Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012

Subject: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 12 - 01:50 AM

I've been adding different characters to the title to make it easier to spot our thread in the lineup. Today is the first of September and for many who follow this series, fall will soon be here. Some of us will have to wait a while.

I get a lot more energy in the fall, I wait for that day with the crisp air, the blue sky, the good smell of tree sap shifting, that day I have to get out my sweater and the weather is gorgeous! It's a few weeks off yet. I've been clearing in the garden for fall crops, they can go in now, and I'll have a lot of activity out there all winter.

Here is the last thread from August 2012.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 12 - 10:39 AM

So nice to sleep in this morning! I hope all of you are having a great beginning to the month. Kat, I hope you use that Dragon speaking software some more now that you've found the button to unmute!

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 01 Sep 12 - 01:00 PM

Our weather is quite lovely. After making a late-ish breakfast of scrambled eggs with cream cheese for Tom, I headed out to hit a couple yard sales on the way to get him a bottle of Scotch.

Found a brand new bamboo window blind for 3 bucks -- a bit too small for the window next to Tom's spot at the table, but fine for the south window in the living room. For the 35 years since the house was built, we've not needed window coverings of any kind (I have a couple strictly decorative lacy ones in the guest room and behind the bed), but Tom's form of blindness means light can be painful as well as hindering his vision -- he sees light at the wrong angle as glare. I also found a still in the package spring-type curtain rod for a dollar that WILL work in his window when I find the right curtain to put there. I've got an odd piece of batik fabric pushpinned up there right now. Also got a nice pair of cross country ski poles for more secure walking this winter. (No snow last winter, but who knows what this one will bring.)

I splurged, though, and bought a great (though small) turquoise necklace ($5) as a present for myself. I'll have to restring it with a few more silver beads to make it fit, but maybe that's incentive to get back to work on jewelry. (One of my "retirement" projects...)

I really did NOT want to go into the grocery store, but I really DID want a rotisserie chicken... I braved it. Oh. My. Gawd. Just as bad as I thought it might be (although I gleaned a bit of fiction fodder from the tourist in front of me in line...the one who produced coupons right after his purchase -- requiring ringing up in two separate batches -- was finalized; he couldn't figure out why they couldn't do anything about that without him going to the service desk, etc.), but survived it. Glad I'm out of retail -- if I hadn't retired in June, I'd be working tomorrow and Monday.

I'm taking the rest of the day off (except for loading the dishwasher and running the dishes through and maybe washing a load of sheets later). I'll plant stuff tomorrow...

Linn

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Sep 12 - 03:33 PM

Planning to retire is great motivation for purging worn out stuff (it will take us several years to do it).

Upcoming surgery, ditto!

~S~

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 12 - 03:42 PM

Bills all paid, except the water bill that I have to pick up at the post office box. I'm working on care packages for the kids, to mail next week.

Sounds like great garage sales, Linn. I haven't been to any lately because I have too much stuff around here to clear out before I add to my eBay inventory.

I also have to shop - I found a great rebate bundle of software at Fry's that I've printed the rebate coupons for and need to see if they have it in the store before ordering online. I use Windows backup but it takes forever and doesn't let you selectively restore, which Ghost does. I've been waiting for a bundle of rebate software.

Hot again today, up to 101. I'll need to water before I do much more weeding, the ground is getting hard since it has been over a week since the last rain - we've been so spoiled this summer with several good rainstorms, so no complaining from me! I'll see about picking up some zucchini as well. If I can get a good fall crop I'll make more pickles. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 01 Sep 12 - 07:30 PM

Haven't done any yard sales since much earlier this summer -- and today I only did a few between home and the store. I, too, need to sell some stuff on eBay. But I was musing yesterday morning about my great FREE finds (I'm still using the bag of mostly dentist-sized dental floss and some cleaning materials), and one doesn't find the free stuff if one doesn't at least stop at a few yard sales.

Linn

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 02 Sep 12 - 12:48 AM

It's been a busy day here...a trip to the farmer's market, a ride in the woods over the mountains to a small local grocery store that had some good sales going on, back home, car emptied, groceries put away, 18 quarts of tomatoes canned, 5 loads of laundry done, Pete made a lovely dinner and I did up all the dishes, the 2 largest of the tomato pots are soaking.

Jeremiah and I are still both wide awake. I love this cool night air.

I also find more energy when fall arrives...it's my favorite time of the year!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 02 Sep 12 - 01:26 PM

Just finished cutting up a bucket of green beans. Pete brought in 85.4 pounds of tomatoes today so I'll soon be washing them, cutting them up and cooking them down. I've got about 30 quart sized jars in the dishwasher for the tomatoes. I did a load of laundry and am about to take a very full clothes line of clothes down so I can hang the others. If I have ANY energy left later, we have half a bushel of cucumbers to prepare (washing, cut and brining) for pickles.

Michelle

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Sep 12 - 02:24 PM

I'm impressed, Michelle! You have a heavy-duty garden going there! I'm going to be putting in fall crops, broccoli, beans, etc. soon. I started the weeding a couple of days ago, and this time I'm going to put down hay to mulch, not hardwood, because hay keeps out more weeds. (I conducted an experiment with it this summer.)

I didn't sleep until the wee hours last night - must have been caffeine in something I ate or drank late in the day. Today will be one carefully calculated to not have the same effect. I need to be getting up early in the mornings now.

Dog washing, putting up a bat house, and finishing paperwork are on today's list. And mowing. I still haven't done the mowing. This morning I roasted an eggplant for a batch of baba ghannouj (so many spellings). I took some photos and of course the phone photos loaded in the wrong order for facebook (I had to resend several times). I'll finish the paperwork, clean the kitchen, then head outside for the rest of this stuff.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 02 Sep 12 - 03:20 PM

The cucumbers came from a local farmer (as did the corn we had for lunch). We had a bout with squash bugs early in the summer and it affected the cucumbers in a big way. Our summer squash and zucchini are not in full force this year because of those bugs either. The winter squash is looking good and so are the pumpkins!

Pete recently planted more peas and lettuce...both cooler weather crops that should do well.

:) Michelle who is full of this years BEST corn on the cob!!!

