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Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 01 Apr 13 - 02:18 AM March didn't leave like a lamb, we had quite a noisy thunderstorm two nights ago, but April is here, at last, and here is the new thread. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 31 Mar 13 - 09:16 PM Silver marks are like a secret language. I found a book at the public library that gave a lot of them. And you might try eBay because they have tutorials for sellers. I have a Sheffield plate, but it's from the UK. One of the collectible ones, sliver-plated copper. Have you tried an image search on Google, not just keyword? If you find something that looks useful, go to the page where it originated. Still editing all day, the project looks good but isn't finished yet. We want to send it to the printer tomorrow, so we'll be doing some work on it in the morning. I didn't get into the yard, except to play with the dogs. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: GUEST,mg Date: 31 Mar 13 - 05:12 PM yum..coconut cake.. Does anyone know how to interpret silver marks? I googled but didn't unscramble it. I picked up a couple of nice teapot/creamer pieces yesterday and am polishing up for resale at a flea market. I don't expect to get rich but it would help. Anyway, says Sheffield, Made in USA. Other marks are 2822 and Apollo and BBS or BB5. I think Apollo is often nickle silverplate. Does anyone know? |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 31 Mar 13 - 01:44 PM I had a FANTASTIC day out yesterday with one of my very best friends! We left early and I got home around 7pm. I had some toast and promptly fell asleep for an hour or two. After spending a little bit of time with my guys, they both fell asleep and I got busy. Dishes, floors, laundry, cleared the table, made Easter baskets, filled out cards, set the table, did some organizing, got a few things ready for today's big family dinner. Yes, things are shaping up nicely! While I was away yesterday, Pete took advantage of the nice day (while the little one played nearby) and did some yard clean up which I greatly appreciate! Now, all veggies are cut, cleaned and in their pots. Salad has been made, yams are in the oven as is the ham, cake is baked and waiting for my special recipe to make the most fabulous coconut cake ever! And hey...I had my picture taken with the Easter Bunny yesterday! FUN! In my humble opinion, you can NEVER be too old for the Easter Bunny!!! Happy Easter Everybody!!! I hope you all have an extra special day!!!! XOXOXO Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 31 Mar 13 - 01:46 AM I've been editing all afternoon and evening. Almost at a stopping point. I cleared up in the kitchen a bit, did some shopping, made dinner and have some leftovers. Tomorrow I hope to get out of the house. Into the garden! SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: wysiwyg Date: 30 Mar 13 - 03:41 PM No, the crowbar was perfect. A shortie just right for my hand and arm. I was able to get homemade Easter basket stuff for the neighbor-son who is home this weekend-- one of the four who is missing their ma.... the other 3 went to visit a nearby grannie. (Hardi will deliver that later and visit a bit.) I also got a great tip for how to fix and serve Kielbasa-- a newer-to-us item I never was quite sure what to DO with. The Easter basket was a declut of my Xmas-wrap drawer: basket on hand, lined with pink tissue, and for the grass I HATE I used curling ribbons on 3 colors. Then the goodies, on top of that, topped by a cookie cross from the bake sale. And ya know it looks kinda cute! ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 30 Mar 13 - 01:34 PM Crow bar! A golf club might be easier to carry and shake at a dog. I put my truck away late when I saw the weather forecast included a heavy thunderstorm. There was some hail in it. And the dogs came in because Poppy hates the noise of these storms. They loved an unexpected night in. Feeling almost like my old self. I've continued to take the decongestant, I'll do that through the weekend. I'm trying to move out the cough portion of the infection before it starts. It's odd at eBay lately. In the last couple of weeks I've had two sold items that were not paid for by the buyer. I don't think I've ever had them before. I wonder if the economy is changing to such a degree that more people are shopping there than used to - neither of these had very high scores. Are people buying without understanding that you can't undo once you hit "buy?" SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: wysiwyg Date: 30 Mar 13 - 09:39 AM This weekend the anemia has my focus dialed way down-- feeding the priest, foremost. My big "independent" activity today will be taking the longer drive to the smaller store-- where I can easily walk in and out (no scooter) to pick up bread. I'll be taking the doggeh along to start breaking the news to him that car trips are a normal, nearly-daily thing so SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP! :~) The slightly increased thyroid dose is helping already, which may come in handy if "Neighbor-Dog" greets me the same way he "greeted" Greg when he left for work-- I will also carry a big, heavy crow bar. That dog needs to stay in his own backyard! Being territorial in ours is just not cool, 'nuff said? ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 30 Mar 13 - 08:36 AM I have dropped pills before but have always heard them hit the floor. This particular time, there happened to be a bag of new towels sitting just near where the medication is stored. When I poured the pills into my hand, either one slipped through (I have loss of feeling in my hands from the chemo) or one of the compartments opened slightly and one medication fell through. Thankfully, there was a tiny bit of the pill on his lip and I saw the color of it which is what allowed me to ID the medication. All medication is stored way up high and out of reach. We have child locks seemingly everywhere. This was clearly an accident....still, we wish it had not happened. What can you do? Accidents DO happen. Happily, he is doing just fine. :) I have been invited on an adventure today and I am really looking forward to it. The skies are BLUE, the sun is SHINING, the rooster is CROWING and I am ready to go!! WOOO HOOOO!!!! My house is a mess and I have company coming tomorrow for Easter. Will the house be ready? Probably not as much as I would like...but it will be enough. They aren't coming until dinner time so there should be plenty of time after church. We are doing the traditional Easter Dinner this year instead of our picnic tradition. It makes me a tad sad but it's been so cold outside and all mud....not a great combination for the Wee One. Maybe next year we will get back to our tradition! :) Have a GREAT day Everybody!!!! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 29 Mar 13 - 11:54 PM My trip to work wasn't as efficient as I'd planned - I accidentally left my laptop at home and it is difficult to find a computer with this specialize software on campus. I was meeting with someone to show him how work is progressing, and we did get a short session on a public computer in one of the labs. [slaps forehead] Supposed to rain this weekend, but I have lots of bedding plants and am finally up and around. I'll have to shape the new beds and then plant. The house is a disaster area. . . SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Bat Goddess Date: 29 Mar 13 - 03:00 PM And I dropped some cubic footage off at Goodwill on the way home! Linn |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Bat Goddess Date: 29 Mar 13 - 02:59 PM Because he can't see, Tom fumbles his meds often and they end up on the floor. I'm on constant alert so Rufus doesn't find them. (Sabine just isn't curious.) Got Tom safely to and from the doctor today. He was going to just use his walker, but it was such a workout by the time he got inside the doors that I got a wheelchair for him. Good exercise, though. He's GOT to build his strength up if he wants to get back to The Press Room session. Had to stop and buy lunch fixings on the way home. Got him inside, made lunch and now it's almost time for me to head to the session. I won't stay as long as I did last week -- I've got some R&R scheduled at a friend's tomorrow...non-stop conversation, wine, and a schnauzer who knows I'm family. (He's a rescue dog who came with the name Schulz -- even the same spelling as my surname!) Music tonight and book talk tomorrow...life is good. (And a great roast beef sandwich in my stomach.) |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 29 Mar 13 - 09:26 AM Off on an adventure for today and another tomorrow! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 29 Mar 13 - 12:17 AM Scary! An adult dose of anything in a child, let alone some of the specialize stuff you may have been taking. I dropped some aspirin the other day and scrambled to be sure I found them all for fear the dogs might find them. Susan, I'm sorry the anemia and thyroid are a problem. I suppose you're adapting still after the surgery and with weight loss. I'm going to get my blood work done one of these days (I'm saving up for my next trip in to the doctor - I was in this week because of a sinus infection, but I'm going to see if the insurance company will pay for the shot to help avoid shingles, and have them send out some lab work at the same time. My annual physical hasn't involved blood work for several years, and it needs to be done more often.) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 28 Mar 13 - 02:00 PM Jeremiah picked a pill up from the ground and ate it, asking me after the fact, "Mommy, what am I chewing?" I tried to scoop out any remains but it was just itty bits of a dissolved pill. A fast call to Poison Control confirmed we needed to get him to the ER. They kept him under observation for 6 hours...constant EKG, heart monitor and blood pressure cuff that checked his blood pressure every 20 minutes or so....that was very painful for him Absolutely nerve wracking and horrible to be witness to. I know it could have been far worse and I'm very relieved to tell you that we were all home around 4am or so. He slept until 1:45pm and I expect he'll be doing a lot more sleeping. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Bat Goddess Date: 28 Mar 13 - 01:44 PM Successfully navigated through yesterday. Whew! Tom was up (THAT was a surprise!), in his wheelchair and had coffee started when I came downstairs at 8 a.m. Sort of threw my rhythm off, but got the computer booted and Tom his coffee. (I set it up the night before because he can no longer do that. He could hit the ON button this morning, but couldn't pour his coffee or see well enough to put half and half in it.) While checking email and getting the cinnamon rolls ready to put in the oven, I moved a few more things from around (and inside) the jelly cupboard. So it wasn't one of the things I accomplished before breakfast, but I got it moved (and de-cobwebbed) and dealt with the stuff around it, etc. right AFTER breakfast. I uncovered a vast amount of stuff to either take to the Nottingham library sale in May or just plain throw out. It's actually the first piece in attacking this whole room and selling, donating or throwing out just about everything in here. Or at least opening up enough space to store the stuff to be sold until that happens. Having stuff all over the place is a real pain. Now I have to move some of that stuff back so Tom can get his wheelchair closer to the computer (like INTO this room!) so I can read him email, Mudcat, Facebook, etcet etcet. Some of the stuff I uncovered needs to be collated into my archives (the binders) that is a continuous project. Should bag some stuff up right now to take to Goodwill tomorrow on the way home from Tom's doctor's appointment. But then again, what I'd really like to do right now is take a nap...sigh. (Not going to happen, I think.) Linn |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: wysiwyg Date: 28 Mar 13 - 01:05 PM I've been in a crazy fog all week and not sleeping well either (maybe it's trying the aggressive new PT regimen? I now have a copy of my bloodwork-- quick AM van ride. I AM teetering back into anemia AND my thyroid numbers are worse than last time, but I DID sit outside on my ramp stool to brush the doggeh, catch a little air (and a snowflake) in breezy/bright full-spectrum light, and try a new stretching position to stretch the adhesions. (Left the itchy doggeh's shedding, dandruffy fur for the birdehs.) I need to cross reference the anemia numbers with recent labs-- get out the ole Life Binder, flip it open to the lab-work tab, and grab a pencil to add CBC numbers to the thyroid chart I'd made for the new doc not long ago. The thyroid numbers alone are such that I can up my meds a wee tad for the next few days' doses AND feel better by Monday to have a GOOD talk with the doc about the anemia clues/possible Dx's. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 28 Mar 13 - 09:23 AM Oh dear! What's up with our little guy? SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 28 Mar 13 - 04:13 AM 4:12am Everyone is home. Jeremiah is doing ok and is sleeping. Pete and I are having something for dinner and going to bed. What. A. Day. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 28 Mar 13 - 01:09 AM Sitting in the ER with Jeremiah.....high hopes of leaving by 3am. : ( Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 27 Mar 13 - 09:49 PM Haven't watched it yet. I'll take a look. This evening I decided I was tired of the tangle of covers that my bed has become over the past few days. Extra pillows to prop me up, a towel to help keep me from sliding, an extra robe, whatnot. It's all in the laundry and the bed is made up fresh. A sure sign of feeling better! The kitchen is still tidy - if I run the dishwasher and then make a point of hand washing each small batch of dishes it will look good for a while. Design work tonight. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: MAG Date: 27 Mar 13 - 05:06 PM Oh, and if you haven't watched the Jim Carrey "Cold dead hands" video on its own thread here, you must -- it's a must -- even gun owners (sane ones) will like it -- unless you love Reagan and/or Charleton Heston |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: MAG Date: 27 Mar 13 - 04:35 PM I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner, but I can move the hot mat into the little room off the kitchen. Crammed w/ cleaning equipment, but plenty of room for a hot mat. d-uh! would use the table, but Scamper the cat would have fun w/ it. When I took him in, her destroyed my entire african violet collection. No other cat had ever touched it. Also had to stop putting planes in my bay window. I love him, but he changed my life. (Now I have raised beds, and I must cover them with mesh. But then any neighborhoodcat would require it. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 27 Mar 13 - 01:54 PM Feeling much better, but the cough is still here. I'm drinking herbal tea and water and staying hydrated to help the decongestant clear out the sinuses. I was going to ask Salvation Army to pick up this mattress in the hall (yes, still in the hall) but I didn't get to it on the weekend. I'll have to schedule it for next week. They won't come right away, they have zones they work. But soon I'll have it out of the way. My bedding plants are now outside, the worst of the cold weather has passed for the season, I hope. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Bat Goddess Date: 27 Mar 13 - 11:24 AM Everybody wants to come today at the same time. Oil delivery is around noonish, so I had to call the plumber so he wouldn't block the driveway. He just came and checked out the problem. Was going to be back to fix it on Friday, but I remembered (Tom remembered) Tom has a doctor's appointment, so the plumber will be here on Monday morning. Visiting nurse called right after I found out what time the oil delivery was coming. She's coming between 11:30 and 12:30, but I told her not to block the driveway. In my spare time (after getting Tom's knees and feet medicated, him dressed, and breakfast made) I gathered some more documents to be submitted for an assistance application and made an appointment to have our taxes done -- including getting the form so Tom doesn't have go along with me and I can sign for him. Whew! I had a day yesterday where I just couldn't relax and read; couldn't concentrate -- so I got a lot of archival paper shuffling done. I know I made great inroads, but, alas, it doesn't SHOW. I'm also a little closer today at getting the jelly cupboard ready to move. The mud in the driveway (the turnaround, at least) is looking a lot better. I've got enough stuff yet to do today, though, that I'm glad it's leftovers for dinner. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Mar 13 - 11:09 PM I feel much better this evening. I tackled the sink and have the dishwasher running. That's about all I'm going to attempt. This afternoon I was at the post office and then pulled across the road to get gas. A boy, perhaps 10, walked up and asked if I had a couple of dollars. I'd seen a man who looked like a gang-banger walking from the direction of this gas station to the post office a few minutes earlier, and I realized that the mother was slowly "cleaning" the car windows and every time a new vehicle pulled in she sent one of her two little boys over to panhandle. The father was out of sight at the post office because he would screw up the scene. I reported this inside, and they said something to her. As I was putting the nozzle back at my truck the woman approached me and was angry denied that they were panhandling, that I had told her son he shouldn't be panhandling. I called her bluff and told her (as she walked back to her car) that child protective services frowned on parents putting their children in harm's way by having them approach strangers. She was still doing it when I left, but I called back to the gas station and told them what she did and that she was still sending the boys out but trying to keep the cars between the boys and the windows of the station. It's not just illegal, it's this kind of parents that can really screw up their kids. The story is they "ran out of gas" just at the gas station. How convenient. Oh, well. Dorothy, did I miss news about the cabin earlier, or did this just happen? You've enjoyed that place so much, I hope you find something suitable to move to. