BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: pdq
Date: 14 Sep 11 - 10:41 PM

Iris is in the eye of the beholder.

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Sep 11 - 11:16 PM

. . . and?

I can't say we got any rain here, but Weather Underground report rain in Amarillo. Trouble is, just 'cause Amarillo is in Texas doesn't mean the rest of the state got wet. It's like the equivalent of a state away if you were in any other state in the union. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Penny S.
Date: 15 Sep 11 - 03:37 AM

I was given an Australian aborigine string bag a while back, and have been puzzling for ages how it was made - I now know it was made on a frame of some sort, because what I am making has the same stitch pattern. I was interested to find that it also used the cast off row as the base, because it is firmer than the cast on. This means that the stitch isn't immediately obvious, because if you assume that work goes from the base up, it doesn't make sense. It has a different handle structure, which I am going to try - I've been using crochet where the aborigines used blanket stitch around a bundle of threads.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Sep 11 - 10:37 AM

Sounds interesting!

Air quality here is very low because there is a compost fire smoldering about a half-mile north of us. I think it'll take a while to put out the fire, so my plans to work in the yard this evening are on hold. Who knows how long this kind of mop-up will take - and it is the worst part of the fire fighting job.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Sep 11 - 10:47 AM

:~( A monthly luncheon I had planned to resume attending today with MIL-- she missed seeing a bunch of folks Sunday when she was sick and missed church-- has been canceled today due to rain. It's unusually cold here suddenly so I hope we can get this on the calendar in the next few weeks before real winter arrives, but it's too bad Mom will miss it.

MY Mom told me ydy that Augmentin had given her some nasty hallucinaions-- she'd thought she was at the ER witnessing a man who brought his son in because he needed to pull out the javelin he'd thrown thru his son's heart!!! This from the sanest person I know! Apparently confusion is a side effect.... Who knew-- I take it all the time for bladder infections! ???

So nice to resume daily studies. I'm working with a priest to organize a class for clergy spouses, YAY, that will partly be online and partly in person. Our schedules just do not allow for the more usual type of class scheduling.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: mouldy
Date: 15 Sep 11 - 12:10 PM

The builders/joiners have been at some point every day this week - don't know about tomorrow, and the foreast is bad - but anyway, I have the joists and floor boarding of the upper floor in situ. it has been sheeted against any rain, and the downpipe that was throwing all that water just outside my door has been diverted onto the shed roof. There are no windows yet, or door, but for the first time in a while I am even more watertight. I think!

Maybe the stonemasons will come tomorrow and add some more to the walls...

It's quite autumnal today, with quite a nip in the air. The weather was glorious yesterday, but a bit breezy, and the clear sky last night dropped the temperature a bit, to about 8C. Today hasn't been quite as sunny, and at a guess, I bet it's not been more than 16C.

WW this evening. had a bit of an "off track" weekend, so we'll see.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: LilyFestre
Date: 15 Sep 11 - 12:49 PM

I was going to make apple crisp early this morning for a Ladies Guild picnic/lunch/meeting with a group of lovely ladies....a few of us decided to cancel vs. getting together at the church. I'm kinda glad because it is cold and rainy and I am happy to stay home today and putter.

I love to bake when it's icky and chilly outside so I'm making rye bread, corn chowder and apple crisp for home. :)

Both our toilet and dryer have bit the dust. Well, the toilet still works but not as it should so yesterday the Love of My Life came home with a new potty! It's sitting on our front porch at the moment until he has time to put it in! YAY!!! And this morning at breakfast he informed me that I will have a new dryer soon...hopefully the end of the week! I love hanging stuff on the line but it's been so rainy that it takes a few days for the stuff on the line to dry. I have an inside rack but that is also full at the moment and that takes a few days to dry as well. So.....I'm looking forward to both of those things being installed!

Regular chore stuff is done except for the floors which I'll do when the Wee One winds down for his nap.