PS. We also picked up a baby yellow watermelon from our Amish friends to try!

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 02 Sep 12 - 07:33 PM

Got almost everything done on my list today. (And that one thing can be left until tomorrow.)

What I did that WASN'T on my list was continuing some major housekeeping on the old computer -- converting PageMaker files to PDFs so I can port them to the newer OS10.5 box. One of the surprise finds was my book lists from 1991 to 2003...so all I have to do is massage them when I add them to the Word files fore and aft. (I've kept an annual list of what books I've read since November 1st, 1972. Do I have to mention that I'm German and compulsive?)

My neck and shoulders hurt, but it's been an exceptionally good day.

Now that dinner is done (leftovers -- another form of decluttering), I'll goof off and read for awhile.

Linn

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Sep 12 - 08:19 PM

The front yard has been mowed and the dogs have been washed. I hung my trousers up on a hook out back to dry out a bit and then I'll mow at least part of the back yard, the area around the house and garage and greenhouse. I'm about out of lawnmower gas so I'll fill it up with the rest of the can and then get more tomorrow. After THAT I'll sprinkle granulated garlic - it's a great repellent for mosquitoes.

Leftovers tonight also, sort of. I made another batch of my taco meat filling with black beans and I use it in lots of different ways. Burritos, nachos, tacos, etc. Nachos tonight, I think.

There is a box in the office that I'm dropping paper into. I did some this morning and I'll work on it again tonight after dark. I have a bad habit of making notes on any piece of paper handy and then I end up keeping all of those notes. In the past I've had the discipline to make all of my notes in a single notebook and I need to do that again. I've pulled one out and will transcribe some of the most recent bits and recycle those pages.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Sep 12 - 03:27 PM

I've made headway with the paper on my desktop, the trick being to do something with it and toss it into recycling or to punch holes and put it in the notebook, etc, not just move it to a new nearby stack. I have enough space now so I can install and set up the electronic pad I picked up to use with Photoshop and Illustrator, and I'll have to pay attention that I don't then cover it over again with paper. :)

Next, the kitchen.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 03 Sep 12 - 10:35 PM

Sick today with allergies. My eyes are killing me...burning and itching and dry. UGH. I doubled my benedryl and slept all afternoon while Pete canned the tomatoes we did up yesterday...ended up with 37 quarts....for a grand total of 75 quarts of sauce put up. Still have another 30 quarts worth or so in the garden.

Michelle

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Sep 12 - 10:54 PM

We have a high state official visiting the library tomorrow so I have to dress up a bit and be sure all of the cameras are ready. I'll be at the office a lot more for a few days, adding to the gas bill (another good reason to have stopped my evening wine or beer or spirits - use the money in the gas tank instead).

I made progress this weekend. Not way out there progress, but steadily moving forward progress. Paper tamed, I can see the wood on my computer desktop again. Dirty dishes won't rise up to meet me in the morning. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Sep 12 - 09:46 AM

Walking the dogs this morning before I shower and dress for work. The exercise is needed by all of us! Busy week, five days worth compressed into four.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Sep 12 - 11:32 PM

I love having three or four day weekends, but it sure makes for more work when I go back to the office! I was scrambling all day.

A friend, one I've mentioned many times who lost his house to foreclosure last year at this time, has had a financial blow. His roommate was up north for a family wedding, and at some point in that trip he was out riding his motorcycle and was in an accident. An 80-year-old driver pulled out and cut him off, causing a collision that resulted in broken vertebrae, femur, clavicle, and he was in a drug-induced coma for a few days. He was able to call my friend today to describe the accident and say that his family was taking him back to their home to recover. He has probably 18 months of healing before he'll be able to walk again.

It's a shock to hear that a friend has been in such an accident, but it was also a blow because they were sharing the rent. My friend can just afford the apartment on his own, and as we spoke, I reminded him of the storage locker he rented to store all of the stuff he was going to sell on eBay. Tony's mother is coming down in a week or two to pick up his possessions, and then my friend will have a spare room. I suggested that he needs to dedicate that room to eBay selling and make up the difference. We know he can do it, and now that he doesn't have a house falling down around his ears, irresponsible roommates (who were at the house) or his rather tyrannical young roommate Tony (who won't eat vegetables or casseroles or gravy, and who is so hard-headed in his opinions that I never visited my friend at their apartment), he'll be in a peaceful place and can finally do this work on his own behalf without interruption. I told him I'd help him if he needs it, and I can get him good boxes at the library where we recycle hundreds of them a month.

If this accident had happened a year ago, he'd have been destitute as far as finding a place to live that would take his lack of credit (his roommate hadn't had a house foreclosed so was important on the rental application - they found the apartment at this time last year and moved in by Oct. 1). One or more of his friends would have made room, but having an apartment, even in a seedy neighborhood, is a good move as far as repairing his credit.

As unfortunate as the accident is, I can see that my friend has been able to come a long way back, and if he needs it, his friends can remind him that he can make it on his own.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Sep 12 - 02:57 PM

How is it going for everyone? Busy canning, sewing, decluttering virtual issues, etc?

I decluttered my garden of tobacco hornworms this morning. Several had made headway on a few plants, but they're history now.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 05 Sep 12 - 08:09 PM

I've been busy prepping for more canning. This afternoon I shucked a bushel of corn which will be blanched and frozen after dinner tonight and I also cut up a half bushel of cucumbers and about 8 pounds of onions to make bread and butter pickles....which are currently brining. Pete brought in another 65 pounds of tomatoes but I'm thinking they are going to have to wait until tomorrow...I'm tuckered.

Also, I did laundry and dishes...still have to pack. I'm going away for a few days tomorrow.

Michelle

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 05 Sep 12 - 10:12 PM

Ok...power outage....canning interuptus. Will finish up in the morning...we're tired now. LOL

Michelle

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Sep 12 - 11:02 PM

I'm tired just reading about all of that work, Michelle!

