Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Sep 13 - 02:14 PM

We know you'll do it!

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Sep 13 - 10:42 PM

A small (1 quart of cucumbers) batch of relish (with home grown cucumbers and red and green bell peppers) is sitting on the counter in salt water. I haven't made relish before, but I wanted to try it with these end-of-the-season cukes. I should come up with about 3 pints of relish, and next year I'll plan ahead better as far as planting the cucumbers. They were really crowded in the area where I planted them, but I'll move them to a mound further down the yard and let them spread and climb as much as they want. And be prepared for the prodigious output!

The kitchen is looking great, the peninsula counter is clear except for the kettle and toaster and tea things on one side, under the overhang from the top cabinets. Working tonight was nice, no clearing off first.

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: LilyFestre
Date: 10 Sep 13 - 06:43 AM

:) Thanks Maggie!! :)

Michelle

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 10 Sep 13 - 09:10 AM

It's been a busy few days and today will be a bit mad, too.

Finally got the Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival (PMFF) schedule grid worked out. Since Tom can no longer see to do it, I did it, conferred with him, and then sent it to another board member (who also maintains the website...and more) to proof, check for conflicts, make sure performers have enough time to get between venues, make sure we're best utilizing everybody, etcet etcet etcet. Between conferences Saturday night and Sunday morning, we got it all worked out.

And now the "Welcome" text (Tom dictates, I type it in, editing, fact checking and punching it up as I go, then back to Tom, probably revise, etc.) and the performer list for the program are ready to go to Babs for final proofing. Then I can get the program file to the printer by the weekend.

On Sunday, around everything else I was doing including running around between Nottingham and Lee) I turned a lot of those tomatoes that I got at the farmer's market (and the basil I got while relaxing with great conversation on a friend's deck a bit later) into a big batch of the heirloom tomato soup from The Splendid Table. A lot of it I hope to get into the freezer for winter days when you need a hit of summer.

Yesterday Tom had an appointment with an orthotics place as the Wound Center is prescribing two things for him -- a protective shoe that will take the pressure off his heel wound when he's walking and an ankle boot that will immobilize his ankle so the ankle wound won't be in constant motion.

Today Tom has an arterial study at the Wound Center this morning and then his regular weekly appointment this afternoon. We'll have time to kill in between, but lunch will take up a bit of it. Tom's working on his bio for a Bate's college reunion book -- the deadline is October 1, so I'll take it along and maybe we can get it put together in our "spare" time today...

Linn

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Sep 13 - 11:14 AM

Cucumber relish sat in salt water and turmeric overnight, soaked further in fresh water this morning, drained, and is now in the vinegar/brown sugar/spice mix soak until I get home tonight and can heat it and jar and process it. I'm looking forward to this - again, I haven't made relish before. I should be able to try the dill pickles pretty soon that I made back in July.

My garden is a mess of tall grass. No chance to weed today (though I did some weeding yesterday out front and pulled the spiderwort and grass out of a small bed of penta that have grown nicely but were hidden in the weeds). Hopefully by the weekend those predicted temperatures in the low 90s mean that the overnight lows (in the low 70s) will lead to nice mornings for weeding.

Yesterday I had an "ah ha!" moment and realized an adapter I was considering taking to work to run a spare monitor on my laptop docking station didn't fit that setup, but it does go with a video card I have for sale on eBay. I've photographed it and I'll revise that listing. Maybe that'll be the push to sell the thing. :) Meanwhile, one of the IT guys had the correct adapter cable and I have a two-monitor setup now.

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 10 Sep 13 - 05:51 PM

We finally got home this afternoon and the first thing I did (after getting Tom safely in the house and settled in) was pour myself a gin & tonic. (I don't usually drink before a glass of wine or half a beer with dinner.)

That's what kind of day it is.

And when I checked my email, I'd gotten another request for a contribution from my Senator, Jean Shaheen. I'd send a rant back at her request yesterday saying how disappointed I was in her vote on the Syrian situation in the Foreign Relations Committee last week. So, I added to it and resent it again today. Isn't there ANYONE in Washington who cares about history, LEARNS from history, and makes decisions based on history?!? History IS important. ALL of the mistakes this country has made has been from a combination of greedy self interest and lack of respect (or even knowledge) of history.

Well, I'd been planning on going upstairs and under-reacting (word I learned during the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago -- when the police "over-reacted") until supper, but it's too late now. Gotta read Tom the program text and performer blurbs again before emailing it off to Babs and then I can make supper which, thank gawd!, is a really quick fix.

I WILL get some down time after supper!

Linn

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Sep 13 - 06:48 PM

I have a small ultrabook that I picked up before the Seattle trip. It's meant to use for writing and is extremely portable. As it sat on the secondary desk in my office I've glanced over at it every day from the big computer (quad core, purchased for the heavy lifting it can do with Adobe software). I realized I needed to move it to a different room, in it's own station with a comfortable chair at an attractive desk and a good lamp. I did that last night, and feel like I turned a corner. A place to write that isn't overpowered by the place to do other work.

