Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Apr 18 - 07:46 PM

PA PACKATHON:

The project is nearing completion, and good thing too-- Penske wants us to pick up the truck a day early (free).

This evening after supper we made two pallet stacks of boxes, including the giant box of framed art, the banker's boxes, 4 more I packed today, and the two dresser-mirrors I married into one mutually-reinforcing package deal. The portacrib also went out. Over the weekend, the burrito-stuffed china cabinet, last boxes will go out, and my summer church amp will come home to go south. Tuesday is dentist (2 hours drive each way), and Weds. we pick up the truck. Loading is Thursday, and departure is Friday.

If we get a chance and hit the jackpot on helpers, we'll swap out a fridge to send south, too. And make one last trip to the spring, for recreation, weather permitting!

Tonight we nest and rest!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 19 Apr 18 - 07:52 PM

Beaver: So glad to be back where I can look out at the hills and trees! And the 15 inches of snow covering the entire yard and deck, ice covered snow that I have not had the energy to move. Fortunately, the small pile of wood neighbour Larry put outside the back door months ago is reachable and will get me through a couple days until things thaw some. The main woodpile is about 20 feet away - 20 feet of ice-covered snow. I could do it if necessary but am thankful not to need to risk back and shoulders.…

Hoping the weather Report is correct and the weekend thaw will melt much of the snow, Today, I have merely put things away, sorted a pile of papers, found more maps for the map organizing folders, looked at organizing trips back and forth, and read. Heavy weather does not fill me with energy. Plants in house are fine. Those in Studio are “unreachable”! Snow flurries all day and dripping ice cycles… Hope for tomorrow: more energy and warmer – 5C.or more!

Watching a 24 inch shelf of ice, with ice cycles, that is hanging off the studio roof! Expect it will crash down to the ice below with a resounding crash. Hopefully not in the middle of the night!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Apr 18 - 10:37 PM

I congratulated myself on not picking up anything (because there was nothing I needed) at a Goodwill store I happened to pass this afternoon. If I were interested in antique porcelain saucers I'd have hit the jackpot, but selling small antique saucers isn't a business I want to get into. This is the closest Goodwill to an older section of town, so I imagine this was left from a garage sale or estate clear-out.

Family members know I visit thrift stores so I have a list in my head of items they want me to look for. I found a second old small pressure cooker for my ex who wants the heavy weight pans because they hold heat well for making candy (in particular, his annual peanut brittle he makes at a friend's house, though he tells me this year he and the kids are bringing them to my house over the holidays to experiment making cashew brittle). I told him they'd better be sure to bring plenty of sugar, I don't have that much here now that I'm not cooking as much and I haven't canned anything in a while.

Susan, when is the truck part of the move going to happen? I had the impression that despite all of the packing it was months off. I guess I misread somewhere. Do you have to bring it back round-trip, or will you leave it in Ohio?

Dorothy, careful with the ice and firewood! One broken ankle is sufficient. A friend of mine had surgery a few weeks ago on a broken ankle and is using one of those wheeled supports to kneel on and keep her ankle up. Even those are hazardous and she's had a couple of falls off of it.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Apr 18 - 06:47 AM

Acme, the final move is yet to be scheduled when Harding sets a retirement date. This interim load has been scheduled for approx May 1 for some time, and a major focus of it is gathering fragiles for the installation of decor and artwork; that's better done while I can access the walls (before furniture blocks them).

The whole 8 weeks or so I've been in PA, we've been getting ready for this truck trip. It's a one-way rental, so my DIL has left me a car in Ohio to use till Hardi joins me for vacation with the next open-trailer-load of furniture. Therefore, the truck is also going to carry the antiques best NOT carried on an open trailer.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 20 Apr 18 - 09:56 AM

I think Himself might be getting into the less-accumulation headspace. Last night he actually volunteered to de-accession a coffee pot. I reeled.

Mind you, that would leave us with five different kinds of coffee-making technology.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Apr 18 - 11:16 AM

Years ago I got one of those free Gevalia coffeemakers and that is still my only automated coffee making apparatus. I have a French press (that also works for tea) and when you get into tea that's where my duplication occurs. Years ago my brother sent a boxed coffeemaker for xmas, and we don't drink coffee so I set the unopened box on a shelf. Literally years later I opened it to find the box had been used to ship a large handmade teapot (that now sits on top of my kitchen cabinets collecting dust). I have a porcelain pot I use when I make a pot for several people, and I have a small glass single serving Pyrex pot with a steel strainer. Mostly what I have are all sorts of tea strainers, balls, spoons, shapes, and baskets for brewing tea. Over time I've given away duplicate tea strainers (many of them came from my father's house, but I already had several of my own). Now that the topic has come up, perhaps I should address these duplicates (or at least put them all in one place).