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 26 Mar 13 - 08:38 PM I have had a busy day: Dishes, 3 loads of laundry, washed throw rugs, cooked 3 meals, played with Jeremiah on and off all day, swept the floors, sewed together half of my quilt top, drove 80 miles (don't ask), went to the last of a progressively difficult yoga class...it kicked my butt! In the standing forward fold poses that were held for a LONG ass time, I was literally dripping sweat onto the floor as it poured off my head. I feel great but soooo tired. Bed soon. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 26 Mar 13 - 08:33 PM Still over a foot of snow in the city back yard! Tiny front garden might be clear soon and I can clean out the trash people drop as they wait for the bus. Maybe plant some more primrose. I bought 3 a couple weeks ago for indoors but the mouse ate them. I forgot! On the plus side, the gorgeous red amaryllis from last year has two huge blossoms - in spite of having had only one leaf for months. I shall have to give it some TLC during the summer. It deserves several gold stars for this performance. R's truck developed a wobble and he did not bring the trailer to the cabin so, once again, we did not move that $%^&* kiln. Now we have notice that we need to vacate the cabin by 30 June. So R is planning temporary quarters at the saw mill. I spent a good chunk of today on line looking for something cheap enough and suitable, to buy. Nada. But great concert Saturday night. Did not sell even one pot on sunday but the owner of the fabric store suggested we do a special show at his store in the summer! He has 1000 people on his email list so "I dwell in possibilities..." Still working toward some more new glazes. Monday was mainly a day of rest. I came back to the city in time to go folk dancing. A great evening, the best since I have been in Montreal - good dances and enough energy to stay until 10 pm. The dances energize me. A bit stiff today, proving that IFD is good for the body. Did not get to pottery supply house today but tomorrow - with a shortened list. Today: in addition to hours on internet, I did groceries, made choc covered candied ginger and almonds (separate), went to library and signed up for on line so I can renew books when I am snowed in! finished going through the overdue ceramics books so I can return them tomorrow. Found I have accumulated over 1000 clayart emails so I started going through and deleting. There are many I want to save to file so I will have a better idea of titles for files after I finish the deleting. So much good info from incredibly seasoned potters and interesting people, too. Those of you who are mowing lawns! And planting gardens! Things here are still frozen to the ground! |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Bat Goddess Date: 26 Mar 13 - 07:25 PM Well, our bath tub plumbing leak is a lot more complicated than I thought. Tom, of course, can no longer do the plumbing he used to be able to do. When just replacing the washers didn't work, a friend who had been helping found it to be out of his comfort zone. I called in another local acquaintance who recently retired from doing all the fix-it stuff around Sears. He took a good look this morning...and passed. (His dad was a master plumber and he'd worked as his dad's helper, so he knows his way around plumbing.) But he called back with a recommendation of a local plumber whom I now have to call. Probably the whole faucet and shower head need to be replaced...and that will mean the tub surround as well. Well, ya gotta do what ya gotta do... Linn |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Mar 13 - 07:19 PM Mailed another eBay parcel, have watchers on a couple, relisted one. I have seven reviews that count toward the 10 that are needed to put the little grid back up that shows good practices all around. I went back to look at one buyer to learn that he hasn't posted feedback since 2008. Feeling better, I'm holding off on using an antibiotic for another day or two hoping I don't have to, but they did give me a steroid shot that helps clear out some of the sinus pressure and drainage. I can feel it working already. Tonight is down to 37 in the forecast, and after that, my bedding plants are going out beside the door until they get planted. This garden is so close I can almost taste it! :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Mar 13 - 12:04 AM Don't you just love that kind of "help?" Power lines a casualty in a good deed - arrgh! Doctor appointment in the morning, to see if I have an ear infection or sinus infection. Must declutter myself of some noxious germs. I've been drinking a lot of water, trying to get the decongestant to work as well as possible. It has helped this evening. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: MAG Date: 25 Mar 13 - 04:23 PM Happy spring, everybody. My condolences to friends points east who are having nasty weather. House a pit, car a pit, especially after spending a weekend in the woods w/ 100 kindred spirits. Last fall got a drop spreader to do preemergent weed suppressant; it works crappily, so ended up getting a hand sprinkler just 'cause I got to get the stuff out while it works. (i.e., in time to suppress weed seed germination) fertilizer stinks, dozens of hyaconths just great. starting seeds. hot mat in the garage not working 'cause the friend who STARTED cutting down a tree snagged the power line into the garage. Most of tree still there, of course. got out thte reel mower, first cutback of the grass. not getting to the gym nearly enough; blaming it on the knees. truth is, elliptical trainer is exactly what the knees need. o well ... be well, all. positively dizzy w/ spring fever. love, MA |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 25 Mar 13 - 03:32 PM I coat my feet in Vick's, put on cotton socks and go to bed. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 25 Mar 13 - 01:28 PM How do you put on the Vicks? I tried rubbing some on my feet (on top) and my feet were freezing - I had to get rid of the socks to warm up. Tired of sneezing. I've used the neti pot a couple of times a day and gargle with salt water. There is a sore spot in my throat that feels better when I drink warm water. Herbal tea tastes good. I've managed to get a few things put away, though I haven't taken on very ambitious projects. I filed some papers, swept some dust, hung up some clothes. The big chore - I need to drive to the post office. It's only a mile, but I'll go with a wad of tissues in my pocket. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 25 Mar 13 - 12:43 PM Daily chores today and planning ahead for a busy week and the holiday weekend. I go for a tumor marker check up on Thursday. It had been scheduled for about a week and a half ago but we had some ice so I canceled that appointment. When I called to reschedule, I figured I'd have to wait a month of more because my oncologist has written on my chart that I am to see ONLY him...and he's booked like crazy. I was lucky to only have to wait a week and a half. The downside? I have to have labs done at 8:45am for a 9:15am appointment. We have to leave here at 6:30AM to get there on time! The upside to that is that I will be going to my favorite quilt shop afterwards...it's down in that area and is the perfect little something to look forward to after having a very large, thick fish hook of a needle sunk into my chest. HOORAY for Lidacaine!! Anyway, I've started a split rail quilt (sews up fairly fast) and I want to have the quilt top finished so I can take it with me on Thursday to pick out borders and a backing. The colors I'm using are called Morris Apprentice....jewel tones mixed with some dark tannish browns and grays to give some depth...I think it's going to be lovely! Jeremiah is rocking the potty training!!! No accidents in 2 days now! HOORAY!!! Have a great day everybody!!! Michelle PS. How's that cold Stilly? PSS. I have never used any voice recognition software so I'm sorry to be of no help in that arena. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Bat Goddess Date: 25 Mar 13 - 08:25 AM I woke up with a sore-ish throat, I think caused by post-nasal drip. If that's indicative of anything, I'm sure planning on heading it off at the pass! (Vicks on the soles of the feet...I've heard about that before.) Anybody know anything about VoiceOver on a desktop Mac (not iPad or laptop)? It may be a godsend for Tom, but the tutorial I found uses commands tapped into the touchpad, which a desktop computer doesn't have. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 25 Mar 13 - 12:33 AM Juggling the stuffy nose and cough with the need to sleep. I found the jar of Vicks, so I'll try Michelle's trick of smearing it on feet under socks. It can't hurt! Kat, I see you adding onto a couple of other threads - are you using the Dragon software now, or are you going to go back to using it? Since it is something that you've suggested in the thread for Art's computer, I wonder when you use it how much time you spend touching the keyboard to offer up corrections or to initiate the program? SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 Mar 13 - 12:14 PM Darn, my remark got eaten by the remarks gremlin. Congratulations on the potty training - it's such a huge step to leave behind the diapers or pullups! Your bacon and maple syrup sounds wonderful, but I doubt I could taste them right now. That would be a tragedy! SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 24 Mar 13 - 12:05 PM As you know, we've been working on potty training. Jeremiah is awesome about telling me when he has to pee! Today he walked over to me and said, "I have to go poopy on the potty." Daddy took him into the bathroom...nothing. They were in there for about 15 minutes and came out. Nada. Ten minutes late Jeremiah tells me he has to go poopy on the potty. I took him in and SUCCESS!!!! WOOO HOOOO!!!!! I am SO proud of him!!!!! He had a special surprise for his big day and we will have smaller surprises for him for the next week or so as he goes on the potty.....loads of positive reinforcements!!!! :) I am most happy!!! This morning Pete made breakfast...applesauce pancakes with maple syrup from our very own maple trees and our own bacon! Talk about DELICIOUS!!! I could have very easily eaten until I exploded but instead, I had one medium sized pancake with a measured amount of maple syrup and only 2 slices of bacon. YAY ME! Truth be told, that was plenty. I am not hungry. My mouth would have loved to munch on it all day though. I hope you are feeling better as the day passes Stilly. Have a great day everybody! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 Mar 13 - 10:07 AM Thanks! I had a chill last night at one point that is nothing like I'd have with allergies, so I suspect this is a cold. Darn. Must drink lots of water to wash these germs through. Re my eBay case, if the sale doesn't go through you can't post feedback, it only comes into play if he has more than one unpaid item and seller has limited bidding to positive feedback and no more than two unpaid items. I'm relisted and I'll do a couple of more things this morning, then I'm viewing a training video for a project at work. I'm not up to much else today. I'll pace my pills (12 hour decongestant, taking extra zinc - no point in paying the high price of Zircam, that's just zinc). On the positive side about this cold, if I'd come home from the nursery yesterday and planted everything it would have gotten a frost last night or tonight. I didn't feel like exerting myself, and I saved my garden in the process. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 23 Mar 13 - 11:03 PM I hope you're feeling better soon Maggie. :( Sweet dreams. XOXOXOXO Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 23 Mar 13 - 09:09 PM I'm under the weather. I did some shopping, I picked up my nematodes and a flat of plants. The plants are in for the night, as is the pickup, because there is supposed to be more stormy stuff coming through. It's a quiet evening. My eBay relist isn't until after four full days since I filed a non-payment report (eBay rules). That time comes pretty late tonight, but I'm not going to stay up late. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 23 Mar 13 - 12:21 AM Long day, winding down. If it doesn't rain tonight, I'll plant the garden this weekend. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 22 Mar 13 - 08:16 PM From the Cafe , while listening to great music! Bisque did not blow up! Yesterday: unloaded kiln. Pots all waxed and ready to glaze. Test tiles with numerous glaze combinations and the already glazed pots loaded and fired. Then I gave out. I sorted out a bunch of old garden mags to give away. Some others I could not bear to part with. I'll give them to Ad tonight for his wife/garden club folks. Young lad with huge snowblower cleared the drive to the sugar shack and then the one where my car is. So I was able to go off last night to do some groceries and replenish the book supply at the library. Today: Opened kiln for a peek. Top shelf looked good! Then turned up heat in studio and went back in house. With a great rush of energy from somewhere, I cleaned the kitchen floor, vacuumed the whole cabin, and cleaned two big shelves in lower cupboard that were covered with mouse sign. That sort of sticky drawer liner stuff was full of it so I put them in the bathtub, then decided to let them dry and take them to the city to launder. Then I decided plain white paper, I have a roll, would be better. Yahoo! The cupboard is clean and arranged more effectively! Also cleaned all the nick knacks and the shelf around the wood stove platform. And rolled the portable washing machine that made a lake the last time I used it, out onto the front porch. With any luck, it and that big kiln might get out of here this weekend, now that R has his driver's license back!! Unloaded a fine kiln load of pots, different glaze from any of current work. Not a single Blooper! All packed and ready for Sunday. Then I tried to convince my body to make some test glazes and glaze the new bisque ware. It said, NO! So I studied the test tiles and realized that I really did need to mark them BEFORE firing. I figured out some and very pleased with a few new combinations and the 3 new glazes I tested - a good cobalt blue and a slightly unique cobalt blue with specks. Need to work on pricing materials to see which glazes are more costly. Such fun to see how glazes interact, under or over each other. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 22 Mar 13 - 12:22 PM The dogs and I went out for a walk around the neighborhood last night - which probably contributed to the allergies I'm suffering from today. Throat soother tea is on the menu for sipping during the day. The garden is ready to go! Looks like we might get rain overnight, so I'll pick up beneficial nematodes tomorrow and have them ready to spread around. There is still an effect from those I put out last year, we didn't see many cutworms (just one one end of the garden, so I'll soak that area more). I have the kitchen cleared up, ready to run a load of dishes. Tomorrow I'll relist the eBay item that didn't get paid for. I suspect he thought he was hitting the watch button and didn't realize he bid on it. At any rate, that should close tomorrow and I can relist it. The sun room is looking better every time I ship a box. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 21 Mar 13 - 10:42 PM I'm impressed that I got all of that to show up - I was in bed and writing on my phone with a stylus. I didn't connect it up very well, but I'd been brushing my teeth and paused to think about my water glass, and why it was in there. :) One of my credit card companies called this morning - someone had gotten my credit card number and made an Internet purchase. That account is now closed, a new card is on its way. I'll have to change all of the payment information for my regular bills, and redo the PayPal linkage. Today I had a brake job done on the pickup, front and back, and paid for it out of savings. I'll give the cards a rest for a few days, see what else crops up. And run a free check on my cards and file a report - which means I can put a lock on all of my credit - no one can open a new account without a delay and my being notified. Long day tomorrow, but after that, I'll have a weekend in which I can start planting my garden. I had a friend come dig it up today and he'll finish in the morning. It's worth it to pay to have it done, I'd never have the time myself. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: wysiwyg Date: 21 Mar 13 - 09:09 AM PS-- dipping it up with her paw! ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: wysiwyg Date: 21 Mar 13 - 09:08 AM SRS, my cat used to sneak a sip of my tea mug-- I put a lot of milk in my tea? She wasn't licking up the bottom of what I'd left-- no--- she'd go for it warm and half full! ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 21 Mar 13 - 01:33 AM Busy day, and it included staking a claim on my job at work. It's all because people don't have an idea of my full job description. They were discussing stuff that has been set up new in recent months without asking me. I'm fine with their initiative, but with no meaningful title in my dept, they didn't know that I not only post in various social media, I'm as close to in charge of it as anyone. Now they know. So in an unrelated thought I'll close with a description of my water glass in the bathroom. It used to be beside my bed. For years I took a fresh glass of water to my bedside table every night. One night I woke to the delicate "sip sip sip sip" of the cat on my bedside table enjoying a drink. The cats are gone but my water glass still sits beside the sink with a cover on top. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 20 Mar 13 - 06:12 PM Guess I am not making pots today but I sorted a few files and threw away more paper - keeping me warm! The folks came to empty yesterday's snow from the sap buckets and I negotiated with a lad with a four wheel drive truck to drive in to my car and out again so now I have a trail to get out - tomorrow. Snowing again! I am practicing a bit of brush work, planning test glazes for tomorrow's glaze firing. Will go out later and load bisque firing and give it low heat for a few hours to ensure no explosions! I feel good about progress - both physical and mental. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 20 Mar 13 - 02:23 PM Internet on and off. Has been difficult at the cabin for a couple days. Weather maybe. So I am trying to pre-write so I can post when it comes back. Get about 3 minutes and then... POOF! This morning was a shovel some snow and bring in stove wood, wrote a comment of appreciation on line to an author, James Lee Burke, did a couple other posts and read a report on rabies in Ontario – 3 cases last year, then it was lunch time. Now, tired of waiting for it to come back. Posted to our local group which has been fighting the wind turbine issue in our beautiful woods and environmentally fragile pavement barren. Great news: the provincial govt is permitting our region to increase setbacks and protect the woods and the environment. Someone suggested a party with leftover funds – we had a lawyer involved. I suggested a donation to hospital or other local service. We are very happy. Now, to pottery. Maybe when I return… I have returned and again internet went on for about 2 minutes and then poof. Maybe by the time I write this it will be back or ... not. I only managed to prepare 8 largish chunks of clay and then came in to look at lists and decide what really need to be made. Try to make a comprehensive list by weight so I can just say - "OK, I feel like doing..." or "a few of .... would be good". I feel I am gradually getting more organized although I view this as something to be fun doing rather than a CHORE, it is best to make what might sell so I can afford to keep doing! The sun is shining! and the temp is over 40. I won't make it to the library today but maybe by tomorrow it will melt enough, she says hopefully! OR, the landlord will come by to see how the sap is flowing? OR I can phone the guy down the road with a big plow. It's OK because I don't have to go anywhere. I'll start that list and see if I can post this later. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Bat Goddess Date: 20 Mar 13 - 12:46 PM Too damned much of my time is being taken up by cleaning up after snow! I just rescheduled some household tasks (plumbing and blind installation) with a friend for Friday instead of this afternoon. I. Just. Can't. Do. ANYTHING. Else. Physical. Today. (Like cleaning off the windowsills, moving the table and the stuff under the table and the chair behind the table, and getting into weird positions to shut off the water, etc.) I brought the car down to the house to unload the blinds and then take the other two bags of trash up to the road. I think I'll be leaving my car in the spot up the hill for the time being. My plow guy is coming over later to rearrange some snow that he can't do with a plow. But there's not a lot of maneuvering space for my car plus it's mud under the snow. Had to do some fancy backing and filling to turn the car around (and avoid hitting a tree during the process) so I could drive out via the turnaround. The lower bank side of the straight shot is really soft and I don't feel like driving continually over the corner of my hosta bed even if it's covered in a foot of snow. Tom definitely won't be able to get safely in and out on Friday to attempt the Press Room session again. Not sure about getting him to a doctor's appointment next week. We'll just have to see how the weather (and the driveway) progresses. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 19 Mar 13 - 11:24 PM Managed to get all the pots trimmed and they are happily drying. Well, I am happy they are drying on the baker's rack near the heater. I should be able to fire them tomorrow afternoon. With any luck I will have enough energy to throw some more in the morning, for the next round. I did a little organizing in the studio and spent time thinking about what the next lot needs to be. Managed to get rid of about 8 inches of papers, reducing quantity to two boxes or less. Another box still in the city. Almost no internet today and no phone signal most of day. Probably due to: Snowed all day, about 8-10 inches, and it was above freezing so the snow is heavy. Sure was beautiful. The snow fairy came by and said it was too heavy for his machine. I am hoping it will melt but it is to be freezing for the next couple days. And meant to snow more also, about an inch on Weds and Thurs. But it was only supposed to be about 3 inches today. I have sufficient food and the wood stove. Guess I could just stay here. The choice is to call another neighbour who has bigger equipment. R is so busy in the city there is no reason for me to be there. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 19 Mar 13 - 09:25 PM PS. That is NOT me. I surely wish my belly was that small but alas, it is not. I rocked 3 legged down dog anyway!!! YAY ME! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 19 Mar 13 - 09:24 PM General chores done today and a FANTASTIC (very active..think puddles of sweat on the yoga mat) yoga. The teacher came to me after class to say that she thought I was doing very well and she said, "You have an AMAZING three-legged dog!" For those of you who are unsure of what that is, look here: Three Legged Down Dog Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 19 Mar 13 - 01:10 PM Another item sold on eBay - I ran a pair of new with tags slacks (I found at the thrift store) with just a description for two weeks. Then I took the fabric blend out of the title and put "slim not skinny - flattering!" and they sold. The books I put up aren't getting much attention, I put up a couple at one price with free shipping and I put up on at a low auction price with shipping calculated to see what people prefer. Evidently they don't favor these books - they're getting closer to the box that will carry them down to Half Price Books. When I left the house this morning the washer was set ready to run in several hours. I like the time delay - I can run it in the middle of the night in the summer when they prefer you to run appliances instead of during peak cooling times. In this instance I have a few things to hang to dry and I didn't want them sitting in the washer all day getting creases to have to iron out later. About half of my dress wardrobe for work has to hang dry, but I didn't get the laundry done in the evening so it could dry overnight. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 19 Mar 13 - 09:48 AM Linn! sounds like the workshop could be very interesting - even if it is not about chain saws... I am realizing that just plain living takes time. I think I will get out to the studio by 9 but first.... IT will soon be 10 but that gives me plenty of time to wear myself out today. Yesterday turned out to be a no energy day so I gave in to it and read an entire novel of 673 pages, finishing at midnight. Charlotte Vale Allen, one of my fav authors. I found an old book of hers, which I had not seen before, at the library on Sat and .... I never went back to the city yesterday. R said not to bother; he is so busy. So I took a detox bath last eve and today I woke up feeling energy flowing. It's snowing and beautiful. I may be snowed in! One more quick message to someone special and off to work I go! |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 Mar 13 - 10:42 PM I first read that an thought "power tools for caregivers" and figured you'd build furniture for therapeutic reasons or go ahead and build a few ramps around the house. :) At the grocery store this week I seem to have zeroed in on produce - this evening I picked up more fruit and salad fixings. Nice weather and I feel like eating healthy is a good sign. This evening I lowered the boom on the no-pay eBay guy. He bought a similar model, newer DVR than the one I had listed on Friday, after bidding on mine on Wednesday. I told him to get in touch with me so I can relist it if he doesn't want it, or I'll leave negative feedback and I really don't want to do that. It can come back to bite you later. If he communicates that I would at least leave neutral feedback. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 18 Mar 13 - 10:26 PM Linn, I'm glad that you see that you really ARE doing so much!!! I think Caregivers have the hardest job in the world. <3 Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Bat Goddess Date: 18 Mar 13 - 07:46 PM Oh, yeah...AND I signed up for six weekly 1-1/2 hour classes on "Powerful Tools for Caregivers"...how to reduce stress, better communicate, balance my life, increase my ability to make tough decisions and locate helpful resources. First one is April 9th. Looking forward to them. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Bat Goddess Date: 18 Mar 13 - 06:14 PM I feel as if I haven't gotten anything done today, but, doing a quick assessment, I guess I have. Some physical hauling-type chores this morning, plus getting Tom dressed and his feet and knees medicated before the visiting nurse arrived between 11 & 12:00. Tom's physical therapist was due at 1:00. Got some banana bread baked and while PT was going on (Tom said it was a good workout) I decluttered an email account. After everyone left, I made lunch and then intended to head out to do some errands before it starts to snow again (later tonight and all day tomorrow). Car said, uh uh. I hadn't driven it since we got home from the hospital just before midnight on Friday. I was frozen deep in a coupla three inches of ice. Stuck kitty litter fore and aft all the tires, tried backing, tried forward in 1st...nada. Littered everything once more and tried again. No go. A friend came over to schedule some plumbing, gave me a look like "Girl driver..." and tried. Vindicated. He couldn't get it out of the ice either. So I called a neighbor with a truck and a length of chain and he got me right out. So I picked up Tom's prescription, got some groceries and white wine and picked up some miscellaneous stuff at the drug store to help make Tom's life a little more pain free and help his foot heal. Got everything into the house. Paid some bills. Updated Tom's meds list (that I pass out like candy every time he's at the doctor, Urgent Care, ER, hospital). I'm wiped and it's way too late for a nap. As a matter of fact, it's time to put dinner in. Thank goodness I got something really simple for supper! Oh, and last night before Tom went to bed I took down notes on his reminiscences on the different music crowds in Boston in the '60s, when he first met various people, stuff like that. Should have gotten the notes transcribed today, but didn't. Mañana...if we have power. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 Mar 13 - 05:29 PM Yesterday I took apart the system of extension cords and thermal plugs (to turn on the circuit to the heater if the room got below 40 degrees) and put the oil heaters away for the year. I finished the yard work for this week - it will now be at least weekly until October. Unless it's really hot and dry in the summer. Mailed a box from an eBay sale, and I'm afraid my guy who won a bid last week is going to be a deadbeat. He has purchased and paid for other things since, so I wonder if he somehow doesn't know that he bought this? I'll send one last note tomorrow, and tell him I really hate leaving negative feedback. Aches and pains and allergy symptoms this morning after all of the weekend yard work. I'll call my friend Antonio and see if he can come help dig up the gardens or I'll never get it all done - my job is taking more than 40 hours per week right now, not leaving a lot of garden time. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: wysiwyg Date: 18 Mar 13 - 04:25 PM Hm..... where am I? Oh yes, diocesan Anti-Racism ministry tasks got very hot this week so I've been busier than a one-armed paperhanger on that, while also expediting some financial matters related to my recent medical cost over-runs. In my spare time I am working my way thru alterations that need tweaking with my trusty little sewing kit, and clearing the decks for ramped-up PT plans (a coming period of needful ouchies). I also inserted the next round of alts into a garment bag that is ready to load up when Sirina calls to say that the flannel blouse is ready, which I left with her when I picked up the first round of alts she had done. These next alts are items I had done myself by hand (poorly) in case I needed SOMETHING to put on for a formal occasion. But in FB fotos I am told I am faboo, in my sewing as well as hers. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 18 Mar 13 - 02:31 PM Dishes and laundry(clothing) is done...might throw in a couple of rugs before the day is over. I spent most of the morning planning a bus (day) trip for a group of friends. I sent in the final details and am waiting to hear from the company about the cost per person. I am really excited about it! :) Next on the list is to write a few letters to some potential sponsors for our Relay For Life team and thank you notes to friends and family who did something special to help Jeremiah celebrate his birthday! It's snowing fast and furious here...small flakes but coming down sideways in the strong winds that are going on. I am thankful that Pete has a job where he can work from home on days like this. It's good to have all of us at home. Jeremiah was up 3 times last night. The first time he just needed Mama to rub his back for a minute. The second time he was crying I went into his room and he said, "Mommy say a prayer." I did and he went right back to sleep. Around 4am he cried again and Pete got up with him. Jeremiah was UP. Pete stayed up with him, took him outside to *help* with morning chores and then for a walk in the woods to get rid of some energy. Both of my guys are now sound asleep. :) The animals are curled up on the couch or by the fire and sleeping too. Only Mags (my Bernese Mtn dog) and I are awake. She is sitting 4 feet from the front porch loving the snow! I hope the rest of you can stay in if you are in the path of this storm. My heart is happy. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 18 Mar 13 - 01:05 PM Attacked first box of archives this morning while trying to get the fire going. Turned out to be mostly personal letters and neat stuff. Most of box is a keeper. Included a small article on clutter! Next box, please. How many years in the past do things have to be? Not the issue, I guess. More like how much emotional attachment. Memories. Saturday morning gave me a horrendous look at how past memories can return with no expectation and like a ton of bricks. What was happening was mildly disturbing until my brain heard "RIGHT NOW!" (No one said it but I "heard" it.) I lost it. A near 50 year old memory of abusive husband reduced me to a blubbering mass of protoplasm. Felt run over by a steam roller the rest of the day, but reasonably functional. We went to the library where I came upon a book, Unchained Memories by Lenore Terr, 1994, about just this sort of thing, and much worse memories, surfacing. It would appear that there is no way, short of brain surgery, to de-clutter ourselves of the good, bad or ugly. The inside cover blurb starts out, "Can a long-forgotten memory of a horrible event suddenly resurface years later?" I will read it as my brain is willing and able. For now, I am back in the peace of the country after a busy day in the city yesterday. Building up the energy to go trim pots and do more organizing in the studio. We came within 15 minutes of getting a large and useless-to-me kiln out of the studio on Sat eve. I had cleared an exit path but R needed to get back to the city before his restricted license became a pumpkin - 9 pm and never on Sunday. Maybe today.I really want that space for shelves. As we removed left-behind-by-others stuff from a building yesterday, I found some thin plywood, already cut to right size, that might serve as shelving in the bakery racks, if it is not too thin, in which case it will be fire starter. So there is SRS mowing and we still have a foot of snow covering most everywhere and more to come in the next couple days. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 Mar 13 - 12:16 AM Sounds like we've all been humming right along! I finished mowing, did the trimming (and both the electric and gas trimmers are full of string and ready to go.) I sprayed spinosad on dog droppings in the morning and picked up all and buried it in the compost this evening. I'll be out there every day or two to get them early so the dogs aren't eaten alive. Kitchen is clean, some paperwork done, but not all, but I'm getting a good night's sleep tonight. It can wait. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 17 Mar 13 - 10:25 PM Major-ly de-cluttered emails by finally realizing I did not have to get all those emails about who posted what on FB! It took a lot of time just to delete 200 or so. The return of energy got me to make a whole bunch of pots this week. I plumb wore myself out with un- accustomed activities and still have a bunch of trimming to do. Commuted to the cabin most weekdays to be able to work. It felt great to get the work done but body got achy and I had to take a break. I hope to be able to get back at it tomorrow and have a bisque kiln load early in the week and two glaze firings to have new stuff for the Farm market next Sunday. Glazed a probable kiln load but want to do the bisque first so I have test tiles on which to try out new glaze combinations. Made delicious pancakes yesterday and today with part buckwheat, part chickpea flour, sour milk, apples and cinnamon. De-tox baths took up large chinks of 3 days last week. But seem to help the energy level. Decided last night that those boxes of archives could move to the vicinity of the wood stove, one at a time, and go into the fire box as needed. If something exciting comes to the surface, it can be rescued. I have reached the point of just wanting to be rid of the whole lot. The filing cabinet could use a blitz also. NEXT! |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 17 Mar 13 - 12:13 PM Dishes done, groceries put away, laundry going, a large salad made (should last a few days), a pot of homemade potato/vegetable chowder is cooking on the stove and I'm showered and dressed. And oh yes....Jeremiah!!! :) It's been a busy morning around here. Pete is out in the woods scaring up some fire wood, Jeremiah has picked up all his toys and is happily playing and I am putting my feet up for the first time in 4 hours. Later we will be visiting with friends. Coffee for the adults and coookies for the wee man. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 17 Mar 13 - 11:53 AM This morning when I looked out the back door it was nice to see the expanse of mowed lawn. I quit last night when it was pretty dark out there. I still have to mow behind the garage and go out with the trimmer. Part of the laundry is done, I'll put another batch in, then do some shopping. And I need to do more mowing and some digging. Busy day all around. First thing I'm listing a couple of paperbacks on eBay. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 16 Mar 13 - 09:58 PM Linn - the adventures of living in an icy climate. I'm glad we didn't have to change the name of that hospital thread again! This afternoon I got gas for the mower and I did the front yard and about 2/3 of the back yard before it was too dark to see what I was doing. I'd scooped earlier, and tomorrow I'll go out with some spinosad spray and spritz each fresh pile out there. This is what I figured out last year for killing the flies that clobber the dogs. Let the bait lure them over and the spinosad (an organic insect killer) knock them off or stop eggs from hatching. This is the time of year when I'll get the most workout, during the early growing season, so I need to make the most of this time to drop the weight I slathered on over the winter. Two hours of mowing is a good start. Computer work tonight, though I have some stuff out for cooking so I'll have leftovers for lunch this week. I may pace myself and fix some tomorrow. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Bat Goddess Date: 16 Mar 13 - 07:51 PM Didn't think I'd get anything useful accomplished today...except maybe a nap. Tom fell yesterday on his way into The Press Room and put a gash in the back of his head. He was okay otherwise, and the bleeding pretty much stopped right away (amazing since he's on blood thinners), and he really wanted to visit with people so, despite the fact I thought it needed to be looked at by a professional and probably needed stitches, we stuck around the session for a bit. A friend called another session regular who is a is a FNP-C and she brought her gear to look at the wound and pronounced it, indeed, needed stitches. So at 5 PM we headed to Lee Urgent Care which was on the way home. Sigh. Good idea and Tom got in right away, but...because he's on blood thinners he needed to have a CAT scan and they couldn't do that, so sent us on to Dover (semi-backtracking on the 2nd leg of a triangle from Portsmouth) to the ER. And the Wentworth-Douglass ER was having a busy night. 2-1/2 hours waiting until he could get the CAT scan. Then wait for it to be interpreted (it came out fine; and a doc said it was the quickest he seen that accomplished, too), then wait to get stitched up. Five hours (there -- not counting the time at Lee Urgent Care and the half hour drive). We didn't leave the hospital until 11 PM. (He fell at 4.) Oh, and it was FxxKING SNOWING when we came home!!! Arghhhh! Couldn't go right to bed, of course. Plus had to post at Facebook so people wouldn't worry since they hadn't heard from us sooner. (Cell wouldn't work in that part of the hospital.) So didn't turn out the light until 1:15 -- and woke up at 7:00 AM. I don't function on too little sleep. Did get a short nap, but it didn't help. But I did bring stuff in from the car (despite it being iced in -- tricky) and finished a Vanity Fair from a couple weeks ago. Then got some more ephemera into the yearly binders. (Mostly from the '90s.) Soon to bed and hope I more awake tomorrow. Both Tom and I slept well, just not long enough. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 16 Mar 13 - 06:07 PM After digging out jars and boxes of odd bits leftover from hardware installed around the house I found an "L" bracket the right size to mend the broken corner (broken weld) on the back gate. It's a temporary mend, not a permanent repair, just enough so I can come and go through the back gate until I get new panels and install them. Now to go get gas for the mower and string trimmer. The eBay buyer has until Tuesday before I cancel the sale and relist. Fingers crossed he does pay - I'd like to be finished with this box now. On another listing matter, I picked up a pile of books and looked up the authors in the recent sales and kept a stack that have mostly sold well recently. I'll list those individually. I was inactive enough for a while that if someone looks at my account now they don't see a rating for communication, promptness, fair prices, shipping, etc. That feedback has to populate after 10 sales reports are filled out, so I have a few more to go before it shows up. I want to sell the chandelier when people can see all of that information, so I'm flogging books and other smaller stuff until then. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: wysiwyg Date: 16 Mar 13 - 05:55 PM We've been working through the alterations... So weird to see LEGS under all these-- everything got shortened. I snugged up two skirts' waistbands with elastic today. I also took in a pair of jeans that were falling down WAY too easy! ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 16 Mar 13 - 05:13 PM Are you cutting the books out of the spine to do the scan? In the library where I work they do that then send them out to be rebound. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: JohnInKansas Date: 16 Mar 13 - 01:47 PM I've mentioned before that I've been clearing bookshelves by scanning the good stuff to store on a hard drive. My main scanner for this, since it can scan both sides of a page in a single pass without turning the paper over (and destroying many pages) has a feed roller that needs to be replaced periodically. I got a notice last week that I've just worn out the SECOND roller and need to replace it. The "Maintenance Manager" says that I've put 210,932 sheets through it so far. That's about 8 linear feet of shelf space that can now be used to store some of the books that have been in piles on the floor, replaced by only about 350 GB of drive space. And only 147 feet of books left for the ones currently on shelves (which are most of the ones actually worth saving, although "she" persists in asking me to save some of "her" worthless junk too). The other two scanners I've made a little less use of - required mainly for stuff that's too wide for the little one, but both much slower - don't keep track as visibly and apparently don't need the same sort of periodic fixing, although test sheets on both of them show >20,000 sheets passed on each. A side benefit is that for the ones where the OCR did a reasonably decent job, I can now search the ones I've converted on the computer to go directly to any individual item (quote, formula, etc) I want in any book (as long as I can guess what spelling the OCR might have turned it into). The critical importance of getting this done, of course, is that we're very much into "bookishness." "Her" life consists primarily of three activities which are 1.) read a book, 2.) feed the cats, 3.) take a nap. I now have the additional "Put another page in the scanner" (to the tune of "Put Another Log on the Fire") to keep me active - and it's probably more exercise than I'd get otherwise. John |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 16 Mar 13 - 12:34 PM Waiting on an eBay sale to be paid for, then another good-sized box is out of the house. It's a lovely day for gardening, so after I finish a cuppa tea I'm into the yard for the duration. I have to take a Sudafed before I go out, I'm feeling the spring pollen this week. It'll be on top of my regular zyrtec. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: wysiwyg Date: 15 Mar 13 - 09:00 PM Good 'un SRS. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 15 Mar 13 - 04:25 PM The box handed to the mail carrier today had a lot of baggage: it contained the recently-sold tureen from an old family china set (not usable because it is semi-vitreous, but it is beautiful and some people collect it). The china top and bottom were each packed in their own shaped box and these were in turn placed into a larger shipping box that has been around the house for years. As I was preparing to tape the large box shut I scribbled off some of the identifying notes on the outside SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 15 Mar 13 - 10:08 AM Time spent in the office this week doesn't amount to anywhere near the exertions some of you are going through. I have such a spaghetti behind my computer that I can imagine your task, Linn. And it bugs me when I get started but I have to extricate myself to go get my office glasses so I can read all of the little embossed symbols on the back of the computer for plugging things in properly. And sometimes pulling the portable Ott light back there for more clarity. Heavy lifting this weekend - it must be out in the garden. I am so far behind in getting started. We have a long growing season, but I won't have stuff quite as early as I like (though the perennial stuff is producing - I've had several meals with asparagus and there is chard and lots of herbs out there.) Heard from Kat yesterday - she sounded strong and her usual self - love you too, girl! SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 14 Mar 13 - 03:50 PM Another day at home and I've been puttering about. Jeremiah is doing very well with the potty training and I'm very happy about that! I had some time to post photos from his family birthday party over on FB if any of you are interested. :) All my basic chores are done, laundry is caught up and now I'm washing things like shower curtains, curtains, a few quilts, etc. I have a pile of CDs that has been sitting on top of a shelf for quite some time now that is just bugging me. I think today will be the day to sort through and find a new space for them. My CD rack is FULL. Pete has been working extraordinarily hard lately. Early last evening he took a 4 hour nap. He was sitting on the couch, kinda leaned to one side. Then the other. And then he sat straight up and leaned forward so his chest was resting on his knees. I woke him up each time but in about 2 breaths he started to snore again. He slept all night and woke up late (SO not like him) this morning. I decided that he's just catching up on some rest but because he does work so hard to take care of us, that I'd make him a special treat. He loves Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies, so I have a batch cooling on some wax paper at this very moment. I keep offering to go back to work (even though I really do enjoy being a stay at home mom) and he continues to tell me that he wants me home with Jeremiah. It makes things tight but we waited our whole lives for him and if at all possible, I will continue to stay home with my now 3 year old little boy. In the meantime...Pete is exhausted and it makes me feel good to make him treats. :) I have a casserole planned for dinner. I'll start that as soon as Jeremiah goes down for a nap (which should be soon). Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Bat Goddess Date: 14 Mar 13 - 01:44 PM Figured I'd check in here while waiting to catch my breath and stop sweating so much from my contortions straightening out the tangle of cordage behind the old computer. If I didn't love Tom so damned much, I'd be really tempted to strangle him right about now. He has always been proprietary about setting up the computers and phone system, etc. so the tangle is all his fault (compounded by my complacency). Today I just needed to replace the old cordless phone's base unit with the one for the new phone -- just trace the wires back and plug in the new ones. Simple, right? Well... My first move was to try to extricate all the cords that aren't actually plugged in, or plugged into the power strip that isn't plugged in. (Hey! Does this sound like my phone cord simplification of last year on the other side of the house around the "new" computer? Uh huh.) And it's not an easy place to try to trace cords back to the source. Found more than a few that weren't attached on either end, just wound around all the other cords. Took those out one at a time. If Tom had removed them at the time when other things were installed and they were made redundant, it would REALLY be useful right about now. Okay. I cleared out more techno-crap (including the replaced cordless phone) and gotten some of the extra long phone wire a bit more under control. AND the new phone has both phone and power cord plugged in and has achieved dial tone. Yeehah! Still has to charge a few more hours, but then Tom will have a phone with a much larger display and really big lighted buttons and he won't be getting anywhere near as frustrated as he's been and he won't be accidently screwing up calls. I've got one mystery cord. Can't find the end behind the desk and computer. There's just nothing back there that looks like it. And if I try to poke the free end up through the knee hole up behind the desk, I can't grab it from the top and Tom can't see well enough to help me. I didn't know my body could still get into some of those positions. I'm going to give it one more shot, then I'll put the lamp back (and plug it in) and replace the chair. But that's another room that needs to be de-cluttered, if only everything else didn't take priority. Arghhh! Linn |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Mar 13 - 12:58 PM And a second good-sized box will head out the door. Every little bit helps! A couple of years ago some of you read about my friend who lost his house to foreclosure. He found an apartment and got moved, and in the process the bank offered him $2000 if he would empty the house to "broom clean." He couldn't turn it down, and I helped finance the dumpster, and was paid back after he was paid. He had a roommate in that apartment, because his own credit wasn't good enough to get in. That roommate left last summer because he was up north at his parents' home to attend a wedding and was injured in a motorcycle accident. He now lives with his parents and goes through the PT required after such an accident. My friend could afford the rent without him, and enjoyed using more space, but this month the lease came up for renewal. In a rather odd way, it became clear that the longest he could get a lease was for 7 months. It seems that the building will empty out at that point and the new owners may plan to tear it down. So - the good news is that my friend was able to find and rent a new place on his own. It's about 20 months since the foreclosure and that time of paying bills on time has given him enough credit that he can get it on his own. They did ask for a larger deposit. And since he is only moving the contents of the apartment (he has a storage locker for a lot of stuff from the house) it will seem like a breeze. I'll help him out if he needs it, but this will be a simple process of a couple of truckloads, not all of the work of filling dumpsters. This apartment is still in a not-so-great neighborhood and lots of Section 8 renters, but after another year or so he'll be back to full income (he has been paying himself back from borrowing against his 401k - withholding nearly half of his income to payback for work on a roof he no longer owns). At that point, with a better score and full wages, he will be able to move to a nicer place. It has been a slow process, but overall, tolerable. He has a roof over his head and is getting on with his life. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Mar 13 - 09:36 AM I'm waiting for the winner of an auction to pay and then one largish-sized box is out the door. On to a good home where it will go back into service. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: freda underhill Date: 14 Mar 13 - 12:06 AM Linn, decluttering for two - things from over the decades. That's an achievement, amongst all the caring and recovery you're doing. Took around forty books to the second hand bookshop, came away with some children's books for the grandkids, and DVDs. Today passsed on a backpack, a denim jacket and a small leather backpack to a friend. slowly making more space, and constantly identifying more things to go. freda |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 13 Mar 13 - 09:57 PM Jeri, I agree about shiny things. Then next trick is to use them for what I intended, once I have the clear space to work, like Freda described. Freda, is it possible to have too many CDs? Like "too many" books - it's more a matter of too little storage, not too many of those precious items. Linn - I love that tape story. Did you look in the litter box? Things are turning finally at eBay. It took a little while to get things up that would sell, but I've sold four in the last week and another has a bid on it, and there are watchers on two others. In my opinion there's no point in listing big things until you have some current positive feedback so people thinking about bidding can see you're active and reliable. And if, in the process, you clear out the contents of a couple of shelves in the closet or the bulk on top of a table, all the better! Made a big batch of guacamole tonight, consumed a portion and put the rest in ice cube trays in the freezer. I'm going to turn off the computer pretty soon - I'm trying to get adjusted to the time change, I'm not there yet. The computer can be so distracting that I forget to watch the clock. I had an auction with a "buy it now" price that sold this afternoon. If he pays tonight I can drop that box at the post office in the morning on my way to work. And there goes one of the satellite receivers I haven't used in years. I made a couple of trips up and down all six flights of stairs in the library today. I need to get up every hour or so and walk around, it might as well be five minutes climbing stairs. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Bat Goddess Date: 13 Mar 13 - 11:27 AM Wow. Threw out a whole bunch of empty envelopes. (I used to ask Tom if he wanted an album or something to save them in. I KNOW ephemera collectors save the damnedest things, but he claims it's not a formal hobby...) And a bunch of income tax information booklets for a number of years. Saved the covers (with the year on it) and stapled the other paperwork for that year to them. Got all the old tax information neatly filed TOGETHER in a hanging file. Tom's newspaper columns and other writing from the '90s are now filed where they actually SHOULD be filed. Found a really neat GWB magnet set I'd forgotten we had, plus Alf Edwards' concertina book and a bunch of set lists that need to be filed elsewhere. Oh, and about a 4 or 5 inch stack of 2005 Newsweeks, soon to be glanced at and THROWN OUT. And I'm starting to get the other financial files into the drawer in an organized way. Throwing useless stuff out is wonderfully satisfying. Wish it made a bigger dent, though. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: wysiwyg Date: 13 Mar 13 - 10:20 AM Among the 3 bags of alterations I got back Monday, there was a repaired purse. I had been concerned that perhaps during my illness and recovery, with a bigger purse always with me, that I had gone to too much "pursage" to fit into that old favorite, but I just repacked it for the trip and it all FIT!!! So the old bigger-than-a-seaman's-duffel that held 12 full size pillows and a change of clothes , plus my purse, went-- eventually-- to a pull-along suitcase with 8 mini-pillows and a change of clothes, plus my purse. And now THAT has gone to the matching piece of zippered luggage (a shoulder bag like a camera bag), no larger than a large purse, plus my purse. The bag and purse, last month, became the only extra "pillows" I needed in addition to whatever pillows the host has lying around in their LR. TBTG! I do not recall being this portable since my 20's. It is one of the best "take-aways" from the months on my back in the nursing home-- because now I can sleep WELL, that way, for a night or two, on a narrow couch. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: wysiwyg Date: 13 Mar 13 - 09:33 AM The last days' rain-soaked ground here seems to be getting a day off from rain to dry up some.... bodes well for me, because PT started Monday and according to assigned exercises, I will need to be beyond the ramp and out around the perimeter of the yard pretty soon, walking faster than mudboots will allow. The asphalt road however is looking purty good.... Off to Rochester for a travel-light overnighter. Love it that now I can sleep on couches!!! Boondocker not yet set up for camping season but have plan to fit cot and dog crate in there so F boondocks, too. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Bat Goddess Date: 13 Mar 13 - 08:27 AM Okay, Tom's up and I've medicated his knees and foot, got him coffee, etc. and will make breakfast in a bit. (It's Wednesday, so we do a "weekend" breakfast instead of just an English muffin or something.) Already cleared out the top drawer of the file cabinet behind Tom and taken the pile upstairs. Looks like a bunch o' stuff I didn't know we had plus some Newsweeks from 2005 and maybe a few tax files. I've already decided that this drawer (and the one below it, if necessary) is where all the financial files will live -- instead of disorganized and scattered around on the top of the cabinet...on the map chest on my side of the table...in a pile next to Tom. (Basically, he's finally come to grips with the fact that he can't see well enough to take care of all this stuff and that it's okay for ME to organize it and stow it somewhere closeby but not strewn all over in full sight of anyone who comes into the house.) It's hard for Tom to admit he needs to rearrange how he's always done things because he can no longer see well enough. Later I'll pick up the new cordless phone for him with a much larger, clearer display and BIG buttons. It will be a lot less frustrating for him. And yesterday I ordered an atomic watch for him that will announce the time when he pushes a button. Also on the docket today is checking out a couple possible "new" (to me, at least) cars since I need to replace my aging '97 Subaru (the engine will go on forever, but the rest of the car is falling apart) real soon now. Lots of melting last night -- hope the driveway hasn't gotten any worse than it has been. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: freda underhill Date: 12 Mar 13 - 06:09 PM it always feels great to clear space, and I seem to only be able to do artwork in an uncluttered environment. so I've slowly started decluttering again- grandchildren's toys to neighbours' children, books to the second hand shop. I have far too many CDs .. but .. will work hard on this today.. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Jeri Date: 12 Mar 13 - 04:31 PM It's this century's wasabi. Linn, I predict you'll find the tape when you step on it...possibly sans shoes. I've found a new thing to do with beads: embroidery. Not on clothing (yet) but in jewelry making. If you're gonna horde something, pick something small and shiny, that's what I say. There rest of the stuff in here isn't intentional--honest. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 12 Mar 13 - 04:23 PM LOL...I can just see that story in progress!!! =^..^= Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Bat Goddess Date: 12 Mar 13 - 04:00 PM Paperwork today...so it doesn't look as if I've done anything, but it's major. Just back from the PO so they're all out of the house and on their way. And all the phone calls de-cluttered, too. Had to buy a new roll of clear packaging tape today because yesterday, after I packaged up some cookbooks for ClaireBear, I left the tape dispenser on the table. Rufus has been more aggressive about claiming the table as HIS lately, so leaped up and settled his puddy tat bum right smack in the middle of everything...and the tape and dispenser attached itself to his tail. Well, that was exciting. He ran, first in one direction, bounced off the wall, and went tear-ass in the other direction and up the stairs. Alas, by the time he came back downstairs, the dispenser had untaped itself from his tail. I've looked all over and can't find it. Figured I might have half a chance of finding it if I bought another roll...and I'll use it anyway. (Maybe get a couple more packages out tomorrow...that's less clutter in the house.) Good advice about eBay selling, Maggie. Now I just have to get off MY rear end and do some of it. Tom's physical therapist has been and gone...will be back on Thursday. And I've just taken the shortbread out of the oven. Now I think I'll go upstairs and call a friend who had to cut our call short last week. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 12 Mar 13 - 01:22 PM I spent this morning going through Jeremiah's clothing and taking the too small things and putting them in a marked tote. They will be photographed and put up for sale tomorrow. :) Any leftovers will land at our annual yard sale. The nursery is looking good! I still need to vacuum, dust and put away some clothes but now that I have only the current size he is wearing (summer clothes are already here and set aside for warmer weather..just need socks and shoes for the upcoming season)and clothes that have been given to us and are still to big are in another tote. It's been a productive morning. This afternoon I will continue with the laundry (potty training means lots of laundry!), dishes and a new bread recipe to try! It's rainy and gray but I'm enjoying my day at home with my little buddy. :) Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 12 Mar 13 - 12:08 PM All too often everything goes in boxes for the move because sorting is too difficult at the time of the move. I've sorted after the move when I had the leisure to do so - you may ship more than you intended, but the extra stuff can be a revenue stream. I've sold several thousands of dollars worth of stuff on eBay over about 8 years. There are other Mudcatters who sell on eBay, and some sell some pretty amazing stuff. There are a couple of threads you can look for. It takes some practice to do it in a way that describes the object correctly, offers clear and adequate photographs, and the item is appropriately packed for shipping. Don't sell things that aren't in suitable good condition for their age, i.e., antiques that have a normal sort of wear are fine as long as you describe and photograph any issues, understanding they are to be expected. But if you have stuff that is just used and doesn't work, unless you sell it for repair or parts (which is a great way to move stuff out of the house to someone who can use it). Bottom line, sell things in the condition and shipped in the way that you would want to receive it if you were buying the item online. It is time consuming, but once you have a system for selling it goes faster. I have a space with materials for photographing and packing anything I'm selling. There is a set of shelves with padded envelopes, various sizes of cardboard, rolls of bubble wrap, scissors, packing tape, a scale, paper and pens, various sizes of small ziplock bags, bags of styrofoam peanuts, a big bag of those air bladders that come from Amazon and there are also some good big pieces of wadded up paper in a trash bag under the table. I have flattened boxes behind a cabinet and a big box full of small boxes that have come in the mail. I need to recycle cardboard every so often when I end up with too much of it, but keep a supply, and know where you can find or buy boxes if you need them. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: wysiwyg Date: 12 Mar 13 - 10:59 AM My project also is a downsize. The actual move is years off, so I get to finish prep that started the day the kids moved out. We are looking at a specific property that will either come through and be IT, or be the size of what ends up as IT. Thus I know the approximate layout, as well as the lot size. So as I move thru this house working on stuff, my eye and mind are doing background "shopping." Like this: "OH! I know where YOU are going to be sitting, and how you will be used...." It started by my designating years ago, "eventual keepers" and "eventual leave-behinds." The great evolution is that for some years we will rent the new place out-- which means round one of "leavers" will furnish it for the tenant and round two will be to ditch that stuff THEN, once we are set to live in it, and bring in the keepers. And now I know the square footage. :~) Right now the most fun part is mentally furnishing the outdoor part! :~) ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: ranger1 Date: 12 Mar 13 - 08:53 AM Welcome, Dave! I was commenting a while back about not having any fellas on the thread. I downsized recently, too, to a 400 square foot cottage. The local charity shop has gotten to know me quite well, too. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Dave the Gnome Date: 12 Mar 13 - 07:53 AM We just moved house and downsized. Hell of a way to de-clutter! The charity shop near our old house were sick of seeing us! We still had too much so the new local charity shop is getting to know us well too :-) Out of interest - Does anyone using ebay have any advice for getting rid of old stuff? We generaly give it away but I suppose selling some would make more sense if we can. Cheers DtG |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 11 Mar 13 - 06:08 PM SRS, It sounds like YOU have been very busy as well!!!! While the baby was napping today, I took care of something that has been bugging me for months but it's a messy job and I just didn't want to do it. Today was the day!!! We have a 10 gallon fish tank that has been sitting empty for a LONG time....so long that the water all evaporated!! Today I took out the statues, the filter and heater...cleaned them all up. Dumped out all the teeny tiny rocks and rinsed them very, very well and then scrubbed out the tank. Everything has been put back and the tank is now full of water. It needs to set a bit and then take a few days for the water to come to temperature. In the meantime, I need to get some drops to add to the water to make sure it's fish friendly and hopefully this weekend I'll be adding some fish! Jeremiah LOVES to watch the *shishies!* HOORAY! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 11 Mar 13 - 05:51 PM We're like kids at side-by-side play, sometimes interacting, sometimes just reporting and moving on. Sounds like Linn is exhausted and Michelle is very busy. I haven't gotten a lot done in these four days, but I have been occupied the whole time. Some of it the black hole of facebook. :-/ I just photographed and packed up the old DVR, and am using up bags of packing material as I work. My goal is to confine my packing materials under the table in the sun room and out of sight in the cupboard in there. You know how it works - you receive a few things with styrofoam peanuts or various sorts of bubble wrap or plastic air pockets. If you do much shipping, it's simply impossible to throw it out. Instead, you need to find a way to ship it to other people. :) It warmed up this afternoon, so time to take the dogs for a walk. We can all use it. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 11 Mar 13 - 01:51 PM Hooray for better days!!!! XOXOXO Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Bat Goddess Date: 11 Mar 13 - 01:22 PM Stuff addressed to drop off at post office on my way to the credit union and then buy some large envelopes to get some other stuff in the post and off my table. Load of laundry washed...still need to dry it. Batch of chicken stock simmering on stove (but I'll turn it off while I'm out). Visiting nurse hasn't called to say what time she's coming (and it's after 1 PM -- they usually call first thing in the morning), so I'm going out to do my errands. Tom doesn't need to have me here when she comes. So far, so good. Much better day than yesterday. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 11 Mar 13 - 11:47 AM Yesterday I did a lot of baking and celebrating Jeremiah's 3rd birthday with our family!!! This morning I have been busy. I'm on my 3rd load of laundry, dishes are done, carpet is vacuumed, my boys have been fed and I put together a Chuggington train set for Jeremiah who is now happily playing! :) YAY! A conversation took place this morning about things we want to do with our yard and porch this spring (lots of trimming to be done, some sprucing up, etc) and we are on the same page which is always nice! I'm feeling springtime in the air and I'm ready to embark on some spring cleaning. HOORAY!!!! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Bat Goddess Date: 10 Mar 13 - 07:38 PM Well, today was shot to hell. I probably over-reacted this morning when I looked at Tom's swollen foot and two purple toes. Then, when it was better, I still wanted a visiting nurse to look at it. And, since she hadn't seen it before, she thought Urgent Care was a good idea. So off we went...for somewhere between 2 and 3 hours. To find out...keep doing what we've been doing. Fill the new 'script for the antibiotics (which actually WAS on the list for today), continue taking them, continue putting the foot up, put some hot compresses on it...and let Tom's regular visiting nurse look at it tomorrow. By the time we finally got home around 4 p.m., I knew that NOTHING was going to get really accomplished today. (Well, I got a couple of Tom's 'scripts filled and ran into a woman I worked with over ten years ago.) Walking upstairs drained every last bit of energy I still had left. I'd had stuff on my list... I haven't the energy to open the file drawer behind Tom and see if it might be a good place to put all the financial crap we have to keep. Not the really important stuff, just all the other papers. No energy, either, to call anyone. Damned little now to maybe throw some leftovers in the nuke for supper. Even Tom wants to retreat to bed very very early. Tom just came to get me -- he wants to go to bed. Now. I'll get him tucked in, set up the coffee and shut the house down and do the same myself. Tomorrow is another day... Linn |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: wysiwyg Date: 10 Mar 13 - 01:00 PM I'm making progress on identifying what items will be kept for the future, and what items will be "used up" and not replaced in the near term... furniture, appliances, lawn equipment, tools..... ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 09 Mar 13 - 09:43 PM I decided to be proactive with the china - I set it out and took photos, then packed it with paper in between, taped up the box, and along with a couple of elderly electronics I took it all as a donation to the Goodwill. It's outta here. I went into my eBay ads and edited out the information about having more plates. I'm now about 25 pounds lighter in the china area and my countertop is clear. Since I was taking a functional but elderly DVD player to donate I looked for the booklet. I tried the usual places and didn't find it, but in the process kicked out several manuals of things I no longer own or things I won't use and don't need to keep. I'll put two old satellite dish receivers on eBay, along with their books and remote controls. The technology has changed so much that if I go back as a subscriber they'll give me new HD equipment. I dismantled the dish itself, so I can't sell the whole thing (I have my current antenna on the dish arm), but I see people selling the individual parts. Who knows, I may have a series of items to list tomorrow. It's pouring down rain now (finally!) and I'm going to finish sorting those drawers. I have tons of old cables I don't use and I have a box of old cables I'm getting ready to list on eBay. Looks like I have more to put in that lot. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 09 Mar 13 - 02:03 AM That is a great plan, Maryanne, holding your own feet to the fire that way! My house is not ready for prime time. I finished and sent a e-newsletter tonight for work. I've shoveled papers off of my desk and filed quite a few. Took out the trash. And this evening I cleared out the cache of every application loaded in my phone. I've accomplished more virtual clearing than anything else today. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: MAG Date: 09 Mar 13 - 01:17 AM had a committee mtg here Tues., so shovelled about 2 days to be presentable -- I volunteer my house on purpose for this crocuses etc. all up - hope they don't freeze, but it probably won't get very cold again -- only froze 2 nights all winter -- I love Portland |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 08 Mar 13 - 08:45 PM I know what I meant to say, but didn't manage to get it out of my fingertips. It's one of those "do what I mean, not what I say" moments. Spring ahead, fall back. :) I've gotten so bad about sending cards. I need to buy a supply of various types of cards and have them here ready to use. This afternoon I sorted out papers in the office, filed some stuff, and am moving around stuff in the sun room to see what else I can donate. The more, the sooner, the better. Will Fly, it has been predominately women, but not entirely. People drift in with projects, work on them and describe for a few posts, and move on. We're slow workers, moving forward slowly freeing up space, but there is an awful lot of day-to-day sharing here. We've gone through cancer and surgeries with people and spin-off threads have resulted. It sounds like you made a good move - every so often I look at the mix of mugs and glasses in my cupboards and think I ought to pull it all out and find the bits that match and donate the rest (except for the favorites, and then things would start climbing back up into the cupboard. . . ) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Bat Goddess Date: 08 Mar 13 - 07:16 PM Set the clock FORWARD tomorrow night (that means we lose an hour) -- Stilly, don't end up two hours off on Sunday! Extreme back pain while coughing is what made Tom try to restrain from coughing, which is what gave him the pneumonia and put him in such bad shape. The back pain seems to have sorted itself out (time, time...) so he's now using the Lidocaine patches on his knees (which hurt from the PREVIOUS fall a month and a half ago) instead of his back. Cards and notes...I'm a card writer. I send out a lot of cards. (Two went out to friends yesterday morning.) And was a little disappointed that through this round of hospitalization for Tom, we didn't receive a single card. Lots of online thoughts, wishes and prayers, but an actual card would have been very cheering. A friend DID send an incredible citrus fruit "wreath" -- WOW! Totally unexpected and quite a delightful surprise. I've never tasted such delicious grapefruit (or oranges or tangerines). I just now started another batch of grapefruit-infused vodka with some of the peels. May try orange as well, or an orange/grapefruit medley (with some lime thrown in for good measure). Took today "off" as a snow day. Almost all of what I accomplished was on the phone. Did some on-line research and more laundry, though, too. And, of course, shovelled the snow off the deck and steps and cleaned off the car. But also got in some good resting/reading time (and cat-petting and tea-drinking). Good day. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 08 Mar 13 - 06:18 PM Getting ready to de-bark for the country took time, included clearing the morning emails, attending to yesterday's pots - well wrapped so they do not dry before I get back to trim them, triaging food and getting it in the car along with clean clothes and boots. Able to wear shoes in the city right now AND the SUN was shining - most of the way. Even remembered to stop for milk. Determined en route that a de-tox bath was needed more than potting. Good thing as I had left the heat down. so it was too cool to work in the studio. Spent a couple hours getting cabin ready for airbnb guests arriving tomorrow noon. Then bath, then lunch, then recuperation time - emails and reading. Now time to go to cafe. Wood stove not too good about getting a fire going. Suspect chimney needs cleaning but it is finally going. The Bombadils were terrific last night. So glad R could manage to attend. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Will Fly Date: 08 Mar 13 - 01:57 PM Ladies - may I join you for a post? Do you mind...? While emptying out the dishwasher the other day, I thought to myself, "Why am I putting these dishes in this pile - and these dishes in that pile - and this cutlery here - and that cutlery there...? All stuff we've had for 46 years of marriage. So, after a chat, we decided to get rid of loads of old crockery and cutlery, and buy brand new stuff. Nice stainless steel knives, forks, spoons, etc., and some really nice Royal Worcester bone china dinner plates, side plates and cereal bowls. Some of the old stuff will go to my son and DIL, and a lot will go to charity shops. Slimming down, making a clean sweep - now that's what I call a declutter! :-) |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 08 Mar 13 - 01:34 PM Cleared out several thousand old emails in my main Gmail account, and am now back to eBay items to declutter the sun room. Looks like rain over the weekend but I'll run errands then walk the dogs before it gets wet. And I'm going to drag the soaker hoses out of the garden so I can dig it up after a rain when it's soft and easy to work with. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 07 Mar 13 - 09:22 PM Lots of walking and extra play time with Jeremiah today (we had FUN!!!!) Tired out by the time I got home so it was tomato soup and there was coconut cake for Pete (that I made yesterday from a local nursing home friends and family community cookbook which I love). :) Jeremiah had part of a chocolate cupcake that he received at Barnes and Noble (a birthday club perk for kids) and Mama added sprinkles. :) Sometimes simple is best. :) Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 07 Mar 13 - 05:25 PM Happiness is getting some pots thrown - finally. Just 8 small ones and prepared balls for the next lot. 90 minutes more work than I have done in a while. Then about 20 min on the cycle while watching TV. A good day. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: wysiwyg Date: 07 Mar 13 - 03:32 PM The first thing I need to determine is whether the Dad is in shape yet to remember to thaw anything for supper when he starts his day. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 07 Mar 13 - 12:40 PM Oh, Susan! These sounds like things I used to do - when I was cooking for the masses. Living alone for MANY years, I have gotten totally out of the habit. So, you wake me up to the woman I used to be! I cook more now than I did before R. The last real baking I did was for moveon.org bake sales - in 2008! That inspired my to great heights - baklava, cookies, jalapeno corn bread. We raised lots of money. Have done library and groceries. Now on the noon news and, after this, lunch - chicken, from Monday's supper, on lettuce with a bit of salsa. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: wysiwyg Date: 07 Mar 13 - 11:54 AM SRS, nope on video hints-- these are hands-on people who need to go as slow as their grief will allow. :~) (This is not my first rodeo with young men or indeed adult men who need to take care of themselves.) DP: That sounds like a lot of cooking, Susan! Oh, I'm too wily (old) to wear myself out cooking menu-style-- like the dinner for last night, for example: One night I had a taste for mac and cheese so I made a diabetic-style batch. It got kinda big because I boiled "too much" pasta. The cheese sauce-- roux and shredded cheddar. The next day the neighbor lady died so I got out the frozen meatballs THAT day and set them in a small crockpot to thaw and soak up canned, diced tomaters. And went on with my ramp laps in between her visitation, funeral/etc. The next day I flavored the meatballs, and packed them up on top of loaf pans half full of the mac n cheese, in each pan 2 large servings, which I thought would feed the dad after the company went home. We took 'em up the road that night, but the sons were just leaving to go back to school and had crammed all the food gifts of that week into their freezers-- one knew how, I learned. So their dad asked if we could hold that mac in our freezer, so we did. Then last week I made us some spag squash and had an idea for the next time. I grabbed one while doing our shopping the other day, plus an an extra bag of the variety of apples that had been so popular up-road. With Hardi's schedule, we decided last night was the best night to take it up there, so we thawed it the night before and it went into the fridge yesterday AM. By then we had learned via FB that not one but TWO of the sons had come home on spring break, and I thought adding a veg would be a good idea.... so I made the squash (nuked and then easily garnished and packed). I then called the house, got the one of the sons I barely know, and said his dad and my husband had made an arrangement to bring up supper-- did they have plans, or did they want it that night? "Uh, YEAH!" So I said we'd stick it in their oven about 5. We went up there fivish and did that-- made sure they were on a good temp in the oven, unloaded those apples, and spent a very few minutes with their dad while he awaited the sons' return from weight-lifting. He gave me back the last pan we'd sent-- chicken and onion hash had been in that one. (They'd helped us out by eating up the overflow when a batch for Hardi got WAY too big for MY fridge-- that was when Hardi had made the arrangement that "it might be time to thaw that mac now.") So really-- I am just making a little extra of one dish, on some nights, and saving them to pack up to make up a complete dinnerful when needed, or weekly if the young men are not visiting, so their dad gets time with his priest and a full belly instead of the TV dinners we heard he's been "enjoying." And me, I get to increase the amount of time I can stand up, and run my own damn kitchen for a change! I found some twice-baked taters in the fridge. They were meant to be feta-cheese-bakes but I didn't have enough feta to make the taste as strong as we like.... but if I add a cheddar cheese sauce and rebake, they will not taste too foreign, and go along with.... probably Hardi will grill them a few steaks or pork chops (teach how). An upcoming meal will be sloppy joes as done in a dutch oven. O....M....G!!!! Starting with a hothothot dutch oven, it's: <> Ground beef and onions, etc. make the bottom layer, cooked, with sauce added. <> Next layer, shredded cheese. A good amount. <> Top layer, bisquick dough (we prefer another brand tho). The dough soaks the cheese up into it. To serve, just plunge in a metal spoon and turn the result over onto a plate. And repeat as needed. When it is gone, the pot is still hot enough to bake an "apple pancake"-- swill it out with water heated on the fire, then put in a flat round of more bisquick dough, cube up an apple or two, add cinnamon, mmmmm. Good conversation while it cooks and gets up that apple smell. Did you know apples can be roasted over a fire, just like hot dogs? ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 07 Mar 13 - 10:11 AM There are lots of cooking tips on YouTube - I put short videos up for my kids. You might prepare a dish and then find a video that demonstrates how to make it and post the link (or a bitly version so it isn't difficult to type in) with the contributed dish so the sons get some instruction along with the donation. Busy day today, but at least the kitchen has stayed looking good all week. I have the peninsula staked out for my eBay photos for a while. I don't want anything else in the house to show, just the background, so I use felt behind closeups or my denim-blue sheet, artfully wrinkled, as the backup. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 07 Mar 13 - 10:10 AM That sounds like a lot of cooking, Susan! I survived that trip "up there", and stopped at Home Depot on way back, gifting myself with yellow primrose for the city kitchen and a prayer plant and a bi-colour ficus for the big country planter. Will keep the ficus in its pot and lower it into the centre of the planter. Took the NAC and made cauliflower soup. I say that as though there was cause and effect. I believe so. I do feel better this morning. I had to hurry in the vitamin shop as it was full of fragrance. I just bought the first NAC I saw and got out. That store does not usually bother me so this indicates a need to detox. That is part of what the NAC does for me. Off to library and mini grocery - grapefruit and avocados. I thickened the soup with buckwheat flour which gave it a definite colour! and flavour. It was nice. Also a half teaspoon of "Arabian spices" from the Iraq family cookbook. Next time, I will thicken with chick pea flour and try 3/4 teaspoon spice. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: wysiwyg Date: 07 Mar 13 - 09:42 AM We're cooking now for two-- households that is. I learned a lot about food gifting when we were on the receiving end, and our neighbor who lost his wife last month has 4 hungry uni student sons who come home regularly to check in... few of whom can cook. YET. :~} Last night, whole grain mac n cheese w Greek meatballs, spaghetti squash nests w red sweet pepper and garlic, plus bag of apples. Working on next week's item... has to freeze well in case we pick the wrong night to deliver it. Gave to consult the freezer. All the sons are weight lifters... ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 06 Mar 13 - 08:05 PM Have photographed and worked out the packing for the tureen. I'll pop that on eBay tonight and then find a box for the rest of this. There isn't much interest, even at very low prices. I should perhaps also list it in the crafts materials area for broken crockery for mosaic projects. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 06 Mar 13 - 11:52 AM SRS: Good tip about the cherry tomatoes! We were overrun with them last year - volunteers from the heritage ones of the year before! The plants overran the city yard before I realized it and produced like mad until frost. Yesterday - 3 loads of laundry, two grocery runs to dif stores and way too much time on internet. Went to upstairs studio to turn on heat, watered plants and checked on clay. Darn. And now it is midday and I need to make a run back up to the vitamin store because I left the NAC in the country and feel the lack of it. Above freezing, just, and no snow on the roads. That is the good news. I HATE driving up there. That's why I usually order on line but I blew it this time. OK, here I go. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 06 Mar 13 - 12:15 AM I've been using zucchini for a meal that I think I invented but probably is from so many recipes I've read over the years, and on top of making lots of marinara sauces. I cut the zucchini in irregular chunks (smallish) and saute them in olive oil with a little pepper. Meanwhile, I defrost an Italian sausage (I always have a supply in the freezer, they go so well in so many things), peel off the membrane, and cut it up into small bite-sized pieces as it cooks. When it's nearly done I add a generous handful of frozen onions and at least as much or more diced frozen bell pepper (both from the garden - I cut these up before freezing) and let them saute with the sausage. I press a garlic clove into it then open a jar of my home-grown diced tomatoes and pour it in, juice and all and let it simmer down a little, then add the zucchini. Simultaneously I have a pot of boiling water and cook up a cup of pasta (I found some wonderful tortellini at Aldi last week - my new favorite pasta for this is the one with mushrooms). I add that cooked pasta to the simmering mix. I also have a bag of salad sized shrimp in the freezer and I put a big handful in a bowl and let water dribble over it to thaw. The last two things into the pan are the cooked thawed shrimp and a few generous pinches of shredded Romano cheese. It's not soupy, but the tomatoes make a nice sauce, the cheese is just enough to bind it and give a little sharp accent (I might use a quarter cup at the most). It's mostly vegetables with a small amount of pasta and good protein. If I have a small can of mushrooms I sometimes add them. A big bowl of this and a glass of wine and it's a good one-bowl meal. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 05 Mar 13 - 07:58 PM Thanks! I'm going to give that a try this summer! We have a food mill....love it! What's everybody doing for dinners these days? I'm always interested in finding something new and different. Last night I made Shepard's Pie which is an all time favorite stand by comfort food in this house! Tonight I am making smothered chicken breasts (sweet peppers, mushrooms, garlic and an itty bitty amount of cheese), roasted Brussels sprouts (fine mist of olive oil, sea salt and lime juice) and baked potatoes. Have fun at your dinner Maggie. I have so few occasions to get dressed up that I actually enjoy getting dressed up very much. :) No yoga tonight...I think that would be pushing the limits of my back in a big way...better to rest tonight and catch a class tomorrow. :) Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 05 Mar 13 - 06:53 PM Yes, I froze them whole. Gave them a quick wash then put them on a flat low-sided baking sheet. Rolled the frozen tomato marbles into zip lock bags. When I thaw them I'll wear gloves and squirt each one out of it's skin and use the pulp, seeds and all, or run them through the Villaware food mill and separate out the skin and seeds from the juice and sauce. Just removing the skin and cooking it down till its thick is good for sauce and I don't care if the seeds are there or not. Heading out to a dinner tonight. Taking a friend from work, and other co-workers will be there. Nothing unusual, but I'm actually dressing up a bit for this. Makes it a bit more fussy. It'll be good to get home, kick off the suit and shoes and shrug into the flannel bathrobe and kick back for a little while. Perhaps we do formal uncomfortable things sometimes just to remind ourselves of how comfortable we can be the rest of the time. