Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Aug 18 - 12:30 PM

PA:

1 tramadol with Tylenol on board, may take 2nd tramadol. More pain free walking will greatly fix one of the 3 knee issues keeping me sitting way too long.

Packing corner cleared, banker's boxes left open for a last few items and clearly labeled as to contents, destinations, instructions.

The big bin from the laundry room is in LR now. 90°+ day forecast here, so LR handling w AC is necessary. Another thing I can do in here today is move old paid bills into the "To Shred" box, which will free up the plastic portable file box now that bills are paperless.

Hardi kindly did a big lift while I napped earlier, putting a 60-lb up cube of water up where I can reach it. Two gallons are drawn, for bringing in on my next trip out there. It'll be odd drawing more, now that the gray bin's lid is no longer under it to catch spills or set gallons aside once drawn.

Newbie is very confused about why I'm in her chair and she's in mine, but my knee is temporarily happy... or that might be the tramadol kicking in! In any event, that chronic knee issue does best if I rotate all sitting among 3-6 chairs. A lunch foray will tell me if I need to take more.

Re pain mgmt, my philosophy and practice is Function Over Feelings-- if the pain is on top of me instead of me on top of IT-- and I'm not moving enough to maintain strength-- that's when to use a few to reboot back to moving. I regularly offer my docs to refer me to a pain clinic for alternative management, but they approve of my FOF approach.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Aug 18 - 10:47 AM

PA:

Tuesday 8/28

Sorted upstrs boxes (upstrs) into banker's boxes I'd carried up last night and this greatly increased the stash going to the next parish rummage sale plus a bunch of evangelism videos that can be converted to dvd. I'm not getting enough DEEP sleep but every box I open is better organized than anticipated, with less in it than I remembered.

Planned today:
. Laundry chores on pain meds
. Other chores involving house/porch walking
. Empty big bin in the laundry room to empty for conversion to clothes packing when I go
. Consolidate archives into banker's boxes and carry those out to staging area

We didn't plan our evening yet but definitely need one before tackling more.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Aug 18 - 10:36 PM

That giant hog weed sounds awful. How common is it to see now?

A huge project is off of my desk today. I finished reading and ranking a bunch of papers and met two other judges today to select two scholarship winners (for their oral presentation and the paper combined) and two runners up whose papers were excellent and all four will be published in an annual journal of the program's papers. I gathered together all of our sets of papers and score sheets and the memo with instructions and we clearly ranked those top four. I handed it all in a week ahead of the deadline and everyone is happy.

I'm rounding up the last few retirement papers, and found some I need to mail tomorrow so they're in place after Sept. 1. On Saturday I need to take the SUV over to have the oil changed and the annual inspection and since the shop is five blocks from here I'll walk home and wait for it. Being housebound I need to force myself to deal with this recent buildup of paper.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 27 Aug 18 - 09:31 PM

Mill:
Came down from Beaver last Tuesday and going back early tomorrow. Divested myself of several boxes of pottery at the wonderful CVAA Event and to a shop down here. Augmented wallet a nice bit - almost as much as I spent on supplies in the last couple months. Great hobby! I realized long ago that I would not get rich! I will also pay a bill of $200 by trading pottery next week. So I really have "earned as much as spent! Just!

The weekend was exhausting as well as great fun so not much else accomplished but I did manage to empty a couple boxes of R's acquisitions: two lots for thrift shops and a small bit of keepers.

Met a local municipal councilor who will take the Giant hog weed/wild parsnip problem to council regarding improved public info. A friend suffered burns on her face from weed wacking the field here. Mind - I had given her a comprehensive brochure but it failed to tell people DO NOT WEED WACK! Four weeks to recover! This wonderful guy, and wife, is actually an organic farmer; he also bought a large bowl, then his sister came along and bought a very different large bowl. Made my day! The conversation as much as the sales.

Also had words with local MP regarding the lack of public information re the dangerous weeds.

I suppose Charmion is already at Pine Woods. I hope she meets my friends from PA who are probably there - musicians and dancers!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Aug 18 - 09:23 PM

PA:

HUGE progress with two worst boxes DONE and banker's boxes bought to just repackage the rest without further sorting. That repackaging can happen upstairs and banker's boxes with handles can easily be carried down and staged to the ramp.

That means there is definitely time to start not one but three problem areas:
. Music books in weight room
. Bookshelves in DR
. Book re-purge in Sailboats room

What shifted was this-- only now can I know what I might do with my work product, so it's all boxed for reference to that opportunity.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Aug 18 - 08:04 AM

Sounds good, Acme.

PA:

Slid down the biggest box-worth of upstrs boxes after a quick upstrs review; less to purge than hoped but upstrs review revealed work product categories to expedite sorting into the long-planned banker's boxes. So today is the day to get those, after bedtime meds wear off.

Two items for Ohio arrived via USPS, and went straight into the first 'unpack me' box after I'd labeled them.

