April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 18 Apr 13 - 05:03 PM

Disciplined! Good heavens, I cannot even keep a "diary" for more than a couple days. No wonder Charmion has lost weight and I am still... Phooey!

still in city but hopeful. Really want to hear Terry Joe Banjo in St. I tonight!

One more load of laundry today as I changed the city bed clothes. Four big garbage bags of laundry and winter clothes ready to go to the country. I cleaned out the clothes shelves. Frig mostly cleaned of dead food; not as bad as I expected. Dishes washed. Sink empty and clean. Plants watered. Packed up pottery stuff, having given up on doing it here. Not dealing well with separate places. All in the head.

Walked to Canadian Tire -6 blocks - to look at plants but not 'til next week. So I did not buy seeds either. Went to grocery and carefully did not buy too much to carry home. Seeds were 33 cents! prob smaller packets but that's OK. Still time to look elsewhere before planting time.

It was chillier than I expected so I took a jacket we had bought R and found a hat and mitts! I think this is now MY jacket. I really like it! R would just get it dirty or lose it - like the last one we got him.

We drove way far last night, to get a door for $35?? Yes. It is a beautiful burgundy steel door with all hardware. For the mill. LR door and BIG window were installed yesterday! Bruno sent pics to R and it looks great. If you imagine new siding and new walls inside and...

In the one step forward and... While I did laundry, R was dealing with a stolen 15,000 pound fork lift???? And other business things. Life is sometimes more interesting than we would wish.

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Charmion
Date: 18 Apr 13 - 06:54 PM

Both my brothers have developed Type II diabetes, a bullet that I so want to dodge. I was tested last week and cleared, and I would not like to tempt fate. Also, over the last 10 years or so, I started having trouble with my guts, which turned out to be diverticulosis and lactose intolerance. So adopting a healthier diet and becoming a bit of a gym rat feels far more like a recovery and prevention plan than a discipline. The weighing, measuring and logging ritual makes me hyper aware of what I eat and how it affects me, and the impact of exercise on caloric needs.The diary tracks a wide range of nutrients, most notably sodium and calcium, and nags me when I'm getting too much of the one and not enough of the other.

It helps immensely that my husband is very fitness-focussed, and never complains or makes smart remarks about the scale.

I haven't done a lick of housework this week, thanks to the bronchitis that followed last week's messy cold, but I must at least run the vacuum cleaner through the place before Sunday, when we are leaving for a three-week road trip. The layer of cat hair on all the rugs casts a sort of veil over the oriental colours ... and that is not a good thing.

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Apr 13 - 04:35 PM

We've all been busy away from the computer, evidently. Two days have passed!

A few small throw rugs are in the washer soaking, I've done some dusting around the house (if I don't wait too long I can use that fluffy dust attractant thing that I fill with dust and then shake outside.) Dishes put away, and now I'm headed out into the yard. I'll do more laundry tonight and clear up the kitchen table. Now that I know I can take VCR tapes to a bin to recycle whenever I have them ready, I'll pull a few for taking in next week.

Right now, though, I'm going to spend a couple of hours working in the yard. It has warmed up today into the 70s, so it will be perfect out there.

SRS

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Apr 13 - 07:57 PM

Front yard mowed, and I enjoyed watching a female grackle run interference on the bugs I ran over. She was a row or two away grabbing bugs, and several times I watched with frank amazement as a small grasshopper or katydid would launch itself and she would take off and intercept it a few feet off the ground. Several times she disappeared with the big ones (taking to a nest?) and then return to eat and catch more.

SRS

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Apr 13 - 11:55 AM

I'm down a couple of pounds since last week. With this alternate day fasting if I mow on the day I'm fasting I really boost the calorie burning. I haven't felt any low blood sugar events - that doesn't happen very often to me anyway, but if I did happen on such an occasion I'd stop and eat or drink something.

Further research on eBay shows that large batches of books don't sell for any more than moderate sized boxes of books. I have some smaller boxes (a bit larger than a typical shoe box) that I can pack with ~ 20 books, so I'll do that. They're lighter and shipping costs (even as media mail) won't look so intimidating.

There is a batch of stuff ready to go over to Goodwill this afternoon.

SRS

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 21 Apr 13 - 02:36 PM

Gave my daughter my collection of vintage Hawaiian shirts today. Over 250 of them.

Also a suitcase of vintage ties.

My clothes closet now has some empty spots.

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 21 Apr 13 - 04:32 PM

Temp. minus 3 this afternoon in Calgary, a few snowflakes.
No outside cleanup yet.
Hope spring comes by May.

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 21 Apr 13 - 05:42 PM

Yesterday in Quebec was cold/windy/rain/sleet. A great day for R to fix the holes in the soffits at his parents' (deceased) home due to neighbour's complaint about raccoons. This after I shared at least one article last fall on the importance of tightening up buildings before winter. I got to help a couple times. COLD!