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 10 Sep 13 - 07:24 PM

During Tom's arterial study this morning, one of the readings involved 10 minutes where neither Tom nor the tech nor I could talk. I went over songs in my head -- "Maggie May" twice, "Cruising 'Round Yarmouth" once, and a couple verses of "Three Drunken Maidens".

My way of meditating, I think.

Maggie, you are SO right about needing a smoothed out place to write, not cluttered with WORK.

Linn

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Sep 13 - 01:00 AM

I worked the circulation desk tonight in the library, my primary job was to answer virtual chat reference questions. All of us are taking turns at the desk until staff is hired to do the evening shift. It's a friendlier part of the library these days, after the debacle of the "reorganization."

A few weeks ago I picked up a George Foreman grill at an estate sale ($2.50/it needs a drip tray, easily remedied). I have one word for the best use so far: quesadillas. They were a little over-stuffed, but that wasn't a problem, since it cooked on both sides simultaneously so doesn't need to be turned (always precarious).

Cucumber relish heated, hot-packed, processed, and sitting on the counter to cool. The summer garden's last hurrah. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: ragdall
Date: 11 Sep 13 - 07:20 AM

I found some energy this afternoon so I did a round of changing beds and laundry, formatted and uploaded another batch of photos to Flickr, and fed the crows and squirrel.

In the evening I measured the depth of the drain across the entrance to my carport. Boards that were supporting the angle iron that holds up the grating had rotted. I made a trip across town to buy a treated board 2 x 10 x 12' to replace them. I hope it will do the job.

Also bought ten 2 x 3 x 8' boards to make an arbor for the back yard. I hope the weather will stay warm until the arbor is built, stained and dried.

I hope I can stay on task until it's done. I'd planned to get up early, haul the big saw out into the carport and spend all day working on that and other saw tasks, but it looks as if I'll need the morning for sleep and I'll be driving the carpool to a meeting in the evening. That won't leave much time for set up, working and clean up.

rags

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Sep 13 - 10:31 AM

I would love to see some before, during, and after photos of this arbor. I've been thinking about using some wooden lattice in several places in the yard. Over the weekend I drove past a house that had 1/2 width panels along the side of the garden as demarcation between lawn and garden, and it looked much nicer than my droopy chicken wire.

Going to a reception at work today, where I have a couple of photos in an exhibit that is up this semester. One of them is a submission I made last summer, the other isn't labeled as mine, but it's from about a decade ago, from a study I made of photographing the library from all angles. I went out in the fall in the afternoons to get the great light. It is simply labeled "university collection" because I used it so long ago they've forgotten where it came from. I'll let them know today and claim it (I am turning over my prints and negatives this semester, so the originals will be in one of those boxes.)

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Sep 13 - 04:39 PM

The recycle impulse has enablers on campus in the form of folks who specialize in recycling. I found a bunch of plastic jewel cases in the trash yesterday and I lugged them to the large e-waste bin on our ground floor, and called that department to pick them up. This afternoon I saw him packing that stuff up and had him come down to my floor where a bunch more stuff is being discarded that should be recycled. Business cards were exchanged and people are realizing that not only can he pick this stuff up, he can take over some of their work (co-workers don't need to spend hours shredding discs, he can have it done.) I'm glad when my persistence on this finally pays off.

I'm seeing more watchers on some of my eBay listings this week, so maybe some of my techno-discards will find a new home in a fiscally satisfying manner, instead of finding their way to the gray bin upstairs or to the Goodwill.

Hump day. Something to celebrate!

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Sep 13 - 05:46 PM

Main floor vacuuming (and removal of DE) is done. All LR surfaces are seriously de-junked; I filled a whole trash barrel with sale items and another with paper trash. There will be more sale stuff when I tackle the DR's china cabinet, which has become a default curio cabinet. Photograph and PURGE!!!

A GREAT thing happened a few days ago-- I have been holding a box of fam fotos and of the origanal fam there are now only my brother and I left. He has estranged himself, so I did not want to send them to him-- bad history in 'em, which he'd likely toss in the trash.

Well, my son and DIL want them, and will sort them and get them into acid-free containers. On my bext visit I'll give them caption info. They will then take it on a visit to my brother, and present it as a completed project. If he does not want the result, they do-- but I get it outta my HOUSE as soon as I can ship it and it is WAY past time to move these along the family foodchain. It is the last box lurking in the LR needing to go where it belongs. It feels like a huge weight off my shoulders. (It goes with a whole LOT of stuff my mom had "assigned" to me that I never should have agreed to and that she never should have asked of me.)

~S~

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Sep 13 - 10:31 PM

Cleaned out some veggie bins in the fridge - things have been freezing so I needed to move objects around to avoid blocking vents. I stopped on the way home for a fresh batch (my two bags of grocery are always so much more affordable if I don't buy any meat, just veggies).

I moved a touch lamp (with three settings) to the antique desk where I've set up the laptop. It looks warm and welcoming.