So the day:

. early part of the day is laundry, dishes, water, and chair naps
. followed by lunch, session, quick shower, walmart, more laundry
. Italian sausage supper via wknd-made crockpot warming now
. More laundry (out of soap til aftn shopping) and folding during evening DVR movie

As I archive work product, I'm trying to follow models of stuff my mentors gifted to me when they retired-- organizing it sensibly now so I can start recruiting younger folks into leadership to carry each thing forward. To that end, I'm also mulling the options for stewardship of my digital corpus, which I may be ready to execute before departure. There's a good and affordable techie here that knows my systems, who can consolidate it all into portability.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Aug 18 - 12:32 AM

Thanks, Michelle! The feeling is mutual! We have a triple play coming up; my daughter turns 30 this week, I turn something considerably older next week, and of course there is the retirement in between, so we're considering our options. It could be here, it could be an event out.

There is no upcoming instance of looking around for something to do, rather it's a matter of figuring out what things I want to finally finish and what order I want to start on the projects that have waited for a while. Some of you who are on Instagram have possibly seen photos I've liked or shared by a friend from high school who lives in Hawaii now. She is a talented seamstress and finds amazing patterned and printed fabrics to make tote bags, clutches, and other small utilitarian projects. I think she sells mostly at a local market. I have a friend here who has been making costume jewelry for a number of years and who attends various craft fairs. She is always looking for someone to share the cost of a table or booth, so I am thinking that kind of hobby could become another opportunity. Several years ago I bought some tapestry and straps for handles to make bags, but never got to it. I used some upholstery samples and made padded cases for my and my next door neighbor's Amazon Fire tablets (versus spending $30 or $40 for a case). They're simple, just slide it in and out, but I enjoyed designing and making it.

I have a couple of job nibbles that came in earlier this month (both out of the blue, and both entirely do-able), so I'm looking forward to the next stage of my work and craft life. And yes, my dogs will love having me here more. For starters, we'll be out walking regularly mornings or evenings.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Aug 18 - 07:52 PM

PA:

OK, week 1 of this intense 3 weeks here was prioritizing, setting up, and making packlist-- all in close consultation with Hardi and interspersed with time just to be together.

Week 2, boxes, thru 8/31, working independently

Week 3, clear a path and porch-stage big items, thru 9/7, together

Loading van and trailer 9/8, 9/9-- Hardi with helpers

9/10 depart to deliver family item to son/DIL in Ohio.

9/11 Arrive at Ohio house, probably quite late

9/12 Senior Helper Brittney resumes 2pm (latest poss arrival for me). She can help unload personal essentials

9/12 Possible Ronnie help unloading trailer cargo into garage if I can't find Isaiah (age 12). WTH,it's all weatherproof stuff that can also wait for Brittney's 9/13 visit if need be.

9/13 Brittney. Sleeeeeeep.


There are many fun couple's things planned thruout, and TCM is cooperating as well-- lots of Film Noir programmed on the DVR for hand-holding time around all the edges. I'm treating each M-Th as a 9-3 day shift, and no midnight packing!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: LilyFestre
Date: 26 Aug 18 - 01:52 PM

Not terribly much has been happening here in regards to decluttering or even fitness...it's been a very busy month with tending to the garden at home, getting Jeremiah ready for back to school, field trips, etc. It is also the month, for me, where we are getting ready for an audit at work so there have been some very long days. I'm not complaining....really, I'm not...I love my job and the people I work with...but long days do take a toll on how much energy is left at the end of the day or even the week....to tend to extra, above and beyond things at home.

Yesterday, Pete, Jeremiah and I took a much needed break from it all and took a trip to Baltimore to visit the National Aquarium! We had a GREAT time! Today we are in recovery mode....resting up for the week ahead. Jeremiah is currently napping, Pete and I are relaxing/reading/hanging out together until about 4:00pm when we both will start preparing for the week ahead.

I did clean out the fridge earlier today, so I guess that counts for something! Also, the laundry is going.

Maggie....I hope you enjoy your last week at work and plan something special to celebrate! If I lived closer, I'd come help you celebrate! Love you bunches and I am excited to hear how you move forward into this new part of your life! I imagine your dogs are going to be most happy to have you home more! Congratulations!

Love to all,

Michelle

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Aug 18 - 08:16 AM

PA:

My paid help for tmrw fell thru but I did such a great job of labeling those upstairs archives-- and such a great job of space allocation/design in the LL-- that I'm motivated to slide a big box down tomorrow AM. I hope to complete all those boxes in the coming week, taking the biggest boxes first.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Aug 18 - 11:12 AM

There are books I accumulated during graduate school that I never read, and others that reading once was enough, so I've started a box. I'll offer first choice to academic friends who still work with these, and then the books go either on Amazon or to my local half price bookstore. I'll keep a list of the discards just in case I decide to go looking for one on my shelves in the future (that will save me the work when it isn't there). The dust on the shelves is making itself felt this morning.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Aug 18 - 07:59 PM

Go Acme! (Jealous!)

PA:

Project Cat received well. Great day off wander away from news, packing, and parochial matters. Beautiful weather for Farmland tour. Lots of shared laughter. Saw my old PT at a NYS grocery and swapped news. Started garage workshop layout planning. Planned our Thanksgiving rendezvous.

