BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Nov 11 - 12:13 PM

Here is the Nov thread.

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Penny S.
Date: 01 Nov 11 - 04:22 AM

Still no luck finding a cage trap, but I should be able to get one next time I go over to Sarf Lun'non. Interesting that they should be available in a conurbation, but not out here in the semi-sticks. No pets in my garden - I seem to have succeeded in keeping the cats out - which may explain something! But there are other things around that I don't want to kill.

It's a brown rat, but not at it's biggest (classically described as "as big as cats")

Today I search for an agricultural supplier.

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 10:40 PM

Major walking today (way too much) to set barricades in driveway toi prevent total Rut World Domination.

New cooktop in-- makes the rest of my kitchen look dirty!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 09:52 PM

I had some credit card points that were going to expire this month, so I looked at the offerings and picked up a hollow silver bangle bracelet. It's one of those free-trade molded/hammered ones that will look great with any number of garments. And it is a reminder to me that there are pieces of jewelry I don't wear because I don't feel comfortable in the clothes that would set them off best. I'm looking for all of the reasons to motivate myself to keep working on losing weight. Since last spring I have lost ten pounds, but I've been at a plateau for a while. Now that the weather is cooler and I can get out and work more. I mowed the next door neighbor's yard this evening and that was about 25 minutes of pushing hard (he fertilizes and waters his yard so the turf is pretty dense.) Tomorrow I should mow my back yard. That'll take about 45 minutes.

Has anyone else been watching the PBS series America In Primetime? Lots of interesting topics in that first issue "Independent Women." There is a sliding scale when you work and have a family. It's shifting for me now that the kids are about grown - this program reminds me of that. Maybe it's time to set some more goals. Not just weight loss, but the next thing that is beyond being a mom and working.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 02:28 PM

I would use a havaheart trap because I wouldn't smash my fingers and I could put a big piece of cantaloupe in it. I suppose submerging the trap in the creek for a while would take care of the rat. I'd rather it be faster but I don't have a firearm and if I turned it loose for the dogs to kill that would be kind of bizarre. I did see a trap with a battery setup to shock them, but I'm afraid I'd knock off my lizards or birds. This rat is about the volume of a tennis ball.

I've been out to put cages under some of the long branches of my tomato plants - the cages are too tall to prop them on top of but if I lay them on their sides it at least keeps them a few inches off of the ground. Lots of tomatoes under the vines.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: MAG
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 01:53 PM

I strongly recommend not using poison on the rats, as many many pets fall victim.

Is there a have-a-heart trap small enough for rats? I have one for possums, but it would not work on rats.

I know there are critter lovers out there, but the world really does not needcare and preservation of rats. Ther will find their ways back to "civilization," as they flourish there.

I have given out quarters for Halloween for years; the kids love it, and I don't have to have candy in the house, which I WILL get into ...

MAG

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 10:53 AM

Penny, I also have a rat in the garden. Not the big ugly Norway rat, more what they call a wood rat or a roof rat here. Like a big mouse, and it is really hard on my cantaloupe and dug down and ate a big chunk of sweet potato. I was looking at traps yesterday. I think the have-a-heart trap is what I'll have to try, but they're around $60. I don't want any poison, I have dogs and the last thing I need is a dog catching a disoriented poisoned rat. Plus there are lots of other critters in the garden that I don't want exposed to toxins. I also have a dryer vent I need to keep an eye on.

My tomatoes are growing beautifully now that it is cool and has rained a few times. The drought is still officially here, but the tomatoes can function under these conditions. Here is the basil drying in the greenhouse. I can run cords in any number of directions in there to dry this so I'll be drying more this week.

For accountability I'm walking the dogs every morning again, I mowed one lawn yesterday but had to stop when I realized the trimmer had died (I got the grass at the curb by hand with a lopper). I'll mow next door today, that's good exercise. I'm starting a modified version of the Atkins again (paying way more attention to roughage this time).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Penny S.
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 04:34 AM

I have a rat in the garden! Not in the house, though I will have to make sure it can't use the old tumble drier vent. I spent yesterday trying to get a live capture trap, but could only find poison, poison stations and snap traps. (Why do they insist on calling the stuff bait?) And the stations and bait are horribly expensive - over £12 for a single use one. I don't want to use poison because of the mouse and the frogs, and having to track down the dead bodies, and I can't use it without a station because of the birds. I intend to take the offending thing off to some farflung wood away from habitation to release. (I'm assuming it isn't covered by the same laws as squirrels, which may not be released.) Off again today to try different suppliers - if that fails I know they are available in south London. I've warned the neighbours - who have a terrier.

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: katlaughing
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 12:02 AM

SRS, you sound so bountiful with your produce, etc. in between all you've done for friends and work. It's amazing!