Before going, we checked out the progress at the mill, and "did" the library, thrift shop and fabric store, each a social event as well. Planning awnings for east and south facing windows. Have a agreed on fabric! Not doing very well on the de-cluttering - another bag of books and some work clothes for R and a cosy jacket which came in handy already. We can share it.   

Cabin today, alone! Beautiful day but still cool. After I indulged in a couple blueberry muffins I remembered I had planned to fast today since R has gone to do things elsewhere. Next time.

Managed to put away the prodigious amount of laundry, pack some books and a quantity of throw rugs. Cleaned the hearth and had a nice fire in the wood stove. Thought I would pot today but the heater has quit - sometime between last night and this morning. Bummer!!!

Hung up a "new" flannel sheet to air and a nifty piece of irresistible fabric from the thrift shop (outdoors because the detergent was smelly). Washed a bucket. Filled two large planters with soil and put them into a container to soak; hope to replant parsley and coriander from small pots - successfully, maybe. Wrote two lengthy emails and rec'd a call from a distant friend. Took labels off some good storage jars - after I found the "goop off" in the studio. The action of doing that caused the shoulder to hurt so much I gave up anything for an hour or so. Now contemplating what useful things to do next.

I am at the NEED BOXES phase of packing in prep for June move. Such a nuisance. I am looking forward to getting it done and organizing yet another abode. As windows go in, I assess our drapery supply. Too public an area to leave wide open.

R's b-day on Thurs. Thinking of what to do?

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Apr 13 - 10:45 PM

Dorothy, I don't think I'm sensitive to scents like you are, but my mother was and was always having to air out her magazines after tearing out the perfume inserts and trashing them outside, never letting them into the house. I kind of average on the laundry scent, mixing a bottle of no-scent with the scented variety (Cheer and Arm & Hammer) so it is very lightly scented.

Q, that's pretty impressive. Will your daughter use the shirts for some kind of sewing project? I've seen spectacular quilts made out of necktie silk, and I can imagine Hawaiian shirts would be equally gorgeous. If she does, I hope you'll post links in a thread somewhere. Are you on facebook? Lots of this stuff gets shared there.

I have a box ready to mail and a bag ready to drop off at Goodwill. Clothes, shoes I haven't worn, household stuff. I ended up not going anywhere today. One more load of laundry and some ironing to get ready for the week. I love it when I can push stuff out of the house in weeks when I didn't bring anything new in. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Apr 13 - 12:53 PM

The Hawaiian shirts will be kept and probably offered one by one on Ebay. I was in Hawaii (1960s) before the interest spiraled and got a lot of them in goodwill, etc. shops, when they were lumped with other used shirts. Now, the goodwill stores sell them to vintage stores where they are sold at collector prices. (A new quality Hawaiian shirt, sewn in Hawai'i, made of good cotton, runs $75 or more.)

The ties will be used in costumes and perhaps a quilt. Most are good silk with some pure wool. In the 1960s, when I was hitting all the used and junktique stores, the local goodwills were loaded with them, and I picked out the ones made with good silk.

My daughter also was happy to get the old suitcases that they were in- she stages some local theater, and vintage props are not always easy to find anymore.
I had other vintage stuff she could use (gooseneck lamps, an old radio or two, that sort of thing).

The sun is ahining and the snow-ice is disappearing on shaded areas. Maybe up to 13-15 for a few days, and the grond will thaw. Spring is 3 weeks late here.
The city accepts yard waste delivered to local sites, but prefers it in large paper bags, which also can be composted. Bought them at Canadian Tire.

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Apr 13 - 01:44 PM

Stopped by Goodwill and the post office to drop off stuff. I read the postal regs so I'm still working on one box I plan to send soon.

Now that I know about the VCR (and other e-waste) recycling bin at work I've taken a look at the shelves in my front room with all of the old tapes stacked up. They're next to a bunch of paperback mysteries from my dad's house that are all stacked up. I kept the series of books that dad had been sending because he thought I'd enjoy them, but I haven't had time (and because they're out of sight, I'd forgotten about them.) I think I can reduce the amount of stuff in that corner in the next couple of weeks, bringing in a few at a time. If I decide not to keep the books I'll go the eBay route, or my local used bookstore. I'm a packrat, I'll probably keep the books.

SRS

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Apr 13 - 11:44 PM

Books on eBay tomorrow. Mostly mentioned to bring this back up to the top. What is everyone else doing to discard clutter this week? It's time for Spring Cleaning - what are your instincts telling you about clearing out clutter?