•S•

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Aug 18 - 06:57 PM

Another bag of things brought from the office; I'll use one of the cups that is regularly in the cupboard over the office sink, I brought home my "English Majors Get Lit" mug. My office sweater is now home after nearly 20 years of hanging on the back of my office chair (brought home every so often to launder) - I'll pack an extra long-sleeved shirt for work each day next week. Home now are some of the knickknacks given me by co-workers who brought back trinkets on their vacations abroad; they've always lived at the office so I'll have to find room here. A charger I don't use there often (for Android) and repositioned the Type-C charger I use for my smartphone. Etc. I won't itemize the list, but there isn't much there now. I carry a nice sized rucksack back and forth that I can put any papers I'm reading, my pocketbook, and my lunch bag into so when I walk I can swing my arms (for the fitness tracker). That will contain what I need next week.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Aug 18 - 09:28 AM

Archiving 20+ years of photographic work at work. Clearing out the computer - this involves portable hard drives going back and forth so I have a copy of all of the work. There is not weight, but a lot of heft. Thank goodness for USB drives.

Six working days to go.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Aug 18 - 06:37 AM

PA:

Project's receiving org wasn't open ydy at the time agreed so she spent a palatial night in the van, in Newbie's crate with amenities and tunafish added. She'll go to their parent org locay this AM.

I've been sleeping so poorly here all week. Last night I benadryl/tramadol slept a mere 6 hours, but it was one unbroken sleep with dreaming periods at least. Not even up once to pee.

Today our travels to place Project will take us near a long-deferred Funmeister destination, and the weather forecast is perfect for it-- Farmland. This is probably the only day to finally go there..... The smaller scooter is already loaded and can be charged onboard. A stool for areas best seen that way is here, and is set to go dnstrs.

It's also in the environs of a store that will probably have GF oats, which I didn't think to bring from the bulk supply in Ohio. I need my oats, and there is no substitute.

The upstrs bin turned out to contain just a few cassette tapes and has no lid. It accompanied a superb and heavy med-large box with an ingenious folding-in top that gives added structural support. Sized like a tall egg box. With cutouts added for carrying, it will be re-used often for van cargo. I can use it here to slide things down the steep stairs, like I used to move heavy boxes-- going down backwards one step at a time, with the box in front, slid.

The Ohio packlist is begun. It's great to have a van again to carry items best not open to weather, but I'm still packing all boxes lined with plastic in case van space gets tight with large items. I always re-use those trash bags two or three more times before recycling them.

~S~

Subject: Surrendering Project Cat
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Aug 18 - 02:33 PM

PA:

Of course, Project came right to me as soon as I opened the door, speaking to me and rubbing on me. I had not even warmed the tuna I'd dished up earlier, nor taken it with me as o first loaded my stuff and opened the waiting van and crate. No, she said to pick her right up, so I reached down to rub her neck and scruffed her as soon as she arched into it, and into the very warm crate she happily settled after a leisurely abd totally relaxed stroll down the ramp. She tensed a bit as we got closer to the vehicle so I simply re-touched her scruff and in she went. She'll enjoy being warm for the first time in days as I make a stop to see my seamstress, and then she'll be welcomed at the no-kill shelter for regular feeding and evaluation.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Aug 18 - 10:41 AM

PS, I added a few new categories I'd discerned, to the post-it array marking out the sorting area work surfaces, and nabbed a few items from each of ydy's piles to better fit the discerned categories. I'm also lvg myself stickies w instrux on more items this time-- so I can dread UNPACKING, less!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Aug 18 - 08:27 AM

PA:

Unable to go back to sleep after a tweaked knee, I made an early morning foto "inventory" of upstrs boxes remaining to purge/pack. I enlarged them to be able to read the instrux I'd left myself on them.

This will help facilitate communication on what I need brought down/when, and lets me plan DOWNSTAIRS for boxes that are UPSTAIRS-- my knees just can no longer do these particular stairs more then once a day. For today, all I needed from up there was a folding tray table I'd used in the gardening room, which Hardi has now kindly brought down to increase my work surface downstairs.

In addition to these boxes, there are two gray storage bins to explore (and mostly donate/purge contents). Those will be emptied for use in open-trailer hauling, the same way I've used trash bins to keep cargo dry in the past.

We're about to hit the wknd svcs sked, which may mean work on this pauses till Monday; but paid help moving them to the main floor has been discussed. Hardi is now open about his own, aging abilities; for a long time I was the only chronically-creaky one! ;-)

I have one small, half-full cube box already downstairs, for work today, that fits well with work completed and left pending ydy. We can just enjoy each other over the ministry-sked days, and I can resume messy sorting on Monday... hoping for a movie tonight.

Now if I can just catch that cat... she appears to have survived a suddenly-cold overnight (extra food eaten last night that I'd set into an insulated box). Today, she graduates to straight tunafish. I see now what her eating sked is, and by mid afternoon an especially smelly bowl should attract her to the van, which I'll park nearby and where I can pop her into Newbie's crate. I'll first remove Newbie's cushion. (We can hose out any cat germs she may leave.)

Wish me good hunting!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Thompson
Date: 23 Aug 18 - 05:35 AM

Bought a very good sonic electric toothbrush (in Lidl). Can't find the charger for it. It's here somewhere, I know…

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Aug 18 - 11:40 PM

I met a friend who retired a number of years ago who said that another benefit of retiring from the university is free use of several gyms and pools in the area, including the excellent facility on campus. I rarely went over there when I worked here because at the end of the day I am ready to head home, but now that I'm paying attention to the low-impact nature of some exercise, I'll make a point of joining friends when they go to the gym or the pool. I need to declutter another 25 pounds more or less.

