Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jun 18 - 01:20 PM

I don't know if everyone can see this, I'm a subscriber of the New York Times and this came via email.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Jun 18 - 10:46 AM

Ohio:

I turned some kind of corner yesterday, feeling ready to actually cook in what is again, despite cleaning service hiccups, MY KITCHEN. The fridge and freezer are now full of good things to eat, and it's time to put the paper plates away for the next crunch time.

I think the LR reclamation might be next, because today I was inspired to move a big milk crate (full of stuff destined for it) out of the LL. I used the rolling desk chair to minimize back strain, and used the same method to get the old analog TV OUT of the LR and back to its place in the LL (where I'll eventually hook it back up for DVD review).

I also made a decision on LL shelves/section arrangement avoiding adding another bookcase... (instead of $20 for a nice used bookcase, $10 for another flat-plug extension cord/power strip to use behind the existing cubby shelves). That decision allows bookshelf/cubby design completion for a pesky LL spot AND a good decision about repurposing a similar LR shelf/cubby that's headed to the LL.

And THAT means it's almost time to load up the pretty LR bookshelf I brought, on the hand truck, and wheel it from garage to house. THAT will clear garage space for empty boxes to take back to PA in July! And that's the shelf upon which to unpack those milkcrate items.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jun 18 - 09:49 AM

I have several stacks of papers, to do with the new dog, with me, with my fall, etc. and so far they each occupy a different surface. This morning is time to give each its home in the file cabinet and work from there to liberate tabletops. If you're out on Workman's Comp it isn't like having a few days off to recuperate. Heaven forbid you just have the days to yourself. They send paperwork, you go visit the doctor, twice. They call with intrusive questions from a company hired to process the claim. After a few of them one must simply say "what does THAT have to do with a fall on campus? No, I won't answer it." Who knows where the pages go and who gets to read them?

Today, the garden and eBay. They have risen to the top of all of the other chores (after filing, that won't take too long.) When I come in to cool down, that's when eBay and the clearing of surfaces will occur. That's the plan and I'll try to stick to it.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Jun 18 - 11:28 AM

Ohio:

Still discovering items missing as I work through house and garage. A 10 x 10 popup canopy. (Maybe 2 8 x 8's also-- must open camper.) A bar fridge.

That canopy really pisses me off-- always wanted one, found a sturdy but lightweight one on sale. Friend needs for antiracism block party to collect signatures for a justice reform ballot initiative-- right in my wheelhouse and no effing tent to loan. SMH.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Jun 18 - 11:21 AM

It's official. When you lose two or more things in your house overnight because there is so much stuff sitting around that when you set something down it hides in plain sight, it's time to start a concerted Put Everything Away initiative. It will commence once I get another cup of tea.

Also, time for another eBay push. Too many things sitting waiting to be processed (photographed, described, packed to ship, listed). My staging area has gradually emptied over the last month as listed items sold and were shipped. There's space to store this stuff again.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Jun 18 - 09:13 PM

Excellent, Michelle! And today while my hairdresser worked on my highlights we talked about her daughter, about 15 months old now, and in particular her LOVE of being read to. When she described the routine her daughter has built up, as many as six books at a sitting, I remembered so well those days with my children. You could never read just one, you were lucky if you could stop at three. Put those books into play and let other families build those memories!

I went to the office today, turned in the paperwork, and was told I wasn't supposed to be at work until the doctor signed off at the end of the week, so I have a couple of days to putter around the house (between ice packs - they really do work well, especially on the thigh bruise). Before the paper was handed over and before I headed back home a health and safety person met me and had me show her where I tripped - when I found it I was astonished - it's a lip of over an inch at the edge of a brick path inset into the area. And I was able to find fragments of the pot I dropped to show how I staggered to keep my balance. I've been lucky so far not to hit it; when we looked around there were lots of those kinds of hazards in the area. Perhaps recent rains heaved the concrete more, but whatever the cause, the walkways in the area are a mess.

After the vet visit today we are back home with a generally good bill of health and the vet's okay to go along with the "slow kill" method of getting rid of the heartworms. If she develops symptoms showing that they are there, then look to the three-step method that the vet does. She did growl at the vet and the tech when he checked her over - he said it's mostly the breed, they're a bit skittish. What I find interesting is that like Poppy and Cinnamon, she has decided this is her home and I am her human and once they decide that then this is the house they protect and the person they guard. Zeke came and went a lot as a visitor, living with Susie for the first year we knew him, so his integration into the household was much more gradual. I knew he was officially part of the pack when he didn't want to leave the house without the others, and they didn't want him to leave without them. Before that he used to come and go with Susie and they knew he was just a visitor. Pepper knows she's here to stay, not a visitor.