Susan, we've watched this from the sidelines for months, understanding what you're doing. That plan of gradually moving makes perfect sense when you have the luxury of managing it at your own pace. Too often when someone has to move everything gets packed and sorted out at the other end. As Charmion has been illustrating (and how I have done it a couple of times.) We'll have to see if Dorothy can wrangle R into letting her manage their move in such a way. If I ever get to a point of moving back to my home state I would like to think that I've offloaded a lot of extras before the move - that's where I am now. And not leaving all of this stuff for my kids to sort through wherever it ends up.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Apr 18 - 01:01 PM

Yes, Acme, disruptive moves are what I grew up with and have experienced since. I like very much that despite our age, we're moving into our first *owned* home and doing it our way. It's great being able to designate where things pass now and after WE pass. I'm also grateful to have the physical and mental stamina to do this BUT I'm equally pleased knowing that it's the last one I'll have to manage/oversee, and I'm missing a gardening season! :-(

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 20 Apr 18 - 06:14 PM

I went into the move last year in the full and urgent hope that it's our last. With any luck, I'll leave this house feet first.

Susan points out that she's missing a gardening season. That happened to us last year, along with most of the preserving season. I managed to crank out a load of chutney in late September, when I had finally unearthed the canner and enough Mason jars. The move, including selling the Ottawa house and settling in here (plus the renovation), ate most of my waking life for eighteen months.

Now that the worst parts of the house have been renovated, repaired and repainted, I find that I'm willing to live with the aubergine purple in the bedroom and its en-suite bathroom for a while longer, if only to avoid unloading the bedroom bookcases. The greyish mauve on three walls of the bedroom is even harder to take, but in some lights it's close to a Farrow & Ball colour called Mouse Fur, which kinda takes the curse off it. The baby-shit brown in the basement is bad, and the holes in the plaster make it worse, but enough pictures and bookcases do a great deal to ameliorate the situation. It would help if I could bring myself to call that colour something euphemistic -- "old gold" perhaps.

Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, the civil service paperwork required to get me paid for the book project has finally reached critical mass. I signed the formal Letter of Offer yesterday, only seven weeks after the original start date, and I'll get back to work on the manuscript on Monday. The author is incommunicado for two weeks while he marks papers (he's a history professor), so I have time to get a chapter ready to thump onto his desk as soon as he breaks cover.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Apr 18 - 07:37 PM

I did designate the germination stuff go straight to its kitchen destination, and I do have a packet of seeds in my purse, with time to snag topsoil etc for the big nursery pots in the Ohio garage. And I'll definitely buy flats of annuals to display with those seeds, in the patio.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Apr 18 - 07:58 PM

I planted four pots of squash (a mix of zucchini and yellow bent neck squash) into the garden today, followed by watering with Bt and a topping of home-chipped mulch (branches from the yard run through my electric chipper). I was going to try to inject Bt into the stems but they're too small, so those I tried I hope I didn't damage. I'll do the injecting as they get larger and the lower stems turn woody. These were started from seed on the outside potting table; I'll fill the clay pots with more soil and start something else. I'm waiting for tomatoes, okra, and poblano peppers to start sprouting. There are small springs of Swiss chard and the basil is starting to pop up. The squash I planted today (two per pot) saved me about $10 so far.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: pattyClink
Date: 20 Apr 18 - 10:30 PM

Wow, lots of stuff getting done! Remember not to bite off more garden than you can chew come dog days of August ;-)

I plodded along with the storage units, until they are now shelved and organized and condensed, with a little purging and donating done. Was able to empty one completely and cease paying rental on it, yay!

And got the SUV completely emptied and cleaned inside and out. Also, reorganizing contents, and paring back what I travel with, so it can be used more often as a group expedition vehicle and not a jampacked cargo ship.

I need to put 'clean out the car' on the agenda monthly or at least quarterly, it feels so good when it's done, kind of like a fresh haircut or a tooth cleaning.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Apr 18 - 12:34 AM

Patty, will you be passing through North Texas (DFW) at any time? Let me know, I'd love to have you stop by. This is a good time of year to spend in TX, especially if you're looking for good temperatures. Tornadoes, well, they kind of come with the temperatures (thunderstorms).

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 21 Apr 18 - 08:53 AM

This year’s efforts follow on in part from having the heating revamped last year, me doing the bulk of the cooking and even a comment in the cats thread here…

Bathroom, Washbasin: fitted thermostatic mixer valve for hot tap, extended lever taps, click clack waste, paper roll dispenser, redone silicon sealant. Bath: fitted new waste and overflow, thermostatic bar bath/shower mixer. Other: tidy up grouting in tiles. To do: redo silicon sealant for bath (I don’t fancy that job), tidy up around toilet and old pipework, probably change bath mixer tap – I think the idea is right but I think trying a cheap one was a mistake for what we want.

