Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Dec 17 - 02:18 PM

(((Acme)))

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Dec 17 - 09:47 AM

Life is much less complicated this morning, no pills to administer, no dithering over food choices, the two dogs like their dry food and inhaled it like usual. The weather is another matter - thunder and lightning had them complaining and in my room at the crack of the unseen-dawn. Life goes on.

I've continued to list a few more eBay items and as close as we are to the holidays I've included a photo with holiday decorations in the background to suggest the gift-worthiness of some of them. After the holiday I'll revise those listings and change out the main photos on any that don't sell by then.

Looks like the weather is finally lifting. Thunder instead of snow is typical. We rarely get a white xmas here, and over the last couple of years it was positively balmy. I may be able to choose between indoors and outdoors for my big project over the holiday break. Outdoors, work on arranging the broken concrete pavers into position by the front porch; indoors, put down new tile in the hall bathroom.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Dec 17 - 03:51 PM

After I wrote that last post I gathered up the leashes and took the dogs on a short walk into the woods across the road - this is their absolute favorite place for walks, best in cool weather without ticks and when the leaves are off of poison ivy. We did one last full-sensory walk for my elderly pitbull, because I called this morning to make her final appointment at the vet. She'd been ill for a while, but over the weekend things started go to more wrong, and there was no getting over this. There were still wags and kisses left, but they were few and farther between and she wasn't happy any more. The other dogs kept examining her, and one of them sat quietly and licked her eyes yesterday, like they were maybe hurting and needed attention. She loved to have her face and ears rubbed.

I realize I haven't walked the dogs much lately because she wasn't feeling good, but now walks will be therapy for the other two. They have to adjust to the pack being smaller (seriously - if you take one dog out without the other two, that dog is distressed because they feel they need to go everywhere together.)

I've had better days, but as sad as this is, it is a relief, because I realize that keeping her on medications (hoping to keep her comfortable) was more for me than for her when the kind thing would have been to do this months ago. I was trying to spare my own heart, yet mourning her soon-to-be departure every day.

Pets are complicated. I don't call them "fur babies" or act like they're my children, but they are definitely non-human people in the family. I had to tell the next door neighbor, who has been giving each dog a biscuit a day over the back fence for the last dozen years. And the kids. And the ex. And the friends who I think sometimes come to see my dogs more than to see me. . .

I don't plan to start a special thread or post any more about this, but I'll use this one day and this one thread to share. There are all kinds of loss, categories of mourning. We expect to outlive our pets, so as painful as their loss is, I don't expect it to rise to the level of other passings discussed in this thread.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Dec 17 - 09:37 AM

I'm still working on stuff to mail - as long as it's postmarked before the 25th that will be the accomplishment, I think. I thought I did better last year with my holiday cards, but I've received only a couple so far, so I must have fallen off of a lot of card lists in the last year.

My real (SLR) camera is used for durable projects, but so much of my photography happens with my phone these days. My last phone, the LG G4 that died suddenly had an excellent camera; I'm not as thrilled with the LG V20, but I have to sit down and learn how to use some of the features I turned off for the time being. Like the double camera - maybe its meant to take stereoscopic photos? I saw an offer from Shutterfly that will make square unframed mounts of phone photos that can be put up in a grid - I can't find it now, it was probably in an email somewhere, but it was a cute idea, something Jeremiah could be infinitely creative with.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: LilyFestre
Date: 17 Dec 17 - 10:09 PM

Plans were made today for the upcoming holiday break. Jeremiah currently has the smallest bedroom in the house..there simply was no need for a little boy to have a larger space. The time has come for me to downsize my quilting room and switch rooms with him. He needs more space to spread out, room for a table to draw on or leave a puzzle or lego creation out. I'm not opposed to things being out in the general living areas of the house except our animals seem to love the Legos as much as Jeremiah.....Oatie, in particular, likes to chomp on them...not good for him or the Legos. This switch will give him about 150% more room than he currently has. And if the truth be told, I only use half the room I currently have for quilting. The rest is a catch all and most of it can go. There's an old chair that was my Nana's but hasn't been used since we moved here in the late 1990s, an enlarger for a darkroom that I had hoped to build will be looking for a new home and just random STUFF. I even have toys in that room that were purchased for Jeremiah, tucked away to use for Christmas or birthday gifts and have been outgrown. Can you say donation? Some of my coworkers have smaller children and they will get first dibs and then things will be set out for our clients with young children to take as desired.

I just did some thinking about the room I currently am using...it has 8...yes EIGHT...bookshelves! One is all photo albums, 2 are loaded with books and the rest have toys or fabric....*cough*   I am thinking of selling some of my stash. I have so much but my sewing time is so limited. There are so many quilters in this area that I don't think it would take much to sell it off piecemeal. Hmmm. I don't know.......I'm going to have to go the IKEA route...vertical!   LOL   We shall see how it pans out. I have very little time off for Christmas but I think we can make a good dent and get it started. Jeremiah is excited to have ALL his toys in his room. I am excited to have some extra space in our living room!   

I'd say I have about 85% of my Christmas wrapping done. I'm proud of myself for not going overboard this year. :) Jeremiah is getting his first real camera. He currently uses a Kindle to take photos and like me, he LOVES to take pictures. I can't wait to see what he does with a real camera.....it's incredible what he does with the Kindle.

Michelle

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Dec 17 - 07:21 PM

PA:

Now that my son in the Toledo area has an extra car he can loan me to use in Ohio, I'm planning to drive a rental truck to Ohio instead of beating my old car to death with towing a heavy, open cargo trailer-- and stay there til Hardi joins me for summer vacay and then ride back with him.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 17 Dec 17 - 07:09 PM

Beaver: (14 December)
The signal here is SO iffy! I lost the last post even though I copied it, in case. I gave up and turned off the computer ready for trip to Montreal and when I turned it back on, no copy. So writing this as draft email; they do not get lost. Have not had a signal since 10th. Tech support cannot help. I need a different system; this is de-cluttering my wallet and cluttering my brain.