Several of my eBay listings now have watchers. I need to find some more things to list, and be prepared to keep several things up at once. They'll end either when people buy them now or when they finish the last day and people bid at the last minute. The good thing at eBay now is that each listing shows how many total people are watching the sale (you can choose to watch it, adding it to a list of items you are considering bidding on so you don't need to search for them every time you visit). This puts pressure on those who really want your item to go ahead and buy it before one of the others gets it. (I'm sharing the information to give Linn a bit more information about the eBay process).

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 12 Sep 13 - 05:00 AM

i need some tech advice. just broke the laptop someone gave me and am reverting to an even older and slower one. i have free wifi in the big house on the property here and i think it will reach my cabin. i need to save money on internet. i mostly want it right now for internet and email and maybe hulu etc. plus i have a computer protection plan for 10/month. i am thinking a very cheap tablet like this..i know imet will be disposable and customer support is awful

http://www.amazon.com/Archos-70-Internet-Tablet-Black/product-reviews/B00422SH5C/ref=cm_cr_pr_btm_link_next_3?ie=UTF8&pageNumber=3&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

click

if it lasted two months i would probably get my money's worth. only problem is i wnant to get back to genealogy and don't think i could do it on this but by then might afford a newish laptop..

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 12 Sep 13 - 10:14 AM

Went to the country yesterday, arriving late morning. After lunch, the heat and humidity defeated me. I was a blob. Then the rain came - in torrents! In the end, I gave up trying to figure out how to sleep there, forget getting pots made a a firing going! Came back to the city, took a hot bath and did not cough all night for a change! This morning, R is trying to find out when Bruno can come and put that wall in so I can have a safe place, with air cleaner. After about half an hour on the phone with B, we are no further ahead. Steam coming out my ears!

I really wanted to have new pots for the weekend but yesterday was the last day to manage it. OK, so now I will continue to try for the next event. And the orders promised by 1 October. The work area is not bad for pollution. Only the end of the space near the futon on which we sleep where all the pollution is blowing through from the lower end - Well, hard to explain and frustrating to figure out. I am venting because I am so tired of coughing.

I am going to go take another hot bath, recover, go to the country, try to find a carpenter who is available, meet with Vanessa who is bringing her pottery wheel over today. Need to get a key made for her. V visited on Monday and we agreed she can do pottery in the pottery area. She will help get it organized. Her existence will be encouraging for me. Now, need to find a carpenter down there rather than wait on B to have time for us.

Darn, R just left and I forgot to ask him to put the air cleaner in the car. BATH, NOW.

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Sep 13 - 10:57 AM

I don't have a great opinion of tablets for much computer, mg, but that's mostly because I don't like to "type" on a screen and they have such a small amount of memory in them.

Take a look at the refurbished laptops at NewEgg.com. See if there is something there that might give you more life than the tablet. The tablet is already a couple of years old, chances are things (applications, etc.) have moved beyond its operating system. That can mean that the OS of the older device can't support newer programs so well. I have that problem with my smart phone - they updated the OS to the point that it is no longer efficient. I can't control if this downloads or not, that won't be the case in your device, but still, the changes in the last couple of years have been substantial.

Good luck in getting those spaces built the way you want, Dorothy. I can hardly visualize what this old mill must look like now.

SRS

Subject: RE: Diotomaceous Earth
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Sep 13 - 01:15 PM

I have to say, as an anti-flea treatment, Diotomaceous Earth (food-grade DE) really does work. In the rug it ensures that any flea eggs that hatch will not survive long enough to lay the next round of eggs. On the pets it is a good supplement to Frontline; I think if we keep up applying it to the pets weekly, we may be able to eliminate the Frontline altogether.

Vacuuming it up off the rug, if you use enough to really work, requires a vac bag change about every 60 square feet, because the dust clogs the bag pretty fast. They recommend using a broom to "scrub" the DE down into the carpet pile; we found that an old-fashioned, non-electric carpet sweeper was much easier to use. We covered the thickly-DE'ed sections with clean sheets so that when we walked on them, the dust sank into the fiber instead of rising into the air with each step. By the end of the recommended week of leaving it on the carpet, a lot of it had gone below surface level-- which means it will keep acting as we continue to vacuum it up to the surface and as any new eggs fall to the floor into it.

The DE also absorbed some dirt and barefoot-oils and looks much cleaner than it did, pre-treatment. No odor.

We used about 4-5 lbs of it for a 12x25 foot LR and a 12x12 DR, plus on the pets and their bedding. I'm setting a reminder on my calendar to pre-treat the carpets next year just before the heat/humidity of fleas season hits.

~S~

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Sep 13 - 05:47 PM

If it is cooler or rainy now it is a good time to broadcast (via hose end sprayer, watering can, backpack sprayer, there are various methods) beneficial nematodes around the house and in any kennel and general traffic areas for your dogs. Put them out on a cloudy day or in morning or evening. They do best when they can get down into moist soil and not be exposed to bright sunlight. You buy them from a refrigerated supply in places like feed stores or via overnight shipping. The package of stuff is poured into a bucket and allowed to spread out into the water. You can filter the water through a paper sieve often provided with them so your sprayer doesn't clog. Once you mix them keep the tank agitated and spray them pretty quickly (they won't survive in the water for a long time.)