Kitchen. Clear out of most pots and pans, replacing a couple with new ones – we have a better selection now and it is less cluttered, fit spice rack on cupboard door, fill gap left by old boiler with shelving unit under work top, replace cupboard hinges with soft close ones. To do: try to find bit of vinyl to patch floor where boiler extended beyond kitchen units, fit new curtain, try to better organise cupboards. Possibles, new tap, shelving on remaining bit of wall I could use.

Shed. We lost storage in the airing cupboard with the heating changes. I added new shelving in the shed last year but I think even with a sort out, we will still be short so I think I need to find some mobile shelving.

Other: Dispose of accumulation of junk. I’m not on clear the best way but probably some combination of mini skip hire, trips to recycle centre and council collection. Matters would be easier if everything could go in a skip but electrical items are a problem there.

–
Oh and on the cooking, I got myself a few (cooks, paring, bread and super slicer) Wusthof knives. It seemed like a good idea but I’ve barely used them. Pip doesn’t like sharp knives in the kitchen so they are stored in a roll in a cupboard in my room. For say the qty of veg I need to do for the 3 of us and considering getting the knives out, I just reach for the trusty old bread knife (like this one – it’s got different serrations to other bread knives I’ve seen). That and a veg peeler get me through most things.

–
Garden. This year’s mowing already started. Tomatoes, peppers and aubergine in pots on windowsills. Some other seeds in propagator. Visiting brother and family cleared a load of leaves at front of house.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Apr 18 - 12:49 PM

I have some heavy duty black plastic trays that came from a local bottling plant (a friend had them in his greenhouse and I inherited them when I bought the greenhouse). I have marked in red wax marker on the sides what seeds I started in the assembled clay pots in each tray, and I also use these markers around the house. Who knows where the black and red one I use came from, but I'm about to increase my supply with a small box of Dixon china markers in other colors. Five more of them will be a lifetime supply. I date lids of jars going into the freezer, I write on plastic canisters then put tape over the impromptu labels.

I had three small red lasoda potatoes that were liberally sprouting so they're now in the garden; I usually plant them in January or February, but I'm curious to see what happens. They're in well-worked soft soil so if they do produce they should do it easily. There is no point planting potatoes if you're not going to work the soil, you don't get the tubers in a hard small space. It's a gentle rain today and I'm hoping this inspires the seeds in pots on the bench to burst forth.

Since it's raining I'll work in the house. eBay, video production, laundry, sewing. I'm making this a fasting day (500 calories) so I won't tempt myself with much cooking.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Apr 18 - 03:09 PM

Go Jon!

Today was possibly our last water-fetch from the spring in Ulysses. Frankly it just hasn't been fun to fetch water since Cherry Flats closed due to fracking, and signs of fracking were evident as we neared our destination. But we got eight 7-gallon cubes of springwater, which we started cutting w/50% fracked faucet water during this last year.

We did it together, and Newbie-dog got a few minutes to smell dead things. The water may last till we leave PA, or Hardi may get up there to visit one last time; or we might fetch a wee bit in the fall... weather makes it crazier each year-- AND we's OLD! ;-)

The good thing-- no freeze anticipated here, so no rush to carry all that water into the house! And a day off of packing!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Apr 18 - 11:38 AM

I have a year round creek in my back yard and a pump to use to move the water to use in the yard, but an urban creek is probably polluted, so I've never gotten around to using that pump. And yes, there is fracking in this area. No wells that I know of to be impacted in this urban setting, but that doesn't mean the groundwater and surface sources aren't impacted.

A run to the recycle bin is due (paper, cardboard, plastic, glass); since the weekend is a busy time for neighbors the bins will be full so I probably need to wait till Tuesday (after the bins are emptied). Jon, I separate out the electrical devices for an e-waste disposal service (this stuff goes there along with batteries, discs, cassettes, etc.) I compost yard waste, and don't put out trash often. I have some stuff that needs to go to a hazardous waste pickup (I've been organic for years but there are a few bottles from the old days that need disposal). That's difficult, city and county jurisdictions have different rules about where you can leave this stuff. My village doesn't pay into the county disposal plan so I have to watch for a general community collection event.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 22 Apr 18 - 01:05 PM

Our council collects the recyclable paper, plastic, etc. and general household waste on alternate weeks but you have to make other arrangements for things that don’t fit those categories.
Regarding your hazardous waste, I wasn't sure of the situation here on that. It looks as if I could dispose of that sort of thing at the recycle centres but would have to wait for a “special domestic hazardous waste day” to do so, the next one being in September.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: LilyFestre
Date: 22 Apr 18 - 01:19 PM

This morning I cleaned out the lunch container cupboard which was a mish mash collection of Rubbermaid and Ziploc containers. We found that the Rubbermaid (Heavier Rubbermaid) does not leak....all the others do with the exception of Tupperware but even then....

