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Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13
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Subject: RE: Exercise, Diet, Declutter ~~~~~~June 2013 From: Bat Goddess Date: 01 Jul 13 - 10:05 AM Most of our trees are deciduous, not evergreen, and the major problem I'm bucking in reclaiming the flower beds and the (miniscule) bit of grass (now mostly wild strawberries; I'm sooo upset...not) is raking off all the leaf mulch, acorns, etc. and pulling out the maple seedlings that sprout up everywhere. The leaf mulch smothered some of my favorite plants so I'm struggling to replace them. The hemlocks up on the back bank (my yard is a narrow plateau just down from the crest of the hill -- my up-the-hill-neighbor's field) make a lovely cool "room" but I have to cut several of the major lower branches as they've now turned my once full sun flower bed into mostly shade. And the smaller trees down the slope all need to be cut down. I can do that myself, but I'll definitely need help to cut back the trees on the edge of the once cleared area. The woods does not like to be kept at bay... Linn _____________________________________ Moved to current month by mudelf |
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Subject: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 01 Jul 13 - 10:27 AM Here is the last thread For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere it is at the top of the summer heat in the next couple of months. I propose to change the name of this in August and let the same thread run for at least two months. We've peppered the forum with our declutter threads for years, so lets take time this month to sum up our progress. Are these helpful? Look back to July 2010 or July 2008 and see if you can detect progress. I went through my personal page and pulled up the links, I haven't reread them yet. And there are other months and years, but I wanted to place a couple of July stepping stones in our path to see where we've been. I know there is still clutter to go, but I know that there are some calm clear areas that are the result of setting these goals. My bedroom has been clear for ages - it is a welcoming space at the end of the day, nothing in there makes me think "I need to fix that" when I lay my head on my pillow and turn off the light. My bathrooms are clear of a lot of the junk that can pile up on counters or in cabinets. My kitchen is efficient, but because it is the hub of activity there is an ebb and flow in the clutter. It's gardening time for me, and my sun room is the heart of that, all of my tools and a lot of the boxes, bins, and containers that are drafted to hold produce are in there. And my eBay stuff. But people walk in that door when entering my house, so creating a neat and welcoming space there should be my next big push. Where has your work centered, where are you now, and what is your next big push? SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 01 Jul 13 - 10:50 AM For me, this is the month of the annual yard sale. I have been bagging things periodically but now is the time to get things all marked and delivered to the yard sale site. It happens to be in a very large garage that is used only to store a motorhome during the winter....otherwise it is completely empty. Actally, it's big enough to store 2 motorhomes...not sure why they built something so big...anyway...tables will be set up by mid month and we are welcome to set out things up 2 weeks early. I hope to take advantage of that and not wait for the big push at the last minute. I have a financial goal in mind. I am wanting to add a room to our house...a small room, no bigger than 11x11. It will have hardwood floors, 2 windows, room enough for an electric fireplace (that we have and don't use since we added the pellet stove), a stereo, flat screen tv and my yoga mat. Yoga has gotten very difficult to get to and expensive since I need a sitter and classes are already not cheap. There really isn't any room to have a quiet space that doesn't need to be precleaned every time I want to practice...so I proposed a small room dedicated to my yoga practice. If I can set enough money aside for it, it's a go. The biggest expense will be the windows. I like the declutter thread...keeps me on track sometimes. My house is still cluttered but perhaps less cluttered than it once was...or maybe not since we have a very busy toddler. What would you change the name to Maggie? Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 01 Jul 13 - 11:02 AM I just meant that instead of starting an August thread, I would change this one to August in the header come August 1, and let it run for 2 months. We're all busy in the the summer, there are fewer posts. I understood what I meant, just didn't spell it out. Sorry! It's cool here for a couple of days - exceedingly rare this time of year. Supposed to be 90 today, 85 tomorrow. I know, not cool in relation to other parts of the US, but cool for us! SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 01 Jul 13 - 11:28 AM Ohhh...whew. I read this thread often even if I'm not posting much...I find lots of inspiration here!!!! Cool and rainy here. Jeremiah and I are headed out to do some errands but it's cool enough that I have him in sweatpants. :) It is a welcome drop in temperatures to me!!! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 01 Jul 13 - 08:51 PM I mowed part of the front yard - I don't water a lot in the summer, I keep the gardens going but the Bermuda (turf) turns brown. My next door neighbor has St. Augustine and it's still growing and it grows into my lawn every year. I had to mow that part of the front. The dogs and I are going for a walk before I feed them. It has been ages since we were last out of the yard to stroll through the neighborhood. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 01 Jul 13 - 09:09 PM Today is Canada's birthday. We are now completely moved from the cabin ----except that the truck quit yesterday and there is a small camping trailer that will have to wait until the truck is repaired. We hope tomorrow. It quit yesterday (electrical) half way between here and there as we were on the way to do the "last load". We had to hitch a ride and a wonderful woman who used to work at the Mill - when it was a mill - turned around and gave us a ride, got a tour of the now of it and I gave her a small pot in thanks. We got the car, called a tow truck, had the truck towed and went for a load in the car but it was late and we went for two more loads today. At the end of the first load this morning, what should turn up but two of the awol raccoon babies. Happy to be picked up and taken in the car. BUT! we forgot to close the tail gate and looking in the rear view mirror, we saw this tiny raccoon chasing the car down the road! Poor little tyke must have fallen out the back and "Stop, Stop! You have my sister! Don't leave me!!" Life is such an adventure! Just picture this tiny - about two handfuls of fluff - critter running as fast as she could down a country road. A picture we will never forget! So the girls are in a smallish cage out back. We hope for enough energy tomorrow to put together a bigger cage for the darlings. Right now, the dismantled cage and other items have not been off loaded from the trailer. R is working on improving the water situation. There is a faucet that finally works - "way over there"! Currently, a bucket and basin in the "kitchen". A hose might be in the near future. A futon in the "BR". Microwave and toaster oven for cooking. Indoor camping. As for our worldly goods - I tried so hard to be organized but as stuff arrived it seemed to get disorganized. I have found most needful things but the important bag with our passports and my US credit card has resisted my attempts to find it. When I put it in ????, I said to R, "Pay heed, I am putting... in here!" But neither of us remember what "here" was! A search today has not yet turned it up. Total exhaustion and aching everywhere there is to ache; feeling dirty but no way to wash adequately until we get back to the city; wondering if there will ever be anything resembling a reasonable facsimile of a living space - but it is ALL moved. It is all here - somewhere! Even the little darlings! |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 01 Jul 13 - 11:19 PM Oh my. So many thoughts cross my mind at the sighting of a baby raccoon chasing you down the road. Thanks for that word portrait, Dorothy! Our walk was lovely, the dogs are always happy to go and we haven't much lately. I was so busy in the spring I got out of the habit. I'll make a point of walking them while it's cool (this week should be cooler than normal according to the forecast.) Despite a little cooldown, the summer is always a difficult time of year for me. The heat affects my willpower to get out and do things, regardless of my weight. I am motivated to reach my goal over the summer, so I expect I'll be climbing the stairs in my library a lot. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 02 Jul 13 - 09:56 AM Decluttering my kitchen counter of some fresh produce. I'm taking an assortment to my hairdresser this morning, and more to co-workers. Cucumbers and eggplant continue to be prolific, along with cherry tomatoes. I've been wearing blouses without always wearing a vest over the top of it these days - the spare tire isn't so conspicuous. I'll be at the office today so I'll climb the stairs several times, and it's a "fruit" day so I'll take a salad for lunch (homegrown tomatoes and cucumbers - until I get tired of them - I need to look for some cucumber recipes.) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 02 Jul 13 - 11:25 AM I have company coming on Sunday....friends who have the most immaculate home. She has a mansion of a house in Georgia and I...well, I have an old farm house that maybe in 50 years MIGHt be finished. My yard is not manicured (although the grass is cut), we do not have a landscape artist (we do have a few pots of flowers) and I am feeling a little sheepish about having her here. I love our home....I love that we are a bit isolated, I love that it's lived in condition (who wants to live in a museum?) but I'm not digging on having someone here who might be a little judgmental. She says not to worry. So...I'm not going to. I'm just not. I won't be able to enjoy her company if I'm worried that she has spied a cobweb I missed or a giant ball of dog hair appears from under a book case (hey..it happens). I am, however, cleaning, for her. It gives me enough stress to take care of some things that need tending to anyway. Today my focus is on the upstairs hallway...going to wipe down the walls, clean the framed photos, sweep and mop. The steps will get a good sweeping too. And then the downstairs hall which is pretty cluttered and the bookshelves all need a good dusting in that hallway. The standard cleaning of the bathroom will happen today as well. I'll save the kitchen/dining room and kitchen for Friday and Saturday. Pete is in charge of the porch and yard. My friend is bringing her son who thinks it will be *fun* to visit the farm. I told her last night that we've had a ton of rain...expect MUD and dirt. It's a FARM after all. Let's hope she means not to worry about the house. I KNOW she is coming to see ME but you can't help seeing the surroundings. I need to get busy. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 02 Jul 13 - 05:20 PM I think you'll find that Jeremiah comes to the rescue. When you have small children and lots of toys, and really important things to do that involve children, peripheral things like dusting or finishing building your house are way down the list. Her son will have fun and they'll go home and wonder why their manicured home doesn't have the character and coziness of your rural farm. Trust me - once the boys spend time wading after tadpoles or you and your friend have a nice homemade fruit drink or refreshing iced tea and sit out on the porch talking, the comparison of your homes won't come into it. She's coming to see YOU, not your house. (Lucky lady!) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 02 Jul 13 - 07:09 PM Didn't think I'd get a lot accomplished today. I don't deal well with high humidity -- I don't know what's wetter, outside in the rain or in the house perspiring to beat the band. Too wet and slimy (mud under the grass) to safely do anything outside, even when it's not actively raining (which isn't often). I did get in a long catch up phone call with my sister and went through (and threw out!) a pile of New York Times that a friend had given me. Also labeled a couple binders of miscellaneous interesting stuff (sort of unclassified inspiration). Making a nice supper, so all is not lost. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: katlaughing Date: 03 Jul 13 - 12:55 AM i don't have to check to know i've been on a downhill slope, but this is still one of two fav. threads full of acceptance, validation, encouragement, etc. thanks for keeping them going. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 03 Jul 13 - 11:47 AM Culling stuff from the office closet again - this feels like ground zero - if I discard what I don't need and organize what is there I can then I create gaps for related stuff from other rooms. Those gaps in other places are the toehold to organize those other rooms. All of that said, we have cooler weather this week, so I'll be doing closet and housework when I'm not out enjoying the garden. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 03 Jul 13 - 04:04 PM I guess today is successful because it's about 2/3rds over and I've managed not to kill anybody. Came close to a melt down at the grocery store. And it was air conditioned in there. But seldom have I encountered so many rude or just plain thoughtless people -- including staff. The melt down was a fantasy. It would really have been fun to just scream... And then at home while trying to put groceries away, the freezer would just not cooperate. All my patience had melted and dripped out my ears. It's not raining (yet) but it IS very hot and unbelievably humid. My brain has mildewed. All I wanted to do was put the nice pizza in the oven and get the groceries safely stowed. And something managed to get wedged behind the freezer drawer. Took half of the stuff out of the drawer and was able to retrieve it. But the drawer still wouldn't go all the way back in. Turns out something from the bottom drawer had slid over the back. Couldn't retrieve it with my arm over the drawers. Had to take the bottom drawer out. Got it. Put the drawer back in...and it still wouldn't close. In the meantime, I'd managed out of total frustration, to yell at Tom and almost step on the cat. Then Tom fought with it for awhile. Then we ate lunch (with half of the freezer contents in coolers and the door propped as closed as it would get). Then I sighed deeply and attacked it again. FINALLY! Now all I have to do is wait for the potatoes to be cooked for potato salad and I'll take a G&T upstairs and under-react with a book until I feel less stressed. It's not quite 90F (thank goodness for small favors -- but AccuWeather says "Heatwave from tomorrow til Sunday" -- what have they been calling the past two weeks?! ) but the humidity is again through the roof and the "real feel" is closer to 95F. Sorry for the whine, but the rain, humidity and heat are really getting to me. I'm heading upstairs now to sit in front of the fan. Maybe I can de-stress to the point where I can sort some papers or do some other tedious task that doesn't involve moving. Linn Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Mrrzy Date: 03 Jul 13 - 04:43 PM Keep cool, Bat Goddess baby! Hey, I now have herbs in many pots, any advice for particular pruning style and frequency for, alphabetically: Basil: I hear snip at the two-leaf level to get it to split there like a hydra, but how often? Lavender? Oregano? Parsley, curly and flat? Rosemary? Very woody, what should I use if my scissors aren't happy? Thyme? I also have some hot peppers and cherry tomatoes... am having fun, never done this before. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 03 Jul 13 - 08:27 PM In my yard the basil grows to the size of a hedge, so I pick it whenever I need it and don't worry about branching it out. My rosemary is the size of the Volkswagen beetle (in three different spots around the yard) so again, I don't worry about when to prune - when it gets too big I cut it back, and if I need some for roasting a chicken, I snip off new growth somewhere that needs pruning. Thyme is also woody and prolific so I just snip whatever, and oregano is taking over my side kitchen garden like a ground cover, so I pull out hunks of it to transplant to the front bed in the yard (slowly establishing it there so it will be useful ground cover). I haven't grown lavender and I'm not that fond of parsley. So unless this inspires you to grow immense patches of herbs in your yard, one of the others probably ought to answer this question. :) I have been doing some of what Liz referred to recently as "retail therapy." I finally reached the point where there was so much shopping I needed to do I made a big circuit. I picked up a whole fresh sockeye salmon to brine and smoke for my daughter. It'll take a couple of days, so it's a good thing I have tomorrow off. Must clear out the kitchen and get started filleting the fish. I bought it whole and saved about $8 a pound on it. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 04 Jul 13 - 06:43 AM NONE of my basil came up this year. May have drowned, but the other stuff I planted the week before is fine. Unfortunately the nasturtiums and borage don't really make the kind of pesto I'd like...;-) Sun is out today, though thunder showers predicted for afternoon. And hot. I just think it's great that morning's breakfast, music and reading of the Declaration of Independence won't be poured on like last year. And Tom is reasonably mobile, too (he still couldn't put weight on his ankle last year) so the music party afterwards is on the schedule, too. Later, Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 04 Jul 13 - 01:14 PM Darn! I just zapped my own message. Linn, I can send you some of my dried basil if you'd like. I have salmon drying out a little now, it came out of the brine and was rinsed. I'll smoke it this afternoon on a table beside the sunroom door. I don't trust the dogs to leave the smoker alone if I use it out back. There is a bag of clothes ready to go to Goodwill soon - I weeded t-shirts that I haven't worn in years and when I get back down to that size I still don't plan to wear them. I'm still in the weight zone I was working toward - I need to drop 10 pounds to be in the next "zone" I want to be by August. I need to weed today so I'll use a mattock (good swinging-chopping motion) and that's a start, but getting vigorous exercise in this heat is difficult. No plans for the evening, except to walk the dogs before dark and keep them in during the noise (no fireworks allowed, but the neighbors don't do a great job of observing that rule). SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: katlaughing Date: 04 Jul 13 - 06:07 PM linn, i remember groaning when the weather guys forecasted the 3Hs: HOT, HAZY & HUMID I hated bthem!! |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 04 Jul 13 - 06:16 PM Salmon is in the smoker, I need to put on shoes and walk across the road to check on the wild grapes, they're probably ripening now. Time for jelly! I've been clearing up stuff in my son's room, I decided I'd make it look like a guest room before the next guests arrive. Around the house I've crept up on other clutter. I've tossed some of the garden stuff (black plastic flats and small pots) into the pickup to run by the recycle bins. I have to work tomorrow, at least in the morning, so this will be in the truck ready to drop off on my way back home, including Goodwill bag. It's darned hot out there today - back to our regularly forecast July in Texas weather. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 04 Jul 13 - 08:06 PM Thing is, I left Wisconsin over 40 years ago to escape hot humid summers. Alas, the weather has caught up with me (but took about 30 years to do it). Miserably hot and humid today -- definitely interfered with the enjoyment of the day. Right now it's time for ice cream...and then standing in a cool shower for awhile...and then finish watching "Thunderball" in front of the fan. Sunny, hot and humid for the next three or four days (with scattered thunder showers), then it will settle down below 80°F to some more rainy weather. Between the rain and the humidity, I'm sure I've mildewed. All my basil drowned and haven't been able to do anything outside for about three weeks. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 05 Jul 13 - 10:33 AM Down a couple of more pounds. I'm at work today and am planning to climb the stairs several times because it's back to hot weather outside, making it harder to feel motivated to get much outdoor exercise. There will be a tiny chance of rain over the next few days [read: hot and humid, no rain, just the excruciating desire for rain to offer temporary relief; should rain happen, this leads to even higher humidity after said tiny rain.] Last night I put some framed art up on the walls in my son's (the current guest) room. I'm going to move one of the large armchairs into the corner of that room, with a lamp for reading. I've been switching out a couple of small tables to see which I like better. The chair and lamp will come from the front room, making that room look a little less crowded. Tonight I need to use a bunch of my garden ingredients (peppers, garlic, herbs, tomatoes) to make a batch of spaghetti sauce to freeze it in small portions. This will be a mix of tomatoes that had chunks cut off (spots that were damaged and starting to rot) that couldn't be used for canning along with some cherry tomatoes I cooked down and one jar of diced tomatoes that didn't seal properly). I'm keeping up with the garden output so far by eating and giving away, but now is the time to start freezing along with the canning. I need to empty and rearrange my pantry shelving. The jars I've emptied over the year have been tucked in here and there, and I've fished them out as needed. It's time to figure out what is in there and put my available jars in one place. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 05 Jul 13 - 02:26 PM Linn and I must have similar Weather! Too hot and humid and rain predicted for every day. I tend to refer to that type of rain as "the excess humidity falling out of the air". This does seem somewhat different than "real rain". Yesterday I was hoping for a good rain so I could go out and "take a shower"! It only sprinkled so this morning I took the water bucket and a large yogurt container to an outside door and poured cool water over my head, soaped and rinsed. Felt SO good! I could not stand keeping the girls in that small cage and did not have the energy to rebuild the big one so I took them for a walk into the back area where there are trees and weeds and stacks of lumber and other neat stuff. They declined my request, "come on, girls, Let's go.", to walk back inside. They have been out in "their" wood pile about 3 days now. I take them food and they are delighted to say hello, when they are not napping, but love their home. We hope they will be safe but "one day in the wild is better than a life in captivity". I am having to accept that the little darlings are happy out there and they can get into the building if they need to do so. In fact, they came in at 3:30 am the other night! We stuck them in the dog crate so we could go back to sleep! Last night, I went out about 9 pm and took them goodies. They were appropriately enthusiastic and I left them to it. I managed to dig out drapes or coverings for all the windows, in the solarium/BR to keep the lights out, and everywhere to keep the sun out. A clean water bucket and plastic basin serves for our washing up tasks. Microwave and toaster oven for cooking. Today, Bruno is installing the free kitchen (Craigslist) R and the guys collected. It does not suit our designated K space so it is being put where it will become a "staff K". We will use it until there is time to acquire one for the space. (May I live that long!) It may even have water to the sink and a functioning stove! Last night was SO hot - but R likes a quilt so I pulled out a light weight one ----that I have almost thrown out or given to the animals so many times over the last few years! Some things just need to be useful! I think it will have to totally disintegrate before I deep-six it! Thinking of Michelle and windows as I look at the wonderful patio door we got on Craigslist for about $200. Or maybe another one of those sites - Kijiji, LesPAC. I took the screen door part to a local man for repair; will pick it up this afternoon. Thinking of making awnings. Thinking harder of how to get rid of house flies. Tried cloves; soaked them in water and warmed in microwave. No help. Rubbed the clove water on my legs (shorts today!) No deterrent. Lavender oil is next but, if I have any I do not know where, so shall have to get some in town. Or a couple plants if I can find any. Suggestions welcome. I checked google and those seemed the best offerings. I need some pantry shelving to arrange! A wasp want out. To the rescue! |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 05 Jul 13 - 11:56 PM I am looking forward to picnic food being OUT of my fridge. I can't seem to stay out of it. *sigh* I got to spend a few hours in my sewing room tonight...the first time since I've moved everything. Can I just say that I've forgotten how really good it feels to have some time all to myself to do something I love? I whipped up 4 little quilt tops for a preschool teacher friend of mine...all farm animals...very cute. The name of the line of fabric is even cute: Oink-A-Doodle-Do! They still need borders, backing and binding so gee...I guess I'll need a little more time in the sewing room. What a tragedy! ;) Another bonus? It is air conditioned in here!!! Ahhhhhhh!!! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 06 Jul 13 - 10:41 AM We're to the very hot days of summer now, when working outside is as calculated a move as going outside to work in freezing or snowy weather. How long to expose oneself to the temperature to perform the task. There is a lot to do indoors. Today will be a mix of indoors and out, pacing myself in the heat. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 06 Jul 13 - 03:38 PM Shucks! I thought we were going to have rain today. I went out at 6:30 to plant the two pots of squash plants - at long last. Also threw sprouted potatoes on the ground and covered them with lots of straw. By 7:30 it was TOO hot - for me. Then it cooled some and the breeze felt rain - but not today. And now it is too hot to move. It is lovely to have the repaired screen door on the solarium. But the breeze is too hot right now. I have coverings over all the windows during the sunny times but it was nice to have the door open all night. Also rigged a fan to eject the heat from the kitchen. Need to find screens for other windows and doors. Did the farm market - not many booths and NO strawberries! The organic farm lost most of strawberries to the wet weather - fungus! The thrift shop - a couple pairs of underwear for R as I have not been to the city to do laundry and some other good pieces of clothing. Spent a lot of time looking for a washing machine on line, having been assured there is a place to install it; the one at the right price and not too far, was gone. So I did an alert. Also picked up some groceries. Found a large solid wood K online for $900 which could probably fit our space with stuff left over. R is considering it. Having taken out the other K last month, he knows what it would take in person hours to remove this one. Bruno is due to come back on Monday to finish the secondary K and it is expected to have running water. I hear a rumour that the stove in the primary space may be connected yet today. "No problem." If he wants supper.... Did I mention that we are dealing with 40,000 sf of building? It is about 100 feet to where the washing machine can be, currently, and about 150 feet to the flush toilet. Plan ahead! Things can only improve, she says hopefully. Now I am awake enough to find a way to organize clothing on shelves. Shelves on a pallet so things can be moved as work proceeds in different areas. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 06 Jul 13 - 06:53 PM Stove connected! Real food tonight! And not in a restaurant! Moderately cool breeze wafting through the screen door. Sun is way over on the other side of building on a downward slope. Went out earlier to check on the girls and one came to me. I carried her over to the small pond but saw a large turtle and took her back to the lumber pile. The sister came and instead of eating, they followed me back to the building. Then, they suddenly decided to run for the pond. Shucks, they knew it was there! They are raccoons after all! Hope they avoid that turtle. so they are fed and have lots of water. I carried water up to the plants I planted this morning, since it is not raining and they needed to be watered in. Then fetched another bucket of water for the ornamental plants which, due to lack of place to hang the baskets, are on an antique bench. The weeds desperately need to be cut..... |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Mrrzy Date: 06 Jul 13 - 10:02 PM Thanks - bloody hot here too. First house in a while with no central air... fans are a marvy thing. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 06 Jul 13 - 11:03 PM I made a run to pick up another fillet of salmon, and on my way I stopped at Goodwill and gave them the latest bag of clothes. I have a couple of things I may list on eBay that I pulled out of the closet when my daughter was here today (Moonglow came down to pick up the salmon I smoked for her.) Kind of at loose ends this weekend - I'm waiting to hear what jobs people at work got. I was not placed in the position I was hoping for - the best thing about the new assignment is that it might have a larger pay bump, but it is in a strange direction. Did you know that if you go to a high end grocery store in every day slacks and an old t-shirt, that you can dress up with a nice pair of dangly earrings and compensate for the gardening clothes? :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 07 Jul 13 - 11:07 AM My son is in San Diego and managed to lose his phone in a cab. I got a text via a friend's phone. His phone was off, so I can't track it using software or the family tracking service Sprint offers. I'll mail him an old phone overnight if he doesn't find it today. I'm still doing my other stuff today (smoking salmon, checking and hopefully picking grapes, etc.). Amazing how you hear from the kids mostly when they need something. I'm glad I insured the phone. