Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Acme, gave you tried LibriVox?

PA:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

~S~

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

PA

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

~S~

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

PA:

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

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

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

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

~S~

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

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

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

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

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

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

PA:

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

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

~S~

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

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

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

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

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

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

Congrats, Acme!

PA:

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

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

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

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

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

PA:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oy!

~S~

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

PA:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PA:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wish me good hunting!

~S~

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

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

~S~

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

PA:

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

~S~

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

PA:

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

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

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

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

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

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

~S~

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

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

Six working days to go.

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

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

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

Go Acme! (Jealous!)

PA:

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

•S•

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

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

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

PA:

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

~S~

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

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

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

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

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

Love to all,

Michelle

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

PA:

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

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

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

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

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

9/11 Arrive at Ohio house, probably quite late

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

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

9/13 Brittney. Sleeeeeeep.


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

~S~

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

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

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

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

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

Sounds good, Acme.

PA:

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

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

So the day:

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

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

~S~

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

PA:

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

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

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

~S~

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PA:

Tuesday 8/28

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

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

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

~S~

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

PA:

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

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

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

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

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

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

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Aug 18 - 01:42 PM

PA:

2nd tramadol not needed TBTG.

Most of laundry is now awaiting folding.

The gray bin emptied, and a beloved shirt and driving shorts were hiding in there-- falling-apart fabrics, but the shirt will do for remaining Sat. svcs time here, and the twill driving shorts will drive to Ohio in a few weeks. They're OMG loose, lightweight, pocketed, and with an elastic, no-slip-down waistband. Fits me 20 lbs either way. They look really awful ON, but they feel so good to drive in!

I may feel a chair nap w NPR coming on. I drank enough water to keep it short, or being on standby for a plumbing call may preclude this nap. But I have clothes to slip on quick from that bin! :-)

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Aug 18 - 09:30 PM

I was out to lunch today with friends from work, and it seems sometimes one lunch just isn't enough because some people can't make it. This was "the" lunch, but I think on Thursday a few others will head over to the same place with me.

The list of things that need to be done soon is growing, so despite having the time at home for a while, it will be filled with activity. A lot is catch-up, but a lot more is initiating the projects I've planned for a long time.

Three more days.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 08:54 AM

Go Acme! I hope our own retirement planning bears fruit soon-- I'm so jealous I should go to confession! ;-)

PA:

Seven recordings of our Saturday Night Service turned up last week, and I'm negotiating the cost of converting those cassette tapes to CD.

The last upstrs box is now dnstrs-- video to send for conversion from vhs to dvd, a box of contacts to quote in the book, and annotated Sat. service music planners-- all quickly repackaged. Once they're done I'm taking today as a Sleep Day, which means not much more sorting till evening.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 12:04 PM

PA:

One chair nap and administrivia-- photographing boxes packed thus far to facilitate communication with team, posted in my FB transition-planning group page.

Those depict Van Cargo; (some) weather-resistant Trailer Cargo; and December Cargo. I also made a sketch for the Ohio laundry area storage; this image woke me up from my nap. The sketch is to facilitate further measurement/planning in Ohio, so Hardi can cut down the PA cabinet. This great plywood box is ceiling height, almost a yard wide, and 30" deep. Helper Adrian custom-built this for us, and it disassembles. Add a facing and doors made from MDF closet doors original to the house... paint doors with white enamel to match the stackable washer/dryer there... and it will swallow up all those seldom-used kitchen items, as well as paper goods and a small bar fridge!

The key this time has been not how many boxes-- but how organized are their contents.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 07:12 PM

The way to deal with passive/aggressive management is to go around them, so after waiting nearly three weeks for them to announce my retirement to the rest of the library staff, I wrote my own announcement and sent it out this evening. This means that there is only tomorrow for people to stop by because I check out on Friday.

I've brought home just about everything I can see that I brought in over the years, and there are the usual office gifts from people who traveled (magnets, stickers, bobble-head things); I will keep my phone charger cord in my pack so I don't forget it on the last day. I have deleted everything from my computer, emptied the remote storage site I had use of while a university employee, and am ready to get papers signed so I can check out. Turn in the keys and the long distance phone code and I'm out of there.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 07:56 PM

Acme, I hope you have a camera. I know it may not seem this way now, but later you will want to see again what you saw from your windows every day, and on your walks.

I'm sorry you were not able to do early farewells. Now, however, you can be a powerful magnet to invite work friends OUT of the environment for lunches or coffees. Even the occasional postcard will encourage them more than you can know! :-)

There are folks there who looked to you as a mentor and role model. With some of them, you know you played that role. Others would surprise you. ;-)

There are also folks there who will be having deep grief at what they can only grasp as a sudden departure. I hope there's enough listening resource among them to absorb it, and I wish you all the listening you need in your own transition afterwards. One day at a time.