SRS

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Apr 13 - 10:15 AM

SRS: There are places where scents/fragrances are being outlawed in public places - schools, offices. Friends tell me a concert venue in NYS puts on their tickets to refrain from fragrances. It is a growing movement.

When I lived in PA, I had a credit card at a dept. store. I had phoned a couple times about receiving fragrance "samples" with my bill. So, when I picked up the mail on leaving home and had to hang it out the tailgate in a plastic bag, I drove to the store, marched into their office, slammed the offensive material on the counter and told them I would be contacting a lawyer if it happened again. It did not. Sometimes, the only way to get progress is to get tough! Another store heard me the first time.

Fragrances generally contain neuro-toxins which cause the brain to react in anger. I consider them assault - with a potentially deadly weapon except it is the person who is sensitive who might get angry enough to lash out. I mean this literally.

Yesterday, with great determination, I started the fast thing. with a small corn muffin for breakfast and green tea all day. Lunch was about one inch of a chocolatine; I bought one each for three of us and forgot. Amazingly, I did not feel the need or desire to gobble the whole thing!!

I bought some baby carrots and ate 3 at two intervals and later a piece of foccacia - after checking the calorie count. I am pretty sure I was under 500 c for the day and was amazed that I managed it.

I started out emptying and cleaning a kitchen cupboard - the source of moths!! All clean!! for now anyway. The I drove us to the Mill, ran errands for supplies, drove us to Montreal (50 miles), went to the bank and grocery, read for a while while waiting for R to finish a meeting. We loaded three doors into my wee car, picked up a parcel at the post office, checked on work at another site and drove back to the Mill.

Bruno had finished two more windows - the solarium to be, about 9 feet square will have two walls of window- east and south. Now there is a great view of the road and neighbours. B looked at me in amazement when I said, "Now I am planning what size draperies I need to avoid looking at THAT!" At the five foot level, we will still have a view of the sky - ONLY! I will use white, not too heavy; it is only the view I detest. Also the ghastly big yard light at the property next door. Actually, I am thinking about shades that roll UP from the floor level

I need about a 100 large, fast growing cedars to block the view and road noise. OR a six foot solid fence?

Read in the car as there is still no clean, warm place inside, and dragged R away about 9:30, driving us home and giving him a bite to eat before he took necessary bath. Today, I need to vacuum up the sawdust he dragged in!

Ate breakfast today and feel as though I swallowed a cow. R has plugged in a different heater so the studio is warm and I am hoping to actually get some work done today. He has taken his unregistered truck to the city "keep your phone on in case I need rescuing". I have my car for the first time in almost 3 weeks. No place to go!!

R is, allegedly, renting a box truck to bring windows, doors, and more down for the Mill. He is de-cluttering other buildings, where he has accumulated stuff stored!

We were talking black tiles on top of the concrete floor of the solarium for a great heat sink. However, it occurs to me that simply cleaning the concrete really well and painting it black, perhaps in a swirly pattern with some midnight blue, would work as well. I even have two small rag rugs that are predominantly black. I bought them recently at the thrift shop, telling the nice young woman, "You can never have too many throw rugs!" (Maybe you can! I packed a huge garbage bag full the other day!) Other areas will have wood floors.

Reading a fascinating book calle Cheating Death by Sanjay Gupta,MD. About relatively new ways in which some doctors are saving patients - induced hypothermia for one. Current chapter on comas includes story of a doctor who came out a a coma long after he was thought to be "brain dead". He could hear and see what was going on around him while he was "brain dead". That chapter was, appropriately, prefaced with a quote from Edgar Allen Poe. I am wondering how many people were sent to the mortuary... Dreadful thought. I won't stay there!

Beautiful sunny day. May be in the 50s later.

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 23 Apr 13 - 10:51 AM

I did some spring cleaning in my car. It feels good to have it so empty. It's been a combination of winter gear, Toys R Us and random stuff that I kept leaving behind. It's MUCH better now. I've even changed the CDs I carry around with me. I've been listening to the same 3 CDs for MONTHS (which is ok, I do love them...but it's time)!

I have been away for a few days and I'm glad to be home.

Michelle

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Apr 13 - 12:54 PM

Been mostly offCat due to ministry travel and helping a friend get ready for her wedding-- MOH having some health emergencies so there was a lot of fun stuff not happening. We went up to the mall last night and by the grace of God I WALKED what I have only scootered for years, with my trusty walker/seat to be sure I could sit as needed.

I still do not like shopping per se, but it bodes well for some museum touring Hardi and I have wanted to do-- which is how I knew I could mall-walk-- we went to a wonderful traveling exhibit last week dealing with the scientific background and economic/social underpinnings of what we now call "race," which until fairly recently was actually not a way of looking at the world at ALL.