Speaking of the Wee One, he is beginning to talk and follow multiple step requests!!! This morning he gave us both kisses (first time ever)!!! I thought my heart was going to pop right out of my chest...soooo sweet to have that precious little face lean in, all puckered up!!! He says, "Mmmmmmwah!" LOL

The day before yesterday he a check up at the doctor and the necessary booster shots. He's gained 3 inches and 2 pounds over the summer!!! He also has 8 teeth now!! The doctor was asking me about things Jeremiah can do or say and I told him that Jeremiah can identify colors. Blue, red, yellow, green and purple. He can't say them (well...he can say purple and yellow is getting there) but if I hold 2 Legos out to him and ask which one is yellow, he will take the correct colored Lego from me!!! :) Last night he started putting his toys away when I said, "In the basket." He put them ALL in and even piled his beloved boxes on top!!! :)

Anyway, that's what I've been up to!

Enjoy the Day Everybody!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Bettynh
Date: 15 Sep 11 - 01:37 PM

Awww... I loved my boys as babies, but they were most fun for me when they started talking and walking. I can still see in my mind Virgil lying in his crib at naptime, playing with his toes and saying "sister" over and over, for the pure joy of saying the word - ssssisssster! ;-)

I used the body-halter and leash arrangement on long walks when they were little. My guys were independent from the start, heading in different directions, but they loved the fact that a tumble would leave them dangling safe and sound, and not flat on the ground and perhaps hurt. It may have looked like I was playing puppet master, but that's not what was happening at all.

Laundry is on hold while a weather front goes through today. I'm off to the dairy, which is almost 15 miles away, but Trader Joe's is on the way, so I'll get some food shopping done, too. Later, I've got to dig through dishes. I found a set of 18 cups, saucers, and dessert plates, with no dinner plates in one pattern. I hope to find them under the plates in the boxes of other patterns upstairs.

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Sep 11 - 09:49 PM

Popped something behind my knee setting my PT back a coupla days. SO discouraging-- but I do have things I can do around here while it heals up.

Half the grocery budget this week went to cleaning/laundry supplies. Gosh I ate it when they all need to be bought the same week, but there ya go.

Flea baths Saturday for cats and dogs. Happyhappyhappy I found a leftover kitty trank previously prescribed for the kitty who will need it, and I also bought her a harness so I can hang onto her slippery, soapy self.

Three generations of women at the dinner table tonight, THAT was REALLY neat. War stories about know-it-all kids in their post-18 certainties/help calls! ;~)

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: GUEST,999
Date: 15 Sep 11 - 11:05 PM

Sister Susan, repeat after me: feats don't fail me now.

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Sep 11 - 11:09 PM

Betty, I like your description of the harness and lead arrangement with toddlers. It worked that way for us also - it gave the child a feeling of independence but also of security if they looked like they were going to tumble. Until they were each 2 1/2 they were both nursing (primarily at naps and bedtime when they got older) so there was always the cuddling reinforcement to compliment the independence.

The fire was doused by mid-afternoon so this evening we struggled and strained and lifted and pounded and got the roof sections onto the greenhouse. Before it was finished there were five of us in the yard - the heavy lifting fell to me and my ex, but Cecil and Jackie came over from next door and my friend Susie (who owns Zeke the chocolate lab) dropped by. They were here mostly to nudge with a plank and direct our pushing so the grooves met and the notches fit. The roof is on and now the rest of the shell can be completed by just me - I put the doors on one side just to see how they go, but the windows and other doors are a job for tomorrow. It isn't completely level, that is why some of it was difficult, so I'll be nudging the sides and cramming rocks and bricks under then filling with dirt. And I'll use gravel in the door ways.

I'll also put in a little French drain from the roof of the garage past the greenhouse so water doesn't wash out the platform I struggled to put into place. I will put a gutter on the garage to solve that and put in water collecting tanks (also brought from my friend's house.) I'm hoping the village officials don't notice this structure and come asking to inspect or tell me I need to pay for a permit. But it could happen, so I won't be surprised.

The kitchen is clean after a wonderful simple dinner of salmon, fried potatoes and cauliflower. I made a big bowl of guacamole and froze it for future use, then washed the dishes. I'm drinking a couple of extra glasses of water to compensate for all of the heavy lifting as I do a little computer work and watch an episode of Masterpiece Theater streaming via Internet. I'd rather not wake up to leg cramps. Earlier this afternoon I finally motivated myself to file a whole bunch of papers and old bills, so I'm fairly well caught up on general household stuff.