Dorothy, I'd love to hear you singing that song; it's so funny! You have been incredibly busy, too. Goodonya!

My Rog actually took two days off for a total of five with regular days off, but we didn't get as much done as I'd hoped. I think he needs 2-3 days OFF to just relax and do nothing before getting into it. We went to a lot of appts., he put on a new soft commode seat, fixed the gate latch for real, this time, and cleaned up his office area in the kitchen as well as did the dishes. There's more, but that'll do for now.

Morgan came over this morning. He and I cut out two pumpkins. He's fast and loves doing it; gave his four faces...all the way round! Mine has two. He's so excited, not only about Halloween, but also his birthday which is only two weeks away. He's very jealous that Papa's b-day is also Halloween!:-)

I will be releasing WindWords as an ebook this week. I think they've finally answered all of my questions. It can take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks for it to be accepted and made available on the big websites, but I think it will become instantly available on BookBrewer's site.

Take care,

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 30 Oct 11 - 09:48 PM

Cold weather has set in for now. Had to find another heater. The baseboard heat no working. But we are keeping warm. Spent the whole of last weekend in the country where the woodstove keeps it cosy. Lovely weekend of music and country - trees, clean air and quiet.

This weekend R had to work. I spent all of Friday with a friend from Victoria, BC. Took her around the city and to the west island where it was beautiful to see the lake and spend time in the thrift shop. And we sat and talked and talked. She and the friend with whom she is staying went with me to the cafe to hear Harmonica Zeke who was fantastic. Then we went to the "slice of the past" at the Brysonville school. An incredible group of old time musicians jamming and open mike. I san "my" song - the Frozen Logger and my friend was coerced into also singing a song which she did beautifully. My friends were entranced by this old time music event - very few people under 70.

We stopped by the cabin on the way home so they could see it and the studio. Well after midnight when we parted. So, come Saturday, I had to push myself to go down again - further south to a Bluegrass concert. I had told Jeannie I would so I did. It was in an old church - so rural I had trouble finding it! Four hours of music and the leader of the band had been at the school the night before and saw me in the furthest back corner of the room - away from the women with perfume - and added me to the open mike folks, one of whom was 90 and very good!

Instead of going to the Halloween party at the Cafe, I came home and fed us and went to bed at 9:30. Potluck at Quaker Meeting today to talk with the editor of The Canadian Friend about her hopes and our wishes for the journal "of Quaker news and thoughts". As former editor, I had some remarks about how to support the editor - write letters, articles, send news of the meeting... Guess I need to think about doing some of that myself!

Wrote a couple letters this week - to the newspaper about yet another dumb wildlife article; offering something better and a very angry one to the Ministry of Natural Resources in Ontario regarding their attack on a rehab center and the totally irrational murder of two healthy raccoons who had all their shots. The woman has been charged with unlawful possession for trying to save lives; I hope to get to Ottawa on 10 November for her hearing - along with a bunch of other folks.

This Friday, R and I go to Lake George, NY for a wildlife conference. First I will get the snow tires on! No snow here but plenty in New England.

I am finding one day a week to do some pottery, and folk dancing 2/week the last couple weeks and that feels really good. A good thing is that the group is so small that I would feel guilty if I did not go. I really feel better when I dance. I neglected it since December and I feel the worse for it. It is not just the physical exercise but also the lovely music in my head the rest of the week.

I would like to get around to learning a couple more songs but people do enjoy the Frozen Logger. I was in the grocery store last week and I heard: "The Frozen Logger!" One of my "fans" encouraging me to "come to Wheel Club on monday; it's our Halloween party!" I'll try to go to another folk dance group 'til 10 and then to the Club 'til 11:30 or so. But I will "have" to sing the Logger again! And that after Jeannie complained Saturday about people singing "the same songs"! She is the guiding light of the Wheel Club -a delight!

The laundry is done, the house has not changed. No light at the end of the tunnel. I am grateful for the cabin which is so much nicer even though there is still lots of organizing that can be done. It is clean, cosy and comfortable.

Happy Halloween!

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Oct 11 - 02:51 PM

The old house hain't seen any weekend guests since PT and housemate times began; it has stood up well but OOPIES we need more towel racks! I forgot the guest towel hooks were allocated t housemate and HER guests! It's lovely tho how the big ole place swallows up so many people and vehicles without batting an eyelash. Almost worth the heating bill. Guests will change sheets before they leave-- SO helpful. (Young guys-- been quite a help with a few little stairclimbing thingies.

Cooktop tomorrow! As soon as the installer arrives (and not before!) I can start putting away the crockpots, hot plate, rice cooker...... and get my counters back. Just in time, too--- Hardi had begun to worry-- the temps for grilling have gotten a wee bit chilly.

Strokebrain: WHY did I not think to ask Ade to clean the ovens when he was here last week and wanting more hours????