Anyway, it ALL went in the trash. I cleaned the wood inside the cupboard and filled it with new, non-leaking containers and also more containers in the size that we both prefer in our lunches (the square ones stack nicely in my lunch bag).

I use canning jars quite often to tote my lunch that has any chance of being a wet leaky mess....works out just fine, especially since we have reusable lids.

I have been repacking meat this morning too and filling our freezers.

Later I will be packing my lunches up for most of the week as it proved to be most helpful for last week which was busy with work, an evening presentation I had to do at one of the larger high schools in the area and one day was spent volunteering with my coworkers at the food bank. Busy. Busy. Busy and happily enjoyed.

I am down 4 pounds this week! YAY!

Have a great week everybody!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Apr 18 - 01:45 PM

Good job on the weight loss, Michelle! I also did that kind of clear out of food containers you describe; after discarding the Tupperware I also settled on the Rubbermaid set (red top, clear bases) that stack well and don't leak. And when I'm taking soup or wet stuff, I also use a glass jar with a good lid, usually a canning jar. In my work backpack side pocket I have a small (~1/4 cup) Rubbermaid container with a few Brazil nuts in it (the nut mix I buy has an inordinate amount of Brazil nuts). As I walk around outside at work some of the squirrels are accustomed to panhandling and when I pull out that plastic and rattle it they come running!

This is Earth Day and you'd think one of those hazardous chemical waste collection sites would be set up, but I haven't found any. So it sits on a shelf at the back of the garage and waits.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 22 Apr 18 - 06:49 PM

Feels a long while since I last thought of Tupperware. I remember Pip/mum and Tupperware parties late 60s/ early 70s in a small North Wales village.

I think this one has gone whereas Tupperware still exists but there was also (probably just UK and maybe door to door sales and a different product range including brushes) Betterware then. Some of the stuff lasted ages. I don’t know if there are any Tupperware boxes still here but the peeler I mentioned a few posts below is Betterware and bought heaven knows when.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 22 Apr 18 - 11:05 PM

Beaver:

Sometimes I wish Maggie were here! Tonight it was the two hours spent fruitlessly trying to print something; even with a cord connecting printer and computer I kept getting a message that the printer was offline and something about a WSP button on a router. What router? what button? I could not bring myself to phone son - either one. I will try Epson tomorrow. I just want to vote on Whidbey!

SLOWLY, the snow and ice is melting. Yesterday I managed to get into the studio and water the plants. Today I tried to put up the "umbrella" clothes dryer but could not get it to go up because its hole is full of ice and it was too high for me to reach. The main wood pile is still not accessible but it it has been warmish so I am managing to stay warm. Up to 13C tomorrow! Then rainlater in the week should clear the decks - and make the yard a lake!

Today's best laugh: "With any luck, I'll leave this house feet first." I said that back in - well, when I moved into the house in PA, how many moves ago?! as for the five coffee makers!!! I suppose if we do airbnb at the new house we will need such an object: I welcome advice on one that will be fool proof for myself and guests. Something environmentally suitable. And how to keep coffee that will stay drinkable! The last time I made a cup of coffee - about 20 years ago - the recipient poured it out on the ground!

So, very carefully moving bits of ice and snow has utilized my energy, and three loads of laundry! I have oregano and parsley babies started and two forgotten-what they were- flower seeds started. Surprise!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Apr 18 - 10:55 AM

PA PACKATHON 2018

April 23 - 26-- last work week, and GO! :-)

Truck pickup is Weds evening with Hardi driving it from the pickup locay an hour away-- I'll set up the cabin for my particular disabilities and practice drive it Thursday. Thursday night Hardi and helper load the truck. I leave Friday morning.

I'll meet son and DIL Saturday morning halfway to Ohio at a frequently-used motel/restaurant. From there I'll probably leave the truck to them, and proceed ahead of them with their car and my dog, to prep house and garage for a smooth unload of the barrage of boxes and furniture, hopefully with a few daytime hours of housemate's help-- he just started an evening job.

The truck will arrive at the house sometime Saturday aftn/night, for Sunday unloading from 8AM til 2:30PM. Helpers are confirmed.

Remaining to package are a set of 3/4 size Christmas creche figures I'm restoring with the expert help of an Ohio community theater group's crew. My prep for encasing them will result in many trips up and down the warm, sunny ramp to fetch them individually, bringing one fragile, 1950's-decoupaged figure at a time to the just-cleared DR table Hardi's ready to disassemble for transit, where all the cushioning/packaging supplies are-- and the 2nd huge box they'll travel in, just like the huge box of framed items.