All the best from one who's been there,

~Susan

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 09:41 PM

Thanks, Susan - there are few I'm really sad to be leaving behind. They can't or aren't ready to retire yet, and we were a support group. Getting past the stress is necessary, but holding friends close is also.

Not getting much accomplished this evening, and probably won't tomorrow, and I'm not trying. Just coasting along until this is all over.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Aug 18 - 08:59 PM

Still moving some computer files at work, but I think the last batch will have finished by now. I sign off for the last time tomorrow afternoon, but will retain that email account as a retiree. Nothing has been done much around the house except feeding the occupants. Come Saturday it's a whole new world. This is the biggest declutter I've ever managed.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 31 Aug 18 - 02:51 AM

Acme, it's looked pretty remarkable from here. When the dust settles, I hope uyou'll leave some tips on HOW you did it. I've been reading the "what" of it, but I'm sure you've used some tips I could use.

I have 5 or 6 hard/flash drives to make portable. I'm afraid to get the quote from the techie here but know I can't do it myself. Is there a national chain that does this?

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 18 - 12:21 AM

The goal at the university was to remove any personal files from the computer and they had a checklist. I made sure I not only deleted things but that I logged off of anything I'd been signed onto. When I logged out of Chrome on that computer it closed out everything, but I suppose if I wanted one last step I could change the passwords.

It was a long day today, lots of visits with friends and I'll miss them. I stopped by another retiree's gathering at a local restaurant, there were three of us who left today.

I'm going back to Stilly River Sage soon.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 18 - 09:36 AM

I'll probably start a new thread with the new year because this one has run pretty long, but it can handle September through December before we're to that point.

It's a Saturday of a three-day weekend here in the US, so it pretty much feels just like that. I woke early, and facing Saturday, have a usual set of things to do, but all of a sudden I have more time for those things. I have no retirement strategy, though I have things I want to start now. This morning is when I would usually change the sheets, but I pulled up the mattress cover also; might as well start some fall cleaning even though it's still about 100^o out there every day this week. The dogs were fed and since the state of the patio has bugged me for a while I pulled out a stiff straw broom to un-felt the concrete - I call it that because dog hair laid down over time on top of grass and grit thrown off by the line trimmer becomes a durable mat that must be knocked loose and peeled off.

I have a couple of job nibbles and others more I plan to pursue. I also need to volunteer at my old library in order to work on organizing the photo collection I donated, and we need to figure out the best way to do it. One-stop ID might involve a process of identifying and photocopying to write on the paper who and what are in the image, creating a paper record, but also scanning it so it is available for use more easily. Those images will only be a resource if there is information attached to them.

And I'm Stilly River Sage again.

SRS

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 01 Sep 18 - 07:08 PM

Beaver:
Lovely to have Stilly River Sage back! What an incredible de-cluttering you have accomplished!

Had an opportunity to talk with friend yesterday who has worked 53 years at the local newspaper - started when he was 17 and took over ownership when his dad retired. He recently sold the newspaper part and kept the printing company and office supplies shop - He wants his son to have a life! I would love for him to do an oral history. He probably knows more about the last 53 years of this community than anyone.

Apparently the hogweed and/or wild parsnip, both vicious invasive weeds, are common around here. I wanted to try to provide enough information that more people are not burned by them. Spent five hours on the phone Thursday trying to get a better poster - one with a one liner heading that average folks would see and take notice! Finally got a good one and had my friend print it up -11x17! Spent part of today getting people (at the Farm market) to take them to other areas, blanketed Maynooth and started on Bancroft. Ran out of energy and flaked out for the afternoon. Tuesday...

But I did manage, after nap, to maneuver the firewood tarp into a really good position so it will be easier to handle through the winter, she says hopefully! I am very pleased as I doubted I could do it and did not want to knock over any of the already stacked wood. Two days of rain predicted then I will resume stacking.

Dan said he was coming on Monday but I suspect he means Tuesday - after Labour Day. R did not make it up for this long weekend - moving a 60 foot long machine. Maybe Canadian Thanksgiving? - next month. I am staying right here. Fall is lovely!! Then, in October before ground freezes, the process of moving plants from the Montreal house to ???? somewhere. Then the moving in November to new house. Although with the sale of Montreal house having fallen through - so much for "ironclad" contract... R does not tell me he is concerned... HE is working on it.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 18 - 11:54 PM

Laundry done, three more jars of pickled okra and a couple of pounds of it in the freezer. I've cleared off about half of my kitchen table and about as much of my peninsula counter next to the sink.