Tons of projects rise before me this evening. Where to begin? I'll try to be up early enough to do some gardening and walk the dogs before it gets hot. I have lots of salvia shrubs sprouting where the yard was dug up last fall, and I can stand to reuse them in other areas or give them away, but for now they need being put into pots.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: LilyFestre
Date: 06 Jun 18 - 08:17 PM

YOUCH Maggie. :(

I wish I had decluttering news to report but I haven't done much of anything other than daily upkeep. I'm just too tired at the end of the day to do much.

I have 2 people waiting for kids books so maybe that will light a fire under my rear this weekend as I have a small storage unit filled to the brim with kids books from when I was teaching (and building a library for K-6). I will need to do it on a dry day when Pete and I can load it all up in the back of his truck and deliver the boxes to my office where they can sort through it at will and deliver the rest to the Salvation Army. I do not plan to go back to teaching and I am happy that the books will go to kids that can use them and would otherwise not have any books.

Good news....in the last 2 months, I've had my annual physical cancer exam and the oncologist says everything looks and feels wonderful...then yesterday after some port drama, my tumor marker results came back a little bit lower than they were 6 months ago...also great news!

I picked up some vitamins today in hopes to perk me up energy wise and also had a conversation with a trainer......looks like 3 days a week I might be slowly begin my way back to regular activity.

Michelle

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Jun 18 - 08:41 AM

Lol, Acme. That must be from the same chapter as, "Honey, I finally took that old junk box to the dump!" (.... full of stuff I'd been sorting...)

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Jun 18 - 08:34 AM

There's more than one way to clear up items on a list - last night the list was in a jeans pocket when I filled the washer, undetected when it was transferred to dry. I managed to unroll one of the hard paper pellets this morning from the dryer lint screen and can still read a couple of entries.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jun 18 - 09:55 PM

I've positioned three Rainbird sprinkler heads on fence posts and the hoses are on a timer that turns itself on and off. I'll have to drag another sprinkler over to the second sweet potato area by hand (the hose would cross the driveway so I can't leave it in place). I also have to finish weeding that bed and finish planting other crops.

Today I had a doctor visit to double check I hadn't done more damage than I thought with the fall. They use digital xrays these days, it's fast, though as usual the paperwork is slow. I'm okay, just deep bruising. Tomorrow is another doctor visit, this time Pepper meets the vet for a checkup and planning for treatment of her heartworms.

After the unintended slowdown I'll be content to manage a load of laundry, set up the sprinklers, and empty the kitchen sink. I keep adding things to a list of chores in the kitchen faster than I am able to cross others off. It may be time to consider hiring someone to come help with a couple of things. I'm thinking my odd-jobs friend might be the man to tote all of those branches and limb chunks to the curb this week. But I have to be here to let him in. Maybe in the evening, helping me. My neighbor offered to loan me her garden cart that holds a lot more than my wheelbarrow.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Jun 18 - 09:31 PM

Acme, the binders will mostly contain facilitator guides. They came down with me in the truckload.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jun 18 - 07:06 PM

I think I sent you some three ring binders? Is that what some of these projects are going into? It just dawned on me today that I sent them out to several people over the years. Upcycling.

Checkup at local minor emergency clinic confirms contusion, nothing broken. It's going to be a hum-dinger of a bruise once it completely reveals itself, though.

I've so many things to do and the last 24 hours have been slow motion. I need to choose something, anything, and just finish it tonight.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Jun 18 - 06:26 PM

Ohio:

Rainy day, so tmrw's batch of journals is ready to shelve. Probably about 1/5th done. The older ones were very small type-- one batch of those left (and cheap ink on newsprint); then it's onto a whole banker's box of larger print and good ink on heavier paper.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Jun 18 - 01:10 PM

Ohio:

The first dozen journals annotated for adding to LL Topic Kits, and next dozen set out for next stint.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 05 Jun 18 - 11:30 AM

Sorry to hear you're feeling battered, Acme. There's nothing like a sprawl in public to enforce an unwelcome level of humility.

I, too, have a history of measuring my length on uneven pavement, and several of my limbs have the scars to prove it. Recently, the Facebook memory retriever fished up a selfie I posted the day after landing flat on my face, having tripped on a cobblestone at one of the Canadian memorials in Flanders. It was an unpleasant reminder of two weeks of vacation with a huge bruise on my chin, and how close I came to experiencing the Belgian health-care system with a fractured jaw.