More pickled okra bottled and processed tonight, and the kitchen is ready for more cooking tomorrow (jelly). I didn't get home early enough to day to take on that project (several batches).

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Aug 18 - 05:36 PM

PA:

The cat placement unexpectedly came thru today. She goes tomorrow or as soon thereafter as I can catch her.

I see now why it seems like I'm not doing as much packing-wise as my body insists I did-- I'm counting only the packed bulk, and not the larger bulk I'm letting go of. Plus we're not letting the recycling, Goodwill, and parish thrift shop stuff linger and build up, so I don't see that, as we chip away at it. (Some furniture already went into the parish yard sale I missed, too.)

I'm also misdirecting myself-- setting the finished bags and boxes out of sight to keep our LR sane? So I don't see it when I take breaks, either. Uck! I'd rather depart for ice cream! It is great though to have a living room long enough to have 1/3 of it for a "moving department."

Poor Hardi, having to tote boxes down to me from upstrs, and then also, once sorted, out to trash/donation or front porch staging-- before and after a full day's work. Still, it's his stuff too, and I'm sure it beats doing it all simultaneously like most folks move!

(Poor Newbie, too-- she thinks were leaving TODAY and possibly not taking her along.)

Regardless, one small box of aquatics packed, and next steps for it included in labeling. One giant box of recycling for mankind. ;-)

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Aug 18 - 10:08 AM

PA:

Last night we explored new tablets in advance of a planned Christmas gift, and picked up an external CD/DVD reader/burner (replacing one that Tyler stole), and a 2nd Bluetooth speaker. I have been benefiting from letting NPR move thru the house with me, which has reduced my chair/TV time. Hardi's been using his tablet to waft jazz through the church during that early Sunday hour+ before services; now he can take that further with a speaker, when he walks through the whole campus waking up the heat and unlocking doors.

Today I get to explore the upright freezer to see what he got while I was gone (and probably reorganize it somewhat), to fetch a few items to thaw for the rest of the week.

"Project" (dumped-cat name) has a new front ramp feed/water station that will make me get out for fresh air and sunshine every packing day. One poss placement involved an email application that will take a week or so to process. Hardi and I are agreed on the other less savory options, should I not find a placement.

The boxes I'm here to sort have been found. Last night I polished off a box over the late-night news. This AM, Hardi brought down two more.

The sorting area is in full swing as an after-breakfast thing. Today's box was a mix of circa-1994/2000 archival material, which I reduced to about a 6" stack of paper to keep, from Red Cross and ministry work product. It also held a range of journal entries and cards during what had been a lot of blending-family, teenager, and marriage angst. Hard, intense, and ultimately successful years... but not fun to sort.

This is now the start of the hard stage of moving-- dealing with the STUFF of two 24-year careers, and personal records, and downsizing it into small quarters. It's complicated by still not knowing the "deadline" for getting it done. There are several factors to settle that are not within my control at all, so it feels pretty nerve-wracking-- A, the retirement date and B, the time of year for the final move; weather here is definitely a big factor. C, the landlord's next plans for the property (whether the landlord is selling or continuing rentals-- and whether renting after our departure to the ppl who'd squatted on the yard and barn, and wanted the house-- all of which will determine the condition we leave it in. D (depending on decisions around C), whether we can leave some things here in storage or will have to get it ALL in one trip. E, whether Pods are in this region yet, vs truck rental and trailer trips.

Oy!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Aug 18 - 02:08 PM

Congrats, Acme!

PA:

How come it feels like I did zero but two boxes are packed? It's a dent in the LR misc box but was interrupted by ministry concerns. The packing tape and other packing materials were found and gathered to the packing area. Also I finally got some sleep so I remembered to label these first boxes' contents-- that was really impt in Ohio!

Three wearable items, discovered upstrs, before I came down are now in the wear-now dept.

I re-made a pillow for a van backrest pillow.

I found where the abandoned and emaciated stray cat is lurking and examined her mouth-' toothless as I'd anticipated. Working on a placement.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Aug 18 - 10:38 AM

It took an hour of running back and forth and stopping to read the instructions link again on the computer, but I finally got the problem solved without a plumber. That rarely happens, so is cause to celebrate! It was a combination of too-high pressure from the city (so my gate valve at the curb is now about 1/3 turned to lower the pressure) and an "air hammer." Years ago I lived in an apartment with radiators so had an idea that air in the lines was part of the problem.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Aug 18 - 10:41 PM

The line into the hot water tank (electric) is making a rattle. At first I thought something was going on inside the fridge, but the rattle from the tank is radiating through the waterline into the fridge. As I walked into the hall I heard a louder noise and realized the culprit - the water line - may be even more expensive to fix than the fridge or the hot water tank. Who knows, but it sounds like the line may have an obstruction (lime around here). Must bring in a plumber to make that call.

The front yard is finally mowed this evening before dark so trimming comes tomorrow, and I'll mow some of the back yard if there's time.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Aug 18 - 04:53 PM

Charmion, sympathies. It felt very strange today to disassemble my arranging and playing desk.