Tomorrow is a long day work-wise, but I'll spend morning time in the greenhouse. I'll photograph a couple of events this weekend and spend time processing photos, but I'll still have time to empty my side yard of greenhouse stuff and hopefully empty my garage of stuff that can be stored in the greenhouse.

A lot of typing, and I'm at the end of my energy for the evening. Catch you all as time allows. I think the cooler temperatures are giving everyone a lot more energy. Kat, we haven't heard from you. How's it going there?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: mouldy
Date: 16 Sep 11 - 05:59 AM

Grey, damp, drizzly day here, and no builders. Have just watched the All Blacks hammer Japan in the Rugby World Cup, so I had now better gather a couple of bags of laundry and head of down to the launderette. I found I'd gained half a pound at WW last night. Could have been worse, I suppose...

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Sep 11 - 10:01 AM

Andrea, will they be able to finish your house before the really cold weather arrives? Are they in the home stretch, now that all of the digging and footers are in place and approved?

We have a few days of 20 and 30 percent chance of rain, and today is overcast, but it is still very dry. Cooler, but dry.

Lots to do here, but I can't predict what will present itself as most in need of doing once I get the greenhouse assembled. The laundry is caught up and the dishes are done, so I'll be able to work on other more interesting chores.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: LilyFestre
Date: 16 Sep 11 - 10:31 AM

It's laundry day here on the mountain top. I will hang what I can and tomorrow we are getting a new dryer!! YAY!!!!!

Pills have been sorted out for the week and I've vacuumed too. I still have dishes to do and then I'll be making vegetable soup from the left over pot roast. The price of beef roasts has dropped dramatically here so I purchased quite a few this week. I'll put another roast in the crock pot for today or tomorrow and freeze the rest. I also will be cleaning out the fridge today. I'm digging on the idea of some baked apples too. We have crates full of them! I'm hoping to find a canning recipe for apple pie filling and then all the rest will be made into applesauce for the rest of the year. There are also 2 bushels of pears sitting in my kitchen waiting to be canned. They aren't quite ripe yet so maybe that will happen on Monday.

I have a tumor marker check early next week and am starting to feel a bit anxious about it so I think keeping busy is the best thing for me to do right now.

Later Gators!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: mouldy
Date: 16 Sep 11 - 12:09 PM

They should get it done before the weather really grinds into winter. At least I hope they do! It will be wind and watertight by then anyway. A lot will depend on how soon I get the drawing from the architect that the planners need, with the completed planning forms, so that I can add a small roof-light.

Beaurocracy is alive and well!

Nobody's been today, but I have seen them finishing (I hope) a job just up the road, which they would have gone onto yesterday when the joiners were here.
Anyway, it's grey, blowy and rainy. At least I got the washing done, and it's in the dryer now.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Sep 11 - 03:41 PM

This afternoon I spent a couple of hours struggling with the window portion of the green house. Bugger to put together, but I think I got it. Nothing will fall out, anyway, and I'll tweak it over the weekend. It was a lot of hard, sweaty work. Now I can relax and go to work for a while (to photograph an evening event).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Sep 11 - 09:25 PM

Hey niner, Sister Susan, repeat after me: feats don't fail me now.

SO on point you do not know! Thanks bud!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Sep 11 - 11:58 PM

Bruce, that was cute. :-)

During the meeting tonight I heard the unusual noise of rain on the skylights of the library. And it kept on and on - this wasn't a little sprinkle, but rain of a couple of hours. I returned home to find 1 1/2 inches of water in the dog bowls on the porch (my informal rain gauges). We had a couple of hours of rain about six weeks ago, and before that we had gone months without. This was really nice.

I had left stuff in the greenhouse that is dry, but there is a wheelbarrow of dirt for shoveling underneath that will be a bit moist for work tomorrow, but that probably is fine. More compacted to begin with this way.

We'll see how the work out there goes tomorrow. My event I thought I'd photograph tomorrow was (!) last week - I completely missed it. There wasn't a conflict at all, except in my paper calendar.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Sep 11 - 09:35 AM

This morning is warm and humid but the soil smells wonderful with 1-2 inches of rain sunk in. My keyboard is acting up so I'll restart my system after a scan. A virtual decluttering may be called for.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: LilyFestre
Date: 17 Sep 11 - 11:46 AM

It was a chilly, damp 40 degrees on our front porch this morning. I've been up and to town. I'm feeling organized (not my house...good grief, it doesn't take long to be a mess), focused and inspired today!