Today I return to work on my book project after two weeks of procrastination divided between waiting for the author's feedback on the first two chapters, and panting through a Perth County Particular heatwave. The author -- a genuine, silver-plated narcissistic jerk, like many highly productive writers -- came back with four changes on 250 pages of close editing, which is a massive relief, as the whole reason I'm on this project is his wholesale rejection of his last editor's work.

But first I had to break out the vacuum cleaner for some procrasti-cleaning in the bedroom, where the Afghan carpet was disappearing under layers of cat hair and dust, and remove all traces of breakfast from the kitchen. If I hold true to my normal pattern, the book will get done between spasms of house-cleaning.

When I was an undergraduate, many long years ago, I would cook and bake on essay-writing days, pounding the typewriter for a couple of hours and then getting up to knead or chop something. The cooking task ensured that I would not leave the house until it was out of the oven, which was usually about when the essay was at least fully drafted, if not finished.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jun 18 - 10:40 AM

Nothing like a trip and fall to mess up the evening last night. I was leaving campus and the paths outside my building are a pebbled-concrete with inset lines of brick for a pattern. Those bricks work loose and I tripped on one, landing on the rough pebbles set in concrete. This is a regular occurrence on campus, you'd think they'd replace these paths as fast as possible. I'm going to survive, but my pride sure took a header out there. My left knee is tender and if they get the forms to me I'll head over to one of the approved minor emergency clinics to get it looked at to document the fall. I'm more worried about the slow healing process of a deep bruise than the actually clunk to my knee, but my knees have been taking a beating lately.

Looks like a quiet day for listing eBay stuff. I don't need to sit in a chair in one position while the knee stiffens up, as it would at work. Geez. Yesterday I was congratulating myself on finding a former pair of glasses (the frames) to recycle into sunglasses during this benefit year, since I haven't had much call to do anything medical or other benefit-wise (beyond the PMR, which has responded to treatment). Now I get to explore the paper-filled world of Workman's Comp. Making space in the file cabinet for it now. . .

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Jun 18 - 05:58 PM

I'm pretty sure mine's a skunk. ;-)

Ohio:

The next assault on patio weeds is underway-- since Tyler and Horde burned up all the large pieces of deadwood I was stockpiling for a landscape project, that left only dry smallwood covering the second 20' long black nylon tarp.

Since it's a cool and breezy day, I and my reacher/grabber winkled said curled-up tarp out from under its small stick pile. I then dragged it around and into the garage before my back gave out.

And tomorrow, I hope to drag it into the patio to cover more weeds, since the 1st tarp I put down in February is doing such a good job but isn't quite wide enough. That's the easy part.

The hard part will be bending to grab bricks to hold down the corners. It may be a week-long project.

I'm saluting myself with the last of the home-made limeade and tonic. Lovely how the agave syrup sinks to the bottom where the lime quarters and straw meet!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Vashta Nerada
Date: 04 Jun 18 - 04:12 PM

It occurs to me that Susan and Dorothy are both have weasel problems. Some two-legged, some four-legged, but all weasels. On the wildlife front in my neighborhood recently I've seen bold daylight street-crossings by local coyotes.

Here, in the middle of a heat wave, this morning we had the surprise of waking to a drizzle. Lovely!

I am listening to a soon-to-retire co-worker shredding his old files today and am glad I have a couple of shredders at home. One is next to the recycle basket in the kitchen where mail is sorted and either recycled or shredded, and one in the office where files that are no longer needed, forms that shouldn't go in the recycling, etc. are destroyed. Those of a more critical nature are carried to the kitchen cross-cut shredder.

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

Ohio:

Another Topic Kit catalogued.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 04 Jun 18 - 11:45 AM

Beaver:

Finished re-doing that cabinet. No sign of my weasel family. I hope they found a better home. It is good to turn things out once in a while to re-assess what is there. It is all still there. Also the clothing cabinet was re-organized this am; nothing discarded but i is cleaner and better organized

Laundry that went on the line yesterday: First load was almost dry when I returned from brunch, so I took almost dry into house and put out the second load knowing they would be well-rinsed! The breeze is drying but the sprinkles are dampening! Bringing in the almost dry to finish by the wood stove. Lots of noisy traffic this am: the road crew - dump truck and smallish earth mover; the road above me must have washed out in the heavy rain! Not a problem for me but it got me out of bed!

I am making a tiny bit of progress with latest weight loss effort. Having noticed a jar of "PureWeigh Premeal Beverage" that I have had for ages, I am giving it a try. I do not drink milk and it was barely tolerable in water so I mix it with 1/3 cup 10% yogurt. One scoop= 100 c and the yogurt about 200; the fat in the yogurt gives it staying/filling power; makes a good BF. The rest of the day is a struggle to eat veggies, salad, proteins and keep the choc in the drawer. The brownies I broke down and actually cooked myself, are helping; I try for a half but a whole is the limit. And it does cut back on the choc craving.