I took a nap. I found some covers to CDs and put the CDs into them. I dusted some shelves. Nothing vital but it clears up some stuff that was sitting out and I want the house clean enough so I can do more entertaining and not worry about dust and dog hair.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Sep 18 - 10:28 AM

The last of the CDs was tucked away into the shelf this morning and it looks great, disks in order and free of dust. I've turned my attention to the kitchen to clean up after last night's processing of pickled okra (I have almost a case of jars now). Today will be really hot, as will tomorrow, but we're supposed to have a series of days with a good chance of rain. Finally I'll have the time to work in the yard when the soil is perfect to work in after the rain. Invariably it rains on the weekend and I have to go to work during the week. I will work my way around the foundation, clearing out weeds and weed-tree saplings and transplant a few things. I also need to put in a new concrete path where the sewer line went through.

Someone on my Freecycle list offered up some bags of used jeans for crafts so I've written back and said I'll take them. We'll have to see if I'm the first to ask and if I can find the house. I'm planning to do some craft work with denim and if I don't have to buy the first batch I can do my testing and see how it works.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: LilyFestre
Date: 02 Sep 18 - 02:21 PM

Congratulations Maggie!!! <3

I hope you fill your days with whatever makes you most happy! You certainly deserve it!

XOXOXOOXOXOXLoveYouBunches!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: LilyFestre
Date: 02 Sep 18 - 02:28 PM

My focus today has been the living room. The floor has been mopped, most surfaces have been dusted and Jeremiah is currently in the process of moving his bookcase and pile of never ending STUFF (think backpack, jackets, school papers, random crayons, cars, etc) into his own room. That leaves one set of drawers that he has in the living room.....it's nice having that additional space.

I have a few piles of papers and books to go through of my own yet. We have been saving for a new living room (couch, recliners, possibly a sectional, lights and tables.....so I'm having some fun imagining exactly what and how I'd like the living room to be. Some painting may be in order too.....I'm really liking a harvest wheat color or a soft butter yellow. Currently, the walls are more of a pumpkin color. I think it would be nice to lighten it up. Additionally, we have saved enough to add a large picture window overlooking the field and mountains in the background...that too will add more light to this room. Little by little...we'll get there!

I also have 3 racks of magazines I am hoping to go through and will likely take them to the waiting room at my office (name and address removed) as people are always taking the magazines (which is perfectly fine with us)....so I'm sure they will go to good use.

Hoping to go fishing later today.

Have a great weekend & Labor Day to those in the US!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Sep 18 - 05:46 PM

SRS, what's your planned drift-time duration before your financial and social goals make paychecks necessary?

PA:

I decluttered the Saturday Night Service reprtoire of a pile of players' binders last night; two of our elderly members can no longer play, and a member of that congregation has taken up uke. Like I had done, more than 20 years ago, she wants to learn/practice with hymns and gospel songs.

So I offered her a set of ours, with Hardi's endorsement, and removed anything personal from the pockets. So glad to see the instrument craze take over someone else like that, as mine wanes for now.

It was, I'll admit, gratifying to hear her exclaim about the heavy load represented by all but two of our binders (yet to find). Oh, you didn't realize what this ministry takes!?!?

This evening I did exploratory surgery in one of the two problem areas I'm need of that before I depart in 8 days-- and boxed up more empty binders with tabs to re-use, after filling Shred and Recycle boxes of paper with their contents.

I found four different stashes of past tax returns, which I left for Hardi's review. And I found a few pages neatly filling in an era between two doctors in my health records-- which went into the nearly-full box waiting for little bits just like that.

I estimated the number of liquor store boxes needed to complete my work in that area. Tomorrow, Hardi and I will do similar exploratory surgery in the 2nd problem area.

It's time to start loading boxes into the van. The weather forecast looks good for that.

An Ohio neighbor wrote to ask if she can give our number to the relative about to house-sit for her planned vacay, who will keep an eye on our well-secured little house. We've had zero alerts from the alarm system, the plant-sitter, or either neighbor. I can't wait to get back to my accessible house. If only I could priest-nap Hardi! One week yet to have fun.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Sep 18 - 11:00 PM

I have 30 days away from work or volunteering in an educational environment for my retirement to stay official. There is work to be done in the future on the photo collection I donated, and I'll be a volunteer there (to be able to go into the back area in Special Collections). I'll start looking for jobs to apply for any day now, but I have a few weeks of down time before I push harder.

I've spent most of the afternoon and evening pacing myself as I work through an online Defensive Driving course. I've completed five of the eight sections. B-O-R-I-N-G. But saves me about 10% on my auto insurance, and it lasts for three years.

Tomorrow is a holiday, part of a three day weekend, and it still just feels like a weekend. I predict that on Tuesday the joy of being retired will begin to sink in. My retired neighbors have kidded me about every day being Saturday now that I'm retired. I still have appointments on my calendar so I can't just drift from one day to the next, but I'll have so much free time compared to before it will be a luxury.

News came this morning of a fellow from the university who died suddenly last night. That makes three in two weeks, younger than me. One had long term cancer she didn't tell anyone about, but not the others as far as I can tell. I feel like I'm escaping with my life.