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Oct 11 - 12:38 PM

Cutting and cleaning basil branches this morning and I'm going to hang them to dry in the greenhouse. I'll string a piece of clothesline from a shelf across the top of the back door and dedicate some clothespins to greenhouse use. I need to get a better radio out there - the very old one is past it's truly functional days (I bought it in 1975 - I guess I've gotten my money's worth!)

Laundry is in, kitchen sink is empty and dishwasher empty. Bagged eggplant I froze overnight, I'll do another batch today. I'm sauteing what I can on the new griddle, getting it ready to use for tortillas later in the week. And lefse. :-)

The garage sale looms, so I have to move more stuff for that. Will report on (hopeful) progress later.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Oct 11 - 12:26 AM

I had been planning to cut up and freeze some green bell peppers from the garden but with the advent of the grill, and since this evening I had a nice steak, I skewered some big chunks of homegrown onions and bell peppers and cooked them along side the steak (brushed them with olive oil.) I've suddenly gone from having a surplus of peppers to a bare minimum - grilled vegetables are so delicious, I could eat them with meals every day!

I picked up a couple of hardware items for the house and when I got back home I seasoned a new griddle by sauteing some eggplants before freezing them. I'm gradually preserving all of these items from the garden, trying to avoid discarding produce I didn't freeze or can in time.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Oct 11 - 10:11 AM

Though it would have been lovely to sleep in on this chilly morning (I haven't turned on the heat yet) I was up and walked the dogs at dawn. Then Susie and Zeke came back to the house and I made oatmeal. Mmmmm!

Lots to do getting ready for next week's garage sale. I'll report as it happens rather than predict what I'd like to do because so often I start out intending to do one thing only to realize something else must be done first. Or am just plain distracted to do something more interesting. :)

Next week comes the Secret Santa assignments. I used this little symbol over on that thread and thought it looked so cheerful I'd share it here also. There are some great little symbols you can cut and paste (I have a couple of links, to Twitter Symbols and Twitter Keys (I think the second one has more symbols, but they're on three different tabs) that are great to cut and paste in more than just twitter. They just got pulled into one place when twitter came along.

SRS

☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 06:55 PM

TheHouseguestsAreComingYAYTheHouseguestsAreComingYAYTheHouseguestsAreComingYAYTheHouseguestsAreComingYAYTheHouseguestsAreComingYAYTheHouseguestsAreComingYAYTheHouseguestsAreComingYAYTheHouseguestsAreComingYAY

... despite snow over the nastybad mountains intervening.

PT next week begins a mix of aquatic and dry-clinic YAY all with same PT YAY and to see which machines my particular body can work on YAY so that when I go to Chicago the following week YAY I will know what PT I can do with the friend I will stay with YAY who also goes to PT in the evenings YAY so my trip to see sis need not stop my own March to Wellness YAY and the mechanic can fix my cruise control next week when he does the oil change YAY and we dumped my old, dead recliner in the dump's transfer station today YAY and my front porch is clean and neat YAY..... there's more but TBTG for all of it!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 10:16 AM

P.S. - Yesterday I found a 14" cast iron griddle yesterday that I'll use for tortillas and lefse. It's larger than the burner so I know it won't heat all of the way out to the edge, but it eliminates the problem of cooking on a griddle the size of the burner. This was at Academy sports and I thought it was very reasonably priced at $11. I looked at several to be sure I had one that was smoothly cast. A few had a couple of small raised bumps that would cause problems with a flat bread snagging on it. It's not a really fine cast, but once it is better seasoned that won't matter.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 09:59 AM

This weekend I need to organize the garage for next week's garage sale. And I need to move a bookcase to get one of the items out of my bedroom (mentioned before). The place where I'm putting the bookcase needs grout first, so I'll do that this evening. I'll make this a small station in the front hall - the bookcase can have a mirror on top and I'll use it as a place to set keys, mail, etc. Leave a comb there for a quick check before answering the door. The top of the antique lawyer's bookcase will be like having a shelf instead of a slim table there.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Penny S.
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 05:54 AM

I know about that advice about weekly weighings only, but the fluctuations are interesting. More carbs and less exercise the day befoe the lowest reading. Less food and more exercise before it went up again this morning!

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Penny S.
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 05:44 AM

None of the pictured homes match mine, which is what we call a town house, three floors, the bottom one including a garage. I can't find one on any other site, either. The ground in front of the property belongs to the neighbourhood, but I have a private garden behind, which has a gate onto an enclosed shared lawn with trees. I have a flat roof, which I hope to put solar panels on.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Oct 11 - 08:42 PM

I read that sweet potatoes have to sit for 2 or 3 weeks before you start using them, so I looked to see if it applied to anything else. It sounds like some squash do benefit from aging, apparently. Not needed for acorn. I love the acorn squash baked. I was out running around this evening and passed my favorite Chinese restaurant, so I picked up some soup and added it to chicken already in the fridge. I'll bake the squash tomorrow - I cut them in half and place a half open-side down on an oiled piece of foil on a pan and bake it until it soft and then scoop the pulp from the skin with a spoon. It's wonderful without anything else, though if I added one thing it would be a little butter.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: LilyFestre
Date: 27 Oct 11 - 05:14 PM

I never heard of having to cure squash...not even sure what that means! We love acorn, butternut, buttercup (my favorite), etc in this house!!   YUM-O! How are you going to cook your squash SRS?