I bought an electric lawn mower on Friday but the black flies interfered with my attempt to assemble it. It is now in the LR awaiting completion; no rush as there are a couple more days of rain fore cast. It will be challenging attacking foot high grass with this little thing but I must be patient.

Pottery, of course, is still drying!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Jun 18 - 09:33 AM

Ohio:

I found Gavin's mother on Facebook-- Tyler son-- and have initiated contact. She's not on there much but some family members are listed who I may contact if no reply.

There was some kind of party going on at Tyler mom's house here in the neighborhood, which I passed late Saturday night on the way to Walmart. (There's not a good way out of my block that doesn't pass her house.) Hopefully it was his going-away party before turning himself in! But no word from Det. Wilson so probably not.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Jun 18 - 07:06 PM

Ohio:

It took all my back muscles and brainpower for two days of doing a little at a time, but after I wipe the kitchen table down, add a leaf, and put a tablecloth back on, it will once again look and FUNCTION like MY KITCHEN.

. Adding the leaf will increase the space for under-table storage using the plastic bins my son and DIL insisted on buying and leaving, which will relieve the kitchen cabinets' and counters' tendency to get too crowded. It will also eliminate open floor space at the foot of the table, where I tend to dump things better set onto a chair (or atop the sideboard) for unpacking.

. I used mortite and soup cans in my favorite GF flavors, sticking them down onto a pretty wooden lazy susan the Horde had stained, and weighed the cans down with 1/2" steel ball bearings that I had brought, to replace the countertop carousel they stole. It had been a gift with strings attached, and never held enough cooking utensils anyway! (If I like it, Hardi can screw it together and varnish the labels.)

. All misc Horde detritus I have not known how to categorize is now in boxes set aside in the kitchen, to go thru while cleaner Brittney works on the kitchen, Wednesday. (Some of it's our stuff they'd flung around.)

. I sorted a plastic basket they'd mixed my 3 decks of cards into, finding much to my surprise that only one deck was missing a card. (There's a Joker to use.)

. The pots and pans I use most are washed and put away. The cast iron needs a good scrape and re-seasoning, which Hardi can do in his outdoor kitchen in July! (Burnt grease to boil off.)

. All empty cardboard boxes and other miscellany I don't want in the house are sitting in the plastic recycle bin on a rope, to be towed out to the garage Wednesday along with 3 paper bags of recycling. (That bin stays in the garage for towing in heavy groceries.)

. A spot has been found for the dish garden my friend Judy has been tending for 3 months, and she may return it tomorrow.

. A plan to move the sideboard over a few inches without unloading its heavy tools is in place for Wednesday.

. Once Brittney does the Wednesday cleaning, which will include the inside of the PA-dusty china cabinet, I can start unpacking the kitchen boxes I brought and, hopefully, find my rice cooker.

. The mop I hate, which a previous housemate left, has been disinfected for Goodwill donation; a new Swifter mop is waiting, in my trunk. (Did you know that washable rags can be used with those, instead of rayon Swiffer pads?)

. The kitchen wastebasket that goes under the sink for nasty chicken styrofoam trays and their salmonella meat diapers has been sanitized and set to dry, pending its LONG-delayed return to that essential spot, where it belongs!

. Some small appliances the Horde had crammed into the deep recesses of lower cabinets have been relocated to a much better spot in a cabinet with shelves they fit on perfectly, up above my pots and pans bins.

My back and legs are fried, with just enough kitchen tweaks I can easily finish before Wednesday.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jun 18 - 06:54 PM

I've started pulling and trimming around the slab foundation, and arranging hoses for the summer sprinkling routine. It changes every year. There isn't an in-ground sprinkler system so I have to lay it all out.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jun 18 - 11:31 AM

The new dog will be named Pepper, and considering she has been here less than 24 hours, she has offered a wealth of surprises so far. She is polite, though still negotiating this "who's in charge" bit with the other dogs and me. I'm teaching her to wait to approach her bowl to eat meals, that's always the first thing. She understands about the treat bag rattles, she sits and though I'm not sure if she knows the command, lies down. She walked nicely on a leash this morning and - most amazing, when I threw Zeke's bumper for him to retrieve this morning, she shot out and past him and grabbed it up and returned with it! We had a couple of ties reaching it, at which time she took it from him and returned. So, we need to do a name-the-dog fetch routine and will work on that. I'm also going to start training her to Invisible Fence right away.