PA:

Two hours total chair napping.
Set up a card table for sorting/purging.
Made and set out cat mash since she'd et so little hard kibble.
Set up clean Brita w fresh water.
Recycled excess empty plastic jugs.
Correspondence re Ohio antiracism work/hookups.
Started laundry which resulted in great bra find.
Remembered to take AM meds and eat lunch.
Coordinated unexpected road work out front w state crew to include long needed fill of shoulder for mail delivery.
Started supper in crockpot.
Correspondence with BIL re band sound equipment.
Used multiple chairs between much house-walking; knee so much better tdy due to taking AM anti-inflammatories!
Consolidated items to be sorted and set them under sorting table for work tmrw.
Got streaming radio going and TV off by 2pm.
Updated grocery list.
Paid wifi bill.
Paid Chase.
Sorted vacay mail and recycled most.

End of workday.
Ice cream w hubby.
May fold laundry over an evening film and then it's Benadryl bedtime-- no decent sleep since last Wednesday night.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 20 Aug 18 - 10:11 AM

We're getting ready to go to Pinewoods Camp in Massachussets, which means kit lists, car cleaning and maintenance, en-route motel reservations (whatever's cheapest in Syracuse NY), and packing. Himself has a fine sleeping bag but I don't, so a trip to Canadian Tire is on the agenda.

It's depressing when I realize that I hardly play any more. Stratford lacks a come-all-ye session spot, and I left the guitar ensemble behind in Ottawa, so I have zero incentive to practise or learn new tunes. The event at Pinewoods is the Traditional Music and Dance (TradMaD) Camp, and for the first time in forever I am going to a music event with no performance-ready repertoire. I've even let the nails on my left hand go unclipped for weeks! Gah.

The decluttering continues, but now I have to shift my focus to good stuff that I would like to keep but shouldn't, starting with printed music (i.e., dots). I'm one of the last members of the family who reads music, and the only music-reader in the family who likes and performs Irish and Scots traditional repertoire, of which I have lots. For some time, I have been looking for the right recipient of my battered but sound full-sized copy of The Songs of the Hebrides (four volumes), and I finally met her -- a classically trained harpist from Nova Scotia who plays and sings Scots Gaelic songs. She actually *wants* the collection, and even offered to pay for shipping it (no small sum). Tomorrow, it goes.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitn ess - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Aug 18 - 05:11 AM

PA:

Assessed upstairs packing space-- all boxes moved when Hardi removed a room-sized rug, but I had labeled those boxes with contents and next-steps "note to self" instrux, so all I need is for them to be brought downstairs. A card table for sorting/purging was freed up ydy when I disassembled my old arranging table/autoharp stand to pass on to our nephew-- HS frosh genius has started a garage band and this stand is actually a very nice folding keyboard stand.

While I was touring this area upstairs I VERY happily found a lamp I had forgotten was up there-- it's a floor lamp with a super heavy but small base andwo aimable can lights; the pole can also carry added clamp lamps. Great light for my little scaled-down pider corner here andgreat grow light for Ohio later. This greatGoodwill find was pennies and I couod not beleive then that I scored it. This puder corner is so dark ar noght that I have been folding down the screen a bit eachtime I need light on the keys to find Ctrl-V! That gets old quick!

A very nice emaciated cat turned up on our return, begging on the porch. Does not seem to know how to hunt. We don't want any more cats right now, but I found that the Humane Society next county over will take her for just $10, so we'll feed her up a few days and then drop her off on our way to some day-off fun. She was someone's pet-- very docile to handle. Gray-toned tortie. Suspect she is either preggers or in heat, so I'm glad to nab her before she spwans and hides with the kittens.

Yesterday I scrubbed off the goum that forms on the back of my Correlle plates here unless washed in a particular way-- an ongoing "catching up" project necessitated by the pace of ministry life and all the packoing I had been focused on leading up to May. We originally had several sets of four of each piece (those boxed sets), and the color match the Ohio kitchen so I set a few aside to take there--my Goodwill everyday mismatches there are chipping past sanitary use and ready to become garden decor. By the time the teenagers had moved out, we'd accumulated 3 or 4 sets of four, and when Hardi is here alone he sure doesn't use 12 plates! Since the DW is kaput here I prefer to wash them in the Ohio DW with water that doesn't cause this buildup and discoloration.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Aug 18 - 08:58 PM

PA

Hardi was able to squeeze another year's use out of my old tablet as a Bluetooth radio/emailer/Kindle! Slow and low on storage but will YouTube.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Aug 18 - 12:12 PM

Acme, gave you tried LibriVox?

PA:

OK, I arrived PA Friday 8/17 afternoon to furniture changes, filth, and disorder with crazy BP just starting to come down w emergency meds we'd gotten on the road. The planned work for this compressed 3 weeks now includes restoration of beauty and order (BO) for the ground floor. It's clear Hardi was doing a lot of clng while I was gone, but this house is this house and he respected my process so much that not one item I'd dropped in the May load-up had been moved, so how do you clean around that? And guy cleaning, not girl cleaning. Ew. Also his DR space got a little pack-ratted, which will need helpful attention to get another big piece of furniture out to deliver to Ohio son and DIL.

I looked into but don't qualify for senior svcs here. :-( But I have a line on paid help here finally! It's a dude but I suspect he's just the right one.