The trip to Montreal is put off to tomorrow due to minus 26 C this am and a DEAD battery! Not even a whisper. My neighbour tried but DEAD! So, plan D, called friends who always say, "call us if you need..." It took over two hours. Carol, wisely, stayed home. Yes, it was dead. So dear John took out the old one - with great difficulty, and we drove to Canadian Tire (about 6 minutes.). They tested it; definitely need new one. Purchased it and we drove back. It took him about an hour, again, and a trip home for something to help the job. A retired engineer, he is meticulous about doing the best possible job. I wonder what I can ever do to return this incredible favour. They will soon be leaving to winter in southern Texas. I am sure they are preparing their house here for its lonely winter.

The last time this happened - in the mid-80s - I was able to remove the battery, hitch into town (5 miles) get a new one and hitch back, install it and - Voila! Nice little Datsun.

While I waited for John and while he was working, I brought in lots of firewood!

By this time is was after 1 pm and I went to town (4 minutes) and picked up newspapers, went to Community Care and read onto computer, went to the "Family Health Team" office and turned in my application to have a doctor, nice chat with his super nice receptionist. I might need a doctor someday so I thought I had best take this opportunity, for which I have waited several months. He is young; I hope he is willing to learn. I shall put off meeting him as long as possible.

I got here on 5th and did laundry but not much else. It is fairly tidy but could use vacuuming; maybe before I leave in the am. Geez, I was doing so well getting ready this am, was right on time - and then... tried to start car... But now I can get an early start and get into city before rush hour and find my way through the construction on the highway - due for another year or two but changing almost daily - while it is still light.

I did phone R this am and told him, "My car won't start! I need you to come right now..." Joking of course; our house guest had gotten that call from wife on a Gulf island (BC) about two weeks ago so he left a week earlier than planned. She did get a mechanic to fix car. The situation required a lengthy one on one therapy session with him; R said I did a good job! He has elephant ears.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Dec 17 - 09:25 PM

Donation box emptied, all dropped off at Goodwill. Large bag of recycling dropped off at the bins behind city hall. Post office checked (this time of year I need to go more often, a few people do send cards there.) The kitchen is clean, the laundry is finished (alas, as tissue was in a pocket and had to be scooped out of the dryer lint in pieces).

re: Susan's "ancient technology," I always search eBay before donating or adding electronics to the e-waste bin at work. It is amazing what people are still buying these days. Often times they are listed as for repair or parts, but they still sell. There are lots of garage tinkerers out there just looking for the right part to come along to fix something else, or keeps a steady supply of refurbished devices on the market for those who are still analog, etc.

Charmion, my ex didn't park his car in the garage for many years. After a guy who needed space to work on the new garage door opener and some drywall moved everything out of the center of the garage (compressed it), he has been once again parking there, amid boxes and mattresses. One mattress will soon be given to a friend, giving more door room for the small Toyota. When I built the garage at my house I swore that 1) I would no longer pay for storage and 2) I would clear things out enough so I could park in the garage. There have only been a couple of times when I wasn't able to. I parked outside by choice for a while when one of the dogs decided it was a game to run down the driveway to greet me once the door opened; I put up a gate to keep them out of the main part of the garage and that no longer happens. I now park in the garage every night.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Dec 17 - 09:23 PM

It's snowing again, and both our cars are in the garage. Yes!!!

Neil from across the street dropped by to discuss our busy month and take a peek at the results. He says we might be the only people in the neighbourhood with a two-car garage who use it for -- gasp! -- parking two cars! He walks his dog for what seems hours a day, and is therefore an expert on what Stratford people do with their houses. If Neil says every garage on the street is full of cardboard boxes, I believe him.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Dec 17 - 09:15 PM

I'm not fessing up to My Fitness Pal about the state of my caloric intake today. It was one of those days that I need to declutter via a couple of days of fasting in the coming week. A sandwich before going to an afternoon movie with co-workers (a holiday tradition) and then the temptation of theater food . . .

eBay things are starting to move - several this week, so I need to list more over the weekend. Since friends are coming for lunch on Sunday I'm motivated to vacuum and put out more of the ornaments for the house. If it warms up a bit I need to work on the area in front of the porch, where those broken concrete pavers will go. Down here we don't expect to be covered with a layer of snow, so that kind of work can happen year-round. There is never a shortage of stuff to do around here.

The bin where I collect items to donate is full, so that's another trip, along with recycling the paper buildup. Charmion, I had a whole bunch of coffee mugs and decided to take the extras to work and add to the community kitchen. Some of them disappeared because people liked them and took them home, but I still see a few floating around the office. At least they're getting used.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 15 Dec 17 - 09:48 AM

The cabinet-makers finished the dining room yesterday, and we unpacked all but three of the last 10 movers' boxes. Garage parking à deux begins on Sunday for sure, possibly Saturday evening. I can hardly wait; I have already spent way too much time scraping ice off the car and winter has barely begun.

Sure enough, a new nest of household excess is now forming in the basement in anticipation of the church rummage sale in the spring. The coffee cups alone could fill a table -- Hmmm. Gotta find the local drop-in centre and move those on right away.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Dec 17 - 02:34 PM

PS I have a local taker for the ancient Game Boy and games-- a friend is making a display for her kids on ancient gaming history and these were in the sort/donate box Hardi and I started upstairs. She's a home schooler and will also take most of the box of farm/nature books, leaving a smaller and more specialized subset to media-ship to our homesteading son in Californy.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Dec 17 - 01:43 PM

PA:

The winter freeze has hit with arctic air settling over our region. This can last days... or months.

Remarkable what a little sleep will do! I awoke thinking about the annual attempt to warm up the kitchen, resulting from annual house sinking, and whizzed up a dog-corner curtain to reduce drafts, using a bolt of flannel I'd found in the upstrs landing closet-- obviously don't want to spend anything more on the house at this point.

It's a 170" continuous length of flannel hemmed at each end, folded in the middle to form a ruffled rod pocket. The two layers of the finished 85" panel hold insulating air, hung a few inches to the inside, in the 82" tall door's framing.

I mocked it up with safety pins before Hardi left for work and he hung it on a tension rod already on hand... it covers the door to Dog World. Newbie learned how to nose thru a hallway curtain in Ohio I'd hung for privacy, so she'll have no trouble getting thru this one, but we'll also rig a string thru a screw-eye to pull it aside when not needed on warmer days.