I think I need to make a loop around the house and cut the sprouting trees, trim grass at the house and the fence, and take the stapler and attach the Invisible Fence wire where it has sagged in a couple of spots. High heat is predicted so I'll finish setting up the sprinkler system timer and will make sure there is lots of water available indoors and out for the dogs. Pepper goes to the vet this week and will be confined to some degree for the next couple of weeks as I train her to the electronic fence.

eBay needs a lot of attention, many of the items have sold and new ones need listing. The dining table is cluttered with eBay bound materials, so that's where I need to start.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 03 Jun 18 - 09:38 AM

Beaver:

Some days all I accomplish are "little things". It is amazing how many little things there are to accomplish. But yesterday I mostly waited for the rain - prayed for the rain!, so I would not have to haul buckets of water to the new plantings. I guess we got about 2 inches! It was beautiful! And again today. And again I feel so fortunate to live where water is - so far - more than adequate!

Today's "little thing" was to re-organize a cabinet and a corner of BR. I doing so, I created a homeless situation for a family of beautiful golden brown weasels!!!!! Tomorrow, I shall have to try to figure out where they re-located! I told them to go outside and left the door open all afternoon but I doubt they have left. They did chew up some nice fabric to make their home...

Pots are trimmed now and drying. Hopes of bisque firing in a couple days. It is supposed to be dry tomorrow, so I can push the drying and try to fire on Sunday. The big hope is that the kiln will give me a bisque firing, or two. If I need to go to Quebec to do glaze firings - inconvenient but doable. 14 days until son and wife arrive in Montreal!!!!

I am back to the effort of losing weight... With the pottery crisis under control, I can focus on more yard work - good exercise! Well, so is potting but not for the whole body like the stretching and bending of weeding and digging. If I can just keep the chocaholism under control. I have found that one brownie, or half of one sometimes, will prevent the overdose of 100-200 gms of healthy dark choc. Sometimes.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Jun 18 - 08:28 AM

Acme, my pack was at its best at three-- good for you to know one was needed. Can't wait to hear her name!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jun 18 - 12:28 AM

I adopted a dog today from the city animal shelter. They were "on sale" because the shelter is so overcrowded and they try to not destroy good animals if they can avoid it. I looked at the web site and read the characteristics, looked at the size and ages, and found the two when I got there, along with another very friendly and persuasive white pit mix. I apologized profusely to the two I didn't take, and brought home a blue heeler mix who is a 4-year-old spayed female. She has had puppies in the past, and her coat shows signs of having been left outside and having to sleep on concrete, but she seems to be house trained and she has a small skill set that includes "sit" and possibly "shake." She mimics the other dogs when treats are offered, and didn't lunge at her food when dinner happened. She is still telling the chocolate lab to back off (everyone is still trying to hump everyone else to determine who is in charge, while I tell them I'm in charge). She got a bath as soon as I brought her home and she tolerated it well. And follows me around now. She is heartworm positive (all of the dogs down there seem to be) and will see my vet next week. I'm keeping her separate from the other dogs at night and will quickly train her to the Invisible Fence system in the yard to keep her from scaling the fences. Many of the dogs in the shelter had the notes "jumps fences" or "climbs fences." She showed an interest in digging under the fence after I introduced her to my nextdoor neighbors and he gave her a treat along with the other two (his daily ritual). She may have been an escape artist, but has already offered a few shy kisses to the other two dogs - something my pitbull always did. We'll get her trained to stay in the yard and these three will be fine - this is just what the other two needed.

I set up sprinklers this morning and figured out the layout I want, leading to a trip to Tractor Supply for a couple of more of the Rainbird sprinklers that go on top of fence posts. Next comes the timer, I'll set that up tomorrow. There were lots of people buying sprinklers and hoses today because we have a heat wave headed our way.

More filing ahead, and bill paying. The dog adoption fee was actually covered by someone who liked her and wanted to be sure she was adopted, but there is no such thing as a free dog. There will be bills to go with this enterprise, but still, my heart expanded today in a way that is always wonderful and surprising when it happens. It's worth it.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Jun 18 - 09:05 PM

Ohio:

I'm seeing firsthand now-- how trauma can get hoarding started. Having my own clutter visually present with sloooowwww cleanup in progress is helpful in erasing the images in my mind of how I found it all trashed.... it's very tempting to leave my gorgeously colored, clean and well-folded linens on display, instead of putting them away for use another day. Ditto kitchen and other misc stuff.

