June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Exercise - May 2012
From: Penny S.
Date: 01 Jun 12 - 03:11 AM

Odd period of time, with negative things going on.

I have lost a pair of shoes. Last seen to my knowledge on th ematg in the utility room where I took them off in order to go into the garden - I have rubber shoes for that. Determined search of the downstairs, garage and car produced nothing. My brain, so far from being helpful, tried to eliminate all memory of them and went back to a previous similar pair. All I can think of is their somehow getting mixed up with rubbish and put out for collection, but it doesn't seem likely.

I've lost a set of vouchers for the newspaper I subscribe to. So, since I've already paid, I have been going without this week, catching up online with the important and not so important stuff (like Doonesbury and the crossword). £6 gone without trace. I folded them inside their wallet, but loosely, after buying the paper on Monday, and haven't seen them since. Next week back to normal.

Yesterday, I went to Maidstone to hand over a silver vase to the British Legion for their funds. (This is a veterans' charity supporting the ex-military.) In the Silver Jubilee year, I won this vase off a hoopla stall they were running, and have always felt slightly guilty - I was aiming for licorice allsorts. This being a Jubilee weekend, it seemed a good time to pass it back. On the way to give them their £84 worth back, a stone hit my windscreen, which will need repair.

Now I see that my mother's striking clock has stopped. It usually runs down on a Friday, so I've wound it, and now it won't go. Fortunately, I know a repair shop, but they are only open at odd times, so I'll have to check when I can take it in.

On the positive side, I've accepted the quotes for re-roofing my home, and adding 11 solar pv panels to cut my carbon dependence.

Penny

Subject: RE: Declutter & Exercise - May 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Jun 12 - 10:10 PM

Sounds like a week not to be repeated, Penny!

On my way back from work I made a run past the free compost place to see if there was any to be had. There was, so I made another trip later and loaded up about three contractor bags full of it (two bags and a pile because it looked so good this time I wanted to take as much as was easy to load in the pickup). I mowed the front lawn today, also, and tomorrow I'll spread some of this mulch and weed.

I did some online comparing for steel-toed work boots. If I'm going to be chopping in the garden I need a sturdy pair, and frankly, I'm tired of dirt always getting into my sneakers. I'll get six or eight inch ankle height and have much less of that. I might get a pair tomorrow, I found a Red Wing store (I had a pair of those for many years, I'm sure they finally disintegrated) - what a expense! I remember my most expensive item when I went to work for the summer the Youth Conservation Corps started (1971) was my $40 Red Wings. Now a comparable pair is nearly $300. There are other types and brands out there, so I'll make a couple of stops in my search.

Tomorrow the dogs get baths. All three. They need it!

SRS

Subject: RE: Declutter & Exercise - May 2012
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Jun 12 - 11:57 AM

(Perhaps SRS will move the June messages to a June thread when she starts it.)

Last night I set up a second pill sorter for supplements and decided where to keep it, and stocked it with the first round of items I am adding. Room for more!

I ran a tabulation of some church expenses from my card, for which we can ask reimbursement. Hardi and I have begin discussing how to handle these... we're going back to 2010 and we will accept whatever the church budget will allow, but at least now I have an annual average; I was surprised how consistent the number is. (It is well below the Sunday AM music budget allocation which I know they do not always fully spend.) In the Fall, we will set up a Band meeting and decide as a group how to fund songfinding.

I have made a big decision about some of my Diocesan ministries, which will be implemented in the closing months of 2012. Time, now that I finally have medical info that FITS, to focus on that and on local activities.

~Susan

Subject: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jun 12 - 01:58 PM

Here we are. I was distracted by the first of the month being a Friday. It was a double-good day - Friday and payday!

It's still spring, but here it is really hot, and it's beginning to be the time of year when I have to go to bed earlier so I can get up in the morning before it's too hot to walk the dogs or work outside. It's the time of year when I set the air conditioning so it cools the house enough that I can stand it, but not so much that my bill goes through the stratosphere.

It's the time of year when I want parts of my yard to be like "rooms" extended from the house; I took some outdoor cushions and put them on my wrought iron bench last night and sat in the dark looking at the woods across the road and listening to the bugs. Not noisy yet like it will be soon, when the cicadas hit full-voice.

Does anyone who participates here have a "garden room" in the yard, a place where you can sit out and enjoy the coolest part of the day? My back patio has the dogs, so it isn't always restful to sit there, though if I did it more often they would become accustomed. Do you have any sleeping porches, screened in sun porches, places that are part house/part outside? Or have you always thought you'd like to create one?

This is a declutter thread, but this is also a place where we share ideas and successes of various sorts, including our forays into the construction trades. Though I haven't signed up for Pinterest, I see friend's "pinned" items show up on facebook, and several times I've seen ideal garden or patio setups that people have seen and copied to that site. If I stumble across any good ones I'll link to them (I do have some of this taped into a notebook I use for keeping track of work and vendors.)

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jun 12 - 02:05 PM

Transferring put the other messages ahead of the first one in the post, but I won't play with them to re-order them. Now I need to get out my hat and bandana and spread some mulch in the yard, and unload the rest out of the pickup.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Jun 12 - 03:57 PM

Does anyone who participates here have a "garden room" in the yard, a place where you can sit out and enjoy the coolest part of the day? My back patio has the dogs, so it isn't always restful to sit there, though if I did it more often they would become accustomed. Do you have any sleeping porches, screened in sun porches, places that are part house/part outside? Or have you always thought you'd like to create one?

I think I have written about my back porch at great length, and the other settin' areas of the yard. As long as it's mostly sheltered from rain, any indoor upholstered furniture does great out there and just needs breathing room to prevent mold when dampness needs to dry out.

I used to think I needed a screened back or front porch, but then my health got better and the skeeters bother me a lot less. When they get too thick it's time to light a fire or go indoors, but the chairside anti-bug things work pretty well for me without getting chemicals on my skin. It's easier to keep a pair of sweats handy (pre-treated lightly with bug spray) than it is to screen a porch we do not own. :~)

~Susan

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jun 12 - 04:15 PM

I took out and tied my outdoor cushions onto the wrought iron bench I've had beside the house for a while. Last year was too hot, but I have hopes this year I can use it some in the evenings. It looks inviting.

A jar of tea is brewing for iced tea, and I'm going to go finish digging my potatoes (two small plants) and put in a couple more of my bedding plants, then some haul mulch. After that dirty work it's time to wash the dogs and take a shower myself. I wash the dogs in the hottest part of the day so they dry quickly but also so they can enjoy being cooled down by the process.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Jun 12 - 01:03 PM

It's interesting tracking how the thyroid meds are affecting the daily routine. The first dose cleared quite a bit of mental fog and led to more activities comfortably jammed into each day for a fuller life-- with more fun.

The second (current) dosage seems to result in a quicker start to the day, with no noticeable ill effects.

Looking forward to the next dosage (around July 4)!

Tip of the day: PANTETHINE.

PANTETHINE

~S~

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jun 12 - 02:45 PM

I don't think the dogs will be spending any time in the front room until cold weather (November/December) so I have taken all of the extra layers off of that futon. They are laundered and folded. The regular layers (a mattress pad and the flannel sheet that I always leave on it) have also been laundered and replaced. Decorative pillows, the afghan that adorns the back, they're all back and it looks like a people room again. If the dogs come in now, they'll want to lie on the cool tile floor, not on the furniture.

Today is lovely, not as hot as yesterday. I'll mow the back and dig some compost to put on the beds out front. I could actually plant something in that back area now, there is so much more light than before, with all of the trees out. My neighbors put up an awning over the shade garden plants because they'll get fried (and they have a crape myrtle in place hoping that will provide shade soon).

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Jun 12 - 05:19 PM

The motion-focus today has been LR decluts, a lot of which I let go in the weeks since my Mom died. OTOH there are a number of newer storage solutions present in the room, which have made the declut go so much quicker than it felt like it would.

<> I found, printed, and added up some additional church expenses located online in an obscure place I had not checked. They fill out the average I had already mentally ballparked, and are clipboarded with my other tabulation data to go poolside. One category tho in that mega-tabulation is DONE, so now I can just eyeball/pencil add up the rest (at the pool) for the bank meeting we will soon have. (The pool presently has one bathroom to be shared by all for changing and/or toileting, and it's busy season there too. So there is a lot of sit-and-wait time over there these days-- might as well use it productively!)

<> I dug out the area around my chair where things fall off the side table and out of reach, in prep for a good vac job (maybe tomorrow), and have put away about half of what had landed down there.

<> One item that turned up was the handicapped parking thingie for a duplicate placard, which we will need in California.

<> I did two sewing repair projects and decluttered the sewing tools case. A few scraps of fabric from underchair went in the scrap box that also holds the sewing kit.

<> The Gorilla Tape (supersticky duct tape) turned up and was also stowed.

<> A number of items for a Monday craft-and-packup planned got sent in the direction of the office upstairs where the rolling tote, itself a small, deferred craft project, lives.

<> I set up a and partially stocked a downstairs pill sorter for the supplements that go with thyroid, and researched some cheaper sources. I made a chart ydy with all the ingredients a mega-V needs to have so I can choose one, and I ordered one ingredient, separately, that is in none of them and is hard to find locally. I have two local sources to check in town Tuesday on the way to the pool.

<> The kitchen is looking cleanable and may also get a vac job this week.

<> I found and stowed an appt card for a med appt I had thought was in June but is in July-- as I consider whether to keep that doc, it is nice to see it so far off in time. (I'll be seeing someone else before then.)