By hanging this and Hardi's work last night blocking the draft at the threshold with a cut piece of rubber stall matting-- and then turning up the morning thermostat a few degrees-- it's no longer too cold in the kitchen to breathe with bronchitis.

I've been cycling thru the dnstrs comfortably all morning putting away laundry, groceries, and clutter; Hardi may stitch up the hems and top pocket tonight and cut the stall mat threshold in half to make a double-thick layer of it. We're also thinking of adding a strip of it across the lower edge of the door, to hang meeting the threshold.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Dec 17 - 10:59 PM

Have helped rearrange other people's clutter today; a co-worker (the one with new wood floors) got rid of what he realized was an ancient mattress when he emptied his house in preparation for the flooring work. He has been pricing new mattresses, and after extra expenses on the floors feared he'd have to sleep on his air mattress for a long time until he can afford the new mattress. But wait! My ex has a barely-used queen-sized mattress in his garage.

The backstory: he bought a high-end latex mattress, they are incredibly heavy and durable. When the box was opened, there was a conspicuous cosmetic flaw. He called to complain, they replaced it but said "don't return the other one." The shipping was too much for a return. The second mattress also had a major cosmetic flaw, so they sent a THIRD expensive latex mattress. So, he took the standard mattress off of our son's bed at his house, put it in the garage, and put the flawed latex on the box springs. I claimed the other one when my standard mattress began to cause back pain from years of use.

The standard mattress in the garage was wrapped in plastic, and is in excellent condition. My friend will borrow a truck and pick this one up, freeing room in the garage and sparing himself much more time on the air mattress.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 13 Dec 17 - 10:20 AM

Today, the painters are back, the cabinetmakers are due to complete tomorrow, and the dreaded electricians will make their final visit on Friday. Then I get to pay them all, which will flatten our bank account to a very thin scraping of capital, if anything is left at all. Whoopee.

Perth County lies under a thick blanket of new snow, after two days of squalls. Everything in Stratford stopped dead yesterday afternoon at about three when folks who live out in the country realized they had to go home RIGHT NOW or find a flop in town. The lady handling the contract to make our very special bedroom curtains called to apologize profusely because the custom-made traverse tracks had not arrived from London. I told her that I did not want anyone going into the ditch on my account (a ferocious cross-wind scours Highway 7 in these conditions), and she was almost pitifully grateful. She must deal with a lot of diva clients.

Subject: Putting-Away Trick: Fly-By
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Dec 17 - 12:01 PM

I acidentally discovered that some chores are better done as a fly-by.

It was clean and folded laundry in need of being put away.... for various logistical reasons, this time I couldn't just pick up the basket, take it to the waiting, empty shelves, and unload.

The full basket happened to have landed in a place I have to pass every hour on the way TO the shelves... so I spontaneously grabbed just a few items off the top of the basket, took them with, and stuck them on the shelf.

By the end of the day, not one but two baskets were empty, yet I had never "done" the job (the way my brain had been trained to do the job). Therefore neither the practical barrier to do it was here, nor any dread/hoardy habits/processes either.

I'm going to start doing other things that way as well. A tall, skinny trash receptacle, for instance, can sit in these walkway areas. I'm pretty sure my eye can spot purge-able items to sweep up as I walk around in here. A folding tray table can also be deployed to hold baskets or boxes of items that need to be on their way elsewhere.

I'm going to try this technique with pesky boxes of "sort later" (boring) things, too, several of which are annoying me by still being here. They do have a very small amount of buried stuff I need to pull out, and are in boxes I can use for moving!

....

PA:

Hardi relieved a ton of my accumulating stress this AM by dry-fitting a box in the car, which is the same size as two very heavy, large boxes I'd begun to worry might not even fit thru the car doors for the Jan. 1 trip to Ohio. He not only got the empty one in-- he turned it in way that creates SO MUCH more space than I had envisioned. Now I know that eveything else I want to take can go, and these boxes don't need to sit on the exterior hitch platform (blocking the license plate). But the scooter and my walker can, UNDER the plate!

~S~

Subject: Garage Attic and Archive Storage
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Dec 17 - 07:19 PM

PA:

I don't plan this idea-generation in advance-- ideas just come to me so I note them, to recall them later.

Here's one-- I used to picture my work product archive in an Ohio garage office, with floor space. Then I got to liking the garage for other stuff!

The new, better idea is to commandeer the overhead space I've been clearing of seller's crap since the closing-- *none of which, I now realize, was water/insect damaged.*

Over the garage door is a superb shelf, easily accessed for my archives. Over the back end of the garage is another planked area for larger boxes. Our music books could go up there (or vice versa).... and . . . I'm sure my mind will fill in the blanks. And all that is stuff we could move NOW.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 Dec 17 - 03:33 PM

PA:

Bronchial crud breaking up this AM. Rest ydy appeared to be needed but attrition to back muscles bad (very sore). Done (working together) tdy:
Sortes freezers.
Cleared attic stairwell of tarps.
Sorted/visual inventory of attic boxes.
Whipped kitchen.
Crockpotted misc weird freezer stuff.

Packed for transit to Ohio: wedding linens and a few Liberation Library books (to fill box), plus canvas drop cloth. Linens to be ready for next joint OH trip (Valentine's hopefully).

Car space for large car boxes for January trip is now committed, so now I'm down to choosing among small items. Even with the hitch-mounted cargo platform, it will be tight... but I don't plan to take the scooter because I do NOT want to tow in January thru 3 snow regions!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 09 Dec 17 - 09:49 AM

The granite was installed on Thursday, and it looks grand. Just grand. We also now have a fully functional sink and dishwasher, and a stove with an exhaust hood so real cookery may resume.

The dining room table is still out with the refinisher, so we brought the plastic folding six-foot table up from the basement and we're eating off that (how vulgar). But dinner tonight will not be something pre-fab from the freezer, but roast chicken with our favourite accompaniments, especially a nice sauvingnon blanc drunk out of actual wine glasses.