Enjoy the day!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Sep 11 - 12:03 PM

Is your new dryer there yet, Michelle?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: LilyFestre
Date: 17 Sep 11 - 09:55 PM

The dryer has been ordered and will be here Tuesday night!!!   YAY!!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Sep 11 - 10:19 PM

We're in a holding pattern today as we wait to see if Zeke, the wandering lab, returns home. Susie left the house at about 9:30 this morning and got home at 2:30pm. At some point Zeke pushed a window screen out and hasn't been seen since. We hoped he'd come down to see my girls, but nothing. Put an ad on Craigslist, and Susie will put an ad in the newspaper online. We have a few other places to check daily if he doesn't turn up tomorrow.

I finished putting the greenhouse together. It needs some tweaking to get the doors to close because it isn't completely level. I picked up a string of LED lights to run along the ceiling in there for some nice evening lighting (might as well - it's so cute!) and I need to work on the top of the support beam - put a topper on it that will allow the beam to stay put as a passive support. It might not need it, but I'll be happier with it in place.

Laundry done, not many dishes to do. House is looking okay, in general.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Sep 11 - 10:23 PM

Good thoughts for Zeke's safe and swift return home, SRS.

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Sep 11 - 10:12 AM

This morning signs were put up at the entrances to the village and my phone (with a local area code and exchange) is the prominent number, along with Susie's (her cell phone still has a Houston area code). I pulled up a photo from last summer and cropped out Zeke and we printed in grayscale to add to her signs.

Working on the greenhouse today. Must run an extension cord and set up a fan out there. It's pretty humid after our big rain on Friday night so moving air is essential.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Sep 11 - 01:27 PM

Susie got a call from a woman who saw a sign on her way out for a couple of hours. We'll find out for sure if it is Zeke when she gets back home. Soon - what a little neighborhood drama this has been!

The extension cord is in place, a fan runs, now I need a little radio. There used to be a little one I would plug in on the porch when I gardened in the front yard - maybe it's still here (one thing I probably wouldn't have decluttered out.)

For accountability, I had a nice lunch today - half a chicken breast (these days they're are so big - they easily feed two people) and a handful of my pan friend home-grown potatoes, finished off with a big bowl of home-grown cantaloupe. I'm starting to get a serious okra crop, so soon that will be a regular part of many meals, and it freezes beautifully. I'm getting lots of exercise, though it is the lifting and hefting and hauling variety mostly. My legs ached for a couple of days after all of the work to put the roof on the greenhouse.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Sep 11 - 11:34 PM

MIL left for Chicagoland Friday and I just about have the LR back to pet-friendly layout and cushion covers, despite going back on the way-high BP med that takes my breath and leaves me freezing and tired.

Cat bath ydy was fun!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Sep 11 - 12:32 AM

Found the radio, now my greenhouse has a fan and a radio. No light yet, my next step. LED are more for mood than actual lighting and they're not in place yet. Since the building is up I've been needing to shore up around the edges - would you believe, it has rained twice - on Friday and this evening. I need to do that work before my dirt platform is warped by moisture or simply washed away. It has been dry for months and now I can't turn my back on this thing? I should have put it up in June!

The drama of the missing dog (Zeke) resolved itself today - life resumes as normal tomorrow.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Sep 11 - 12:03 PM

Laundry is on the couch, needs folding. There are a few dishes in the sink that need washing. There is a lot more room in the sun room and the garage and I'll be compressing stuff in both of these places in the coming days.

Zeke is coming down for a couple of days so I'll park my truck outside (he always runs out of the dog stall into the garage and into the driveway when I open the door. I need to rebuild the end of the stall so they can't exit into the larger garage unless I want them to.) The weather is so much nicer now that the dogs have a lot of energy. I also feel much more energetic when I can go through mild exertions and not end up dripping sweat.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: SINSULL
Date: 19 Sep 11 - 06:34 PM

Welcome back, Zeke, although I suspect you didn't realize you were missing. Labs!
Inch by inch; row by row.
I am gaining control of my living space. one box at a time. Sall Ann will be grateful.
Took a mental health day today so I am missing WW. Maybe i can find a local place to weigh in.
SINS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: LilyFestre
Date: 19 Sep 11 - 10:06 PM

8 loads of laundry
2 loads of dishes (one here and one at Mom's house)
3 meals made
1 batch of Pumpkin Spice cookies made

All on 3 hours of sleep.