<> Trash gathered and emptied numerous times-- check.

<> Oh and we are now able to start eliminating the paper plate usage that had become normal when I got so down on energy with this thyroid storm. The Corelle dishes are now regularly handleable, so goodbye paper upon paper!

<> My nifty, sticky bookmarks are now matched with the 4 books I am studying, so I can tab the key pages.

This independent living thing is cool once one has the enrgy to DO IT FOR MYSELF!

~S~

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Jun 12 - 12:54 AM

Long day in the yard, new boots front and center.

I'm exhausted, have hit my stopping point. More tomorrow.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Jun 12 - 12:34 PM

I posted this to MOAB, but in some ways it really belongs as the anti-anthem over here (we know better, on a lot of this):


One day I was walking, I heard a complaining
And saw an old woman the picture of gloom
She gazed at the mud on her doorstep ('twas raining)
And this was her song as she wielded her broom

Life is a trial and love is a trouble
Beauty will fade and riches will flee
Pleasures they dwindle and prices they double
And nothing is as I would wish it to be.

There's too much of worriment goes to a bonnet
There's too much of ironing goes to a shirt
There's nothing that pays for the time you waste on it
There's nothing that lasts us but trouble and dirt.

CHORUS

In March it is mud, it is slush in December
The midsummer breezes are loaded with dust
In fall the leaves litter, in muddy September
The wall paper rots and the candlesticks rust

CHORUS

There are worms on the cherries and slugs on the roses
And ants in the sugar and mice in the pies
The rubbish of spiders no mortal supposes
And ravaging roaches and damaging flies

CHORUS

It's sweeping at six and it's dusting at seven
It's victuals at eight and it's dishes at nine
It's potting and panning form ten to eleven
We scarce break our fast till we plan how to dine

CHORUS

With grease and with grime from corner to center
Forever at war and forever alert
No rest for a day lest the enemy enter
I spend my whole life in struggle with dirt

CHORUS

Last night in my dreams I was stationed forever
On a far distant isle in the midst of the sea
My one chance of life was a ceaseless endeavor
To sweep off the waves as they swept over me

Alas! Twas no dream; ahead I behold it
I see I am helpless my fate to avert
She lay down her broom, her apron she folded
She lay down and died and was buried in dirt.

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jun 12 - 01:18 AM

Much less done today, intentionally. I needed a day of rest after all of Sunday's exertions. The dishes are washed, though, and the laundry is finished, and I took a few photos of the area in the back - you can't really tell that I was very busy back there yesterday, but I was.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Jun 12 - 09:52 PM

Didn't get much done today. When I mess up the AM thyroid dose, it's like being back on Planet Impossible.

~S~

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Jun 12 - 12:09 AM

To my chagrin, I was looking for something in the garage today and found that I already had a 2.5 pound mattock that I'd bought last fall. I had it in my mind that I'd picked up a pulaski (axe and adze). I'm sure I didn't start using it because I didn't have the heavy duty footgear, but to completely forget. . . well, anyway, I'll probably exchange it for something else. I don't need two of these. :)

I did pick up a smaller version of the mattock, and find that it's an arm and shoulder workout, where with the larger one it's arms and back. It's good in smaller spaces, and I was able to take weeds out of the peppers and part of the keyhole garden.

Today I rounded up the various boxes and trays of onions that have dried for a couple of weeks. I cut off the tops and cleaned the roots and now they need to be stored. The big ones can go in a bin of peat moss to keep for a while. The medium ones will go somewhere in a bin, probably also in peat moss (but need to be used sooner) and the small ones will be diced and frozen on a tray and bagged for various cooking uses. I probably have 30 pounds or so. There are several pounds of small (new) potatoes on the drain rack (some need to be trimmed because they have green patches) that I need to store also. I'll have a lot more counter space when I get all of these put away.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Jun 12 - 04:30 PM

Looks like rain coming through this afternoon. I miss the rain in Washington that just gets things wet, doesn't blow them over and wash them away. Or scare the dogs.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Jun 12 - 09:29 PM

Heavy rain. I fed the dogs in the greenhouse - it was a nice picnic out there for them. My garden will appreciate all of this rain but I hope my tomatoes don't split.

The sun room is looking good, I've cleared out a lot of the stuff and empty boxes that were in the middle of the room. I can see the piece of furniture I want to work on to turn into a buffet for the dining room.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Jun 12 - 10:35 PM

I was so sound asleep I didn't even hear Morgan come in. I woke up yelling at the dogs when Rog stopped me and told me it Morgan AND the dogs making all the racket! He made up for it, later, though. I could not stay awake, so, just like the past 1.5 weeks, "Mama" had to nap first thing. (This should be the end of it now, we've found the right dosage, I think.) Anyway, when I told Morgan I was lying down, he at first wanted me to tell him what to do. Told him not my dept. He and his parents knew he'd have to self-care a lot this week. So, he says okay, go to bed Mama and when you wake up you won't recognise the place. I'm thinking, uh-oh, there go the walls, we're going minimal or something...I drift off to sleep, but once in awhile the scent of Murphy's Oil Soap wafts through or I hear the tumbling down of clothes in the dryer.

Morgan had swept, mopped and done some laundry for me and it indeed look different; it looked clean!

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Jun 12 - 12:53 AM

What a great kid! Would he like to come visit Texas soon?

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Jun 12 - 11:15 AM

Yesterday for the first time I packed the giant wheeled workshop tote for a trip tomorrow. Wow! It swallowed a lot of stuff! I also hot-glued on a path to cover the logo I did not want to display.

Tonight I'll boondock up in Rochester and then zoom back hom, pick up Hardi, and head off to Convention with that tote.

~S~

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Jun 12 - 12:05 PM

Rain rain rain over the last 24 hours. More predicted today. I have to go to the office tomorrow, but the weekend activity will depend on whether it stops after today. I'd like to work on the beds some more, but I also have work indoors so maybe this is what it will take to make me stay in and do it.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jun 12 - 10:55 AM

I put up a TV antenna (omnidirectional with an amplifier) yesterday and it works very nicely. I didn't need an extra mast for it, up there next to the chimney is fine and it was easy to reach the arm (that is from the DishNetwork dish that I dismantled.) I used one of the cables from the satellite to set this up.

Counting coups from an estate sale. Yesterday I bought some way-cheap bags of organic gardening materials, and today I went back (1/2 price day) and bought a vintage light fixture. I've had some luck selling these on eBay, so I'll try that again.

It's lovely outside, I need to go walk the dogs and get started on the day!

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: ranger1
Date: 09 Jun 12 - 11:04 AM

The rain has had me in a mood lately, and it hasn't been a housework/decluttering one, unfortunately. However, I do have to get my butt in gear, as the nephew arrives tomorrow for a week. At the least, the laundry will get done and bathroom cleaned. Maybe he'll even help his auntie declutter in between the fun stuff. Maybe...he is a teenager now, after all.

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jun 12 - 01:08 PM

But since he's not your teenager, chances are better that he might help. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Penny S.
Date: 09 Jun 12 - 02:25 PM

This week I had the roof re-covered with a thicker felt on Wednesday, and yesterday the solar panels added, on very thick heavy rubber wedges. This was in very dramatic high winds with strong gusts. I did say I wasn't happy for the guys to be up there, but they were keen to try, so it's been done.

Today I have run TWO washes in day time, the sun shining brightly! Unfortunately, someone had a barbecue, so I couldn't dry the stuff outside.I prefer to have that fresh clean scent, not marinated beef, on my sheets.

On Monday I spread the nematodes about, and today I completed the lasagna bed and topped up the raised bed. It's a bit late, but I've put out runner bean and pea seeds on the lasagna, courgette and butternut squash plants in the raised bed, with lettuce, spring onion and radish seeds to come along before the other two sprawl about. A lot of carrying bags of compost and top soil about. I gave up on mattocking the flinty soil, fertile though it is, and have just put a top layer of humus rich materials on top. Hopefully the worms will get it all mixed up.

For the slugs which escape the nematodes, I have brine in a spray bottle.

I bought a new bay tree to replace the one which suffered from the winter, and some scented dianthus for my summer flower bed. Some of the dianthus were not scented. I don't know why this is considered OK. And the "Sweet" Williams sold in supermarkets are in breach of the trades description act, being without scent.

Back in the 20s, it was considered notable that one year the musk all over th ecountry lost its scent, never to be recovered. Now it's accepted as normal. (BTW, anybody live where the original musk is found in Rocky Mountain meadows? Presumably back at home it's still scented?)

Penny

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jun 12 - 05:56 PM

Not sure what "musk" is - do you have a scientific name?

I used the mattock in my garden today, took up a wheelbarrow full of oregano that had encroached on too much of that garden. I'll put down mulch and plant some stuff in there now. I need to move some thyme also, to a bed I have yet to dig. I might get to some of that this afternoon. And I need to mow.

I tried out the new antenna today some more - I can get some channels now that I never ever saw with the old rabbit ears. Nice! It looks so much nicer not having the cables and rabbit-ear antennas stretched out or sitting around.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: maeve
Date: 09 Jun 12 - 06:23 PM

Penny, are you referring to this Malva moschata
or this Hibiscus moschatus?

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jun 12 - 10:44 PM

We have a lot of Evening Primrose family (Mallow) in the Western US. It's found in the deserts and the prairies. Malvacea. Probably a good one to start following, based upon a gut reaction.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: maeve
Date: 10 Jun 12 - 12:15 AM

Onagraceae = Evening Primrose family, yes?
Malvacea= Mallow family.