The creche figures' garage spot is designated, and their restoration plan is in place: polyurethane fronts and black-green exterior paint for the backs, plus artwork by theater artists. We'll dispay them in Ohio for one or two seasons, and then they'll go back into their protective packaging for delivery to a designated churchyard (in keeping with the donating family's direction).

Our site layout will be per young neighbor Camryn's eye and muscle-- he designed a superb garden bed last fall-- against a stretch of privacy fence as a backdrop. On that fence, I can just screw a few 2 x 4's to suggest a stable-roof. It's so windy there; some of the tableaux will screw right to the fence via cleats on their backs. (There's electricity there for lights, and I can already see the whole tableaux.) There will be pictures, to travel with the set to their next home and for me to frame for us.

Only a very few other items remain to be gathered for loading. A large dresser needs to come downstairs; the china cabinet and DR table need to be disassembled; a rug needs to be rolled and tied. The weather is forecast to be warm and dry most of this week, and I suspect Hardi will roll that rug this evening.

Tomorrow is all-day dental.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Apr 18 - 05:31 PM

Beaver:
An hour on the phone with a nice tech support person determined that the printer is not working. I am thinking this over while I managed to do the income tax return, find to my shock that I had to go to the Credit Union to pay - cheques are obsolete!

Gorgeous day and melting well! I can get into studio easily - after negotiating a few feet of snow and ice, and into the tool shed so I might be able to fix kiln! The main woodpile is still inaccessible but I still have sufficient wood, thanks to Larry! The impending rain will probably clear the remaining ice. I was able to weed the east strawberry bed!!

Accomplishing the income tax required about 150 grams of dark chocolate; it certainly assisted brain function - seriously! I am not losing any weight but not gaining either. I am slowly rebuilding some strength after the long winter.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: mg
Date: 24 Apr 18 - 09:36 AM

Coming back from trip to ireland. Planned careffully but still too much. Fell off bus in seattle and hurt my bottom. Jacket was boggest problem. Have goretex bjt so cold and clammy brought my london fog, warm but not waterproof. Have not had good jacket.combo for seventeen years. Somewhere there is a good lined.absolutely waterprlof jacket and no layering is not the answer. bottom line..take half as much and a bar.of.soap.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Apr 18 - 11:47 AM

PA PACKATHON "ENOUGH!!!" EDITION

For too many reasons to specify, I canceled the all-day PA dental in favor of following up in Ohio, and going scootering today with the dog. And a romantic dinner with DH, later.

After several morning packaging adjustments, the 14 (!!!) creche figures are packaged for transit-- half of them wrongly packaged; but all are numbered for identification and I took pix as I packed to remind me of heights-- some are kneeling. A new numbering will occur when they are unwrapped, by category.

The truck rental dude left me a message this AM pressuring us to get the truck even EARLIER tmrw. NOPE! Cannot juggle further!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Apr 18 - 10:01 PM

Fixed Susan's typos, too bad I'm not there to help Dorothy with the printer. Dorothy, I've been reading about the various payment apps out there - take your time in choosing one if that is the direction you're going. Some are more secure than others. For those times you have questions you can send email through mudcat - maggie at [this site] dot org will reach me - and I'll see if I can help.

I have a lot to do over the next couple of days, but when my time is free I'm going to repackage a couple of my current eBay listings and formulate some new, smaller ones. The process involves photography, finding the best box and packing materials, and listing them. I sometimes list things in larger lots - less per piece to get them all out of the way at once. If that doesn't work, then I go back to fewer in smaller boxes.

Watching PBS last night - polar bears catching beluga whales - wow. I don't have cable, but I do have NetFlix, something I think my son (on my account in a distant city) uses more than I do. There are a couple of disks around here that have to go back. I go in spurts as a viewer of movies or television programs. These days there is so much available via over-the-air television. I have disks of films as my backup, but more and more they're also saved as mp4 files and I can watch them on the computer, phone, or tablet.

Wow. I found this just now but I had started it last night and evidently reduced the browser window without sending. Decluttering browser windows. :)

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Apr 18 - 10:20 PM

Thanks, Acme.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 25 Apr 18 - 09:54 AM

The big IKEA cabinet has left the building! Along with a straight chair (pleasing, but also unnecessary) and a nice, clean, step-on garbage container, also excess to requirements. I am more than pleased. The basement TV-and-reading room has breathing space for the first time since the beginning of the kitchen renovation. Now, all it needs is a paint job, but that will damned well have to wait for another infusion of money.

Two guys from the church arrived with a flat-bed trailer and within about 15 minutes the job was done without so much as a chip out of the fresh paint in the front hall.