They may seem expensive for the application, but if you have a large yard and buy the larger package, putting them out now in the fall should take care of fleas in the entire yard for the fall and into the spring. You can redo again next year, but they stay in the environment and they kill flea eggs in the soil stage.

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Sep 13 - 12:22 AM

I got some letters written this week (yes, written, as in hand-written!) and mailed. I finished the last in my list, a letter to Morgan. I've been meaning to send it for ages, and I must say, I'm out of practice doing that much handwriting. I hope he can read it!

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: LilyFestre
Date: 13 Sep 13 - 10:46 AM

I have been so busy this week and I have to say that it feels WONDERFUL to have the energy to keep up with most of it. I am naturally falling asleep at 9:30ish and sleeping a solid 7 or 8 hours...last night I didn't wake up even once!!!).

I was awake at 5:30 this morning, have had my shower, got Jeremiah up and around, made breakfast for my boys, took the little one to school, went to a yard sale that someone had given me a heads up about (I got about 30 quilting magazines for free and lots of beautiful quilting and applique books and one book about the history of quilting..which I can't wait to read and one of those spinning,3D metal sun catcher things AND a few little cars for Jeremiah for under 10 bucks! SCORE!), stopped at the post office and then picked up 3 bags (think 40 pounds of bird food sized bags) of dropped pears and apples that a friend was going to compost and offered to us for the piggies!!! (Oh...we got 2 more piggies last week..Hampshires...sweet little things). Now I'm home and off to do some canning. I've got 3 bushels of pears waiting to be done and today is the day which is perfect because it's nice and cool out. LOVE IT!

Yesterday I was on the road all day as I have been accepted into Geisinger's Patient and Family Advocacy Counsel. I begin work there at the end of the month.

Also, I signed up for a table at a local craft fair...guess I'd better get quilting!!!!

Busy. Busy. Happy. Busy.

Energy is a beautiful thing!!!

Happy Friday Everybody!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Sep 13 - 11:04 AM

You'll have to tell us more about that Patient and Family Advocacy Council. I heard the name "Geisinger" in the news early in the week, a discussion to do with pro-active health care, I think, or with studies of results of treatments - my ears perked up because I thought that was your area.

Sounds like you'll be busy with the fruit and quilting for as long as you want to be.

I woke this morning (no alarm set) and am ready to head out the door to the office (we're getting a little rain, I'll let that pass first). I realized that when I attend the Friends of the Library meeting tonight as a guest only that much of the shift in work at work will be complete. Our Library second-in-command has told me a couple of times this week how she's heard such great things about all of the work I did - thanks, but what am I supposed to do with that? I'm no longer being asked to do that great work, I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing now. I'm occupying space and collecting a paycheck. For some that might sound ideal, but for someone who has had her plate full with tasks dedicated to a large goal, it's a benign vision of Hell. Literally. Just shoot me.

I am taking off Monday to give myself three full days to work in the garden. I have some goals and I'll make a list so I can see forward progress.

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Sep 13 - 07:38 PM

Cleared a bunch of papers out of my office - for the time being they are in Special Collections so the university archivist can go through and pick out any back copies of things she needs. She'll give the papers back she doesn't need, and then I'll choose what to keep and what to recycle. The end of an era.

My desk is clean, that was a small goal for the day. I recycled and shredded and have more to do later. For now, it's looking pretty good, slightly lived in (I moved here just a few weeks ago).

Friday! Who cares if it is the 13th or any other date, it's Friday. :) I did the dishes at the house before I left so a clean kitchen will greet me.

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: ragdall
Date: 13 Sep 13 - 09:38 PM

Spent the morning at my seniors genealogy club. The man who has custody of the Senior Centre laptop forgot to bring it. Fortunately, I "just happened to have" my laptop in my car, so we were able to look at online resources as well as use it for "show and tell" items that members brought on jump drives.

Last evening I finished digging out the composted leaves, etc., from my driveway drain and wedged 2 x 10 boards under the angle iron that supports the grating on the top, in hopes that the grating will remain level with the driveway surface when driven over. I discovered that the iron grate in front of the door is rusting and falling apart. I have no idea where to look for another one. I'm assuming that the man who put our driveway in, 30 some years ago, had it custom made.   

Then I cut all the boards that I'd bought for the arbor. I made a couple of mistakes which I could have lived with but decided to pick up two more boards for the arbor on my way home and redo those pieces.   The pain is still strong from being on my feet so long yesterday, but I'm trying to convince myself to get the saw out again and do the cutting. This hot weather won't last much longer. I'd like to use a gallon of stain I've had for a few years but I forgot to take it with me this morning to get the paint shop to give it a good shaking. I will try to get to the paint store Saturday. I still need to drill all the holes and figure out how many screws and bolts to buy before I can paint the boards and put it together.
rags

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Sep 13 - 12:47 AM

I have a work area beside my side door with cedar 2x2 boards spaced apart, in which the planks rest on an iron frame that once was a support for holding firewood (I ran the planks between the supports). I used carriage bolts to hold those lengthwise planks to cross bars of the same wood. It's constructed so the crossbars keep it from sliding off of the metal frame. I've been needing to finish drilling and putting the bolts on (some are in place, but other boards are just sitting there, waiting to be finished).