What am I missing, Stilly?

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: maeve
Date: 10 Jun 12 - 12:26 AM

Oops, dropped a letter: malvacaea

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Penny S.
Date: 10 Jun 12 - 12:52 AM

It's Mimulus moschatus, and the loss of scent seems earlier than I thought. In the UK, one nursery had the monopoly, and themerchant abandoned the business after the scent loss in 1909, though French sources describe the scent upto 1916.

Apparently, no scented version has been found in the wild snce then, either. One site online suggests that the original strain was a sport, which reverted back when propagated from seed - which it would have been.

Odd.

Penny

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: ragdall
Date: 10 Jun 12 - 04:43 AM

Still working on the shower. I'm still not sure that I can finish in time for the in-laws to use it, but I'll do my best. As of 2:00 am on Saturday, all the wall areas were covered with tile. Because so many of the original tiles were unusable/ shattered when I tried to cut them, I've filled in with a white tile.

I have to wait for the glue on the walls to dry before I can apply grout. While waiting tonight I dry-fitted the floor tiles. I'll need to cut tiles to fit around the drain. I don't know how, but will figure it out. I was able to do it somehow when I built the shower 25 years ago.

It will be far from an expert job, but I hope when I'm done sealing and caulking at the end, it will be waterproof and useful.

rags

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: maeve
Date: 10 Jun 12 - 06:23 AM

Thanks, Penny- because of your post I have a new wildflower to watch for. It isn't native or naturalized in my region.

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 10 Jun 12 - 10:35 AM

My mallow (not sure which, exactly -- light pink flowers, distinctive leaves, fairly tall) has been seeding in all over the place (despite the annual loss of more full sun areas) since I haven't had time to work on the yard for the past few years and jungle has set in.

Just did a quick google check -- it's pink musk mallow.

Maeve, I've got seeds if you're interested. Not sure when Tom will be ambulatory enough for us to see you, but I can mail some to you.

Linn

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 10 Jun 12 - 10:46 AM

Woke up this morning with all kinds of energy and ambition -- for the first time since my sudden retirement on Tuesday. (I applied for social security a week ago Saturday, got the confirmation of amount and start time on Tuesday, turned in my letter of resignation, and found it unnecessary to work out the 2 weeks notice -- and found myself heading home from my last day at work the same day.)

I've been feeling rather...flat, I guess would describe it. Certainly not depressed but not particularly buoyant as I would have expected with the removal of a huge multi layer of stress and reclaiming of a lot of time in my life. I think it was sort of a reaction to the relief of finally having an opportunity for down time and no longer having the stress of trying to keep a difficult job in the face of knowing the district manager was trying to get rid of me (nothing provable, of course).

So far this morning I've managed to get a few more things in a bag for Goodwill, started going through the stack of magazines and free papers building up next to the bed, worked on my yearly scrapbooks, did some mental planning, and I'm about to start a batch of shortbread and "do" Tom's leg for the first of two times today. And I've barely started checking things off today's list.

Linn

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Jun 12 - 11:05 AM

I was in a hurry in a search, hit an incorrect site and thought perhaps something had changed (so much has) since I learned plant families. Lumping and sorting. Malvaceae always did have 5 petals. Evening Primrose, four petals. Duh. So, mallow is very common in the desert areas, (many lovely orange flowers) but so is the evening primrose, lots of it around here as wildflowers.

Now I'll go back and read what Penny said. And if I can reproduce that search I'll send the site owner a note.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Jun 12 - 11:34 AM

Found it, sent her a note suggesting sorting the families, or people who are in a hurry (like me) or who don't know better will lump the groups.

That said, mimulus or Monkey-flower is common in the Pacific Northwest but I don't remember if it had a scent or not. Various types are common flowers in the mountains and open clear cut areas.

Congratulations on retirement, Linn. See how long you last - even having a lot to do at home, it's still nice to get out and mingle with people and bring home the extra cash. :)

Lots to do today, but I'm a bit stiff and sore from yesterday's weeding. I emptied a wheelbarrow full of oregano into the compost (and there is still a lot out there). Most of this was flowering and not much for harvesting, though the bees loved it. I left a big chunk full of flowers for the bees and the soften the edge of the driveway.

All of the cicada killer wasps have come back this week - if they do like the last couple of years, the few here are the small beginning and I'll be swamped with them in a couple of weeks. I am going to discourage their digging this year - each year they seem to come back in greater numbers. I'll experiment with mulch and herbs to see if I can chase them off. They can go dig in the woods, no one will care over there, but leave my vegetable garden alone! (I found a dirt pile they dug in the turf yesterday, so it isn't just gardens, but the easiest digging is in the garden because I've already softened the soil for them.)

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Jun 12 - 02:16 PM

I have yard work, but since I did a lot of heavy digging yesterday I'll make today a quieter day and work in the kitchen. I need to cut up and freeze some of the stuff coming in from the garden, and prepare some things so they're ready to eat and I'll eat them instead of being tempted to eat less healthy choices. I did go out and do some foliar feeding and added a dollop of orange oil to discourage some of the bugs I've started to see.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 10 Jun 12 - 05:19 PM

Oh, Stilly, I'm sure I'll have to get a p/t gig at some point, but a major part of the reason I signed up for SS now (rather than in 3 more years) is so I have more time for Tom. Juggling everything I have to do for him, all the stuff he used to do and now can't, all the stuff I've always done, AND work retail just got to be too much. Tom was feeling guilty making me do everything and I was feeling really stretched and we'd end up snapping at each other. This is much better. I'd planned since the end of last year on finding a replacement for the high stress job, but haven't had a moment since Tom broke the ankle to even think about looking or applying or even what I could tell a potential employer about when I COULD work.

I'm not exactly home-bound -- we've got our usual weekly session, our monthly singaround, lots of music parties, just getting together with friends, etcet etcet.

Linn

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Jun 12 - 06:26 PM

Linn, three cheers to you both for figuring out how to do so. Rog took early retirement, too, last year, but kept 30 hours of his job in order to keep our health insurance. I will gradually get better but really need him home more, now. We're going to make an appt. and go talk to someone who can give us an idea of what will be available, etc. esp insurance-wise. That's the only reason he's still working at the moment.

Usual weekend chores done by both of us. I've been having to keep my feet up a lot, so not a lot done by me.

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Jun 12 - 08:52 PM

Who knew you could get a blister using a knife, but I raised a big one inside my right index finger. I turned on a NetFlix movie in the kitchen (one I've been meaning to watch for ages) and proceeded to peel and chop whole bunch of the small onions from the garden. Figuring they're so small they wouldn't keep fresh long, they are now diced on cookie sheets in the freezer to add to the bag I have going in there. I also cut up some veggies for the dogs and in general cleared out counter space for veggies from the garden. The tomatoes are beginning to produce a few big ones a day (I haven't picked today, but I need to take the bucket out in a few minutes and do so).

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Jun 12 - 12:38 AM

I was outside watering and a neighbor came by - the one who is arranging the refinance of the house (from 5.5% to 3.0%, same bank, no closing costs). We usually talk gardening, not banking, so I didn't know where she worked until recently. When she left she had a bag with produce for a couple of meals. Gardening is such a great way to share the most basic of things - food - with people.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Jun 12 - 09:47 AM

I'm glad I spent time clearing up in the kitchen yesterday, it was wonderful to walk into a tidy room with cleared counters. Ready for another day of processing garden stuff.

I'm thinking about making a batch of salsa since I have the tomatoes, peppers, onions, and herbs handy.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Bettynh
Date: 11 Jun 12 - 11:25 AM

I've been lurking here. Seems I'm just not a journaler. LOL, when we travelled, I'd carry a camera but it was the kids who took most of the pictures.

I'm still sorting and divesting stuff from family - there's just no end to it. Two yardsales so far (they're so easy here - no permits or anything, just a note on craigslist and a sign at the end of the street), and there should be a dozen more, but I probably won't have the energy for that. I keep having to stop and sort/read through the boxes. One of the latest is a trunk from my grandmother - a pile of unlabelled photos of presumed ancestors (some obscure connection to PEI Canada that I can't quite figure out), newspaper clippings from the Sunday Boston Post, 1901-1916, with fancy fonts and designs for embroidery - fashion spreads on the other sides), a collarless shirt, boxer shorts with buttons removed and some of the seams ripped (??for quilts?? they're all a fine cotton in blue stripes of various sorts on white. She was married in 1908. Maybe grampa gained weight and they needed recycling??), and a postcard collection, 1901-1926. Some of the postcards were addressed to her father ("give them to her - she collects postcards"). Brother George spent sinme time in Passaic, NJ, and sent a card home every midweek - "Dear Father, I am fine. The weather is good. I will send a letter and papers (??) this weekend. Your Son, George." Must be 20 of them, so there's a good look at NJ in the early 20s for anyone who wants it, with a few of NYC thrown in. My very favorite postcard was sent in this city and read "Let's get together to sing tonight." Dated and stamped 1901. I'm trying to imagine this world - no telephones, but a postal system that is so reliable that you can send a postcard in the morning and expect a meeting that evening - was there more than one delivery a day? Did they know the postal route? Nashua was a city with several factories then, and apparently worked better in some ways than it does now. My grandmother was 15 in 1901. I vaguely remember something about the children coming to Nashua so they could go to high school.