I've spent the day tending to the wee one, working with the phone company to fix our phone which works but has some issues and trying to iron out plans to see my uncle.

Leftover chili is in the crockpot, there's a load of clothes in the dryer and the pellet stove is on....it's cozy in here...just the way I like it!!!!

I was up late last night and put all the other laundry away, did the dishes, picked up toys (and SRS, yes, about a third of the toys are in a box in my office...I'm seriously considering taking more and tucking them away. He has so many that sometimes I think he doesn't know what the heck he wants to play with. Today he was having fun playing in his hamper...a blue, collapsible elephant hamper made of fabric.) Speaking of the little man, I hear him stirring. Gotta go.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Oct 11 - 04:44 PM

All of these new cooktops! I envy those of you doing work on kitchens now. I have my funky stove that came with the house for the time being.

Rain is slow to move into this area, but still seems to be on the way. I'm so looking forward to another good soak in the garden. I'll go use some compost tea and liquid fertilizer out there for a last push of fall growth. This is the first year I've grown acorn squash and I harvested three beauties this afternoon. This site says I don't need to "cure" the squash, so unless any of you has different information, I'll bake one of these for dinner tonight. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Oct 11 - 04:13 PM

It's PLOOPING (AKA variety of sleet) here, but (yyych, snow) I don't care! I had the energy to move a few lightweight lawn chairs while I was out back in my nightie grabbing ydy's wet suit (PT) from the car, and I needed to set those chairs (Chicago reserved-parking-space style) in some mud ruts we don't want the 4 cars to deepen. In the spring mudseason: ruts, no biggie; drive/walk 'em out as they dry out. But now when they are about to freeze and make snowplowing harder.... nononono.....

:~( I just had to tell our much-anticipated weekend guests that they can't come if they're contagious. :~( So they may not be able to come. :~( Or they might be able to. But the cooktop is going in MONDAY, YAY!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: mouldy
Date: 27 Oct 11 - 03:56 PM

Well it turns out that one of the "labourers" is also a plasterer! He's almost finished with putting the boards upstairs, and has just edges of the windows to do. However he is away now till Monday. The joiners are busy with architraves, and I have a new back doorstep. Hopefully they will make my stairs soon!

Have just ordered 2 specialist rhubarbs (one I had before at the last house). I will try and get them into some bit of the garden so that they can over-winter in the ground.

First 7lbs now off at WW. They recommend only weighing once a week, as weight can fluctuate a bit from day to day. Just as well, as I can't get at my scales - can't even remember where I've put 'em!

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: MAG
Date: 27 Oct 11 - 02:59 PM

ooh, home fixups: I now have a crawl space attached to my (400 sq ft) basement, where I do the laundry and have the cat box -- some kind of gritty dust is constantly in the air, and will be worse when I finish drilling holes in the cement wall to attach chicken wire so my cat will stop exploring the crawlspace ( hasn'rt used it for a box,yet, thank goodness) chipped cement around the windows and lots of other places -- anyone know a good sealant that will lower the dust rate? (I laready got a large, powerful air purifier)

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Oct 11 - 12:53 PM

IRNS, removing stains depends on what they are made of and what they are on.

Some stuff that will remove them will also remove/damage the finish of the material under them.

Acid for instance does not harm plastic, so I used an acid-based cleaner to get off years of soap scum from a plastic shower surround, to which new soap scum was only to happy to bond. I used a urea-based cleaner to get stuff safely off ancient porcelain that had lost its glaze. And so forth.

When you look at potential cleaners, then, look not at the claims on the front in large-"ad"colored letters-- look at the cautions and active ingredients on the back, and try things whenever possible on a small, not-prominent area before going at it like an army assault.

And you might want to think about being proactive with barrier protection so YOU do not get damaged by the cleaner. Some folks are really sensitive to environmental chemicals, and you may not know you are one of them til you get a nasty reaction.

Lots of tips in the old months' threads, BTW, sometimes with subject line TIP (Use Old Adv Search to find).

Welcome to the gang!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Oct 11 - 11:27 AM

Now that the weather is finally acting like fall - cool, overcast, rain in the forecast, I see a lot of things to do in the house. There are still things to do outside, but I'll be less tempted out into cold and blowing weather.