Life is good in Stratford.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Dec 17 - 09:52 PM

Are your new counter tops in, Charmion? How does the kitchen look?

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Dec 17 - 11:22 AM

Last week I brought home some posters that I described to some facebook friends; they had to relax from being rolled in the tube for a long time, so today I finally stood on a dining room chair and photographed each one laid out on a sewing cutting board (for the grid background). For the cost of a mailing tube and postage, I'll send them to new homes. My intent was to rescue and rehome these old posters (and keep only one of them to put on my guest room wall - one room with sparse decoration).

It's the time of year to wrap up medical things (for this tax year), get the holiday letter written, prepare to mail gifts. I also need to plan for the long holiday break - I try to do at least one project around the house. What will it be this time? Paint is usually the most affordable material for makeovers, though the hall bathroom floor is crying out for new tile.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Dec 17 - 10:55 AM

The guest room bookcase purge done. Packed 1 large donation box, 2 sm boxes to media ship to the Liberation Library I house and curate in Ohio, and added many nature items to a FFA/4H box to donate.

Upstairs landing closet: found batting to fix one flattened pillow and a zippered pillowcase for another, and put those on.

Packed 1 contractor bag w linens for transit to Ohio. Found lap fleece for chilly computer corner.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Dec 17 - 10:34 PM

You're going to have one heck of a xmas season, Charmion, trying out the new spaces and deciding what to toss from the storage areas.

I am seriously thinking about emptying the part of the house where (currently) my kitchen table, the extra freezer, and lots of cook book cases and the Kitchen Queen (this isn't mine, but it's similar - mine is painted in ivory enamel and doesn't have the flour sifter like that one) live. I've wondered if it would work as an informal living area with the sofa, coffee table and TV, and move some of the big furniture pieces into the nearby den. It would be better if there wasn't a six-inch step down into the den - one of my top-of-the list projects (filling in that six inches with concrete to level the house.)

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 06 Dec 17 - 09:57 AM

Yeah, I guess I'm bragging; I feel entitled to after all the sturm und drang of power tools and filth. I don't dare complain; we're too close to completion and anything that doesn't actually hinder the next (last!) stage of the project will just have to wait.

Further to Acme's remarks about emptying rooms: Yes, traumatic as it is at our age, moving across the province and into a very different kind of house forced us to do just that. We de-cluttered significantly before the move, and when we got here we could see immediately what more to shed. I'm not sure that all the stuff we should shed will actually leave, but that's a work in progress.

Tony the carpenter is back, so the house is shaking and vibrating again. Today is primarily baseboards and window trim, getting ready for the arrival of the stone counter-tops tomorrow. The gas-fitter should be coming today, too, and the cabinetmaker's journeyman to install the range hood (maximum suckage!). Lots of work boots in and out; I hope the cats hunker down for the day.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Dec 17 - 08:17 PM

A friend of mine from work had to empty his small (1500sf) house in order to have the wood floors completely redone after they buckled badly from moisture damage. As he puts things back (some went into the garage, the big stuff was packed and taken by movers to storage) he is choosing to put back just enough in each room, and the rest will be tossed or given away. He'll end up with a house that looks larger because it isn't so cluttered (he's an artist, and has an eye for interesting objects, so there will be some good stuff going out to the curb).

I suppose one way to emulate that kind of transformation would be to empty everything out of a given room and then put back just what fits. Charmion has been doing a version herself. Perhaps a good project over the long holiday break.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Donuel
Date: 05 Dec 17 - 01:23 PM

Tremendous bragging and nearly no complaining? messiah.
You are obviously on the right track and will have a wonderful holiday.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 04 Dec 17 - 09:24 AM

This morning we have a trifecta of tradesmen with not only the cabinet installers, but also the plumber and a brace of electricians. Appliances -- fridge, stove and dishwasher -- are due this afternoon. But just as we were getting all excited, the contractor told us that the counter-tops won't come until Thursday. Bummer.

Today we enter the fifth week of Operation Kitchen. The dining-room floor is laid -- not quite the right colour, but we're trying to put that behind us, and the cabinets are built and about 80 percent installed. The door to the ground-floor loo has been installed and most of the pantry is in place. Still to come (as well as counter-tops): the wash-basin and its cabinet in the loo, and door-handles and pulls for all the doors and drawers. When all *that* is done, Patrick the painter will make a return visit.

Oy, I forgot: I chose the wrong colours. I must talk with Patrick ...

While the house is in tumult, life goes on elsewhere. I sang in the chorus in the annual production of Handel's "Messiah" on Saturday evening, the first such concert I have done in years and years. It was a blast; thanks to its theatre festival, Stratford has lots of great musicians. Himself is on a bit of a health kick, working out at the gym, hiking miles and miles, and tracking his diet with an on-line diet diary. About five pounds from now, he will fit into his kilt and Sheriffmuir jacket, an objective for Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas, he went to the butcher on Saturday and ordered a goose and a tourtière -- there's no way I'll have time to find a source of ground venison and bake it myself. I must, however, strain every nerve to find a fishmonger who will sell me a salmon appropriate for making gravlax. Stratford lacks a fish supplier, so I might have to go to Kitchener or even London for the right stuff.

With two refrigerators, I won't have to juggle beer and salad makings to make room for the marinating fish. Luxury!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Dec 17 - 12:12 PM

I started digging out around the front of the porch - that foundation for the former huge garden planter seems to rim where the wall went, it isn't a platform extending out from the porch. I'll uncover what I can and figure out how deep I want to dig to remove roots and put down gravel to support my pavers. I see a couple of trips down to the creek today with buckets to tote up to the wheelbarrow. I've done this before - the creek is an endless source of limestone pebbles.

The challenge this morning was to get the phone to upload backup photos to the correct dropbox folder. Virtual storage is as important as avoiding clutter.

I gave a few family members one of the Jacquie Lawson advent calendars that Jacqui C got me hooked on several years ago. I wonder how long it will take them to discover the mindless joys of crunching virtual hard candies (the online equivalent of popping bubble wrap) or working puzzles. :-) Charming time-wasters, or therapy, depending on how you view it.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: LilyFestre
Date: 02 Dec 17 - 11:15 PM

I've gotten 3 large garbage bags ready to be donated. In addition, today we did the majority of the decorating for Christmas and I have a tote full of things we haven't used in years...time to donate those as well.