The website has all the exhibit's resources, but in person it allows for relaxed, reflective, facilitated, post-viewing conversations. (I'm looking forward to networking with folks who have been in those, in their areas.) So if it comes near you, I highly recommend it.


"RACE: Are We So Different?" explores the stories of race from biological, cultural, and historical points of view. Hint: we're not all that different!

INCLUDED:

<> Everyday Experience of Race
: Learn about social and personal experiences of race in familiar settings such as home, neighborhood, health and education. Race and racism is not just inside our heads. It is built into our laws, traditions and institutions.

<> The Science of Human Variation: Racial categories are human-made. Humans are more alike genetically than any other living species. This section focuses on what current science tells us about human variation and our species' history.

<> History of the Idea of Race: Race has not always existed. Sorting people by their physical differences is only a few hundred years old. Discover how the development of the idea of race is closely linked to early United States.

There are hands-on activities for all ages!

~Susan

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 23 Apr 13 - 01:47 PM

I spent this morning rearranging my countertops and getting rid of some typical kitchen counter items that I just don't use. Also, I have an antique hoosier coming to my kitchen soon...gotta really decide what I want to keep/use and do some reorganizing!

Jeremiah has just had a fun bath and now it's my turn. Then we are off for a walk...it's a lovely day outside!

*I keep telling myself that because the truth is, I'm dog tired. Gotta keep moving forward!

We are going to meet with a friend to decide on some kitchen lights for her house and then a team meeting later.

I just need a little oomph.

Michelle

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Apr 13 - 02:26 PM

Michelle, I have a Hoosier kitchen (aka Kitchen Queen) and have had a number of uses for it. Right now it is where I park all of my dinner party stuff. Cups, napkins, paper and plastic plates (disposable), extra stainless steel silverware (the same batch my dad used for guests at his house), glassware, cake plates, table cloths, sturdy plastic plates (like for picnic, but also my Melmac), party trays, cookie tins, etc. Table place mats are in there, and the lower drawers (like the metal bread box drawer) have a few other items (batteries, pads of paper, extra cooking implements.) And with the pull-out porcelain-topped work surface, I can load it with either all of the plates and silver and cups and such, or I can load it with food for people to serve themselves.

In past year's I've used the top portion as a bar, but I don't really have enough bar stuff to make it worthwhile to use it that way. It used to have a really tall upper cupboard, where there used to be a flour bin/sifter thing, I think (not present when I got it), I drilled holes for those little L shaped shelf holders and put in two shelves. For a while I kept my cookbooks in there, but I have too many, so that is the cake plates and some crystal I use for fancy meals.

I'm working on finishing (one of these days!) a buffet for in the dining area, and some of this stuff will be moved in there, but most of what will go in the buffet is stuff that has languished in a trunk for years.

SRS

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 23 Apr 13 - 08:26 PM

SRS,

   I put a photo up of it when it gets here and is all set up! I can't wait to have it here!

Michelle

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Apr 13 - 10:38 PM

"I did some spring cleaning in my car. It feels good to have it so empty." Gee, Michelle, that's what I did today! It sure does feel good. I de-cluttered it of wood chips and sawdust, put the seats up and thought about a sign, "THIS IS A CAR! not a truck!" Took a cracked on the bottom red wash bucket to triage things - compressor in case of flat tire, whisk broom, water jug ... So they are not all over the floor but neatly tucked in the back and easily moved.

Other than some lengthy emails written, I spent WAY too much time on internet but it has been interesting and of some use as well. Then I drove down to the Mill to see what was happening, stopping at two groceries on the way and one on the way back.

Good job I went. R had just arrived with a box truck it took them all day to load. And B had the wrong windows ready for the solarium. R neglected to tell him we were getting a real patio door, frame and all. We can use the others elsewhere. I seem to have neglected to tell R that with the patio door set, we do not need yet another window in that wall.

Kept the food intake low.

A "check" light is on in car. I cannot figure out what it is I am supposed to check - probably the oil as a change is overdue. I am so unused to having the car, after three weeks, that it did not occur to me to take it to garage today or, at least, make an appointment. Priority for tomorrow.

Now, check on new listings for country properties - very cheap ones.

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Apr 13 - 12:19 PM

I'm hitting my stride as far as this eating/fasting routine. My fridge doesn't have as much stuff in it, and what is in there is more veggies and fruit. I make a point of clearing up the kitchen sink on the regular meals day so I can more easily skip the meal triggers on the off days.

Today I am wearing a belt with my slacks. They're too loose now, but it's not quite time to try the next size down. I don't want to put on the next size down pants that are too tight and have them slowly become looser, I want to wait until they fit nicely and make the move. I'm really tired of too-snug trousers. :-D

I've reached a point where the three most likely triggers for dermatitis are out of my diet and my hands have cleared up. I will try adding back one at a time to see what happens, then back off and try adding the next. It could be a combination of items.