So, the ancient newspapers, ancestors, and ripped underwear are sititing in small piles, being contemplated. The collarless shirt is in the yardsale items (didn't sell this week) and the postcards went for $40 to a fleamarket dealer who will easily double his money. The newspapers are so fragile I'm afraid to put them out into the sun and wind. Maybe a note in craigslist, offering them for decoupage?? I don't know, but it seems such a shame to send them to landfill (or recycling) after all this time.

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Jun 12 - 12:40 PM

Sounds like a fascinating trunk - if nothing else occurs, you can donate a lot of that stuff to a university library Special Collection in the area. Calculate a price per piece and take a tax deduction. Up to $5000 value a year and you don't need to have it professionally appraised. It means you curate the collection, but it gives you a chance to decide if it is something to keep or donate.

Getting hot, I should have walked the dogs early, but I was hungry and then got into work. We'll take a quick walk at lunchtime. Hot but doable. I can put on my boots and walk them in the wildflower field on the other side of the bridge - they adore walks over there.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Jun 12 - 02:25 PM

Well, the mega-tote for Convention was SUPERB, and slid nicely under my display table when not in use as well.

~S~

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Penny S.
Date: 11 Jun 12 - 03:42 PM

Having had the solar panels fitted last Friday, since then we have had a monsoon. Enough sun Saturday morning for two washes and a shower, but not since.

My cold water tank and two dustbins are full of water, so are two large plastic plant pots with no drain holes, and another is half full, and I have bowls and troughs still collecting, and a camping carrier three quarters full. Only the tomatoes in the growhouse need watering! Despite the nematodes, there are slugs around, and I am squirting them with brine when spotted.

I've bought some more dianthus with green leaves like sweet williams, and flowers rather like large sweet williams. These were advertised as having the sweet william scent. This may explain the scentless sweet williams sold by supermarkets. The perfume has been stolen!

Penny

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Jun 12 - 06:22 PM

Are the leaks due to the solar panels being put up? Or did the roof leak already?

Kind of a slow-moving day today. But it's Monday, so that may be part of it. :) Moonglow is coming down for a visit this evening and that should be fun.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jun 12 - 12:14 AM

Moonglow arrived, we had our bacon lettuce tomato sandwiches to bring in summer, and I sent her home with a variety of fresh garden produce. She also took her grandfather's dulcimer - she has a roommate who knows how to play lots of instruments and will teach her. :)

She headed out ahead of a slow-moving thunderstorm, hoping to get home dry. Such is life in Texas.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Penny S.
Date: 12 Jun 12 - 02:57 AM

No leaks - I'm collecting rain in the garden - all containers now full.

Penny

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jun 12 - 10:24 AM

That's good - and quite a relief! I'd hate to think that your good deed of putting up the solar panels clobbered your roof!

Thirty minute walk with the dogs first thing this morning. I go to the door and make sure they're up for the day, give them a few minutes to take care of business, and then we head out. They loved yesterday's excursion into the field, they are a lot livelier over there, so I'll make a point of going more often. This one was for me, up and down a few blocks around the neighborhood.

Moonglow described the new house - the whole group in their current house is moving - I can't help but think that while they'll have more room, they won't be as comfortable. And this owner who rented did nothing to clean up the house before they moved in. They looked at the house before "work" was finished and thought it would be ready, but found the "work" constituted one tile being set in place and a grout mess to clean. They should have negotiated a lower first month's rent to cover their time in cleaning the house. I'll probably head up in a week or so and help move some stuff.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jun 12 - 10:33 PM

This evening I ran a couple of errands and it started out an efficient run, but as I visited one and then two stores that didn't have the feta cheese I was looking for, I ended up farther afield. Stopped for a small chicken pesto pizza for dinner instead of going home to make my salad. I'll do that tomorrow. I have several things in the fridge that need cooking or preparation, looks like much of that is tomorrow. This pizza was kind of an anniversary, it was five months ago yesterday that Susie was hit by that car and injured so badly. The night before we'd gone out for a couple of these pizzas. She has been home for a month now and is doing so well!

I mailed a form that had been at the post office since the middle of last week, for the house refinance. I think it's the last bit they need. Fingers crossed we finish this soon.

Walking the dogs early reminded me that it's a good start to the day and it means I don't have to stop something I'm doing later in the day to walk them. I need to keep it up.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Penny S.
Date: 13 Jun 12 - 08:25 AM

Yesterday the electrician came back to fit a timer to the immersion heater circuit so I don't have to get up during the cheap electricity night period to turn it on and then off again for early morning hot water. I set it up for the night period, and a midday period which I can override if it's not sunny. The little LED output light was not working, and this morning it was clear that the whole thing wasn't either.

Today the electrician came back, and sorted it. The sun is now heating my water. Though I'm not making quite as much as I'm using, with the heater and the washing machine running a descaler programme. On the other hand, I wasn't using any earlier on.

After no sun yesterday, except at the end of the day, when I managed to plant out some corydalis (the yellow sort, which is weedlike once established) from my parent's garden, some creeping jenny (lysimachia nummularia) which will have yellow flowers, and some lavender. I went out and bought some large terracotta pots to pot up things I have grown from cuttings, which are finding their small pots too small, but are not ready to be planted out yet, some compost for them and the potato bags, and to look for some loosestrife (lysimachia punctata) to add verticals to the yellow stuff. Out of stock, the last, but a friend's mother apparently has some.

Today I have planted out the climbing rose (Albertine) from my grandparents' home, and built a new step in the path to the back gate, where it was not safe to be used. I've also pruned the Virginia creeper on the back fence.

I was about to do the potting up when the electrician came, I had a long phone call from a friend, and a man selling frozen fish turned up. Since the freezer is full, I had to turn him away. I wish we had a fish van from Rye or Hastings coming round, with fresh caught fish, but we must be too far out. There used to be a van from Lowestoft at the Thursday market, but now there only seems to be someone who gets his stock from Billingsgate. (Billingsgate is the big fish market in London, the other three places are seaports with still active fishing fleets. Hastings is particularly good for being ecologically sound.) The frozen man is from a company which sources at Billingsgate, and is quite local here - but its website has no information at all about the background of its product.

It's probably time for a snooze now.

Penny

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Jun 12 - 12:54 PM

I'm still actively drawing down the contents of my freezer as I prepare for this year's crop. I need to do a lot of canning, but I will freeze some of the tomatoes. I'll freeze peppers. I found myself the other day thinking that I need to keep my eye open for another freezer. Where I'd put it, I don't know. But a lot of my food goes into the freezer, at least for a while. Grains and pasta go in to kill any weevil eggs, so they can come back out again, but I tend to just leave my flour in there till I'm ready to use it. Chicken, beef, fish, veggies, lots of ingredients, plus any number of assembled casseroles that were built in a foil-lined pyrex dish, frozen, and then slipped out of the dish and wrapped further in plastic. Slip the foil-wrapped item back into the dish when it's time to cook it.

Dog walk this morning resulted in a brief brush up against poison ivy. I came home and washed up the spots then took a shower and smeared on some cream. I will know tomorrow if I got it all or not.

I found a prism for $10 that I've ordered for the chandelier. I always need to add something, so if this is the only something, then it isn't bad. Part of yesterday's run was to the Container Store to buy a box to ship it in.

I know there are a few of you lurking - I'll hope you'll drop in and let us know what you're up to. It's energizing to see that other folks are headed in the same direction - to end up with a house of useful stuff and to send the things we don't need to new homes. And to work on the house or rooms while we're at it.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Jun 12 - 11:11 PM

The kitchen is a mess - I'll put dishes in the dishwasher and run it overnight. Today I cooked up some of my taco filling (I grind some beef roast for hamburger and then I used home-grown onions, peppers, tomatoes, and herbs in it) and cut up cucumber and tomato and chunks of feta for a lovely Greek salad for the next couple of days. All of the dishes from this and more are in the sink.

Picked a half-dozen big tomatoes today. The shelves in the fridge are filling up.

I've been taking too many naps lately. I need to walk the dogs farther in the morning, get more of an early pick-me-up and stick to one power nap after lunch. That second nap may mean that I'm doing something kind of boring for work right now (true) but it may also mean that I need to get moving more during the week, not just heavy work on the weekends.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Jun 12 - 11:05 AM

Dogs walked this morning, garden watered. Dishes were clean and sparkly this morning, now to do a couple of loads of laundry. Same ol' same ol' for now.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jun 12 - 12:07 AM

It rained this morning so I figured I'd walk the dogs this evening, but at about the time we would have set out they started up the kind of barking that could mean only one thing - a dog had walked up the driveway to the gate.

Yup. A cute little min pin male, not neutered, in fairly good shape, though he must have been in the woods. He had some ticks and a lot of fleas. I walked him around the neighborhood, no one recognized him. I put an ad on Craig's List, a fellow in the next town over offered to take him, but I think a couple of neighbors are interested. I'll take him to my vet in the morning and see if he has a chip. I could drop him at the Humane Society otherwise, they have a 3-day "lost animal" area, and then I'm sure he'd be put up for adoption. He likes dogs, isn't bothered by cats. I don't think he travelled far to get here, so I hope his owner is looking for him. I think a sign down at the bridge tomorrow morning would be appropriate.

I washed the little guy them set up the kennel outside the side door, and put some towels in for sleeping on. It is warm at night here, he'll be fine. Tomorrow morning we'll see about finding his next place if we don't find his current home.