I'm struggling with bronchitis...second round of it in just under a month. UGH. I have 3 full days of on the road work coming up next week not to mention 2 normal in the office days....I do NOT have time to be sick! Given my coughing fits, we decorated, took a break, decorated more, took another break, etc....it took longer than usual but the tree is up and several favorite pieces are out with normal items packed up until January. The tree is probably the most beautiful tree we've ever had. It's about 7 feet tall, perhaps a bit taller and covered with 750 colored lights plus all the ornaments. I love sitting here beside it in the quiet with the all the Christmas tree lights to add soft light to the room.

Michelle

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Dec 17 - 01:48 PM

Kitchen re-organization....

I'm battening down the kitchen hatches for winter, knowing how hard it will be sometimes to get out for supplies-- and how the annual/attempted barn rat invasion will go.

Forty pounds of potato flakes and previous bulk rice purchases... minus my late mom's waffle iron... I've just about done it. There's a 20 lb bag of tater flakes yet to stow-- just need one more popcorn can, and I'm sure to spot one at Tuesday's grocery run.

I think store-bought tubs of mashed also can be frozen so I'm going to try a batch; there are days I'm too sore to deal with making them. I have a bunch of turkey/chicken stock to make them with.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Dec 17 - 12:00 PM

Posted separately due to fone limit on post size....

Yesterday the kitchen recycling end of the house was wrestled back to My Way instead of Bachelor Way, because My Way is ACCESSIBLE way. The food program has been heading that way as well, so the result was a nutritious hot breakfast made with minimal fuss, instead of a power bar.

We worked together to identify the issues and solutions, and then to implement the changes... then ran off to dinner and hockey FUN!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Dec 17 - 11:55 AM

Acme, thanks for the Roebic update. Great use of it.

The job now is not weather dependent-- identify/package purgeables, and trash/recycle weekly w household trash/recycling. There's room here to hold donations til weather and schedule and strength coinicide-- as they did yesterday, when 5 small book boxes went to the accessible-entrance library.

To top off the last book box, I had to venture into a second rooom's bookcase, and surprised myself at the ratio of Purge/Maybe Keep; I had thought those would be mostly Def Keep... but nope! Away 60% went-- painlessly. Half the shelf is already done, because I grabbed another box and Hardi was available to carry them down to join the two brought down earlier. (There's a downstairs table where 2-3 donation smalls can sit until transit, plus more space I created upstairs).

Perhaps the book equation is different in light of Kindle technology, and knowing who is getting some of the categorized items also helps-- I have another 5 categorized boxes, almost ready to deliver/media-ship.

This is very encouraging when I contemplate more shelves yet to confront: the feeling of being overwhelmed is disappearing because I do know, now, how I can handle those areas.

Thursday, I rearranged another upstairs space slightly-- which improved that space as well as opening access to a closet to store more packed items out of the way. Half its contents can flow to Ohio now, into the linen closet shelves I added-- away from annually-invading barn rays and into the space for instant decor when our king bed moves south. So that box will be packed next.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 02 Dec 17 - 11:43 AM

Montreal:

Charmion! Orchids amongst the computers sounds great!

New modem: Netgear aircard is working SO much better than the old model which was driving me crazy. This one turns on an off in a moment so I hope it will be more efficient and less expensive, though I do not understand what it is that costs...

I visited the two possible home sites off Island - after car was finally repaired Thurs - with two new tires on front due to one having been destroyed by broken coil spring rubbing on it. After over $2000 in repairs there is the - maybe I should have gotten a new vehicle instead! But we never know. Well de-cluttered finances! And the thought of planning to be able to obtain a new car in the next year or so. R says, "wait until something goes wrong"! NO! I do not want to be at the mercy of a car dealer at the wrong time of year...

So I picked up the car in Chateauguay and started looking for these two houses by "instinct", for lack of a map. I found a marvellous treasure! Totally lost I ended up following signs for a "refuge faunatique" and found a beautiful facility - cafe and visitor's centre for the wildlife refuge which entails most of a large island between the Chateauguay River and the Saint Lawrence. Ile St. Bernard was a "nuns" island so it is historic, with a convent as well. I was vibrating with excitement; it was so wonderful. The nice man at the cafe gave me directions to one address - a small suburban house tucked between others but backing onto another huge nature preserve! The whole area is mainly swampy! What else can be done with it!!! It is half a block (west) of the Chateauguay R. as well. The pics on line look good; we have both looked at them thoroughly and find it OK. A big clean basement and a shed in back yard, 3 BRs (one for a library), and a decent K, back deck, etc.

Then I managed to find the other one which has a darkness to it. I have not bothered to show R. So, IF this house sells, it is possible we can buy something else. Whether or not R will go for the extra distance...? But I have not yet taken him to Ile St Bernard! He has seen the booklet and seen it on line - Beautiful, Maggie! To be five minutes away from real country - not agricultural!- and near two rivers!

The plot would be to spend more time with R so he eats better... Meanwhile, someone is coming tomorrow to see house and R has some de-cluttering to do!! This is an "as is" sale, if at all but a person has to be able to SEE it! I cleaned up some dust with a damp cloth and have a headache for my trouble. Back to Beaver on Monday for a couple weeks then back here in hopes of getting R to Beaver for Christmas.

It would be such a joy to have a decent home here and be able to spend safe time with R. AS we get older, this is becoming an issue - in my mind, at least. Driving still affects ankle and dust is my worst enemy!

My big job to day is to concoct something substantial for a potluck to night. Starting with beans (on stove), rice (next in line), veggies and seasoning. Ah, yes, ye useful onion, celery...

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Dec 17 - 10:30 AM

Last night before bed I poured Roebic foaming crystals poured down the nifty front-yard sewer cleanout, then two flushes of the toilet to position the chemical in the line to kill tree roots. I'll be doing some landscaping around that area today, moving defacto paving blocks (broken concrete from the front path) into position next to the porch.