SRS

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 24 Apr 13 - 01:21 PM

Made appointment to have summer tires put on and an oli change tomorrow 8 am! Arghhh! But it needs to be done a couple weeks ago. Glad to have car cleaner for this!

Arranged to do two stints at a local museum - demo and maybe sell a few. Organizer phoned me yesterday and I called her early this morning - before she got out doing farm chores. Then talked with another potter who is interested in sharing the Mother's Day one. Looking forward to meeting a potter!

Sent R off before 8 this morning, made calls, drove to garage to make appointment - too hard for me on phone, came back to cabin, took hot bath, read while recovering, nice salad for lunch, have done all emails, de-cluttered some duplicate info on computer while looking for info I did not find. NOW, maybe I can get to the studio and actually work.

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 25 Apr 13 - 11:23 AM

Been too busy of late to check in here much. And last week I had trouble keeping out of my own way.

Okay, deep breath...

Tom is breakfasted and ready to greet his physical therapist (who I thought was coming tomorrow). Compost is taken out, citrus vinegar cleaner is filtered and drained (still needs a spray bottle...and the other cleaner/air freshener's spray bottle needs labeling), laundry detergent made and measuring scoop found, box of baseball books for my brother all packaged up and set to go to post office after therapist leaves, one load of well composted compost onto back flower bed, appointment made for Tom's medical assessment (tomorrow), dishes out of dishwasher, more dishes into dishwasher, more stuff put on pile for library sale, more stuff cleaned out of car and phone call in to my used car guy for more info on when my new-to-me 2002 Subaru Outback will be ready and I'm about to answer a Freecycler looking for Christmas stuff which may get rid of another box of stuff, and a large bag of miscellaneous is in the boot of the car for the next time I'm in the vicinity of Goodwill.
Soon I can actually get to work on the projects on my list...;-)

Linn

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 25 Apr 13 - 11:42 AM

Dorothy,

   I know what you mean about wood chips in the car, we have pellets and hay in there too (or at least there was)! Funny, my check engine light has been on as of late too. I added antifreeze (which was low) and oil. Lights are still on. I added gas. The lights went out. Then they came back on! I had a diagnostic test run at Auto Zone (or someplace like that) and it came back as an intake problem...most likely some some ick in my gas tank. The car seems to run fine. The check engine light comes on periodically and the oil light comes on sometimes when I step on the gas. Weird. Inspection is due next month so if it continues, I'll speak to them about it. Otherwise, it seems to be running just fine.

   My countertops continue to look beautiful. The rest of my house looks like a tornado went through. One of those tornados is a cute little boy but the other 2 tornados are less cute and should know better! LOL I'm working on some of that today but it's SO nice outside. I'm giving myself a time deadline and then we are just going outside to walk and hit the playground. Clutter will wait! Spring is calling!!!! Yoga is calling too!

Have a great day everybody!

Michelle

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Apr 13 - 12:30 PM

Nothing new to contribute - though I have more boxes of books to try to get listed on eBay this evening. It is difficult sometimes - I'm tempted to keep them all to read, but I know I don't have time, so they do need to be moved out. If I decide I want to read any of these authors later I can get them from the library.

I wish I had a wood-burning stove. I'd love the hot air blowing into the house in the winter. I blocked off my fireplace with insulation two winters ago and my heating and cooling bills have been much lower since because that fireplace was poorly constructed and lets in a lot of heat in the summer and cold in the winter.

SRS

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 25 Apr 13 - 02:15 PM

Well, the person doing the medical assessment landed at my door today, too. (We'd not actually TALKED to each other, just a surprise email this morning, I left a telephone message, and then she arrived, minutes after the therapist left.) So, okay, that's over with and the process is moving along. (We're applying for CFI.)

One more thing checked off the list.

I'm off to the post office now if the phone ever stops ringing.

When I get home, I'm moving some firewood around and then taking the rest of the day off (at least until supper).

BTW, finished the Ruth Reichl book a couple nights ago and started reading "Serve It Forth" from M.F.K. Fisher's "The Art of Eating" aloud to Tom before bed. Again, it's a reread for me (but I last read it in the '80s) but new for Tom.

Linn

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 25 Apr 13 - 09:21 PM

Jeremiah and I walked a mile and a half today (not all at once) and played at the playground.

I went to yoga....she worked us...I'm loving it!!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Apr 13 - 11:23 PM

Does Jeremiah do yoga at home with you? I bet he's interested.