I'm beat.

Night Everybody.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Sep 11 - 10:49 PM

Wow.

Michelle, I wonder every so often about that woman who invited you and Jeremiah in during the snow storm last winter. Have you seen her again? I hope so - she sounded like a great person to know more about and include in activities.

Today Zeke made another break for it at Susie's, pushing the front glass door open, but she realized it after just a few minutes. We found him a couple of blocks away, but it was stressful for her as she was getting ready to leave to take her husband down for doctors appointments and chemo. Zeke is here now, and this evening I went out and made a tag for him with his name, her name, address, and phone. His collar was trying to fall off (it did the other day on one of our walks) so I got him a new one of those also. She had made a necklace for me (she has a small kiln and does the glass work on the big piece) so it was a little dog bling in exchange for a little human bling. :-)

I have a pair of loafers that are in such bad shape I'm embarrassed to take them off in public, so I got a new pair today. Time to toss the old (my shoe rule - new pair comes in, old pair goes out.)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Sep 11 - 11:35 PM

SRS, it's so good of you to help with Zeke and the human *bling* is beautiful. I am plugging along. Will be able to post more after wed. when i get my new dragon naturally speaking and get it trained.

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Sep 11 - 11:37 AM

Ooo! Kat, please do report on that - I've been tempted to try it (if you want to read a lot more about it, Don Firth has described his use of it in many posts here at Mudcat).

Lovely morning here. I figured I could wait and walk the dogs later, because the pavement is no longer too hot for them to walk on in the evenings. We've been out playing fetch, and they're happy in the cool weather racing and wrestling. I think part of Zeke's wandering is that he longs for other dogs to play with.

The fall energy season is beginning to make itself apparent. I'm having thoughts of cooking again- things more complex that fried eggs or grilled cheese (though grilled cheese is a great cool weather comfort food and I picked up some nice cheddar yesterday). The first day I have to put a sweater on when I head out to the yard I'll be doing a happy dance!

Michelle, let us know how your day has gone - I know this is one of those stressful times, but I suspect they are going to be fewer and farther between.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Sep 11 - 12:16 PM

I will, SRS. Don just posted more about it in the resource writers thread.

last Sunday - yoga 40 minutes
today - yoga 40 minutes, qi gong 30 minutes

i am putting my physical body first most mornings now, before the computer work, the dog play, the laundry, the myriad of things which have kept me from taking care of my "body temple" which, of course, carries over to mental and spiritual wellness, too and dovetails nicely with the therapy stretches, etc. for hands and feet. it feels good.

I received much validation from the ortho doc about my decision to stop using the cardio-rehab machines for exercise. Both my osteo and family physician agree, too!

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: GUEST,LilyFestre
Date: 20 Sep 11 - 08:07 PM

Today went well. My port didn't want to work so they had to take blood from my arm. They tell me that I have a fibroid sheath on my port which is blocking the blood return. So...the remedy to this was simple. They left tubes and syringe hanging out of my chest/port after putting some kind of medicine in that was to break up the sheath. It takes 45 minutes to see if it worked so in the meantime, I saw my oncologist and the initial basic labwork was back and everything looked good. I won't know about my tumor markers until tomorrow. I am anxious about it but decided to talk to my doctor today about the big WHAT IF questions. What if it comes back? What would be the next step? How is it treated? What should I expect. He was absolutely straight forward and wonderful with me. I love him. I love him. I love him. He knows how to talk to me. After my appointment, I ran into my dear friend Tracy who was there to get her results from her tests last week and she invited me to sit in with her at her appointment (tubes still hanging out of my chest and all). I am THRILLED to tell you that she is GREAT and has NO sign of any kind of recurrance! Afterwards, I went to have my port tested and it worked like a charm!!! Next, I was supposed to meet a friend for lunch at the hospital. Her 3 year old is the PICU and has been for 5 weeks...it's not good. Because of the extra stuff I had to have done today I missed her but I was able to see her son. I gowned up and watched him sleeping very peacefully, said a prayer over him, wished I could hug and kiss him and left. Maybe I'll be able to see his beautiful eyes tomorrow after my next appointment.