Floating on a wave of accomplishment, we cleaned a winter's worth of debris off the deck and the front porch. Stratford is a house-proud town, and we don't want the neighbours to think we're slobs.

The church variety sale -- destination of the above-mentioned cabinet and many large boxes of doohickeys -- starts tomorrow. Himself and I have been conscripted to guard the doors and the booths with the most-thieved items; apparently this major fund-raiser attracts le tout Stratford, including some of our lighter-fingered fellow citizens. Himself asked me what I would do if I caught a shoplifter; I replied that I would embarrass the hell out of her. The parish verger, our boss for this gig, opined that fear of public humiliation is by far the most effective security method available to us.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Apr 18 - 08:28 PM

PA PACKATHON 2018

We picked up the truck this aftn. It's built for shorter, spryer folks than I, but getting it a day early will allow me to rig a step I can pull up after getting in. I'll add a rope to the one I use for our very tall bed.

Hardi is boxing our treasure chest which sits on my dresser, and is about to muscle the dresser downstairs.

Tomorrow afternoon we load, using the upcycled baling twine I reassembled one nervous afternoon to keep my hands busy to tie it down inside the truck. In the morning I'll get an Rx for strep throat. :-( Friday I depart, to meet son/DIL to share driving. Unloading is scheduled for Sunday, with weeks of UNPACKATHON to follow.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Apr 18 - 11:23 PM

Difficult to believe we're at the end of April already, since spring seems to have barely gotten off the ground temperature-wise. Allergy season is in full swing though, and everyone around me is feeling it.
I was home today working on some paperwork between naps. The only decluttering I managed was a bag down at the curb for trash tomorrow.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 26 Apr 18 - 09:34 AM

Oh, Susan, how well I remember truck-packing day, and then driving across Ontario with a load that I thought I had tied down in a sufficiently seaman-like fashion. I was wrong; for hours and hours of highway travel, I listened to the handcart slam back and forth from wheel-well to wheel-well. At least it wasn't a box of wine ... going tinkle, smash, tinkle, dribble ...

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Apr 18 - 11:30 AM

Lol, C. I've been making THAT kinda trip for 4 years with an OPEN trailer! ;-)

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: pattyClink
Date: 26 Apr 18 - 10:12 PM

Thanks Acme, I am in Florida for now and then have some expeditions to Arkansas and Missouri next on the docket before fleeing to the North Woods when it gets hot. Looks like I'll make swings through DFW in the fall for O'Flaherty and maybe in the spring for NTIF so hope we can connect.   

March and April have been fabulous this spring in the South, and even in Florida, April is a lovely time here. Things aren't too hot, and they have some wonderful roadside flowers (hot pink, no less!), as did Alabama, Mississippi, Lousiana, and Texas, each their own amazing assortment. I've never caught the bluebonnet time in TX, but I can imagine it's something to see.

Made Texas Caviar today for a gathering, it was a little tricky with my tiny saucepan, but, guess what, I was able to borrow somebody elses, and between the two, it worked out fine. Turns out I was right to ditch the larger pots and pans, can make do without them.   I can't make a very wide range of recipes, but then again, I don't want to!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Apr 18 - 11:16 PM

Whenever, Patty!

I enjoyed the description of traveling with trailers and trucks. I had family antiques in a U-Haul truck from central PA to Texas; Pennsylvania is particularly bad - as I drove across I-80 from near Williamsport to Pittsburgh, then down I-79 and out of the state, there was a crack in the concrete every 50 feet. Ca-lunk ca-lunk ca-lunk ca-lunk all the way, and anything that wasn't completely padded and blocked into place rubbed against something else. I had several pieces with the marks of being sanded on that one spot from all of the rough roads.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Apr 18 - 11:02 AM

My hope is that my scooter crushes neither the dog crate nor the wing chair adjoining it, and that the uncrated dog stays in her designated spot-- especially when I get out to pee/refuel.

Departing shortly for 1st leg, which I hope doesn't require a refueling stop.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Apr 18 - 11:47 AM

Have a safe and pleasant drive, Susan! When driving west I always make a point of stopping somewhere at sunset to avoid the glare. You'll notice most of the truckers do the same thing. Sunset = Dinner time, walk around a rest area time, whatever. I always enjoyed travelling with an animal, most of the time I travelled with a cat. They can be great company, especially at that point after sunset when the dome of darkness is advancing across the sky above you, the last light before the stars come out. There's a psychological event if you're out on the road at that time, I'm sure of it. Having the dog will help.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: keberoxu
Date: 27 Apr 18 - 11:50 AM

Acme, I know what you mean about the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Like clockwork with a ticking second hand!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 27 Apr 18 - 04:10 PM