SRS

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 26 Apr 13 - 08:24 AM

He does do some yoga with me and he loves it! He now asks me just about every day, "Mommy, are you going to yoooooga?" :)

Michelle

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Apr 13 - 01:42 PM

I didn't forget about those black and white 3-ring binders we talked about a while back. I was working on a box to send and keep it cheap. I was going to copy a couple of music books and put the pages in each binder. The binder is considered media when it is shipped with a book or journal inside. And since media mail is subject to inspection, each binder needed a document of some sort. I think I'll simply recycle some magazines, three-hole punched, and one per binder. It may look odd, but would satisfy the rules.

I scored a whole bunch of these binders today when Special Collections cleared out some they don't need now (we're moving floors for the summer so everyone is doing spring clearing out - I got some great picture frames that had been taken off of items that were donated and are now filed in mylar or other archival systems. I have so many things at the house that I've never put up because the framing would be so expensive. I know, clutter - but I could sell any I don't use.

So - binders are still on the table for those who expressed interest in them.

SRS

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 26 Apr 13 - 01:54 PM

Maggie, I'm still very very much interested in the binders. While I'm trying to maintain a particular style for my major archival project, I always need binders for peripheral things. Including a recent archival project (fortunately not huge) that was just shipped to me -- the musical notes, collections, etc. of my friend Bess Foulke (Bryn Mawr, Class of 1952; she passed away a couple years ago) from whom I got the song "Aunt Clara" which she had learned from her college roommate's father.

That collection I'm planning on cataloging and then finding a safe and accessible repository for it.

I'm not sure what I'm getting accomplished today, but I did get at least one thing done that was on yesterday's list -- calling a friend in Canada who didn't have time to talk when I called her on Sunday.

Other than that it was just the usual stuff: shower and hairwash, breakfast, sponge bathe Tom and dry shampoo his hair, lunch, clean up the kitchen. I want to get out and move some more firewood over to where Tami is stacking it and I've got to move the CDs in the front seat of the car and turn the car around in anticipation of heading to the Press Room for this evening's session. Wow. Two weeks in a row for Tom!

Linn

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Apr 13 - 03:26 PM

Good! I bagged a couple more (I didn't want to take them all at first, other people were picking up some. But I just looked, there was an orpan I've added to my collection.)

SRS

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 26 Apr 13 - 09:32 PM

Afternoon at the playground with Jeremiah and friends (for both of us!) and another tough yoga class....oddly, I beginning to really enjoy that kind of class. Pushing myself feels pretty darn good!

Michelle

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 Apr 13 - 11:52 AM

Getting our back alley cleaned today. Remains of lovage, poppies,mallow, daisies, and about four feet of grass between the fence and the graveled roadway.

If the majority of the householders along our block agree, the city will asphalt the alley and charge for it, but most of us turned it down- too expensive.

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 27 Apr 13 - 04:37 PM

Still in country!
Michelle: Check engine light can be a real pain. It costs me each time. This time $20. to find out - nothing. Sometimes it is the gas cap not put on quite right! Only once has it been useful - a loose air filter. I had gotten the car serviced before leaving Seattle area and finally bit the bullet and had it checked in eastern BC. Feels rather like a scam! That light.

Clean counter tops are a marvel! Wish I had enough cabinets to do that!

Car sounds happier with its new oil! It always tells me - by sound of engine - when it needs a change.

I finally managed to do glazing and firing and it was GOOD!!! Trial glazes netted a lovely soft matt green and more tests to try. Previous 3 newly tested with combos netted a few interesting effects. I actually made notes on what to do next.

What to do next is make more pots and I did a bunch today and then stopped to go to library. Then realized I only wanted to renew books so I phoned instead - and have not gotten back to potting. Once I change clothes...

All test tiles are now stuck to a piece of plywood fore perusal with some craft "glue" so they can be taken off and put back - I guess until that stuff gets tired. I also learned that a glaze I have been using for years is really amazing when put on thicker! I was so excited I wanted to jump in the car and take it to show to a friend in the city! (It is a rich, dark turquoise with visual interest, rather than just solid. I'll post a pic on FB.)

After my fast day on Monday.... I have been pretty good but each day I wake up thinking I'll do it today. Breakfast goes fine then I forget and have lunch..... The log book lasted the predictable two days but I found it today and updated.

Good weather - around 70 - next few days! I bought some plants yesterday from the local horticulture class; a beautiful hanging basket, some perennials including a beautiful day lilly, a spider plant, and a couple fuschia to make my own basket.

A groundhog raced me up the driveway yesterday! It lives under the cabin - at the front. A big beautiful skunk lives in the back apartment! It watched me, from its front door, the other day as I got out of the car and walked to the back door. I watched it too!

Piles of stuff to do. Think I'll read for awhile and hope for a burst of energy.

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 27 Apr 13 - 04:40 PM

Today has been fantabulous!