Penny, under "prototype houses," which is yours? Which neighborhood? The site looks like these are the equivalent of townhouses here - do they have separate yards?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Penny S.
Date: 27 Oct 11 - 04:42 AM

The doors are in the new place - I am sleeping in what was the teenage son's room. It used to have a sticker from the Royal Netherlands Air force on the outside of the window. It took me some time to identify it, and Sticky Stuff Remover and a ceramic hob scraper to get rid of it. He also spent time shooting the back gate with an air gun - I assume it was him, but anyway, it's full of pellets. I can leave that until I need to replace the fences. His Dad remark was painted on, and has penetrated the grain of the wood. The places he has painted are really badly finished, light switches etc with paint splashes over them.

His mother had been much more careful with her decorations. Downstairs she has cut out motifs from an Indian (sub-continent) style border and placed them around light switches, door features and so on. I could wish she had spent less time on that and more on cleaning the paint jobs. The doors in my bedroom are original architect features, and I'm not sure how good the replacements can be, but they are not in a fit state to recover.

(Here's a site about the architecture history.
History of area.)

In the old place, I have to get a backing on the sink unit facing the window, omitted by the fitter. I did ring up to ask it be done, but no response. I need to get someone to cut some hardboard into strips and then apply this and the edging strip, in an awkward position.

I have been working to reduce my weight, by cutting out some of the fringe things I've been eating, and doing more exercise. I'm trying to take a walk each day, though I missed yesterday. Anyway, I started recording my weight a week ago Monday, and I have lost four pounds! And that's without getting on the scales several times until I get a result I like. I need to lose about 13% of my body fat, apparently. According to my fancy scales.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: mouldy
Date: 27 Oct 11 - 04:25 AM

I've heard that coca cola works....In the UK there are many lime busting gels in the market. All depends on whether it's due to lime or stains.
How old is the pan? Is the glaze damaged at all?

Head count today: 2 builders, making a doorstep
2 joiners, finishing the plaster board.
Intermittently, 3-4 labourers, doing what's necessary.
Plasterer still to arrive. It's 9.20 am, and they've all been here over an hour.

Rang a guy who spray paints onto new plaster, and he's coming for a look sometime tomorrow. I am picking up the mixer shower for over the bath, and I am under orders from the boss to choose tiles for the bathrooms. I can't believe I am onto choosing colour schemes when there are not even any doors yet!

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 26 Oct 11 - 10:38 PM

Pumice stones work great on many stains.

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Oct 11 - 09:27 PM

Michelle, I'm sorry. It has been a rough month.

IRNS, where are you? When I lived in Kentucky the porcelain toilets were positively stained red from iron in the water unless you used Lime Away on it or one of the caustic dry toilet cleaners like Vanish or SaniFlush. If you're not in the US you'd need to look for something like what this company offers: Lime Away FAQs.

On to more appealing topics: The barbecue grill was finished this evening and a trial run of chicken breasts was good. Now to cover it against the coming rain and park it on the side of the patio. The wheels are a bit wobbly and may need replacing.

I'm slowly making more room in the freezer, organizing shelves with similar items and taking out the bulky flour and pasta boxes and bags.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: GUEST,IRNS
Date: 26 Oct 11 - 08:49 PM

So sorry to hear this, Michelle. Thoughts and prayers.

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: LilyFestre
Date: 26 Oct 11 - 08:38 PM

Stress levels are going up far too fast this evening.

1. A teal sister has died (ovarian cancer)
2. My uncle is not expected to live through the end of the month.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: LilyFestre
Date: 26 Oct 11 - 08:37 PM

For nasty rusty toilet stain kinds of stains, try The Works, available at the local dollar store.

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: GUEST,IRNS
Date: 26 Oct 11 - 08:17 PM

I am a piker compared to you who frequently post here. But perhaps this is the right place to ask this. What it the best way to take off stubborn toilet stains? Is there some chemical? Is the solution some kind of mechanical thing? Thanks.

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: mouldy
Date: 26 Oct 11 - 06:46 PM

Thought it was about time I dropped by again.
To answer your question, SRS, the pear wood "kitchen" I am referring to is the cupboards etc. Yes, it also refers to the room itself, but it's a bit of a colloquialism, I suppose.

I am a little warmer in the house this evening, as the wind is negligible, and I have dropped a blanket over the still unfilled stair hole. The joiners are busy finishing off the framing and boarding of the partition walls ans ceiling (just about done now). As the plasterer is due tomorrow, I hope they can make a start on building the stairs. There are only 5 of them! I am going to ring a guy who spray paints rooms, tomorrow. It's cheaper and quicker, and also quite good on new plaster.
Part of the living room floor had to come up today, as the plumber decided to turn up and put the new gas pipe in now, rather than when the boiler was due to be fitted. All it now needs is coupling onto the meter.
The hallway is stacked up with plasterboard, and a lot of the stuff that was stacked in the hall has now been distributed to other rooms, so the place is even more chaotic! Managed to get a good wash tonight next to the fire, and soak my feet for a while too.