Supposed to be 100^o tomorrow. So disappointing - but I'm planning to send the next few mornings in the garden getting set for fall planting.

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Suzy Sock Puppet
Date: 14 Sep 13 - 12:30 PM

This is a fun thread. I've enjoyed reading about what you are all up to.

I am up to my 4 year old grandson, adorable little chubby cheeked curly headed cupid. Very very smart and totally about music and dancing. Loves Cat Stevens. Today we'll be going to the pet store which features puppies, hamsters, guinea pigs, ferrets, birds and fish. Unlike some pet stores, this one is all about ethical treatment of animals and all animals are healthy and the puppies very sociable. Then to Hoopla's next door (ice cream shop).

I'll probably get to the canning and jelly making in my next life.

Definitely after 50, the weight. It's like after 50, somebody starts throwing fat at you and it sticks, and to places it never stuck before. I actually have a bosom now. Where was it when I needed it?

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Sep 13 - 12:50 PM

There is some movement on the eBay pages. That'll be one part of the weekend, finding and listing more items.

After reading rags' comments about the trellis I am reminded that a nice short-term project is finishing attaching the planks of my table. I'll get the drill and finish it this morning.

Weeding the garden is big on the list, and I have one more item - a neighbor offered me a tree in one of her flower beds, a Mexican Plum. I'm debating about where to put it - I think it would be best in the middle of an area where the dogs charge around - it may be in danger for a while, but I'd love to have a tree that will actually cast shade on my back door. The tree that's back there now isn't growing well and doesn't shade the door. A tree doesn't need to be large to do the job, and the Mexican plum is a small native tree. I may have to put a little fence around it to start, and I'll do a bare-root transplant so it will be a shallow and broad hole.

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 14 Sep 13 - 12:57 PM

It's been pretty busy around here on non-decluttering issues, but this morning found a new home for the brass coat rack. I'm going to get it in the car and up the hill soonest.

Have to photograph the telescope and get it up on Craig's List.

Will go back into the guest room and clear out some more stuff.

Still waiting to find out what happened at the session last night after we left.

Linn

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Sep 13 - 03:00 PM

Suzy, the "fat sticking" plague over 50 is probably as much due to our jobs (sitting at computers all day) as to anything else. So here we have the problem and the solution in one place.

Linn, when you clear stuff out of the guest room, where does it go? That may be the next big reading adventure for us.

I have been fiddling with the new triple timer I ordered from Amazon. My favorite old West Bend finally kicked the bucket (simple operation, one AA battery to run it) and I needed something that would let me time more than one thing or set up a sequence of timers. Lux makes one that looked reasonable, it does have some mighty sturdy magnets on the back to keep it where I place it, but it isn't entirely intuitive. I've had to read the instructions through a couple of times just to get it set and to figure out how to run one timer at a time. I'd better use it a bit before I get to one of those time-sensitive cooking things where I can't stop to fiddle with the timer in the middle of stirring as fast as I can for exactly one minute before the next critical stage arrives.

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Sep 13 - 07:06 PM

The bench is finished - it didn't take long since most of the work was done. View 1 and View 2. It might be described as a "portmanteau" piece - it started as a steel firewood rack, but I don't use the fireplace. I didn't want to toss it if I could find another way to use it. I don't remember where the idea came from, but I decided I could use this for plants and outdoor projects if I used cedar boards and made sure there was a gap between them to avoid collecting water or holding dirt. I may stain the wood with some of the red stain like I used on a couple of other pieces here, and I may use rustoleum and paint the metal. Or I may leave it this way.

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 14 Sep 13 - 07:17 PM

LOL. When it goes out of the guest room it's on its way to being GONE -- to friends, Goodwill, sold. It'll be nice to find (and maybe be able to use again) the bed. And then, if I get the first floor room referred to as "THE Room" (and used mostly for storage, computer room, laundry el) REALLY cleaned out, I can get a single bed and move Tom in there (and get his commode out of the living room) and then maybe we can have the occasional overnight guest again. Micca visited last year but he couldn't stay overnight. Carole and Andrew will be in Portsmouth for the Maritime Festival in a couple weeks, but I had no place to put them up here.

I had a day where I feel as if I've not gotten anything done, but I actually have accomplished a fair amount.

I got Tom's PayPal and eBay accounts updated (and passwords and emails verified since he couldn't remember), got rid of the brass coat rack and three bags of blouses and dresses I'll never fit into, made decisions to sell a couple things (though didn't get the photos taken), cleaned up the kitchen, did a few other domestic chores, talked to my sister (and got sucked into the ongoing family crisis that I can't do anything about -- just means I'm more worried now and the worry has been brought a little further to the front of my consciousness), ordered another 25 of Tom's CDs... Sent the PMFF program off to the printer, but that was last night.

Ach. It still feels as if I didn't get anything accomplished today. Maybe I just need to eat some ice cream and go upstairs and read.