It started with breakfast with my honey, a class we have both been wanting to take (which was GREAT), a picnic lunch with Jeremiah and Pete, playtime on the playground, a walk down to the lake, a shortish hike to the other side of the lake, turtle, osprey, dragonfly and bat sighting (at 3:00pm...strange for the bat), a nap in the sunshine, time to relax and off soon to a concert!

What a GREAT day!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Apr 13 - 05:29 PM

I've puttered, cleaned the kitchen and cleared the peninsula island so I could set up pie-making materials. I made a short video of how to make a pie crust and pumpkin pie filling for the kids. My daughter doesn't like pumpkin pie, but she does like pies in general. And my son has been doing more cooking now that he's in a house, not in a dorm. These small videos of mine are unlisted and I send the kids the links. They can share with friends if they want, but mostly this is my answer to sharing recipes, in the way my mother put together a three-ring binder of recipes for us when my siblings and I started cooking for ourselves.

Out into the garden for a bit, and I plan to walk the dogs before feeding them. I've listed more books so I'll be doing more eBay listings this evening.

SRS

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Apr 13 - 08:46 PM

yES i STILL WANT BINDERS.

~s~

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: ranger1
Date: 27 Apr 13 - 10:56 PM

My grandmother is decluttering her house and sending it north with my mother when she comes to visit. Trying to think of a polite way to tell them all to cut it out. I'm sure they have thrift stores of their own they could donate this stuff to!

One of the boxes in the first load my mother dumped on my doorstep was a set of antique dishes. I took the rest of the load to the local thrift shop, but I thought this one might be worth something, if I could figure out the easiest way to sell it that didn't involve my having to ship or list on some website. That was three months ago, and the dishes still sit. But not for long - a young, recently divorced single mom who was trying to get back on her feet suffered a fire a couple of months back. There was an article about it in one of the free semi-local papers, along with a phone number. I called her and asked if she's like the dishes, if she didn't like them, she could sell them and get something she'd rather have. I emailed her a picture of the pattern, she loves them, and now I just need to come up with a day where I can drive an hour up the coast and drop them off.

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Apr 13 - 12:46 AM

I got about $275 for various charismatic pieces in the antique china I had, but the bulk of it, dinner plates, lunch plates, various saucers, all went to the Goodwill.

I did some cooking for the week today, and I got out and weeded and put mulch in the garden. I was going to use bagged leaves, but realized those do better on the paths, so I have hardwood mulch for the tops of the beds. I'll put a load of laundry in tonight, set on the delay timer so it washes early in the morning. I think I'll have my first laundry for the clothesline. It's warm enough now.

SRS

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 28 Apr 13 - 08:57 AM

Today is the day I get organized for an upcoming quilting retreat! I want to go through each item I intend to work on (they are already all bagged and labeled) to make a list of any last minute things I need such as fusible interface, batting, etc. I have a few things to cut still but that won't take long.

I have a new air mattress (we have sweet cabins but the beds are like concrete) that has been airing outside now for 3 days. I inflated it and decided that new plastic smell was just more than I could handle...I'll bring it in later this afternoon and get that all packed up. I need to find my twin sheets (I have one or two around here somewhere) and would like to wash them and get all that packed as well.

We are all to bring some kind of snack to share for about 30 women. I have thought about it at length and have decided that I am going to call the local market and order a fruit tray. We've had them for holiday parties and they are pretty impressive and the price is great. For $25.00 or so, I will have a HUGE platter of fresh cut fruit. Beautiful. Healthy. Hassle free.

Lots of laundry to do today too. I've been slacking. It's just been too beautiful outside to worry about cleaning!!!! Sometimes, it just has to wait!!!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Apr 13 - 11:08 AM

That sounds like a great plan, Michelle. And isn't it just a year or two since you got into quilting at all? How many items (ball park) have you completed now?

No clothesline drying today. It is humid and though the chance of rain diminished, I have realized that I need to get new clothespins. The old ones have gotten pretty gnarly. Some will last into the season, but I should have taken them off the line in the fall and I neglected that.

I've just seen another tool I'm going to end up adding to my gardening collection. It's called a stirrup hoe, and it works for weeding without digging. Here is an example (YouTube). There is also a wheel hoe that can run a stirrup. As I'm out in the garden I'll be visualizing what the device might be that will do what I need doing. This is one I hadn't visualized in this way, but will do what I need.

Off to make a shopping list. Payday is Wednesday!

SRS

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 28 Apr 13 - 02:14 PM

Oh heck. How many projects have I made? A good 7 at least. I've got a few UFO's that need to go along and be finished up and some new projects to do too! I started sewing last April or so...it's addicting! :) I'll put photos up on FB after the retreat if I get anything done! :)

Michelle

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Apr 13 - 02:48 PM

I was waiting for an eBay auction to end and not wanting to wander off too far and miss it. Decided to clean the stovetop, to see if I can make it look brand new. It's a longshot, but it is a reasonable thing to work on for a bit this afternoon. (I got the item on eBay.)