I wonder how many kettles of water I have boiled since this job started?

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Oct 11 - 03:00 PM

Michelle, I use the next size up, the Canon EOS 30D. They don't make them any more, now they're finishing their 50D models and shifting to 60D with 18 megapixels. Huge images. I'm content to stay with the 30D for now.

If stove parts can come out of the appliance then try what my Mom used to do - put them in a big pan of boiling water with a few tablespoons of baking soda and let it simmer for a while on the stove. Otherwise I suppose you can use oven cleaner. I'm glad to get a report of that cleaner bar thing. I'm ever the skeptic about big claims. :-/

As far as Jeremiah's toys, have you tried the old trick of putting 1/2 to 2/3 of them away for weeks at a time, then trading them out with the current toys and putting the most recent ones back out of sight? There's less to pick up at any given time and out of sight is out of mind and they're a treat when they reappear.

I've been clearing off my office desktop. It needed a good going over. Some paper to the shredder, some to the files.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Oct 11 - 01:55 PM

Got back upstairs last night and did a little more. It was so nice to start to return this AM to my wake-up routine, prayer and reflection up there. More done this AM before coming down, then off to PT, where PT and I discussed transitioning from aquatics to land-- gradually. Very gradually. WITH her.

New cooktop is in, YAY! Now to arrange the install date....

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: LilyFestre
Date: 26 Oct 11 - 01:03 PM

I tried the Mr. Clean eraser things for getting off burned soup and stuff (???) from underneath the grates on my gas stove. No luck. They absolutely crumbled. I can't speak as to how they work on ink. Anybody have any ideas how to get that burned on stuff OFF? ARG.

I've had a busy morning...laundry, dishes, kitchen floor swept, living room rug vacuumed (sucked up a square Lego...not good), found the kitchen table which seems to be our throw-all place all weekend long. Pete had the day off yesterday so add that extra day to the mess and you can imagine how big that pile was! We had breakfast at the table but kinda shoved stuff around and made a BIG pile in the middle. It's now gone. The toys have been picked up (but for how long I can't say). Jeremiah is entertaining himself with a toy I had a box to go with the other yard sale stuff. I guess he's still enjoying it so it will stay here!!! He's been quietly playing with it for well over an hour now. I also cleaned out the playpen which has been holding some clean, folded laundry. The wee one is needing a time out spot these days and that's his spot....at least until he learns how to sit in a chair and stay put. I've got a crock pot full of chili simmering away, several potatoes (fresh from the garden) washed and ready to roast for dinner tonight. Hamburger patties already made and ready for the grill too. The only thing left to do in that regard is cleaning lettuce, tomatoes, etc for a salad. The chili is not for dinner...that's for lunches during the week. I also broke down 3 large packs of meat and got them labeled and in the freezer. I love to write little love notes on the bags for my husband to find. *G* I made some business calls too. I found out when the off-peak hours are for electricity usage so I can work on lowering that bill. Laundry is going to become a night activity for sure. The dryer is such an energy hog and since it's getting colder, I'm not hanging as much on the line. Ok. I haven't been hanging anything on the line for awhile since the dryer finally came!!!!   I love to hang stuff but I really prefer softer clothes (unless it's sheets) that come from the dryer...not to mention it's been raining so much or threatening to rain much of the time. There are predictions for snow tomorrow.
    We took Jeremiah to a pumpkin patch over the weekend and celebrated my Mom's birthday too. I got some nice shots with the big camera and am hoping to get them up on Facebook soon. What kind of camera do you have SRS? I've got a Canon EOS Rebel Xsi...it's a beast and I'm having fun learning how to use it!!!
   Ok, break time is over. Time to get back to work.

Have a great day everybody!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Oct 11 - 10:17 AM

Penny - these problems are in the place where you moved in (the sink leak) and the gouged door is at the house you're selling?

WD-40 is good for getting rid of a lot of ink, as is nail polish remover. There's a product here by "Mr. Clean" that is some kind of eraser bar that is supposed to get that kind of thing, if you have it over there.

