid-90s, an improvement. Tomorrow is supposed to be mid-80s and that will be marvelous!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: mouldy
Date: 04 Sep 11 - 04:39 PM

I have been told that one of the builders should be with me on Tuesday, weather permitting. Anyhow, Ali says that once they crack on, I will be astounded at how fast it grows!
Bearing that in mind, I went and reserved a cooker and extractor this afternoon. The store will hold the order for me as long as I need. I just have to allow 2 weeks for delivery. The August sale price was still on the cooker, and it only cost just over double the price of the extractor. It's a good make, is cream and black, double oven plus grill and pan storage, with 4 regular gas burners, a wok burner, and a small ceramic hotplate. A proper big range cooker! The ovens are electric, and A-rated for energy.

Kinda makes a mockery of me being on a diet, really!

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: LilyFestre
Date: 04 Sep 11 - 05:28 PM

97 ears of corn shucked, blanched, packed, labeled and frozen.

Several pints of beans are ready for blanching as well.

Breaktime!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Sep 11 - 11:41 PM

Sounds like a lot of work, Michelle! I'm waiting on the washer to finish the load that has my long jeans in it and I'll drop it in the dryer and head for bed. You're probably already asleep. These hard days to make for a great night's snooze!

The shed is completely disassembled. I brought 2 loads over today, and in the morning will get another in my pickup, then decide how I want to go about moving the last of it. Someone may have a trailer I can borrow, or else I'll see if U-Haul has something local for the last minute. I have a trailer hitch and the wiring for the trailer lights and such. I don't use it often, but it is very nice to have it for when you need it.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Sep 11 - 09:09 AM

Oooooh! Today is cool outside! It got down to the 50s! The dogs are racing around enjoying and I'm going to move another load of garden shed walls.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Penny S.
Date: 05 Sep 11 - 05:23 PM

Yesterday I collected some windfalls from the village orchard, and worked out how to gather some mirabelle plumlets with a picker bag on a pole. Also found a not quite ready eating apple - the rest are cookers. I will be back.
Today I spent time in the garden. Pruned the forsythia (wrong time, but it had put on far too much growth since the post flowering cut and was shading things too much). Trimmed the village hedge where it had grown over the fence, and a bit off the neighbour's shrub (with permission) where that had encroached. Rebuilt the wooden compost container and toppped it up with trimmings and some kitchen waste (also mostly from the garden). Moved the bag the mushroom compost had come in, which now holds the mature compost from the bottom of the plastic bin, and found it occupied by a large frog (that's British large, about 5 inches, legs extended). Then, when pruning the shrub, I moved a paving slab and found a toad crawling away from it (same body size, but shorter legs). I'm going to have to be very careful out there with all these amphibians. The other day I disturbed one under a potato bag. Think I saw another crawling along under the courgette leaves (zucchini). Feast on those slugs, guys! Also trimmed the virginia creeper again. The rate that grows is phenomenal. Matched only by the bramble, which has taken off at last. Neither of them need time lapse photography to show the extension, just a chair and a long afternoon. Weeded a patch where there is going to be a rockery, but where I hope at the moment my erigeron is seeding for next year. This came from my last home, before that from my Mum, and before that from a garden in Northiam, Sussex, laid out by the gardener Christopher Lloyd. Pulled up a lot of willowherb, too late to stop it seeding!

The vinca is back. And the ground ivy.

The cat had made an attempted entry the other day, despite my putting wobbly trellis along the gate top - now strengthened, and it had sprayed the compost bin, by the smell. I sprinkled some lion poo about, and have had no visit since.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Sep 11 - 07:21 PM

The shed is here, in pieces, but it is all here. I rented a truck from Home Depot - they have a very simple arrangement and a lot less fuss and bother than U-Haul. I rented it for 2 1/2 hours and paid $40 ($19 for the first 75 minutes, $10 an hour after that, or $69 a day), but it was so much easier than any other option. I wasn't able to take the cover off of my pickup (the bolts have rusted) so this was my second choice.

Zeke has gone home, the long weekend is over. I need to rest up from it this week. I'll start soaking a pot of beans to cook tomorrow (pretending it'll stay cool for a while) and fold the laundry covering the living room couch, wash another load of laundry, but anything I do this evening will be simple, straightforward, and when I feel tired, it stops where it is and I head for bed. These days of lifting and hefting and dragging really are a good workout. And they generated a lot of thought.

It was abundantly clear after these last couple of weeks of packing, sorting, discarding, setting aside to sell on eBay or setting aside for Goodwill or garage sale that his partner was ill. This was a hoarder's house. There is a huge difference between a hoarder's house and a house that has a bit too much stuff in general. We talked about it - I know there has been anger at the exquisite waste on collectible trinkets, that the cash in the clutter could have paid off the house. But he still does want to remember his partner fondly, so it will time time for this past few weeks to settle out of the forefront of everyone's thoughts.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Sep 11 - 09:53 PM

Wonderful day with housecleaner. My goodness she is GOOD. House gleaming. Vanilla-lemon-lavender.

Hardi and I added a new pair of curtain panels to replace thew 15-yr old sun-rotted pair I finally threw "out" (saved for other purposes LOL), last year. Not as nice as the ones he will sew when we paint, but good with the bird wallpaper we will be painting over.

It's a great thing when what I CAN do allows me to have someon else's paid help to do what they can do better than we can, and MUCH better than the very little my PT presently allows me to do.