Listening to the DNC - Clinton is speaking. He always was one of our best political speakers - and he got a riff in on Reagan! :)

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Sep 12 - 12:15 AM

Still here and reading. Will post more, I promise.:-)

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 06 Sep 12 - 10:14 AM

Down 2 more pounds this week! Corn is finished thanks to my wonderful husband who got up early to do it and let me sleep!!! Oh how I love that man!!!!!!!!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Sep 12 - 12:44 PM

I've been out dragging a hose around the yard, after spraying yesterday with liquid fertilizer and compost tea mixed with some BT to get the Tobacco hornworms that have moved in to a couple of plants. I knocked a few off of plants but I couldn't always find the culprit where I could see the damage. Watering today means the BT had time to work. Looks like rain this weekend so I'll be able to get my fall planting started. I picked up some broccoli bedding plants yesterday and out in the greenhouse I'll get some seeds started so I can put in more later on. It's also getting to be time for onions and garlic.

I have been mulling over my friend's circumstances re: no more roommate, and I gave him a call this morning to suggest that we haul some of the items in his storage locker over here and do a garage sale next month. October has usually cooled enough to be great garage sale weather, and he has some charismatic items he can put up for sale. Photos in Craig's list and an ad in the local newspaper, plus signs up at critical corners and we're set. It's just as much work as selling smaller stuff on eBay, but it is a big cash infusion at once.

I've let Susie know about it also - we did a successful sale last year and though I know her stamina isn't what it was, I want her to have a chance to say yes or no and not just assume she's not up to it. With several of us here and if my neighbor Antonio would come help with the Spanish speaking visitors, we could get a fair amount moved out in a day or two. I'll hold off on my Salvation Army donation until we've talked about this some more.

It's a rapid declutter method, and with all of the exercise of moving stuff perhaps it will serve to help drop a few pounds as well!

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Sep 12 - 01:41 PM

That's so good of you, SRS. he is lucky to have you for a friend. Oops, I see I need to tweak my settings in Dragon to capitalize the beginning of my sentences. Bear with me, please, for this posting it'll just have to do. :-)

This may be a bit long as I will try to catch up for the month of August. There is a lot of private personal stuff I won't share publicly, but it was a very busy, tiresome, exciting, slogging on kind of month. Having said that, I had Morgan from the last week in July to the week before Labor Day, mostly all day. When I am not feeling that great, we found out we can actually get tired of one another!**bg** It was mostly good, though, and fun having him here.

If I start from yesterday and back track I think that will suffice. Morgan was dropped off for a ride to school yesterday morning, but didn't feel much like going as they had to put down their old pit bull, Dizzy, the day before. She was a 90lb dreamboat and such a loving, calm dog. We all just loved her. She is the one we called Nanny Dizzy as she helped to raise all of our SIL's nieces and nephews, and of course, Morgan. So I offered to keep him at home yesterday. He is just like his mom; when upset about a major loss or problem, she cleans house like a whirlwind; she goes through and everything winds up spotless. Before I was really "awake" he had the living room vacuumed and mopped. It's the best it's looked in ages!

In between all of that, my daughter's sewage pipe backed up over the weekend, so they were over here frequently to use the facilities and have been coming over to take showers in the evening and mornings. Gary and his friend had a huge job ahead of them. They started yesterday evening, after work, using a large industrial router type machine all the way from under the house almost to the street and found a pipe that had broken outside only about 2 feet down, so they hope to get it fixed this evening. It's actually been fun, having them all three come over, but I wouldn't wish their troubles on them just for my entertainment!:-)

Roger and I have been holding our heads above water getting the usual household chores done. We did finally drop off a large load to Goodwill and I gave my brother some books. We've talked a lot about what needs to be done and he tells me as the weather cools, which it is doing, he will take vacation time and help me with it. We did well this past weekend. I made a list which included specific small things which have been needing to be done: cleaned up the front yard, cleaned up stuff in the backyard, and a few other things.

I spent a lot of time with my feet up in bed in a lot of pain from the fibromyalgia. We had a mishap with some medications, I think I mentioned before. That really took its toll, but a week or two ago things started to go the other direction and I'm doing better. Among other major emotional and spiritual things which happened: a couple of family members, whom I had decided I didn't really want to have much to do with, came to visit. it went better than I expected, not the energy drain as in the past, and I think it was good for us to see each other, in small doses. There's a lot more to what went on in the past month between them and me, but it's not for public consumption.

The really great news, for me at least, is something has finally worked for me as to what I eat. Everyone warned me I'd have the munchies when I started using medical marijuana, which may be the case, but I figured out some good things that help me to satisfy those cravings to the point where they don't really exist. My way of eating, i.e. what, where, and how, has had a very positive effect. I am down another pound this week. In checking back in my medical diary, I see, since early June,I've lost 21 pounds. A lot of that was lost in late July/August once we got the medications back under control, but it has not been water weight in probably the past month and a half, at least. I am very grateful for whatever has switched over in my mind. I think it's a combination of a couple of books I've read, the distance healer I'm working with, definitely the therapist I work with, and my own self paying attention, resetting boundaries with all of my family, and making a more consistent, practical change in, as I said, the what, where, and how I eat. I am much more mindful, I eat more slowly,use small bowls and plates, etc.… all the things they say to do, I finally reached critical mass, or something haha, that makes it all work for me. No cravings, no overeating (in fact I feel horrible if I eat too much) and no beating myself up.

I know there's more, but I can't think of it. When I get into the sink or swim feeling in my physical physical body, the stress wears my brain out and I forget things, which may be a good thing sometimes. Anyway, thanks to Dragon my hands aren't screaming in pain. I hope I haven't gone too long and it's not too vague.

One more thing, our son-in-law who is an expert concrete finisher, has offered to go halves with us on enough concrete to put in new front steps and back steps which we really need. The back steps are just cement with conglomerate rocks in them and they have chipped away so there's not much there. I don't feel safe going down them without Roger here, so it would be really great to have it done. He can get a load of concrete for wholesale, so wouldn't cost us that much. Medical costs have gone up about $80-100 per week, so it's been a little dicey saving up for anything extra, but I think we can do it.

Promise that's all for now. It's been nice visiting with you again.

Take care,

kat

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Sep 12 - 08:37 PM

Kat, you've been busy! Do you think you'll feel better when the weather cools, or does cold weather bring it's own consequences?