The same kind of leaky plumbing in the kitchen damaged the cabinet bottom in my house also. It was a crumbling plank of MDF by the time I pulled out all of the under sink stuff, pulled out the bits of wood, and called a plumber. My problem dated from replacing the counter tops. The plumber looked at the mess of twisted PVC, looked at me, I said "a carpenter put it in." That's all the explanation that was required. After that I was visited by a friend who sometimes stops on his way from New Mexico to Virginia, and he (an English Professor!) cut and put in the new plank. Also helped mount a humongous mirror in the bathroom. I think it is a point of pride for Liberal Arts professors to prove they can do things around the house and not just read books. :)

The plastic bag stuffed in the hole should probably be replaced by steel wool. It's probably there to keep mice out from under the sink.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Penny S.
Date: 26 Oct 11 - 05:20 AM

I've had to clear out the cupboard under the sink where it turns out that under certain circumstances (I don't know which) the hot tap leaks. The shelf has been damaged and needs replacing. Fortunately it was where I stored my plastic boxes, so no serious harm done, though some need soaking in vinegar to get rid of the carbonate deposits (hard water). I can't get anyone in to sort out the plumbing until the money from house sales comes in. Stacks of boxes loom in awkward spots after being run through the dish washer. Another fault in this place - DIY plumbing of low quality. For some reason the hole where pipes come into the unit has been stuffed loosely with a plastic bag!

Things that have stacked up to be done, that should have been done before the sale. 1. The wardrobe doors in my room. Obscured by a poster before the move, a scrawled graffito "Dad is the man", with failed removal attempt, and deeply cut into by what appears to have been a thrown knife! I thought of rehanging inside out, but the inside is pitted with drawing pin holes. These are original wood doors, though during painting the room, the edges were painted over. I have hidden the graffito by hanging scarves on hooks over it. 2. The shower. This has one control which switches on both water flow and heat. The temperature is supposedly controlled by the rate the water passes through. On the Low setting, and full flow, it can be too hot, and therefore unusable. I can wash my hair with it, bending over the bath, because the shower head is low down, and thus the flow is greater. I'm going to get a shower which has a pump, but uses the hot water from the tank. (I have a flat roof, so there isn't a good head of water for the flow.) 3. The sink unit, as above. 4. The downstairs loo, where the plumbing defies description, involving flexible piping with kinks which almost close it off. This isn't as urgent as the other three.

Today I have to clean out the loo at the other place, which has been discoloured during the plumber's work there. Maybe I need a different plumber.

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Oct 11 - 11:27 PM

Did you know that camera lenses now have their own CPU? I didn't. And after speaking to someone else at my favorite camera store, I compared how my lenses were working and realized the one I used most of the time was bonkers. So instead of getting a new camera body, I was able to replace the (somehwat) less expensive lens.

Cooking up a storm this evening. My stew-like braised short ribs are finishing up, I have diced and sauteed eggplant that is now in the freezer, and I've cleared out a few things that were too old to use. Thursday we're supposed to get cool rainy weather, so I'll be ready! I also have removed some of the pasta that I stored in the freezer this summer. It's now bagged with cooking instructions - it was so hot here for so long that things seemed to perpetually be generating or attractive weevils. They're history and the stuff has been frozen so long that I doubt any more could rise from the products, but getting them out of non-airtight cardboard boxes helps.

Garage sale preparations are coming along. Susie delivered five large boxes of spoiled or advertising seconds (t-shirts are intact but the name wasn't printed on or art wasn't right, etc, in the printing process). She has more, and fortunately, she also has some tables to use to display this stuff.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: MAG
Date: 25 Oct 11 - 03:18 PM

Playing in the ocean at Rockaway Beach, I managed to wrenc h my knee -- slows down a lot of things; reassembling my furniture, raking the yard, not being able to do the gym -- I just need to remember, you don't need to eat; you don't need to eat; you don't need to ...

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Oct 11 - 01:54 PM

Hoping to get a new camera today. That'll clutter up my free space in the computer- it is an 18mpx Canon.

Tonight I need to clean the fridge and cook a few things to freeze or eat. I want to have less stuff in the fridge for a while, I loose track of things in there the way it is now. I'll also see about finishing the barbecue grill, then need to decide where it is going to live (the LP tank isn't supposed to be stored indoors, but I don't want to keep attaching/unattaching it if I can avoid it. It may go in the greenhouse, a not-quiet building).

Michelle, I love the description of the foodstuffs and crock pot going in your kitchen (mentioned in facebook). That is such a nice sensation!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Oct 11 - 01:44 PM

NT studies are this year's bulky reading in front of the sunshine window. NT's curriculum relies on having already done the thorough job I did last year on OT, and I am, if anything, even more grateful to have had the time last year to spend plunging deep and broad in there. Last year I did not have the resources to have any help in this house or with PT or training, so I studied with my glasses that let me READ for the first time in 10 years or so. The doc thinks I should have spent less time reading, but in my heart I know I did the right stuff last year. (He's a young fella. He'll learn.)

But NT cannot be inhaled in big gulps. It has to be sipped. So a chapter of the parallel curriculum, per day, is more than enough. I got ydy's in while Ade vacuumed around me; today's I got before chores, during the AM's unforecast sunshine.