I did some shopping and treated myself (really treated myself) to some new clothes. I'm tired of the Mommy look..the washed out, dressed badly, over tired woman woman in shorts and a tshirt. I feel like a girl for a change! Also, today was the first time I've been for a check up without my mom. She always comes along when I see the oncologist but wasn't able to today....so I treated myself for being able to go alone.

The manager of the House of Care has a friend coming over in about an hour and we are going to do yoga in front of a giant stone fireplace. I brought my mat and can't wait to be in bare feet and lose myself in my breath for a little bit.

I'm tired and stressed. Had myself a good cry. It's ok...I just needed to do it.

Moving on.

Love to all.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Sep 11 - 08:12 PM

This evening I put a florescent light in the greenhouse, one that my friend had been using out there before. I figured out a switch for it so I don't have to plug and unplug it. There is more to carry into the greenhouse - I'll do a little of that this evening. I need to arrange the empty terracotta pots under some of the shelves, and figure out how to best use the upper shelves (over the doors - nothing heavy up there, I don't want to drop anything on myself that might hurt). I took a string of LED lights out and will see about running them up and down the middle at the top.

I've been working on more eBay stuff, scanning some more antique costume jewelry. I'll keep the stuff that I find more interesting, but some of it is rather fine looking but I never wear it. And an old laptop from my friend's house. The things that came from his house we'll split the proceeds on if they sell.

Time to feed dogs and fix dinner for myself. And I need to saute then freeze more eggplant.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: mouldy
Date: 21 Sep 11 - 04:16 AM

I have scaffolding! Lower floor is built. I hope the building inspector approves.

At the moment 3 lads are here and manhandling stone up to the higher level. I've dropped a note through next door's door to let him know that they are going to need to scaffold his side of the wall too. I just need to fill in the planning forms so that I can put the roof light in. the architect turned up on Monday with new drawings.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Sep 11 - 11:20 AM

that's exciting, Andrea!

20 minutes yoga
10 - dog play

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Sep 11 - 11:29 AM

Andrea - if you can find your way around the new nonsense at facebook, please post new photos!

Treating dogs with punctures this morning. Poppy and Cinnamon seem to have had a dust-up; happens once or twice a year. Poppy has a tooth puncture on a back leg (and now is doing the classic leg in the air limp) and Cinnamon has a scrape on her muzzle near her eye. Poppy connected this time at any rate. Warm wash cloth, hydrogen peroxide to clean the spots, and their triple antibiotic veterinary ointment. They're both rather contrite and Cinnamon keeps going into the stall to give Poppy kisses. Poppy may need a but more attention but I'll give it a day or two to clear up or get worse.

Shopping this week loaded me up with more fresh fruit and veggies. Breakfast of bran cereal and an apple, other meals a mix of protein, healthy whole grain carbs, and fruit. As the weather cools I hope I'll be able to burn more calories and lose a little more weight before the winter cooking season starts. :)

I mentioned earlier that got a couple of pairs of very comfortable loafers and the tattered pair needs to be discarded. The upper is scuffed, but it is the inside that is a mess. They've been my "outdoor" pair for a while now, and I'm thinking I'll put them in a bag in my truck for an emergency switch if I find I need to preserve good shoes in bad weather. That way they'll be out of the house (out of the closet where I have occasionally put them on in the morning to run out to get the paper and then forgotten to change into a nicer pair before heading to work).

SRS, trying to remember to look business-like!

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 21 Sep 11 - 07:44 PM

Somewhere between potting like mad in late July and ???? I lost ALL my energy and my right hip and knee went weird. Clearly a connection. The knee got better and then worser and I finally phoned my health consultant . A magnesium deficiency, she said. So I have been ingesting magnesium and taking more baths with epsom salt. The hip started healing first and the knee is WAY better, up to 95% today! One day, I thought I was stuck in the bathtub 'til R came home but I extricated myself, painfully.

Interestingly: 1. I remember a very nice man approaching me in a parking lot a few weeks ago and telling me about magnesium deficiency; I did not pay much attention! 2. Although we take cal/mag daily, I only realized yesterday that the current vitamins do not include minerals. 3. I pay far more attention to what R needs in that department (supplements) than what I need.