I have a small amount of stuff to remove from the house tomorrow - a box to my son. He lives in a neighborhood that has lots of rental property (a typical student ghetto) and because too many times packages left on the porch are stolen, the post office won't deliver if no one is there to receive it. He says that during the day there is usually someone home so I'll ship directly to him. There is a UPS store 6 blocks north, the post office is a mile and a half away. High dollar items go to the UPS store where they sign for it and students pay $5 to pick up packages there (the UPS store has post office-like boxes but those are very expensive, so we'll use their services piecemeal.)

It hit 104 today, but it's supposed to cool over the weekend, and perhaps rain. I'm ready to get back to the garden.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Sep 12 - 01:02 AM

It hit 105 today, but a cool front is moving through and tomorrow's high is supposed to be 86^o. I can live with that!

Time to start sweeping up some of the hay the dogs have dragged around the garage and use it in the garden. And time to start working on my sunroom and getting back to eBay. I have a guest coming to stay in a few weeks and I'd like that to look more business like - right now it's an explosion of cardboard boxes and packing materials.

This weekend I may get a few things rearranged in my office. I'm needing to install software and while I wait on that I might as well clear it out more.

Nothing fancy going on, in other words, but making the space more livable.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Sep 12 - 12:54 PM

Gorgeous cool morning! Let's see what we can get done in this kind of weather!

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Sep 12 - 06:05 PM

As it happens, I was working on my office all day, though I was outside several times to throw toys for Zeke to fetch and to give lots of scratch and tickles for the girls.

I suppose most people have a way to keep track of online accounts and passwords. My method was getting a bit over-crowded so I went through the sheets and removed those that are obsolete, logged on and closed accounts I never use, and shredded those that have represent accounts no paid off and longer in use. I shredded quite a bit and it looks better in their storage place.

The box was sent to my son today, though after I printed the postal label (I use the post office's mailing assistant program) I had to put a whole bunch of stamps on it (I didn't want to pay express or priority for this, and those are the only ones that the software supports, but you can print the label, including the tracking code, and put on postage and hand it over to the post office or carrier.)

I'm almost to the point of moving paper off of flat surfaces that I can start moving furniture. Now that's a real sign of progress in my office!

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Sep 12 - 10:25 AM

It was a pleasure to walk into the shiny kitchen this morning - I scrubbed the stovetop and counters around it last night.

Lawn work today. Sprinkler is running in the veggie garden and after walking the dogs I need to cut up some limbs I cut down yesterday (a tree that grows up against the edge of the roof) and mow. Time to mulch (with some of the hay the dogs have been enjoying) and see what time is left in the day.

I read that Andrea has done a lot of clearing in her Annex (remember all of the remodeling going on last year?) and Michelle is canning up a storm. What else are people up to as autumn is around the corner?

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Sep 12 - 12:21 AM

I posted earlier but it didn't stick. The front yard is now mowed and trimmed. I'll wait a couple of days for the next heavy yard workout.

Laundry done, shopping accomplished, and since it is September and it was cooler the last couple of mornings, I picked up brown sugar and milk to go with my oatmeal. I make it in a small crockpot over night. Mmmmm! With raisins.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Sep 12 - 09:57 PM

Another lovely day. Looks like we've lost most of our folks; I'll let this slide off the page this time if no one else is back.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 12:18 AM

I did and crossed off a bunch of things on my list, today, but didn't get a posting in here. It will have to wait until tomorrow afternoon, but you are not alone, SRS!:-)

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 01:07 AM

Good!

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 03:30 PM

I give up, for now! I had half of a long posting done using Dragon. It took some time because there were a few words I had to train it to recognize, but it was going okay.

We have a lovely cloudy, cool day with some distant thunder and a gentle rain that smells so fresh and sweet. Perfect weather to curl up with the cats and read a good book. Said storm caused a power bump in the middle of my previous posting which ate it. I shall return! LOL!

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 04:39 PM

Looks like we've lost most of our folks; I'll let this slide off the page this time if no one else is back.

SRS, here's where I went:

http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=146917

~S~

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 05:52 PM

I haven't had much to report. I've been busy with Jeremiah and canning lately.

I had lost a few pounds and I'm pretty sure I gained at least 4 pounds back while I was away....celebrating my Nana's 90th birthday party with good people and good food! I think I still feel stuffed! Ridiculous!

Michelle who has dishes to do and laundry to take off the line.

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 07:59 PM

Good to hear from all of you, and thanks for the link Susan. I did some searching but haven't come upon what this procedure might be. Send me a PM, I'd like to know.

Michelle, I've watched progress and photos on facebook of your canning - you'll be able to feed an army with all of the canning and freezing you're doing this summer!

Kat, if you compose your Mudcat posts in Word, and have word set for frequent backups, you shouldn't lose much. I have it set to always make a backup and it saves every five minutes.

I have made more space in the office, and am debating about working in here tonight. I may move the laptop into the living room. I'm recording the opera and since the computer receiver is on a rabbit-ears, I don't want to be near enough that I interfere with the signal. This will go on for four nights.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 10:26 PM

Yesterday I had a few hours between surgery-prep/arrangement-making and the result was a lovely front porchload of stuff to go to the dump-- furniture I never want to sit in again, bags of cluttery trash purged as I worked thru the house making it clean for my return home, etc etc etc. Quite a pile! SO worth the work, and my muscles enjoyed it while Faulkner kept me good company.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Sep 12 - 01:45 AM

I decided the dogs might enjoy opera (don't know why I decided it, except that they've been chasing skunks and barking the last couple of evenings so the quite would be nice). They snoozed around the couch for a few hours until the Wagner ended.

It's a busy rest of the week at work because I'm promoting a whole bunch of events. I'd like to finish some of it this week so I can turn to other things next week. And I have to use my time well since I'm doing more driving. I was going to stop at Albertson's on the way home and forgot when I went past the one in town where I work so had to go out of my way later. I suppose I could program notes to myself onto my calendar so I don't forget next time.

Really looking forward to the weekend!