Linn

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Sep 13 - 01:20 AM

Linn, you're making great strides. An excellent goal right now is to empty that room and make a space there for Tom - I'm sure he'll enjoy having a room of his own instead of the front room, and I'm sure you'll both enjoy having overnight guests. That is a great thing to look forward to.

I made a lovely dinner of chicken fajitas with onion and hatch chiles (excavated from the freezer), and have some for leftovers tomorrow and Monday. Earlier I went through the house with a heavy plastic bag (one that the topsoil came in) and picked up all but one of the moth traps sitting around. I found a live moth on the wall last week so there are a few here still, but I got six traps from Amazon last week and I'll set up a couple of them to see what turns up. It has taken 9 months but I think I'm finally about finished with the pantry moths that came in on the hulled bird seed. (I'll never buy that again, or at least not bring it into the house.)

Dishes washed, laundry is in and programmed to wash early tomorrow morning. I have another load to do tomorrow. A friend is coming over to look for fossils in my creek and the kitchen is looking good so if he comes in for a late lunch I won't be embarrassed. That's assuming he can manage to leave the clay from the creek out in the yard. :) We had a small rain yesterday that may have made things a bit gooey out there.

Tomorrow is going to be somewhat cooler (though the entire week is still in the low-90s) so I'll be in the yard more. I picked peppers tonight and need to cut them up and freeze them tomorrow before picking more peppers tomorrow. And weeding more. I did some today, to get to the plants I was picking.

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: ragdall
Date: 15 Sep 13 - 02:58 AM

SRS,
The bench is very attractive and sure to be useful. What a great idea!

The arbor boards are drilled, stained and drying in the carport.

I'm completely worn out and headed for sleep, (I hope).

rags

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Suzy Sock Puppet
Date: 15 Sep 13 - 08:36 AM

Maggie, that thing is neat! Stained, unstained, painted- whatever. Looks good. If you decide to do something more with it, post more pics.

I should sign up with photo bucket. I have sometimes wanted to post a photo or two but couldn't think how to do that on Mudcat. Problem solved.

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Sep 13 - 11:02 AM

I staggered the length of the boards because I thought it might look interesting but also because I figured I might find ways to hang things or drain things there. Now that the carriage bolts are all in place I can pick up the whole thing and move it to paint it.

I like Photobucket, but I find it doesn't work as well as it used to. I can't link so the photos only open on a blank page, it is set so it opens in a photobucket album now. If you look at Flickr they have a 2GB allowance for accounts and you can put in full-size images. Photobucket reduces the size for links if you have a free account (though I think you can download full-size). My Flickr account is mostly locked down so friends only can see it because the troll used to harvest people's flickr accounts to abuse in his spoof accounts in our names. I have to set photos to public over there, but this account is one I use for newsletters and posting to Mudcat so it is mostly open to be viewed but I don't put any family stuff in there.

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 15 Sep 13 - 01:59 PM

And Tom will enjoy having a real bed (even if we're not sharing it. He would still like to think he'll be able to move back upstairs, but I'm far from certain that that would be a safe thing to do. The room downstairs, alas, is too small for our queen-sized bed (not to mention all the other bedroom stuff) so we can't go back to sharing a bed, but I'm sure he'll prefer some privacy.

I just pulled a bunch more stuff (alas, not BIG stuff) out of the guest room -- most of the stuff out of my "gift" suitcase that's going to be mailed to people and the rest go to Goodwill. Most of it acquired because it was nice gift material but not with anyone specific in mind. Well, we no longer have a big group of people we give Christmas or birthday gifts to and I'd rather just give somebody for no particular reason something I've found that I think they would like.

Threw out some smaller packaging materials that I'll probably never need.

Also got Tom's dressing(s) changed, ran the dishes through, and started photocopying documentation for applications, etc. Still have to empty and clean both cat litter boxes.

Last night after I went upstairs with a wee dram of the good stuff (flavorful so a little is very, very satisfying and enjoyable) and...didn't read or relax. Instead, I worked some more on Tom's freelance writing. That was probably more satisfying than anything else I'd done during the day. The end of that micro-project is in sight and, when indexed and distributed (in my archives), will add a lot to my archive project.

Friday at the session I got the name of the archivist at the Portsmouth library -- that is probably where my archives will end up eventually.

Oh, the funny high-pitched bell-like noise coming from the light switch in the guest room is probably because it's a rheostat and is over 35 years old and needs to be replaced as most of the others in the house have been. So I don't think it's immediately unsafe -- but I will get an electrician in here fairly soon. We've got a bunch of small stuff that needs to be done and Tom can no longer do it himself. (And I don't feel comfortable doing it.)

Have to call my brother tonight -- the situation in Milwaukee is getting a little more out of hand and my mother doesn't want my sister to call him. He's only a couple hours away. My sister just called because she needed to talk. I can't do a lot, but I've assured her I can listen any time she needs me.