Our system (begun with the Dec. 2000 fire/smoke cleanup) is that we outline the goals, then they're the boss and I'm on their crew. Whether it's putting in a fence or cleaning, and anything in between, I'm that second pair of hands and Hardi knows where all hidden tools can be found, LOL. So THAT part-- being the lowliest member on the crew-- is part of my PT program.

Today I can claim the same 10 hours we just paid her for, because I started hours before she arrived and crapped out (by the same number of hours) before she finished. Ten hours of thank-God-for-pain-meds hopping and bopping--carrying loads of stuff from point A to point B and whatever was at B to C, etc.-- with stuff I can do seated in between. Lots of movement, lots of strength work, lots of walking on flat surfaces per orders. (It probably doesn't sound like a lot unless you know that this crumbling old 1800's farmhouse is big enough to sleep 35.)

Faulkner-dog pre-approves all who work here. And the peeps we choose to work with totally get the concept of bossing me, and reading my face to see when I am getting past my limit. So during their boss-time I get to NOT be in charge, and in that mode I am able to do much more than I might have thought I could do, while knowing that when I have to knock off they will be more than able to carry the task forward on their own.

Katy thinks she can get back here about every 2 weeks for a half day, and that is just about what we really need. Adrian can come ahead of her to do carpentry projects or the heavy-lifting cleaning Katy then finish-cleans.

And we can focus on the more private UPstairs, while the main floor on this plan should now stay company-ready. I'm gonna need solar walkway lights from driveway to step, very soon! I saw THAT done a neat way at one campground-- they stuck them in PVC pipes pounded deep, raising the lights by a few inches and also enlarging the base so the mower doesn't cut off the otherwise-low lights. I can buy 'em one at a time-- and they don't need to match!

Think we got us'ns a parlor now!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Sep 11 - 10:24 PM

I had a housecleaner come in for a half-day every other week when I was in graduate school and it made a huge difference for me in being able to keep things together the rest of the time. It is money well-spent.

Kitchen is clean. I'll fold some laundry and take it in with when I head for bed in a few minutes, but it won't all be folded. Motrin is my friend after all of that lifting and pushing today, so I'll take one and leave the bottle out for when I roll out of bed tomorrow. I also have several little blister spots from the repetitive motion of unscrewing everything to separate the sections of the greenhouse yesterday.

I did a little yard work this evening before dark - my sunflowers (the native Texas type that get huge and then slowly tip over, usually in the most inconvenient direction) needed trimming so I lopped off a bunch of branches in the driveway and they're piled at the curb for the trash guys tomorrow. Lots left for the birds to enjoy here.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 06 Sep 11 - 02:30 AM

Hello chapses!

I am still alive, the cats are still around, I have failed miserably in decluttering the house and in fact, have added more stuff!

Have managed to declutter my choral society's music store though, hence the huge pile of files cluttering the dining room. Sooner I get them catalogued, the sooner they can go to their new homes and hopefully raise some money for East London Chorus.

Rejoice in the small triumphs and the larger things won't seem so bad.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: ragdall
Date: 06 Sep 11 - 03:33 AM

I cut out and hemmed three more "pockets" to hold 500 ml drain/catheter collection bags inside pant legs. The new catheter malfunctioned the first two days in use. Adjustments were made that seem to have corrected the problem. Pants will now have a bag pocket inside each leg to give each collection bag its own place and a more direct route for the catheter tubing.

Then I headed out into the yard to cut the lawns. Drops of rain began to fall soon after I got out there and continued to fall until I was finished using the lawnmower. They never amounted to much so I was able to keep going. I used the edger to do some extra clean up in areas that I usually ignore, cut back all the daisies in the backyard, deadheaded poppies, pulled weeds and cut out some of the young shrubs that are springing up everywhere. Then I clean out the bird baths and pools are refilled them with fresh water.

My hands and joints are very sore tonight. I'd like to think it was worth it but I can't see much improvement out there.

rags

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: SINSULL
Date: 06 Sep 11 - 09:10 AM

September begins my time of year. I love the fall.
Weekend spent sorting and cleaning. I finally found a missing $20 winning scratch off ticket and my manicure kit - both went missing when I decided to hide the clutter in boxes.
Plus I am sticking to WW. My first weigh in is next Monday and I expect I will have lost something. We'll see.
The house looks so different. Minimal clutter and clean floors.
But no word of Dan. This is not looking good.
Mary

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Tinker
Date: 06 Sep 11 - 09:10 AM

Ah Dani I'm heading back out of Durham (in the rain) and there wasn't even time for coffee.... Drove Julienne here after the saga of the on again, delay again, on again, off again flight, and the no excuses first ever law school paper. Slept and vegged all day yesterday, back on the road today.

Hopefully we haven't flooded again by the time I get home.

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Sep 11 - 11:00 AM

I hope your husband can finish with those bags and catheters pretty soon, rags. Liz, good to see you pop up again, and Mary, this is a good time of year for WW because you feel more energetic with the cool air. Trouble for me is, I also feel more like cooking with the cool air. Let us know if you hear from your friend Dan.

My muscles are achy this morning - upper arms in particular, from all of the lifting and moving stuff. Motrin is still my friend. I did a small load of laundry each day this weekend so I could wear the same jeans while I worked moving stuff. The jeans were a big help but I can look in the mirror and see signs of my work in the form of bruises accumulated over the last week.

Today spare time will be spent simply putting things away. I'm sure I'll need a nap.

SRS