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 05 Mar 13 - 03:03 PM Maggie, How did you freeze your cherry tomatoes? Whole? Never thought about doing that but certainly always have an over abundance of them! I'd love to hear more! My back is feeling better! Not 100% but MUCH better. I got all the dishes done (except for a few pots that are soaking), the third load of laundry is in the washing machine, Jeremiah dumped a calendar that sits on my piano with 365 separate pages of quilts and blocks to work on (Mama was NOT happy about that). Jeremiah has his toys picked up and is just about ready to go down for a nap. For whatever reason, the reaching motion is what hurts so I am skipping the floors today. I found a great site for organizing meals and think I am going to spend some time this afternoon seeing what I can do...instead of a week at a time, I'm interested in the month at a time....points labeled, of course. If you are in the path of the upcoming predicted snow storm, stay safe and warm! It is supposed to pass just south of here....you never know! Our power company just called with a message to prepare for a power outage! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 05 Mar 13 - 02:02 PM Perhaps Sesame Street will teach him to read while you're battling this sore back! Moonglow was 18 months old when they helped her crack the code. :) Headache all day, for some reason. I'll try a cup of tea, maybe a little extra caffeine will help. I deculttered a few jars of jelly from summer of 2011. I have a lot still from 2012, so figured now was a good time to give samples of the previous season of mustang grape jelly. Co-workers happy to take it home (and promise to return my jelly jars). Since I've decided that this will be another year of donations to Salvation Army/Goodwill, I need to make a concerted effort to identify items. Photograph, create a document describing and pricing and place a copy of the photo on the document, print, and file in "Income Tax Related" file. I'm drawing down the freezer contents with dishes that use frozen onions, green bell pepper, 8 oz containers of Lidia's summer simmered sauce with tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, onions, and a lot of basil, etc. This helps both the pocketbook and making room for stuff once the garden gets going this summer. I have bags of cherry tomatoes that I'll have to thaw and turn into spaghetti sauce. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 05 Mar 13 - 11:31 AM PS. Sneezing is a bitch!!! )P(*^&&%#^%$#&)(*&$^%$#%$#(&*)( |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 05 Mar 13 - 10:57 AM My back is still quite sore this morning so I have a steady stream of Advil going and heat. Pete put some Ben Gay on last night but it didn't do much so I am not using it again today. I'm taking it easy...feet up, etc. I am doing laundry (so loving my new washing machine) and tending to Jeremiah as needed. I'm not a fan of having the TV on for him but today it is on...PBS...all educational kid's programs. Dinosaur Train. Sesame Street. Sid the Science Kid. Word World. He has never been plopped in front of the television so he doesn't just sit and watch now either.....he's playing with his cars, trucks and cat inbetween captivating bits on the television. I'll be calling the doctor tomorrow if I don't find some relief soon. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: wysiwyg Date: 05 Mar 13 - 09:57 AM I have been working on leadership development with a ministry colleague who I sorely hope can take over one of my bigger volunteer hats-- and the AM email brought GREAT news of his initiative!!! Most of the relevant files are in order to turn over. I am going to mentally prep the rest of the "stuff" but not do the hands-on work till he agrees, but I see daylight! ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 05 Mar 13 - 09:17 AM Michelle, somehow I missed your earlier description of your back injury. I did the same thing when Moonglow was two years old - I had taken the changing table down and so had a pad on the floor for changes. I made the mistake of bending to pick her up then rising with her in my hands - and I got that same painful lockup you describe. I lay where I was for a few minutes then crawled to the phone - and when my husband got home we loaded up for a trip to the emergency room. We hadn't been in town long and didn't have a regular doctor. I commented that I hated going to the emergency room for this, and they'd just put me on muscle relaxants and he'd have to stay home to watch a toddler. There was a minor emergency clinic near the house, so we tried there. THAT WAS THE BEST CHOICE WE COULD HAVE MADE. All caps for emphasis. It was staffed with Osteopaths. If you can find a DO go see him/her. I was in that exam room and he said that he didn't get much opportunity to use some of the DO skills and had me lie on my side. He pushed on my hip and pulled on my shoulder and I felt at distinct "pop!" and then I turned on the other side and he pulled and pushed again "pop! pop!" and it was back in place. My lower back was still tender feeling, but I was home on motrin, not on high-power painkillers until it popped back into place by itself. It's like a medical doctor with a chiropractor touch. I suppose a substitute for a DO would be a chiropractor, but I don't go to them so I can't make any recommendations. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: mg Date: 05 Mar 13 - 01:37 AM I would absoloutely recommend not lifting Jeremy unless his life is in danger...he can be given a little stool to climb up on a bed for changing, or pullups can be used, stretch time between changes..he can stand on something for changes and cleaning..perhaps persuaded by a lollipop or something....i am sure an occupational therapist could give suggestions...he is old enough to cooperate in this and can be told that mommy has a sore back...mg |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 04 Mar 13 - 10:41 PM I ended up only getting more laundry done. Pete was lucky to get the dinner he did tonight because it required time on my feet and my back continues to hurt. I made Shepard's Pie but instead of traditional mashed potatoes, I left the skins on...just couldn't bear to stand and peel all those potatoes. It came out just fine. He works hard and comes home hungry....I hate to just feed him soup. He put some Ben Gay on....that stuff sure does get hot....not sure it's doing much good. We'll see. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 04 Mar 13 - 09:55 PM At least 50% of the trip back to the city (it is only 30 miles) was similar to driving on a skating rink. Guess the weekend's snow had melted and frozen. Slid right into a T junction, just making it around the corner without sliding into the next corn field. More glad than usual to see the bridge. City was still OK. Arrived in time to have supper with R at "the Bistro" - last time I'm going there. I had to keep my coat on and the food is the pits. Too cold in the house to do anything but wrap up. But the kitchen sink is clean! I gave up on it 3 years ago. Decided there is a special place in hell for whoever invented the material out of which is is made. R informs me that, in my absence, his bro came in to cook them some food. He cleaned the sink! Best thing he has ever done. I will try to keep it that way but not going to wreck my shoulder doing it. Glad I washed the dishes before I left on Fri.! Guess the only thing I accomplished today was getting back safely! Could be worse. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 04 Mar 13 - 09:35 PM I have decided to list the last big piece of that china (a covered tureen) for a ridiculously low price to attract attention to the pattern. It'll probably get more than a single bid, but it might get people looking at the rest. I'm keeping a few pieces, but I'll either sell the bulk of it in the next couple of weeks or I'll donate it. I have several other items that will get the same treatment, since I find the deductions more useful than the trickle of cash through eBay on some of this. It was in the 80s today and I wasn't able to get home in time to enjoy it. The rest of the week is down in the 50s and 60s, seasonal. Darn. Set the clock BACK on Saturday night. Yes, it's that time of year. You lose an hour's sleep and it takes ages to get used to it. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 04 Mar 13 - 04:12 PM I finished a listing for the china and put it up at a very low price. I'll give this a couple of tries, and if nothing happens, I'll donate it to the Goodwill or Salvation Army. Perhaps something to go out of the house along with that mattress, that is a bit of a fixture in the front all right now. Laundry finished, folded, hung up or put away. Ran a load in the dishwasher this morning, so a clear kitchen will greet me this afternoon. My gift to myself. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 04 Mar 13 - 03:17 PM Oops. Just sitting here thinking: I don't feel like going to pot but I want to go do something. Went out and could not get going. Simultaneous thought: just want to be in the LR on book or computer so I can look out at the trees. The "oops" came when I realized there is a light snow falling. Just cold enough for it to be snow. Skype not working very well - very frustrating 10 minutes trying to communicate with friend in Maryland. MAybe tonight in the city. Maybe I better get on my horse and go to the city before the snow gets worse. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 04 Mar 13 - 01:33 PM I have every single card and note that was sent to me while I was in the hospital and going through treatment. They are tied together in a stack with a beautiful ribbon. I keep them in our bedroom where they are safe from little hands and in a spot where I can see them. Always a lovely reminder of the love and prayers from friends and family. :) Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: wysiwyg Date: 04 Mar 13 - 01:25 PM Our neighbor whose wife recently passed showed us the pile of cards he'd received, that he has not yet opened-- just too painful, and not yet a comfort. I also have a pile of cards, from my surgery and nursing home days... and another from when my mom passed last year. I did look at each of these at the time they arrived, and then I saved them for a "rainy day." So now it's time to unpack that last round of nursing home stuff. The cards have been calling me.... it took me a long time to decide what to do with them. So I wrote a-pager on the computer, thanking the sender and giving an update on how I am doing (they're still praying, and cards still arrive, TBTG!). It includes a thumbnail Hardi had taken of me waving from the ramp. I found some nice prayer/note cards up in my office, and got them (and their envelopes) organized... I pre-folded all the 1-pagers... I decided I did not like what I had written and did them over... I put all this in the container that HAD held the cards, right by the front door. So now, I keep all the wonderful get-well cards I'd received, out at the head of the ramp, in a weather-resistant container. As I enjoy the precious fresh air (even when it's COLD), I review one card when I finish each set of ramp-laps. As I look at each card again, I am motivated to keep this recovery phase up-- and most important, to remember that it is God who is doing the healing. Then that one card comes in; I write the thank-you note, enclose the 1-pager, address the envelope, add the address to my parish directory if it's not in there, and discard the envelope. The card goes in the stairwell to go up to my office where I have pinboards of the good thoughts people send me. Up in the office sits the box of cards from when my mom passed. I suspect that, about the time my first birthday without her rolls around, I will have finished the set of cards that are out on the ramp. I can then start going thru the condolence cards again, and keep up that habit of the notes. (I have always been SO BAD about notes!!!) I love the circularity of it all.... the day before she died I called her about the Dx that sparked the surgery she had known I would eventually do. As I move forward with LIFE I often hear her egging me on. I am beginning a major downsizing process so that when Hardi retires (he hain't set a date and it's years off), we can move smoothly into the little teensy house of my dreams that I will be able to care for myself. That house will have such a tiny office that by then, I will not have the pinboards-full of cards-- but photos of the pinboards as they evolved-- snapping a fresh one every time I take down stuff to make room for new memories. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 04 Mar 13 - 11:32 AM We got our new washing machine late yesterday afternoon. Pete had it home and hooked up after dinner (say 7sih) so I did a few loads of laundry then and it has been going nonstop since I got up this morning. Potty training has also commenced. I wanted to start earlier but without a washing machine, it just wasn't going to work for me. So this morning I was lifting Jeremiah from the changing table to the potty, got him settled and went to lay a towel over the side of the tub so it wasn't such a cold place for me to sit while he tried out the potty and my back locked up in pain. Lower back, both sides. I couldn't stand up. I waited all bent over while I took a few slow deep breaths and eventually stood up and went to get the phone. Something clearly is wrong and I wanted to be able to call for help if necessary. It's now a few hours later and my back still hurts even if I'm just sitting. I've stretched, taken Advil and have a HOT corn bag between the chair and my back. I had high hopes of getting the dishes done, doing some cooking and baking and of course, getting caught up with the laundry. We shall see. Right now I'm thinking lifting of any kind is a bad idea. I will continue to life Jeremiah to change his pants if needed, of course....but holy YOUCH. I have no idea what I did but I hope to never do it again...I'm hurting. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 03 Mar 13 - 08:37 PM I was a little stiff today from yesterday's activity so I kept walking around the Market, sat down, got up, walked around, socialized, and sold 4 small pots. Good thing it was a fun day. A woman from the summer market to whom I sold some clay, brought four small pieces for me to fire and glaze for her. I need to get to work and get a kiln load ready to bisque! Fortunately she is in no hurry. Another market in 3 weeks! MAYBE I can get that glazing done - even tomorrow? I got up early enough to bring in a fresh pile of stove wood to dry by the stove, load the car and be at the Market in good time. So nice not to rush. Staying at cabin tonight. Came home and took another HOT bath. Will have an early night and try to get to the studio before I lose energy. No response to my carefully written note to troubled friend. Now there is another one! I am considering sending each the other's posts, as in - you ain't the only one with major problems! Must be the weather? What do you mean I cannot solve all the world's problems? I've only observed a collision once. Had to go to court and testify. It was quite clear cut and I had a safe ring-side seat- about 50 ft away. Still reveling in my tidy LR! So cheery! Now I am going to read a novel and sleep. And wish every one well with special thoughts for Kat. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 03 Mar 13 - 06:20 PM Weeding and shoveling decaying leaves from the curb out front is finished. I'll take the push mower out in a minute and mow one small patch of weed grass that is ahead of everything else. I found my notes for the china pattern I'm going to list again on eBay - I didn't want to have to recreate them from a year ago. I figure I'm more likely to sell estate stuff if I give the provenance. Tomorrow is supposed to be overcast and warm, so I'm going to work a half-day then get some running around done for the yard work. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: wysiwyg Date: 03 Mar 13 - 05:29 PM We took another bag of too-huge clothes to a freecycle recipient yesterday and stopped on the way home for Indian delicacies that fed us all day today as well-- they oversauce so I just add chicken. The bag of gone-clothes leaves me an empty shelf for nighties and that makes room for blouses due back from alterations this week. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 03 Mar 13 - 01:05 PM I sold some baby clothes yesterday. :) Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 03 Mar 13 - 12:47 PM Tiny sale on eBay yesterday, going to list some more low-ball items, just to move them out. I'd like to build up to some real money there, but I also try to add to my feedback score. Last week I heard about a friend of a friend who is a retired physician who had one client whose extremely rich family paid for her to live in his home and get more care than if she was in an nursing home. She was a hard-core smoker and alcoholic, the best he could do was try to keep her from harming herself too much. She was addicted to shopping and had a whole second bedroom at his house filled with clothes. She died last year (kidney failure) and the family, that had washed their hands of her, wanted nothing to do with all of that stuff. The physician has been laundering and listing items on eBay since then and is now a "power seller" he has moved so much stuff. Pretty weather, so I'll be in the yard this afternoon, and take the dogs for a walk into the woods across the road (I'll keep up these walks there until the poison ivy leafs out). SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Bat Goddess Date: 03 Mar 13 - 10:06 AM Oh, Michelle...how fortunate we are, I guess, that we can absorb such highs and lows in such a short period of time. Really glad, Maggie, that you managed to avoid being an impacted part of the accident -- and an observant and responsible person to check the people in the vehicles were okay and to call and report the accident. I've just cleared snow from the deck and car and path to the house so I'm all set to go get Tom in a few minutes. I'd also had a chance this morning to do a few more housekeeping tasks that it's nice to have done before Tom comes home. Believe it or not, in the past couple days I've again refined the pile of financial papers, thrown out stuff that was unnecessary and organized the rest. I also eliminated a lot of clutter on Tom's side of the table (the better to extricate some of those said financial papers; sigh). AND I've put at least one sweater in a pile for Goodwill (or, more likely, to a friend who will find homes for them) and made a promise to go through ALL of my sweaters (again) and be a bit more ruthless (and realistic -- a size 3X WHITE crew neck sweater is never going to make me look less than fatter than I actually am) this time. And with Tom home, I can attack a few more areas and make some headway. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 03 Mar 13 - 02:21 AM So glad you weren't part of the accident Maggie. XOXOX Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 03 Mar 13 - 01:03 AM I'm so sorry, Michelle. Those pain patches are serious business, the rules are strict, and they're for anyone who can't tolerate the regular Rx pain killers. Moonglow (my daughter) had them after her tonsils were removed - and it was something so serious that she destroyed those she didn't use. I am so sorry for your loss. Your friend's pain must have been deep, so deep, to take such a step. There was an auto accident this afternoon on my way home from shopping. Bam! and a suburban in the lane to my left tried to move into the turn lane to his left without enough announcement - a woman in that lane hit him and he sideswiped the SUV in front of me. So there I was, untouched, seeing it all. On a busy boulevard. I put on my blinkers and got out. "Are you okay?" - I asked the people in the vehicle that caused it and got hit. They were. Next vehicle up - "Are you okay?" - They were. And to the red truck that was cut off by the maneuver and hit the first vehicle, I slapped at the passenger side window to get her attention - "Are you okay?" - down came the window, and she was okay. I called 911 and reported it. The operator asked if anyone was hurt - I told him not, that it was a sideswipe, not a T-bone, and that they were all out of their vehicles. Tow truck would be needed, and an officer was on the way. I realized that as I spoke I named the vehicles by their role - the operator asked what vehicles were involved. I told him the red truck hit the one beside me - and my wording at first was that the red truck was at fault - but I realized very quickly that she didn't have time to respond when the bronze Suburban turned suddenly into her lane. She hit him because he moved into her space (she was probably in his blind spot when he made the move.) I handed each of the vehicle drivers (three total) my card, and after speaking to police but before I drove off I told the woman in the red truck that I did see what happened. She was shocked, but okay, but she'll need my report to clear her. I expect to hear from attorneys and insurance companies via my work address, since that was the card I had with me. Watching the last of the Lord of the Rings movies tonight. Enjoying the Shakespearean aspects of Tolkien's story. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 02 Mar 13 - 11:31 PM Socks! The family edict was: NEVER wear your shoes without socks! That fits into the category of some other family edicts! I have worn sandals through all but the worst snowy parts of winter in Quebec and Ontario - with socks, so I guess it's habituated! My feet no longer like the feel of shoes without socks except in high summer. Walking in the woods in sandals without socks is not recommended. Instead of the glazing I had put off 'til today, I did a number on the LR. R delivered that two drawer object - about 36w x 18d x 18 high. It is now happily ensconced under the front window, covered with a lovely red Guatamalan fabric. A line of books against the window sill, and a couple tidy piles of more books, the two shallow drawers excellent for papers and magazines. Two sides of the LR beautifully decluttered! And I hung a lovely blue and purple round stained glass piece (about 2 feet diameter) on the very strong curtain rod holder. It is between the windows in front of the cream drapes with enough light getting through to be effective - but not blocking any view. The room is so much nicer! However, the boxes of papers to be sorted are now in the spare room! BUT, during lunch, about 2 pm, the thought occurred to me: Do I really need those papers? Anything that is info can be found on the internet. Resolved: Go through them quickly and sort out only what is personally important and use the rest for fire starter. A pile has already gone there! The sugar bush across the road is in production! So R cleared the back shed so the property owners can get the trailer out. It is such fun to watch. They put in spiles and use buckets and family and friends come round to gather and feed the fire, and socialize. Great music again last night. R went to the city this morning so a quiet time for my decluttering. He had also brought a clear plastic container so I put the pending mending in it and did some clearing around the dining table. Then I decluttered my bank account. Farmer's Market tomorrow. R will stay in the city but folks are always ready to help me with the carrying. Temp still hovers around freezing and overcast. Might get sun on Tuesday. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 02 Mar 13 - 10:39 PM Today I was honored to spend the morning and afternoon with a single mom family of 7 mentally and physically challenged children. I was the go between for a secret Santa kind of situation that had been delayed since the youngest was life flighted on Christmas day. Today was the day we delivered gifts and I was asked to take photos of the gathering. What a gift (to me). The kids were incredible as was their mom. When I arrived home, I received a message that a good family friend had OD'd on pain meds and pain patches and was on life support. He died this evening at age 35. Two extremes for this heart today.....loads of tears. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Bat Goddess Date: 02 Mar 13 - 06:53 PM I think sock wearing is mostly a matter of climate. The only shoes I wear are comfortable, casual flats, generally shoes with an athletic-style rubber sole. These range from white leather "sneaker" style (both slip on and lace up) to leather or suede slip ons or Mary Jane style. But all with a heavier sole -- I have a few "dressy" type flats with thin leather soles. I wear stockings with them...or not. Just not socks. I don't keep socks that slide down...the aggravation isn't worth it. I need my feet to be comfortable. Mostly black, but I've got lobster socks and pirate socks and moose socks and cat socks and flamingo socks and yesterday, in honor of St. David's Day, I wore black socks with the Welsh dragon on them. I have fun with socks. Yes, I do have some solid colored ones, too. But I don't wear them in the summer. Here in New England, it's too hot in the summer to wear socks. So I put a dash of Gold Bond in the shoes and go barefoot in the shoes. I'd never consider wearing socks with sandals, no matter how casual. Sandals are designed to expose the feet to the air. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 02 Mar 13 - 02:44 PM I think Florida, California, Texas, southern and warmer states in general inspire a different style of footwear and wearing shoes. In Seattle I'd be wearing shoes and socks much of the time. In this random photo 3 of 4 loafers-wearers aren't wearing stockings or socks (scroll down). I have a small Chippendale-style serpentine-front desk that I use for a few important papers, spare automobile key, stamps and envelopes, greeting cards, postcards, etc. Inside the drop front was piled up with stuff. I've sorted it, put a stack to shred (old checkbooks), and now have more donation items. I keep the last couple of pairs of glasses as spares, but there is one that I can now donate to one of those glasses recycle bins. Since the dogs don't recognize weekends as days when one sleeps late they got me up at the usual time. I think a short nap is in order, the on to the rest of the day. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: GUEST,Bizibod Date: 02 Mar 13 - 12:44 PM Socks with everything bar flip-flops and rubber sandals !( Both of which can successfully scrubbed to make sweet again.) I have very hot feet which makes for unpleasantly sweaty shoes and clammy feet if I ditch the socks- I have tried ! |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: ranger1 Date: 02 Mar 13 - 10:03 AM Well, you could always paint a pair of socks on, lol. I don't wear loafers, but I'd probably wear socks with them if I did. It seems like an odd thing for a supervisor to get hung up on, though. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 02 Mar 13 - 09:57 AM Looking at a Coldwater Creek ad this morning I admired the attractive slacks and flats the model is wearing. Sans socks or stockings. I may have to look for more examples like that to keep around the office. I do pick my battles, I don't think this one is worth compromising my working relationship, but I think she should just give it up. I'm not getting many long weekends these days, I have to be at work on Monday morning, so I need to get the most productivity out of these two days as I can. It looks like tomorrow will be warmer, so I'll do the inside stuff today and the garden stuff tomorrow. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 01 Mar 13 - 10:17 PM My boss has a reason for always wearing socks, she has a prosthetic leg, from the knee down. But she has been bugging me and I think this is something that she doesn't need to make a stand on. When I wear socks with some shoes they creep down into the shoe, and I have a toe that is kind of funny-shaped and socks in some shoes really rub it. I wore socks in loafers one day last week and that toe hurt for the rest of the week. I don't like knee-high stockings because they don't stay put. Fort Worth in the news this week. Van Cliburn died on Wednesday, and Nancy Lee Bass, mother of the rich and famous entrepreneurial Bass brothers, died. The Bass Hall in downtown Fort Worth was named for the senior Bass couple, at the urging of Van Cliburn. We have a famous western art museum in town, the Amon Carter (named after a famous collector who was the publisher of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram who directed his daughter, Ruth Carter Stevenson, to build a museum suitable for this collection. She died in mid-January, and I suspect she was in the mix with the other two. But all things considered, it's great to be in a town that ends up in the news because of all of it's support of the arts. :) I think I met several members of the Bass family at the Fort Worth Zoo when they had fundraisers. The family are big supporters of the zoo, and I was on the park board for 6 years. I'll report on progress over the weekend - there is so much to do, and I suppose I'll act according to whim and what looks like it needs doing the most. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 01 Mar 13 - 06:18 PM Socks with whatever! Even my dancing shoes since others do also. If I want to be a little more couth, I have knee highs. Even in the summer, I usually wear socks with sandals, unless they are a bit dressy. The last time I did dressy... The funeral, but wore slacks so - socks. Comfy feet are far more important to me. "waltz into Spring" Was on the internet trying to find a pace to waltz in Montreal. I'll try again. I do miss the wonderful waltz group in PA. But a 9 hr drive is a bit far.... As for "spring"... Light snow falling, no sign of soil anywhere. But lots of raccoon tracks and they ate all the food so I refilled this aft. Saw the sun for a minute this morning. Spring may yet appear. Saw smoke coming from the sugar shack down the road and, after a while, decided to check. Certainly the sap is not running yet? I walked down and there were a couple vehicles there. They have a tube set-up so this warm spell could have started the sap running! Maybe our property owners will be around on the weekend to start setting up! A longer season this year would be good for the Quebec economy - and New England. Left the city house with chores done, including that table mess! No energy by the time I got to cabin so the pile of dishes I left, still awaits me. So does the glazing I had intended to do today. Late getting out here - after 2 as I had to go off route to get NAC, which I think/hope is causing increased feeling of wellness. The trauma of my troubled friend kept me awake last night, trying to think of what to do, what to say, what not to say, who else might be able to help. Just messaged a woman who was a teacher in her (Quaker) high school. Her brothers seem to have given up. I do believe Reactive Attachment Disorder is the very worst thing that can happen to a child. It does not go away without very specific therapy. Terrific music in St. Isidore last night and R managed to make it, and also enjoyed it muchly. Now, off to NamasThe. Hopes for a return of energy tomorrow. |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 01 Mar 13 - 05:50 PM I wear socks with tie shoes and boots but not usually with loafers. I do wear trouser socks with my black flats though. :) Sandals and socks? Um no. I completed the dishes and spent 35 minutes or so rolling around on my back and doing some luxurious stretches on my new mat. It's not the same as at the studio but it was nice, I feel good and am looking forward to doing more and more. I imagine my more strenuous workouts will be at the studio where I can hear my teachers voice at the edge of my being. At home, I hear the fan, the fire, I have a furry yoga partner who wants to join in, I'm listening to hear Jeremiah waking from his nap....perhaps it will just take a little time to settle into it at home. Besides, the video is new to me and it's hard to drop into your practice if you have to be paying attention to the video for visual cues rather than audio cues. My practice is always 98% eyes closed. It will come. In the meantime, I have a pork roast (with veggies) in the crock pot and my home is beginning to smell AMAZING. Mmmmmmmmm. Namaste Ya'll Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 01 Mar 13 - 05:25 PM I take a look in my sewing room every so often - a wistful glance as I realize I don't have much time for it now. Just occasional mending or reinforcing a loose button. Informal poll: how many of you wear socks with your loafers? I wear socks with tie-shoes and boots, but not with loafers or sandals. It has come up as topic of conversation at work. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: LilyFestre Date: 01 Mar 13 - 12:14 PM I picked up a new *sticky* mat yesterday so today the at home yoga will commence during Jeremiah's nap time. I spent 7 hours grocery shopping yesterday. My niece took care of Jeremiah so I could really do some heavy shopping. Things were getting sparse around here in certain categories. Pete brought everything in on the sled and I put it all away last night. Today I vacuumed the rugs, swept the hall and kitchen, did some dusting and my next item to is get my sewing table back in order. I haven't been in the mood to quilt lately but that is changing and I want my space ready! I have dishes to do too....that goes without saying. I swear they multiply if I don't do them at night before bed. I am signed up for a Zumba class and vinyasa flow yoga/Surya Namaskar class for this month as out of the house activities. :) Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: wysiwyg Date: 01 Mar 13 - 08:19 AM My seamstress called-- I will get my 2 closets worth of stuff back next week. In prep I have cleared a shelf by bagging up the last of the current too-huge-giveaways to make room for the tees/knit tops that have been occupying the hangers the altered clothes had been on. The newly-altered stuff will go up to our attic (old MudDorm) which will be easily transformed into a photo studio so the newly-fitting things can be combined into outfits and documented as they make their way to events, and then their respective closets. This will solve the problem of the disappearing legs in my photos-- we will set up a makeshift platform so I am elevated from the camera by a few feet. It will also make a change from the dark, cluttered interiors of the preceding set of "look how loose this is on me" pix-- it's all white up there. And those stairs are great for glutes. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 2013 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 28 Feb 13 - 11:40 PM Tidying up this evening as I prepare for a busy tomorrow. But the weekend is mine, and I hope to tackle both the garden and more on the eBay table in the sun room. There are several items listed now, and a couple have bids. I stopped by the used bookstore yesterday and left a bag of materials there - didn't get much for them, and I bought something while I was there, but the volume of materials that left with me was less than what I took in. :) SRS |
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Subject: Waltz into Spring: Declutter - March 201 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 28 Feb 13 - 10:38 PM Here we go again! Hopefully the spring cleaning energy will help clear out a lot of the clutter that you've targeted over the four years or so that we've been running these threads. While you're at it, put in a CD of Mucatter music. And dance around the house as you work. Last thread SRS |
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