Meanwhile, tomorrow I also need to work on that chandelier. The crystal I ordered arrived, it is nicer than any of the rest, but it lets me advertise it as a complete set, and buying one that is a correct match for the price I paid is just as good as buying several mis-matched crystals at a similar or higher price.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jun 12 - 07:47 PM

Busy 24 hours: Yesterday a stray wandered up, this morning my vet id'd a chip in him, the owner record wasn't up to date but this guy didn't really want the dog back since he has two others (when I told him I had a friend who would keep it he said "it's hers!") So I got my friend Susie set up with my wire kennel and food and a bed. This little guy is a 13-pound min pin (miniature pinscher) and is five years old. His name is Max.

She things Max bonded quickly with me - we'll see how long it takes for him to bond with her. I suspect the long walk we took yesterday was part of it - I took him around the neighborhood to see if anyone knew him, before putting up a notice on Craigslist. If she walks him a few times I think they'll be set. He's so light and simply much more controllable than Zeke that he's a much better pooch for her to have right now. I hope this works out - he's a sweetie and she needs a dog she can hang out with and cuddle. Zeke loves to hang out, but he's too strong for some of the cuddles part.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jun 12 - 10:52 AM

Looks like there's not a lot of interest - or people are all busy decluttering and not posting. It may be time to decide this series has run its course. If you're a lurker and want these threads to keep going, join in and let us know what you're up to!

This was also here to report exercise. I don't have a lot to report for the last couple of days, but today, as warm as it is, looks like a day to tackle some heavy gardening and mowing issues.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Jun 12 - 11:18 AM

I'll post more as I get to feeling better, buut I also slacked off when we were just doing our usual and not really decluttering. I have done a few minutes of qi gong twice this week past.

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Bettynh
Date: 17 Jun 12 - 11:36 AM

I had another yardsale yesterday. It's so easy when the days are this long and the weather is nice. There's no question of a sale next week - Old Songs is only a few days away! This week will be about distributing the stuff that's never going to sell or that I don't want to lug in and out (single glasses and coffee cups, modern novels, clothes, just plain trash) and distribute it to give away, recycle, or drag to landfill. If it does get hot, there are photos and letters to scan and pack away. I did manage to scan some pictures to put in the sale - men in uniform in front of a tent (Grandma's brother?? about 1900, under pines, I sold it with a commission for the NH National Guard, 1902, I think that's them). There are 2 photos that I could donate to the local historical society (football team, 1900, and a parade of local millworkers, about the same time) for a tax break, but I really would rather have the cash. Meanwhile from that same trunk, there's a whole box of letters. Maybe I'll figure out who in the family came from Prince Edward Island.

Roses on the house are glorious this year. They started blooming early, but here it is, Fathers' Day, and they're still in full bloom, just on time. I guess we're recovering from those abnormally warm days this spring. These are really old-fashioned roses (Grandpa planted them), so they're done when they're done. Never a re-bloom. But they need severe pruning, and that's a battle I dread. The roots are so old and so strong that they shoot off 20-30 feet through the garden and into the lawn in a single season. There is no such thing as pruning roses without shedding blood, but it has to be done.

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 17 Jun 12 - 12:57 PM

Not too much to share here. I have been keeping up with daily chores (for the most part) and my exercise happens sporadically. Yesterday I walked a few miles. Also, our dryer is broken (or at least it is to me until DH has time to take a look at it) so I'm hanging stuff out on the line. It's a nice sunny, breezy day here...perfect for hanging stuff on the line.

We took Jeremiah to his first parade yesterday and later today we are taking Daddy on a picnic for Father's Day. I'm hoping to get in a little hike or creek walk.

I have a goal to begin working room by room to get things ready for 2 different yard sales next month. I have loads to get rid of and I can surely use the extra cash. So...this week I am going to focus on the living room and kitchen. If I have any baby free time, I'll work on cleaning out my closet.

I've been good about keeping up with my insulin although I misplaced my glucose monitor for a week or so. I finally found it in the bottom of the diaper bag. Given that I don't go out with the baby too terribly often (I don't go out much at all lately unless it's to a meeting of some sort), I don't use the diaper bag all that much. On the days that I have meetings, he has a stash of diapers and wipes at the places he stays. Oh well...I have the meter now and am using as I'm supposed to which is 4 times a day. It's not exercise but it does add up to good health. My energy is returning ever so slowly. I can manage a very, VERY busy day (like yesterday) but then today I am somewhat draggy and tired...I'm getting better at pushing through that.

This week I will visit my oncologist/hematologist. Last time I went, my while blood count was ridiculously low. I'm praying that it went back up on it's own,...the shots used to stimulate white blood cell growth have much the same side effects as my particular chemo did which is intense bone pain. It's my understanding that the most explosive white blood cell growth takes place in the larger bones...thighs and calves. Also...a continued low white blood count would likely mean scans for me to see what's going on...something I do NOT want to do.

That's about it for me.

Michelle

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jun 12 - 12:11 AM

Fingers crossed, Michelle, that everything is at the level where it should be.

It rained this afternoon, and before that was about 400% humidity. I did some weeding once the drizzle started because it had cooled off. I made some headway in the garden I targeted. We picked several pounds of tomatoes today, though I gave away several to family and neighbors. It's time to start canning small batches of diced tomatoes and freezing more peppers.

I took the dogs for a good walk right before the rain started.

The kitchen was clean at one point, but there is stuff in the sink now that can wait till morning. I made a batch of bread and put it in three small pans. Next time I'll use two of them, these came out very small, but they'll still work. I want to freeze them and use them for small things, but not have to eat an entire loaf by myself.

I talked to my son today. He is talking to friends, making plans about sharing a place in college in the fall, since he won't be in the dorm. This is good - I'll help if they need it, but I'm so glad he is motivated to get something set up and share expenses.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Bettynh
Date: 18 Jun 12 - 11:39 AM

:::He is talking to friends, making plans about sharing a place in college in the fall, since he won't be in the dorm:::

Does he cook at all? I have one who does and one who doesn't. (My twins always strive for difference, something mothers-of-twins never mention.) For even the one-who-does-not-cook a saucepan, spaghetti-sized cooker, and heavy frypan are essential. Automatic electric rice-cookers eliminate burned pans. A microwave is essential. Dishes, glasses, and coffee cups seem to arrive by magic - don't buy new, someone will have them donated. They'll go for recipes online, but a basic cookbook like Joy of Cooking comes in handy for the "What do I do with..." questions. Virgil was the star of his household because he could bake bread. Send small towels and potholders - they'll use underwear otherwise ;-)

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jun 12 - 01:05 PM

I have taught him a few things. He can make French toast like nobody's business. I'll have to add a few other staples to his diet, make sure he has a good kitchen timer, and yes, I'm sure a microwave is part of the furnishings. When I worked on my Dad's estate and found so much redundancy in his kitchen stuff I packed it up and brought it along. I figured that what the kids didn't need I could eventually hand off, so we have a start on the kitchen stuff he can use.

Last summer when I dropped him at school I was finishing unloading when he walked back to the truck to remind me that the silverware that was in his stuff from the last year was pretty nasty - had rusted or something. I pulled the bag of kitchen stuff I'd brought along for the trip, thinking he might need it but hadn't stuck it in his regular boxes. I handed over silverware, wash clothes, and dishtowels. I'm sure they all got regular use. These kids are fairly civilized and I think he won't reject advice on the bare essentials for a kitchen. And perhaps one of his roommates cooks?

This morning I picked a bucket full of tomatoes. I'm going to have to start canning this week. Small batches of diced tomatoes, but I'm also going to make some salsa.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Bettynh
Date: 18 Jun 12 - 02:56 PM

SRS, Virgil found roommates completely unreliable (especially about washing dishes). They are, however, likely to develop odd food preferences - Vegans, coffee/tea snobbishness, homemade beer, etc. The worst offender was a dad (divorced, of course) who would sponsor trips to Sam's Club to buy huge bags of candy, chips, cookies, just a mountain of junk a couple times a semester. One guy was on the edge of scurvy because he decided that it was just easier and cheaper to eat only mac and cheese (he got a free bottle of multivits and a lecture). None of this, BTW, is a male/female thing. These kids, after the dorm, seem to think co-ed housing is normal (I guess it is. Certainly now, at 30, he has several close female friends who were once apartment-mates.)

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jun 12 - 03:47 PM

My son has started doing some working out, pull-ups and such, so I think he's paying more attention to fitness (he's at a good weight, always has been, but I think he wants to keep it that way). He cooks stuff like salmon for himself (in the frozen 4 ounce frozen packages) so I'll just have to make sure that he has the grocery budget to buy healthy foods. And I think if he has a partial meal plan on campus he can eat there for his midday meal.

Got the rest of the story on Susie's dog - a call came in at lunch. Seems the first owner lost the dog, the second owner found him and couldn't find owners so kept him. After 2 years he got out and animal control found the chip for the first family. The wife is batshit crazy and after a little while of messages from the husband asking about what they fed him and the wife protesting that he was having an affair with the woman in the second family (!) the guy called and said they didn't want the dog any more, he didn't get along with their other dogs (we don't think this is true). Somewhere in the last six months they gave him away or dumped him. And they transfered his chip over to the phone number of the family that had him for 2 years. They'd had such grief from the first family that they didn't want him back, as much as they loved him, because they have a couple of other dogs now. So she is glad to know that Susie will give him a good home and will see about having the chip put into her name today.