I'm putting it away-- but it's very interesting noticing the resistance. It's not the same as procrastinating putting the clean clothes away, and it's not the pain of my back. I just want to be surrounded by my own pretty stuff, and I'm having to remind myself of my goals for am open and uncluttered home that welcomes new friends-- you know, the human beans I suddenly do not trust at all. ;-)

Weird planet, this!

~Susan

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Jun 18 - 12:43 PM

Ohio:

Crockpot going (chix and chix livers). A box of tools unpacked and serial numbers photographed. The Germination Station box I was unable to set up has been stowed (and is about to be stowed better for next year's use). A binful of garage stuff ready to drag out when I go check the car for a missing item. The kitchen is restored to a walkaround table and almost ready for the cleaner to vacuum this next nexus of worst Hordefilth.

A friend is glad to hear I'm fine. She must really need for me to be "fine," because this has taught me not to seem fine when I'm actually a mess.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jun 18 - 01:31 AM

I've cleaned out extra stuff I'm not using at my office by bringing it home, and today I've sorted through and tossed or shredded a lot of it. I've also filed and shredded regular stuff that had built up in my home office. I swapped out the paper shredder that was here for one that has a "normal" plug (versus one of the 1.5 lb wall warts that can only be plugged into power strips because they fall off of the wall outlet).

Today I experimented in hanging garments for work on the clothesline. When everything was completely dry I put them in the dryer with all of their creases and added a moist hand towel and ran it on low for about 15 minutes. This moisture was enough to relax the creases and leave them tumbled yet smelling like they were line dried. With as hot as the weather will be around here for the next week (at least), this technique lets me get the look I need for work clothes with a fraction of the energy.

The garden is producing and I'm going to do some cooking tomorrow, for the next few days and some for the freezer. To start I have a bunch of zucchini. Last week I injected the plants with a 50/50 mix of water and Bt and I'll do it again tomorrow, to try to prevent squash vine borers from moving in. I'm pretty sure they are attracted by the flowers at the same time pollinators start coming around.

I found ripe avocados on sale today and have my own peppers, garlic, and cilantro to use in making guacamole that gets frozen in ice cube trays. I'll also put some of the zucchini (sliced) in my dehydrator.

What a difference a year makes. The PMR is responding to the steroid treatment, that I'm tapering by a milligram every month. Last year at this time I was nowhere with the garden.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Jun 18 - 07:19 PM

Ohio:

Another Topic Kit catalogued.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Jun 18 - 12:57 PM

Ohio:

A nice rhythm is shaping up as I continue to wish I'd labeled the box containing the rice cooker-- one week I crockpot a big batch of pork or chicken, and the next I use the liquid to make a big batch of rice in it. The cooked meat goes into a plastic tub, and the cooked rice goes into another. I foresee only having to wash the very heavy crock monthly, perhaps letting the cleaner do that.

The clean, folded Hordewash is making its way to the linen closet a bit at a time; adding what I'd brought to that means exploring other options for some categories because it will not all fit into the linen closet. And since I'm not sure what I want to keep elsewhere, it's fine sitting on the guest bed till I decide.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 31 May 18 - 10:38 PM

Acme, yes, I've restored enough order that I'm no longer caught off guard daily by bad-news discoveries-- all I find nowadays are CLEWS left by a "Hordemaster" who desperately wanted to get caught.

BTW it's Horde, not Hoard, in honor of Tyler's immature bragging of his "glorious" pagan warrior identity-- the squatters who promptly squatted on HIM and despoiled what might have been his castle for a time.

~Marple

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 May 18 - 10:08 PM

I imagine that with the detritus left behind by The Hoard you have a lot of clues, Miss Marple!

When I arrived home this afternoon I could tell there was some food item that had spoiled in the kitchen, but I couldn't find it. A potato? An onion? No. I have rinsed dishes from the sink and loaded the dishwasher, emptied the bowl of kitchen veggie waste, etc and it seems less. But I still don't know exactly what it was. This is a consequence of the hot weather, the house in general is warm enough that things can spoil quickly.

I'm shifting my volunteer activities for the summer soon. I didn't get to work the compressed 4 on/3 off work week I requested (we currently have management who delight in saying "no" just for the pleasure of it.) I still plan to volunteer, I'll just use occasional vacation days to do it. This area is definitely into summer now, even though it's three weeks away by the calendar. I'll be volunteering in city parks.

I described the ceiling situation to co-workers before a meeting started today - it's possible to tell this as a funny story. I hope to have a satisfactory conclusion to the story next week.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 31 May 18 - 03:38 PM

Ohio:

Off-topically speaking, I have an update to share: arrest warrants for Tyler are out now. One for the stolen instruments-- and one for violating his parole agreement.