Linn

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: LilyFestre
Date: 15 Sep 13 - 03:35 PM

It's been a busy day here. I am frustrated with the state of our home. The kitchen is crowded and this morning both sinks were full of dishes and overflowing onto the counter. The floor was gross, the bathroom floor was worse courtesy of one cat who likes to kick litter, the rug in the living room was all dog hair (poor Mags..she is shedding terribly despite constant brushing), Jeremiah had toys all over the place, laundry was piled up and I have 2 bushels of pears screaming to be canned. Pete usually makes breakfast on a Sunday but this morning his work load was huge so I begrudgingly made breakfast (he likes bacon on Sunday and I HATE handling that slimy stuff...and besides, it is the ONE meal during the entire week that I don't usually have to make). He asked what was wrong and I let it fly. I am just so overwhelmed with the non-stop mess. I was supposed to go with him and help today but instead I told him I was staying home to take care of the house. It's not that we aren't doing things on a daily basis to take care of stuff, it's just that there's been TOO MUCH going on lately. The kitchen is crazy because it is canning season. The dishwasher is always full of jars that have been washed and ready to use (and I hit the sanitize button when I begin peeling or washing fruits and veggies so I can have over 2 cases of jars that are HOT, clean and ready to be filled), the sink has seems to always have BIG bowls in it, etc. My counter tops are covered in jars, filled cases of jars are on the Hoosier and woodstove...it's just a little overwhelming around here.

So....today I might have stormed around a bit but all the dishes are done, almost all the laundry is done, the kitchen, hall and bathroom floors have been swept, the kitchen has had a good mopping, the rug has been vacuumed, the edges have been swept around, I got down on the floor to scrub under some tables, I cleaned out a few corners, kept Jeremiah in for a little bit to put all his toys away (oh yes I did and once he understood he could go back out when he was finished, he did a fantastic job), I rearranged some furniture, cleaned out a magazine basket, found the surface of our kitchen table, put all paper clutter in one box to be sorted tomorrow when I can spread out in a quiet house and some dusting has been done. The table beside my chair is looking beautiful, half the entertainment center has been dusted and I am taking a BREAK. Whew.

I'd like to tidy up the surfaces of the other table in the living room and the jelly cupboards and chest of drawers too before I scrub the toilet and tub. Jeremiah gets a bath and a haircut tonight too. If I have any oomph left, I want to sweep the upstairs hall and stairs...mop if I get a second wind and feel like Wonder Woman, otherwise that can wait too. ARG.

At least I am feeling better about the condition of our home. Bonus, I will have help with the remaining 2 bushels of pears tomorrow. THANK GOD because they are a job and a half this year!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Sep 13 - 04:37 PM

I had a task for today, to dig up a small Mexican plum in a yard a few doors up and transplant it to my back yard. As soon as I had it out I headed to my back yard and dug the new spot to put in the tree and put up iron fence stakes and tall chicken wire to keep the dogs out. I did a "bare root" transplant, I cut the roots off about 18" away from the bole on either side. There wasn't much in the way of roots on this because I think it might actually have been a sucker off of a root, but I'll give it a try, and if this one doesn't take I'll buy a small one in a pot and do it again. This tree is small but is placed where I've needed one since I moved here, to block the afternoon sun from baking my back sliding glass door in the summer.

Linn, there are small elevators and lifts made that can run up and down stairways, but it might be dangerous if you have a blind user if he tries to use it by himself. I heard an add for them today.

When I came in from the garden (and the woods - I did some brush bashing because a friend was over here looking for fossils in the creek and I heard him stomping around and went to take a look) I put my clothes directly into the washer. No ticks, but I always check if I'm in the brush. The shower felt so good. I may have gotten a little sunburned out there.

Now for stuff in the house.

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Sep 13 - 04:45 PM

It took ages to get my post to go through (the 'cat is running very slow today), so I didn't see Michelle's exposition on a messy house. Sounds like you made great progress. I try, when I have the energy, to do dishes and counter cleaning the night before as a gift to my future self, but sometimes it just isn't possible. Don't beat up on yourself if it occasionally isn't your top priority.

That said, I don't have pears, I have peppers to deal with today. Lots of peppers to clean, slice, and freeze. It's gonna be messy in here tonight.

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: LilyFestre
Date: 15 Sep 13 - 09:06 PM

I'm not beating up on myself...it just gets overwhelming sometimes and I needed to vent. :) All is well!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 15 Sep 13 - 11:01 PM

In the country coughing non-stop in spite of being in the sunroom which I thought was a safe place. Weather is in the 60's or less but there was some solar gain today in spite of cloudy weather. Raining now - Again!

Spent about 5 hours last week responding to our very troubled family member as she finally responded to my message of several weeks ago. Then I responded and she responded and I responded and she has and I am too pooped - maybe tomorrow. At least there is a bit of dialogue. Other family members also trying to be supportive of her, so that is another dialogue.

My potter friend, Vanessa, was here much of Friday aft, and a terrific person she is. We threw pots and arranged some work spaces. Lots more to go. Need to work on a glazing area by end of this week. Possibly mix some more glazes.