But after today's Adrian-blitz-help today I'm on my own very slow pace, so today's "PT" segment was upper/lower body movements as prescribed by PT but devoted to the continuing improvement of the upstairs. In 2+ hours of continuous work with very short breaks, I got quite a lot done in the office, guest room, and connecting hall-- which are now cleaner and neater than they have been in years and which will welcome not only Dick & Susan for their next visit but the pending weekend guests (ministry colleagues/friends)-- and perhaps the housemate's overnight guests of whom there are presently a young mom and her two wee ones bunking up in the old Mudcat Dorm with her, for a short stretch of time.

I surprised myself last night emptying and cleaning up the portapotti leftover from camping, so they'd have extra loo options for the teensy one who is now totally off overnight diapers-- as Dorm visitors will recall, it can seem like a long way to the loo from up there!

I spent some of that 2 hours focusing on returning the flea-kilt office to functional use. And I put Ade's sketch of the office build and lumber estimate on a bulletin board so I do not lose it while saving up the lumber money; it's next to Giac's photo of encouragement.

I think it was shortly after our housefire that Giac emailed me a Mighty Mouse cartoon with her face photo-shopped in, "Here I come to save the day..." If it warn't the housefire, it was in some other very low period. When I set up this office it was pretty stark in there till I got it going, and I could not find that photo to print. But I did have another photo of her-- so I cut out her face one day and pasted it into a "Icanhazcheezburger" photo: a husky peering down thru open ice, captioned, "Helloa, you down there...." From my desk it looks just like smiling Giac-- peering down at me thru clouds above.

And yes I remembered to have lunch. I hate stopping to EAT! Hardi insists.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Oct 11 - 12:06 AM

KP this evening: I had a bunch of produce on the counter and most of it has been dealt with. I made guacamole and froze it.

I haven't finished the grill burner attachment, I'll wait till Zeke goes home tomorrow; any time I'm on the ground working on it he's there for kisses and (more probably) to see if there is any food that might drop out of it. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Oct 11 - 07:05 PM

Moonglow came by today and left with some yardage that came from my friend's house (that we emptied two weekends ago). And she liked a 2-drawer metal file that I bought with her in mind a year ago but then found a use for myself. It has side-by-side drawers that should easily hold 200-300 envelopes of patterns. When I asked her about the sewing patterns she has, she described them as scattered in several places, so I pulled my few items out of it and sent it with her to rescue her patterns. Since this is an art but also a job for her, she needs to have them organized and safe. I'll find another container for mine, or put them back in a dresser drawer.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Oct 11 - 11:04 AM

I always forget when I plan a workday that other people work at a different pace than I do. Adrian, for example, who is here today, is so much stronger than MY puny self that what would take me a painful hour to move is about a 5-minute job for him.

Thus while the office airs out, the guest room is once again already guest ready, and the office build is all sketched out-- the storage furniture to hold and hide all the boxed stuff that is, actually, well organized (bulky) work material but looks like hoarding and makes me nuts to paw thru each time I need an item.

And I'll be treating the house to a cornice box in there. One window has one (between upper cabinets), like you'd see over a kitchen sink where there used to BE a dry sink. The other window would look so much better with a matching cornice box!!! And we had a good long planning session to decide on the exact dimensions, support members, etc. Lovely!

Now on to the yard-sale-sorting out front. To most peeps it will seem odd to pay someone to sort stuff that will go so cheap-- but it's all ministry bucks, the out-pay and the in-come, for a travel fund. Most of the stuff will go to FreeCycle, in the end, but I need the help and Ade can help, and it's a pleasure to have a few extra bucks to direct his way-- which I have because other folks blessed us with some surprise produce this fall.

And just when I thought my knees were gonna be dead from working with Ade PLUS PT sched. for tdy-- PT called to cancel for today, YAY!


It all goes around.

Been mailing an awful lot of stuff of late, and today I get to mail the Smellegram to a timber-wolf we met over the summer.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: Penny S.
Date: 24 Oct 11 - 08:14 AM

I will certainly tell the butcher.

The tastelessness may be me - I noticed the parsley leaves a bit bland when I chewed them.

I gather fear may affect the texture. This rabbit has no shot in it, so it may have been caught in a way which frightened it. I can only think of snaring, which is illegal, live trapping, or ferret and nets, as methods, all of which would cause release of adrenaline and cortisone.

Or it was so fresh that rigor had not fully worn off, and it needed a bit of hanging, but not fresh enough that it hadn't started.

I reheated one part in the pressure cooker, and it was better - but it was the fillet, which would be tenderer anyway.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Fitness & Declutter - ready for fall! Oct 2011
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Oct 11 - 11:14 PM

I actually took a day off and took a nap after finding and setting up originals for three new songs. I did do my evening workout tho. Tomorrow Adrian and I will de-fog the room we bombed yesterday. And that means I get my office back!!!

~S~