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Sep 12 - 12:31 PM

Okay here we go, one more try. Thanks, SRS, I know I should use Word or a dictation box which Dragon provides, but usually don't go to the trouble. I usually copy before I hit submit and then I've got a copy even if it doesn't go through right.

Anyway, the past 2 to 3 weeks have been intense and busy. My sisters from Wyoming came to visit for a couple of days. We had not seen them in two or three years and it was a good visit in small doses. :-)

We've done the usual laundry, sweeping, mopping, dishes, etc. but we've also done a few other things on our list including me cleaning off the jewellery table, putting all of the jewellery supplies in a rolling cart which I can move to wherever I want. It makes it handier and the library table I was using looks much nicer without all of the very dusty clutter.

I've also gone through a lot of papers which had been stored in the office and dining room plus a bin which had more jewellery supplies in it from a metalsmithing class I used to take.

Last week, the front yard was cleaned up but with the dogs and the kid it needs doing again. Will have to do more to the backyard before the colder weather gets here. Our old water heater is out there on its side. I left it on purpose because Morgan uses it in his playing. I gave him a couple cans of spray paint and he painted designs all over the thing and has a blast with it. (He knows it is out of here before winter.) Last thing he was doing with it was walking the dogs over the top of it in training them for agility. He is very inventive using whatever he can find in the backyard to help with training aids and of course the dogs love it.

I have been doing qi gong (I notice ads for the videos now on Mudcat.)

I know there's a lot more we've done over the past month, but I don't remember all of it... Ha ha Ha. I do know I had Morgan for the last week of July and the first three weeks of August which was fun and interesting. He's now in third grade and really enjoying school. he will be starting after school enrichment classes next Monday, so will probably only see him on the weekends and a couple of mornings per week when Roger takes him to school.

This past Tuesday was a milestone for my brother and I: we finally got his first "album" listed on CD baby. Only MP3s at this point, but it will be easy to then go ahead and release the CD.

Yesterday, he came back over and we worked for maybe another hour on his music stuff. I also did something for myself. I printed out all 147 pages of my novel On Garfield Creek for the final copy edit. I worked on it a bit yesterday on the computer, but I think I'll do a lot quicker and easier job by hand, the good old-fashioned way, with a red pen. I am considering releasing it chapter by chapter it maybe in a blog, but will still release a paperback copy, too.

I also listed books on paperback swap.com and had one of them ordered immediately so that will be less clutter. I updated my Library Thing of books read and answered some lengthy e-mails which had been lingering.

In the late afternoon, my ex came over and I scanned in some logos for him which I will use for business cards for him.

The most important thing which has happened over the past month for me, is something finally clicked in my mind so that mentally, emotionally, and physically I feel I've reached a "harmonic convergence!" Everything I'm doing seems to be going in the right direction and it feels really great. I have to say I think the medical marijuana has a lot to do with this. Being able to get off of Tylenol and actually being relatively free of pain, able to get a good night's rest has made a world of difference in my energy levels and attitude. I am sure the iron IV infusions helped tremendously, too.

Of course, I still have ups and downs, but I have good help in place and I am gratefull, esp. to my Rog.

Thanks,

luvyakat

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 13 Sep 12 - 02:15 PM

YAY KAT!!!!!!!!!!!! So good to hear from you!!!

Today I am cutting, cleaning, canning & freezing beans....about a bushel and a half of them.

I have been asked to do photographs for a how to book that is the works.   I won't start that until after the new year but am thrilled to have been asked!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Sep 12 - 07:28 PM

Thanks, Michelle!

I have spent the past hour going through hundreds of photos and videos I've taken with my phone. I have a few good clips of the dogs which I want to make into a video for youtube. Now, I at least know what kind and how much good video I've got to worth with. So, the memory car d from my phone was just decluttered of over 500 photos and vids. (New pets=lots of new photos, esp. with the grandkid:-)

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Bettynh
Date: 13 Sep 12 - 09:15 PM

Technology has had it in for me recently. My washing machine died (it's not clogged, just won't cycle. An internet search shows the new brains for a machine like that will cost $115, plus the cost of a repairman if I can find one, or I can buy a used one on craigslist for about $150, hmmm...) My landline phone is just full of static (I think this is the company's problem, but I have to check the outside port to be sure). My cell phone died, I thought, but my son figured out that I had turned it off (I didn't see that button, really!) and showed me that it takes 3-4 minutes to reboot. I'm new to the cell phone thing, so it really didn't bother me much (I've a no-contract phone with pay-ahead minutes, so far it's cost me about $15 a month). My external hard drive got very cranky and finally died completely, decluttering me of most of the music I've accumulated in itunes and the pictures and letters I'd scanned from my father's collection of vacation slides and war stuff. Fortunately, I'd made copies of the hard drive and given them to each of my kids for last Christmas (I know there are copyright concerns, but honestly, they aren't going to listen to much of my music). I have a new external drive, so I'll borrow back one of their drives and copy back the files. Itunes didn't give me a hint there was a problem, so anything I added after sometime in May just went onto my main drive. I'd synched my Ipod sometime around then, so it has some files. It'll take a few days of sorting to get everything back together, bur I don't think I'll lose much. All in all, no great disasters, but waiting for the next technocrash makes me cranky.

We've had glorious weather and more predicted, but Saturday morning it's supposed to rain. No yardsale, again. I've decided to reduce the size of several gardens, since my son wants to just mow everything and I'm grateful that he'll mow anything (it's a job I detest). I've put a note on craigslist offering a dig-your-own perennial session to area gardeners. I hope someone takes it up. They'd get peonies, daylilies, siberian iris, hostas, and myriads of early spring blooming bulbs. The bulbs are seedlings, and can be mown (their foliage is ripened by the time grass needs mowing, and any disturbance/digging in that area just spreads them further).

Today I finally found the local Music Academy (they charge for lessons, but not enough to support themselves) after driving around in circles for what seemed like forever (who would have guessed they'd be over the local parole office?) They were very happy to accept a huge pile of sheet music. It was mostly piano (my grandmother played, so there are bound volumes of Handel and Bach, a bound volume of scored vocal "Popular Songs" from 1919, and various accumulated stuff from my sister's and my piano lessons) and instruction books on everything from clarinet to concertina. What they can't use, they'll give away or sell at their yardsale. I saved all the folkmusic-type books. They have piano lessons, voice, a flute choir, jazz and rock band instruction, but no folk. The books of interest here I plan to eventually sell either on a Mudcat auction or maybe at Old Songs.