I also learned that they're adding more time onto his period of required supervision-- which was already thru October 2020, and probably more will be added when the property charge is adjudicated.

I've shared quite a bit of info with both agencies on how they may find him.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 May 18 - 09:20 AM

I may use one of those supports that you can put up for ceiling fans - to brace across the space, as a quick start and go from there. But yes, it's a matter of pulling the insulation out of the recessed area and determining where the cross-members are. And then I'll have to address all of the screw heads in view on that ceiling (but better screw heads than no ceiling!)

The most annoying part of trying to find studs is that damned popcorn on the ceiling. I hate that stuff and the stud finder doesn't move smoothly across it.

Day one of a summer of alternate day fasting (those days are actually 500 calories per day). I have a goal in mind, and this kind of fasting is much easier to do in warm weather. It worked well before (before Prednisone). Info here (my preferred method is about 35 minutes into the program).

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 31 May 18 - 06:58 AM

Acme, so you know you can bridge to the existing framing to get some wood where you want to screw into it, right? If you drill a big fat pair of holes where you want the wood, the light coming through should help place it along that axis.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 May 18 - 11:50 PM

I tried to tackle a problem in the front hall ceiling where the sheet rock is slouching on one side. I can't for the life of me figure out how they installed these panels, except that it looks like they nailed them on only one side. I can't find any studs on the other to reattach it. I did drive some sheetrock screws on the side that is up at the right level (to reinforce it) and this weekend I'll climb into the attic to see what's up. It'll be effing hot up there.

So many things to do around here, and now with the hot weather coming on, it is necessary to choose the best time for chores and pace myself. Choose my battles, figure out when I need someone to come in to help. The ceiling may be one of those times.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 May 18 - 06:59 PM

Charmion, because she is sent by the county's Council on Aging, I'm required to be present while she works-- she'll never get the key and yes of course we're limiting access to the security system and info about it.

They do background checks and random drop- ins on people they send out like this. Probably drug testing, too.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 30 May 18 - 05:55 PM

My experience of burglar alarms and similar security measures is that the fewer people have a key and the password, the better. I like that old maxim about secrets: three can keep one if two of them are dead. Besides, Brittany the cleaner may be a saint, but the verdict is still out on that; until she's proven herself utterly trustworthy, you want to be on the ground when she's in the house.

Yeah, I know. I'm a suspicious old biddy. My house hasn't been robbed in 30 years, so I guess it's working.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 May 18 - 04:18 PM

Cleaner Brittany tackled the bathroom, gathered up all the trash, helped inventory supplies and equipment, and shared a few stories from the trenches about the local meth community-- the paranoid stuff that follows the high is from what it's currently laced with and yes, I should be concerned about retaliation. (She's protecting her four young sons from her family's recovering meth head.)

And no she does not get the alarm info or a key.

The Dirt Devil has been made functional again with duct tape to reattach the broken/cut hose and mortite to eliminate air leaking where it seats into the base. This will make it NOT work for attachments, but will return it to use on floors, after I get new bags.

The lightweight Bissell is missing one of its two filters. :-( So no vacuuming today. But she'll help me put the bookshelf together and move the pink double-recliner back where it goes.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 30 May 18 - 08:00 AM

Now that most of the plants are up and blooming, it's time to start work on the garden.

On Sunday, Himself took a pruning saw to the wildly overgrown forsythia, cutting the whole thing down to knee level; I doubt that it had received any attention in this century, and most of the lower branches were dry and leafless. That done, my eye started roving over the Hungarian lilac beside the garage (two stories tall and half leafless), the Manitoba maple sprouting into the middle of a dogwood, and the profusion of nameless shrubbery masking the gas meter. I think I can deal with the shrubbery myself, but the five ratty-looking cedars and our four enormous maple trees are a different matter.

The cedars probably started out as ornamental shrubs but, after 20 years of neglect, they block too much sunlight from the garden and the house, and they just look overgrown, underfed and thirsty. The maples are beautiful, but two of them overhang our neighbour's house, making him nervous. "Don't you think they're a bit ... um, you know, big?" he asked the other day. We get major wind storms here, so I think he might have a point; if a big limb came down on his humble bungalow, it would be a big mess for him and an expensive liability for us. Also, whenever I look out the bathroom window, I note the scatter of leaves and twigs on his roof and wonder if his attic has been invaded yet by the resident squirrels. I often seen them scampering along his eavestrough.

So an arborist is booked for a house call next week. His website has lots of photos of him up in trees even bigger than ours, so he should be capable of easing the worries next door.