Whew! That's a lot for one little dog to have as his story! He's apparently a breakout artist and shoots out open doors in a hurry. Invisible Fence might still be a very good idea for her. I could train Zeke to it here and if they're on the same frequency as my house, then if Max came down to stay, he'd also be contained by the collar.

Confused yet?

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Jun 12 - 05:08 PM

Still hunkering here, but i did make myself meditate and do qi gong this morning. I see the therapist tomorrow and the pulmonologist on Wed.

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jun 12 - 11:03 PM

One day at a time, Kat.

I did the front yard trimming tonight - it was looking pretty rough out there. It also needs to be mowed, but now it looks a little less like it needs to be mowed because some of the really tall stuff is gone. But I'll probably mow tomorrow.

Lots of tomatoes picked, and I'll start getting out jars for canning. Better check my lid supply and if the lemon juice still within its shelf date.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 19 Jun 12 - 01:53 AM

Did the dishes today and then did some cleaning out of the fridge and did those dishes too. I also did a little bit of cooking ahead as it's supposed to be HOT for the rest of the week. And when it's HOT, I just don't seem to function well. I also used the vacuum in the living room, swept the hall, washed one of the rugs and I just finished cutting out and pinning two adult bibs to take to Nana in the nursing home (she shakes uncontrollably). They are reversible so I made them with cute fabric. One is green with watermelon slices and the reverse side is a hot pink with flowers to match the watermelon on the front. The other is a green fabric with bright red lady bugs on the front. I picked bright red fabric with white polka dots for the back. She loves bright colors so I'm hoping she'll like them. I'll sew them up in the morning when I won't wake the entire house. I also organized my stash of fabric which seems to be growing.....I have some more to pick up in the morning. :)

Michelle

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Penny S.
Date: 19 Jun 12 - 04:01 AM

I've done fridge clearing, too. I'm expecting delivery of a gadget that is supposed to slow deterioration by emitting negative ions, so getting ready for it.

Most of the stuff in there, however, is things in jars like jams and pickles which say they should be in there after opening - seems a bit counter-intuitive, but hey -and which I don't eat often. Fruit and veg are currently living in a powered coolbox (solar panels mean this isn't going to add too much to my usage).

Today is the first day of cherries from the local farm - they don't get to stay long as I can eat a pound a day easily. Also the strawberries and raspberries - I've nearly got my own of the first, but the price has dropped in the shops, too. Oddly, despite eating mostly salad and fruit, my weight is going up again. Also despite hefting slabs and compost around in the garden.

The nematodes seem to be slacking. I am having to sprinkle salt around on slugs which are devouring stuff still. The butternut squash has been attacked below the surface, and I can't get a replacement, so am planting a ridge cucumber instead. And sprinkling pellets around. Apparently the allotment guys are having the same sort of problems.

Penny

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jun 12 - 10:11 AM

Try BT (Bacillus Thurengiensus) for the squash and cucubits also. It could be a worm below the surface, not just slugs or snails.

Interesting - tell me more about your powered coolbox - how cool and what volume of produce does it hold?

Thinking about taking a few tomatoes to work and doing a silent auction at the staff meeting today. Donate money to the library staff association.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jun 12 - 12:55 AM

My legs are tired this evening after lots of standing in the kitchen. Susie and a friend were over for dinner, then I decided to tackle the first of the tomatoes. It was a small batch of just four pints, but it let me remember everything I had to dig out to have at the ready. I'll keep a stack of bowls and the various spoons, measures, funnels, lids, and rings handy. My kitchen table is covered with clean jars.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Jun 12 - 10:39 AM

Rog did a thorough and great job of cleaning out our fridge this past weekend.

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jun 12 - 11:53 AM

Diced tomatoes in five pint jars and a half-pint this morning - if I manage to can the equivalent of a bucket of tomatoes a day today and tomorrow then this weekend I can probably get caught up and also freeze a lot of the peppers. It's a race right now that the fruit is winning. I watered this morning and saw quite a few tomatoes ready and three squash - I'll pick at noon and then probably after dinner. And this is a puny garden by most standards!

Susie and her friend were over for dinner last night - the friend seemed inclined to be silent and play with her phone for stretches of time, so as I cooked I exerted myself to interview her, pull out bits of information to build a conversation on and by the time dinner was on the table she was on a roll, talking about the parks and lakes and stately mansions in upstate New York and the Thousand Islands and into Vermont. She was one tough nut, but came up with some interesting stuff. I only told one story in the middle of all of that, then turned it back to the two of them.

Kat, my fridge is going between stuffed full and mostly empty these days - ripe fruit stacked and lined up and in bowls, then the canning. I need to remember that I have a second small fridge in the sun room - I could move my regular food over there and just do the canning stuff in the kitchen fridge.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Jun 12 - 11:50 AM

My second batch of tomatoes didn't seal properly - I tossed the rest of the box, it seems to be a bad batch. I'll use those tomatoes to make salsa this weekend.

Friday is here. What do all of you have planned?

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Penny S.
Date: 22 Jun 12 - 12:28 PM

This is what the device is like - it is this model. I have two of them for camping, and they come in larger sizes as well.


Electric cool box

They can also operate in reverse to keep things warm. I'm running mine off an inverter to bring the voltage down to 12V.

Penny

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Jun 12 - 12:46 PM

I was looking at cabinets at the building supply store last fall, debating if I could get some kind of a cool air device to build in and plug in to act like a root cellar. It doesn't need to refrigerate and it doesn't need to move air fast, it just needs to keep it cool, around 40 - 45. I suppose this kind of cooler in the bottom of a cabinet could do that. Put it in and leave the lid off. Or simply put the lid in the cabinet and let it keep it cool. I found a battery operated cooler but the fan was so noisy that I took it back - Coleman. I suppose this is the time of year to start that search. Get a cabinet that something like this would fit into. Perfect! (Building instructions are at the bottom - this was making the rounds on facebook last week).

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 22 Jun 12 - 01:02 PM

This weekend we are going to work on getting the dryer fixed, put on my 4 new tires, work in the yard, hoping to get the camper opened up again and I am hoping to SLEEP. I am exhausted. Jeremiah is going for a nap soon and so am I.

If it's warm out, I want to go swimming at the lake. :) Maybe a little picnic with my guys.

Michelle

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Jun 12 - 01:17 PM

Sounds like a good weekend!

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 22 Jun 12 - 05:54 PM

I have come back to life after a rough month. The farm chemicals. A terrible rash - allergic to raccoons! I thought the latter was connected to the chemicals so we only figured it out, or Ken did, when it got so bad I looked like a red-eyed raccoon! I phoned him in CA because he is my avocado growing friend and I was afraid it was them. But, he also rehabs raccoons and gave me good advice. I wash with Dr Bronners after each session with the guys and it is almost gone.

The chemical poisoning took numerous de-tox baths and a month anyway. I also started drinking green tea again; the weather demands it.

So it was wonderful to wake up at 5:30 Tuesday morning Full of energy! I have been sorting and decluttering, mending, some potting, and caring for animals - two cages of squirrels and a big cage for the five raccoons. R and I built the 8x8 cage on the weekend and the guys love it so much they, so far, have made no moves towards the door when I open it - except "Here comes food!"

Not as high since then but still FEEL like doing things instead of just sitting. Through all this time of troubles, I stuck fairly well to a strict diet and have not lost a pound - in over a month! I can get into three pairs of pants so I must be less bloated. My mantra is "I really want... but I want to lose weight more!" It has worked pretty well. I have not lost hope. Just thinking about new strategies. One I have been doing is to be less efficient; take things further, park further from the markets, move more. The exer-cycle is in the city and I have been in the country - five raccoons are TOO many in the city. They really needed this big cage. I needed for them to have it!

The animals have helped my agility, flexibility and balance. There is a certain amount of work involved even though they are weaned except one little guy. I carry buckets of water for their mini-pool as it is too far for the hose. The water needs to be changed several times a day but they love it and it is fun to watch them playing in it.

R took a pic of me feeding bottles to three on my lap! I held one under my chin. The forth kit was probably raising cain! Their REAL mom has six tits! I am glad to be down to one on a bottle. Banjo is named after Terry Joe Banjo!

Well, I was going to vacuum before the Cafe tonight but I guess I won't.

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jun 12 - 01:53 AM

Seven more pints of tomatoes and these were perfect. I'm using the smaller of the two stock pots so far, but I may switch to the larger kettle and get a couple more jars per batch at least. I have two batches in the fridge and will probably have at least one more amongst the tomatoes on the counter by the time I finish the fridge ones. It's supposed to get really hot this weekend so I may not have much more fruit setting for a while, but I still have a lot ripening. I need to do a few batches of sauce also. And then there's the salsa.

The refinance should wrap up next week, it seems the guy in charge of the account took a week vacation and didn't pass it along to someone to work as his backup. Don't mind us, we're just waiting to get on with things while you're off playing.

Have any of you ever canned zucchini? I was looking at the blue book - I can blanch it and freeze it or I can blanch it and can it. Process long enough that it will be thoroughly cooked and soft. Will it turn to mush?

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jun 12 - 01:40 PM

Full day of canning and cooking today - converting empty jars into full jars. Buying more jars and lids also.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jun 12 - 09:06 PM

I finished one pot of tomatoes - 8 pints, and froze a gallon of cherry tomatoes whole. I picked in the garden and am ready for both salsa and zucchini bread and butter pickles. The back yard was mowed, laundry hung up then taken down and folded. Shopping ahead, getting set up for more cooking tomorrow.