No cat of mine has ever been great company in the car! When I travel with cats, which thank the Lord isn't often, they grumble and fuss in their carriers, or howl, or swear, or mew piteously. Our Siamese would wait to unleash her most unearthly yowls until the car was close to pedestrians or other uninitiated witnesses. She put on the performance of her life one day when I had to tank up the car on the way back from the cattery where she had spent our vacation, kicking up such a ruckus that the cashier (who was indoors, well away from the diesel pump where the car was parked) felt obliged to ask if there was a baby in the car.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Apr 18 - 07:58 PM

I've lucked out with cats who travelled well. One of them was a great camper, and when I drove cross country I had a pickup with a sliding glass window in the back of the cab and another one in the front of the camper shell. Her litter box was at the back of the bed of the truck, and she would indicate she wanted through and I'd open both windows. There wasn't much space between the windows so no danger of slipping anywhere, but it was a bit of a wind tunnel if we were driving.

It looks like we'll have nice weather this weekend so I won't try to predict what I might accomplish indoors. I'm gradually working my way down a list, and in a couple of weeks I'll be adding some more after I have a guy look at the house and tell me what kind of shape the foundation is in. I have a couple of projects that require the advice from someone who knows about foundations, and depending on their cost, they may move up near the top of the list.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Apr 18 - 08:12 PM

I arrived at my overnight stop in good order before sunset, by choosing the right departure time; I've been doing this part of the drive since we moved to PA, for stepkids' annual Xmas and summer visitation in Chicagoland-- that was the tradeoff to get their mother's OK to move them out of state when Hardi was elected by the parish here. After the kids left home, we made this jog often to visit family and friends during vacation.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Apr 18 - 02:05 AM

Almost 25 years

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Apr 18 - 10:27 AM

Lovely weekend morning that began with a walk around the neighborhood with the dogs. I have recycling stuff to deliver to the village bins and a couple of brief stops but I think the best plan is to make the most of this nice weather and address stuff in the garage that needs to be moved, donated, or sold. I park in the middle of the space and have plenty of room to get in and out, but I think I'll concentrate the stuff that I keep on just one side. This would give me room to set up a table to work in there (the table consists of a door and two steel folding saw horses). My first offer on one of the Freecycle list seems to be looming.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 28 Apr 18 - 11:28 AM

This morning I nailed a horseshoe over each of the three entry doors to the house. Himself will sniff about pagan practices, but I don't care.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Apr 18 - 04:50 PM

Dusty job out there in the garage. I just made my first ever offer on Freecycle - I snapped a photo and sent the email. I have boxes of tile fragments that might interest no one, in which case they get dumped in the back where rocks and other lumpy things get dumped to help stabilize the soil (lots of plants also put back there). I was thinking I'd like to try making mosaic crafts but never got around to it and doubt I will now. I can load up the boxes and meet the taker somewhere, they don't need to come to the house.

Other dust was disturbed this morning when I started looking through the huge stash of old cassette tapes on the shelves in my office. That's another task I need to tackle sooner rather than later because it's going to take a while.

I hope you're finding good road food and pleasant conversations at rest areas, Susan. The people one meets are some of the best part of travelling, and if you have an animal with you, they act like an ambassador, starting conversations.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Apr 18 - 07:48 AM

Arrived safe but housemate not here and toilet/tub clogged, so went to cheap motel last night pending Monday plumber. (And locksmith.) Heading to house now to unload-- and inventory damage/theft.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Apr 18 - 10:36 AM

Oh dear. I hope it doesn't become the sad outcome your concern telegraphed. It would have been just as easy (or easier) to live up to the your expectations since he was already in that zone. Fingers crossed.

Yesterday's progress was inspirational enough to get me out to the garage for day two to finish the job. I have some large sheets of Styrofoam stored out there that I thought might come in handy (isn't that always the case for the beginnings of hoarding!) that may be broken and placed in the trash over coming weeks. I need to move the door/tabletop over to the area where I want to use it, not bury it in a compressed stack of stuff.

I've also given up on some of the recently-planted seeds that seem to be no longer viable so this morning I put in new ones in the same pots. I can tell if it is a pepper or a tomato once it sprouts; sometimes you end up with both this way, but one can wait for only so long when watching empty pots of soil. In the garden itself I'm testing weed control on the places where the tilling didn't knock out all of the Bermuda grass. I use a glass electric kettle to boil water for my tea and clean it by adding white vinegar to the water to boil. I usually pour that hot water mix onto the bricks out on the back patio to kill weeds, but I've been boiling it just to use on the garden. Boiling water by itself works pretty well, I think the vinegar hurries it along.