Charmion, we all await news of the progress at your house, and Dorothy, keep us abreast of news of your various domiciles. Susan, are you still moving as much stuff now that it's winter (and presuming snow season)? Lurkers - have you performed some magical clearing of your homes that you'd like to share with the declutter thread readers?

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Dec 17 - 12:46 AM

Killed most of the day today waiting at home for the phone delivery. I did get some work done for work, but since my existing phone was dead I wasn't able to uninstall many of my security two-factor accounts, so I've had to set them up in the new phone or logon via the computer and disengage then reinstall so they point at this phone. It often involves a barcode displayed on the computer that the phone software then scans. This is necessary phone clutter in this day and age.

Lovely weather, no rain lately. The yard will be drying out (soil gets rock hard) but after so much disturbance, I imagine I can still get a shovel into it to start working around the front porch.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Nov 17 - 11:08 PM

It appears to have been the phone, not the battery at fault in my lack of connectivity this week. The new one should arrive tomorrow.

Meanwhile, I have taken WYSIWYG's advice and looked at root killers. My new sewer line is attached to the old one near the house, and it's fine there (and has a new two-way cleanout a few feet from the house), but the last segment that dips down to the street level may still be subject to roots because they didn't want to get too close to the gas line during installation. The connection left some of the old line down there to be safe. (Wise men.) I picked up a jar of the foaming root killer (yes, $20 seems expensive, until you see the bill from the plumber!) to do this weekend, and a bottle of Zeb, that will be used every few months after that to maintain the line free of roots. One evening this weekend I'll pour the powder into the cleanout out in the yard then flush a couple of times to push it to where it needs to be (to stay in the line overnight). The guy at Home Depot was impressed with my description of our setup and we discussed the options - the folks who work there enjoy being more than just sales clerks.

eBay stuff is starting to move - even for small sellers this is the season. I'll put up more listings this weekend - the plan is to spend days in the yard, evenings working in the sun room.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 30 Nov 17 - 10:03 AM

The dining-room floor was laid yesterday, and it is beautiful -- even though it is very obviously not the same shade of brown as the abutting floor in the sitting room. That's the last time I consult Himself on a colour comparison and let his opinion over-rule my doubts.

The sample board provided by the flooring supplier was more of a hindrance than a help. No matter how I held it, I could not align any of the most likely samples with the existing floor. Also, during the week we had it, Stratford lay under a blanket of cloud that made high noon look like supper-time, making colour discrimination that much more difficult.

We had a short, blunt discussion of the issue yesterday and decided that we shall never mention it again. If necessary, we can use it as a litmus test for potential jerks; he who mentions it in criticism can be safely identified as a jerk and never asked back.

Cabinet installation is going well, and the shape of the kitchen to come is now clearly evident. It will work, and it will look "sharp" as Himself says. The counter-tops (five slabs of granite) and the new appliances are due to arrive on Monday, which will therefore be fraught with incident.

Meanwhile, in other parts of the forest, I am cleaning up after the plaster work. The forced-air heating system distributed grey powder throughout the house, so I have been wiping and vacuuming as if expecting an inspection by the Admiral of the Fleet. After a day of cleaning dusty books, my voice is reduced to a creak and I sneeze volcanically -- but the damn' books and the shelves they sit on are clean! Well, clean-ish. As clean as aging books can be expected to be.

The north-facing window of the study has proved perfect for my collection of orchids, which are putting out flower spikes at a great rate. They look a bit ... shall we say ... surprising, among the computer equipment and bookcases, but their continuing vitality perks me up no end.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Nov 17 - 10:35 PM

It's amazing to consider how much activity and information is packed into the tiny space that is my smart phone. And how naked I feel without it. The phone or the battery died suddenly today. I tried various things, nothing worked. I have another one on order, should arrive on Friday, and if this is fixed before then I'll return that one unopened. I found a battery place in town to go test this Powerbear battery (that has a warranty); if it's dead, I'll wait for the replacement. I've lined up my ducks to get the battery replacement if that's called for (I hope they still make it.) I wish I'd kept the other battery; it lost it's charge quickly but still worked, I could have used it to test the phone now. I seem to keep everything, but not that. :-/

Fairly recent used phones can be sold on eBay; I've done it. But I can't sell a non-working one because it's full of my data.

I have other things to do around here, but that is a major distraction. I am continuing a project from last winter, soaking some old lace table cloths and linens to see if I can bring them back to white or cream color. Some to keep, some to sell on eBay. And I have sewing stuff spread out on the dining table again.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Nov 17 - 11:10 PM

I remember seeing photos of the neighboring house - it's in a great area, someone should get it and actually do the fixing-up, Dorothy. And treat it the way it needs to be treated. And you two can move on, as you say, to a less complicated and tidy living space.

I took the year off of the title of this thread. It's puttering along quietly, and with mudcat loading faster now, should do well enough for at least the next year. I can add 2018 into the title in the New Year - if the number is what helps you spot the thread.

One more eBay item sold, they're going at about one a week now, and I'm keeping up, getting more listed every couple of weeks. This isn't fast, but they add up to enough to pay at least one bill each month. For now, it'll be a modest vet bill as the oldest dog is kept comfortable. I have a lot more stuff to list.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 27 Nov 17 - 08:07 PM

Montreal

Charmion! You are living in a situation that would make me dreadfully ill in minutes. Breathing drywall dust and sawdust are very much not recommended. Perhaps you could, at least, tightly close the BR so you are not breathing in that stuff all night as well.

Tonight, I hope to broach the subject of finding a home for both of us in less urban Quebec - 30 minutes from the centre of R's work area rather than 15 minutes. I found 4 on line today at reasonable prices - small, suburban, with yards and parking. One even backs onto a nature preserve! This will be an initial suggestion and maybe shot down instantly but nothing ventured, nothing gained. I am concerned that he does not eat properly, by his own admission, when I am not in residence, cooking and serving his tired self.

Considering the condition of this house and the fact that he actually is considering the possibility of selling it, which, of course, does not mean it will happen in my lifetime but hope does spring eternal. Being rid of this derelict heritage house could be the most monumental bit of de-cluttering in both our lives!