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 13 Sep 12 - 11:40 PM

Twenty one quarts of beans put up today! Whew. I am HOT and TIRED!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Sep 12 - 12:59 PM

Michelle, don't those gleaming jars that went through the beautiful "ping" look like works of art? Every time I pull one of my jars from the shelf later I have to thank my past self for doing this. And I enjoy the process of growing, canning, and consuming, all activity on my property.

Betty, those machines and devices speak to each other, there is no other answer for it. The cascade of events is a sort of mechanical sit-down-strike. :)

Kat, it sounds great, how you've streamlined your activity and are finally feeling better. I'm hoping for more Morgan stories, though! Please tell him (again) that there are a number of us who are really enjoying everything he does, as reported here.

This morning I called a friend who has a couple of side businesses and arranged for him to come by the house this weekend. I do my own scooping and deposit it in the compost, but I was thinking about another friend who I have been able to help get jobs, and thought I could do more. So Marc is coming over on Sunday to scoop the back, he'll charge a nominal fee, but I'll be able to get a few photos and recommend his service to local friends on facebook. Most of us probably do it ourselves, but every so often it's nice to have a break or we need a little extra help. So I can say that I wasn't compensated for my review and my friend will finally get a chance to come over - we've been talking about it for ages, as we compare notes on gardens and dogs. :)

Back to work -

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 14 Sep 12 - 07:30 PM

Walked 1.2 miles today. :)

Michelle

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Sep 12 - 12:11 PM

Lovely cool morning after rain last night.

I haven't been able to get Zeke to stop digging up the yard in an area where I walk so I'm going to do some more brick work today and fill in that area. I'll have to be careful not to cut into the intact turf beyond the edge of my brick because he seems to see the exposed dirt as an invitation to excavate.

Had a lovely talk with Susie today. She and her granddaughter are in Syracuse, NY, to put her late husband's ashes, and the ashes of their last chocolate lab, Jack, into the family plot. It's a good trip for a large measure of closure after the last long, strange year.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 15 Sep 12 - 07:44 PM

Busy day here...a meeting first thing this morning, a run to a nearby town to pick up 30 bales of hay, home for lunch and then off again to help Pete deliver a cord of wood...half of which I helped to load onto the truck. Two loads of laundry done, dishes done and soon to heat up leftovers for dinner.

A busy day with the family. I am totally in love.

Michelle

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Sep 12 - 11:58 PM

With so much West Nile Virus in the news I've been careful around here to drain all standing water, but I'd forgotten that the greenhouse has gutters and they were indeed filled with leaves and water. I emptied them and drained them and left some pieces of mosquito dunks in the gutters so if I get more leaves in the next few weeks any larvae will die.

The laundry is finished and I've brought in the drill and some screws and small pieces of wood to add to my bat house so I can put it on the front of the garage under the eaves. I can drill through the middle of the bottom but there is no top part to attach with so the whole thing will be mounted so I can put it up. It came with a couple of wimpy little eyehole screws like I'd hang it on hooks - but the wind could take this thing down unless it is attached. The wrapper says the best time to put it up is fall or winter, so I'm right on target. I have a marten house I received for xmas years ago that is still in the box, and that is going up in the spring. Mosquitoes won't stand a chance day or night around here!

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Sep 12 - 12:13 PM

Woke up to rain, but I'll need to get out in it for a while (it's a drizzle, actually, nothing to slow me down) in yard and garden.

I steam juiced some cranberries today - it doesn't make as much juice as I hoped for, but the lovely cooked fruit at the end can certainly be used for something so I'm going to store it and see about making some kind of bar cookie or other dishes with them.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Claire M
Date: 16 Sep 12 - 03:05 PM

Hiya,

Gradually de-cluttering room of things no longer wanted/needed before the move to new "home". Couldn't get to sleep until silly o' clock due to worry about said move & stiffness. Various carers have said if I don't like it I can always move back to my parents' – wrong. All of us very emotional – Merlin (collie) can't understand why. He's an amazing dog, he worries about me all the time, even if I breathe differently

One carer, who's around my age, has a slightly aggressive side & always thinks the world's out to get her, as a lot of carers from this agency seem to. I'll only really miss one – a fellow folkie who shares my love of hares, & whose husband absolutely loves Maddy Prior (very impatient for cd) I hope we'll keep in touch.

Perhaps I was/am reading too much into it but I don't like said carer who's my age at all. Had my contract not been about to come to an end we'd have been working together closely.

I was upset to see I hadn't got any "New Home" cards – I didn't realise you didn't get them until you moved into a new house!! I love unusual cards, esp. when they're shiny.

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Sep 12 - 04:04 PM

This is in the UK, Claire?

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Claire M
Date: 17 Sep 12 - 06:02 AM

Hiya,

Yes, it is.

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Sep 12 - 01:31 PM

And the carers you mention - are they a type of nurse, or are they people hired specifically to work with you?

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Claire M
Date: 17 Sep 12 - 03:35 PM

Hiya,

These carers were hired to work with me, but not specifically for me.

I'll be living with 19 other people with similar disabilities. I don't need nursing but I need a lot doing for me physically. I have never liked care homes but they're necessary. 19 people seems to be better than 36

No, not for me; I'm very grateful I don't need nursing. A lot of nurses I've had the misfortune of coming into contact with have very strange ideas – they seem to wait until people they're looking after are begging for something & then give them a hard time for needing it. Some carers do, too (thankfully not the ones who work with me now -- I am referring to those in care homes); or they'll do whatever it is but half-heartedly or just plain wrongly. Drives me mad.

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Sep 12 - 11:46 AM

As it should.

My friend Susie was in a rehab facility for a number of weeks before she was released and they always took too long to help her with some of the most basic functions (she wasn't supposed to get out of bed by herself) yet they said they were the only ones who could help. I ignored that and when I visited her I always made sure to take her to the bathroom when I arrived or before I left. Adult products for incontenence wouldn't be needed if they helped when she rang. It's undignified and more work for everyone. And plain humiliating.