May Day is almost here. Does anyone have any rituals to celebrate? When I was a kid we used to weave a basket out of construction paper, fill it with lilacs, put it on the door knob for our mother to discover after we rang the bell and ran to hide. Every year she was so astonished as we giggled and watched. #FrontPorchDrama

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Apr 18 - 02:47 PM

There's a lot that's missing, apparently including power tools and Hardi's electric guitar and Kentucky-style mandolin. There's a lot that's damaged. The pantry and freezer stocked for my return, of course, are empty.

It's way, WAAAAY beyond a normal 24-year-old having a party get out of control and not cleaning it up in time. A number of decor/art items were removed from their locations and displayed elsewhere-- with a woman's touch. A whole bookcase (and its books) is missing but I'm not done looking.

So what are we doing about all this: First, son, DIL, BIL and I spent about an hour and a half consolidating piles of trash, dirty laundry, recyclables (and towels soaked with overflowed toilet water) into manageable piles (plus taking down smoke-soaked curtains to add to the 6 laundry bags), and created traffic paths thru the house to bring in the four heavy pieces that come off the truck today.

Then we did the garage-consolidating Tyler had committed to doing, to create interim storage and ongoing workzones out there-- a corner for framed art and other decor I brought; a corner for kitchen boxes; an area for BR boxes; a corner for Liberation Library boxes and furniture; a corner for scooters/walker. Large furniture pieces to go in back of two of those corners were unloaded and placed. The individually-numbered creche set went up into the rafters, with numbers visible from below. Boxes coming off the truck to get to those furniture items coming into the house went to their above destination corners.

We're on lunch/nap break now, and then those last big pieces will come into the house, and one big item that's being replaced will depart. Behind them in the truck are my 6 bankers' boxes, and heavy electronics/stationery boxes, with designates garage space awaiting them.

My germination kit came in along with the rolled plastic sheeting, for a perk-me-up project in a few days.

The plumber comes tomorrow morning. I'm still waiting to hear from the locksmith.

My bed is full of nail polish and cigarette butts, and DIL and I'll tackle that tomorrow. I found clean clothes to put on, and we're running a pee bucket with portapotty chemicals. I'll take a few pillows back to the motel tonight and hope plumbing is functional tomorrow with new locks.

We set up a patio dishwashing station in case we can't use the kitchen sink. The dirty dishes they left piled high in the kitchen smell bad enough that I'll probably soak and rinse them out there and then load them in the DW when the plumber gives the OK.

Everybody is mad at me for trusting this housemate, including me. So far, everyone else feels free to vent about this-- at me-- except me.

I'll file the police report when we're done unpiling the closets where they may have shoved some of the items I'm missing.

It looks like he let 4-5 friends stay here, hosted large, wild and messy parties, and then they left him too big a mess to finish clearing. But failing to do the agreed work (in lieu of rent) appears to have started right after I left.

The neighbors say that in addition to the trash left that WE are dealing with, there were 15 bags of garbage at the curb last week plus the 96-gallon trash and recycling bins the waste mgmt company supplies.

A rotting teak patio set (left around my fire pit) went to the curb.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: LilyFestre
Date: 29 Apr 18 - 04:09 PM

This morning I sorted through paper clutter. Funny how even though I do go through it periodically, it piles up and up and up. Ah well, it's done for now! :)

One load of no longer used toys and clothing made it's way to Goodwill this weekend although I cannot take credit for it. Jeremiah did some sorting in his room and Pete delivered it to Goodwill yesterday as I was on a bus trip to Buffalo to see Phantom of the Opera (which was outstanding by the way).

We added 5 turkeys to our little homestead this weekend too. They are so much more quiet than chicks.....

Have a great week everybody!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Apr 18 - 04:23 PM

Too bad the neighbors didn't think to alert you to what was going on. And since he was staying there with your permission, chances are the police aren't going to be helpful. I'm so sorry. There is still a reputational aspect and I bet the word can get around that reparations are in order and not to trust this kid. And you could always get some small satisfaction by going through small claims court to get some cash or materials back. (I'm sorry to say his behavior sounds like something my youngest brother would have pulled at that age. Or this age, come to think about it. I wouldn't trust him as far as I can throw him, but when you first meet, he's all accommodating and pleasant.)

Quick stop at the neighborhood garden center for a few seed packs and a couple of bedding plants (tomatoes and strawberries). Big chunk of cardboard that was once in the dog stall is now in the village recycle bin, and the last few parts of a 3-piece office desk dropped off at Goodwill. My next door neighbor stopped in to catch up on the work they're doing and as often happens we found ourselves standing beside the garden talking and pulling weeds.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Apr 18 - 07:10 PM

The neighbors DID,and that's why I wasn't too shocked to buckle down to deal with it-- but I didn't my post about that last weekend.... and they hadn't been inside, to see the extent.

~S~