Speaking of the neighbour, he's planting lettuces in his garden -- right next to the cedar hedge that covers the entrance to what must be a major rabbit warren, judging from the bunny traffic across our deck last winter. If ol' Brad gets more than one salad for his efforts, I'll be very surprised.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 May 18 - 10:11 PM

I realized this evening the the hall ceiling on one end, on one side, is slumping. I'm going to have to push it back into place and use drywall screws to re-attach it. Something for the weekend, I think. Good thing the light fixture is there to hold it up.

I intended to do a few things around here this evening, but I've run out of steam. There is a film I've been meaning to watch, that might be enough.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 May 18 - 03:45 PM

The Ohio upright vac duplicates a better one in PA, where there are also 2 shop vacs. And I have a featherlight here. So I'm not willing to invest in anything but duct tape because the good PA vac (and/or the small wet/dry shop vac) can arrive in July.

Thanks though.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Vashta Nerada
Date: 29 May 18 - 11:45 AM

Is there a Goodwill or Salvation Army in your area? I always see a few vacuums in stock when I visit my stores. Maybe a working vac, or at least one with the same size hose so you can marry the two to have one working machine?

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 May 18 - 10:46 AM

Ohio:

So.... the senior services housecleaner starts early tomorrow afternoon... and they don't bring their own equipment... and I'm dying to get the most trashed areas started in a weekly rotation until actual 'normal' cleaning can begin... bathroom, and deep-vacuuming carpeted traffic areas... and I'm on my way shortly for dinner w Hardi with an ear infection... when I realize... that... the length of black hose I've been seeing by the washer is NOT from the extraneous vac pieces the house's seller had left in 2014... no... it's the HOSE from the GOOD vac, cut off (!!!) .... by THE HORDE.

Who also used up/stole my numerous rolls of duct tape (in colors)! And the cleaner's arrival already meant skipping a restaurant breakfast with my honey at the ONE face visit we'll have during this... 3 month separation! Cuz we old and need our sleep!

Yeah I'm mad! Yeah it's going on the insurance claim! Because it's too late for Hardi to throw the spare shop vac into the van-- he's already on the road. But he's planning to grab duct tape at a fuel stop for me, TBTG! Perhaps while the cleaner de-shits the loo I can fix the vac hose, splicing with a paper towel roll... because there's less than 2" of hose left on the vac to reattach the rest of it. You know-- the hose that sends the dirt from the beater bar on the floor up into the vacuum cleaner's bag? The suction.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Vashta Nerada
Date: 29 May 18 - 09:26 AM

Yesterday's fitness tracker report says I almost doubled the daily steps that are my goal, and it says I slept for 9 hours overnight. I remember getting into bed but I must have been asleep before my head hit the pillow, and I feel like I could sleep for another nine hours.

I got a lot done yesterday. I'm out of Tylenol.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 May 18 - 11:12 PM

Ohio:

That last load is now in the dryer. These were four big, heavy, cotton drapes; two panels per wash load but dried one panel at a time-- it's a 3/4 size stacking washer and dryer and wrinkles are not wanted!

According to the detergent bottle, which is empty now, Hordewash plus mine was 39 loads.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 May 18 - 10:00 PM

It's funny how I think I'll be doing one thing during the day, only to find myself finally addressing some other thing that has been on my mind for a while. After mowing the back yard I sat on the patio cooling off and looking at the bricks I put down years ago to extend the hard surface from the concrete patio. The dogs have dug beside the bricks creating a hazard, and I recently found a bunch of the same size/style of bricks and dumped them at the back of the yard. I watered the area for a while then dug up soil and placed several square feet-worth of bricks. The extension still isn't a square, it's kind of "L" shaped, but it gives me a couple more square feet of walking and rolling my barbecue grill-space.

Then I mowed the front yard. I moved slowly to not overheat, and as it gets hotter the lawn is going to slow down and hopefully not need much attention during the height of summer. The vegetable garden is a different story and I will finish setting up sprinklers and hoses this week.

I'll plan to dry at least one load of laundry a week on the clothesline in the back yard. The new line looks good and I found a bag of new unused clothespins. The spares usually turn up after I buy a new batch. :-/

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 May 18 - 05:38 PM

Ohio:

The "last" load of Horde wash is going.

There were some more-'lightly-soiled' items I had to use anyway, which will just get washed in a normal rotation of changing out chair covers, towels, etc. THEN I hope the cigarette and perfume smells will be gone... except I'll need help from Hardi to rip out a room and hallway of befouled carpeting and padding. Sigh...

~S~