SRS

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Apr 13 - 11:51 AM

The self-cleaning process takes about 4 hours, but it turns anything on the surface to dust, including the tough brown baked on grease on the glass. I should have done this a long time ago. I wiped it down with a damp cloth and it's finished. :)

It is warming up here finally, so I'll mow the lawn at lunchtime before it reaches the high-80s. I did the front yesterday, I need to mow the back today. It is a great form of exercise; I get the full workout by pushing it, not using the self-propelled.

SRS

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 29 Apr 13 - 12:20 PM

It's a craptastic day outside today so I finished some of the household chores and have settled into my chair with a rotary cutter, mat and a pile of fabric that needs to be cut. Jeremiah is happily playing with his trucks. Life is good.

Michelle

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Apr 13 - 12:22 PM

We need a "like" button here.

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Donuel
Date: 29 Apr 13 - 03:01 PM

I finished planting the moon flowers and morning glories during the all day drizzle. The new moon should he;p get them going.

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 29 Apr 13 - 09:36 PM

In the city waiting for R so we can go back to the cabin tonight.

This morning at the cabin I got up at the 8 hours sleep time (bed after midnight) and made a quick breakfast so we could get to the city. While waiting for R to get off the phone, I trimmed the rosemary - put the trimmings to dry, cleaned a plant of aphids (I hope), took off some shoots and put them in a couple pots to root (I hope), washed the dishes, put out food for the critters...

Oops, we went the other direction and ended up at the mill. I spent a couple hours washing one door and its sidelights and some windows. All the windows and doors are filthy - about an eighth of an inch of crud from sitting outside in the city! They needed to be hosed down before installation. I used newspaper and a spray bottle of water/vinegar. LOTS!

Finally got to the city house: have done both provincial and fed income tax (2 hours), put in 3 loads of laundry. Two are dry. Had a light supper reading - current is a delightfully written book about working for the Hudson Bay company in the 8o's - at the end of its life as fur trading posts in the NORTH.

Also watered the plants and picked up boxes from the trash across the street and some, needed, bucket lids and one small (good size) bucket. Listened to a message asking to order a couple mugs - over and over and still could not decipher the phone numbers correctly. But she said she was a friend of,,, So I phoned ... and got her number, and an order for a couple tumblers. These folks... are my most faithful customers. I need to ask the daughter about holding an open house for me.

Well, I actually feel as though I have had a productive day - did not produce any pots but - you know. Got stuff done! Back to they dryer.

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Apr 13 - 10:38 PM

Laundry finished, the most urgent shopping finished (paying cash - trying to not use the credit cards until they're paid off.)

I don't want to turn on the air conditioner yet, but it got warm enough today that it could be an option. The forecast says we'll have a cool down later in the week, so I'll stick with the ceiling fans.

Dorothy, how long do you have for moving out of the cabin?

SRS

Subject: RE: April 2013 Showers wash away clutter!!!!!!!!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 30 Apr 13 - 01:51 PM

Been meaning to post here lately, but keep running out of time. Today's caregivers class was sandwiched between yesterday's podiatrist appointment (for Tom) and tomorrow's appointment with his primary care. Got some suggestions from his podiatrist that may make Tom less susceptable to cellulitis. More work for me, but, hey, that's what I'm here for. Hope we can get some useful suggestions tomorrow from Tom's PCP.

It's frustrating. Ginkgo could really help Tom's peripheral artery disease, but it would be dangerous for him to take it because he already takes Plavix (blood thinner) and his blood pressure runs low and really can't take the possibility of it going lower.

Tom did get a good workout from his therapist today while I was at class -- transitioning (again) to using a cane. Still, it will be safer this Friday for him to still use the walker to get to the Press Room session.

For some reason I'm really tired and achy today. I didn't think I did THAT much raking and moving leaves around yesterday while Tami & Jason were finishing up restacking the firewood we're keeping out of the way of the driveway getting "done" next week. Over the weekend I got the forsythia and some other plants out of the "holding bed" (loam pile) which my driveway guy will move for me before he can start work.

I've also got most of the leaves removed from the back beds and what passes for a lawn. I hope I haven't lost too many plants because I haven't been able to do that for a few years.

I hope to fill a planter and get the borage planted today, too. And get a load of laundry going. Maybe a shovel full of sedums from the loam pile to the rockery...

Then I'm going to go upstairs and under-react by watching a couple episodes of "White Collar". Dinner is leftovers, so that won't take a lot of time. I really could take a nap...

Onward!

Linn