We visited a friend of 49 years, and his wife, yesterday. We sat down in their modestly furnished but clean, comfortable and tidy LR and my first comment was "On my, a nice gentile, middle class LR!" (Very dear friends!) What a pleasure to be in an uncluttered LR, and DR! Maybe I have been away from Beaver too long.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness -2017- Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 27 Nov 17 - 09:13 AM

I spent the weekend wiping and vacuuming and mopping plaster dust off everything on the ground floor, where the sitting room furniture was once again veiled in grey and the cats were picking pussy paw-loads sufficient to mark every surface in every other part of the house. Then I did the same in our enormous bedroom, which contains five chests of drawers and a row of three floor-to-ceiling bookcases as well as a queen-sized bed. Upholstery got vacuumed and cushion covers laundered. The dryer whooshed and thumped for two days straight. My feet are a pair of hurtin' units now.

Only the study (seven floor-to-ceiling bookcases), Himself's office (two floor-to-ceiling bookcases), the guest room and the basement (eight floor-to-ceiling bookcases and five sections of storage shelving) to go. Not to speak of the furnace room and the laundry hole, where sawdust abounds ...

Cabinet installation begins today, hooray hooray hooray hooray! The cabinet-maker and his guys were loading their trailer when I called at 0850 hr to find out the order of march. I look forward to a week of visible progress!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness -2017- Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Nov 17 - 12:05 AM

The seasons are changing - and I'm chasing the Labrador retriever off of my sofa, so it's time to put the waterproof dog cover over it and it's theirs for the next couple of months. I need to declutter all of them of long nails so they don't rip it - I have a clipper, I just need to nerve myself to do it, without scaring them in the process. I can give them their annual immunizations, certainly I can clip nails.

Three Shark vacuum canisters full of dog hair emptied into the trash today. I went over all of the rugs and ran the wand through all of the corners.

It seems to be mostly dog stuff in this report - I also set up the compost enclosure, reinforced with three fence posts (the kind you pound in and catch the chicken wire in the little notches). I filled it with garden stuff and contents from three compost buckets. I scooped dog droppings from around the yard and scattered them in the bin and around the base. That will repel at least two of the three.

In the front, it will take me a while to empty that shallow bed and move in the pavers, but the shovel can live beside the kitchen door and a bucket is handy - a few minutes a day will get me there. My next door neighbors were glad to see the lights up already - for some of us, it's a sign of life. Someone got out and did something the neighborhood will notice (though I daresay the trench through the yard probably achieved that even more than two strings of lights). :)

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness -2017- Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Nov 17 - 10:14 AM

As I was drifting off to sleep last night I figured out how to use the broken up concrete resulting from two segments of my front path that were broken up during the sewer line replacement. I'll place them a couple of inches apart and fill in around them with pea gravel next to the front porch.

I did the same thing a number of years ago when next door broke up their concrete driveway to put down bricks. I put down chunks and pea gravel in an area where the dogs were always making the lawn muddy near the back gate. There's a lot of grass in it now, but the area is stable as far as the dogs running over it. Out front it will be easier to keep out the grass because the pavers and gravel will be on that bit of foundation. I was thinking about building a deck over the area, but this will work better and I can still put potted plants and a bench on that spot.

After yesterday's yard work I'll pace myself, I can feel a few sore muscles today. Dorothy and Charmion, I am amazed at everything you're doing these days. All of that activity is a great way to stay warm in winter.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness -2017- Clearing Out the House
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 26 Nov 17 - 10:13 AM

Montreal:

Charmion! Thank you for a good laugh - but so true!!

"A house is a hole in the ground into which you throw money, shovelful by shovelful."

Beaver is getting further tightened with rigid insulation on the floor upstairs and plywood on that. Dan says it looks like a real room now! It is high enough in the centre for a not-too-tall person to stand so we will be using it as a sleeping loft. He found lots of holes where cold was getting in. He is also going to do some structural strengthening before I get back. He also made styrofoam insert for me to put in the hole for the trapdoor-to-be. Currently, there was only a piece of plexiglass - which is great for letting light come down from upstairs windows but not very good for keeping heat downstairs. At night I can put insert in place; daytime have light!

I finally arrived at the house in Montreal to find R had actually decluttered enough of the LR that there is room for 5 chairs! and we can see the floor! Far from nice middle class gentility but a tremendous improvement. He did not have time to vacuum, alas!!! I am too fearful of dust to do that so it remains filthy around the edges. He did wash the wood floor. And cleared enough surface in the K that food prep was possible - with care.

Thank heavens for airbnb!

My beautiful granddaughter along with my 3rd ggd in utero and the father of such, arrived on 16th. We had a terrific weekend - at least from R and my point of view. A marvellous accordionist at the cafe in St. Isidore on Thurs, and a good meal. Fri, Ali and I went to a special Quaker meeting at Friend Molly's long term care facility; Molly was in far better shape than I expected - So terrific!

Then we picked up Jeremy and I took them to Old Montreal where we wandered around and had lunch in a small cafe. The big event was an evening at the Yellow Door Coffee House - where I worked for years and my young sons hung out, perforce! This was top priority for son Troy as he has such positive memories and it started him on the music track that has so enriched his life.

A quick side trip to the All Night Bagel Factory was also on the list and elicited a surprised response from the young ones. J posted an excellent pic on FB! Saturday, A & J walked up to the Fine Art Museum, spent the day and then walked back down to our place where we had chili, family photo albums and visiting until they walked the 5 blocks to their airbnb.

On Sunday, A, R and I went to meeting and pot luck then picked up J to go to a museum/house dating to late 1600s. Wow! Then to a big buffet restaurant - crowded bit not overly.

We got them to the plane on Monday and I collapsed. R went to work. Tues took car for a new oxygen sensor, thinking this was it - but NO, something wrong in the front wheel; have to order part from US, come back next week. Thursday, it started making a nasty noise. Fri, I arranged to leave it at the dealer en route to cafe; R followed me in his truck and we left my car and continued in truck. Good music, went to mill to pick up distiller as we were running out of distilled water. Stayed the night and left early (for us!) and had big BF at a restaurant.