Off and on I've been pulling out mystery freeze-dried items in the freezer, obviously past their shelf life, and they will go to the curb on Monday. I've discarded contents of cans that were too long in the pantry - food in the compost, cans in recycling bin. The old cans go to make room for more canning output.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Jun 12 - 09:39 PM

We're just getting "back" from family obsequies in Calif. My packing was superb, and I wore each item just enough to make the marathon and light-packing carry-ons work for us.... but I left a few key meds along the way and can't find the box of home supply-- :~(

It's here somedamwahr... and TBTG local pharmacies are still staffed by wonderful PEOPLE.

Shouldda tooken the Service Dog. Oh well...

~Susan

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jun 12 - 01:14 AM

Glad you got home whole, Susan!

I am officially tired from this weekend. I canned a lot, and now have almost three cases of pints of diced tomatoes. This afternoon and evening I worked on the salsa - it wasn't simply a matter to chop peppers, onions, tomatoes, cook them for five minutes then can (like the Blue Book says). Last time I did that I didn't like it.

THIS TIME I cranked up the grill and roasted the hot peppers from the garden, and as my friend Dean recommended, I slid the grilled peppers straight into a plastic bag and they steamed themselves more and the skins came off fairly well. I set up NetFlix to stream in the kitchen and watched Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (what a great play/movie!) while I skinned, removed the seeds, and small-chopped those cooked peppers. I needed 2 1/2 cups, and since the cooked ones compress more you get more in the container, I think that made a big difference in the quality of this salsa. It took another movie, a 1980s(?) version of The Mirror Cracked, again with Elizabeth Taylor (as the actress in this Miss Marple mystery). During that I chopped everything else - the onions, the green peppers, garlic, cilantro, and got it started cooking.

The last time I made this it came out too chunky, and I freeze it - not a great thing for salsa. I knew this time I wanted it more like the Chipotle sauce than just simple tomato salsa. I have some dried New Mexico red chiles that I broke apart, poured out the seeds, then pulverized the cases. I added about 3 - 4 tablespoons of that mild red chile and that made the sauce browner and better tasting. Everything except the cilantro and those red peppers came out of my garden. When it was cooked I used the stick blender and chopped it down the a much finer chop. It isn't pureed, you can still see that pieces, but it was very small suspended in the tomato sauce.

I'm tired. I didn't stop to eat dinner, and the idea of cooking anything more this evening didn't appeal. I made a one-stop trip late tonight and rewarded my hard work with a pint of Blue Bell Pralines and Cream ice cream. :)

Maggie

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: ranger1
Date: 25 Jun 12 - 07:17 AM

Another corner in the living room reclaimed and I can now access my photo albums and natural history library again. The large wooden orange crates I'd bought at a yard sale for a storage solution failed miserably - J-boy filled them full of clutter and shoved them in the corner. I made him empty that corner out himself, emptied the crates and gave them to my boss for his record collection.

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jun 12 - 12:56 PM

Ranger1, How is the housing situation these days? And has the decluttering continued to do the trick as far as the landlord's comfort levels?

I called my canning guru friend Dean and described this salsa. He thinks it sounds fine, and what I'm happy about is that it came out very similar to the expensive local brand at the high-end market. I didn't bother to put it all in half-pint jars, I use salsa fast enough to make pint jars a good choice. With this batch I've cracked the code with that good commercial one - they roast some of the ingredients to give so much more flavor. It's labor intensive, but worth it.

I've stacked a couple of cases of diced tomatoes and will do a few more jars to make three full cases, then turn to making tomato sauce and juice. I use a lot of sauce in my cooking, and you can buy it inexpensively, but homemade is nice also. I'll see what fall brings as far as the rest of the crop - now that we're in hot weather I don't expect much more production.

I need to get some things done in the house, the cooking trumped all other cleaning and decluttering activities. I'm waiting on the last of the prisms I need in order to work on my chandelier.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Jun 12 - 01:27 PM

Though I am not back 100%, esp. mental/depression, I did talk myself into doing the dishes this morning. It was a monumental task (for me) as Rog has been *batching* in the kitchen, again. Big mess!*bg*

I folded and put away laundry, yesterday, while Rog swept and did a few other things. I am so ready to clean this place out, get rid of a lot of stuff. Frustrated though as I need someone to help me. Rog would be ideal, but he's not got the motivation after a day/week of hard work. Morgan would probably like to help, but I run into him wanting everything I might get rid of, which might be fine, except he wants to keep it all at my house where it is safer because of his dogs, etc.:-)

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Bettynh
Date: 25 Jun 12 - 03:03 PM

I'm back from Old Songs, decompressing. Weather gods favored the festival this year - the heat broke Friday afternoon but it didn't rain on the festival (a nearby town lost a parking lot full of new cars to baseball-sized hail). 80s and breezy afternoons for the festival, then I chased the edge of rain across the bottom of Vt and NH, got to bed and awoke to thunder this morning. It was a long, dark drive through moose and deer country, but I only saw a fox and one large frog (hope I missed it). The road wasn't quite wet enough to produce a frog night. Do you folks have those? When it rains and is this warm the frogs move. I don't know what kind of frogs or where they're going, but driving becomes a chore - you either weave carefully and slowly and still smash some, or just plow through the herd and feel bad. The roads last night weren't quite wet enough to bring on the hoards when I drove them. The fox was on roadkill on the other side of the road, so I got to see him run off. I got to stop half-way home to visit with my son in Brattleboro, which was nice.

So now I'm home. I'll unpack and do laundry, and start sorting this house again. The hammer dulcimer didn't sell at Old Songs (they have a maker nearby, so the market is limited, I'll try crigslist next). Next yardsale will probably be the week after the 4th, so I have time to sort out things I want to put away and take to donate as well as find for sale. I was going to pick cherries for some jam this week, but I stopped on the way out to Old Songs to pick some for snacking in the car - that late frost we had destroyed 75% of the crop. The farmer doesn't think there'll be any left after last weekend. Rats. The good news is that only 10% of the apple crop was affected, and that's their main cash crop. If the weat

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Penny S.
Date: 25 Jun 12 - 04:46 PM

SRS, I don't think the coolbox will do that job. It's a bit less than ambient - it's better at keeping stuff that is already cold cold for longer, but only so so if things are at ambient when added. Also, if you kept the lid open, it would only circulate the air around, as air is pushed past a peltier heat exchanger. So outside, you get warmer air. There is no communication of air with the inside.

I think I want something similar to what you describe, too, for my larder.

Penny

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Jun 12 - 01:22 AM

Penny, we'll just have to find or invent whatever that "thing" is!

I did a little gardening before dark - there is an area between the basil and the asparagus that was weedy and ugly and I wanted to clear it so I can move some of the small basil plants over. I watered after I weeded and tomorrow I'll go in and put down some of the compost I picked up last week at the free site.

I've walked past that weed-filled bed for ages. Sometimes the chores we put off don't take that long, it's that they require preparation. In this case, putting on the boots (not that it takes that long, but it isn't like slipping on clogs). I try to keep the socks (two pair) tucked into the top so they're handy. I keep duplicate gardening gloves in several places for the same reason - sometimes it's not having the gloves that causes me to skip a chore, so I've tried to eliminate that excuse.

Totally unrelated, I haven't been drinking carbonated drinks for ages now, but I drank a Pepsi this evening after dinner - and got heartburn! Who knew? This one was supposed to be a treat, like dessert, but I think I've got pop out of my system now. I don't miss it any more and don't enjoy the feeling.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Jun 12 - 12:58 PM

I sent a message to co-workers - tomorrow at noon I'll have tomatoes for "sale" (donation to the library staff association) in the staff lounge. We'll see if there is enough interest that other gardeners might want to participate also later on. I could can these tomatoes and that's it, but this is incentive for donations at work. I'm curious to see what happens. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: katlaughing
Date: 26 Jun 12 - 01:25 PM

Mmmmm...wish I could make a donation and bring some home/:-)

qi gong - after a fashion - 25 minutes split in half

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Jun 12 - 04:35 PM

It's so weird-- we packed so LIGHT for the trip to Calif., but it's the longest UNpacking I've ever had. I guess I took a microcosm of my whole life... so each and every item goes to a different destination in my house!

I've backslid some on muscles while dealing with my mother's estate. Time to get back in gear but the pool is closed for reconstruction-- so the 5-pound weights are back in the LR.

~S~

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jun 12 - 11:20 AM

Watered today, picked, and soon I'll pack my buckets and take produce to work. Here's hoping it makes a few dollars. It is close to payday, so I hope people still have a few dollars left. :)

I'll start pickles this afternoon.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jun 12 - 03:55 PM

Those two buckets, with a little arm twisting, brought in $97 for the Library Staff Association. I hope it set a good example. And after this gesture I had enough room in my fridge to bring home a whole fryer. I probably had 20 pounds of tomatoes there, plus some zucchini, bags of rosemary, a bag of cherry tomatoes and a few green bell peppers. If a few of us did this during the growing season, we'd encourage healthy eating and have a healthy budget for the group.

Now that I'm back the floor is cluttered with dogs. It is about 103 now and supposed to gain a couple more degrees. When they come in they're like little ovens, gushing hot air.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Jun 12 - 07:49 PM

Eight very tightly packed boxes of my dear late mother's effects landed today, and are on their way to the church's parish house to sort and cull and weep over, in a sort of celebratory way that will include close women friends here who have done this before... I rather imagine some of it will end up in the annual church yard sale to benefit people she would have loved knowing. Sorting-- next week!