Working at the more and I'm on a schedule now, 20 hours a week at the office, 20 telecommuting. It is nice to see people more often and being in an office instead of a cubicle makes it a nicer experience for me. I haven't cluttered it up with stuff yet but I have a few things from home on the shelves just for the novelty. Not arranged at all artistically but I'll give it some thought.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Sep 12 - 01:23 PM

Heya,

I wanted you all to know I am going to take an "at-home" sabbatical for a couple of weeks. I've had orders to take care of myself, FIRST. So, lots of resting, meditation, visualisation, etc. Please do not worry; there is nothing physically challenging me right now. It's getting back on track with my purpose according to the Cosmic. Thanks and I'll seeyasoon,

luvyakat

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Sep 12 - 02:03 PM

oh, just one thing...down another 2 lbs!

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Sep 12 - 03:41 PM

Good girl! And enjoy that rest!

I went out to lunch with a friend today - that is something I do miss when I work at the house all of the time. Making the time to go share a meal is a sort of ritual that is good for mental health (and physical health if you make good choices!)

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Claire M
Date: 19 Sep 12 - 11:43 AM

Hiya,

Poor Susie. There's usually another way around problems of that nature if they've got a decent manager & if there's people with sense working there, but often there aren't either, sadly I was glad I didn't put 'Urge For Goin' "on any of the cds I made.

Someone recommended I did visualisation. I love it but I'm not too sure it's working; it always tends to end up like a cop show or a gangster film.

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 19 Sep 12 - 03:33 PM

This morning I did a great deal of very strenuous exercise which has left me exhausted. What did I do, you ask? I did not beat the ever loving F**K out of someone who deserved it not only once but twice.

I know it was exercise because my heart was pounding and I felt my blood pressure rise to the point that I wished my head would just explode off of my body.

Can't say I've felt rage like that in a LONG time.

Michelle

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Sep 12 - 03:30 PM

Oh my!

It has been a bit quieter here. The garden is beginning to produce again as it cools and after some adequate rain storms. Not much change inside the house, just maintaining the baseline - keeping up with laundry and dishes. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Bettynh
Date: 21 Sep 12 - 03:26 PM

Yard sale tomorrow. I'm starting to set out Christmas stuff. One interesting batch is National Geographic maps - some saved by my grandparents from the 1930s. Europe, the Atlantic, the Pacific. All set for a war. It'll be interesting to see who looks at them. From what I see on Ebay, they're not worth much cash.

A guy knocked on my door and asked about the photos I'd advertised on craigslist. A train derailment (actually, it's a crane engine righting the train) with the whole town looking on from carriages (making it somewhere around 1900) and a football team, also probably about 1900. He bought them for $15 each. I know some people get upset about "earlybirds." I didn't feel too bad about selling these, since it'd be the 4th yardsale for both of them. I do have a note on my craigslist ad that says anyone can come early and help me set up, but they won't get my best price before the scheduled opening time. However, if it's the chamber pot they want, the price will be pretty low. ;-)

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Sep 12 - 02:11 PM

I am thinking about doing a garage sale next month - it's time again to remind a couple of people who might participate to think about it some more.

A friend who has a pooper scooper business came by today, I got some photos and I'm going to promote him on facebook. He's a friend and I have friends with dogs who might benefit, so might as well bring them together. Now I need to put on the boots and go dig up and plant the broccoli. One of these days I'll get back to work in the house.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 23 Sep 12 - 12:51 AM

I helped with firewood today and spent about 3 hours cutting up strips for my next quilt project which means I currently have 2 going....I love learning new things!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Sep 12 - 11:31 AM

All of the stuff you're doing is so interesting. I would love to have a fireplace that actually worked and used wood, but for now I have my fireplace sealed with a box of pink insulation (the big 4 x 8 foot planks cut down). And the sewing - something I need to do more of.

I did some insect control in the garden yesterday and again this morning. One spot in the veggie garden has gotten wetter than the rest and the tomatoes have mealybugs. I treated that spot today, though I pulled out a lot of it a few days ago. I'll go back to small movable sprinklers instead of using the soaker hoses, that's why it got so wet on one end.

It's a busy day today. Computer work and yard work. I'll probably pace myself with a bit of mowing or the garden then go inside for a while.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Sep 12 - 04:59 PM

From the country:
Wow! September has whizzed by. I have noticed cooler weather!!! And shorter days.

Garage sales, auctions and the new commercial property, raccoons and potting - that has been our lives. A two day craft sale on 8-9 took ALL my energy. Demonstrating is fine but letting the youngsters make a pot required bending over and lots of energy as I tried to get them to "look at my hands", "keep your hands connected", "stay braced", etc. I went to bed at 6:30 on Saturday and did not offer on sunday!

I will do it again next week at Branches and Roots - with a chair so I can sit next to them! Darn, before then I have to drive 50 miles for more white clay. I did it last week and the supplier did not have what I needed. "It will be in this afternoon." Then he phoned and "tomorrow". I could phone first but I really need white clay so I might have to buy a different brand. Oh, I use white for demos as it is less messy looking.

I have gotten almost nothing done in the studio since then as I was plumb wore out and fighting off an infection slowly but successfully. Also spent two days running back and forth to the city and getting a young lad situated to work on the new building. Then another couple days back and forth being supportive of R as business life becomes overwhelming at times.

I managed to get a 50 pound bag of epsom salt (for $35) so I can detox OFTEN. I did it twice in 24 hours last week and it really helped but have not had time since. Maybe tonight.

The raccoons are ready to go off to their raccoon lives but we still have not decided on a release site as I would like better than what is available. Hope to talk to a couple people on the phone tonight, looking for better options. Meanwhile, they have had their shots and are in danger of becoming institutionalized. They are SO bored! I bought them a pumpkin today and it was so big I could not cut it. I thought of taking an axe to it but I dropped it on the edge of a stone step and gave them a big chunk. Yum!

I guess I am commuting until the guys are released. I was happy just staying here all week but it has not been so good for R and my primary goal is to be supportive of him.