So I'll need to clean up a bit of my own May stuff and swipe other areas as seen that are in my reach and within my scope. No problem-- following my own Mudgather rules will keep me moving (and not subsiding back into PA Chair Life).

The rest of the house mission for these 3 weeks is to purge and pack PA archives to fit no more than 5 bankers boxes; pack any other ground floor miscellaneana I encounter that I know where to store in Xenia; prep for my next return. The goal is to spend a few hours on that daily while leaving time for relationship activities, and of course support the start of the parochial fall season.

Yesterday-- ordered the other meds that are running short; prepped music for memorializing our dear friend at the service last night; cleared up items unloaded from car and blocking my access to Dog World; assessed water resources and made grocery list. Quick check of good clothes here-- few. Enjoyed movie and lunch together after his AM office check and urgent call on the just-released hospital patient-- clergy vacay returns are seldom peaceful but this dear lady survived, yay!

Today: I made progress on LR BO and got its second recliner emptied for daily knee relief. Spotted items to modify leg pillow upstairs layer tonight. Several items went into waiting Goodwill bag. Others to waiting recycle bins. Started new trash bin.

Yet to do today-- dishes (DW busted), and sanitized water reservoir-- it got slimy inside due to increased K lighting in my absence.

First thing tomorrow-- laundry. Too little here now to let it go. Also have to go see seamstress for a possible copying of my Fabulous Coat, which is looking worn. She can also take in a new shirt I bought and I can copy her alterations on the 3 identical shirts in Ohio.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Aug 18 - 12:08 PM

Last week I clicked on a page someone linked on Facebook - it was an interesting article that I realized was a derivative - a barely paraphrased version of an article put out by National Geographic. I posted a remark saying I thought they should do a better job of writing their own articles, and after that I suddenly found myself "subscribed" to this clickbait site. So I unsubscribed, told them what I thought of them, and now I've gone back to running Ghostery on my browsers. I used to have it and I think it didn't update after a while, and now it wants you to logon so it can share your preferences across browsers. So it's up and running. In the past I found it annoying because it slowed how pages loaded, but the speed of downloads is way faster - quadrupled in speed over the years - I think I can live with a micro-second delay. Virtual decluttering.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Aug 18 - 01:14 PM

Looking forward to updating stuff around here. The current computer is eight years old and works, but at some point it will need to be replaced. In the meantime I've spoken with the IT guys at work and researched cloud storage for a full backup (redundant since I have an external hard drive for the same thing).

I've brought home some of my books that I used as resources and now I need space here on the bookshelves. There are things I read and wrote about in graduate school that I won't be working on any more, and others I plan to continue with, so some will be sold at the local half-price bookstore and those that cross over from the former interest to the current interest will be reshelved.

I seem to have had bad luck with the last couple of audio books selected to listen to, but it may be that I'm more distracted by current events in my life and am not as easily drawn into them. One was not well written and the next one has what I consider an unsympathetic narrator, and that one may be remedied by waiting a while to read the rest of it.

I'm finishing ripping a few more audiobooks to load into the phone and will make one of those meandering errand-running trips through town, dropping off audiobooks at the library, a beginning stack of books at the bookstore (though I'll run a few titles through Amazon first to see if they're selling there - I've sold there in the past.) There are a few items in the Goodwill donation bin, and I'm going to thin my closet of some of the things I've been wearing for work at the current job. Even if I get a new job I'll want to update some, so this thinning of work clothes will help with the transition to retiree. And shoes - I have a few dress shoes to keep but some of the "office attire" shoes that I don't tend to wear often will go. They weren't the best choice and I wore them only occasionally to justify keeping them.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Aug 18 - 03:09 PM

Last week I gave the kitchen a thorough going-over, but during the week the rest of the house has had dogs in charge during the day so I need to sweep and vacuum. Friends are coming for lunch on Sunday and we'll celebrate the news of one of them getting a new job (also leaving the same library). The rest of them haven't been told yet, so I'm going to have a special bit of dessert there to help celebrate. I haven't figured out what's for lunch yet, though.

Making jelly starting tonight, and I need to buy some more jelly jars. I'm running low, though I have enough for a couple of batches. I have 10 jars of pickled okra and may be going for a few more over the weekend. They're small batches of 4 or 5 pints at a time because I'm picking a few every day and after 5 or 6 days they're still good and I use them before they start to deteriorate (like what you see in the grocery store.) Maybe some fried okra as part of our lunch.

This is a time of year I actually enjoy on campus; it's when the new students and their families are arriving to help them move in and find their classroom buildings, etc. There is a look on their faces - and asking them the question "can I help you find something?" is always met with relief. Sometimes they're almost on top of what they were searching for, other times it's just easier to walk them to the new place than to describe it. To be a new student here approaching the world of education, this is still good. It's the being employed here part that is temporarily problematic. They'll eventually clear out the bad managers and it will get back to something approximating normal. We all wish our students well and want them to succeed. Classes start next Wednesday, then hold onto your hats (and get here extra early to hold onto your parking spaces!)

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Aug 18 - 10:55 AM

Ohio to PA transition--

Got haircut, cell contact with haircut designer Sammy, and pix during/after cut/style.