Was out of house at 7:15 on Saturday to go to the Fair. Demo'd and sold pots, talked to lots of people, listened to great music (20 feet away!) and by 5 pm I felt as though I had done two days work. R arrived like the Lone Ranger to rescue me as I was staggeringly tired. I had everything packed and he loaded the vehicles and we went to our fav eatery for a pizza - but had a small fries to keep me alive until the pizza was ready. Then to the mill where I shivered in a state of collapse while he put the plastic back up to keep the pollution out. He had gotten some work done but it had required taking down the plastic. Bed felt SO good.

Lying in bed this morning watching the changing sky, I considered how I might glaze pots to look like that - mixed grays/white/mottled clouds, so beautiful. Throw in a bit of blue! Well, not soon. Too much else to do. Nice apple buckwheat pancakes for breakfast. Managed to unload the vehicles and shelve the pots I threw yesterday - an impressive number!- and cover with plastic as too tired to trim the bottoms today. Washed and hung two loads of laundry. Listed pots needing to be made this week and some possibles. Looked at pottery on Etsy and picked up some new thoughts.

Meanwhile, R has built most of the back wall for LR. It is all windows (I think they are cut down from French doors so very attractive). I shall need some very light drapes to hide the view into the storage area but let the light shine through to that area.

A cough suppressant might be in order if I am going to sleep tonight!

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Sep 13 - 11:49 PM

Those pots sound like they'll be gorgeous if you work out the colors, Dorothy. Michelle, did you catch up with some of those pears today?

I finished all of the laundry. Including folding and putting away and ironing a few items. I also made a small batch of chicken soup, mostly stock with a little onion, carrot, orzo and seasonings. It isn't time for heavy soup yet, but I want to feel like autumn is nearby, so I'm doing some more cooking.

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: ragdall
Date: 16 Sep 13 - 04:20 AM

My husband wanted to pay a visit today to a restored/recreated gold rush town, 200 km from here. The sun was down behind the hill by the time we got home tonight, but I needed to get a coat of fresh stain on the arbor that has been in the yard for several years before the rain starts. I set up my Halogen lamp in the back yard and painted in its light. In daylight, we'll be able to see the quality of my work. Here's a shot in the dark.

rags

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Sep 13 - 11:24 AM

I was hoping there would be a few sets of glowing eyes in the background watching you take that photo, rags! ;-)

I have a couple of more things to list on eBay today. One item will sell, several have watchers. I radically re-priced a couple of things - I would really rather sell than donate them, even if I only break even, because I'd like the feedback score to keep going up. I'm still waiting for enough of them to re-activate that little table in my information area, then I'll list that chandelier.

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Sep 13 - 05:32 PM

I tackled the vegetable garden, but rather than water and weed, I found I needed to head into the thicket with the weed whacker first. The grass is so tall and dense that I couldn't see what I was doing to try weeding. I worked my way around the standing crop and got about half of the garden on the far side of the driveway trimmed this afternoon and I'll finish the rest next weekend. I'm going to start my daily weed for X amount of time (usually about 15 minutes) and work my way around the various beds. That amount of time will deal with a couple of raised beds per session.

Waiting for a buyer to pay, fingers crossed that he isn't another one who clicked on "buy" instead of "watch." I think that happens more times than it should, and eBay needs to redesign the placement of the buttons on their auction pages. The auction finishes and people don't realize they actually agreed to buy something. I've had to turn in several unpaid sales this year.

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Sep 13 - 11:56 PM

Last night I discovered that Poppy has a broken molar, that's why she has been slower eating her food. I took her to the vet this morning and we have an appointment for tomorrow. They'll knock her out, do a dental cleaning, and the doctor will pull the broken molar. I'll pick up canned food for her (or maybe she'd like some of her dry food soaked in chicken soup stock.) My pocketbook will take a hit.

An eBay parcel headed out in the mail today. That's a few square inches of space cleared out (and a few dollars in my pocket).

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 18 Sep 13 - 12:53 PM

Off soon to take Tom to the Wound Center. Then we stop so he can get some blood work done on the way home. All of this has interrupted my trying to get an application finished and submitted. It seems no matter how organized our filed paperwork is, it is both frustrating and time-consuming to find all the documentation and figures needed for every application.

I'm feeling very over-extended again today.

Wish I could find time for either R&R or MY projects...

Linn

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Sep 13 - 03:06 PM

Poppy is at the vet today. I have a pulled muscle in my back so after dropping her off I headed back here - I decided to stay home and take it a little easier. I was in pain at work yesterday, sitting and standing carefully, supporting my weight - the discomfort must have been apparent. A couple of days is usually all it takes for something like this to clear up. I hope!

Linn, try to make time for doing something for yourself. It will help you feel better about all of the rest of it. (This is from the "do as I say, not do as I do" school of thought.)

SRS

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 18 Sep 13 - 03:39 PM

Might get up to 6C today. Dark and drear.

Time to get out the winter underwear and ready it to sew on for the winter.

Subject: RE: Autumn Leaves Decluttered Spaces 2013
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Sep 13 - 04:34 PM

We're beginning to see color shifts - by fall the heat takes its toll on the trees and they look ready to drop their leaves at the first frost. But that is a long way off for us. Enjoy your autumn, Q!