Need to face the mess of the city house and find ways to make it not-as- depressing. Thinking I could put a heavy drop cloth on the floor of the bright and large upstairs room and take my wonderful new 25 pound wheel there and do some pottery - with white clay. I actually am even hesitant about asking for a new lock for the door - one I can open, not just give up because it won't work right. But I am going to ask. He know I need it but who knows what year he would get around to it.

Last year's heritage tomatoes seeded themselves and the city back yard is a jungle of tomato plants producing cherry and smaller in enough quantity that R has trouble keeping up!

I was going to do laundry today - now that I have a washing machine that works - leaks too but I just put a big towel on the floor to catch the water. But it rained and now it is clear but too late. Tomorrow... It is nice not to have to schlep laundry back and forth.

I thought I would gets some pots made today also but too tired. I love reading about what others are doing, although it is daunting when someone gets on a roll! But inspiring too.

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Sep 12 - 06:24 PM

I haven't gotten much of my own stuff done this weekend, mostly just catching up for work. But I hope I can take tomorrow (or part of it) to spend time with Moonglow - we haven't celebrated our birthdays yet this year.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Sep 12 - 05:57 PM

Moonglow came down for the afternoon. We puttered a little then went out for lunch, and afterwards made a lemon meringue pie so she could teach her roommate how to do it. Apparently early attempts ended up soupy. I packed it in a box with bunched up paper holding it in place and she is taking it back home. Her belated birthday dessert. :)

Now I have a sink full of dishes but I'm glad to have taught her a new thing that she can pass on. But she has to bring my pie pan back.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Sep 12 - 10:34 AM

Not much going on here - I managed to get the dishes out of the sink and washed in the dishwasher this morning, but it was a long day at the office followed by a lecture yesterday so I went straight to bed after feeding the dogs. Dinner at a favorite local restaurant hit me wrong so I'm taking it slow this morning. A pan of steel-cut oats is simmering on the stove for a late breakfast.

So many chores around the house await my attention - this weekend I'll get caught up, I hope. The garden, the house, and I need to wash the dogs again. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Claire M
Date: 26 Sep 12 - 04:08 PM

Hiya,

Still de-cluttering, still terrified of move next Monday; so many people have got my care wrong. It sounds great. I think it's just a combination of the bad things you hear/read (shouldn't have watched that Panorama programme, keeps me awake at night) & the fact I won't be living at home – it won't be my flat/house.

A lot of things I've been nervous about happening haven't hit me as hard as I thought they would, but then nothing this big has happened, let alone this quickly. I've lived in the same area, with the same lovely people, for nearly 30 years. All I've had to cope with is various bands splitting up

I vividly remember somebody asking me how I'd cope when Michael Jackson died, & even the thought of him dying made me feel like the sun had fallen out of the sky. I haven't played any of his stuff for years.

I've always said a disability can – & often does – make you younger because you don't have the same experiences. At least Steeleye are playing in 6mo. I am now looking forward to & dreading it in equal measure (see end of 2nd paragraph)

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Sep 12 - 12:32 AM

No progress today, maybe tomorrow. I did use the avocados to make guacamole to freeze (and had a bunch with chips for dinner), but that doesn't really count as decluttering.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 27 Sep 12 - 11:55 AM

Not much cleaning going on here (maybe later today) as I am busy quilting and loving loving loving it!!!

Today I made a 12 inch block to be added to other blocks that several people are working on. My quilt teacher is going to sash all the blocks together and deliver it to a quilting friend who was diagnosed last weekend and is not expected to make it to next week. :( It happened just that fast.

I have photos of my quilting learning experience on Facebook if anyone wants to see it, just send me a friend invite. I'm happy to share!

Love to you all,

Michelle

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Sep 12 - 12:08 PM

Oh, my. There will be hot tears in that quilt.

Tomorrow is going to be long but I should get an idea if all of the work in the last month has paid off. I feel like a one-woman event planner for my library.

Mowing today later. It is essential. The turf itself isn't tall, but some of the weeds in it have talk grass stalks that need knocking down.

In our "accountability" end of things I have gotten in more exercise this week because I make myself climb the stairs when I'm at the library and I work on the sixth floor.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: LilyFestre
Date: 27 Sep 12 - 12:37 PM

Regarding accountablilty, I walked to the mailbox today instead of waiting until I was driving to leave the house (It's 1/10th of a mile one way to the mail box)


Michelle

PS. Our quilting friend was diagnosed with lung cancer.

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Sep 12 - 12:35 AM

Mowed the front, hauled a few branches out of the back yard. Getting ready for the big day tomorrow.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Sep 12 - 12:12 PM

Finally seemed to have shifted down to the next 10-pound increment on the bathroom scale. Lots of stair climbing has helped! It has hovered for weeks around it and a couple of pounds above it. I'm headed for 30 pounds lighter, but those increments on the scale are easier goals to work for.

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Sep 12 - 10:27 AM

Rainy today. Shopping, beginning to get ready for a house guest in a couple of weeks (whipping parts of the yard into shape).

I suppose fall has truly descended on some of you. Alice, if you're still reading along, any snow yet at your house? Kat, I hope the brief sabbatical helped!

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Sep 12 - 01:00 AM

Very expensive, if productive day. Hit a glitch with the new glasses. I asked my eye doctor to print out the prescription (I was planning to shop around this time before having my regular pair of glasses made). I found a frame I liked at another place and handed over my Rx - and couldn't walk out in them an hour later because it was office glasses. They didn't give me the full Rx! So I've faxed a request to my doctor to fax the proper Rx to the glasses place on Monday. Grrrr.

Found the perfect bench to put inside the side door to sit on for changing shoes, and it has room underneath to put a shoe rack. I'm going to try wearing shoes in the house less, just slippers, and keep some of the dirt on the porch or there where it can be swept up.

Many other things picked up while I was out. Expensive day, time to sell that chandelier and get started making extra income as well as clearing out space around here!

SRS

Subject: RE: Exercise & Declutter *^* Sept 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Sep 12 - 10:55 AM

Rain has mostly past so I'll move out into the yard today.

SRS