Now cooking urethritis and out of BP meds awaiting emergency 5-day supply (mail order late). That will make for a fun 5 hour drive to get the rest of the way home from the overnight motel! No portapotty on board-- new van so not set up yet for boondocking. I slept two hours last night punctuated by peeing every 20 minutes.

Surprising news pouring this AM in of diocesan and parish assistance to family who'd lost farmette in Redding fire (FEMA condemned), and simultaneous very bad news about a dear diocesan friend whose fam had not shared her terminal Dx until deciding to let her go yesterday. So we're full up on post-vacay already, which doesn't actually end until Sunday AM, grateful and worried and grief-stricken.

Hope that BP Rx gets out of the bottleneck soon! :-|

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 16 Aug 18 - 05:07 PM

Beaver:

I had dogs up until July 2009 when I gave up the last two to new, and very good, homes to come home to Canada. There is too much travel in our lives, and walking a dog in Montreal - phooey! Now I talk to the red squirrel who seems to live under the back porch and the frogs who hop out of my way as I walk across the "lawn". Mowing the lawn is less interesting than sitting here watching a butterfly and various bees enjoying the red clover patches. The once tiny mock orange is beyond the 3 foot mark and I can hope for many critters enjoying it in bloom next spring!

Pottery problems abound; I hope this too will pass. I am plumb wore out after a few hours working on that part of life all morning, into the afternoon. Need a sunny day to do one load of laundry before going to Quebec on Weds. Trip to Toronto on Monday to pick up the other kiln and some supplies. Resting is essential. The house in fairly good order. Another hot day but enough rain recently not to have to water.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Aug 18 - 05:44 AM

Ohio:

Departure prep is in full swing despite last minute insanity via cleaners' agency office and same-day insanity over a haircut. I am not leaving without my effing haircut-- there are PA ministry events planned days after my return and I have a custom cut no one bUT Sammy knows how to do. Need to track her down today and get cut AND PIX.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Aug 18 - 10:26 PM

Bringing home more stuff from the office, stacking up books I need to skim through and decide if they need a closer reading (topics that relate to my interests in web sites, marketing, etc.) Our office will soon be dismantled since there are only four people working in a space that once housed 15. We know they'll toss most of the stuff in there, so tech reference books are coming home.

All of the Back to School stuff is going full-tilt on in print ads, on TV, and on campus - our semester starts next Wednesday and the K-12 kids start back on Monday. The last 10 days of the month will be difficult driving, but then I'll be out of that rat race. I'm looking forward to that!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Aug 18 - 08:25 PM

Ohio:

Neighbors: "Look!!!-- They got new lawn chairs! What took them so long to get rid of that eyesore!"

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Aug 18 - 09:38 AM

Ohio:

We depart for PA in a few days. I hurt a knee, so I'm straightening up pre-Brittney, on Tramadol. Hardi is wire-brushing five shabby lawn chairs in prep for white Rustoleum.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 14 Aug 18 - 09:17 AM

I'm afraid that I'm precisely the kind of person my cats think I am -- a soft touch who doesn't care if certain fur persons stroll across the dining table.

My editorial project is almost finished; the author has the last 60 pages for review, and the client (the colonel in Ottawa who's paying the bills) is bracing his superiors for the inevitable backlash from the targets of the author's (well-deserved) criticism. I spent Friday afternoon and yesterday morning drafting the guts of a briefing note -- me! writing a briefing note five years after quitting the gummint! -- for the colonel's one-on-one with the Army Commander this week. I was gratified to realize that I still have my rhetorical chops, even if I don't write anything these days that's more challenging than a post on the Mudcat.

The house is relatively tidy but not at all clean, so this hiatus from editorial slogging must be dedicated to the mop, the scrubber and the vacuum cleaner. It's truly astounding how much cat hair is embedded in the carpets, and how quickly the chest of drawers becomes blanketed with dust. And it would be so nice to be able to walk across the kitchen floor without feeling tacky spots under the soles of my shoes. There's also laundry. But then, there's always laundry; who do I think I'm kidding?

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Aug 18 - 10:48 PM

There was a clickbait article making the rounds on Facebook today stating that people who talk to their animals are healthier/smarter/less likely to have Alzheimers - something like that (I'm not going to go look it up). My responding question is - why would someone have a pet and NOT talk to it?

Yes, there is maintenance, but there is such great pleasure and companionship with them. No one is more excited to see you return home than your dogs, every day. And I love that saying "I want to be the kind of person my dog thinks I am."

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 13 Aug 18 - 12:59 PM

Beaver:

Firing success! Now drying pots for bisque firing. Hoping to produce another load to be bisqued before leaving for Quebec next Weds or Thurs. Dishes washed, laundry done, for now. HOT today (for me). Reasonably cool in house so short stints in studio might happen; I have the energy as long as the heat does not zap it. Car to garage this am precluded stacking wood in the cool time; it will keep! Car is happy with oil change! I am happy that the thunking was only a muffler strap.

The kiln working well has de-cluttered my stress level; it was very high! OH!!! ... I just looked across the room and see pots to go in bisque which I had forgotten about--here they go!