Hardi and I snagged a stairstepper put out for free pickup that a friend of ours wants, and it fit in the back of the vehickle well enough to come up to sit oin our porch where.... if she does not want it.... it will also head to that same yard sale. Moving it provided a very nice little evening workout.....

Faulkner had a unit of "Service Dog Camping Training" today as I got out into the sun FINALLY. The skin and the meds making me sun-sensitive seem to have met cordially in the middle somewhere, TBTG.

I re-re-re-read a December de-clut thread recently, looking for something else.... those old threads are pretty cool. Thanks, in case I didn't say it already, for some smart and kind comments posted all these months of these threads, that sometimes get by me with my reduced (Busy! OUT!) reading time. I always appreciate them when I get around to seeing them!

~Susan

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 27 Jun 12 - 08:45 PM

Still tired from the weekend. Rain has been almost constant, harder to do outdoors/care for animals.
Saturday: Auction for a bit (bought nothing!!!), then tripped off to the north - 7 hours for a 4 hour trip. Stayed over with friends and enjoyed their company and a visit from a clown and his friend. They were looking at the property with the idea of turning it into a summer camp training place for acrobats and such. The drive is a mile long and there is a large industrial building, 45 feet high, with an overhead crane. Also two crystalline lakes with fish, a beautiful house and other buildings.

Finally left at 4 pm on sunday for the 6 hour/4 hour trip back! Took baby Banjo who had all manner of exciting adventures - lake, grass, digging in sand for goodies, long walks. Such fun to watch a baby have new experiences.

Monday was recoup day - after we went to see friend about the raccoons living in their front yard with no mom; we will bring them a live trap; then visited our friends who host Apple Hollow Music Fest - looking for posters to post! Then to where the posters were and picked them up and visited a property that looks interesting. "Quick trip" to help re raccoons took 'til about 2 pm! Then we had "breakfast".

But a friend in Lachute (2 hours away) has two kits and no money. We did NOT feel like going! Enough adventures for now. So I talked to her and we determined they would be OK 'til morning. I drove up on Tuesday and brought the babes home. Now we are 7! And these are tiny compared to the rest. Tomorrow, warmer and drier, I will introduce them to the big guys. Right now they are in a dog crate in the kitchen and I spend a lot of time watching them run loose because they need to - and scream LOUDLY if they do not get out! They have interacted successfully with Banjo. I will clean the big cage better, put down more rubber mats and see if the big guys will cope with the babies.

Allergy has abated thanks to careful washing after each exposure. Just a little itchy still but no welts or redness.

My diet went out with the traveling. Started again today. No weight loss but at least I feel better.

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jun 12 - 08:47 PM

I've reread remarks on occasion also. They are interesting!

I feel like I'll have to shift gears this week - I'm going to program the thermostat back to the way it was a few weeks ago. It was changing the temperature right before I wanted to get up, but oddly, it was cooling the house a couple of degrees and always woke me before my alarm. I've thought about it and decided I kind of like that as far as making myself get up in the summer earlier so I can work outdoors or walk the dogs before it gets too hot.

Still no word from the bank, but I'd like to close on the house refinance in June if I can. I'm looking forward to finishing the process of the refinance and starting to save for things rather than put them on credit cards. This is the tipping point to existing solely on my own paycheck. The transition from having child support to not having it was relatively smooth, but this is the bit that makes it more comfortable.

Cleaning the kitchen and then slicing zucchini to make bread and butter pickles tonight. And I think I'll put a batch of tomatoes in the steam juicer and make some sauce. I'd like to clear out the batch that is piling up in the fridge (even after I emptied a bowl and a bin today at work with my fundraiser sale, I still have a lot to use!)

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jun 12 - 11:02 PM

The kitchen is better, dishwasher running (with more canning jars) but I decided that since it was a little cooler at sunset that I'd do a micro-task in the yard instead of cook. I refilled the spool in the electric weed whacker and I used it to knock all of the grass and weeds out of the brick extension I have beside the concrete slab patio in the back. Those weeds and grass have bugged me for a while and now they're gone.

I will slice the zucchini tonight and do the salt and ice bit. They have to go in the fridge overnight.

When the weather is hot here they ask people to not run big unessential appliances during the afternoon and evening hours so I'll set my washer to run at 4am. That's about it!

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Jun 12 - 07:29 PM

Another hot day, though perhaps not quite as high as earlier in the week. It's supposed to be a few degrees cooler from tomorrow to the holiday. Laundry was put out on the clothesline, saving a few kilowatt cents, though since there are pants in there I will put them in the dryer on air for a few minutes to knock out the creases.

Long weekend coming up soon. Tomorrow is a Friday that is all the sweeter because I won't have to go back to work until Thursday of next week!

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 28 Jun 12 - 08:03 PM

Cleaned the cage and integrated the newbies into the group this morning. All are still intact! The babies did complain vociferously so I went away. Kids do so much better when the parents are not around.

When I went out later, peeking, they were all trying to get into the same hammock. "Not room for all of us! Someone has to leave!" Someone climbed over to the other one but came back. "But I really want to be with you guys!" I went out much later - in the middle of nap time and five were in one hammock and two were stretched out in the other. They do like togetherness.

The cleaning took a couple hours. They are not happy with the mats as there is no place to dig - the water in their mini-pool stays cleaner. Best of all, they are using the litter box! BUT I will need TONS of kitty litter! I may get the energy to vacuum and clean the K floor tonight. Definitely in the morning - before feeding time.

Not much else done, other than computer stuff - emails and FB and Skype from S-in-L - and visit with a neighbour. A dear old friend found me Monday night and we had a quick chat. I need time to peruse his wonderful web sites - Ontario Wildflowers, Wilderness Survival and more! Wonderfully done and a real treat to visit.

Ate well today. The rain has ended and the heat is returning. I have not completed any new pots and will be at the farmers' market on Saturday. Next time... Put up posters for Apple Hollow Music Fest yesterday. Will do more tomorrow.

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jun 12 - 11:28 AM

Dorothy, I hope you can get photos of naptime in the hammock. That sounds priceless!

The kitchen is a cooking war-zone this morning. I waited up to take the sauce out of the hot water bath, then headed to bed. My tomatoes are delicious but very juicy - so juicy that in one batch in the steam juicer I got over a gallon of juice and only four 1/2 pint jars of sauce. I'll dice and can the rest. I love the juice, but I can use the diced more than the juice for general cooking.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Jun 12 - 08:05 PM

30 impromptu minutes in the posh county club pool-- deserted, TBTG, for I was in just my undershorts and a shirt!!!

Appt Thursday with new doc-- wish me a lot of luck.

~Susan

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jun 12 - 10:25 PM

I've made inroads on the kitchen disaster, and I have the kitchen computer cued up to play a movie from NetFlix while I spent the next couple of hours working on cooking things that have needed doing for a while.

My nextdoor neighbor called this morning to ask for a couple of tomatoes - her brother and his wife are visiting and she was going to do a salad for lunch. I think what I need to do is deliver a couple of tomatoes every few days to the neighbors on each side and across the street. Keep them eating healthy food, and certainly inspire goodwill in the neighborhood!

This evening I figured out how to put the little springy washer thing back on the axle of my barbeque grill so it now has a new set of stable wheels. Next thing I need to do is fill in the dog holes next to the concrete walk where I set the grill so I don't break an ankle trying to use it if I step onto the grass.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 30 Jun 12 - 06:57 PM

Well, Last day of June 2012! I can start making application for Canadian citizenship - if I figure out how to prove when I got here- 4 July 2009.

After a gorgeous day - hot but breezy - it is fixing to storm again! Love it!

Farm Market was not financial success but talked to a few people about the Apple Hollow Music Fest. Sold two bowls - one I had for a long time, unique - it needed a good home. Someone suggested I make "yarn bowls"! A largish bowl with a notch in the rim; put your yarn in it and it rolls off the spool without running around on the floor collecting dog hair. They sell for $40 on line??? I will consider it. Also those French butter dishes I have been considering for about 20 years!   I did throw a few of the handleless mugs someone asked for at the Dawesfest. Need to do a bunch of brown sugar moisteners - apples and maple leaves.

Pics of hammock togetherness? I can give it a try. It is up high. Cannot post on here. And do not put the guys on FB because I am illegal. Throughout most of NA it is legal to kill animals but not to care for them. I would try for a license but it would be in French and ... Maybe R could give it a try. I was hoping to do it under the Montreal SPCA but they have let me down big time. No responses at all. I sort of feel better finding out I am not alone. Others have the same problem. Time to rattle their cage - again.

The two babies, Ping (F) and Pong (M), are asleep under a kitchen chair. Ping fell asleep as soon as she finished her bottle. They may not be getting enough sleep out there so I thought an indoor nap might be good. The Pong came and curled up next to her with his head on her. THAT is a picture! SO cute. I would like a pic of them eating grapes. So funny. Tiny raccoon with a whole grape in its mouth!

Here comes the storm! I don't want to waken these guys so I may end up taking them outside after the rain starts. My suppertime - lettuce with guacamole.

Happy Canada Day!

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jun 12 - 08:06 PM

I've been working on the stone and pebble area in the back to have an area that won't be dug in by the dogs and more stable to stand on if I'm using the grill on the concrete path. I've come in a couple of times to cool down.

Dinner will be grilled tonight, with that area complete, so I need to get back out and finish.

SRS

Subject: RE: June 2012 Declutter & Exercise - hothothot!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Jul 12 - 01:45 AM

Here you go - JULY!