I am going to miss out on the wildlife conference I was looking forward to this Friday - in Toronto, 6 hour drive! I thought R would go and we would visit several friends but he is too busy. Today is the firs day I have driven around without increasing knee pain - from sitting in car. 6 hours? I guess not.

On the plus side, I have gotten positive forms filled out by MD and eye doctor for renewal of my driver's license. No sign of cataracts or other nasty eye troubles! The clothes and dishes are clean. The tomatoes get harvested, and the oregano. One door is partly de-painted but I may need stronger stuff as a lot of the paint does not budge, soften or anything!

The pottery has not gotten fired. I shall have to spend 2-3 14 hour days in the country to get things glaze-fired before the Festival on 1 October! The cabin is still a joy; we are not there enough but greatly appreciate when we are. Another plus is that R recognized out loud that summer is gone and he did not have much of a relaxing time. I suggested next year... "I'm working on it." - said firmly!

I know the mag is helping because I can tell when I need more - rather like pain pills. The knee reminds me and I take another 100 mg, more or less, of powdered mag with a couple spoonfuls of yogurt. About 200/day. (The RDA is 3-400/day.) Researching it, I find the symptoms of too much are similar to those for too little but too little leads to high BP and too much to low BP. Actually, it was the high, for me, BP which caused me to make the phone call. Mine has always been very low.

Terrific band at the Cafe this Friday will be my consolation for not getting to meet people in Ontario - make new friends and visit old friends.

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Sep 11 - 08:03 PM

We've begun collecting HR stats in PT to see how aquatics and the BP meds affect it. Right now my top HR possible-- on these meds (chiefly 100mg of Toprol)-- is 69, which is enough for aquatic walking/exercise but not land walking/exercise. Various tests indicate that the BP measures of the last 2 years have not been accurate-- if they were I'd be dead, long since-- so the doc has OKd a reduction of dosage and we will continue to monitor HR in PT to see how the dosage change improves breath to sustain land exercise.

FINALLY!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Sep 11 - 09:16 PM

Hit submit too soon....

A big project before MIL came was the completion of the decluttering of the dnstrs. It's nice and it will stay nice. (It HAS stayed nice.) The last batches of stuff that belonged in the upstrs ofc went up then, along with misc yard sale crap to sort from trash crap-- a few smallish boxes of each.

Some of it ended up in the landing room outside our BR which became the bill-paying ofc when the housemate moved in (we had been using the attic dorm and a nice filebox). So ydy that landing room was reclaimed, as stuff that did not belong there was sent along either to the yard sale room, the loo closet, or the hall outside the office.

Today the hall outside the ofc got sorted and boxed, and the ofc got cleared up a bit-- Adrian will soon be building me more storage for that ofc, so I need to clear space for him to work. Some of the ofc stuff and the ofc boxes I sorted tdy will move farther down the weird "hall to nowhere" that is outside the ofc, pending Ade's building day and move-back of all that stuff into the storage he will build.

A friend is coming to stay a weekend soon and while we chat we will price all that yard sale stuff; probably Ade will help me move it out to the porch where there is already quite a stash accumulating.

All this is in good timing-- the PT has shown me a whole new way to do stairs, and there WILL be a lot of them for this next round.

In the meantime the dnstrs is set for a good cleaning tmrw, courtesy of housemate, whose turn to clean it is. Some of the paid help will no doubt be involved in helping me make the upstrs real pretty for the houseguest and, soon, US.

(Then it's off to Chicago to see my terminally ill sister, before snow, for a possibly-extended "visit.")

TBTG for strength and focus, and help of the right kind at the right time.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Sep 11 - 11:12 PM

I spent the afternoon at work taking photos of co-workers with various favorite "Banned or Challenged" books. After each set of photos (bracketing, to be sure eyes were open, etc.) I let them take a look on the camera monitor and they chose the one they liked best. They feel like they have control on a project that people already love because this lets them hold up a favorite book. I took some from my library this morning and I'll probably tote in a few tomorrow. Banned book week is next week and these will be added to an existing photo exhibit we did last year.