Mag's dog maintenance definitely keeps me dog-less! But I got to pet a couple Newfies!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Aug 18 - 11:27 PM

The kitchen is in much better shape after a day spent both cooking and clearing out. Moving the everything off the counter, like the bowl for the kitchen scraps, and scrubbing the wall and counter behind it, that kind if clearing out of spaces that aren't seen often. Running the little countertop dish drainer through the dishwasher, scrubbing sinks, stovetop, and more. I'm set for lunches with a batch of beans and rice to go with it, a container filled with pan fried potatoes and another with baked sweet potato. Foods that are soluable fiber, calcium rich, good the for various things I'm keeping track of in my diet.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Aug 18 - 11:19 PM

Ohio:

Hardi is really making this place his own. Today he added cleats to the linen closet for more shelves, and rehung kitchen curtains I'd washed after the Horde had soiled them.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Aug 18 - 10:25 AM

Washing dog beds today then running the carpet steamer over a couple of rugs. My oldest dog is a bit incontinent when she's asleep. Good thing most of the house has tile floors. There is a dog door to come and go as they need, but it's helping that I'm now walking out into the back yard at my bedtime and of course they all follow and take care of business, and if I wake up during the night I again call them out into the yard briefly. Also, I'd started feeding her a senior dog food a few weeks ago and in case that's a culprit I've put her back on the normal adult food she actually prefers because it's smaller bites. There are medications for this, but I'll give her another week or so to see if this is enough or she needs a vet appointment. The senior food seems to be great for Zeke, he's allergic to wheat and chicken fat and even the grain-free foods can keep him scratching, but this one seems to be a good balance.

Dog bedding isn't the only laundry I'm doing, I also have to wash lots of old towels I've had on the floor in front of that dog door. We had at least five inches of rain yesterday (after that point the stock tank was full and not registering the rest of the rainfall). Not a day for trying to line dry anything, but at least it isn't temperatures in the stratosphere, it's in the modest high-80s. The air conditioning will get a break today.

The garden is going to be too soggy to work in for several days, but when I get a chance I can clear out weeds and plant my fall crops. It's indoor work today, and though I thinned many office contents about six years ago when our library was "reorganized" (disorganized is actually what happened) I still have many years worth of work to hold onto that I am bringing home to sort and file. I brought a large tote bag of them in on Friday. Examples of my work and process are sometimes handy when interviewing for freelance or regular jobs and need to be kept together and soon sorted and thinned. Some stuff needs to travel the other direction as well - an old computer will be disassembled and parts I can't use put in the e-waste recycle bin since it's a more secure way to get rid of some of this (I keep the old hard drives - I need to run a huge nail through several and turn them into an elaborate doorstop).

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 11 Aug 18 - 05:47 PM

Beaver:
Yep! was a fuse and now kiln is yellow hot. I hope it will soon be finished this firing.

But everything else still needs to be done! One of those - it should rain and get it over with days... Tomorrow morning will dawn and things will get done. One tray of pots in kiln room drying. And I went to lumber yard and got plywood to renew a couple stacking tables for work space. Tomorrow, I will take the sheets out of the car. maybe get around to gluing them on top of the old tops and maybe even paint them with exterior paint so they look tidy and are easy to clean.

Maybe even find the energy to for dishes and laundry and trimming and handles... Now, to read another book.

I guess I will not feel right until the kiln is cool and the pots OK!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Aug 18 - 11:56 AM

Acme, congratulations!

Yes, the hooks we added are on boards matching the nearby decor scheme.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 11 Aug 18 - 07:33 AM

Beaver:

Waiting hopefully for a message from neighbour Larry re why the kiln is not getting enough electric. We thought it was all set to go yesterday. He helped me get the lid back on and, after mixing glazes that had been sitting, waxing pot bottoms, cleaning shelves and re-doing the protective "kiln wash" on each, glazing pots, loading kiln... I turned it on with great hope. It did not reach heat or even show any colour - red/orange, pale yellow... Turned it off and talked to a couple potters and R re what to do. R's multi-meter is missing a piece so ..... I emailed Larry about 8 pm, not expecting any response 'til am. Took a hot bath to ease aching bod. Saidie gave me name of an "expensive" electrician. Aren't they all? I'll wait for Larry to pronounce. HE can check fuses. I need to trim pots of a couple days ago and put handles on the mugs so the next load will be ready when this is sorted.

As I am firing outdoors, it has to be done in the few days of no rain expected! As in, the next 3 days. Missed a musical event last night of a friend visiting home from NWT (Northwest Territories). Sink is filling with dishes and a load of laundry awaits but ...

Acme: congratulations on making a big change!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Aug 18 - 10:15 PM

I like some of the things Martha Stewart Living has done with simple hardware like coat hooks mounted on nicely finished boards. You can visit the site and search without a membership or subscription.

I will retire as of August 31. I'm going to go do something else, another job, but won't share any details here because of a couple of stalkers who follow Mudcat (but have been banned as members). Today I sent the letter and I have to say it feels wonderful! Talk about decluttering! I work for a group of people who have no management skills and who squandered the human resource of over 100 people in my place of employment. They deserve whatever prosecution awaits them.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Aug 18 - 09:48 PM

Ohio:

Hardi did in fact put up three wall shelves and a set of coat hooks in the hallway, and another longer set of hooks for bath towels in the bathroom.

The shelves are all mounted fairly high and will hold decor; they look oddly placed now until pictures bracket them to the sides and below, but now I'll be able to clear a lot of garage space when I get back, putting up art and decor.

~S~