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 07 Jul 13 - 02:48 PM Have to pick up a prescription at Tom's doctor's tomorrow over in Somersworth, so figured I'd come home via Goodwill in Dover so maybe I should fill up a few more bags and get them loaded into the car. Started with the lower left hand section of the built in hutch next to the unused front door at the end of the kitchen. Kept a few things that I want to give to friends (lab glass that one friend uses for vases, etc.) and a few things that I think I can sell, but wrapped up a whole bunch of vases, candle holders and miscellaneous glass containers (all quite nice, I just don't USE them) to de-accession tomorrow. Plus a Dirt Devil vacuum and a nice insulated pitcher that was the same pattern as a set of ironstone I used to have. I know there's plenty more in the other lower section, but I don't feel like moving the stuff in front of the doors. Ran a load of dishes through, emptied rainwater from a couple buckets and emptied most of the garden soil out of the wheelbarrow and the big bucket I intend to use to move composted goat manure. Then extricated some well composted material from a washing machine drum that was a bad idea to use (twenty years ago or so) because the top opening is too small. When I get all of it out (and spread on the garden), I'll take the drum to Harding Metals and convert it into a couple bucks. Should take a load up there one these days anyway. Cooking up some rotini for a pasta salad for tonight's dinner and then I'll head up to the store and see if I can get a fan for Tom to use at night. That should guarantee the temperature drops... Just been getting tired and frustrated of not accomplishing anything because it's too hot and humid. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 07 Jul 13 - 10:56 PM Last trip to the cabin today, to tow the little camping trailer down to the Mill and a good visit with the next door neighbour up there, and his partner. Mosquitoes were fierce. We do not miss them at all. But we really like the neighbour and shall miss those visits. A 30 min drive is not a five minute walk! R woke up this morning hearing "chittering" - raccoon talk. He walked toward the sound and found 3 kits in our neighbour's live trap and mom trying to figure out what to do about this. After some discussion, he walked back and released the kits who followed him for about 20 feet and then, hopefully, found mom. I could not bear the idea of our good neighbour transporting the babies to a different area, separating them from their mom; this would be almost certain death for them, as well as traumatic. It flashed me back 40 years to the 2 months I lived through not knowing where my sons were because their father had disappeared them. Raccoon moms have feelings too. I shall have to find the courage to talk with Merle about the appropriate time to trap and transport. He is a kind man. And thankfully, an anglophone! We now have hot water, too! Still about 100 feet from the "K". I think the plan is to get both hot and cold running to the secondary K, 30 feet away. I will use that until we get the primary one. The one for sale on Kijiji has been reduced.. Solid wood cabinets and lots of them. R is still thinking about it. A sort of makeshift shower arrangement could be managed with moderate encouragement, she says hopefully. Maybe tomorrow. I spent several hours today sorting and organizing - first clothes and household stuff, then started on pottery stuff. Made a good inroad into that. And sorted out things that can just plain go elsewhere until ... bed frames and tables we will not be using in the foreseeable future can go to a different part of the building. Rained all afternoon into the eve so my potatoes and squash are well watered. The little trees we planted in May are doing well - every one! |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 08 Jul 13 - 12:54 AM I'm staging some garden treatments over the next couple of days. The grasshoppers have been fierce this year, and I treated the small ones the other day with a bait, but the big ones devour everything. I sprayed a slurry of Surround WP - it is a very fine grind of kaolin clay (the stuff that is in cat litter). 95% clay, 5% wetting agents. I added a little orange oil as a surfactant and to clobber a few other bugs. And I disturbed some good ones along the way. But preying mantis eat other bugs, so the layer of clay shouldn't bother them. Dinner was a lovely concoction - starting with onions and peppers from the yard, then adding cut up zucchini I picked today. Tomato sauce I made yesterday with much of the same plus home-grown tomatoes, and a mix of a Czech sausage similar to kielbasa and finishing with the last of a container of feta and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan. :) The dogs and I went for a walk, but it wasn't very far and it was low energy; it's hot and muggy out, so it was a chance for them to get out of the yard. We shimmied down the bank to walk along the creek and let them all get a snoot-full of mud and algae. This morning we concluded that my son's phone, while perhaps initially lost, is not going to be returned by whoever found it. I contacted the carrier and it was shut off - and I wish there was a way to remotely wipe it. He needs to back up to a cloud setting, not keep data in the phone. A few days ago I decided it was time to clear out all of the old text messages; I wish he had done the same. Interesting week coming up, in many ways. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 08 Jul 13 - 11:19 AM Marvellous day of cool breeze and low humidity! Cross the road neighbour came over for a tour. He lent me his recycling bin so I have filled it and rolled it to the street, hoping I was in time for the twice-monthly pick up. A good de-clutter! R has dashed off to the city, reluctantly, to deal with the crises there. Still working on the washing machine deficit. "I have several ..." "so you have been telling me for two years. One that works would be good!" -After I asked if maybe he could pick up one I found on Kijiji.- There are three garbage bags of laundry in the city and one in my car.... Too nice a day to go to the city. Maybe I will just pull out socks and underwear and wash them in a bucket - now that there is hot water. I will consider that possibility for a while! While I also consider getting a pottery wheel set up and making a few pots today. Waiting for my next round of energy! Re lost cell phone: I left mine plugged in at the farm market the other week. When I remembered and went back, it was gone. While trying to figure out who to contact, I checked FB, which I do not do often. A message from my sister-in-law in PA informed me that the finder had called her and she relayed the necessary info so we could go fetch it. This kind woman works in the building and came out just in time to hear a couple kids say, "Look, a cell phone!" Lucky me! Well, a good lunch and a rest might bring on that rush of energy.... |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 08 Jul 13 - 01:47 PM Hot and humid here. I will be getting up early for the next couple of months to take care of any garden stuff before showering and heading to work. I have so much to do that is in so many categories that I'm going to have to make a list. It's one of those weeks where every time I realize there is some thing that needs doing, it has two or three related items. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: GUEST,SINS Date: 08 Jul 13 - 03:01 PM Finally! Ten months into my exercise program people are starting to notice the weight loss. The gout medications are worse than the disease so I am taking them for six weeks to clean my system while on a fairly strict gout diet. No red meat, no most seafood, no dried beans or lentils, no turkey and certain vegetables like spinach, asparagus and cauliflower. All doable. Other than hot dog and hamburgers I am not a meat eater. Of course no alcohol. I would love a vodka tonic but settle for red wine once in a while. I can have whole wheat bread but not whole grain. Nuts and seeds are limited. But I can have eggs, butter and cheese, potatoes, sweet potatoes, popcorn. Given a choice between the pain, the shitty drugs and the diet - I'll take the diet. With some planning I am very happy. I love Tai Chi, so simple but so relaxing ( I sleep like the dead after a session) and so effective on the muscles and joints. Actually vacuumed the entire first floor on Saturday. A sweaty business but I have the motivation so why not? The sun room is down to 6 boxes of sortables - a major achievment.Wish I had the courage to go upstairs. Baby steps...baby steps. SINS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 08 Jul 13 - 03:57 PM Good job, Mary! All of that running around that you're doing, Dorothy. Is the mill you're moving to instead of the cabin, but you're still keeping the place in town? And is the mill a rental also? I do hope you're able to keep the raccoons and the neighbor sorted out! I need to walk around a bit, my office is cold and I haven't had as much exercise with the heat so I'll head for the stairs. Lunch was a garden cucumber and a garden tomato with Parmesan cheese and salad dressing. But I cut them up here and there isn't much room on my desktop. The maintenance folks will need the shop vac to clear our office this evening. ;-) Tonight at home I'll do another small batch of tomatoes. I love the look of those filled jars cooling! My grapes across the road seem to resist ripening this summer, I may have to make a different kind of jelly. Jenn Brooks shared a recipe for Cranberry-Jalapeno on my facebook page. Sounds interesting! SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 08 Jul 13 - 05:18 PM It's supposedly cooler today, but the weather in the house is oppressive. Weather oppressive outside, too, waiting for the rain. It's sprinkled, but that's about it so far. Morning started out great -- power went out suddenly just before 9 a.m. and when I initially called, they first tried to tell me I HAD power, then abruptly switched to the recording that said they hadn't found the source of the outage yet. We were powerless for about an hour and a half. When I left the house (after finding a couple good-sized branches down in the turnaround), I noticed a smallish tree down further up the road. Since it was only 22 subscribers out, I figured it was just our road and maybe that tree was the cause. I'm at a loss about the branches in the yard -- we never had last night's predicted thunderstorms. The lightning was some distance away and the "storms" were a sprinkle that barely wet the deck. No wind, either. Got the de-accessioned stuff to Goodwill and picked up Tom's Rx. The "Check Engine" light came on yesterday, so had the car scanned today -- according to the codes, it's the same sensor that was replaced last week. Car goes into the shop on Friday morning. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 08 Jul 13 - 11:26 PM Last night I sprayed the vegetables with the Surround (finely ground kaolin clay that looks like a thick paint when you mix it in water). Once it is on, they say you should only water from below. This evening I turned on the soaker hose at the front and west side of the house, and only later realized the darned oscillating sprinkler and that hose (coming off of a multiple hose connector) was still in the "on" position and washed some of the dried clay slurry off of the plants. It coats stuff and repels grasshoppers and other bugs. The grasshoppers have been really bad this year, so I'll have to mix some more tomorrow morning and spray before I head to work. Talked to a co-worker this afternoon about the job change we're many of us going to experience - we have concluded that we're probably going to both be in the same group. A new category of job, a change for both of us. We've worked on other things together and get along well. That's good. I'm tired of the rarefied air I've been in for a very long time. The proverbial square peg in the round hole. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 09 Jul 13 - 10:28 AM My rush of energy held off until this morning. Did only the barest of essentials yesterday - minimal food and food to the girls out back - but no sight of them. Bruno worked on the secondary K. I rested/read/computered. This morning, about 7:30 - before too hot, I cut some of the rushes along the front with hedge trimmers - for about an hour. I really think it would be more productive to hire someone to cut all the weeds - which are now approaching the two foot level. We do not have, nor could I use, a gas-powered weed whacker (because of the toxic fumes) and an electric one ... There is about four acres of weeds, minus the area consumed by the buildings - 40,000 sf or the equivalent of one acre. That leaves 3 acres of weeds. Yes R, it is time to fire up the mower and maybe get one or two of those fine young lads out here to cut small trees in wrong places and work toward a semblance of tidiness. I also did more sorting and organizing, mostly of pottery stuff and have set up the portable wheel near a window, found a bench to sit upon and will be ready to pot today! I think the energy will come today. I covered the window to keep the heat out and the day is breezy with low humidity although it is to go to about 85 today. To clarify: R owns the city house, a beautiful Victorian in desperate need of -TA DAH - a new kitchen! Unfortunately, the powder post beetles have eaten the floor, joists and ??? So it is not just a K but a tear out of bug infestation before anything can be done. I really do not like being there - but it does have a functioning washing machine. He said last night he would put a load in when he got home. R purchased the "saw mill" late last summer because he took a fancy to it, it is in the country and it was a "bargain". It had been vacant several years, vandalized, and the roof leaks in several places. Walking from the "living space" being developed at the one end, to the flush(!) toilet involves avoiding numerous large puddles. Hip waders not necessary but rubber duckies would be useful - if I knew where they are. Also need to be careful not to slip. The concrete floor would be unforgiving as well as unpleasantly - disgustingly- dirty. An incinolet will be installed sometime. "R's time" is somewhat akin to "island time". Efficient use of time, or energy, are concepts he cannot grasp. Having been raised on the idea of time and motion efficiency, I have trouble with this. I may do nothing when I have no energy but when I do things, I try to make the best possible use of time/energy, especially as the latter is decreasing perceptibly. The "home in the country" is still a fantasy. OK. Need to wash underwear, then make pots. Phooey on the weeds! |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 09 Jul 13 - 12:45 PM It sounds interesting, Dorothy, but definitely something that would use some helping hands! I was tired last night, didn't can, but I must do it tonight. Those tomatoes are filling a shelf in the fridge and some on the kitchen counter. I had to clear piles off of the secondary workspace in my home office, so now I need to address those stacks before they become dust-collecting fixtures on the floor. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 10 Jul 13 - 12:24 PM Have been putting out fires at work, the paper stack is shrinking. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 10 Jul 13 - 01:04 PM What a difference the weather makes! I felt it before I was conscious of it - "I'm feeling better!" Then i looked out and saw clouds, drizzle but, most of all, the trees moving - generating the neg ions that are so energizing. Electrical storms predicted. Maybe i will get my shower today. The rain, of course, means bigger puddles indoors again. Yesterday ended up being another day of rest - mostly the heat, I think. I did drive to the municipal office to find out why my recycling was rejected. Ah, dry paint cans are not acceptable. So I put them aside and emptied the bin to return it to neighbour. R can pick up one for us before the next recycling- or I will borrow the neighbour's again. Also picked up some groceries before coming back and re-collapsing. Made a couple qts of plain humus. Yummy on a salad for supper. This morning it was already too hot at 7 am. But I sorted the clay I want to use from the pile of 50 pound boxes onto a dolly and moved it to the wheel area. Then spent morning on internet, including a lengthy response to a post on clayart group. It stretches my mind, causes me to think things through. Gentile, without the craziness that sometimes happens on Mudcat. But not without some strife and anguish. This thread was basically about how we communicate, how our words can be misread because we are writing, not talking, and we do not really know to whom we are writing and may be making assumptions about the other(s). Intriguing to me. I cannot unpack because of impending - someday- changes, so I am learning what is in which boxes, grateful for the plastic bins I bought for food stuffs. Found a cat collar with bell by the back door, from one of the two cats who seem to think they have rights. May be a way to visit the neighbour and broach the raccoon conundrum! Lunch, then pots, she says hopefully. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 10 Jul 13 - 03:20 PM I finished an art project for a photo contest at work (learned something new about how to handle mat board for framing) and I went for the weigh-in for the work weight loss competition. I show as having lost 15 pounds in the two months! The nurse made a surprised and pleased noise when she entered my weight on the form! I still have 20+ pounds to go, but making progress at all has been very nice. Supposed to get really hot here - triple digits - so I'll be planning how to keep the dogs cool, though they're outdoor dogs. One possibility is a small personal air conditioner on a timer in their stall in the garage. I'll have to research if that is possible. I saw something recently that wasn't a drippy window unit, but I don't know how it works so until I know, I won't jump on that. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 10 Jul 13 - 05:27 PM Trip to the endocrinologist confirmed that insulin isn't working. So...we are on to something that is a concentrated insulin and hopefully the pump by the end of the summer. This means a trip to the dietitian to discuss a low carb diet...not so much to lose weight (although I certainly do need to lose weight)...but rather to use the pump in the most effective manner. So...there it is. I've been running for the last 4 days or so and it's nice to be home today. Laundry is all done, dishes are running through the dishwasher and I still need to do some sweeping. I have a sink full of veggies that are going to be our dinner tonight. :) Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 10 Jul 13 - 06:40 PM Been threatening rain and thunderstorms since Monday, but only distant thunder (Monday) and a few spritzles of rain. Enough to wet the deck. The humidity, though, had us soaked through and thoroughly uncomfortable. That and the oppressive "waiting for the rain" feeling. After a very fine mist all day, it finally decided to rain a couple hours ago. Nice, steady rain. Grateful that it's not the thunderstorms, wind, and flash flooding that's been predicted. Just a nice, steady rain. The humidity is still ridiculous, though. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 11 Jul 13 - 12:21 AM It's just hot here, no prospect of rain any time soon. I heard an interesting story today, though I missed the end (I was in the truck and didn't have the leisure of a "driveway moment" when I reached my destination). The TED Radio Hour - "What Runs Through Your Mind As Your Plane is Crashing?" Very interesting. I took trash down to the curb this evening, including cans of stuff that have been around here on laundry room shelves for ages and I've never used. I don't throw full cans of stuff in the trash often, but into the trash it went this evening. Now I can look at that cupboard and see if I need everything in there or if the space can be put to a better use. Do I really need that many insulated lunch bags and plastic bottles? SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 11 Jul 13 - 08:36 AM I forgot to mention yesterday I went for the 2-month weigh-in at work. I participated in a Library team for a slim down competition at work this summer - I knew I was going to be losing weight, and though I didn't plan to set foot in the gym for that part of it (I work around the yard instead), I wanted my group to get the credit. I weighed in 15 pounds lighter yesterday. The nurse who had a chart with the original amounts from 2 months ago made a congratulatory noise when she saw the scale readout. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: GUEST,Can't Say Who Date: 11 Jul 13 - 12:44 PM I love to hear the success stories here. However, I am way far behind all of those who post here. I have way too much stuff. I would guess that I have way more than anyone here. I don't have stacks of newspapers up to the ceiling like they show on TV. But I do have trouble navigating parts of my house. And I definitely don't have any space for entertaining (or exercising). Most people would say I am a hoarder. So where do I start? I am already on several medications. And I looked for a support group, but I could not find any. Can anyone offer anything? Thank you. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: maeve Date: 11 Jul 13 - 02:00 PM Guest CSW- There may be something of help for you through this Yahoo support group: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Messiness-and-Hoarding/ |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bettynh Date: 11 Jul 13 - 02:30 PM I hear you, Can't Say. I'm sometimes utterly lost in this huge (12 rooms, cellar, garage and porches) house I inherited. It's full of stuiff "too good to throw away" from four generations, and I'm not blameless myself. I'm working at it, but not much of a diarist. This thread does help. Some things I've learned: Stop buying. It seems obvious, but it's hard for me to avoid buying books and cds. I've even committed the horrible sin of copying cds to my hard drive and then selling or giving them away. Figure out recycling. It's much easier to throw out a warped metal table if you know it'll become something useful somewhere (else). Yard sales work on many levels. First, you have to decide what might make some money. Then you get to see what people will actually buy. I usually have a huge table of random stuff that might be of interest or use, and sell it for a quarter apiece. People love it, and I get to talk to them. Things I think might be worth a fair amount, I'll leave unpriced and try to pick the brains of the folks stopping in as I try to sell it. It's immensely satisfying to see a little kid happy with a bag of dinosaurs, or a guy snatching up an old wrench. Some folks are out to make money, I know, but they're out here looking and good luck to them. After you've dragged your stuff back in a couple times, it'll be MUCH easier to either donate it or just throw it out (though the books are still hard for me). I've used craigslist successfully, too. My more successful sales postings have been rather chatty ("This was my mother's best set of china, only used on holidays"). I've also unloaded some unusual stuff (for example, a load of darkroom equipment) by suggesting unusual uses - I suggested homeschool experiments with the lenses) and keeping the price very low. I had no luck with books on craigslist. If you list on craigslist, you have to pay attention to your incoming email and make some decisions about trusting others (no checks). How to start? Fill a box with random stuff, settle into a comfy chair, and sort. It'll take more time than seems right, because there'll be memories and things to think about, but decide what to do. It's ok to have bigger donation and yardsales piles than trash. They recycle much more than paper these days. And it's ok to have an "Maybe, but I just can't decide today" pile. After a session, box up the yardsale stuff and evict the trash, recycle and donate piles from your living space. Have you visited your local landfill? Many have areas for things that are "too good to throw away." My guess is you'll have a few more square feet to live in. Then do it again the next day. It can be very slow but it does work. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: GUEST,mg Date: 11 Jul 13 - 11:42 PM i can tell you a support group if you pm me. very nice people. i can also recommend where to start..garbage first and recycling second. Do not sort papers or pictures at this time. gather them and put them in a plastic bin or laundry basket. laundry baskets are great for sorting. gather up your best treasures, wrap and put in a chest of drawers. you don't need them around for a while while you do this and you want to keep treasures away from anyone who might help and send stuff to goodwill. you will also be able to wipe off surfaces better with no knick knacks etc. and do wipe and clean any surface you can reach as it clears up.,.don't wait until everything is done..just keep doing little patches. a lot depends on your finances, energy level, ability to hire anyone, help from family etc. at this time accept help but limit it to certain tasks..like can you help me sort through my clothes...some will go right away to goodwill or a consignment shop or yard sale...if you can find someone who is good at garage sales and will have one for you that would be nice..give her a share of profits..or you might find it easier to just get items of no particular value out of the house direcy totl goodwill. work on one destination at a time at first..tomorrow i will go to goodwill....gather up in bags anything reachable and not overly valuable but others could use...clothing , bedding, old toasters etc. don't deliberate..just gather and take to goodwill. get it out of the house immediately. if you like pets the shelters often like old towels, bedding, tshirts etc. so pet shelter could be the next dropoff. my theory is lighten your load. easy stuff first. unsentimental stuff first, nonvaluable stuff first. keep gathering and confininng papers and little treasures. i think for most people huge amounts of stuff to goodwill first, saving more valuable items for more careful consideration. if you have a goal for any money you recover, it will help...do you need house repairs, dental work? Is there a lifelong dream vacationF? eSPECially if you inherited stuff from relatives..you can not keep it all and yo9u should not keep it all because it is theirs ..but you can transform it into something be4neficial to you and that is what they would want you to do. o So do all that and check back in tomorrow..just joking..you need to shovel out the stable and get down to manageable amounts of stuff. you will improve the value of your home, your family life, your health, your bank account as you start selling off more valuable items down the road.. but to start, garbage, recycling, goodwill. yardsale if you have the energy and motivation . |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 11 Jul 13 - 11:47 PM Can't Say Who: It may be an old saying, but recognizing the problem is a huge part of the solution right there. Let me offer these starting points: I was able to turn a corner to cut down on the clutter when I found a couple of books by Don Aslett. If you only read one, pick up Clutter's Last Stand: It's Time to De-Junk Your Life!. Read it cover to cover. There are lots of illustrations, it is an easy read, but it is an important read because he doesn't tell you how to do it he helps make you want to do it by offering sound yet simple philosophical reasons why the clutter got there and why it is difficult to let go. It helps you see the clutter differently. There is procrastination involved. Where to start - the task is overwhelming. The Procrastinator's Guide To Getting Things Done helped me address the time issues - it's a slim volume. Make it simple - if you pick up these put them in the bathroom, read a little at a time, and if you find a chapter interesting enough that you want to keep reading take it with you to read some more and don't lose it in the clutter. I'd start with the Aslett book first, that might be enough. We've had people drop in and out of these lists for years. My house looks a lot better but it isn't finished. I go in spurts. When the garden calls, the house sits and waits. We need motivation. Something like this might work. Why aren't you inviting your friends over? Because the house is a mess. Is the stuff in that house more important than your friends? You know they'll come to see you, not your house, but aim for a compromise: work your way through a room at a time and start by clearing the kitchen and living room so you can have company in. We usually suggest to people to start small - clear the smallest room (don't relocate, get rid of or put each thing in it's proper place if it needs to stay) and work outward from there. We say if a room is too big a project, start with a cupboard or a drawer. I don't think you have that luxury, so look around and see what are the biggest things you can get rid of first so you can see a change quickly. If you're ruthless with yourself, you'll rent a 30-yard dumpster (the largest they rent to individuals) and you'll treat it like an overstuffed estate and start throwing the surplus out - if you can't use an item, don't worry about it, it goes. I've been doing the more frugal route of not trashing but selling and shipping it, or if an item is big, listing on Craig's list or having the Salvation Army pick it up. In the environmental climate today putting stuff in the landfill isn't a great idea, so I wouldn't blame you if the dumpster is too radical a suggestion. But you can set up a schedule for yourself. Once a week to the Goodwill or St. Vincent DePaul or Salvation Army. You need a goal to thin out the duplicate stuff and if you decide to donate, you can list the fair market value on your donations (use eBay prices, garage sale prices, thrift store prices, consignment store prices, auction gallery prices, etc. depending on what you're donating - take photos and keep track for the IRS, there is a form that asks this) and give yourself a sizable deduction on your income tax. If you're on several medications, have health care bills and insurance and medical costs that allow you to itemize deductions, the donations will further save on taxes. (This is the case in the U.S. If you're somewhere else, someone else might have suggestions about donations and taxes.) I hope I've spelled out enough ways and reasons to start tackling this. Please keep coming back, and please decide to out yourself once you've gotten started. It's easier to be yourself than log in and out to comment anonymously - you'll be more likely to participate and share your progress on this thread. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 12 Jul 13 - 10:38 AM Wearing size 12 slacks today. Down from 16 back in April. Onward and downward as I continue to make slow progress. When it is as hot as it is now, getting adequate exercise is more difficult, but I'll keep climbing stairs as much as possible, and I must mow the back yard this weekend. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: SINSULL Date: 12 Jul 13 - 10:41 AM Can't say: Keep it simple. Start with one box, drawer or corner. Don't set a time limit; just attack it a bit at a time. One success is all you need to start. Good luck. M |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: SINSULL Date: 12 Jul 13 - 10:42 AM The journey of a thousand miles starts with but a single step. Enjoy the trip. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 12 Jul 13 - 05:40 PM I seem to have de-cluttered another 5 pounds (total of 15, so far) but there does not appear to be a visible change in body shape or size of clothes. Maybe after another five.... A couple cooler days have been helpful. Sorting, organizing - clothes and household at this end, pottery stuffs at that end. Have found what I need for tomorrow - demo and, hopefully, selling at the Apple Hollow Music Fest. Bet Jeri will be there! Need for socializing sent me on a visit with the only friend nearby for a few hours respite on Weds. It was so nice, I went to the ice cream social last eve;no one I knew but chatted with the cake server, an enthusiastic fan of pottery "You're the pottery lady !" And the tea server about the book I was reading- Rainwater by Sandra Brown - very good. That was supper! No sugar rush and just a piece of cheese later. Went to thrift shop yesterday, fabric store re window covering to keep sun out, library to stock up, and groceries. Back to thrift shop today with a nifty basket to see if a plastic object would serve as a liner for pots. Yep. Done but would like some of that moss to cover the plastic. Not down here! And a bright red ceramic pot for another plant - need to find styrofoam peanuts to fill it half way so there is drainage. (I know where they are!) And a heavy flannel shirt for a friend who fancies them. And two small burgundy bowls of a shape I like - because I could not resist them and they will look nice with the two bright yellow ones I could not resist a few months ago. I need to curb my weakness for "china". There are some, beautiful plates and soup bowls, I forgot about, packed in the front office. Therein lies the rub. It is hard when things are packed away and not available, to resist adding to the little that is not packed away. I am already fed-up with living out of boxes. And to add to my sins, I went back to the fabric store today to do further research into the window covering - all face east or south! I think I have figured it out now but while I was chatting with the owner, I spied a piece of fabric - that spoke loudly to me. Now it is sitting across the room saying, "What are you going to do with me!" 3.5 metres - dress? I only wear jeans and T-shirts! Curtains? Could be. Sort of that broomstick kind of no-iron cotton - light and airy and cool looking even though it is mainly shades of light red stripes on white. The window covering is an outdoor fabric that is meant to keep the sun out but can be seen through. Next week I will try my idea on the studio windows to see how it works. I can do an awning or just let it hang, with grommets and a cord to pull it up out of the way.A sleeve at the top for a piece of PVC pipe to attach it to the wall. If I decide an awning is better, I can use PVC to make arms. Through all this moving, I did not de-clutter anything. Maybe as I unpack... |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 12 Jul 13 - 10:45 PM I'm going to end up working overtime this weekend, but I'll take some informal comp time next week. My days of donating time in order to get the job done when I'm off the non-exempt clock are over. I'm going to clamor to get an early audit as they look at the new jobs we landed in, and I'm looking forward to leaving the job at the office after I make the change. I woke up this morning a hour before my alarm and I realized my thoughts were racing through all of the ramifications of this reorganization and the things I need to do. I felt like I must have been processing that stuff all night in my dreams. I'll be very glad when this is over. I picked several pounds of cucumbers that were small enough to make good pickles. The first batch I gave to my friend Dean were too big and didn't work out well, but these brought a sparkle to his eye. We're going to swap pickles when they're finished - I'll give him a jar of my zucchini bread and butter pickles (made from my squash) for a jar of his cucumber bread and butter pickles (made from my cucubits). Mmmmm! This evening I picked in the garden and then cut back some of the tomato branches. It's time for fall tomatoes to go in, but I'll have to keep them sprayed with the kaolin clay or the grasshoppers will mow them down. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 12 Jul 13 - 11:44 PM Walked at the Relay For Life today...several miles later and my feet are now complaining. I don't care....what a lovely day and wonderful reminder of just how important each and every day is. Love to all, Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 13 Jul 13 - 10:09 AM Are you okay with all of the activity, have you gotten the next medication for the diabetes to work for you (stay safe and take good care of yourself, dear friend!) Once again I woke this morning feeling like I'd been talking to people all night, and I did - in my dreams. There has been a lot of daytime stuff to process at night in my REM sleep. Snippets of conversations occur to me, but I know they didn't actually happen. It's figuring out how to do all of the stuff I need to do and figuring out how to hand this job over to four other people in such a way so they can pick it up and move forward without fumbling. My immediate supervisor dropped a 2-day business meeting on my to plan two weeks ago, in the middle of everything else I needed to do. That meeting is good to go now, but my own tasks have suffered. I'm drinking my tea now as I check in, but in a few minutes I'll be mowing the back, and tomorrow morning I'll mow the front. Not all of the lawn needs mowing, some of it is dry and dormant for the summer, but as much as there is to mow is still more exercise that I can sometimes manage during this hottest time of the summer. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 13 Jul 13 - 04:09 PM The back is mowed, it is hot out there. Now for some indoor activities until evening when I can get out in the garden for a bit. Maybe walk the dogs (though morning would be better, because in the evening the pavement can still be uncomfortably hot.) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 13 Jul 13 - 07:36 PM I took Zeke up to Susie's house and he spent about 20 minutes retrieving toys from the pool. And I helped her with the cap over a new probe that was set into her skull yesterday. This is to do with a hearing aid thing that is "bone to bone," as she described it. She wanted to know how to take it off so tomorrow she can remove a sponge that is in place for a couple of days. When she was hit by the car in January 2012 the head injury caused a complete hearing loss in her right ear. This is to help restore some hearing on that side. eBay stuff tonight and some writing for work. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 14 Jul 13 - 12:23 AM Maggie, You sure are a wonderful friend...what would she do without you? My new insulin has not arrived yet. I was informed on Friday (from the company where I get my insulin) that I need a phone consultation with their pharmacist first. Maybe they will call on Monday..I don't know. So for now, I'm in a holding pattern of sorts. I have a new basil insulin and the doctor had samples of that for me...sooooo...we shall see. Today was our 21st anniversary so Jeremiah went to the sitter for the day while Pete and I had some time to ourselves...went to lunch, then to Watkins Glen, NY to a favorite artsy shop where we got a decoration made of metal and glass (Photos will be up on FB eventually), then out to dinner where the manager gave us a free appetizer and the waitress brought us a hot fudge sundae to share (after dinner) for our anniversary! Next we went to the bookstore for a few hours and then to see The Heat (FUNNY movie). Just got in not long ago.... Tomorrow is a day at home and Monday I'm off to see the genetic counselor about the BRCA 1 & 2 tests as well as the Lynch test. My house is a mess. I suppose that's what happens when life is going on! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 14 Jul 13 - 10:27 AM Exchanged loaner for my car yesterday; hope the problem is finally fixed. Alas, didn't see Peter to talk to and was too busy to call him today. Picked up my Meadow's Mirth share at the Portsmouth Farmers' Market -- first time I'd been there since they moved from the municipal lot on Pleasant St. years ago. Bit of a hike up the hill... Got arrowhead cabbage and some interesting heirloom cukes. Cute little yellowish ones. Think I need to make some refrigerator pickles. Oh, and pork chops and chorizo. Forgot the eggs. From another vendor I got an incredible clump of basil, since all the basil I planted drowned. I've got this clump in a large vase and it's scenting the house. Glorious! (And a really good idea since Tom has company coming today; maybe they won't notice what a lousy housekeeper I am.) Minced a few leaves last night to put in the garlic butter for the garlic bread and also tried an experimental batch of basil vinegar (to go with my lovely rosy purple chive vinegar), but will use most of it in pesto probably tomorrow. Maybe some basil-infused vodka, too, though. (Ooo...just found what sounds like a great recipe for garlic basil infused vodka!) Since the roots are left on, I'll plant them again and see what happens. After the farmers' market I passed up a neighborhood yardsale and went over to a friend's. She's a librarian and a musician and our conversation is always lively, inspiring, educational...and a great delight. Sat on the deck sipping wine and stayed longer than I'd intended to. Called Tom to apologize...and brought home interesting choices for supper to make up for it. A couple of Tom's high school classmates are coming to visit this afternoon -- one from Wolfeboro and the other from Cambridge. We should be able to enjoy some great conversation on the deck -- if the glare doesn't make it painful for Tom. Maybe this week will be dry enough to get some more yard and garden work done this week. Discovered a couple mallow plants (in the wrong place) so I didn't lose them -- need to transplant to a more appropriate spot. Moving things around is what I need to do most of. That and hacking down some more brush. Maybe this fall I can get a friend with a chainsaw to help cull some of the bigger stuff and clean out the periphery of the woods, too. Gotta go spiffify the house a bit for this afternoon's company... Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Jul 13 - 11:02 AM Yesterday was hot and bright and I worked outside. Today I woke to rain (!) and am indoors. There is writing for work, and I also need to dust. And maybe can a couple of jars of tomatoes. I'm almost out of large tomatoes, and today or tomorrow I'll pick up some new plants for fall. After the plants in the garden dry I'll spray more Surround WP. It does provide a pretty good repellent for grasshoppers. "Move along, there's nothing to eat here." :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Jul 13 - 11:35 PM Wasted the day working on stuff for work. The rain didn't stop - pretty amazing for North Texas in mid-July. I'll have to repel grasshoppers another day. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 15 Jul 13 - 08:35 AM I seem to have moved to Seattle, Texas. It is still raining today. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 15 Jul 13 - 03:34 PM Rain is good! It replenishes the water supply. Also makes the grass grow... Too bad about that. I would think it would be good respite down there in dry Texas! We have had a few non-rainy days. A gorgeous day, but hot, for the Music Fest. (Jeri missed it.) I had lots of good helpers setting up, lots of good socializing, tons of terrific music. Totally exhausted on Sunday, We had a light brekie about 11 and I dashed off to the fire museum to demo - NO ONE came! I spent a pleasant couple hours in the shade with three local folks and came back to Mill where -----TAH DAH, R had installed a washing machine!! He bought it from an employee for $10 because he was going to trash it - he scratched the side while moving it so HE was going to buy a new one??? Beautiful machine. I did several loads this morning, found a place to put a clothesline and all is dry in the heat and wind. At last, clean clothes! We were at the bottom of the pile! The other excitement is a "shower". "Couldn't you run a hose so the water is closer?" (He has lots of hoses from yard sales and auctions.) So a hose has been run within 20 feet of the kitchen AND, by running it out through the hole in the wall that will someday have a window, I put down four of those lovely rubber squares and a folding screen frame on which to place a towel and - after dark - had a lovely cool shower. It has a wonderful adjustable nozzle and turns off right there also. This morning I went to water the container plants out there and the water - in the black hose- was too hot! When it gets a bit cooler out, I shall get a bucket of hot water to wash the dishes. Such luxury! Also, when we put out the hose, R found my wallet which had been missing since Friday eve. I knew it was around here somewhere. We looked and looked It must have dropped out of my pocket while I pulled a weed out there. That made for a stressful weekend so we were elated! R left this morning rather high on all the organizing he managed to get done on the weekend. I likened it to the tasks of Hercules. He is preparing for the window manufacturer to move in and to move a whole bunch of stuff down from the city, to clear a 3000 sf space for rental. I hope a lot also goes to the scrap yard. The property manager said R and bro need to go on a vacation and let HIM clear that space! HE would seriously de-clutter! They won't. We have no seen the girls in a few days but something eats the food I put out. Friday night we had a visit from two resident kits, not "ours"! They came to the K screening and looked in, then went toward the open door to the back. As we watched, the dominant one stood by the doorway and looked at us - "What are YOU doing here?" looked at its sib, "are you coming?" - 3 or 4 times and then they left and we closed the door. His next concern is air conditioning. Mine is a bath tub - but I haven't mentioned it yet. Even if it is outside, i can still de-tox. Just need some screening do I don't scare the neighbours! |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 15 Jul 13 - 11:28 PM The trouble is that in a dry climate at what is typically a dry time of year this much sustained wet makes things misbehave. Plants rot. Things tip over in the garden. And the clay slurry I sprayed on my garden to keep the grasshoppers off has washed off but the grasshoppers are still there - now happily munching my garden. I just now pointed a camera at a munched up eggplant - it's dark so it was a random shot to see what the flash would pick up. And it caught a grasshopper munching in one corner of the photo. I need it to dry out so I can spray on the clay paint again. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 16 Jul 13 - 10:23 AM Hmmm, SRS: I am so used to places where it is meant to rain that I only get concerned about droughts! Several years ago in PA, I was working with a four year old boy, with a book that asked what colour is grass. Smart little guy said, "yellow". OH! He was right. The grass in his beautiful yard was yellow. I am still pleased that I had the wit not to contradict him! I was really tired last night but finally convinced myself to go take a shower. Wonderful! THEN I want to bed, a bit cooler. Earlier I had given all the plants a shower, after the sun was off them but it was still hot. I think the huge fuschia uses a gallon a day! I found a clothes pole out there that may hold the "shower head" so I can get right under it. Have not yet come up with a scheme for privacy. I also unpacked some of the pretty china and put it in the K just to have something nice to see, and use. This morning, I ran extension cords - about 100 feet, from the pottery wheel to a convenience outlet. I suspect, however, it may be too hot to pot today. But I am ready! I have rediscovered the wonder of fans, though, and that might work. Sorted and organized more stuff. Thinking of how to have a sewing area. Ahhh! I can hose off some of those rubber mats and make a clean space under a small table.... After I go to town for the first phase window covering. I have the method down to grommets and hooks. No top pole needed. And thin rope and cleats to be able to pull it up out of the way. Life is so experimental. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 16 Jul 13 - 11:46 AM Last night when I posted I was turning off the computer after having spent the evening uncomfortably having my gut sorted. Dinner didn't seem to go through smoothly. I was at a favorite restaurant - may have to give that outlet a pass for a while. Still wet out there. It may clear this afternoon, and I'll spray my plants. On hold with the vet - getting my heartworm treatment this month - I didn't get my mail order in on time. It is so expensive from the vet, but I need to get it from the vet this time to keep them up to date. Dorothy, how much of the space (square feet) in this mill is actually habitable? Are you going to be in a part of the mill that was always meant for people, and the rest of the building was industrial use? SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 17 Jul 13 - 10:12 AM Continuing to unpack and hand over a job I've done for 16 years. It's a bit of a roller-coaster on many levels. Now that the time is here I want to be finished with it, but I need to do it in an orderly fashion. The trouble with not having a title or job description all of these years means one must manufacture the gravitas in order to get people to work with me on my schedule for this handoff, and not just when it is convenient for them. Don't worry if you don't understand that paragraph. I don't know if anyone other than me will understand it for a while. I learned these things gradually over time and as technology evolved. These five people who are replacing me are being handed the whole thing with all of its components. Off to another day at the office. And I will try to not put in another evening of unpaid overtime. . . SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 17 Jul 13 - 10:11 PM Potatoes and chard from my garden for dinner tonight, along with a rotisserie chicken on sale from my local grocery store. Mmmm! Before picking my chard I checked out the garden and found another good-sized hole and pile of dirt (hole the size of a half-dollar). As I peered down at it, a little mouse face appeared in the opening and gazed back. There is now a hefty sprinkling of dog hair around that area, and in more of the garden. I'll also check to see if there are any reliable organic rodent repellents (the dogs are entirely organic but their reliability is questionable - they would destroy the garden in their happy pursuit of mice). It rained again this morning. I think tomorrow is the last of the rain chance and then I can get out and weed and repel mice and grasshoppers. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 Jul 13 - 11:30 AM Decluttering the wallet with a trip to the vet. One dog seems to have an allergy - he's scratching, and I don't want him to start breaking the skin and making it worse. Treat it now and it hopefully won't cost as much as if I put it off. The sun is out today, though we still have about 30% chance of rain. The lawn was too wet this morning to mow. Perhaps this evening. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 18 Jul 13 - 01:34 PM Been too hot to spend time at the computer, even with the fan directly on me. Made refrigerator pickles on...when? Monday or Tuesday (What day is today?!?) with the sweet little yellow heirloom cukes -- I need to get more of them. Also with one of the white onions (tastes like a scallion, looks like a scallion on steroids) cut into chunks. Had another of the onions sliced thin and sauteed on top of a burger on Sunday -- delish. (Can you tell I've been reading Philip Craig and William Tapply lately?) And yesterday we made pesto because we couldn't put it off any longer. (Probably should have made it Monday.) Kitchen, especially with the extra light on so Tom could see a bit better, was the hottest room of the house, but we survived it. And the pesto is really good. Going to saute up a bunch of mushrooms and chicken tonight, add the pesto sauce to it and serve over spaghetti. Will make some pesto mayonnaise, too, for something tomorrow. Just got back from a big loop to Barrington, Somersworth, back through Barrington, store at Lee (limes, tonic water, black cherry ice cream, coconut water pineapple pops -- see a theme here?), home. Sigh. Hoped to get the emissions part (it's already passed the safety part) of the car inspection taken care of, finally. Took the car to be scanned at my car guy's -- fine. Everything checks out. Took it over to the place in Somersworth, no "check engine" light. Nada. As soon as the guy took it into the garage, he came back and said no go today -- check engine light came on when he turned the car on. (So...maybe scanning it makes the damned light come on?!? gimme a break!) The catalytic converter had been replaced, but that's the code that comes up. So I have to call Peter and see what the next step is. (I just really want SOMETHING to be wrapped up. Medicaid thing is still causing complications, too, since nobody returns phone calls or emails and they're not paying the bill they said they were going to. Arghhh!) I just don't have the energy or the patience in this weather. I made the poor person's version of "Hot Girl's Pearls". Can't afford the real thing, so I took the re-usable ice cubes I had, rolled them in a chiffon scarf, tied knots between the cubes, and froze it. Got it around my neck right now. Helps a bit. Think I'll take a tall G&T (light on the G) with lots of cubes in it out on the deck and get caught up on free papers. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 19 Jul 13 - 11:17 AM Linn, when I work in the yard in the heat I always place a bandanna on my head with the front edge at the spot where you might have a line if you wear bangs. I then pull a ball-cap over the top to hold it in place. This provides shade for the sides of my face and neck while I mow. If it's really hot, I use my water bottle and dampen the cloth so I get the evaporative cooling on my neck and the top of my back. It feels good and is very easy to accomplish. And if you look around here (North Texas), all of the laborers and yard workers have some version of this headgear when they're working in the heat. I had a meeting today that was cancelled so I'm working at home instead. At lunch I'll mow the front yard. I hear the neighbor's mower going now, and we've all gone for a whole week with no yard work. The grass has grown a lot with six days of rain (it's usually brown and dormant this time of year - and we still have a 30% chance today). That'll be the first of two good workouts in the next couple of days. The back yard is even larger and also needs mowing. Plus I need to do a major weeding of the vegetable garden. I rescued the basil from tall grass and spiderwort yesterday and that's only a couple of square yards. There's lots of chopping ahead. Weight is hovering in the high 160s now, I am slipping into the size 12s (the size 14s are becoming too long, reaching floor or catching on my heel when I walk up stairs). I don't have many size 12 slacks so I'll have to visit the thrift store over the weekend. I started this diet at 194 and wearing Women's size 16, so I'm pleased with the progress but want to keep working toward the weight that I consider my "normal" adult weight, where I was at until I had to change medications a few years ago (the insurance company wouldn't pay for the compound, they insisted there was a commercial Rx that did the same thing, I was tired of fighting so I switched, but the amounts of estrogen/testosterone were upside down from my compound and I gained weight because of it.) I finally found a full version of that program by Michael Mosely that I have told a number of you about. The entire program is good, you should watch from beginning to end to see what he's after with his research, but the segment from 37 minutes is the portion I've been using to lose weight this spring and summer. Eat, Fast and Live Longer from a program in the UK called "Horizon." It played as part of a series of medical explorations hosted by Dr. Mosley. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 19 Jul 13 - 11:41 AM Took a REALLY good look at the white "lint" on the stems of the hostas out front this morning -- and found the "bug" (finally!) -- looks like it's mealy bugs. Unfortunately, I don't have an outdoor hose (well, I do, but the faucet has been shut off for years because of leaks) so I guess I'll have to try to remove the lint et al manually (wipe off into a bucket?). Then get some insecticidal soap. AND will consult tonight at The Press Room with Alan Eaton (actually that's DR. Eaton...) who is an entomologist with the state. (And with another horticultural friend of mine who is familiar with my garden.) No matter what type of expert advice or obscure information you might need, there is SOMEONE at The Press Room who is knowledgeable or an expert in that field. My area of expertise is gravestones and American funerary art, Tom's is English language traditional folk music, early edged weapons and European history. Amazing place, really. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 19 Jul 13 - 01:02 PM Then again, I'm not totally sure they're mealy bugs. The white bug I finally defined this morning had wings... Any ideas? Mostly it's bright white linty stuff around stems... Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 19 Jul 13 - 02:10 PM Got some in a little vial to take to show and tell with Alan... Damn. I have to wear clothes to The Press Room... Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 19 Jul 13 - 04:18 PM Do you have a digital camera? That is the easiest way to identify bugs. And since they're up there you may have a small white pest that doesn't look completely familiar. Post it on facebook and I'll take a look. Most of those bugs with sucking mouth parts embedded in plants are kill simply by hitting them with the pressure or by putting a soapy mix on them. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Jeri Date: 19 Jul 13 - 04:54 PM It's more effective for her to take the bugs to an entomologist for identification, although it does involve bug capture, confinement and transportation. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 19 Jul 13 - 05:06 PM You'd be surprised at the amount of bug ID one can do with clear digital photos. I've been doing it for a number of years on the www.dirtdoctor.org site. It does take having a few clues - people write in from all over the US and the English speaking world, knowing where they are writing from, what type of plants are effected, soil type, temperatures, etc. But I'm not an etymologist (though I do have access to several on campus!) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Jeri Date: 19 Jul 13 - 06:37 PM I used to do some medical entomology, so I know it's not that hard to identify adults with some training and good charts. Larvae aren't so easy. I'm typing with an ice cube in a paper towel on my thumb, and it's not easy. I don't think think this is all that rare of an occurrence. You ever Look at something and think "I should put that away/disarm that/move it because I could get hurt." You try, and get hurt. I moved a mouse trap and intended to disarm it, and it bit me. It caught the skin/cuticle at the base of my thumb nail. If it had hit me full on, I'm pretty sure it would have broken my thumb and killed my nail, but I only had a hold of the sides. I'm not entirely sure I didn't hurt it by hitting the stone of the fireplace when I jumped. Anyway: ow. It's cooled down to 90.9F, which WUnderground tells me feels more like 105F. I'm fighting with little broun ants and mousetraps, and the last time I tried mowing the lawn, I gave up before I cut the grass in between the rows, so I have a lawn tattoo. If I knew I was gonna give up, I should have cone a crop circle/lawn maze. Too hot to give a shit. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 19 Jul 13 - 08:36 PM Jeri, it hurts to imagine that! I was going to mow the lawn this evening, but we're back to our normal temperatures here. Funny thing: a few minutes ago I stepped out the side door and over on the wrought iron bench (with cushions) there was a sudden flurry of activity as a couple of the native lizards raced off of it, and a couple of others nearby on pots or rock walls all charged into hiding. I seem to have broken up a meeting of some sort. I'll mow in the morning when it's cooler but for now it's head to the store for lemons and make a big batch of babaghanouj. Mmmmm! I roasted the eggplants a couple of days ago and they're cut up and ready to go. Tonight I'm cleaning up the kitchen and I'm finishing some work for work. Three little newsletters need to be sent out, after I subscribe all of the new marketing staff to them. As I hand work over in stages I realize I am going to have more of a life (!) - when you're a one-person department and no one is paying attention to how much work you're doing to get the job done, it is satisfying to hand it all over to other people whose eyes bug out just a little at the volume. The new job is more academically challenging, has plenty of responsibility and uses technical skills that are similar, but it will not eat into my free time the way the other job did. And that is an EXCELLENT thing! SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 19 Jul 13 - 09:32 PM Oh, Jeri, I can commiserate. Last night while manually juicing a couple limes, I (I couldn't do this if I tried) stabbed my left thumb with my right thumbnail. It removed a small flap of skin with the skin still attached to the thumb by the 4th side. Hurts way more than it has any business hurting. Alan, alas, didn't put in an appearance at the Press Room because he had a gig later (despite the fact that his bandmates did). My digital camera seriously sucks at closeups and these bugs are tiny. I've got about a half dozen of them in a vial. Maybe tomorrow morning I'll attempt some photos before I head to the Portsmouth Farmers' Market. (After which I'll come home, have a bit of time available then load up Tom into the car and turn around and head to Portsmouth again -- about 25 miles -- to the monthly Press Room sea music sing. Maybe Alan will be at that session... You couldn't tell the AC was on at the Press Room...until you went outside. AC was nice in the car on the way home. House felt cool when we walked inside. Now I'm sitting here starkers in front of the fan and sweating. Linn Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Jul 13 - 02:38 AM Linn, just do a Google image search on different bug names. Mealy bugs Lady bug larvae Scale Aphids Spider mites (not white, but destructive if your plants are under stress) And this oh-so-scientific one: small white fuzzy bugs on plants If you see something that looks likely, follow the link to the page and see what it says. Do some more searching on that bug and see if you get any closer, or move on the the next likely photo or search term. At this point in time, an image search with key words is the best way to crowd-source bug ID. See if this link takes you to the first image search form page. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 20 Jul 13 - 11:52 AM Got an email from Alan -- says they're probably nymphs of fulgorids (planthoppers). Piercing-sucking mouthparts. But they're not significant pests, so he says I should not be concerned. I'll probably see him at the Press Room sea music singaround today and will show him the bugs. (Adults, which I found yesterday.) This heatwave is supposed to break tonight and we'll have a short less hot less humid respite before the next one kicks in. Just made an appointment to have the furnace get it's seasonal dusting and cleaning. AND he'll show me how to change the filters. Now I need to find a chimney sweep. Haven't burned wood for two seasons, but I'd like it attended to and Tom can no longer see to do it. The brushes are around somewhere... (After the weatherization program a couple years ago, everything in the cellar that was on the top is now on the bottom and everything on the bottom is now on the top.) Power went out last night around 12:20. Just came back on about 11-ish. It was a hot, restless night and I've got to take a quick nap before this afternoon's session at The Press Room. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Jul 13 - 11:56 AM That kind of self-inflicted finger-nail wound always hurts. It seems to peel back the flap right at the level of the nerves in the finger. And what to do with the flap, until the skin actually dies? Press it back into place and put on a bandaid, but then bump it on everything you do. Dishes running (I run the dish washer every 2-4 weeks just to keep it running and stinky water from building up inside it - I usually wash dishes in the sink and drain them in the dishwasher.) New dog bedding is in place in the garage, but they need more loft than they have right now, so I will visit the Goodwill and find some cotton bedding. I have a couple of dacron-filled pillows I'm going to toss because if I gave them to the dogs they would tear them up and spread that fibrefill everywhere. Though if I had a project to recycle them to, I would do it. I'm wearing a pair of size 12 pants for working around the yard today. They're a bit snug, but not too tight to wear. And my next goal is to have these hanging off of me because they're too large. :) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Jeri Date: 20 Jul 13 - 01:19 PM There doesn't seem to be a flap, more of a squished into area, but there's a good chance the flap had sealed shut. Last night, I put some Neosporin on it and a band aid. I usually don't like band aids, but this set-up seems to heal things faster. I'd mostly forgotten about it until I was in the shower. Linn, I'm pretty sure I fixed the power. I went to McD's for coffee & an egg McMuffin, and when I got home, the power came on. The coffee didn't help. The fans had just started cooling the room enough so I'd stop dripping with sweat, and the power cut off. I got up and turned 'em all off and slept a little. Then the cell phone started beeping once in a while to let me know it needed to be re-charged. I thought something rude at it and turned it off. Went back to sleep... or didn't. I have SO MUCH to do, but I still don't give a shit. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 20 Jul 13 - 01:32 PM Oh, geez, even I, when sleep deprived at least, throw in extraneous apostrophes in "its"...sorry if I've offended anyone's sensibilities (including my own). Yes, I know better. So, Jeri, why didn't it work when I went to McDonalds (for coffee so Tom wouldn't perish)? And called you? I, too, tried to nap. Didn't work. Sabine (as she wanted at 3:00 this morning) desperately needed petting. Active petting. Not just an arm thrown over her. And every time I moved, she "erfed" or "umphed" or squeaked. You got a flap? I've definitely got a flap. There's got to be some explanation as to why the most insignificant of injuries hurt the most and are constantly whacked against stuff that doesn't normally come within reach of one's body. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Jeri Date: 20 Jul 13 - 02:23 PM Oh, whoops. SRS was talking about you're stated flap, not my non-flap. (Apostrophe mis-inserted in sympathy.) I think the power-fixing thing worked because I'm me. We all have our own special skills. I restore power and attract ants. You have deadly fingernails and can make cats talk. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Jul 13 - 05:37 PM They both hurt, flap or bruise and dull-edged cut, so both of you be careful. I remember life in New York City with no air conditioning. I had a huge window-mount fan my cousin in Connecticut gave me, one that used to be in her previous house attic and it had absolutely no safey screens but could it suck air through an apartment! It was hurricane force if you used the highest setting. For a while this afternoon I was assigning people to lists and shifting things around on my work web pages. I'm going to add names to the ownership of some listserv accounts next week (I sent announcements on those lists today after subscribing all of the new folks to them.) I waited four years to get a job audit and an accurate job title and a pay raise of about $20,000 to reflect the responsibility (I compared notes with others on campus doing the same job). There are moments when this job shift really galls me - some staff were offered $20,000 raises with their new jobs. Not me. Now that all of that marketing responsibility is off my plate, when will I get a raise? If ever. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 20 Jul 13 - 08:45 PM Lovely session this afternoon and Tom and I weren't the only sleep-deprived ones there. Alan confirmed the little white critters and told me not to fret. I don't have to do anything, they won't damage the plants. Good thing. I don't think I can deal with One. More. Thing. Time for supper. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Jul 13 - 09:07 PM I mowed the front and part of the back before the rain started. Again. Not a lot, but the oddness of this weather pattern continues to cause consternation in some circles. I hope it has filled the area lakes so the drought is less of a problem. Puttering around the house tonight. I'll see if I can make progress on a clearing few stacks that have been ignored for a while. And I need to add more to the Goodwill bag. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 21 Jul 13 - 05:44 PM More paperwork than I planned this weekend, but it is mostly out of the way now. This afternoon I weeded in the garden and will put in the fall tomatoes soon (I purchased the bedding plants a few days ago). Some of the retro plates and bowls I picked up on eBay are now living in the new vintage cabinet I got in June. I'm going to move more of that and see if I can't clear off table tops and counters in the kitchen. I don't know if I've seen them all cleared in years, but I do have room to store some of this stuff now. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 21 Jul 13 - 08:19 PM Please forgive me if I already posted some of this: Oh, yeah, it is the weekend. For a little while yet. R managed to get down for the cafe on Friday but went back to the city yesterday aft because of all the stuff that needed to be done - which is so overwhelming that he put it off until today, missing the beautiful weather that has replaced that dreadful heat. I went to the city Thurs after treating myself to the cafe in St. I. Good soup and fine music. I spent the rest of the eve sorting out the laundry we had taken to the city. R had done some but could not work the antique dryer. So I dried what was washed and loaded everything in my car and brought it to the country to do on our wonderful "new" machine. It holds lots more! Clean laundry goes in clear garbage bags, dirty in green ones. Fri and Sat were too windy for outdoor drying so I have been doing wash most of today, a perfect drying day. Phase one of the window covering is a partial success. An outdoor covering is definitely more effective than indoor. The window glass is cool to the touch. So I purchased more materials - doing plain white on the rest. Seriously de-cluttered my bank account. It will reflect more heat and offer more light. But R does not care for the hanging down covering and would like awnings. I will work on that tomorrow morning - if the girls don't wake me up at 1:30 and 3:30 tonight! I see this project as de-cluttering the interior heat and saving on air conditioning/electric. The girls (raccoons) came to the BR door talking to me at 1:30 am. Darn, I thought I was off duty after feeding them at 9 pm! So I gave them the bum's rush out the back door. At 3:30, having made their way around this building to "their hole", they wanted mom. The food was there but I got dressed and sat with them and tummy-tickled until they seemed to be through eating. I did not give them more grapes. NO treats if you wake me in the middle of MY night! Then I told them enough - go! And I went back to bed, undisturbed until morning! YAY! We HAVE to get this place tightened up! I am afraid if I go away overnight, havoc will happen. R and I spent most of Sat morning considering and making improvements to the K design I did on Friday. R went off with the design, both of us satisfied, and, any year now, this Ikea K will happen. BUT I made it VERY CLEAR, I want a wood floor and the walls finished FIRST. Never mind this, "we can just put the cabinets in place" nonsense. Do that and who knows what year we will get the rest completed! I took him out back and showed him the huge pile of flooring sitting out there. Just let Bruno do it! The concrete floors are not level. I don't care how level the floor is as long as I am not living with the constant stress of - if I drop something it is history. How much of the building is habitable? Define habitable! I am sitting in a room with two window walls - a 10x10 "solarium" with drapes on the windows, a patio door with SCREEN! Two months ago it housed a defunct furnace and once the concrete floor is cleaned and painted - black for a heat sink in cool weather, the walls and ceiling are done properly (holes in both right now and dirt falls out), and a shelf/step put in place for the plants and to hide the foundation wall which is 8 inches higher than the floor, I will consider it habitable and I will put down throw rugs. For now, it contains a comfortable folding chair, futon in frame (huge!) as sofa/bed, a floor lamp, a wooden bench and a wooden chair - the latter two as the only places to put things. The old chimney is still taking up an 18x18 inch space in the corner - a heat sink? OK, it is moderately habitable. At least the roof does not leak water, just dirt. I stuffed newspaper in the hole, then taped cardboard over it. Sat, we also talked about what else will be happening - bathroom with skylight - after all, there is already a huge hole in the roof! BR, small movie theatre, library, bigger LR than originally planned... Most of it a surprise to me. But then, what year? Well, I have managed not to injure myself and I am beginning to recover my energy after the move and the heat. We are to have decent weather for the next week. Supposed to go down to 50 tonight! |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 21 Jul 13 - 11:19 PM Five tomato bedding plants put in the garden, two more to go. I left a couple of the spring plants in place to see if they produce any more fruit in the fall. I'll place the other two small ones tomorrow after work. Still assembling files. I need to have them for tomorrow in case an appointment is available that soon. I'm asking to have my salary bumped to the point it should have been before this reorganization. Wish me luck! SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: maeve Date: 22 Jul 13 - 01:18 PM Our friend Katlaughing has died. There's a thread upstairs for her friends and admirers. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 22 Jul 13 - 04:02 PM I read this a few hours ago and just couldn't bring myself to post it here. My heart aches for someone I never met in person yet still felt her heart and soul. *Tears and sadness* Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 22 Jul 13 - 04:33 PM I've put in hours working on something that had me away from facebook and Mudcat. The shock was visceral when I read the post - and I wonder how I didn't feel this gaping hole in my heart last night? RIP, Kat. We love you. And Morgan, you're a remarkable young man. It was entirely appropriate that we should learn of this thorough you, as hard as it must have been to post something that you knew would make so many people cry. Maggie |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 22 Jul 13 - 11:34 PM That last response was so brief because I was typing while trying to see my screen through tears at work. I had to make it fast and turn my attention away or I'd have not made it through the afternoon without a tear-puffy and red face. There are so many little ceremonies that have come out of these threads. Kat started them, I picked up and moved them along. We have spoken about clearing up our houses, about our art projects, our pets, our gardens, we have cured cancer and we have shared stories about our loved ones. We love creative arts - Michelle has taken up quilting, and I have intended to start making jewelry for ever - Kat shared lots of "jewellery" (thanks for the reminder, Alice!) hints, sources, and photos of her work. [Liz and Alice have been doing all of these creative things for years - and there are others who stop by occasionally to share photos of gardens, photos collections, etc. - I realized I left out a lot of folks I should have mentioned when I first posted this.] Tonight I pulled out the box of beads that has accumulated but not been used, and I cut apart the circle of beautiful clear quartz beads shot with golden rutiles. I had intended to send one to Kat when I finally got around to making jewelry and cutting that string. I should have done it years ago. Tomorrow I'll find a headpin and some supporting beads and I'll make a bead pendant to wear to honor Kat. There is one of the beads in that set with a cluster of rutiles that look like a letter, kind of a cursive L, or perhaps a K. I should have done this ages ago. I'll do it now, and thank you Kat for being in my life, albeit virtually and over the phone, for all of these years. Maggie |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 23 Jul 13 - 03:55 PM Looking at a couple of sample designs: Large bead with accent bead on headpin or A small cluster of beads as pendant or A large bead with silver spacers and a bail I have beads and findings here. I'll see what goes together. SRS (Who so wishes she did this and shared it with Kat while there still was time.) |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 24 Jul 13 - 04:09 PM I am stunned. Life is short. We need to do .... whatever.... while there is still time. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 24 Jul 13 - 04:22 PM Ach! Looks like my post/question from earlier today got lost. Maggie, how did you make out at your interview a couple days ago? Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 Jul 13 - 05:38 PM I spoke with the second in charge, she has been here three weeks. I had supporting documents that I handed her as I explained how this job came about and the troubles several directors have had in trying to get it audited and classified correctly. The point in the conversation where I think it sunk in for her - I told her I was finally asked to write the job description 18 months ago. I made notes and researched the best way to write it (in HR format, etc.) so that my skills fit in the position I was describing (this was the job description, not a resume) and I turned it in in April 2012, expecting an audit and pay raise finally - a few months later I was told that the new dean (not then hired) would want to put people in jobs so they would save it till then. In our Monday meeting I explained about writing it and turning it in - she said "but they held it because of this upcoming re-org" - like there was a reasonable cause for delay. "No - I turned it in last year, in April 2012." That shocked her, that a job that was so misaligned and underpaid had gone on so long, but that nothing had been done over a year ago. I have heard from some here in new jobs that there are important personal points that got through in conversations with the dean - preferred job titles, etc. I am asking for a job title that preserves my access to the fair salary that should be paid, with the responsibility I've had for years. As you can expect, I'm very interested to see what the outcome is. I won't get back wages, but I would like to remedy the low salary into the future. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 24 Jul 13 - 07:37 PM Really hope they give you a fair salary, Maggie, with a little extra to make up for the years of being underpaid and any remedy put on hold. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: mg Date: 25 Jul 13 - 03:12 AM if anyone needs to declutter cd-rs...80 minutes..I would pay the postage if it were cheaper than 10cents per cd...I was able to get free shipping with amazon for 10 dollars/100 cds..can't find that now..then it was 15 and now it is 20...too much. i copy these lullaby cds and send them to dire straits situations such as oklahoma tornado, newtown shootings etc. finally sent dozens to beslan, russia. so i need a constant stream of cds...found i can crank them out easily. i have lightscribe, thanks to someone on mudcat..i could also use those types of cds...i havent bought any yet....probably us only...don't know if it is legal to ship media mail but it sure is cheap...so if anyone finds a stack they can't use i could put them to good use...songs are very beautiful... |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 25 Jul 13 - 02:21 PM Yes, you can ship CDs and DVDs as media mail. Have you checked someplace like freecycle to see if anyone is giving away unused CD-R discs? SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: mg Date: 26 Jul 13 - 01:18 AM can you send blank ones though? I don't have freecycle too close..maybe across the river..will have to check...mg |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Jul 13 - 01:19 AM The first bead attempt does not bear close scrutiny - the head pin was a tiny bit too short (or the shaft I left under the loop was too long). I'll give it another try tomorrow with a magnifying glass between me and the project - and I know the kind of head pin I want to use, but I need to stop and pick up a few on my way home from work. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Jul 13 - 01:23 AM mg - you should ask Batgoddess and WYSIWYG what I mailed via media rate a couple of months ago. Within the letter, if not the spirit, of the law. We have our ways. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Jul 13 - 10:04 AM Friday finally! What. A. Hell. Of. A. Week. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 26 Jul 13 - 11:20 AM Oh dear, SRS! With the loss of a friend, how else could a week be. Then the job stuff on top... I never met Kat and it stunned me out of being able to even think about posting. Took the wind right out of my sails. We seem to be in process of making changes in 3 living spaces: the "mill", the city house, and R is also trying to get his parents' home, vacant for several years, back into livable condition. A bunch of stuff has ended up here (mill) which needs, imo, to go into a dumpster. This may come to pass. I do not need to be involved in that project. Except that I do not want Bruno's bits of time spent there when it is needed here at the mill. Weds eve I went to the city and brought the drawers to my filing cabinet out here. The frame will follow and that declutters a fair space in the LR. My large desk, a replica of the one used by Charles Dickens, will be next. Then maybe R will not trip over the exercycle on his way to bed. Of course, if he went to bed before he fell asleep... I am spending bits of time going through files and managed to turf out some papers but also finding lots of good info and re-filing to make it more accessible. I wonder how long it will take to put a doorway from the first floor to the stairs so we can go up without going out one door and in the other - once was a duplex. THEN we could comfortably use the upstairs bedroom, and nice bathroom, and stop sleeping in the Dining room! I could even arrange the bright upstairs LR for company - if we could put some real furniture amidst the Victorian stuff - nice to look at but not very comfortable. Meanwhile, out here in the country, the girls continue to be a force - NEED doors on K because that is where they were last night! I got up - about 1 am - and turned on lights and, "Come on, girls!" They came and I opened the back door and out they went! Not to return! YAY! a night's sleep. Well, I seem to have been assigned the task of going out back and picking pieces out of the large pile of flooring for the K floor so I had best do that before it gets hot. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 26 Jul 13 - 10:35 PM Yard sale today!!! HOORAY!!!! All that hard work of tagging and bagging is paying off!!! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Jul 13 - 11:59 PM It is a huge amount of work to prepare for a garage/yard sale. Given the right weather and the critical mass of other garage sales in the neighborhood to bring in more people, they can really pay off. The trick is to load up the rest and take it to Goodwill or Salvation Army before you change your mind about any of the stuff. I usually find that once it has gone out to the garage and been in a sale I don't want it back in the house. I'd love to see that house and that mill you talk about, Dorothy. And that cabin you moved out of. They sound very interesting. Today I moved my stuff out of the temporary office we used all summer while the sixth floor of the library was renovated. When the reorganization of the entire staff happened my destination at the end of the work is not back upstairs. I'm going to be in the basement now, and next Monday I have to pack up things that were left in shelving in my old sixth floor office. A friend is coming over for lunch tomorrow, so I've done some picking up in the kitchen and dining area and swept everywhere and cleaned the hall bathroom. He's not getting any further into the house than that hall bathroom. ;-) We had a rain storm today, it hit hard but moved over fast - I was driving in it. I don't think it hit my house, but it has been very humid. Whatever moisture there was will make finishing the weeding easier tomorrow. Then to spread mulch over the fall garden and finish the work by painting it white with kaolin clay (Surround WP) again to repel grasshoppers. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 27 Jul 13 - 11:15 AM It is frankly amazing to be in North Texas, typically a hot prairie, and tell you that we seem to be having a monsoon season (something that is usually reserved for the desert southwest, 700+ miles west of here). It's overcast and drizzly this morning. I'm going to mow a bit of the front yard down near the street to clear the spot where I'll pile branches. I don't normally prune in the summer, but this one multi-stem tree always needs the loppers a couple of times a summer because it grows up against and over the eves in front. I keep the moisture and ants from crawling onto the roof by removing those branches. This isn't the bulky waste pickup time or month for me so I must trim them small and make a tidy stack the regular trash guys can pick up on Monday. Once I have all of those branches out of the way under the tree that I trimmed then I can mow the rest of the yard. (The old Chinese tile puzzle comes to mind with so many things I do around here - work on one spot in preparation for moving something there from another spot.) Last week a friend a work gave me a tired and battered looking orchid plant that had languished on her office plant stand for a while. I don't remember if I described it here - I picked up some coco fiber to pot it in (something new to me - I have one other orchid here that I bought last week and started researching orchids, that's why she gave me her plant.) I must figure out the bright indirect light part of the equation today, and also work out the formula of water with a little fertilizer to spritz them with. This means doing some decluttering in the sun room. :) It was a rough week - I hope each of you is able to spend quiet time working on things that both pleases you and leaves things in better order than they were before. This would be one of our little ceremonies that evolved over all of these years of decluttering with Kat and the rest of you. We've done so much more than clean house in these threads! I love you all. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 27 Jul 13 - 10:06 PM The yard sale continued on today (without me). I went to a huge fabric sale...it was beyond crazy with people standing in line to pay for their fabric for as long as 1 hour and 40 minutes. Craziness. Then home where Pete and I cut up and canned 7 quarts of green and yellow beans. It's been a long, happy day. Regarding the leftovers at the yard sale, they will be bagged and stored for a later sale that will be exclusively baby stuff (think end of August to get rid of fall/winter wear). The toys just about flew out the door so I will be doing some more sorting....Jeremiah has so many toys and so many that he just doesn't play with. Time to relax. Night all! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 28 Jul 13 - 02:45 PM I have decided to go to a family wedding next month. I've put off planning too many events while things are up in the air at work. I have use-or-lose days anyway, so they'll be applied to this event. I feel good that I'll be able to connect up with family - Moonglow is going with me and my son is already in town. Now to figure out what to wear - as I lose weight I've discarded some dressier clothes. I have a pair of slacks I can wear now (wool and silk) that I can dress up with a silk blouse. Since I plan to keep losing weight I don't want to buy something new and then not be able to wear it because it's too large when I meet my target weight. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 29 Jul 13 - 12:27 AM I always knew that Kat was reading these threads, even though in recent months she didn't participate very much. I didn't realize how much of my audience she was until she died. Posting is harder now, but there are folks who are regulars who have benefited from the moral support and sharing who I hope are still visiting. I know there are also people who lurk, and I hope they'll step forward and let us know if any of this helped them. I suggested earlier in the thread that I might just change the name and let this run for another month at least, and I am going to do that. This was a different kind of month, and there might be more material from lurkers that needs to come in and make a coherent whole with the loss of such a supportive member. I am sure that deciding to move beyond the chaos at my workplace is a result of the events of the week. Why deny myself and my children the chance to meet lots of family at the happy event of a wedding simply because the place where I work is an odd state right now? I know Kat would applaud the move. But I don't think it is wise to continue to say "Kat would do this or that" because I suspect each of us had a different reading on her participation in the declutter threads. The thing I think that we are most proud of is that we were able to help Michelle (LilyFestre) through the fear and trauma of a complex cancer diagnosis. It's one of the reasons I'm glad that we were here. Linn has had some horrific hospital experiences to work through with Tom, and Liz the Squeak, despite the fact that she has kept her cards fairly close to her vest of late, has had an outlet here amongst friends as she dealt with work and choral issues. Though she hasn't been here in a while, Susan/WYSIWYG has had quite a time of recovering from surgery and getting herself back into alignment with her world. I've languished in the paperwork morass that held my position description hostage at work, but I hope to soon break free if it. Here's hoping that by the end of the year that we're all closer to where we want to be, and that we can lift our cups to celebrate the cheering section that KatLaughing provided for all of us. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 29 Jul 13 - 08:06 PM It was a strange weekend...I had so much to do on Saturday starting with going to the Portsmouth Farmers' Market to pick up my CSA share. The market is at the top of a steep hill, in the parking lot in front of City Hall (which used to be the old hospital). Last time I was there (two weeks ago), I parked in the lower lot of city hall. There are stairs up to the market level. But that lot is cramped and, quite honestly, dangerous. I almost ran a woman over (she was standing behind my car) while trying to not get hit by a car coming around the corner. So, this week I parked across the street at the lot by the mill pond and walked up the sidewalk up the hill to the market level. In the full sun. While watching people and dogs lounging in the shade of a few trees. I realized exactly how out of shape I am. I need to start daily walking again on MY road -- there are several good hills for a good workout without going too far. You'd think that all the to-ing and fro-ing I do around the house to get or do things for Tom, and dodging Tom's wheelchair, and going up and down the stairs (not to mention the hacking down brush on a slope and pulling thorn bushes on uneven footing) would count, but evidently it doesn't. Yesterday, I was just...off. Couldn't get out of my own way. No energy. No ambition. Should have made pesto. Didn't. Tom wanted me to make chicken cutlets and risotto Milanese...no way. Had all I could do to run to the pharmacy to pick up his meds. I got stuff done (including dragging the leaf litter and branches already raked onto a tarp over to the compost area), but didn't feel as if I had. What a difference this morning! I knocked off a whole pile o' stuff on my list (including phone calls about billing; ugh!), made a nice lunch, got Tom to his podiatrist appointment, made pesto, and made breaded chicken cutlets and risotto Milanese (for the first time!) for supper. Also got some emails sent out and some local history garnered. And started Dennis Robinson's (local historian) book on Strawbery Banke Museum (as well as the settlement known as Strawberry Bank which turned into Portsmouth, New Hampshire). Stilly, it sounds as if you want to stop doing these threads. I, for one, would very much like to see them continue. This is my support group. I find I really need to be able to share inspiring days, dragged down days, get encouraging words when I need them, and encourage anyone else who needs it. There are some good ideas and information shared as well. Sometimes, too, I just need to talk about the frustrations of caregiving and my general burntoutedness (shell shock / battle fatigue / PTSD) after dealing with DHHS and Medicaid. Or what I'm accomplishing with my archives. And I feel closer to everyone on this thread than I did before, through all the other Mudcat threads, including the ones on Tom's health. Just my two cents' worth... (And, yeah, I'm still coming to grips with losing Katlaughing... Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 29 Jul 13 - 10:05 PM A unique week: After hearing about Kat, I found that a long time friend (64) had recently died. That too was a surprise, again, too young. Then on Saturday night - this is not a small thing to us - one of the girls came to request the back door. There I am, "Where's your sister?" and looking all over for the second one. Addie was bereft as anyone, vocalizing and coming to me for cuddles and ear scratches. NO sister. Sunday eve, she came to us about 9:30 and I walked with her to the feeding area and sat with her while she ate. Then we walked back to our current LR and she wandered around vocalizing, occasionally settlng cat fashion and just watching us, being social, taking refuge in human company as she has no more sibs or peers. People grieve; so do other animals and my heart is weeping for this lonely little girl. Today we received a call that someone had "rescued" 3 kits from the woods. He felt sure he left them long enough for mom to come back for them. We hope, as raccoon moms also grieve. I drove almost 70 miles to fetch these guys who are tiny. Would take all 3 to make Addie. I hope she accepts them. The babies will not be releasable until spring so we are faced with wintering over. The big cage, dismantled for the move shall have to be redone, with a roof and winterized coondos. I won't be able to go to the city until these guys are weaned! Saturday the floor of the solarium was cleaned and painted a semi-matte black for winter heat gain. Tomorrow, maybe I will have time to furnish it. We also moved the rolling K into the LR-to-be - which is currently K, LR, DR & BR!