Dishes out of the way, nice dinner cooked and leftovers (chicken breast and a side of sauteed zucchini in my eggplant tomato sauce with mozzarella on top) packed away so I have another full (identical) meal awaiting, or ingredients for another one. Whichever.

Lots of walking around today, and standing. Not much to raise the pulse but at least I was moving!

I stopped at a thrift store near work and for $25 I picked up 2 good looking pairs of slacks, 2 cotton blouses, 4 knit tops, and a woven plaid vest. Any one of these new could have cost that much. I tried on a lot more than I bought - there was a woman with her granddaughter in the next dressing room and we had a great conversation about thrift stores. Her granddaughter is 14 and is learning early that they're a wonderful place to find great stuff to express yourself. She's also learning to sew - and things that are in the thrift store are just waiting to be modified.

So, a little laundry tonight and tomorrow I'll dress for success at work. Today I wore a blouse with a great neckline so I could wear my new necklace, then forgot to put it on before I left the house! I'll try again tomorrow. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Sep 11 - 10:31 AM

Lots of okra this morning because I forgot to pick yesterday evening. Must do it twice a day now. Into the freeze it will go for a while, replacing my supply.

Caught up with the neighbor across the street - had wondered if he was okay (elderly) but was simply zigging when I zagged and we missed each other.

Our afternoons are hot but our mornings are nice. Tomorrow I'll spend some morning time mowing, I need to go to my office today and must finish things before I go. But it's a time of year that is much easier on North Texas inhabitants than that horrible summer heat.

Several new garments laundered and into my wardrobe. I have a few existing things that need to be discarded, I never actually wear them though they seemed like a good idea at the time I picked them up.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Sep 11 - 01:16 PM

yoga - 30 minutes
qi gong - 30 minutes

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Sep 11 - 07:33 PM

Took a long nap after a busy day of running around - though I woke up non-sleepy I was achy. I need to start a stretching routine, I think, just to help with flexibility. A friend sent a few pages from a book that he does for just back stretching, but do any of you have routines you do for all-over general stretching? I still have a few tapes and an old VCR - I could always put in a Richard Simmons tape, I suppose!

For those of you who wonder if our attention to the slow tidying and decluttering of our households is normal, there is this. I think we're pretty normal! ;)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Sep 11 - 10:04 AM

Poppy was putting weight on her back foot this morning so we went for a short walk, around a couple of blocks. I didn't want her to go so far she'd limp again. The morning air was cool and we were all frisky.

I'm going to prepare some of the terracotta pots for planting - I don't know what was planted in the ones that came from my friend's house or if they had any plant diseases, so I'll make a bucket of water with some bleach and soak them for a few minutes then mix up a new batch of soil. I'll start some fall plants and if I can't get them into the ground I'll let them grow in the greenhouse this winter, see how it works. I'm still moving and arranging things back there; this weekend I think I'll finish clearing the stuff from beside the garage in front (where I initially offloaded and store related materials).

Fruit smoothie for breakfast (banana, strawberry, and yogurt) with a cantaloupe chaser (finished the last of my garden fruit). It's finally cooling enough that I feel inspired to cook again. I need a batch of tortillas and may make some lefse. And I can make several loaves of banana bread since I picked up a bag of ripe bananas yesterday (Albertson's bags the "overripe" ones for $.99 a bag that holds about 5 pounds). Thank-yous for helping with the greenhouse roof.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: LilyFestre
Date: 23 Sep 11 - 10:19 AM

SRS,

   Are you looking for floor stretches? I can write up some of the things we do in yoga that leave you feeling very stretched and sometimes longer!!!

   Dishes are done and laundry is going. I should do something with the floors here today too...we'll see. I finally have a dryer so laundry is at the top of my list...can't wait to get everything done and put away!!! It's driving me crazy!!!!

Later today I have been asked to be part of a Survivor calendar...not sure what month I am going to be but I am thrilled to have been asked. So....photo shoot later today!!! Should be fun!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Fall feats-Declutter & Exercise SEPT '11
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Sep 11 - 01:45 PM

Standing, sitting, lying down - I'm just thinking general stretching to limber me up.

Lovely cool day today. I've been out talking with a neighbor, lots of folks passing by to wave hello. The neighborhood has been deadly quiet with the heat, so this is very welcome.

SRS