My 10 days in Montreal is turning into almost 3 weeks. A friend is arriving next week to stay for 18 days. We will give him upstairs BR which is --oops, we cannot move our clothes up there until after this visit. R did live trap the rat!! We will use the new-to-us futon downstairs. Hope it is reasonably comfortable.

I have triaged a bunch of stuff to take to thrift shops and some to Beaver. It is a relief to be able to "swing a cat" in the LR. R is happy to have me cooking him good food. I am feeling appreciated. It was so wonderful to have Ali visit, and to meet J; they are fine young people. It does help de-clutter the mind to have assurance that the younger gen is fine.

Today R & I are having lunch with a very dear special friend from the 60s, and his wonderful wife. They have moved back to Montreal after many years in the USA.

I have given up thinking about dieting for now. Just eating good food.

My health consultant Connie, rose to the occasion after we talked a couple days ago about my discomfort/pain that resulted from the removal of lymph nodes 12 years ago. She found a post on line with good explanation and suggestions for self healing! R and I are so happy as it was becoming a serious issue. I posted it on FB.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness -2017- Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Nov 17 - 10:10 AM

Acme,

Yes, I've managed our meat supply that way now for years, and that's why we were able to squeeze in an actual Thanksgiving between a death call and a funeral (two different people/families, 36 hours apart), very smoothly. The difference this year is packing the freezer, also, in light of my planned absence and return, with the surprise meat sale... for which I had packaging materials already on hand.

A big change I'm looking forward to, when we retire, is not having to run it this way. We're actually too old for all this bulk management. I just wish my DIL's lived close enough to learn this approach to kitchen economy.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness -2017- Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Nov 17 - 04:25 PM

It's hard work preparing all of that meat but in the coming months you'll thank your past self again and again. I read a Boston Globe story from 2015 about former Gov. Michael Dukakis and his love of turkey stock - he takes the turkey carcass home with him from dinners at friends or family homes. I make stock with the carcass of turkey or chicken, though won't recruit other birds. There's a batch of soup in the fridge right now, and the fixings for another batch soon. He's also a gardener, and believes in not wasting food.

The back yard has been mowed, now to the major job out front - hauling the remnants of the vegetable garden back to the compost area. A friend gave me a compost enclosure thing I'm going to try out for some of this (including the food scraps from buckets can go into this - they've already broken down for weeks in a covered 5-gallon bucket, but you'd be amazed at what my pit bull will dig out of the regular compost pile). The front needs a lot more work, but I wanted the back to be ready to receive anything I haul from the front. I pulled out the holiday lights and I'll put them up this afternoon as well. There's a juniper that is perfect for decorations this year.

Subject: Bad Back in Motion for Rebuilding Stamina
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Nov 17 - 11:41 AM

PA

Bad Back in Motion, for Rebuilding Stamina

We were both so tired last night that we went to bed before 10pm and slept til 7:30 am. After a lazy wake-up Hardi planned to head out back to put on the snow plow blade (first bringing me cooked chix legs and breasts into kitchen), and I got to work with the next round of dishes-- big pans to dishwasher after a quick soak/scrub. Started chicken packing, which Hardi ferried to freezer as he passed by.

Next I grabbed more DW items from LR (keep that sore back in motion), added those, staeted the DW, refilled the vinegar jug, and took a bag of lamb to LR table to slice. This resulted in one feta-sauce glass pan of weekend eats, and 2 small bags for sammy/curry while I'm in Ohio (labeled).

I discovered the lamb shank cut off ydy but not cooked and frozen, that I chuckef into the freezer instead of poaching-- we need to close this project, and shanks are always slow-cooker fare anyway; so freezing twice = no problem for a future shared meal and bone for Newbie.

There's one giant pan left of chix thighs to pack, once the Lodine kicks in, at the LR table where I've already gathered the supplies. The glass pan with feta/lamb is in the nukerater for Greg to fire up when hungry after snow blade is installed. I'm not hungry, yet, having snacked on meat shreds as I packed meats.

It was an intense 1-1/4 hour in motion before my back screamed SIT. So Ah settin'. Oh yeah I spent an hour early this AM picking out 6 months of Saturday music and setting up the year's planner which involved removing half the pages to recycle-- it includes ALL saint's days for possible planning, but we use this only for Saturdays and leave the rest to the organist.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness -2017- Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Nov 17 - 09:23 AM

Last weekend I completed my self-assigned task and replaced the handles on my wheelbarrow. There is a brace between the posts down at the front end, and when the old handles were still on it shifted and the wheel scraped against it. I had to stop and move that loose brace to do much; now everything will stay where it is supposed to be. It feels like a new device. Today I'll use that barrow to pick up and move some of my concrete stepping stones that were moved across the yard out of the way of the work. And I need to mow the lawn for the last time this year (though I'll have the mower out a time or two more for mulching leaves.)

My fridge is full of food, even after I sent a lot home with people. Sweet potatoes for breakfast this morning - mmmm!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness -2017- Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Nov 17 - 09:43 PM

I didn't do much productive most of the day, just lounged around and enjoyed a day off. Something I rarely do.

This evening I made a pot of turkey soup; it's finishing simmering to let the rice I added cook completely, then it's into the fridge for meals over the weekend and next week. After having people in for the meal yesterday, the house is looking good. As the soup cooked I reduced the size of the dining table and put my sewing project out on it again. I puttered in the kitchen, clearing up, gluing, repairing, tossing a few things.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness -2017- Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Nov 17 - 05:05 PM

Fifty pounds of chicken at $50 (all breasts and leg quarters), plus several pounds of lamb (free), plus Monday's free turkey will equal one very full freezer for two people.

We cooked the chicken leg quarters and about 2/3 of the boneless/skinless chicken breast. The white meat will become either stir fry (six 2-portions ziplocs, shredded and frozen). The lamb went into two big ziplocs for meals already cooked for later, and several more smaller bags' worth are yet to be sliced and divided as sandwich or curry packages. Half of the cooked turkey is frozen.

I'm glad to be leaving Hardi with a full freezer in January, but the most fun part was Newbie and her leg of lamb bone.