- so R could get to the pieces of the K puzzle. Sunday, we took off to spend with our rehab friends in NYS, always a fun time. Wonderful walk through the woods of a place they are buying, bordering a lovely river, and including a small island, and with two babbling brooks - and got caught in downpour! While I fetched kits, R went to see a kitchen for sale on Kijiji. The cupboards were not to his liking but the owner is giving him two nice big windows -that open! - and the flooring, which R says is really special and enough for our K! But not until mid-August. I am content that there is light at the end of the tunnel - and it is not a freight train coming through. I am loving my washing machine and being able to keep up with the laundry, drying it on a line out back, getting much more exercise walking back and forth in this building! |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 30 Jul 13 - 01:25 AM I don't want to stop the threads, so much as stop every so often and ask if we are belaboring something that is finished. I enjoy them well enough, though at times the participation has dropped off (the reported views are lower than actual, I am aware of that). I'll change the title to August and let the same one run for another month, though. Just to see how that works. Had to make a run to the electronics store and replace the computer purchased on Saturday. The touch screen was untouchable. Or perhaps I should say that it was unmoved by my touch. :) Thus I get to go through the setup process again this evening. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 30 Jul 13 - 02:30 PM Okay, let's start again. (Don't ask.) My first mistake was not reading my way into the day. Instead, I went through a couple free magazines and then got involved with updating 1992's calendar with the information already in the binder. That took longer than I'd expected it to, so I got downstairs to help Tom about a half an hour "late". When the visiting nurse called to say when she'd be here, Tom hadn't had his first cup of coffee yet. Meanwhile, I'm dealing with the PMFF emails that HAVE to be attended to. Nurse came, I got Tom his breakfast when she left, made a necessary phone call, dealt with the PMFF emails and then decided I had to either take a nap or go do something physical. Went out and tossed dirt around in the turnaround garden, filling in some low spots. Then went down the hill to the south side of the house and cut most of the brush that I could with a lopper. Couple of things will either need a bow saw or a chainsaw, but I think I felt accomplished. Found some more metal to take up to Harding. Tried to extricate a blue tarp partially stuck in the dirt. Didn't feel like climbing the hill to get the shovel, so left that for another day. Have a couple simple typing jobs here at the computer and then I should read the long list of articles that I've been meaning to read to Tom...but I think I still need to take a nap. So...Monday my brain was scattered and I couldn't get out of my own way. Yesterday I was focussed, organized, energetic and got a lot accomplished. Today I feel over-extended, exhausted, and have to force myself to do everything I've actually gotten done. Is this mental or physical? I've taken my St. John's wort every day. It IS time to make an appointment for a checkup, but I also have some paperwork to do for that. (I have no insurance.) Which also reminds me I need to call ServiceLink and find out about needing to have insurance by January -- and I qualify for Medicare in June. And Tom just invited a friend over tomorrow -- I hope it's one of my "up" days... Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 30 Jul 13 - 02:33 PM Some of my inertia I'm blaming on the post traumatic stress - shell shock -- battle fatigue from dealing with Medicaid for five months. And now that Tom's GOT it, they're still not answering questions. Arghhh! Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 30 Jul 13 - 06:56 PM Sleep? Addie raccoon seems to be jealous of the newbies and behaved abominably almost all night, pulling my hair while I tried to sleep and getting into lots of non-raccoon stuff. About 2 am, hearing disturbing noises, I got dressed and proceeded to feed the newbies, after cleaning up after Addie. R has designated them Winken, Blinkyn and Nod, the latter being the little male who is barely with us. After feeding the girls, I picked up Nod and he was like a rag doll. I thought he was dead but I gave him pedialyte by syringe, holding him on my tummy for warmth. After about an hour, he made sounds and finally started purring! During the feeding A. peed on my derriere while I was sitting on the bed. How could one small raccoon get things that wet! I thought lovingly of the washing machine. Nod and I slept in the dry part of the bed until Addie started in again about 7. I did two loads of bedding and line dried it. Moved the plants she was digging in! into the solarium and put a carrier on the doorway. Then she went to bed, I fed the kits again and napped until noon. After the mid day feeding, the two girls were unhappy in their large dog crate so I thought, "playpen?" And put them in the solarium, took out two small plants and they are both asleep in a pot with begonia. Need to decide how much I like that plant. I ordered 10 knobs for the future K, went through all emails, read nothing useful about the care of young raccoons and ordered a book called Potato from Amazon, a first for me and I managed it without trauma. This book, which I borrowed from the library a month ago is so marvellous that, even though I do not cook potatoes once a year, maybe now I shall. R is so impressed with the book, he was telling someone about it! I am still operating just above "get out and push". May be useful to take another nap before the night's festivities begin. Nod is still cold and sleeping next to me in a towel with a gallon jug of hot water on each side. Neither the hot water bottle nor the heating pad have surfaced yet. I am starting to get a bit antsy about not being able to unpack things. Want to get organized! |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: mg Date: 30 Jul 13 - 07:59 PM Bat Goddess..it seems to me you are doing too much. Some stuff can be delegated and some can be postponed..updating binders etc. Or offloaded to someone else if available. It will keep. Your health won't if you keep pushing yourself too hard. I would ask Tom's friend to read him one of the articles...is there anyone else who can read to him? Can you download books on tape or whatever? Can Tom's friend help a bit in the garden? Are there neighbors? Kids who can be hired to do some lugging of rocks etc.? Can an automatic coffee pot be set up near Tom's bed? I know there are safety issues but maybe something can be figured out. Iced coffee? Could the house be rearranged so you don't have to run up and downstairs? Can the gardening be simplified? If you toast your adrenal glands, which I personally have done, recovery is very difficult... |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 31 Jul 13 - 01:10 PM I'm frying a few nerve ends myself this summer. We all need to delegate and to kick back. :-/ It seems like I can barely type. My best friend is the backspace button. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 31 Jul 13 - 02:58 PM I'm having another day like Monday -- lots of energy, lots accomplished already. AND I made an appointment for my annual checkup -- next week. New doc -- the one I saw just once (last year) is no longer there. I also have to get again regular on taking my vitamins, as I did when I was working outside of the house. Just finished the second load of laundry, baked brownies (to use up the left over Nutella buttercream frosting), cleaned up the kitchen (that's the kind of thing that's never done), figured out a solution to a better looking recepticle for kitchen compost, threw out a mess of not used/no top food containers and extra tops, brought the leaf rake and found it works splendidly for "grooming" the new driveway -- until the driveway was done, I'd never noticed how many twigs, leaves, pine needles, clumps of leaves descend onto the driveway every bloomin' day. Oh, and a bunch o' PMFF biz as well. And the day is young... Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 31 Jul 13 - 10:46 PM Today I met with the new group I'll be working with - I don't know much of what I'll be doing there (it is a new job), and then I trained one of the three who will be taking over my old job. He is frankly frazzled at learning to use InDesign - if you hire someone to do a job they should have some of the skills - he thought he'd be doing a different job altogether. I know and like him well enough to know he will learn it, we'll do it side-by-side. He has an MFA and I think this stuff will kick in for him. As we spoke about all of this today, he told me "they said you said you didn't want to do this job any more." No, that isn't what I said. I said I wanted the Director job because that was what I was already doing, and if I didn't get that I didn't want to be shoved into the background doing part of my old job. That, to me, is a demotion. I would switch in that case. He concluded that the easy answer would be to change the name of the job he is now doing (communications assistant) to the name of the job I want to do (Publications coordinator), and then give him the job he was promised a year ago (a mid-level job in customer service) that included supervision and a raise. Then we'd both be happy. I suppose in a sense it is easier knowing that other people are unhappy with this reorganization. (Misery loves company?) If we'd been asked our opinions, it would have been a lot different. They were so busy rearranging us to serve the customers that they forgot to ask us what we want. I'm upgrading a new laptop this evening - from Windows 8 home to pro. I had to go back to get an external DVD player - I forgot I needed it when I picked up the low-cost update at school (one of the few perks of working in high education - relatively cheap software. They know that we're smart enough to hijack it otherwise. . . ) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 01 Aug 13 - 12:04 AM Another day of losses. Both Nod and his sister were dead this morning. I thought they were doing pretty well. Sigh! Now I have two lonely raccoons. Addie is terrified of Terror - forget Winken, etc; this girl is a terror! Terror is lonely in the sun room but screams bloody murder at Addie, who is now sleeping on the back of my chair behind my head. She will have to go in the dog crate for the night. I am making small inroads into clearing and re-organizing the filing cabinet, Hung netting from a screen tent around the bed so we do not have to deal with bugs, she says hopefully, cleared the emails, constructed a barrier on the doorway with no door in case I can put Addie in the sun room. Maybe tomorrow they will come to terms with each other. Also washed and line dried a couple more loads of laundry. Now I am going to bed. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 01 Aug 13 - 08:45 AM I don't believe it! For the FOURTH time I was greeted with a notice in my email that the copy of Stephen King's book "On Writing" that I had just ordered was "unavailable" because it had been sold. The last one was one the same bookseller had suggested as available copies. (I mostly go to bookfinder.com, an aggragator, to find a copy of a book I want.) So, I just ordered another copy through yet another bookseller. This one is a bit more expensive (12 bucks instead of 4 or 5), but is a first edition, pristine, wrapped in Mylar. So...what are the odds this one will actually be there for me to purchase and my next email from the bookseller will say "shipped" instead of "order cancelled because book unavailable"? This is the first time I've EVER had an order cancelled because the book was sold out from under me. Furnace guy is coming within the hour to do seasonal maintenance and show me where and how to change the filters. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 01 Aug 13 - 12:53 PM I finally got off my fat posterior and posted my first ad on Craig's List -- small acoustic Domeli guitar that needs a nut and bridge pin -- but it DOES have a case. One more thing checked off the list -- the nice young man came this morning to clean and do seasonal maintenance on the furnace. And, most importantly, showed me where they hid the filter and how to take it out and clean it a couple times during the season. Hope to get some more stuff done today -- I not only have energy, but the weather is GLORIOUS. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 01 Aug 13 - 05:29 PM Started pulling stuff out of boxes here in the room the computer is in. Found ephemeral to sell (oh, THAT'S where that is!), and a great set of dishes I didn't know I had. Other antique-y stuff. The very old vacuum cleaner goes to Harding for scrap. Threw a bunch of stuff out (craft articles and old catalogs mostly), put a bunch of craft books on the library sale pile. Couple more things in the Goodwill bag. Put the 45 RPM records into a smaller box. Gotta call the guy who buys LPs... Need to find out if my neighbor wants a box of candle making gear and supplies (and a book). And I have the two round plastic tables I promised her. Oh, and I ran the dishes through the dishwasher, too. Wish I'd spent more time outside, but I did get to see about 24 wild turkeys run across the road on my way home from picking up Tom's meds. Three were adults and the rest were young ones, growing up fast (compared to when I last saw them a couple weeks ago). Now I have to sort of put some things back together so the cats' litter box will be in the same place (and I won't be tripping over everything). Will work on selling what's in the boxes. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 02 Aug 13 - 02:23 PM The thread is now reflecting August, but I didn't start a new one. Like on Broadway, when they lose on of their brightest stars they dim the lights. We'll move along in low gear on this same thread through the dog days of summer. Dorothy, I'm sorry about your rescue raccoons. Linn, it sounds like you're getting into the right space for eBay at all for clearing out extra stuff. I've been struggling to clear up the garden produce, no time for eBay the last week or two. I'll relist a couple of things that aren't selling but that get lots of looks. And I do need to put up that chandelier soon. Once you get the pace, the regular infusion of cash keeps you going with the online sales. Be careful with Craig's list - those folks who ask you to take down the listing and they'll send you a check - you know, the $5000 check for a $120 purchase. Just cash it and send back the difference. . . Moving around offices at work - I think I'll be above ground level after all. This working in the basement kills my cell phone battery because it spends all of its time searching for a signal. Got some good advice from a friend who was in a similar situation - will track down an attorney friend to ask a few questions and ask for a referral. Yes, it's that important. You can't hit a "reset" button and just wipe out old HR grievances during a reorganization. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 02 Aug 13 - 02:38 PM Stilly, what do you know about Threadflip.com? I just found it while looking for pricing guide for several vintage tooled leather purses I have. There's a new (started last Saturday) weekend flea market just up around the corner from me on Rte. 4. I'm going to investigate tomorrow (I was too hot and tired last Saturday -- and the entire space is in full sun). My neighbor said space is $20. I've got to figure out what might be appropriate (after I check them out) and reasonably easy to load in the car along with a table. And, of course, pricing and tagging. (I hate it when you have to ask the price of EVERYTHING.) And maybe find my jewelry/small item display case in the cellar. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 03 Aug 13 - 12:44 AM Canning season has arrived and despite my high hopes of having my kitchen all ultra organized with completely clear counters for all my jars and processing equipment, it didn't happen. As a result, I have less space that fills up even faster. We took a pressure canning class this spring and are putting our knowledge to good use!!! I don't mind the work, I find it satisfying but I DO mind the mess and clutter it leaves in my kitchen!!!! Since this is just the start, I suppose I'd better get used to it!!!! Michelle PS. No word on how much I made at the yard sale just yet. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 03 Aug 13 - 02:29 PM Going to a wedding tomorrow. Moonglow is helping the bride finish sewing the bridesmaids' gowns this afternoon. Has my phone on speed dial if I have to go rescue her. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 04 Aug 13 - 03:17 AM Mental health break, end of first 24 hours - have run head-on into a couple of "don't talk about them" issues already. Nothing like returning home and learning the new gossip by having someone enumerate what you shouldn't talk about - and those items are now at the front of your thoughts as you talk to people. There's nothing to distract you from issues at work like family gossip! Drove up into the mountains a bit today, saw an old dear friend. Her grandson answered the door, and it was soon clear that she has Alzheimers. She is at home and the grandson lives there to take care of her. She is sweet as ever, but there are conversational gaps. She won't remember that I visited, but because she has known me for so long, she was able to carry on a fairly lucid conversation. I told a couple of stories about our past mostly so the grandson could hear them and remember. While my son and I were touring around, Moonglow helped with the bridesmaid's gown sewing, but then also helped with a lot of cleaning. More than she needed to help with - and I'll make sure we do something special in return on Monday and Tuesday when we're on our own. I heard a repeated remark today - from my cousin, that while her daughters (the bride and her sister) sew, she never really taught them the fine points of it, they are kind of haphazard. They realized this because they watched Moonglow, who is a real theater costume design professional. [proud mother moment] SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 06 Aug 13 - 02:34 AM So many things to possibly do with the kids over the last few days. We've made choices based upon which kid had more time or opportunity to do the thing again. We briefly visited the Pike Place Market on Saturday, but because my son who is living in downtown has been there a lot, we walked over to a wonderful old seafood restaurant (Ivar's) and then up to look at Pioneer Square. He wants to take the underground tour, and now he knows where it starts. Today I took my daughter back to Pike Place and we fought the crowds for a while (horrible!) and then walked away from that and headed out to my brother's house. We visit a couple of old friends tomorrow. We bought peaches (washed and cut up) and ate them right there. Mmmmmm! Work is still there, but for this few days it is in the background. Getting away has been crucial to putting the office environment into perspective. It has been tough and hasn't been fair, and I'll keep working on that. But I've been able to focus elsewhere for a while, reminding me that I need to let myself focus on other things regularly. I haven't been doing my alternate day fasting on vacation, but I haven't gone crazy with the eating either. When I get home I can go back to that and losing the last 20 pounds. I'm glad I'd made it this far before I came home because I felt good about how I was looking in all of those family photos. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: ranger1 Date: 06 Aug 13 - 08:50 AM Vast amounts of laundry done, some from before the move. Depression is a terrible thing... I found the kitchen table again, much to the cat's delight. I have decided that while there is no such thing as too many books, there is such a thing as not enough space to put them. I need another bookcase. I need to find room for said bookcase, lol. I am finally ready to start going through the last dozen boxes from the frantic packing just before the move. It's all the odds and ends, old papers, knick-knacks, etc. that just got thrown in boxes instead of being carefully organized like I was able to do with most of the other stuff earlier in the move. And I am getting rid of the dead desktop and associated parts. It will cost more to repair it than it would to buy a new computer, and I don't have room for a desktop anyway. Little Brother Michael is trying to rescue what's on the hard drive for me. Hopefully he'll succeed. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 06 Aug 13 - 11:18 AM You'll feel an emotional boost once you've dealt with those boxes and books, Tami. I hate to tell you how long I had stuff in boxes in the house I moved into 11 years ago. A couple of more friends to see today. We stayed with my brother - we may be back for a while midday, then over to an old friend's house for the night before the airport day tomorrow. My luggage is cluttered, I have a few things I've purchased, but I'll get a box and mail it to myself and not fuss with staggering around with an over-stuffed backpack. It was about 65o in the house this morning, windows open overnight. We'll take a look at the osprey on the piling out in the bay before heading out. My brother has a telescope aimed at the bird nest from the upstairs bedroom window. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 07 Aug 13 - 01:57 AM Flying home tomorrow. Vacating ones' life for a few days can be a real game changer. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 07 Aug 13 - 08:35 PM Sounds like a great vacation break, SRS!! I am back in the city and out and in and out.... The brain dysfunction last week is pretty scary, in retrospect. At the same time, I was reading Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan, I was experiencing the interesting situation of not being able to carry out the instruction my brain was giving me. All 3 babies probably would have died anyway as they arrived sick but I also "forgot" to keep them quarantined from Addie so she may also get sick. I did not manage to get much done in the last week. The netting around the bed works, thankfully. I moved the rolling K out into the LR so work could start on the K floor. That got stymied by R's need to go back to the city. Sunday, I rolled the K back into the K! and came in to lend support, collected lots of boxes for his "clean out the office" project. Stayed over to Tuesday am when I started back down to check on things, make sure Addie had food and plants water. Stopped to look at kitchen cabinets being sold on Kijiji, decided they were Ok and called R who came with trailer to fetch them to the Mill. Once at the mill, we looked at them and realized these were not going to do the job - neither one of us had the brain function to recognize - we need two corner cabinets and this K clearly had none - and we knew that so why did we even look at them? The 4th was the 3rd anniversary of R being physically assaulted in the courtroom, with resulting subdural hematoma. We thought he was pretty much healed but.... We started back to the city, about 6 pm, so he could get more sorting and clearing done but stopped at a building supply store where birch counters were on sale so we now have counters and a black laundry sink and lots of ideas but did not get back until after 10 pm. A stop at McD for food (well, sort of) resulted in R making a sudden turn which resulted in a break in the electric to the trailer and a break in a brake line. He worked on it for a while in the parking lot, then bought a can of brake fluid and we went the rest of the way with the flashers on the truck and me following closely behind! Most of today was spent trying to get parts for the truck, successfully. I was exhausted by 4 pm and came to the house to veg; R went off to meetings. One load of laundry done, anyway. And the dishes are washed. And I did take a few boxes of books from the city house to the mill. And brought a floor lamp to the house so we can have more light but did not get to the Sally Ann today for needed globe and, hopefully, better lamp shade. I looked in Home Depot today but no luck. It was en route. Maybe tomorrow. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 08 Aug 13 - 02:33 AM I rolled into the driveway this evening after a precarious drive home from the Dallas airport. I filled the radiator at the airport, then 30 miles later I stopped in east Fort Worth to add water to the radiator (it isn't steaming and building up pressure because it is leaking somewhere). The light came on again three blocks from the house (right in front of the Chevy dealership!) I can almost find it in me to be pissed off at the Chevy folks. If someone drives in with a vehicle malfunctioning (in a road-hazard sort of way) then not looking at it for two days, not even a cursory glance to say "I wouldn't drive to the airport and back" I'd have had made other arrangements. Yes they were a mechanic short because one lost his mother last week - they told me that any time I called or they called me. That doesn't mean you send people back on the road in hazardous conditions. I had to pick up the truck on Friday afternoon so I could get the the airport and schedule the repair tomorrow (Thursday). I shouldn't have driven it at all. I'm home with pretty much everything I took with me and just a few extra small items. We each mailed a small box back. I had a pound or more of loose tea in bags from the Market Spice shop and didn't want that in my luggage. This was a trip for visiting with people, not buying souvenirs or going out and doing expensive touristy things. That said, we spent enough time in downtown Seattle wading through the sea of tourists near the Pike Place Market to last me for a very long time. Once you get a few blocks away from the market it settles down to a manageable number of people out there on the sidewalk. Truck goes into the shop early tomorrow and I'll work at home. The dogs will get to come in in the heat of the day. They're doing fine (and what an exuberant greeting I received!) but will enjoy the break from the dog days of August. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 08 Aug 13 - 01:32 PM Today is Thursday. I rolled into the shop at 7:30am to get the truck fixed, first guy I saw said "you can leave it here and we might get to in Monday." I told him I made an appointment to have it done today and the guy I spoke with was the next - I said they should have taken enough look at it last week to tell me "don't drive it." This was a safety issue, not something secondary I was asking them to do. They hurried it through and it's all ready to pick up. They were able to get a new radiator for it on the first run to the parts shop this morning and it is already installed and pressure tested. :) Whew! Wallet, lookout, here comes another hit. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 09 Aug 13 - 12:34 PM In retrospective I can see that I was in the dumps yesterday - tired from travel and sorry to end a lovely vacation in a great climate and return to the dog days in Texas. But it is home for now and my dogs were ecstatic at the back gate when I got home and I'll adjust. I didn't get much done yesterday. My siblings live in lovely homes that are in great locations and well-maintained. My house is well-maintained but I haven't done many of the upgrades since I first moved in and there is too much stuff in it. I'll keep up the declutter work to make it look more interesting. This morning I cleared the breakfast table, cleared the kitchen queen ("Hoosier kitchen"), put a bunch of stuff into recycling, and moved the table over to the window. That leaves the light in the middle of the room hanging at just above my head height (a hazard for the rest of my family who are all taller than me). I may take out one of the sections of the down rod from the fixture on the ceiling. Still handing over parts of the job at work and hoping to finish that soon so I can start mastering the new stuff. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 09 Aug 13 - 07:23 PM Making my first run of the day, past the recycle bins at city hall. I may have enough for the Goodwill also, I'll check that bag before I head out. I have at least a couple of more things to add to it. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 10 Aug 13 - 11:50 AM The kitchen is looking good. I've been thinking more about the pantry closet question. The first google search on closet as pantry doesn't offer as much help as I hoped for though this is on the right track. I need to look at how to install the shelves with a gap or cutout so I can stack things around the walls in a slim closet. It's 42" deep, and putting stuff on the existing shelves now would mean I'd be putting things into an Abyss, not visible from the hall, virtually lost forever. I'll keep looking. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 10 Aug 13 - 01:49 PM Shelves identified for shifting contents in three separate areas. All photos in one set of shelves, moving a box of tapes and transcripts to the music section of my office. I'm consolidating so I can move stuff from the hall closet (prospective pantry space). I should be able to make a lot of headway without purchasing anything. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 10 Aug 13 - 02:40 PM I HAVE to shake myself out of my paralysis and get some necessary paperwork done. And a few other things accomplished. But first, Tom needs to be bathed and his dressing changed. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 10 Aug 13 - 04:12 PM Difficult to do when it's really hot out. Are you still experiencing a heat wave? I took a long nap - it felt wonderful. I have a tall glass of iced tea, I have the timer going because the soaker hoses are running outside (any kind of timer that goes on the spigot seems to break after 1 season in the sun, and I have one in the house still in the box I need to set up, so for now, I turn it on and use the kitchen time.) And I'm mostly organizing stuff. My kitchen looks great, and will look better if I can move at least one set of wire shelves and the contents. The new laptop is updating. One of the things about recording stuff on my big computer (the one with the receiver) is that it can connect with the television in the kitchen (that is attached to the old computer) but it can't attach to the big TV in the front room where I'd actually like to watch this stuff. I could climb in the attic and run a very long HDMI cable (megabuck$) or I can use the new laptop (that has an HDMI plug) to connect the computers wirelessly and view the remote content. So for $10 I bought the additional Media Center pack for Win 8 Pro. I'll set it up, run the short cable I already have (and the TV has two HDMI plugs so I don't need to undo the bluray player) and watch these programs through the household network. (Yes, a new cable would have been cheaper than a new laptop, but the new laptop does a lot more than an HDMI cable.) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 10 Aug 13 - 08:07 PM In the country: Tired of "no place to go and no one to go see", I talked to the country librarian about the possibility of a book discussion group in English and got some ideas about how to get started. Met someone in the parking lot who I often talk with at the Market and she told me about the weekly writers' group, also at library. I may try that as schedule permits and also work on discussion group. At Market today, someone asked about bowls he requested a while ago. I have not made a pot in a couple months; the impending move had me by the throat, the actual move exhausted me, the new venue is starting to improve but was a very discouraging come down from the cabin. Each day, I hope I will get some pots made today and each late afternoon - "maybe tomorrow..." R put a real door to the K so I no longer have to put a piece of plywood in place to keep Addie out. She was glad to see us but seems to be adjusting to being a lone raccoon, living in the attic and coming down for meals and company but keeping more of a distance from us humans. Eventually the holes in ceiling will be fixed and she will have to adjust to life out side but not for a while. For now she is back where her mom had nested the litter- before mom went missing. Well, the dishes are done and the laundry is caught up for now. The new door - French door - is mostly clean. I will need to use some chlorox on the remaining black of the mold - when I will be leaving as I cannot be bear it very long. I realized I have another old stand lamp and took the globe and bulb from it to take to the one in the city. The lamp can occupy the space the filing cabinet used now that it is in the country - and I am making some progress in sorting files and reducing volume. Bought a hugs basil plant this week . Does it keep the flies away? Not entirely but may help. Or the cooler weather might- feels like early fall! |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 11 Aug 13 - 01:35 AM I emptied the hall closet opposite the door into my office. There is one small batch of electronics (modem, router, cables) and the rest is empty, piled in my office partly, but a the bulk of it is in the recycle bins. Cardboard from electronics (sometimes the boxes are essential, other times, not), cables, bits and pieces. I took a bag full of e-waste out to the pickup to take to work on Monday. I've organized the rest in a couple of baskets. Tomorrow I'll see about moving around shelves and putting stuff from the kitchen into the hall "pantry." I'll measure the things I want to put in there and may adjust the shelf placement before the final move. This won't be a pantry off the kitchen, but it will be around the corner in the hall, not too far away. I have lots of extra stuff that needs sorting and tossing, and this is as good a time as any to do it, when I have a plan for the space. Dorothy, those raccoons sound cute, but at the same time, a lot of work. And in various parts of the house - I hope that once Addy is out you'll block the access points so you don't have succeeding generations being raised in your attic through familiarity with the space (but not so good for the humans living downstairs.) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 11 Aug 13 - 11:26 AM The floor of my office is strewn with things that need to be organized and stacked in the wire shelves in the office closet (luggage-type items and cloth bags of all sizes). My office also has a lot of thick files of scholarly papers and source material - I thinned out some of this stuff a month or two ago, it may be time for more. Today is the big push to put the shelves at optimum heights and then load them with some of the cooking devices that are now stored on wire shelves or hidden away in a big cupboard in the kitchen. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 11 Aug 13 - 03:00 PM Headed to the hardware store for 8x2" screws and a couple of 1x2x6 bits of lumber for these shelves. I think I have leftover paint for the inside of this closet-cum-pantry when I get all of the supports up. I'm still stepping over some stuff I took out of the closet, but most of it has new places to live or has been recycled. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 11 Aug 13 - 04:35 PM Major progress in my sewing studio. I purchased a rectangular Amish made oak table maybe 2 weeks ago and it had to be taken apart to get in the house. It's really heavy so I've had to wait for Pete to find a few minutes to get it all back together. It's gorgeous and BIG and PERFECT for my quilting needs. :) I'll get some photos up on Facebook soon. Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: wysiwyg Date: 11 Aug 13 - 08:35 PM The usual end-of-summer vacay re-organization has a new wrinkle this year-- we are putting my mom's legacy into a vacay house but since it is a shortsale I do not know when we may get possession to furnish it-- but I do have floor-plans with detailed measurements and elevations to start shopping my furniture stash to send there! The plan is to rent it out for the months we do not vacation, in a distance-roommate arrangement. And I am quite sure I do not need to buy a thing to furnish it! --- Activity-wise, the ADA scootering-time is shifting away from my personal mobility and recreational needs towards (1) exercise runs for the dog and (2) a nursing home ministry-- I visited one friend with it; He got to take it for a spin and LOVED it so much I plan to do more of this. My scootering time has become walkering-time, where Hardi bikes a path and I walk it, with the walker's seat the main reason for taking it (esp with the handy pouch under the seat to carry fone, water, and bug spray). It's a slow start-- walking is not a fave pastime-- but I am up to 1/2 mile on the flats, with sitting to catch my breath a couple of times. Hardi drops a marker on the trail at the desire distance and then goes on to his cycling ride du jour; I do my distance and then read in the car (or sew or use my fone) as I await his return. --- My thyroid meds are working enough better that I am just not on the puder much anymore. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 12 Aug 13 - 01:09 AM Thanks for the update, Susan! Michelle, that sounds like a marvelous table and your sewing room sounds like it is really taking shape. I've also moved some stuff, but it is tentative so far. I put some big kitchen appliances (bread machines, crock pots, coffee maker, etc.) on the top shelves in the new "pantry." I may redo the shelf spacing (height), but since I'm screwing supports onto the wall I don't want to do it too much more. I painted the walls in there and the supports, but not the shelves yet, because I'm not sure how deep it will be and I can do the shelves at my leisure. I want to see what is in there, so I may keep the back shelves fairly shallow then put a wall of shelves along one side for more frequently used items. This would end up as an "L" shaped set of shelves. There was a can of paint in the cupboard in the kitchen that was quite thick and there was rust around the rim that needs decluttering. I scooped out the rust, lined it with a film of plastic wrap, and got two small empty paint cans at Home Depot and decanted it into them. I use that on the pantry walls, and I'll probably use it up on the shelves once I'm sure where I want them to be. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 12 Aug 13 - 10:24 AM It smells like fresh paint in here today, and I'll give it a few more hours to dry before I put in any more shelf supports. I need to figure how much shelving I want on the left side before I put down the planks for the shelves against the back wall. I'd like to stack my empty canning jars in there and bulky items like bottled water and bottles of vinegar - large stuff I always have on hand. I'll be able to make the tall rolling wire shelf thing in the hall look more presentable and find what I have stored there. Or could even move that wire shelf into the kitchen, who knows. I could have just one tall wire shelf instead of two wire shelves and maybe remove one of the three wooden sets of shelves. This isn't higher math, but it feels like it. I do need to tidy up the data and phone lines in that closet and put up a little shelf for the modem and router to keep them out of the way of stuff being moved in for storage. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 12 Aug 13 - 07:22 PM My energy level has been on a rollercoaster. I had a check up last week and my doctor didn't seem concerned. But I haven't had the blood work yet. After daily swings last week or so, it settled into "High" for a few days but then sometime in the past few days it got stuck on "Low"... Managed to get yet more paperwork not only finished today but mailed (after accomplishing the phone call equivalent of paperwork this morning). It's amazing how much stuff needs to be filed (for the next round of photocopying) and I just realized that a lot of the stuff from the last application still needs to be put away in the proper files. But all the while I forced myself to do stuff, I really wanted to take a nap. Sigh. It would be nice to go to bed early, but, alas, Tom certainly isn't ready yet, so I have to stay awake and then do house closing, book reading, and getting Tom safely tucked in. I just hope he doesn't drag it out too late tonight. Think I'll get some of the stuff done now (setting up the coffee, straightening his bed, putting the phone away) and maybe come down a half hour or so earlier than usual so I can read to him, put the pain patch on his foot, and help him into bed so I can get to sleep a little earlier than usual, too. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 12 Aug 13 - 11:28 PM I've been very tired for the last few days - so much going on, and the big gap left for all of us with Kat's death. Early to bed tonight. With a book, but likely I won't read much Sherlock Holmes before I drop off. I filed all of the papers that were on top of a cabinet in the hall near the closet/pantry project. I kept moving it out of the way and finally decided I needed to dispatch the papers to their files or the shredder. Tomorrow I can start on the lower half of the closet and decide about the side wall, if I want to build shelves (with brackets) or buy some kind of wire thing like they have at Home Depot. I saw a Rubbermaid shelf at Lowes that might work (online - I'll have to visit the store.) Before I buy any of this, I need to see what I have leftover out in the garage. We've been down the shelving aisle before. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 13 Aug 13 - 12:37 PM In the city: Nice to hear from Susan re her progress! SRS: Wow, major fall organizing in progress! Well, it feels like fall here, maybe not in Texas. Re raccoons: this is going to be tough. We are fully aware of health issues. Addy, however, is not using the attic as a bathroom. She uses a plastic lid in the "storage area" which I then have to clean up daily! After all, she had a plastic litter box before we moved here! When she and sis were outside, I presume they did it outside but now... I give her a lot of leeway due to her lonesome life. Hopefully, the next project to be completed will be a wall to close off the living area from what is currently a storage area. At 2 am Monday morning, I put her in the dog crate so I could sleep; let her out about 8. She really behaves very well for the most part. Usually, a raccoon will go off to live their raccoon life in late fall or early spring but she may be retarded by the traumas of her life. Did I mention the hole in the roof, the one where the rain pours in? - about 4 by 12 - with a ladder that people and raccoons can climb to the roof where there is an small open door to the attic space! A portion of that hole is to become a sky light. Eventually, she says hopefully, all will be closed up! I do not need paw prints on my pots! I put on potting clothes yesterday morning, hopefully. Went to pick up local paper which is being sent to a friend's mailbox until we get one - SOON, PLEASE! Spent an hour or so having a very nice chat until mail came! Then went to municipal office to pick up the trash and recycling bins. Nice staff person arranged for them to be delivered by truck so I went back to Mill and worked on laundry. R found about a ton of filthy clothes in his office so we are working our way through washing those which he considered salvageable - I have thrown some of them in trash too! Then lunch and decided to get more stuff sorted out: sewing stuff all in one place now! more files sorted and filed. By the time I was ready to pot, I was too tired to get started so I organized to get back to city - perishables, food for Addy, K CLOSED! Finished the last of the good soup I made on Sunday-cauliflower/corn/cheddar - the "C" soup? Very yummy. This morning, grieving the lack of making pots. Wanted to go back but 90 minutes each way - and the gas it takes... So, determined to bring portable wheel back here with clay and tools so this does not happen again. Transitioning back to a couple days here, etc. So R and Addy each have the pleasure of my company. I just took a break from writing this to rearrange the electric cords and try to make more order on desk - very cluttered with a printer which refuses to print. Suspect it sat too long and ink is - whatever ink does... Fall does improve my organizing instincts; cooler weather helps! I pmed a clayart woman a few days ago as she is having trouble pulling together after a move and retirement and still recovering from divorce. I told her about this group and offered to be her support person as she works through the zillion boxes in garage and on porch - "one box at a time"! She was grateful for support. Aren't we all! |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 13 Aug 13 - 05:34 PM Today I finished up 2 wall hangings, one table runner and all but about 10 minutes of a child's quilt. I also had the chance to take a quilt I made for Jeremiah and write along the borders of it for the long arm quilter to quilt right onto the quilt. I wrote his name 3 times at the time with hearts between each time I wrote his name and his full name at the bottom of the quilt. Along the sides of the quilt, on one side I wrote his birth date and on the other, his Gotcha date. <3 <3 <3 I had only 3 hours of sleep last night....so I'm just about ready to call it a day! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Aug 13 - 12:23 AM We seem to cycle through high and low energy levels, but at different times, so there is a flow of activity, depending on who has the energy. Dorothy has taken on a huge job, Michelle is always working on many projects. Susan sounds like she's recuperating from the surgery and after-effects. I finished assembling a small plywood shelf and brackets that I'll put up tomorrow, and then I can turn to the opposite wall for some supports and brackets and wire racks (Rubbermaid). The small shelf is for the router and modem, the opposite ones are for pantry items. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Aug 13 - 02:13 PM Putting out fires at work today. Friday is an odd truncated version of an event I've been running for the last couple of years, and have worked on in various capacities for 16 years. I'd have rather gone out on a bang than a whimper. I need to shift gears in the next few days and try driving over to work at 7am. The new semester starts and traffic is horrid right before 8am when classes start. Turning off the computer or television is the first part of that, not being kept awake by the stimulus of the lighted screen. I have wanted to read more, this will be my opportunity. Heading home early to the post office today, and more pantry work. I am looking forward to that finished storage space! SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 14 Aug 13 - 03:43 PM Having just returned from almost five hours of driving around, in the truck with R driving, I have a new idea for de-cluttering! Keeping correct and retrievable records of where/who/phone number/etc so one does not drive around for 5 hours looking for an unknown address - 3 something, he thought it was or maybe?, or what about? What about waiting for a response to the email or the work number? What... a nightmare! Result: 5 wasted hours; incredible stress of other work (his) needing to be done; my aborted trip to the country to make pots and leave more food for Addy; headache and upset innards from someone's driving. Yesterday, weeded about a third of the back yard (1.5 hours) and took hot bath. Good idea: NOW - go to library because I am out of books in city, then hot bath and recuperation, then go to country about 7 pm, after rush hour, and come back tomorrow night after the writer's group. Off I go. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Aug 13 - 04:08 PM That kind of driving and searching is so frustrating! My sympathies, Dorothy. I hate it when I do it to myself, thinking I remember the way well enough and wasting time and gas out in the boonies. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Aug 13 - 11:24 PM The inside of the closet/pantry is painted. I need to measure and put in a couple of more shelf supports, and I'll paint over those to finish the inside. The small shelf for my modem and router is up, but I need to put some kind of edge on to keep things from falling off. I'll think about what might work for that and finish it this weekend. Turning off the computer and spending time reading a book. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 15 Aug 13 - 11:39 AM It's the stupid little things that seem to take up so much time and sap so much energy. I'm shaking myself out (I think) of some of the burntoutedness caused by the massive towers of paperwork and the mad choreography of this past winter, spring and into summer. Got another pile of paperwork accomplished on Monday. And that made me realize that not all of the documents from this spring's project got refiled in the proper spots. I did finally get all of the metal corralled out next to the car -- was going to get it stowed and take it up to Harding Metals this morning, but after the visiting nurse came, it was actually too late, so can't do that until Monday. (Looks like Tom will be going to the wound center to see what can be done -- he's had this wound since January.) Our CSA share, which was a gift (and a wonderful one!), can be a bit problematic, because I have to schedule going either to the farmstand, the Exeter Farmers' Market or the Portsmouth Farmers' Market to pick it up -- each is about 20+ miles away. Best if I can coordinate it with other errands, but not always possible. And, even with other things coordinated with it, it's still a 45+ mile trip. I don't feel as if I've been getting much accomplished because it's all been little things, barely visible, known only (I think) to me. To assist in a documentary project about the Friday Press Room session, I dug out the boxes of photographs this morning to extricate some data (and come up with some more photos other than the ones that were scanned for Jay Smith's and David Behm's memorials), so that's some more work ahead of me to fit in around other things -- like getting a start on the PMFF poster, program, etc. I also have to find a wire brush to clean the rust off a cast iron humidifying dragon -- because it rusted out, we replaced it years ago with a cast aluminum one. When I get the rust cleaned off and the wing stuck back on with stove cement then I can paint the hell out of it with Rustoleum (red) and set it on the mossy rock smack in the middle of the rockery on the bank. I really need to feel like I'm getting somewhere on SOMETHING. (Oh, I did get a small acoustic guitar repaired and sold -- that's a bit more cubic footage out of the house and I emptied a couple boxes in "The Room"... Now to post a few more things on Craig'sList.) Just enumerating stuff here helps me to feel a bit more accomplished. And that helps me get more done. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 15 Aug 13 - 09:27 PM Linn, do you ever make a list of all of the tasks, not the just special chores, and cross each off as you finish them? That makes apparent just all that you do each day. I was watching an 8-year-old edition of Neat with Hellen Buttigieg (on a local UHF channel) yesterday and she had a box of chores. A card box with a tab for each day of the week. The index cards each had a chore - laundry, shopping, vacuuming, moping, etc. The cards were spread out during the week between the tabs. One of the cards was "Time for X" (the woman whose home was being purged.) I wonder if something that that would let you relax - tomorrow is laundry day, I won't worry about it today, etc. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 16 Aug 13 - 12:55 AM Uploading files to a server at work. Via VPN and wired it is still a slow process. I have many more gig to load, so I'll have to do it in stages from a computer at work. This is a major declutter of my hard drive that will go into the Special Collections archive. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: wysiwyg Date: 16 Aug 13 - 10:35 PM I AM still recuperating, SRS, thanks. I forget sometimes how long that will take and sometimes I expect way too much of myself. I binderized (we did) all the $ side of the house purchase today, as it had outgrown its original travel organizer. A separate binder holds the stuff about the property itself, including the floorplan abd detailed measurements. This was a great aid in thinking about a large, new item one of us was hoping to purchase: WHERE will it go and what would we have to give up to make room for it? Hmmmmm????? :-) Cuz it ain't gonna be a clutter house. Srsly NOT. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 17 Aug 13 - 09:45 AM Stilly, first thing I do in the morning is make a list. (That's pretty much been a lifelong habit.) If I do something that's not on the list, I put it on so I can cross it off. Sometimes without that list, I wouldn't know exactly what I've accomplished... (and I keep the legal pads that they're written in -- it's sort of a journal in outline and notes). On my way to the Exeter Farmers' Market on Thursday, I stopped to visit a friend in Kingston. Never made it to the farmers' market... It got too late, but my car was filled with garlic, kale, chard, tomatoes and (she was in the middle of making jam) two different kinds of jam. Plus bee balm, a couple succulents, and a few other plants to get into the ground, I hope soon. Yesterday was tied up from daybreak through to the Press Room session. Today is the sea music singaround. And tomorrow is a friend's birthday bash at The Press Room. Oh, and on my way home from Kingston on Thursday, the "check engine" light came on. C'mon, now! The catalytic converter was replaced AGAIN last week! (I'm probably no where near as frustrated as the dealer I bought the car from.) And I've GOT to find time to get PMFF printed matter in the works. (And find accommodations for one last performer.) Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 17 Aug 13 - 10:44 AM Too bad Click and Clack aren't recording any new material. That car might be a good subject for Car Talk. Says the woman with a new radiator who will be smelling hot radiator fluid until everything that sizzled out onto the engine burns off or is washed away. I transferred more files from the computer. I dragged them from one folder and dropped them to copy in another on campus to copy overnight and they made the move without the VPN turning itself off. Good! I'm moving more today. I celebrated a little last night - in a perverse kind of situation - the ceremonial part of my former job that I didn't want to leave but that was given to three other people concluded with an evening meeting. I spent much of the day scrambling to be sure all was set up. Before the meeting I had a talk with our library second in command who assures me that they're going to do nothing about the unfairness of my previous incorrect job classification and pay. She tells me they won't lower my pay since I don't have nearly as much responsibility now as I used to have. (They considered the move a lateral from my previous wrong classification to the new one. I went on paper from being a secretary to a service desk geek while I was actually a publications editor and designer.) The best I can look for from this lot is that there won't be a raise and I'll keep my current inadequate salary because others in the new department make even less than I do. Who don't have the same skill set or education. . . Yes, I'm looking around for other opportunities. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 17 Aug 13 - 12:31 PM Well, smart me. Wrote a post and then copied it so I would not lose it - thought I did but.... Little things! Seem to take an inordinate amount of time and get in the way of getting to the bigger things - like getting pots made! But they have to be done so maybe we need to view them differently. Maybe they are really big things because they have to be done, even though they seem small and inconsequential. We need to give ourselves credit for all those things we accomplish on the way to the thing we consider more important? Yesterday, again, I did more organizing on the way to making pots. Still no pots made but that much closer. Weeded the rest of the city yard before leaving,dishes and laundry done there. Harvested oregano and sage and some thyme. so it was mid-aft before I got to the mill. Thurs I came down and again was late getting here. More organizing and then went to the local writer's support group for the first time. About 10 people from 18 to 76. I told them of my auditory processing problem and by the time we went around the circle with introductions, them "GOT IT!" They made a marvellous effort to keep me in the loop and it was a fun event. Then I drove back to the city and tried to find a "BIG" second hand store the local guy told me about. Went back in to see him on Friday and he tried again. I had missed out on the critical part of the directions. A friend offered us a real window last night so we need to go look at that, maybe visit the second hand store and pick up the K counters as R was too late again last night. Now I can go see if the air is breathable. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 17 Aug 13 - 06:18 PM Progress on the closet/pantry, but I'm revising how to support the shelves on the left side. The studs behind the wall aren't in a great place so I'm putting a supporting 2x4 from the floor up back where I need the support. I'll describe it better later, I'm inventing it now. :) Susie came down for lunch, I didn't have much here so I defrosted bagels, toasted them then melted cheese on top and we had a side of canned peaches. I know, odd, but it worked for us. She is down in the dumps because of the things shes perceives that she can't do, or do as well, as before the accident. A friend has her doing some therapeutic painting but she wasn't entirely happy with it (Susie taught art for many years.) So I pointed out a lovely huge agave at the back of my yard, in front of a dark shady batch of trees, and told her I've always liked that contrast and would she paint that for me for my holiday card? "It isn't Christmassy!" to which I asked her if she has ever known me to celebrate the holidays in a religious way? So we took the camera out and got a dozen or more shots, came back and loaded them into the computer and picked the best one. I'll email it to her later (I have to help her install her printer this evening before I head to the airport to pick up my son.) She'll work from the photo print. Of course you can see the wheels turning here - she was in a lot better mood when she left the house. Now I need to work a little magic for myself! I have dough kneading in the bread machine, when it finishes I'll put it in a standard bread pan and it'll come out of the oven right before I leave for the airport. I have chicken ready for this evening to make his favorite chicken strips. I know the visceral smell of freshly made bread is not subtle, but it is very welcoming to a kid who grew up on home-baked bread! I'm a little short on vegetables right now, the garden is kind of limping along. I may have to pick up some broccoli on the way home. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 17 Aug 13 - 07:44 PM I have added to the clutter today. I went fabric shopping and got enough fabric to make 2 bags, an applique/quilted table runner (with chickens...couldn't help myself..it's too darned cute) and an absolutely GORGEOUS batik jellyroll and a yard and a half of a border that is just going to make it POP. I'm going to do a little something new with it just to kick it up a notch. Then, some not so quality fabric but rather retro fun...think oranges, aqua blue and browns with a print of old sewing machines and sewing pin tomatoes, etc. I think I might make a disappearing 4 patch lap quilt with it. We shall see. I'd like to get comfortable enough with smaller projects like that as I have some people in nursing homes who I think would love a lightweight, hand tied lap quilt. :) Dishes and laundry are up to date. I scrubbed the bathroom floor yesterday, cleaned out the car and did some grocery shopping. I also attended the open house for the new quilting studio and got to try my hand on the long arm....oh my....something new to dream about!!! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 17 Aug 13 - 08:01 PM The long arm - is that a type of sewing machine? Making slow progress in the closet, must remind myself MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE. This really is true. Today I've done the reverse a couple of times. The plane is a bit late so I'll adjust my departure time for the airport and pre-bread the chicken for his chicken strips. If they are made ahead and allowed to chill before frying in shallow oil (with butter added for a fabulous flavor) they're always a little better. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 Aug 13 - 02:29 PM Backslid today at an estate sale up the street. The homeowner moved to assisted living and is enjoying that life, but is offloading a lot. She apparently did a lot of entertaining. This is the third sale day and the house is still stuffed full of partyware in glass, silver plate, and milk glass. I picked up a cake plate, a couple of boxes of blank note cards, a little George Foreman grill (I've been meaning to, next time I saw a small one like this. Got it for $2.50). And an old manual Smith Corona typewriter. I miss my old Olivetti that the kids destroyed playing with years ago. Getting ready to steam juice frozen strawberries. The jelly request this year is for more strawberry than mustang grape. He's going to have to toss what he put in storage (but keep the jars!) The Tuscon locker where he stored it isn't air conditioned and he will have kept those jars on an unhealthy simmer all summer. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 18 Aug 13 - 09:10 PM The reason I said "go see if the air is breathable" yesterday was because R was doing some work inside and I was sitting in the car with the computer to escape dust. Today, he did another project but I was able to sit in the sunroom to escape the dust and odour. After yesterday's task, we went to look for that second hand store and pick up the K counters we had bought. The store only had two pieces and one was warped so they are going to phone R when they get them. Not pleased. The second hand store took driving around and asking two people. When we found it, we realized the first person, who had sent us in a clearly incorrect direction, was only a couple blocks from the store. And the store which we had been told was green was actually a brick building with a brown roof! And was closed when we finally found it. But we now know their hours and location and shared a huge ice cream cone, next door to it. Four nights alone seems to have settled Addie down. She chewed on my hand and arm for quite a while in the middle of the night Friday but I was 3/4 asleep and tickled her tum and she went off to bed. Sat night she did it to R but he was also asleep! I thought I was going to freeze peaches and bought a bunch but they are not freestone and even after boiling water were hard to peel. I did one small basket and swore off. Five baskets to go. Shall have another go at it tomorrow. Made a great frying pan full of veggies, tortelloni with a little chopped up hot Italian sausage for supper and enough for tomorrow as well (BIG frying pan!). Yummy. Dishes and laundry caught up. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 Aug 13 - 11:51 PM Freestone peaches make all of the difference if you're going to can or freeze! Almost finished with the pantry. One last little work-around on the bottom back shelf, but the side brackets are in place and stabilized. I made myself do very little for my employer this weekend. They're not paying overtime, so I'm no longer donating my valuable hours. I'm set to hit the ground running tomorrow and hope to hand off more stuff this week that I will never have to bother with again. I ran 5 pounds of frozen strawberries through the steam juicer this evening and have enough for a couple of batches at least of jelly. I'll make that tomorrow night so it's ready to travel later in the week when my son makes his solo drive to Arizona in the car his father gave him. Moonglow is older than he and in the normal order of things might have gotten this vehicle, but she lives closer and is in a situation where she has roommates with cars and we can drive 45 minutes to reach her if need be. And her Dad is now aware that though she turned down his car a couple of years ago (no place to park at her old house) it would now be welcome so he'll "work on it." I'm glad he can afford to do that. I thought if I got a raise I *might* try getting a new vehicle, but neither of the kids wanted my pickup truck. :) Must wrap up some of this paperwork in front of me on the desk. It multiplied while I wasn't looking. The laundry and dishes are finished, though, so the chores weren't a total loss. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 19 Aug 13 - 08:50 AM I've still got my Olivetti-Underwood manual portable typewriter (with case) circa 1962. Full size platen; sweet little typewriter. I'd sent it out to Milwaukee for my dad to use to write letters (which he never did often enough anyway) and then got it back after he passed away. Really full weekend -- regular weekly session late afternoon on Friday and Tom had a bit of trouble walking from the back of the Press Room to the door before getting into the car, so (though I had help in Portsmouth) that led to a bit of extra anxiety. But he was just tired from a longer than usual walk INTO the Press Room before I was able to move my car to "princess parking" right in front. Anyway, he didn't have any trouble getting into the house, but I'm a bit concerned about getting him around to venues on the Sunday of the maritime festival next month. (Added to my titles on my Performer & Staff badge, will be "Tom Wrangler" -- that's sure what I did last year!) Saturday was the monthly sea music singaround and then yesterday we were back at The Press Room for a friend's birthday bash. So Tom got a workout three days in a row. I DID manage to get a bunch of stuff done yesterday before we had to head to Portsmouth. I got the PMFF printed matter sorted for this year (I work on one computer with an older OS then export as PDF and sneaker net it the newer box that's online) and did the initial version of the poster and got it sent off to the board member who does the initial proofing and maintains the website. (Hmm...which reminds me, it's probably time to post the 2013 PMFF here at Mudcat.) I also pulled a bunch more stuff off the old computer AND found (backed up on a CD) the photographs I needed to get to a friend who is contemplating a documentary on the weekly session. Completely rearranging our computer situation (going wireless, upgrading the Mac Mirror Door since the CD/DVD drive is totally buggered -- won't read, and replacing the OS9.2 box with one that has both 9.2 and 10 on it, getting the backing up system and the new removable drive to work right, plus getting Tom an iPad so he can regain a bit of computer independence again thanks to VoiceOver) is one of the many projects that don't work into the schedule right now. And I made a killer vindaloo... I also got a lot of work done on 1989. Today while I'm letting my hair dry, I'll get some more work done in the bedroom (Archive Central). Maybe, too, I can get the plants from Joan in the ground. And snag the paperwork from the pile and get my bloodwork done early tomorrow morning. Got a mammogram scheduled for Thursday, so I'm getting my annual health stuff taken care of in between everything else. I've got energy again...and I'm taking advantage of it. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 19 Aug 13 - 11:30 AM Jeremiah has been struggling with allergies the last couple days. His nose is a never ending faucet..it just runs right on out. ICK. The first day of this, he didn't show any sign on runny nose, etc until after dinner. I went to town and picked up some allergy medication for children but was hesitant to just give it to him and put him to bed where I couldn't monitor if he had a reaction or not. As a result, he was up most of the night snuggling with Mama in the recliner or snuggling up next to Daddy who was sitting on the couch snoring. He was up until about 3am and then I was up until after 4 AM just watching him breathe. Pete let me sleep in the next day which means I slept until about noon. Medication was given and has made a tremendous difference for Jeremiah and thankfully he hasn't had any kind of reaction. I had a tumor marker check up last week and am ecstatic to report that my numbers are the lowest they have been since surgery! YAHOO!!! For whatever reason, it happens that over the weekend, we let the dishes pile up...most likely because we are too busy enjoying each other's company to give a hoot about the dishes. As a result, I have quite the pile of dishes on Monday morning. I'm happy to say that they all have either been hand washed or are running through the dishwasher as I type. Laundry has also been started and a few business calls made too. Yesterday I spent several hours sewing. I picked up a GORGEOUS batik jelly roll over the weekend and was busy playing with that. The quilt top is about 3/4 of the way finished...all golds, browns and greens...very rich coloring. I still need to cut the borders and get those on as well. Hopefully I can get the strip part done while Jeremiah is napping later or maybe after dinner tonight. And Maggie, a long arm is a long machine that is used in quilting quilt tops....you stretch your quilt top between two rollers on top of the batting and backing and then some machines you just set a pattern and the machine does all the work and other machines are hand driven. I had the chance to *drive* one on Saturday afternoon...Ooooh la la!!! FUN! I hope everyone has a GREAT day!!! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: wysiwyg Date: 19 Aug 13 - 07:28 PM Can't Say, First, remember-- it is NOT a moral failing or character fault! There is some good reason that your things are the way they are. Knowing that can make it possible to start having things the way YOU want them. The quickest way out of any hole is whichever way you can SEE, so what do you see that you would most like to bring to reality-- what would be your favorite place in all the house... if it was the way you'd like it to be? Once you choose that spot, start with very small steps: try to keep two commitments: (1) bring nothing more INto that spot, and (2) move one thing OUT of that spot each time you pass it. Move it outside if you can, into bins marked KEEP, DONATE, TOSS. When the KEEP bin is full, add a daily commitment to put away one item from that bin, per day, where you instinctively know it belongs. Ditto with DONATE and TOSS. When a bin is full, take it where it needs to go. Those commitments will keep you going and make a foundation to do whole rooms at a time eventually-- or make it clear to you, deep down, that you need some educated help, on-site or medically. I have helped several friends get started. Some of them DID have ceiling-high stacks. PM for further support, if you like. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Aug 13 - 09:39 AM Pantry shelves ALL in place. Now to decide what goes in there and what stays in the kitchen and on the large rolling wire shelves in the hall. Handing over more work this week to those who have been anointed with my former job. It's still very busy (and classes start on Thursday) but there will be light at the end of this tunnel one of these days. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 20 Aug 13 - 05:24 PM Finally accomplished something where I can SEE I've made a dent -- I lopped brush (small trees) out back earlier this afternoon, then came in to recover (after enjoying sitting on the deck for awhile watching the dragonflies). Did a load of laundry (I was out of underwear...a sure indicator) and dried and folded part of it (the socks and underwear part). (That's the kind of thing where there's NO sense of accomplishment because it just has to be done again.) Also finished updating my 1989 archive calendar/timeline -- that's what I do for ME. (It's a form of R&R with a REAL sense of accomplishment.) Then went out and lopped some more small trees and stacked (or at least consolidated) the cut branchery. That's the good news... The bad news is...there's a lot more to go. Got a lot done this morning, too -- including putting a lot of miles on the car. After putting coffee in an insulated pump thermos for Tom and getting him squared away for awhile, I went down to Lee Walk-in and got the fasting bloodwork done for my annual check-up. Then grabbed some coffee and a breakfast burrito and went over to my car guy's. The only thing left it could be is the computer which probably needs to be replaced, but he verified that I could beat my 60 day deadline and get the emissions part of the inspection done today (then we can worry about the computer without that hanging over our heads). So I headed over to Somersworth trying out a new shortcut. Screwed up the last leg, but didn't put me too far out of my way (and now I know some more back roads). Inspection accomplished! Then I drove to Northwood to the pharmacy to pick up a couple prescriptions. Put on over 40 miles from when I got gas, but I got gas about 10 or so miles from home. Lovely day to be driving leafy back roads, though. Oh, and I made the minor changes on the PMFF flyer and got it and the 2-up version emailed to my partner in crime who also takes care of the website. Got a few more piddly things done. (Oh, yeah! Got rid of a stack of magazines at Lee Walk-In! They are MORE than happy to take them off my hands so their patients have some interesting stuff to read.) Good day -- and it's not over. Supper's a simple fix and I don't have to make it for an hour or so. Think I'll grab a cool drink and a couple magazines and sit on the deck for awhile. I've done enough! Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 20 Aug 13 - 06:00 PM Freestone peaches are great. Unfortunately, I am now resigned to never buying peaches in Quebec. They do not grow here and the ones from Ontario are a mixture of freestone and clingstone! Rather like Russian roulette! In the future the only time I will purchase peaches is if I happen to be at an orchard where they are grown. Apples are good - and ubiquitous in this area. Sent Susan's comments to my potter friend. Nice to hear from Susan. Wonderful about Michelle's news. WHAT is a jelly roll?? I managed to get some pots trimmed yesterday and have clay laid out, and well covered, ready to work but by the time I got here today, it was lunch time and then tired time. I did stop at that thrift shop and got a water bottle with faucet for the cabin - but no lamp globe. I will take a regular stand lamp to the city today, and keep hoping, and hunting. Had a nice visit with a friend on the way here, went to library, and stopped to have car noise checked; Sylvain says it is not dangerous but have appointment to have it looked at tomorrow. Have filled Addie's bowl and will head back to city shortly for another hot bath (one last night totally wiped me out; slept 10 hours!). |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 20 Aug 13 - 10:06 PM I've been sewing with the *Crazy Crew* ALL. DAY. LONG. LOVE IT! Oh. I did make the bed. That counts, right? LOL Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: wysiwyg Date: 20 Aug 13 - 10:26 PM I did a lot of (ick) walking ydy and today, grateful to be able to do it but it's not my fave pursuit. Today: Laundry and chore-walking all day, then 4x around the parish hall plus some hospital walking for blood-work, after a good short scootering of the local rail trail. Yesterday: Groceries, WalMart, corner to corner with stops between. SO HARD to coordinate surgical recovery with thyroid meds. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 21 Aug 13 - 11:49 AM Today is an at home day for Jeremiah and I. I have cleaned out the fridge, cleaning all shelves, drawers and walls...next is the smallish freezer below. There are things in there that just need to go. Luckily, we waste no food in this house...it will go to the chickens or pigs. It is my goal to have only the food that we need for the week in that freezer plus a stock pile of frozen, individual sized meals packed in microwaveable containers. This morning I had no idea what I would be packing for Pete's lunch. I was out all day yesterday and he had gotten things out for dinner...but only enough for dinner. I normally make at least 1 extra serving so he can take it the following day for his lunch. Then I remembered that the last time I made lasagna, I had packed up a few containers of leftovers and popped them in the freezer. TA DA!!! Instant yummy lunch that he is looking forward to and no fuss for me!! HOORAY! I'll also be spending some time cutting fabric today. Yesterday when I went to quilt with the girls, I had everything all cut and ready to go. It was so nice to just sit and sew all day with the only cutting being trimming away the excess. I suppose I had better get busy. Have a great day everybody! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 21 Aug 13 - 12:07 PM Yesterday I caught myself doing the Fibber McGee and Molly routine at the upright freezer - pushing something back on the shelf and shutting the door fast. I think this means it is time to organize the entire thing. I have a small fridge to empty to use for some of the stuff for an hour or so, and I also have 2 Coleman coolers (one without a cover to the spigot, but this is just for cold, not for moisture). I didn't know that was what the quilting machine was called, Michelle. A friend of mine has one, and she has a large room in which to set it up and then run all of those fancy quilting patterns. I think we've always referred to hers simply as her quilting machine. :) Linn, how many years are left on the cataloging of the music memorabilia? If you're working on 1989 does that mean you have nearly 25 years to go, or have you been putting modern stuff in a binder as you get it and have a gap of years in the middle? Went to dinner last night with my daughter and my ex, my son didn't come over, he had friends visiting at his dad's house. I need to get a few things to him for his drive, and need to set up a hotel room for him on the road for at least one night. A long drive is hard work and this is his first solo trip, though fortunately we have made this drive five times together, so he will know the road pretty well (when he was paying attention.) Figuring out how to arrange my boxed canning jars for the new pantry area, and then I'll find other things that go in. If it doesn't full up completely with a single layer of items set close to each other on the shelves then I'll spread some of it out a bit, and leave just a couple of shelves for new things as they come along. Might as well make full use of this space! SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: wysiwyg Date: 21 Aug 13 - 01:06 PM Today seems to be a Purge day-- a number of items that used to make sense to see, in the daily landscape, no longer belong in my house. Out, out, OUT! I declined a great FreeCycle item too, that I had claimed yesterday, letting the offer-er know I will not pick it up. A king mattress! I remembered in time that it cannot go up my staircase without ruining it, unless it's foam, and I do NOT like foam to sleep on. Oh, I'd love to have it in the vacay house (no stairs!!!), but where would I put it in the meantime??? Night before last I slept 12 hours. It messed up last night's sleep bigtime, but it was SO worth it-- mind much clearer and energy UP. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 21 Aug 13 - 01:57 PM I'm not necessarily working chronologically in my archives -- I'm still filing stuff in binders as I consolidate it or come across it. I don't actually put everything in piecemeal, I put them in a file box by year so I can incorporate a number of items at the same time. These binders are bulky and it's just too wastefully time consuming to put only one item at a time into the binder. What I did right from the get go when I started putting ephemera in page protectors and filing them chronologically in binders, was to transcribe the notes on my calendars, which I'd also saved. But...in the early years, it might just be the date of an event, or appointment, not a lot of detail. And often things didn't actually get on the calendar. So, as more things have been put into the binders, I have to go through the binder and incorporate dates, etc. of information and PEOPLE on gig posters, photographs, Bob Nilson drawings, Press Room and Stone Church calendars, newspaper articles, etc. -- so that the calendar/timeline is more accurate AND (more importantly) that all of this information is digitized. It's a heck of a lot easier to look up information by just going to the Word file of the calendar/timeline for a particular year than it is to go to the binder itself. And it's from these files that I can distill the timeline and information on a more focussed subject, such as the 30+ years of the Friday Press Room session (or the 10+ years of the monthly sea music singaround...or a rough history of the Great Bay Company or Main Brace, etc.) Lately, as I've added another couple dozen things to a binder and I see that nothing has been added since the initial calendar transcription (or for a couple years), I find the time to go through and get all this stuff onto the timeline. That's what I just did with 1989 -- made notes and additions onto the previous print out and incorporated it typed it into the file. I'm still finding a lot of things to add, plus those huge binders Maggie sent me are full of items that are undated. (Just because I have a pretty decent idea of what DECADE they happened in, doesn't mean I can date the event by year.) I just dug out the boxes of photographs -- and most of the photo envelopes are dated and identified. And that will answer some dating questions. And also some questions as to who was coming to the session at what time over the past 30 years. Gotta go sneakernet the PMFF flyer to this computer to send to Babs and then find a long screwdriver so I can move the swing arm lamp from Tom's side of the bed to my side of the bed so I can get rid of the POS lamp that's there. AND I just de-accessioned a nice pair of English-made machetes to a friend who can use them. He just stopped by to pick them up. He's a pack rat, too -- like me he finds it difficult to let something be thrown away that somebody (maybe even me) might be able to use in the future. We were discussing it at the party Sunday and I said I've been trying to get it through my friends' heads that before buying something, they should ask me -- there's a fairly good chance I have what they need. (As he's had the electrical outlets and cinder blocks that I've needed.) He said he needed a machete -- voila! now he's got two really nice ones. (Now there's more room in the umbrella stand that holds swords, canes and swagger sticks.) Keep in mind we've got one of the few houses in the world where a cat knocked over a boar spear which then sliced one of the heads of a bass drum... (I de-accessioned the bass drum a half dozen years ago...and the antique love seat it had been sitting on.) Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 21 Aug 13 - 04:13 PM I think I've done enough stuff that involves sweating today. After a couple really nice weeks, the hot weather seems to be coming back, though without the humidity of the last couple bouts. I went out and lopped some more brush, but the mosquitoes chased me in, mostly dive bombing my eyes, nose, mouth and ears. I'm working on a 45 degree slope and my footing is previously cut stuff (which I'm cutting further and stacking) and leaf and woodland litter. I have to concentrate on safe footing as well as bringing down the saplings safely. I found the right screw driver so removed the brass swing arm lamp from Tom's side of the bed. I have NO footing over there. I'll put it up on my side of the bed tomorrow when I get home from my mammogram. Later this evening I'll pick up off the bed all the stuff I sorted this morning while drying my hair. I threw out a lot. (Really.) And walked some of the stuff to where it belongs. (My nightstand just acquires layers of stuff that it's not immediately obvious where it belongs...plus all the stuff it's convenient to HAVE on the nightstand.) Now I'm going to get today's PMFF material emailed to Babs (and file the stuff I pulled off the other computer) and then I'm pouring myself a very weak G&T, sloshing bug stuff all over me, and settling in on the deck with the magazine I started the other day. I can relax awhile -- supper is leftover vindaloo so all I have to do is cook more rice and sauté the mushrooms I want to add to it. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 22 Aug 13 - 01:57 AM Two batches of strawberry jelly are ready to go on the road on Friday morning. I put most of it in pint jars, some of it in jelly jars - my son likes peanut butter and strawberry jelly A LOT. Though he also likes the mustang grape jelly, he tells me these days he prefers strawberry more. I started making jelly for him about 10 years ago when he complained about the "lumps" in the regular store-bought jars of preserves. Now I make it every year and send a case to the university with him. Some of both types and a couple of boxes are on the kitchen counter, awaiting his selections and packing. Also a set of Tupperware tumblers that he seems to be the only one who uses - they're attractive - but I prefer glass. A small crock pot (from last year's excursion into crock pot shopping on eBay) for oatmeal, and a little gadget to plug into the car's lighter socket that can play through the radio, has a USB plug on it for a flash drive for other devices or charging. $9 at Fry's several years ago. It's a gadget he has used on previous cross country trips in my truck. Now perhaps it will be useful in his car. I remember how liberating it was to take my first cross country trip. I'll keep that in mind as he gets ready for this one. I was younger than he at the time. I've mopped the floor and got up most of the sticky spots - you know the tacky spots you feel under your shoes when you make jelly? The sink is mostly clean now but a few implements will go in the dishwasher. My big job is done for now. Tomorrow is the first day of the semester, and the first full day of the new job. I have handed over the templates I designed from the former job to people who are just going to have to figure out how to do the rest of it on their own. There is one email to send to the printer in the morning with a file I worked on this evening. That's it. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 22 Aug 13 - 12:08 PM Moved a few more files to shared work folders this morning. Sent a project to the printer. My bag is lighter today since I'm not carrying in the various things I used to take back and forth for the writing and photography job. I read in my work email that they have a new name tag for me (different department name on it.) I'm down a couple of more pounds. They're dropping off more slowly now, but still going. The muffin-top is still there, but at a much reduced level. I am about 15 pounds from my general target weight. I've lost 27 pounds so far. The jelly is beautiful. I use a Sharpie to identify the canned item (I used to use the fussy little labels that came with the canning jars, but I don't know anyone who uses those any more.) I also used a red Sharpie to draw a tiny heart on each lid. :) Yesterday before making the jelly I poked through my large movable wire shelves to find canning jars (it's a 7' tall unit with six shelves that I bought at Sam's Club years ago. It has an interesting look when it's organized.) This morning I moved a couple of boxes from the bottom shelf (filled with clean jars ready to go that I pulled from various locations in the shelves) into the closet pantry and I can see things I'd forgotten about. I put some tomato juice into the fridge and I'll plan to draw down more these canned supplies over the next few months. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 22 Aug 13 - 01:46 PM Put on a bit over 40 miles between 9:00 and 1:00 -- mammogram (they were running about an hour late) then went to pick up a prescription for Tom that he'd called in Monday...and it wasn't out front for him. Had to put in another (written) request. And will, of course, have to go back for it probably Monday. (Another 40 mile round trip -- better have some more stuff to take to Goodwill on the same trip.) Then store, then drop off the guitar for my neighbor's daughter, pick up the mail and home. It's hot again, though, mercifully, not as humid, but I don't think it's a good idea to cut any brush today. And I don't think I have any energy left, anyway. I think I'll either finish a book in front of the fan or take a nap. But I DO want to get the lamp up on the post next to the bed so I can get rid of the POS one at long last. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Donuel Date: 22 Aug 13 - 02:00 PM I'm 215 lbs down from 230 and I have 25 more to go. Doing well through December is critical to continued success. As we lose weight the body pushes back becoming more efficient with whatever it is given to eat. The quantity of food has to be cut in half at least 3 times to get past these bumps in the road. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: wysiwyg Date: 22 Aug 13 - 03:41 PM I have a number for the laps around the parish hall... 226'/lap. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Jeri Date: 22 Aug 13 - 03:56 PM Don, if you're 215 lbs down from 230, that means you weight 15 lbs. Something wrong there. But given the intent of your post, congratulations. However, your body adapts to lower calories because it believes you're starving--and you are. It's better if you can fool it somehow. I've lost some weight, but I'm not sure how much, and I'm not going to get on the scales today. I made it to the gym and did elliptical for 20 minutes, but I'm having trouble moving now. I'm not tired, just moving at the speed of a drunken sloth. I think it's because of the heat, as Bat Goddess said, and the dead air. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Jeri Date: 22 Aug 13 - 07:24 PM My brain started working a little bit, and I figured out there was a comma missing: "I'm 215, down from 230..." I'm still moving way to slowly. I suppose I'll perk up at bedtime. I'm really looking forward to sleeping. Life is just too exciting. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 23 Aug 13 - 09:30 AM I made one major, major discovery yesterday -- Golick's Ice Cream (which is a heck of a lot closer than Lago's Lone Oak) makes MALTS!!! I am a product of a Midwestern upbringing (and a major dairy state, to boot) and shakes, frappes, or whatever your region calls 'em, were all malted. And I LIKE that. I discovered in New England (I first lived in Massachusetts, then Maine, and, for the past 30-some years, in New New Hampshire) and almost no one puts malt powder or syrup into mixed up milk and ice cream. Lago's Lone Oak does -- way over in Rye (or up in Rochester) -- and I usually get myself a malt or two over the course of a summer if I make a trip to Rye or find myself there. Golick's is over on Rte 125 in Barrington and less than 10 miles away. Yee hah! Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 23 Aug 13 - 11:47 AM These last few posts were an interesting mix! Don, congratulations! I'm not "dieting," I'm doing an alternate day fast. That means I eat an absolutely normal diet one day (with carbs and fats, healthy ones in normal portions) and then on alternate days I drink a couple of cups of tea in the morning and I have a small meal at about 2pm and maybe another tidbit in the evening - to total about 500 calories. Lots of fruit and veggies, very little if any meat on those days. If temptation is thrown my way on fasting days, I tell myself "I can have some of that tomorrow" because there are no restrictions on what I eat the next day. The logic is that you tend to eat your normal amount of food on feed days, but you don't double up after being deprived the day before. It's the law of averages. The thing about this fasting routine is that if I avoid the carb or fat calories on my feed days then I don't lose as much weight - you do have to get those so your body doesn't think you're starving/dieting. Ice cream is a regular part of my diet (and those malts sound wonderful, Linn!) Jeri, I saw that tremendous weight loss but you'd already jumped in. :) Yesterday I was able to try on several rings on that I haven't worn for a couple of years. I can't fit into the smallest of my rings yet, but I'm now able to vary the rings (at my heaviest I had only one ring that would slip over my ring finger.) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: GUEST,LilyFestre in Her Studio Date: 23 Aug 13 - 02:11 PM Oh let the creating begin!!! I now have enough squares to start my Christmas quilt! HOORAY!!! Pete has the day off and is playing outside with Jeremiah...I can hear the tick of my little Featherweight already! This will make about 240 squares magically turn (eventually) into 1 large, beautiful quilt! YAY! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 23 Aug 13 - 03:00 PM I used to have my sewing room set up with a small TV to "watch" (I actually mostly just listen to) movies, or used recorded books. You don't need anything, of course, but it was always a nice part of getting off into the sewing room on my own. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 Aug 13 - 01:25 AM This is the first weekend I can think of in what seems like a couple of years when my weekend wasn't full of the mix of work and my own stuff. It's just my own stuff. I finished handing over the old job to the three people they hired to do what I'd been doing. Now I'm not sure what I'll be doing, except training for the time being. It would have been spectacular to do that job and have two helpers, and have more pay and recognition to do it. They handled this "reorganization" so poorly that now I'm just glad to walk away from it. My kitchen is looking pretty tidy - there are dishes in the sink but I'll get those in the morning. I need to do yard work this weekend - I pulled the cucumbers and cages out of the garden this morning and tomorrow I need to pull a few other expired crops and mow the lawn. Good exercise! SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 Aug 13 - 01:41 PM Working on cookbooks and small appliances this afternoon, and moving shelves and the table in the kitchen. Looking in top cupboards to see what is stashed away that I forget about because I can't see or reach it. And I should move the radio off of the top of the fridge, because I can't see that cupboard at all and there is stuff in there also to put into service or give away. It's a nice day, but supposed to be hot this afternoon. But summer is beginning to lose it's grip, I can see it in a few of the trees now. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: wysiwyg Date: 24 Aug 13 - 03:13 PM New fitness program emerging, much more diversified. Walking is the foundation, mostly on land. Pool for strength training twice a week when music permits. Got almost-new sneakers for my hard to fit feets, from a friend, girl-colored! ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 Aug 13 - 08:43 PM There are two sets of shelves out of the kitchen now, and things are still looking for homes in the new pantry. Getting ready to make some more jelly. It has been a lovely day. My son got to his new house in Tucson and is all moved in already (out of the storage locker). This is a self-engineered move, no more mom needed with the pickup truck to get him to school or his house set up. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 Aug 13 - 11:17 PM Two pounds of frozen strawberries have yielded a quart+ of juice for more jelly. Now to clean the steam juicer and have it ready to take back to Dean, who I borrowed it from. Just as well I was slow about returning it, I've used it three times since I planned to try to take it back. Laundry out of the way. Sorted through the linen cupboard and pulled out a set of sheets that only fit the futon in the living room. Later this year that futon may move out to Moonglow's house, so I'll wait to see if she wants them before I add them to the eBay or Goodwill stacks. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 25 Aug 13 - 10:03 AM SRS, I don't have a tv in my quilting studio but I do have a Kindle Fire that plays movies and music! It's small but since I'm not really watching the movie but rather listening, it works out great! This morning I have a pork roast and veggies in the crock pot, laundry is started, coffee made and Pete is making Sunday breakfast: Fresh tomatoes and our own bacon on toasted English muffins. It smells divine in here!!!! Later today I'll be cleaning out the car and packing it for an early morning trek to the oncologist for the second part of my check up. I only have to go for this part twice a year..thank goodness!!! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 25 Aug 13 - 10:11 AM Michelle, I don't play anything I have to pay attention to when I sew, like you I listen. And occasionally come up for air to watch favorite scenes, then I'm back to my sewing again. Lots on my list of stuff to do today. The sticker shock of this month's travels is coming soon in the mail, so I will put some new listings on eBay to give myself a little extra income to help. In the past when I've been active I've brought in a couple hundred dollars a month. I've got a great reason for keeping it up and running. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: wysiwyg Date: 25 Aug 13 - 09:11 PM Here's more detail on the potential fall fitness schedule/structure that seems to be emerging.... Sundays: Home, chores, spiritual Mondays: AM shower and house chores, 12:30PM GNGT Band practice weekly followed by PT or therapy dog ministry in residential facilities, alternate weeks Tuesdays: AM house chores and pool or kazoo band ministry, Wellsboro errands Wednesdays: AM house chores, Faulkner day; Mansfield errands Thursdays: AM house chores and pool or kazoo band ministry, Wellsboro errands Thursday night date nite: Concerts, movies, stuff w hubby or friends Fridays: Walkies; outside if weather permits or indoors if not Saturdays: AM house chores, NAP, Sat Nite Svc I hope also to get at least a short, dog-free scooter ride in, daily, just for fun. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 25 Aug 13 - 09:49 PM Yee hah! Found accommodations for the last musician needing one during the maritime festival. We not only have a few more musicians this year, but it's been a little more difficult for some reason this year to find a bed for everybody. Been dealing with a family crisis in Milwaukee for the past few days. Finally had a long talk with my sister (my mother's caregiver) today. She desperately needs caregiver respite care. My brother called me Thursday on his way over from Iowa and I talked to him again yesterday after he got home. Really lucked out at a yardsale yesterday -- bought a bunch of tobacco collectibles really cheap -- branded ashtrays, really high quality cigar boxes, and a folk art cigarette box that, when it opens, lifts two rows of cigarettes for easy delivery. For resale, of course. And one of the waitresses at The Press Room Friday night asked when I would bring in some more jewelry that I have for sale. (She was wearing the jeweled quartz crystal I sold her a few months ago.) I have to call my car guy tomorrow. On the way home from Portsmouth on Friday, the "Check Engine" light came on -- which was expected. The problem is probably the computer which will need to be replaced. I drove to Portsmouth again yesterday to the Farmers' Market and to spend a little time talking books in a friend's garden (and petting her dog who adores me). I didn't notice the "check engine" light, but I assume it was on. Well, this morning I went out to do a short yardsale loop and, when I was a couple miles from home, I noticed the light was NOT on. Odd. Then I heard a weird sound -- sort of a jingle-y squeak -- I think from the vicinity of the rear driver's side wheel. After about 3 or 4 miles, it went away. As far as I know, the "Check Engine" light is still off. Made some headway today (while waiting for my sister's call -- she can only call me when she's out doing errands or my mother listens in) on organizing and consolidating the piles of papers/ephemera in the bedroom. Found another box with old photos from the '80s through 1990. And some wonderful shots of Jay Smith at the 1986 St. Patrick's performance of Cuckoo's Nest and session photos from when the session was at a table in front of what is now the A/C ductwork. Oh, and we had the first BLT made from local heirloom tomatoes tonight for supper. Washed down by Otter Creek Black IPA. Wonderful... (Need to get some more bacon and bread tomorrow.) Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Aug 13 - 10:38 AM The folks who took over my job from me are now mining my resources. I'll be sending them stuff that they will use and get credit for. Bummer. I'm working on adding new skills, going through various training online programs (the Lynda videos are actually very good - if you have Adobe products and click on some of their help videos you get small sections of these full-length Lynda videos. My school subscribes to the company so we all can use these.) Must mow the lawn this morning. Making jelly this afternoon. Roasting eggplants this evening (gotta get more lemons for the babaghaouj). Must pay for my annual registration tags on the pickup. It's a regular laundry list of useful or necessary chores. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Aug 13 - 12:14 PM The lawn is taken care of out front, but I need to trim. And I need to trim a path to the sewer line cleanout near the front porch because there was a drain backup on Saturday night. I poured the last of the Mister Plumbr down the downstream bathtub drain and after about 20 minutes it all siphoned out (both loos and water in both tubs.) I don't want a plumber mashing desirable plants so I'll clear a path that he can safely work on (and needs to stay on.) I should call later this week, though it is tempting to buy another bottle of the liquid drain cleaner and keep my fingers crossed. Worked up a good sweat out there, it wasn't a lot of mowing, but it was exercise for about 30 minutes. I mowed the zone along the back of the house so the dogs have a groomed green area before the dry dusty area. I always keep a watered mowed spot for them because they love to roll around on that cool grass. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: mg Date: 26 Aug 13 - 02:10 PM SRS..kids are pretty well grown now and it sounds like your job is not exactly what you want...can you consider coming back to PNW or too many retirement considerations etc.? |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 26 Aug 13 - 07:34 PM What a day! First, discovered wasps building a nest under the lower end of the handrail on the outside steps. Managed to get both me and Tom safely unstung to the car. (Didn't have time to get the wasp spray.) Got the two errands done well before we needed to be at the Wound Center, so went to drop off stuff at Goodwill...where I discovered that yes, I had taken the stuff out to the car (along with other stuff), but I'd evidently put it next to the back of the car and forgotten when I'd gotten the other stuff stowed, to put the Goodwill stuff into the boot. Sigh. Things went well at the wound center and they actually found another spot on Tom's heel that they were even more concerned about. So...they wanted an x-ray and some bloodwork. Sat in Radiology forever before he finally got the x-ray, but by the time we'd gotten out of there, the Lab had closed. So tomorrow morning I'll have to call and see if he can have the work done at Lee Walk-In so we don't have to drive back to Dover. Had a couple stops on the way home, then eliminated the wasps before bringing Tom in. Really glad supper was leftovers that just had to be warmed up and dished out into a mayonnaised and cheesed hotdog roll. Just wrapped up some more PMFF communication and I'm now ready to go upstairs and under-react until Tom wants to go to bed. Goodnight! Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: wysiwyg Date: 26 Aug 13 - 07:50 PM It was great to return to some structure today. I did 90% of dinner prep, took a shower, and headed into town for band practice. I found that I do actually have a returning voice -- the high range coming back. Then Faulkner went on his first ministry visit to shut-ins who'd had to give up their dogs. He was a surprise and was a BIG hit as he showed off his superb manners and calm spirit. Before leaving I checked out the couple's ability to handle him on their own for a weekly short visit. He needs a job and he's too great of a dog not to share him! Parking and getting into the facility gave me a good walk and him a first-time experience of sharing a sidewalk-- his first time walking around in town. Me too! ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Aug 13 - 08:31 PM Mary, moving back to Washington now isn't an option. I have quite a few years till retirement, and the difference in cost of living here versus there means that I may need to win the Lotto before I can make the move. The kids are doing their own things now, and though they consider Fort Worth their hometown, I doubt either will move back with either parent. No one said they couldn't move back, but no one said they should, either. Jelly tonight and tomorrow. I picked up more pectin, a bag of sugar, and a case of 12 oz jelly jars. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 27 Aug 13 - 02:02 PM I've emptied the kitchen of rarely-used appliances, so now I'm hunting around for things that have been stored out of reach that I can put in the new pantry space so it available (if I can see it I will use it). In the laundry room I pulled a small Igloo cooler and a couple of Thermos-style drink containers from the top shelf of a cabinet over the dryer. The question is - does something else go back on that shelf? Something I'll forget about or not be able to reach without the step stool? I made a pot of tomato beef and veggie soup that turned out very well. I had a couple of quarts of tomato juice (I canned it) I needed to use so that was the broth, I didn't add any more tomatoes, but the rest was ground beef, diced onion, carrot, red potatoes and kidney beans. I added some red wine, some Balsamic vinegar, and a chunk of Parmesan cheese rind (a local market sells containers of chunks of rinds for cooking that come off of the wheels that they cut up and sell). A large pasta added in the last 30 minutes or so and it was great. Moonglow stopped over for lunch after the morning in the dentist chair (filling little micro caries - she's off of my dental insurance after Sept. 1, so this was the last insured visit for a while). The soup was perfect for her numb mouth and need for soft food for the next 24 hours. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 27 Aug 13 - 07:44 PM Had a run all over hell 'n' gone and then wait...and wait...and wait sort of day. But Tom got his blood drawn and his Rx filled. Finally got home, grabbed the mail and made BLTs for lunch. Then I opened the mail. We haven't submitted enough paperwork for the fuel assistance app. They want information about the pension/annuity/IRA that Tom has never owned. Oh, and and explanation of the $75.89 check deposited on July 1st -- it happened to be the rebate from the state for the Low to Moderate Income Property Tax Relief. It's nowhere near the amount of (what turned out to be useless) paperwork I submitted earlier this year, but, ya know, I think I'm still dealing with PTSD...or shell shock...or battle fatigue. It makes it very difficult to fill out the forms and provide all the photocopies to prove how little income we have. I called the agency and ended up getting more worked up than I had any right to (and I explained the situation and apologized -- she suggested I have a beer and relax for awhile; right). Tomorrow, I'll gather all the documentation and photocopy using up yet another ink cartridge and then mail it to them for lots more than one first class stamp. Most of the stuff is still out of their files because I just had to photocopy and submit them for something else. It's never done and it's the same stuff and no governmental agency communicates with any other. But this sort of thing takes way more time than it has any right to take. And I DO have other responsibilities to take care of. Well I DID go upstairs and "rest" after I got off the phone. Started filing chronologically all the articles Tom wrote in the 1990s when he was primarily doing freelance writing as well as music. Then I read a bit. Then I gave in and took a nap. Then I filed some more stories. I don't really realize how close to the edge I am until some inanity nudges me over the brink. Forgive me for whining. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Jeri Date: 27 Aug 13 - 08:16 PM I got a phone, Linn. :-) Went to get my registration from Peter. I buy cars so infrequently that I forgets stuff like the registration goes with the plates, and if you transfer the plates before the end of the year without it, you have to pay for the rest of the year...again. And they replaced a signal light bulb. One worked, one didn't, so the car blinked twice as fast. (Learned something) My driver's side mirror spider ate something last night, but I haven't seen him since this morning. Maybe tomorrow, he'll have the web re-built. I sort of missed him today, even if I have to keep that window closed. I'm not sure he doesn't want to be inside the car. I need to get the basement screen door replaced. Going in and out using the current door is an adventure I don't enjoy. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: wysiwyg Date: 28 Aug 13 - 12:41 PM That ain't whining, Lin.... ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 28 Aug 13 - 02:05 PM Sorry, Jeri, I just couldn't deal with talking even to a FRIENDLY voice. (Although the poor woman at Rockingham Community Action was polite even when I came close to losing it -- AND, after I explained why I was in the state I was, even suggested I have a beer and relax, it was all going to work out okay.) I'm better today, but haven't even thought about gathering the documentation together to photocopy and mail to them. Have to change Tom's dressings (yes, that's plural -- now there's a wound on the back of his heel as well as the one on his ankle) and put the compression stocking back on. (Yes, that's new, too -- on in the morning, off at night.) The VNA called this morning, but they don't have the new orders -- all she was going to do was something with the compression stocking and was unaware of the change in the dressing meds, etc. and the fact that there are now TWO wounds to deal with. So I gave her the number of the Wound Center so the VNA can get new orders. And I have to help Tom with a bit of PMFF biz that needs to be taken care of. I put my hair drying time to good use this morning, cutting out, putting in page protectors, and filing chronologically Tom's body of work as a freelance writer in the '90s after Cinematheque closed. Since the rights revert to him, I'm thinking a collection of his antiques articles might be in order. And I think reading the thank you notes to him might help his state of mind a bit, too. He wrote a lot on folk music-related subjects as well. And I think I just found another full box of his writing here in this room that I need to extricate and start working on. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 29 Aug 13 - 09:26 AM Well, got carried away yesterday (plus had nothing really pressing -- except, of course, the paperwork I was avoiding), so spent a lot of time on the box of Tom's articles. I'd forgotten how prolific he was in that time period! On February 18, 1996 he had the whole front page of the Accent section of the Portsmouth Herald -- an article about draft Guinness above the fold and a story about Mark Fenwick, local sculptor, below the fold. I just this minute got yesterday's laundry into the dryer, unstacked all the smaller rugs (less than 5x8) from the pile of boxes in front of the bookcase, helped Tom get from the bed to the table (since he's more blind first thing in the morning) and got his coffee and poured in the cream -- he's not going to be able to drink it until he can see a little better, and then came back to locate the box with more of his writing in it, put it on the top of the stack, and then put all the rugs back (so Rufus won't be upset -- that's his morning and evening nap spot; afternoon nap spot is on the bed upstairs). I've realized why for many events in our lives I had no newspaper clipping in my archives -- Tom wrote the article and they were all in boxes together. After I get them all properly filed chronologically and I make an index, I can put the duplicates of each article into the archives. (And put them into the timeline/calendar at the beginning of each year.) That way I'll have a digital record as well, so it can be searched. (Oh, and I'll also have two less boxes taking up space!) Tom's got an appointment with his cardiologist this afternoon. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 29 Aug 13 - 01:57 PM The jelly is beautiful, a case of 12-oz jars of Mustang Grape now in the newly organized pantry shelves in the hall. The storage pantry (the former closet) has non-food items - cooking and food preparation and serving utensils, storage (large Rubbermaid plastic containers, etc.), and empty canning jars. One of my eBay items sold - a converter box that I suspect was purchased because of this ongoing CBS/cable company dispute that is keeping CBS off of a lot of televisions. I have another converter box that is also spare that I'll list in the next couple of days to take advantage of resourceful viewers who haven't converted to HD TV and want to watch over-the-air programs. Here is some catchup on the hall project. Closet, before. Closet as I was figuring out how I wanted the shelves to go How it looks now SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 29 Aug 13 - 02:08 PM Linn, I can't help but read your posts and hope that Tom knows how lucky he is to have you. Being a caregiver is probably one of the hardest jobs around and I think you are doing a fantastic job!! Today I am feeling almost guilty. Jeremiah has been enrolled for a 2nd day of school each week. It's a gift from a family member who has decided I need a day to myself once a week to get my hair done, to go grocery shopping, to sleep, to read, to sew...anything I want...ALL BY MYSELF!!! I dropped Jeremiah off at school this morning, there was a substitute teacher there and he took one look at her, turned to me and cried. *big breath* I stayed for a few minutes to talk to him about his new teacher, answer questions about where his normal teacher is, to offer some encouragement that he would have fun with his friends and then I left...doing my best not to cry too. I know it's ridiculous and silly but leaving him there in tears...well...I hate doing that. I ran some errands in the area and called about 20 minutes later to check on him, resolved that if he was having issues, I'd go pick him up and that would be that. He was fine...outside playing with his friends. RELAX MOMMY!!!! Sheesh. I knew he'd be ok. I really did know that BUT...I had to check. Anyway, errands have been run, I'm on the 2nd load of laundry, I have enough cucumbers sliced and chilling to make 16 pints of pickles, a new chili recipe ready to try out, a list of items I forgot on my first trip to the store and am only taking a break now because my body is demanding it. There are so many things I want to do but there will be other days like this.....yes..there will be. I'm not sure I like it but at least I'm being productive. I feel guilty that he isn't here with me because I am at home. There's no reason he shouldn't be with me. Gentle reminder to myself: School is good for him. He gets to play with other children. He is learning. School is good for him. In addition, some time alone is good for ME!!!! Ok...so I have a vacuum cleaner to run, some floors to sweep and I'm going to use some of this time to make a mega grocery list as things are looking sparse around here. Have a great day everyone! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 29 Aug 13 - 02:43 PM Maggie, Your closet looks GREAT!!! We have a closet in the kitchen that we need to empty and tend to. I want to have all my cooking gear and canned goods (what will fit anyway) IN the actual kitchen!!! As it is now, anything like a crock pot, pressure canner, griddle, etc is in the mud room at the other end of the house...kind of a pain. Do you hire out? *wink* Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 30 Aug 13 - 12:50 PM Michelle, kids learn so much from the behavior you model for them, and you handled that exactly right. Jeremiah needed to have a few of the advantages of staying pointed out to him by someone he trusts, and that change (the different teacher) doesn't need to be alarming. Leaving him to then process what you told him strengthens his ability to deal with change in the future. Good job! I had to redo some of the supports as I worked out how I was going to do the closet shelves - you wouldn't want me on an hourly basis for this kind of job! I like that the Rubbermaid shelves are adjustable - they all could be, but the wire ones move easily. I have some spare space, and I have some rods I was going to put in to support some of my baking pans stored on edge, but these were my second choice (they have to be screwed onto the shelves). I looked at Amazon and found some shorter versions of the tension rods I want so when I finish I'll put my large baking sheets in that closet pantry also. Now they're stacked on top of each other on a top shelf in a kitchen cupboard and occasionally threaten to avalanche onto my head. Came home with a bit of a bug last night - it was one of those dash into the house from the truck kinds of drives - and it stayed active overnight. I'm taking the day off today, but it looks like sick leave is more suitable than a vacation day. It's supposed to hit 106o, so I'm glad I'm here. I'll run a few errands then let the dogs in for the afternoon. Today is Moonglow's birthday. She turns 25! I went to the hospital at 11am and had her at about 2:30 in the afternoon. A very civilized arrival! Linn, I agree 100% about the big job you do as caregiver. If it is possible to find someone to come in and give you a break for a day a week or for a couple of afternoons, that will help you considerably. It's times like this that I wish we weren't all scattered around the globe and could lend a hand when needed. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 30 Aug 13 - 01:43 PM Just having someone come in once a week and vacuum would be an INCREDIBLY big help. And I need to ask Tom's CFI (Choices for Independence) caseworker about that -- he had mentioned that as a possibility. I'm STILL feeling shellshocked...battle fatigue, whatever (in all likelihood, post traumatic stress) from the CFI/Medicaid application process. They accepted Tom -- then told us that we were ineligible for the ONLY benefit of the program that we were interested in (me being paid as Tom's caregiver) because we are married (and hold medical powers of attorney on each other). I'm having a LOT of trouble forcing myself to fill out paperwork (I was late for fuel assistance and now they want even more documentation) let alone write the letter to the governor's office about how poorly treated we were in that four months of hell for no real benefit, or even contact the caseworker. And I lost it the other day with the woman from fuel assistance. After I apologized and explained WHY I went off the deep end, she suggested I grab a beer and take the rest of the afternoon off. ;-) Tom went to the wound center for the first time on Monday, and now I have a bit more that I have to do for him, different dressings plus a compression stocking. And the visiting nurses didn't get the change of orders until today. (She should be here sometime in the next half hour.) Meanwhile I'm also dealing with a crisis with my mother in Milwaukee. My sister is HER caregiver and my mother is being unbelievably abusive and just plain nasty to her...AND refusing to see her doctor, etc. Well, this morning she fell out of her lift chair and is in the hospital where she'll finally have a couple things addressed. (And, maybe a psych eval.) I'm kept in the loop by my sister and also by my brother in Iowa who can get over there a lot easier than I can. Actually, everybody knows that all I can offer is moral support and I don't have the time to worry about not being able to do anything except commiserate. Thing is, I don't even notice how close to the edge I am until I'm nudged over it. I REALLY appreciate this thread, for so many reasons. You are my support group. Sometimes I just need to vent my frustrations or write about what I AM getting accomplished (so that I can acknowledge it to myself). Thank you all for being patient with me. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 30 Aug 13 - 02:10 PM I wish we could do more. And hopefully as the season shifts, before it gets cold and icy, you'll have a relaxed and comfortable autumn. That has to help a bit. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 30 Aug 13 - 10:11 PM Decluttered a few gigabytes from one of my hard drives since I use my computer like a DVR. I dumped programs I had recorded that I can stream from NetFlix. No point in clogging my computer with them. I don't have cable, but I do have a receiver in this computer. I record them then I can watch them in this room or on a networked computer. My next challenge is to have the new laptop stream these to the big TV in the living room. I can't get to the computer through the BluRay player, but I can through another computer. I have a couple of items selected to next list on eBay. They'll clear out a couple of cubic feet of stuff when they go. Linn, do you have anything that you can list on eBay? That would be one way to bring in income that is under the IRS radar (unless you make more than $40,000 a year). SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Bat Goddess Date: 31 Aug 13 - 09:21 AM Sold 40 bucks (plus a deferred $10) worth of jewelry at The Press Room last night. I've got to photograph a couple more things to list at CraigsList. They're larger, heavier or awkward sized items that I'd prefer to sell locally. Still have to get set up at eBay and start listing ephemera in particular there. I've got some pricier books, too, that I'd rather not sell at auction, so I figure Amazon is a good bet. Haven't listed or sold anything at Amazon for years; have to check if I'm still registered with them. Need, too, to call the guy who buys LPs -- talk about cubic footage! Linn |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 31 Aug 13 - 10:44 AM We've been out on a wood delivery today and have 2 more to go. For me, it's an ugly day. My hair is pulled back in a pony tail, my bangs are held back with a headband, no make up and work clothes. My allergies are killing me today....sneeze, sneeze, sneeze, red nose, itchy eyes...ICK (hence no makeup AT ALL)....I feel icky. A shower would probably help but I won't be doing that until after all the wood work is done. I went to BJ's yesterday (a wholesale store like Sam's Club) and did some major shopping as things were getting bare around here. It was a long day yesterday too (allergies and humidity/heat) so I didn't put anything away except the things that needed to go in the fridge. So...my kitchen looks like a grocery store explosion. It's a mess I'm thankful for but a mess none-the-less. ACHOO ACHOO ACHOO ACHOO *sniff* *eye rubs* Onward...there is work to be done!!! ;) Happy Saturday!!! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 31 Aug 13 - 02:14 PM Linn, I posted some in-depth eBay tips on Mudcat in the past. Search for those before I re-write any, they'll be current enough to get you started. eBay was in the thread title. Michelle, you're too hard on yourself. There isn't an "ugly" day for you, ever (!), but just an allergy time-out from exquisite grooming. :) I listed a couple of bulky items on eBay this morning, getting started on my autumn push. I've opted to pack them carefully and offer free shipping. Sometimes a higher-priced item can sell more easily if the shipping is free. Another hot one today. Looks like the best use of the day is packing and listing eBay stuff. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 31 Aug 13 - 07:58 PM Maggie, You are too kind and obviously have never seen me...ROFL. UGLY is THE word of the day. When we used to have Fresh Air Fund children come to spend the summer with us, they used to sing this little ditty and today it fit me!!! U-G-L-Y You ain't got no alibi You ugly. Yeah, yeah, YOU UGLY. LOL Missions accomplished, shower taken (just in time too because it's been thundering and lightening for the last 2 hours) Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: maeve Date: 31 Aug 13 - 10:55 PM Michelle, Maggie is right. You're looking in a silly old mirror. Maggie looks at the heart. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 01 Sep 13 - 01:44 AM :) I have a stack of boxes described and listed on eBay sitting on the table in the sun room. There's one left to finish and I'll stop there. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 01 Sep 13 - 02:43 AM Here is the next thread. |
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Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13 From: LilyFestre Date: 01 Sep 13 - 12:49 PM Maeve, I hadn't thought of it that way. <3 XOXOXO Michelle |
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